"Paintings With Personality"

I partially painted the background of 'White Birds' using a hairdryer to blow the paint around. Then I finished up by painting the rest using watercolor and a brush. The birds are in opaque white.

Last week, Honey and I, along with two of our grandchildren were driving to Roanoke, VA. Our son and his wife met us for dinner at a Chili’s restaurant in Staunton, VA. I had completely forgotten it was my birthday until after dinner when several servers came out with a ‘large’, homemade cake created by our daughter-in-law. There was (thankfully) only one candle on it and (also thankfully) no one sang. When our server came back to clear our plates, I saw him looking at the remaining cake, and asked him if he wanted a piece. He said ‘yes’ before I could finish the question and went to get himself a plate. I gave him a big slice, which he took back to the kitchen to eat. Shortly afterward, another server came out carrying pen and paper, and asked for the recipe. Our daughter-in-law couldn’t remember the recipe, but offered her a piece of cake, which was happily accepted by the young woman.

I wondered why our cake was so popular since Chili’s has their own desserts. Maybe it was because Chili’s desserts are mass produced by a bakery and they are all the same, no matter which restaurant you go to. Or perhaps it was the cherries and chocolate curls covering the top and sides of the cake that looked so good.

Either way, there was something special about that cake. And that brings me to art and why some is so well loved and other art is not at all desirable. There are works of art that people go back to again and again, receiving something new every time they visit. Truly great art demands repeated visits.

Some artists work for weeks or even months on tired and boring art. There are painters who use the same composition and subject matter over and over again. Those subjects are often boats, barns or flowers, that have been painted thousands of times and unless designed and painted differently they will never reach the much desired ‘wow factor.’ Interesting, exciting and creative art is not like the art anyone else is creating, it must transcend the ordinary. It is the art that brings the viewers back again and again because they have never seen anything like it before.

To create something that goes deeper than the surface appearance, begin with an idea you feel emotional about. Think about what you want to accomplish with the idea and commit yourself to it. Write your idea down and see if you can develop it into a series of paintings. Begin with the simple, big shapes, moving on to your middle and then small shapes. Make your shapes different and interesting, don’t copy what is in front of you. Know where you want your primary and any secondary focal points. Decide on your shapes, values and edges so they will make a path leading to the focal point. Move your compositional ideas around until you find the one that pleases you the most. Don’t be afraid to make new decisions as you work, but always keep your original idea in mind.

Artists must connect with their viewers and lead them through a gamut of emotions. Art that doesn’t do that is dull and boring. If you find that your work isn’t going anywhere, if you aren’t getting into shows or winning awards, consider making some big changes. Most important, become emotionally involved and create, don’t copy. Anyone can copy a scene, only an artist can create a painting.

Did you enjoy this blog? Has it helped you in any way? Please comment below. Best, Judy

www.judyballance.com