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Published: 2020-02-21 11:48:09 +0000 UTC; Views: 1075; Favourites: 143; Downloads: 2
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Description
Event 391 "Not All Cages..."-
12" x 9"
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Limestone Dust, Acrylic, Wax on Canvas.
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Comments: 57
I know, right! Me too, people have been asking for new work for...I don't know, it's like nine years and all of a sudden, boom! Don't know if I've got another one in me though, the current canvas is kicking my arse!
I hope he makes it too!
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I have had your comment on my notification screen for five days...so far.
To the last thing you said: Will do...to whatever extent it decides.
To the first thing you said: Yes.
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No, no I'm sorry, I came across a bit...sharp, I was tripping out last night and half asleep and to expand I had been thinking a lot about your comment and leaving it in my notifications to remind me...because I had painted 'cages' and 'divided' /before/ this happened and it made me think, a lot, about my recent return to painting and away from other things. You're questions, whilst not only not being out of place were and are important to me, so please ask and comment anything you like, as much as you like! I love /your/ art too!
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Yes, you're right, they do feel heavy...really heavy, they are a bit more...what, /threatening?/ somehow. Which isn't really my choice, well, it is obviously but only on enough levels that I'm not, for instance, choosing dark ochres and powder blacks and getting them really dark.
You mentioned RedDawn...yes, that...also, "What John Said"...that turned out like a proper scorched earth type affair...but then, /what John said/, was, you know, a proper scorched earth type affair. *shrug*
But I'm not /consciously/ doing that with these, I'm just painting again, after nine years. So I'm questioning it, and you're helping me to do that so thanks.
It's the White though...so much of it! I can't get away from it...seriously difficult to stop myself /overworking/ pieces and I'm aware of that because it creeps up on me and I've been aware of it for ages, but if I didn't stop myself they would likely be "finished" with the whole canvas just textured white and a tiny little colour peeking out of the middle of it. Not only has that already been, /done/, several times, it's /not/ what I do.
Maybe, I have shifted my focus from Nature and my relation to it, (including living in a city and seeing the nature in decay), to the collective human condition, currently...for now. I don't feel helpless and I'm not afraid, personally...I think a lot of people are going through a review of their lives right now, good and bad...I'm always doing that, so don't need to, but I guess that en-mass I /might/ be "picking up" on the 3 Billion people in 'lockdown' and of them those who are facing their personal demons.
But this is all rant, (and thanks for putting up with it), because my job, as far as I am concerned, as a painter and an abstract expressionist in particular is to make something I can then disown so that whoever looks at it is getting an experience all about them, not me.
Blah...still glad you asked? lol
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Thank you very much!
Although it's all relative isn't it, gorgeous I mean, I have personally stood in a gallery anonymously and seen a couple looking around at the work and then get to mine and almost back off from it like it was going to mug them. The woman looks at me and makes one of those 'yuk' faces and smiles and I'm like, "you're right it's frikin' horrible, who would want that in their home, what the hell am I doing" lol. But that's the art world, watercolours and money laundering and not much in-between these days.*
I lot of the time yes, I knew what I was doing, or I thought I knew what I /wanted/ to do, or what 'event' I was holding on to at the time that couldn't help but make it into a painting...whether /any/ that happened or not was up to, you know, the 'process', whatever that is. To be fair, for the first, let's say fifteen years, I was too busy learning the disciplines of the materials I was using to not mess up and have to go in another direction with whatever I was working on anyway. Then there's the 'never finished' aspect I can't get away from. So - many - overpainted - canvases!! Also, like I said if I let myself they would all end up all white and I would say, "right that's done, finished that one", but there wouldn't be anything left to post, (or occasionally sell). lol
So, as far as your ideas about artistic energy having built up. Yes, definitely, I agree with that...also there's a somewhat addictive aspect, but I won't go into that, we'll be here all day. So, yes, I agree, but here's an interesting thing about that. It has to be a fragmented diamond, creativity, because painting, (me and my work anyway, I think), is only a facet. What I mean is in the meantime I have been drawing, making copper jewellery, (thick twisted Celtic type torques and stuff), and I have been making tons and tons of resin/precious stone/gold etc sculptures. Plus I play guitar and sing, (a lot), every day. Also, you know, creative writing. I don't post those, anywhere. So it doesn't look, from the internets' point of view, that I have been doing anything. Point is, it's not just artistic flow, it has to be artist flow specifically related to the act of making paintings that I have 'come back' to? What do you think?
*Not that there's anything wrong with watercolours, not at-all, but you get the point yeah.
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Being stuck with the cute little things is alright as long as you move on, it's part of the journey. A lot of peoples first inspiration and attempts at art are to try to bring to life their favourite cartoon characters and things like that. At least it gets people being creative. But yes, if you want to get serious with it, (which /you/ do), it's a journey to finding yourself as an artist.
Well, look, I am self-taught, I practised a lot and read a lot of books and went to shows. After twenty years of that I somehow found myself teaching 'Studio Art' at Jesus College, Cambridge University. So, I know both sides of that coin kinda, and you are teaching yourself pretty well, in my opinion.Β Keep creating - and just get a decent book, with lots of example photographs, in the style or movement you are interested in and read it, repeat until Artist emerges from cocoon of doubt...there, education, practical and academic. I mean, a little talent also helps, and you have a lot of that so the rest shouldn't be a problem.
Not that you asked for my advice.
Oils are luscious to work with, and some of them smell really nice, and they give a great dry surface, probably the best...but they are a royal pain in the arse if you paint wet on wet a lot, like I do. Plus, don't use oils outside a studio if you don't feel like everything you own turning into an art project.Β But /do/ use them sometimes, just to experience.
Yeah, your example about digital is spot on and that extends to oils, but with digital you can at least backtrack. We just don't listen to ourselves! You must recognise that thinking; whatever we are working on, "could be better", but it isn't an excuse to mess up what happened outside our original thoughts on the piece...and the instant you make that mark that shouldn't be there you know and kick yourself, despite all the cautionary feelings.
Or is that not your experience? Did you mean something else when you said, "let go"?
No, no, not at-all. I am certain that recent events /are/ influencing me. Definitely. But I had the ideas and made the work just /before/ this new reality we are in, that part is a bit trippy/cool. Aside from that, just maybe, I /may/ have come back to painting after nine years because this is the only work I do that is released to the world to look at.Β I don't /need/ to be heard or seen or regarded to still do what I do, be me...I mean, it's nice and helpful maybe but not necessary. So am I 'sharing' in regard to others...? Maybe it's a kind of empathy... I don't like that a /lot/ of people aren't going to do well in enforced isolation...lot going on...LOT going on that the majority have no idea about. Maybe I feel like reaching out in some way, trying to help somehow. I just do it differently to, you know, 'Keep Calm and Carry On', type of '"art" and all /that/ platitude crap. I don't know...probably over-thinking it...plus maybe getting a bit personal to share here. That probably sounds a bit arrogant too, I don't know. Anyway...
I can't tell you how much I enjoy you looking at my work and I love our chats. Also, goes without saying, I love your work...reminds me of a time in the 90s when an old Royal Academician with work in the Tate come into my apartment and looked around and just said, "You've got it!", and I said "got what"?, and he just said "It!".
Well, you've "got it" too, thank you, Sabina!
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Yeah, you're definitely doing things the right way, in my opinion. That's good to know because you have the 'magic' ingredient...well one of the important ones, that being talent! Also drive and imagination...and spark...so have at it! Make a mess! ... and remember to do it for you, not anyone else.
Thank you, that's really nice of you to say, but still, hehe "great artistic skill"...I mean, I don't know about all /that/. I guess in context, maybe, thank you very much!
Really happy to know that you get energy from our interaction, that's so cool, me too!
Yes, oils, love them and you know, also don't...they are great if you just want to stain things though...which I don't, but I kinda wish I was working on things that require that because it's so satisfying and fun...*sigh*. Yeah, good luck with oil, if you can find decent oil without it being unreasonably priced, (which is definitely a thing), then it's a joy to use.
Oh wow, I love your Aunts work, I can see why she made a mark! Do Not Try To Live Up To Her. Just saying, probably not an issue as you likely know better, but still had to say. I mean ask her advice and all that, (I would), by all means...but you know what I mean.
Yep, me too. When I'm famous I will be working on proper sized canvases....like, 40 Feet wide type stuff. *sigh* hehe But for now...
...eh' shouldn't complain, to be fair quite a bit of my work that I have sold is bigger than people, so I did kinda get there. Nobody is interested right now though.
Yes, traditional is a /lot/ harder, lot, lot harder. They are different disciplines, yes, and they both require skill and imagination...but...to make things happen with no help...no algorithms, no unreal speed, no take-backs...that's very different. You kinda only know the extent to that if you do both though. Like we do. Obviously people do what they do and digital is immediately accessible and you can create amazing work...and that's cool...but what /moves/ me when I am there, in a museum, standing in front of something magnificent are the sensations of /real/ proximity, it's a powerful object a piece of true art. It has its own presence left there by the artist in the creation of it, which defies time and location, and the materials become more than the sum of their parts and it reaches out to you in the ether and asks you what you want from it...and you have to stop yourself from touching it. Talking with an amazing piece of, (off-screen), art can be like falling in love!
Dammit, now I want to visit a museum..grr.
Thanks, your interest and interaction mean more than I can say! 
Keep creating! 
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Oh, wow! That's wonderful! That's really exciting and it doesn't matter if you get 'picked' or not as you already picked yourself and you did the work, so you did your job, your part of the deal as an artist. People who pick things aren't your problem. It would be nice though, I'm rooting for you, I hope you get it and I'm sure you deserve it!
Yep...a bigger home made all the difference to me, having the space to make a mess is important, especially if you want to do bigger work and consider what you are doing 'work', because when you leave the studio you're off the clock.
Digital art is an art from, but it ain't substantial in any way...it isn't as /there/ as physical art. I mean, it's still here to be looked at, but it so much there that if an E.M.P hit us it would all, all of it, just disappear. We would be left only with physical art works...does that not make physical work fundamentally, intrinsically closer to /us/ somehow?
I /love/ how you make me think about things, thank you!
Yeah, all good thanks, and you, have a lovely day!
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have bars? A single downward tilt to the end on one small line makes it look sad. Whatever this is, it is abstract expressionism of a kind not seen elsewhere. I'm glad you've started using larger display sizes so that I can see it properly.
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Well, I don't know about that. I would love to think that my work is worthy of such praise, but there's a /lot/ of work come out of the movement in the last sixty or seventy years.
Thank you very much for your comment.
I don't really like posting large images, I really would like the view to be that of standing in a gallery and not looking at a monitor. But as it happens, this piece comes out on the screen at about the same as it's actual size, on my monitor.
So here, I suppose, the smaller paintings are bigger and the bigger paintings look small...hmm.
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You did do some new work!Β So glad to see it, Neil.
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I did. Thank you very much for the support, Yvette!
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YAY!!!! I'm so happy to see new work from you!!!
This is great!
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I really appreciate you saying so, both things, thank you.
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Most welcome! So joyous to see new work from you!
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Thank you very much for saying so, my friend!
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Exactly...and thank you!
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You are so welcomeΒ Β
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Thanks, Chris. Much appreciated!
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neil its my total pleasure always
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Very kind of you to say, thank you my friend!
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Thank you very much, Richard!
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