Click links below to see examples of my work
Painting, especially in watercolor, is my second favorite medium. I’m not a traditional watercolorist. I do not sit and paint the landscape or the buildings. I’d rather paint a shoe with a spider coming out of it. The paintings that I love are the crazy ones that make you stand there and wonder what the artist was trying to say. Those “thought provokers” make me tingle. I love going to contemporary art museums and just sitting there for awhile. I remember seeing a painting at a museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee that made me question whether I could paint with forethought of sharing an idea instead of just replicating an object. The artwork was of two black gentlemen in really ragged clothing pulling a rope. You could not see what they were pulling. You could not see where they were going. But it was a statement the artist had about slavery. It gives me tingles just thinking about it. I think that I have proven that I can replicate a photo. So now I want to try something else. I don’t have anything to prove in my ability anymore, so I want to bring out my pain or share my observations about a social issue.
What do you consider art? Do you consider Andy Warhol or Thomas Kincade art? These artist had a team that produced their art. Are they still artist? What about Bob Ross? He taught a lot of people on public tv for years. Would you paint a happy little tree with a friend into your painting? What about celebrities that turn into artist? There is Jim Carey, Johnny Depp, and many others trying their hand at the medium. President George Bush, Jr. became almost obsessive about his artwork and creativity after leaving the office. And I would say that some of his art is amazing. What if the art doesn’t speak to you. Some abstract art is a puzzle to some viewers. Jeff Koons balloon statues bringing millions of dollars would confuse my mother’s generation. Jenny Saville’s art might offend some people with the portrayal of heavy women in contemporary art. I personally think Frida Kahlo is the example of a female artist that used her pain to make art. She not only struggled with health issues, but she displayed herself in many painting with eyes that could speak a thousand words. Paint what you know. She had to paint in bed and would have someone hang a mirror over her so she could paint her own image. That is dedication. That is someone who cannot stop creating.
And my last thought on art would ask “do you think tattoos are a legit art form?” Tattoos have become a cultural norm now. People have artwork painted all over their bodies. What sort of commitment do you have to committing to a lifetime of Freddie or Jason tattooed on your leg? Some of the artwork done on tattoos should be framed and hung in the Louvre. That is a craft that we will discuss later.
Enjoy your art and get to painting!
