“You’re having fun with this” Fred said when he worked his way around the class to get to my spot. “I am?,” I said. I actually felt like I was pulling my hair out all week, full of doubt that I was able to put the head on the paper. I want to physically place the severed head in this artificial construct of a space but I’m left with the realization that I cannot.
I expressed these concerns to Fred in less graphic terms and a rather long discussion took place. Of course Picasso, Matisse and Guston were all in there as examples of artists who made it their life’s work to describe form.
“What is the point of these paintings,” he asked. “To convey the expression,” I offered. He looked down at my recent watercolors (click on photo above for example). “Well, you’ve got it.” he countered. He argued that my frustration comes from my compulsion to get form down when it is not the point. “If the intent is to convey form, you should work on that.” True to form I said, “But I would like more form.” And true to his teacher form he said, “You could do it with less!” “If something doesn’t add to the expression you’re after, don’t paint it. You gotta know when to shut up.”
4 Comments
what size please. i love this one.
I remember that comment from Fred. He also said to relax. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to look at your work this week- was still real busy chopping trees down! MAN! Two hours in that place flies by like lightning!
There’s plenty of Form in this Expression. The chin juts, the nostrils are like caverns… and that nose bridge and those brow arches and eye pools…a veritable landscape of forms. I like your new medium, too.
these are 9×12 (American inches)