12x18 pastel on UartThis is an illegal spare from my wonderful trip to Washington state. It's one of those rare paintings that it took 2 days on site to get this far. It is still unfinished.
Maybe you can help me answer a question...Does an artist need to have a value range and/or color style in which he/she works to signify a cohesive body of work? I look around and notice most do. Do you?
I look again to Sanford Gifford and George Inness...they did.
13 comments:
Hi Loriann,
I really like this painting, it's slightly different than some of your other work.
As for your question, and this is just my opinion ... I think it's up to the individual artist to determine a body of work. For me, I seldom think about the last painting I did because I know that the next one will be different either by technique, subject, value, realistic or impressionistic. I sometimes think when I look at others artists work that mine should be more like theirs. More consistent in style and look. Then I think, wait a minute, I'm the artist here, way should I follow someone else's edicts rather critics or other artists. I'm my own person here and I will determine what my work will look like. There are many wonderful and inspiring artists to admire. There paintings depict how they felt, what emotions caused them to paint a subject. Some may have looked around and said ... I see, I should keep my paintings consistent from the first painting to the last.
I think in your case, you've developed a wonderful style that's pleasing to you and all of us who marvel at your talents. If that's what makes you feel good then continue until you tire of it. For me, right now I'm inspired by your use of watercolor and somehow I want to incorporate that feeling into mine. I love the way the colors run together and how adept you are at creating the major elements of your paintings without detail plus you have a beautiful sense of color. I would argue with any watercolorist on this earth that your under-paintings have great feel and meaning and are far more than what you perceive them to be. Go with your heart, go with what makes you feel good and stop and think about how a painting makes you feel when it's completed. Being an artist is a constant evolution.
Again, this is only an opinion,
Take care,
Doug
I think Doug said it very well. I'm afraid that if I tried to develop some kind of cohesive body of work that I would feel stifled. I have too much fun experimenting and trying every new technique I read about. Your extraordinary ability to express yourself with color makes your work cohesive, in my opinion. I have the feeling that if you were to do a still life I could pick it out of the work of a hundred other artists. It would be immediately recognizeable as a Loriann painting!
Your illegal spare is a nice one!
I think it naturally evolves over time just because we tend to return to what we love, be it a color, or a place, or a value.
Good question, Loriann. Makes me stop and really consider a further thought. Is there a difference between cohesive style and artistic voice? One can build a style through subject matter, painting elements as you suggested (value, color), composition or process. How does that vary from voice? One in the same?
I think that one's style and choices develop naturally, but certain things that are yours are there from the beginning. Look at catalog resumes of important artists. Even their earliest work, though derivative, looks like them within the context of a body or lifetime of work. I don't think you should strive for a style or look. It happens naturally. One needs to work at motivation, ideas, inventiveness, purpose, depth of meaning...Even the Impressionists all look different. Each has an identifiable style that is their own and came naturally.
I love the term "illegal spare". What kind of car do you have?!
It's "catalogue raisonne". I'm turning into Mrs. Malaprop.
love the haziness and distance in this loriann
just do what you like,keep doing it and style will come,you can't force it
Thank you blogger friends for responding to my question! I will respond to your comments one by one.
Doug, Thanks so much I look forward to your insightful comments.You are so right that we determine our work, yet I wonder how it is that each person's body of work wears such a distinctive coat without even trying.I suppose it is like our fingerprints. Unique, without intentional effort.
Hi Donna, Thank you for your thoughts. You are so right, we would feel stifled if we TRIED to make a body of work. I guess it just is; like a signature. As we experiment it comes with us.
Hi Karen,
You too are right. Time is the key, just time and constant effort because we are doing what we love best. Lucky us.
Hi Marianne,
I think your word describes it better than "body of work", of course, it's our "voice" isn't it.One in the same.
Hi Bob,Good point! it sounds like we are all saying the same thing.
heehee, illegal spare. By the way I have a honda fit.
Hi Rob,thanks for dropping by my blog.I guess we all agree here. I will take your advice and continue to do as I feel... since I really can't do otherwise. I love your paintings of Wales and check in to your blog often.
Thanks all, happy painting!!!
Loriann
Well, you know me--I sure don't! Maybe someday I will...but if it happens, it happens, if not, then I'm trying not to worry about it.
I LOVE this piece! Don't do too much more to it!
As "into" Modern art theory as I am, I still find that I need something even more than color style/value range to say. I think when you have a "something" to focus on, it becomes a statement, or signature.
I admire the artist whose ability to change their statement over time still leads to success. It is a challenge!
*rant follows* I hate the way the camera forces us into a narrow range of values/colors. Such a pity that one must jury with inside values and RGB colors.
Sorry to get in this discussion late - I, too, am returned from vacation!
You are welcome into the conversation at any time Casey. When you speak of "something" to focus on, what exactly do you mean? Could you give examples? I do know what you mean about the artists that do flow and morph their ways. They are constantly exploring answering only to their inner art spirit.
i agree, the camera can be a frustrating (and wonderful) tool.
Trying not to wax on. But, one something I am into right now is dark "eye sumps."
Another is the half plane of very abstract area.
As always, the usage of intensity to work the surface is another.
I wonder if it's too many things, eh? I have a couple others, but words aren't flowing well - I get a morning in the studio -woo hoo!
KC
Hi Casey, What is a dark "eye sump"? Often it seems as if I will have too many things on the "remember this plate". Then I feel I the need to eliminate or postpone one or two to a later time. How do you manage to too many?
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