I admire artists that have a very specific style, Mike Egan, Teresa Cox and Lisa Nankivil to name a few. It's like it's in their DNA and whatever they do it just comes out "their" way. I don't feel I fit into that category. Perhaps I can't be objective about my "style" if there is one. Or maybe I haven't found that sweet spot where I say to myself, "this is it!" And maybe that's just not a part of my artistic journey-cheesy as that sounds. As soon as I start a "series" I get bored and/or I feel a pressure to keep doing "like" things. It does my head in. Maybe it stems from years of an unsatisfactory illustration career-people telling me what, when and how to do it. I want to feel the flow and have the freedom and lack of inhibitions to just go with it!
My latest three paintings, shown here, feel quite different to me(except not the middle one so much). I am editing more, tightening up, and sometimes by the end there's a message to share although that is not my original intent.
These make me excited to paint again! And for the first time I don't care[too much] how they're received or perceived.
It's not a series, but an investigation. A fun one!
 |
| 'chatterer' 16x22 |
 |
| 'blackbird giving advice' 12x10 |
 |
| 'crow taking credit' 9x12 |
You DO have a style all your own and I admire your work! You share so much about yourself in your paintings, I love the way your mind works.
ReplyDeletethanks Ayn! I appreciate that
DeleteI love learning how other painters think when it comes to creating work. Lovely work Mary!
ReplyDeletethank you megan!
DeleteHayho Mary! Thank you for that kind mention. The thing that keeps me excited-invested, like you, is a sense of experimentation and solving these self prescribed challenges with paint. I like how your work is layered and has passages that are simultaneously tight and loose.
ReplyDelete