… some of my best work is in my sketchbook…
Every painting starts with
an idea…and they’re all good. Unfortunately, not every idea or every
painting ends well. I have a pile of
trash art in my studio, paintings on the back of other paintings, paintings
with big sections cropped out and those that remain unfinished. Most paintings just don’t make it for
whatever reason…overworked, wrong perspective, poor color or value choices… but
most times its because I failed to develop the initial concept in enough detail
to make it a success. But on the other
side of that argument (and I argue with myself a lot) some of “my” masterpieces
are small quick sketches and paintings in my sketch book. They’re alive…not because they’re my best
execution of technique but because they have a special place in my time….when and
where they were painted, who was there, the “feel” of the moment. Sometimes that feel, that emotion hits the
paper.
Many times its’s not in
the painting that makes it special for me…mostly the memory of one person close
by quietly observing, never criticizing, never changing the course of the work
but with a critical eye acknowledging every little success. My sketchbooks are filled with doodles, notes,
instructions and quotes from my mentors and random thoughts about the moment. Many of the better efforts do eventually
evolve into finished works on a grander scale but those first little paintings
hold the emotion.
I used to think when I started
a sketch for a painting that “this painting will be a masterpiece, someone’s
gonna love it and buy it”…now I’m thinking of feelings…emotions and getting it
on the paper. Andrew Wyeth once said “Artists
today think of everything they do as a work of art. It is important to forget
about what you are doing – then a work of art may happen.” I think it happens more in my sketch books….here’s
a few, enjoy.
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