I pull my 3rd Wuzhen painting out of the back burner. This image shows how much "damage" I did on it today. As matter of fact, nothing is whimsical or arbitrary here. I planned all the accidents. If you squint on the painting, you will see what I am trying to say. Due to my clumsiness, My statements are not clear, but I feel I am in the right direction.
As a daily painter for so many years. I have reached to a point that I need to do some serious thinking. I hope all the daily painters, especially the developed ones, should think as well. Should we just do small paintings, sell them online, and feel satisfied? Daily painting is a fantastic way for beginning artists to make his/her art activities more meaningful. However, what we should do next? I feel the risk of my recent activities. I am experimenting larger format work, exploring and practice a lot. It is be a long while before I can reach the next level. The market for what I am doing could be very slim, and I may not able to generate as many small paintings as I did before. Currently, I teach many workshops to make ends meet, so I take all opportunities I have to experiment and grow. This must the life supposed to be. I will "stay hungry, and stay foolish".
Daily painting is the means to an end, not an end in itself. They teach us how to paint. But we want to do more. We want to make poetry and feeling with paint. You are a poet at heart. Paint what has meaning for you. Let your heart guide you.
ReplyDeleteI hear your frustration. Although I'm not a daily painter I have similar questions. Painting from your heart is important, but so is using your head. Perhaps I am wrong but I sense that you would like to have your work be recognized at the next level. Happily, I think you are already at that level, you just may not realize it. Or perhaps your humility won't let you accept it. But it does take courage to take that leap of maybe teaching less for the sake of doing work with greater weight and meaning (which only you can decide what that is). Questions arise like: Does this society value art to the degree that I can support myself in a way I would like? Should I be content where I am? Can I even do it? I went to the Legacy gallery auction in Scottsdale this year and saw some amazing paintings go up for auction and fetch some amazing sums. Your work would have no problem fitting in with all the others there.
ReplyDeleteAs you said, serious thinking is in order. But have courage. You can do it.
I understand how you feel, Qiang. Maybe the solution is to do small daily paintings as warm-ups for your larger paintings. But I can see how traveling to teach workshops as often as you do can cut into painting time. Perhaps, find places to teach close to home and let students travel to where you are.
ReplyDeleteWhatever... you're doing great anyway.