Latest

[laf.art]

Just finished this. Would like your opinions pls. There's another on the easel which will be a companion piece. I like it but .... Also it is difficult to photograph cos of the gold. Anyway 50x50

 

[Artyczar]

I love this. I love the color palette and that you often use black, or what appears to be black anyway. Is it? All your detailed mark making is interesting and adds to the overall composition that seems like the building of a wall. I like that the palette is limited. I wish I did that more, or at all! It inspires me to try it more. It's well balanced without being too balanced. Great job!

 

[laf.art]

Hi Arty thanks, the black is usually a mix of the darkest colours on the canvas, sometimes with a little lampblack added. Funny when I started making different marks I used them just as an embellishment really, but now I think they are like threads hold the painting together, they dont have to touch but just sort of nod to each other.It was the balance or lack of that I was thinking when I posted, so glad you think its well balanced. I Cant imagine using a limited palette on your bright and beautiful paintings

 

[snoball]

Uh oh! You are breaking out of your gold series. I like this one a lot and agree with Arty.

 

[Nufocus]

You are achieving an interesting balance between what would be “abstract expressionism” that, in your case, is expressed with what may be conceived as “aggressive” scratch marks, and the solid “fields” of color that imply a more geometric structure, something closer to cubism. These are very interesting no matter what.

 

[laf.art]

Thanks Sno, needed a little teal to brighten the gloomy grey days
Nufocus I appreciate you taking the time, I'm self taught so often don't know how I should explain my paintings - you've given me a base from which to work

 

[Artyczar]

laf, I didn't know you were self-taught. Your sense of composition is that of a trained artist.

 

[laf.art]

Wow thanks Arty, a great compliment. The only classes I've ever taken were a couple of life drawing classes a few years ago

 

[Artyczar]

I almost finished a 2-D design class once when I was a kid. Then in my 30s, I took a ceramics class that I really didn't like, but I learned a lot.

 

[laf.art]

I'd like to take some classes.I really enjoyed the life drawing classes, when things settle I'm gonna look for some, hopefully I can find them nearby. Why didn't you like the ceramics class? I often thing they'd be fun

 

[Artyczar]

Ha ha...I hated how they made my hands feel. I don't like that dried clay/wet clay on my skin. I also hated everything I made.

Oh yeah, and the teacher was a dick. He wouldn't let women on the throwing wheel. Men only.

 

[laf.art]

What an idiot - the teacher I mean, some of the best ceramists are women, what century was he from.
I love all that clay on my hands I also used to take mud baths haha.A messy bugger I am, my hands are always covered in paint

 

[Artyczar]

Yeah, he thought only men were good potters. Women could be ceramicists, but men were potters. He was actually a pretty successful artist himself. Not in clay though. He made 2D sun-burning pieces that sold for tens of thousands of dollars. I don't know what his issue was. He liked my art, I remember that. And I remember he said to take all mention of women-run (and disability) galleries off my resume too--that it would hinder my career in an art world run by men. This wasn't even that long ago. Twenty years?

 

[laf.art]

He sounds like someone who thought ceramics equated with the little women behind the kitchen sink, and men did thr more 'macho' pottery, cos women were too weak ha. Did you ever have any negative experiences re: your resume - I'm assuming you didn't heed his advice?

 

[Artyczar]

No, never. He was just a blow hard.

 

[Trier]

Interesting and enjoyable painting, IMHO.

I get the impression of a street scene in a tropical place somewhere.