Man, it's so annoying when your computer's in the "hospital" for a "disc operation." I'm having to use The Husband's computer to do the photo editing and the blogging, and he has all these obnoxious setups where if you accidentally let the cursor go into a corner of the screen, all these things pop up and everything sort of rearranges itself and you don't know where your stuff went. I hate it.
I went to set up something new for last night's still life, but the peppers didn't want to be ignored. "Paint us again!" they cried. I decided on this one to go one small step closer to abstraction. There are many ways to make something look more abstract (and this is something I'm obsessed with learning about). In this case, things that were deliberate were: little or no variation in the background, shadows lighter value than in real life and less variation in them, fewer brush strokes on each pepper, slightly unrealistic colors, simplified forms with straighter lines, funky format.
I feel like I can do good realism and I can do good abstraction (and I love them both), but I don't know how to meld them and come up with semi-abstract (semi-realism), like O'Keeffe or Euan Uglow or Diebenkorn or Stuart Shils or Casey Klahn or Wolf Kahn (notice how those last two rhyme--huh--hi, Casey!) or many others who know or knew so well. I hope to someday learn to do it.
More art on my website: jalapfaff.com
More art on my website: jalapfaff.com
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11 comments:
You know I know how you feel. I'd like to say it'll pass, but it won't. As long as you have a computer, it never ever will. Bummer. But you got wicked nice chilis, girl.
yay, love it.
Gorgeous chilis, Jala! I know what you mean about wanting paint differently sometimes; I wish I had beautiful brush strokes like yours, but I just can't seem to pull it off!
Love the long skinny format, too. It works well with the long skinny chilis.
These are beautiful. I love the compositions in both of your chili paintings. The colors are delicious too.
I had an art professor who once said, "I know it's a big taboo, but if you want to know how someone paints a certain way, copy one of their works." Interesting, yes?
Jala, Your composition works on an abstract level and I love the way you left orange in your brush when you stroked the blue in one area. Maybe it was an accident....but as we all know, learning which fortunate "accidents" work is important too! Beautiful color.
Sam - Thanks. "Wicked"--I like that. What are YOU painting these days?
Dar - Thanks!
R - Thanks for your email, by the way. :) I like your name but will keep your incognita status by continuing to call you "R" in public cyberspace. Glad you liked the format. Brush strokes: the key seems to be holding your brush far back on its handle (feels awkward but leads to good results) and using a super-light touch.
Melinda - Copying is part of classical training, actually, rather than taboo. My art school closed down before I got to the copying course(s), though. I have tried to copy some stuff at home but I don't seem to have the patience!!! This is the problem. Somehow I need to get over that hurdle. As soon as I start copying and get a little ways into it, it wants to turn into something else and I seem helpless to stop it.
Loriann - It was a sort-of accident. I had done an imprimatura in burnt siena to give a warm undertone, but I started the painting while the imprimatura was still wet with Turpenoid (which I nearly always do). So some of the burnt siena made its presence known, and yes, you're right, knowing which accidents to leave is very key.
Yes, because copying was a part of academic painting in the pre-impressionistic era, it later became taboo in University courses. My professors didn't want to be pigeon holed with the David and Ingres group. Of course, now that we are in the post-post modern era, we can do what we want.
I think that when you cannot keep "patient," your art conscience is telling you that you have learned what you need and your artist's signature is nudging to come out. Listen to your heart and you will paint like your mentors do, but never just as they do.
Great painting, Jala. I love the color combination.
I really like this painting. Colors are great and composition is fantastic. You can keep painting peppers ... you paint them so well!
Melinda - I love what you said (and I hope it's true!, about the reason for the impatience...or maybe it's just that I'm lazy and impatient??!!) and I really appreciate your thoughtful comments. Thank you!
Edward - Thanks!
Leslie - Thank you. I am keeping my eye out for some habaneros to paint.
Melinda - I love what you said (and I hope it's true!, about the reason for the impatience...or maybe it's just that I'm lazy and impatient??!!) and I really appreciate your thoughtful comments. Thank you!
Edward - Thanks!
Leslie - Thank you. I am keeping my eye out for some habaneros to paint.
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