Day 5
My husband believes that for art to be "good" it has to be attractive to the eye, even pretty. I am not sure I totally agree, but I do know that the images I like definitely fit my own criteria for beautiful. Color - vibrant and rich - always grabs my eye.
As I work to build my skills and generate work, I often look at art - at galleries and art shows, online and in my art books. There are times that I look at technically perfect and highly detailed images, that certainly took time and effort to create, but - for some reason they leave me cold. Other times, I see things that I love, not for their perfection, but for some hard to identify quality that simply speaks to me. I guess that is what I mean by eye appeal.
Which brings me to errors. My Iphone camera is my constant companion. It is the tool I use to capture the world of beauty that surrounds me. It is also the first step to much of my artwork. This summer I was trying to take pix of the hops that grow in our garden. Something distracted me and the camera slipped. However, as I saw it go by, I realized that the image I had captured in error was a potential pastel painting.
It was an interesting experience to try to paint a picture that is deliberately out of focus. I love the colors on this one.
How do you define good art?
Nice, happy accident. Very pretty painting.
ReplyDeleteI like that you embraced the slip. Yes, the colors are great.
ReplyDeleteI'm so much more interested in the process of creating than the result. I want to know if the maker enjoyed the act of creation... hard to see from some results. I just can't align with the judging part of the artworld, I've seen it ruin the the joy of making stuff for too many people, and have battled with it myself. Sure there is art I prefer over other art, but I'm trying to look more deeply and find places of connection in all of it.
I'm a fan of color too! Good art is hard to define cuz so many people have different tastes, most of the art I like would be bizarre by most peole, so throw in some craziness for good art for me. I know many people like your husband, on more than one occasion I've had somebody say, "Why don't you just paint a pretty landscape?" Baa, I say to that.
ReplyDeleteLooks like fun!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my blog. I'm doing a retreat in Maui... maybe you know someone who'd like to join me... in February.
http://paintoutings.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=12
Christine - you bring up a key reason that I am even trying this challenge. I have loved making art all my life - but in spite of a degree in Fine Art from Pratt, years of graphic success, and an all around love of color and design, it is only in the last year that I have allowed myself to drop the critics in my head and just make art for the simple pleasure. This summer I framed and hung seven pieces in my home. I have NEVER shown my work in public (even in my own home) until now. And its because of what you say - its about the process, not the result.
ReplyDeleteLove the painting! And good for you for dropping the critics in your head and creating. Yay!
ReplyDeleteAs for what makes good art, well, that's so subjective. What's appealing to the eye? Whose eye? :-)
Keep creating!
This is so pretty,I love the colors!
ReplyDeleteSo true that art is very objective. The important thing, really, is that your art be meaningful to you. It's hard to drop the inner critics and just enjoy what you are doing. I know it is for me. I have no training in art, but enjoy it when I let go of the fear of not being good enough and not being a "real" artist. It's exciting that you've embraced your art so fully this past year. Congrats (and definitely, keep creating!!).
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