YOUR OWN MASTERPIECE

Your own masterpiece

There are several explanations as to the origins of the term ‘masterpiece’.  Most of us interpret it as a great work by a recognised master.

To some, every work painted by an old master is a masterpiece simply because they’re valuable. But valuable and masterful don’t necessarily mean the same thing. There's a world of masterful works that are not worth much and the reason is they are not painted by a famous artist.

Fame rather than quality is often the hallmark of expensive art. A simple scribble by Monet will outdo a great painting by an unknown artist every day of the week as far as value is concerned.  And there are many ordinary works by famous artists that are certainly not masterpieces – but valuable nonetheless.

The opposite is also true. The world is literally full of masterpieces often by artists of no reputation and the internet has made it possible to see some of these master works.

If you’ve been an artist for some time, you’ll know that some of your paintings really stand out from the rest. We feel they are a bit special and others think so too. It is possible to paint something that is above our own normal capabilities – it just happens sometimes.

If we could paint a 10 out of 10 every time, wouldn’t we be happy?  But hardly anyone does – that’s kind of nice to know too!

So, what qualifies as a masterpiece? It certainly doesn’t mean a perfect painting with no flaws or a photo realistic work that looks identical to a photograph.  Perfection can be more of a craft than an art. The modern masterpiece is one that captures our imagination and heart – they don’t come often, but don’t miss them when they do.

Happy Painting!

Waymouth Street