CONNECTING

Connecting

Painting can be quite self-indulgent - it's just the nature of it.

Our subject matter is often stuff that we love and so we paint it. That makes sense until we start exhibiting the work and then we may realise not everyone shares our passion.

We get no sales and wonder why some other artists are selling while we’re not.  It can result in sharp feelings of rejection of not only our art but of ourselves.

Some artists come to the realisation that we don't paint just for ourselves, particularly when we exhibit.  The reality is we don't want our paintings to be liked, we want them to be loved. In a strange way, when paintings are loved, the artist feels loved as well.

The easy path is to paint what and how we like and to the devil with anyone else.

In reality, it's not necessarily what we paint, but how we paint it that counts. Some of the most mundane subjects have been painted in dramatic ways that emotionally affect a viewer.

There is no greater compliment for an artist than to hear expressions of love for their work.  Hearing phrases such as "I feel like I'm actually there,  "I can feel the rain, "I can feel the cold, "I can feel the heat, "I can smell flowers" are all proof that your work has connected with someone.  

Careful and expert craftsmanship does not always translate into connection.  So, what does?

Light and shadow play a large part in attraction.  The surest way to make a painting  ordinary, is to have no shadows, no darks and no lights. It's amazing how many paintings just don't have any of these things. Calmness is also attractive - not everyone wants to be assaulted by glaring colour or disturbing images. The calmness of a limited palette can be very alluring.

As well as light and shadow, the illusion of space and distance can draw a viewer into the work and even though it may not be photographic, the illusion makes the painting believable. There is such a big difference between photorealism and believability because the broadest impressionism can be so very believable. The tonal road to distance is one that every artist should travel.

The bottom line is to make people feel our paintings not just see them. Let them feel the drama, the quietness, the light, the dark,  the calm, the rain, the surf, the happiness, the sadness and the joy. It's not enough for art to be seen - let it be felt!

 Mike Barr

Caption: Mighty Ballarat - Oil on canvas.