Surprise!

Finally I’m getting back in to an art mindset!

I was just walking to the Co-Op yesterday and there was this magnificent tree I had never really acknowledged before. It’s huge and really majestic against the sky. Something I really did not expect on the little oasis of rat homes between hundreds of almost identical houses. Shortly after we were driving to see my grandparents who live in town and they day prior had been horrible; it had been raining quite heavily. Yet the warm light just reminded me of Ash Wednesday by George Shaw. For me it has confirmed that art truly is everywhere, and got me really looking forward to getting my paint out again!

Landscape; A Picture of Nothing

Landscape. Isn’t it all just nothing?

Although I’m moving away from focusing my work on Landscape, I still have a very emotive connection to it. But isn’t it all about nothing? The absence of anything?

I realised that my outcome was disappointing because it really was a picture of nothing. The space had depth but lacked any sort of atmosphere and the foreground objects seemed to create a boarder for an otherwise flat plane; too disjointed.

(Chichester Canal – JMW Turner)

Here is a great example, physically the focus point it in an area of comparative nothing, although there is the ship the main image is just open water. The surroundings have more in the name of ‘features’, but through clever techniques  make them dissolve out of view at first. However despite the lack of a physical object to ground the competition, it appears that there’s something completely different hold it all together.

For some reason It seems to be a lack of constraints, the colours fade into the background creating an almost eternal spectrum. In short it makes me feel free and alive.

I could quite happily spend a warm evening outside staring at the stars, and I do. Because there’s something highly therapeutic about these gripping atmospheres. It is transporting you to that place, in essence its very escapist.

Space is a very powerful force. I remember a member of my art history class had designed a piece of modernist architecture, and there was a space on the second story that resembled a balcony. When my lecturer asked the student what the space was for the student said that evidently he would use it to place a BBQ and reclining chair to relax in the evenings. When my lecturer then followed up his question with why is that your instinct with this space the student could not really answer but could provide the practical reasons associated like, being outside. However our understanding of space seems to be something very emotive. When you walk into a high ceilinged building there is usually some sense of a presence. It is possibly why this format of space has been adopted by religious institutions, to command a feeling of heavy air or awe. The same thing for me happens in this painting the space makes me feel in a certain way that a more claustrophobic environment would not. I believe this abstracted emotive connection is partly why I have been drawn to landscape. But I’m not going to make any general claims for the entire reason, I think that’s a little bit more complex for a blog post, mid revision anyway ;) 

Art is...

Art is an opinion

I’m definitely not the subtlest writer so mine probably shines through - nay blinds you - from time to time. I feel the real fascination lies with the inevitability of it. Art will always progress in some form of another. But an opinion is under the ownership of someone, so here's me.
 *cheesy photo warning*

I have had a little bit of an odd week; but one that's drawn me to a conclusion. 'Art' in the sense that I'm talking about seems to be more of a way of life than an interest, but I don’t think I’m definable by it. Hardly any of the people close to me share this passion and so my art world is a very personal thing. I may have spent years focusing on landscape but I’m ready for a challenge.

I’m setting myself a project!

After my exams I’m going to compose a painting that symbolises me. I’m going to attempt the dreaded self portrait! I think I’m going to need months to sketch and work something out which is why I’m giving myself so long to do this but I want to do it well.

Art to many like Andy Warhol isn’t about some spiritual enlightenment it’s about a personal interest. He stated that being an artist is a job, not unlike any other skill based profession, despite all of its romanticism.

I’m going to embrace the selfishness of art and let the inner child in me come out. I think that I need to just enjoy making something again, and to release all these predetermined rules about aesthetics and form. I’m going to push myself, it could drive me mad but that doesn’t matter because you whoever you are the lucky one on the journey with me.

Marla

Marla Olmstead has been surrounded with artistic hype from a very young age. My heart goes out to this little girl and her little brother Zane. This family has been dragged through the media spotlight; through prodigy to fraud. I believe that Marla’s work is genuine and those who are pulling apart this four year old need to take a step back from this story.

“Everyone’s trying to shape the story into what they want it to be and not let it be what it is”

I think the constant search for this possession of art is wrong. Art is not a definable thing as it differs between hosts but is also constantly changing as new ideas are integrated into it. The artist is the only one who can define the work he or she creates and to begin with Marla’s work was just her personal studies. The attention was not to sell the work but due to the vibrancy of it naturally drew attention. Her parents claimed that she was never a child prodigy and those who were ahead of the criticism had no substantial involvement in the art world; scientists and journalists.

It seems very natural for us to dismiss a young child’s work, if it excels what we perceive as natural, because it seems to be threatening almost. But who is to say that more children couldn’t do this with the right environment? Marla was never forced into painting and it is clear that it was her interest was self driven and remained enjoyable to her. I believe that in this case that is all that is happening here. The collectors of her work are well aware that they are buying the work of a child and that’s the essence of it.

I won’t dwell on why this is but it made me contemplate why we obsess with a constant search for possession of a definition of art. Surely if artwork is something so personal then anyone can be an artist? Many of her main collectors state that their fascination is with the true spirit of being a child the naive happy and exploration of paint. I had an art lesson not long ago when my art teacher expressed how this connection with the media should resonate in any artists work. It made me rethink why I paint.

For a child to put a place or sensation into a painting is actually incredibly advanced and I will keep following her on her website because how she develops as an artist will be very interesting. Her audience will change as she grows.

Her work can be easily compared to that of Jackson Pollock, but also every other artist I know of. The dismissal of the abstract has become fashionable to the masses, much how previous movements had to their contemporary audiences. I am by no means an abstract artist myself but I love it as a movement. The ideas in it are completely raw and it appears that that is overlooked. Today we are very much surrounded by imagery and therefore you could argue that we are forced into a very different perspective of visual media. Graphic Designers like Allan Fletcher embody the need for simplicity and fast communication; because the contemporary audience can’t see this instant visual story it seems to become meaningless but the story needs to be contemplated and unravelled.

Enviroment

Artwork is so amazingly personal that it could be argued unless you know the artist you will never truly understand their work. I think that is why, seeing that fleeting snap shot of the painting process seems so profoundly romantic.

Len Tabners work has been influential to my work for a while but it wasn’t until I saw this photo that I felt truly inspired. You can truly see the raw power that his work is drawn from; you can see the landscape physically forming in his style as the waves encroach on his space.

The concept of space is also incredibly personal. Some artists like to block of the world around them while others immerse themselves in it. When I paint I like to keep a sense of order but usually during the process that descends into something a little more chaotic but that chaos seems to be more personal. I know that I order things in strange ways; however I suppose everyone’s way is strange to someone else. But nothing prepared be for seeing a photo of Francis Bacons studio; every time I see it my eyes widen and I have to sit forward, it’s almost awkward to look at but gradually the ‘chaos’ seems to make sense. You can see where he walks and where he stands and you can see him working despite his absence. This is very different to the comparatively sterilised environment that Gerhard Richter chooses to work in.

Jackson Pollok seems to embody the ‘action shot’. Indeed the power in his work fits this portrayal. However the capture of this moment seems to almost be a capturing of the thought. The action is immortalised in a completely new way. Although when looking at a painting it’s fundamental to the understanding of it to visualise the brush marks and how they were applied; I find there remains a block between knowing they were applied and imagining them being applied. It feels to me that the works weren’t constructed but somehow grew. It’s a very odd sensation.

The building of an environment seems to be an insight into the personality of the artist while the work is an insight into their mentality (in some cases for both claims). The mystery of an artwork seems to draw us into wanting to be inquisitive and on the whole it seems to be quite common for great claims about an artist to be made from how they work.

Synesthesia effects me, but i don't really call it 'a condition' . Odd though it might seem I realise that this effects how I build my environment. Light is crucial, I find nothing more annoying than strong artificial lighting as it feels claustrophobic. I picture time around me and so I spread out all of my equipment to sort of mirror this sense of time and space. It’s a little difficult to explain and its details that I’m only just discovering myself so I’m not even 100% sure. But you don’t need a so called ‘condition’ to set up something personal because how you work naturally is your ideal environment.

There seem to be many artists that become icons because of their appearance. One that springs to mind is Andy Warhol. But that brings into question how we want to be seen and how we are seen. It wasn’t until recently that someone pointed out that I tend to stand on one leg when I paint. I’ll be honest I have no idea why I do it, or how often but what I do know is that when my friend tapped me on the shoulder to tell me something very odd happened. I found working for the rest of that day incredibly difficult because I was so conscious about it. I might carry this on at some point but I’ll leave you here for now, goodnight!

Blogs Here and There

I thought I should say that this is in fact my second blog around the same topic. I have copied over some of the posts and will continue to do so but this blog remains more art history and personal based while my other blog is more steered to follow my own artwork. Here is the link to my website if its of any use http://mypictureplane.webs.com/