This is another older pastel.
Untitled 263. Pastel. Approximately 3" x 5." Purchase information: jala[at]jalapfaff.com
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Rumi is pretty good at tribble impersonations...
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More art on my website: jalapfaff.com
Showing posts with label approx. 3" x 5". Show all posts
Showing posts with label approx. 3" x 5". Show all posts
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Untitled 263
Rumi is pretty good at tribble impersonations...
More art on my website: jalapfaff.com
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Untitled 200
Pastel on UArt, approx. 3" x 5".
In my experience at least, it is hard to sell art. Especially abstract art. (Although Open Studios has been successful for me. I'm guessing that's because many people that go to Open Studios are going with the intent of actually buying something for their homes, and also many of them decide ahead of time to go see, e.g., only abstract artists during those two weekends in October.)
In museums, in cafes, in shows, I have often overheard attendees deriding abstract art, laughing about how their "four-year-old kid could do that;" "why would I pay money for just scribbles and blobs of color;" "I could do that myself without even trying;" etc. (They're partly right--kid art can be fantastic, thanks to the combination of lack of self-criticism, absence of self-consciousness, spontaneity, purity of intention, lack of preconceptions, etc. See Loriann Signori's utterly delightful recent post about teaching kids!)
It's hard to hear those things--whether heard about my own work or overheard in front of a Twombly at MOMA--though it seems to be a common sentiment. I've had people even at my Open Studios see my realism work and exclaim that they can't believe I'd wanted to stop doing that and instead do what I am doing (and passionate about) now.
I always wish, when I overhear these types of comments, I were able to take those people right at that moment, sit them at a table with some art supplies, and say, "Fine, go for it, let's see if you can indeed produce a simple abstract painting that's interesting, compelling, emotional, lovely, exciting, 'without even trying.'"
It's hard to stay true to what one cares most about, art-wise. I myself have had plenty of times when I wondered if I were going down the wrong artistic path. I suppose in terms of selling art, I have. Other than on a million-dollar (Rothko, Diebenkorn, de Kooning, Frank Stella, Joan Mitchell, Frankenthaler, Brice Marden, Josef Albers, etc.) scale in the investment art world--other than on that scale of famousness, well, realism and even semi-abstract always outsell abstract by a huge margin (i.e., in local shows, non-famous-NY-artists shows).
I've found it's often even hard to get an abstract work juried into a show. One of my art teachers at the classical art school told me she thinks it's because many people, including some other artists and art jurors, don't understand how they're "supposed to" react to, or judge, or "understand" abstract art. And so out of fear of seeming ignorant, they simply reject it automatically and move on to art they're more comfortable with. For me (as long as something is competently executed in terms of, say, materials), it's just a pure matter of instinctual response to any given abstract painting. I might love it, hate it, or just shrug out of boredom. I think many people think they are supposed to "figure out" what an abstract painting "means." They think there is some kind of hidden message and they're worried they'll be exposed as not intelligent if they don't "get" it. There may be some abstract paintings like that out there, but frankly, I think those paintings are a minority. Mostly I want to just assure people that any reaction they have is appropriate. Gut reactions are the best reactions. You don't want to think about it. (In my perhaps crazy opinion, the best abstract paintings are the ones that stop your conscious thoughts. You should emerge from viewing them feeling slightly dazed in a pleasant way, as the chatter of your left brain was finally silenced even if just for a few moments.)
It is true that sometimes abstract paintings can be better appreciated by learning about the context [social, technique, materials, etc.] in which they were created--but I maintain the perhaps radical opinion that what matters is just your own gut reaction to a piece. Does it fascinate/repel/surprise/compel/bore you? How long do you spend staring at it? How much of that time spent staring at it is just feeling, as opposed to thinking analytically about how and why the artist made it?
The way I finally figured out what I really wanted to do in art (for the moment--this of course can and will naturally morph!) was by asking myself two questions: 1) when I'm in a museum or a show or looking at art books, what am I most drawn to and feel most excited about looking at? and 2) if I knew I only had a year to live, would I choose to paint realism or abstract? ...and suddenly the answer is perfectly clear to me. I don't know why gazing upon, say, two blocks of color in a rectangle should give me goosebumps, but when it is well done, it simply does.
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I love my skeptical Moji. He'd tell those art critics a thing or two.
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Sunday, October 16, 2011
Untitled 169
Pastel on UArt, approx. 3"x 5".
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Two cuddle, one daydreams.
I never get tired of seeing those two pairs of ears--pink and brown--together.
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More art on my website: jalapfaff.com
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Untitled 101
Pastel on UArt400, approx. 3" x 5".
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Leaving Golconda Fort, Hyderabad, India.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Untitled 65
Pastel on Sennelier LaCarte, approx. 3" x 5".
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Rumi and Gadjo: world's best buddies.
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In India.
More art on my website: jalapfaff.com
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Untitled 60
(Above) Here's the next in the Strata series. Approx. 3" x 5", pastel on Sennelier La Carte.
(Below) Caroline, in stormy Scotland, asked to see an example of one of my small pastels matted and framed. There's probably some better way to take a photo of a glass-covered painting, but since this photo is not going into a museum's archives, and since I'm not going to disassemble the painting, I think we can live with it. (You can see some reflections in the glass, especially at the top.) I frame the minis in either 8" x 10" (like this one) or 11" x 14". This is an inexpensive (yet archival), single-mat (reverse bevel opening) way to frame. Some of my black frames are wood, some are metal.
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Gadjo seems about the same. I did leave a tearful message on my vet's voicemail and she called back and very nicely said please don't panic. So we'll try our best to squelch panic from now on.
But if you have to be sick or injured, it's nice to have your deaf, pink-eared, furry brother with you.
Isn't it, Gadjo?
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