PAINTINGS ON THE BONFIRE
Caption – This intriguing little painting of the Adelaide Town Hall in the winter was painted over another, giving it added mystery. Bits of the underneath painting are visible in the right light making it one of my favourites!
Paintings on the bonfire (A Blog by Mike Barr)
“Some artists swear by it, a lot of us are horrified by it and bystanders don’t understand it at all.
I’m talking about those failed or substandard works that may be in our growing pile of completed or almost finished paintings that more or less ran out of steam.
Having a ritual bonfire of such works is quite liberating by all accounts and has been fully endorsed by some great artists. In a way it rids us from the seeming burden of having such things hanging around like a mental bad smell. I think many of us have wished to try it but local fire-ban laws prevent it.
From the outsider’s point of view, what is regarded as a failure in the eyes of an artist can be a little treasure for them? I have seen artists show their ‘throwing out’ of sub-standard work on Facebook, much to the horror of onlookers, including artists. The exclamations of noooo, wait, please no, I will take them off your hands - are plenty!
Sure, they could have a little sale of these discards, but they would be selling something that in their eyes would pull down their reputation. Would-be collectors would just love something with the right signature on it, no matter how bad it was, but the price paid by the artist would be too much.
Bonfires are just one solution though. If you paint in acrylic or oil, there is always a chance of healing or complete resurrection! There would be few artists that haven’t found a solution to a painting that has been bothering them for ages – even years – and it could be something really simple.
Cropping a painting can be amazingly effective. I have done a number of expansive canvasses with a limited focus that have looked much better when cropped on the screen. However cutting down an expensive large canvas in real life can have us thinking again!
Painting over old works often produces unique pieces. All that texture underneath somehow adds a certain depth to that which is new. Also, that ‘precious-new-canvas syndrome seems fly out of the window – and that’s always good.
Some of my best works have another painting underneath; either painted over completely with sealer and undercoat, or painted over the painting as is (with varnish removed) seems to be even better.
I just know that some artists have some good stories about this!”
Happy painting!
Mike Barr