« Today’s work |Main | New marketing strategies »
Emerald Tree Boas
May 10, 2008
A couple of years ago when this painting was in a more painterly state - rougher lines, lots of brushstrokes visible - I entered it in an art competition and was told by a juror that paintings of animals and creatures are not considered as Fine Art. That’s a matter of personal opinion, but it made me ask the question for the first time, “What is Fine Art anyway?”. I thought I knew. Is in finer?
Is Fine Art limited to certain subjects? That’s news to me. I see Art under one roof of creativity and find it hard to compartmentalize, so learning how others perceive it urges me to dig deeper and try new things that might improve my own. This person is probably more technical judge and collector than a painter - creating work and judging it afterward are entirely different points of view. Entering work in competitions is valuable experience, and others speak the truth..it may be their truth, but still, if it makes you question that’s a good thing.
The skin colors and patterns of the Emerald Tree Boas are amazing, and because it has so many details that are a part of its’ character it’s the perfect painting to continue working on and go for more accurate and finer representation than usual… but not Photo-Realism. Compared to the main subject, the background has been more of an effort, and that’s where most of the attention is going now.
From start to finish the process of painting is so much like music, where there are periods of painting and not painting that contribute to the whole. Some paintings take one day and some take a few years before they’re fully realized. Every painting reaches stages where we make decisions to leave it alone or proceed; where just placing one more mark can mean the entire painting has to change and be brought up to par around it. If in doubt it’s sometimes best to leave it for a while, and start or finish another.
Categories: Realism, acrylic painting, reptiles, work in progress |