Monday, May 10, 2010

The Artist's Eye




Artists look at the world differently than the average person. Their vision is so disparate that artists are often outsiders, looking from the outside in, engaged yet separate.

I like to think of the first artists painting cave paintings, which are some of the earliest forms of art we know today (they have been carbon-dated to 30,000 BCE). While the vast majority of prehistoric men and women fought for survival in a hostile environment, the early image-makers burrowed deep into caverns, crawling through narrow passages to make their mark. These cave painters were quite skilled at their task, using shading, relief and perspective to accurately portray the animals in their environment.


I think of myself as a cave painter of sorts, spending countless hours creating, removed from the rest of the world.


The image above is a detail of a religious painting of Dolorosa, I believe. I will check and post the source later.


WHAT A RELIEF!

While going through some art catalogs the other day, I came across an advertisement for fine linen canvas that guarantees that I will leave behind a LASTING legacy of art.....IF I buy their product!







Saturday, May 1, 2010

Painting Preview


I have started a 4' x 4' acrylic painting with an idea that I have wanted to work on for quite some time. It took about 3-4 weeks to develop the idea, as it involves 6 figures, and a central concept that needed to be conveyed through their images. The child pictured above has an important roll in creating the mood and the mystery of the painting. I had wanted to paint this on a 6' x 6' canvas, but my ordered canvas arrived about two weeks too late (mea culpa). I had the smaller canvas, so I used what I had. Will keep you posted with updates!