The summer months are busy with exhibitions, it can be tiring. What do you do at the exhibition? If you are viewing, it can be interesting to see the work presented, especially if there are a number of artists showing, and you can chat with the artists (who will be happy to chat to you!), then head off for a coffee.
If you are exhibiting, chatting is good. However, not all chats end up as sales! Also, there are long gaps during the day – no one to chat to, so what do you do.
I don’t read much. I have decided to pass the time painting. A number of positives come out of this – it is a demonstration of your work and the techniques you use, it validates your work and starts great chats. People are genuinely interested. Most of all, remembering the reason we paint at all, it helps to pass the time. I have put a few of these in the space above the blog. Small pieces (watercolour), taking one or two days each (in between chats).
This year in addition to painting at the exhibitions, I have been running a little experiment. I have created a number of ‘sets’ of paintings – same scene – painted in three different mediums, watercolour, acrylic and oil. My findings (not robust enough for publication in an academic journal) are as follows : (I) There is an underlying feeling that oil paintings have more value than other mediums, (ii) when push comes to shove, most people cannot tell the difference between an acrylic painting and an oil painting, and (III) the majority liked the watercolour best. Now, what to make of that?
The ‘old masters’ painted in oil and so it has a pedigree. Acrylic is a relatively new medium. For me, it is cheaper, and easier to use (because it dries quicker) – I prefer it, and my little piece of research shows that the average person (and quite a few artists) cannot tell the difference. So it begs the question……
Some artists will point to the fact that because oil stays ‘wet’ longer its is easier to work and rework, blend and so on. Other ‘benefits’ are also cited. Ok, maybe. Personally, I don’t think you should rework a painting, you should be clear about what you are going to do from the start, then just do it. That’s the the way watercolour artists go about it!
Regarding watercolour, it seems to have become a niche. Galleries and major exhibitions (eg RHA) don’t include watercolours in their exhibitions – I challenge you to prove otherwise. I have been around the country and that is how it is!
Yet – when asked at my exhibition, without prompting, most people chose the watercolour as their favourite painting in the set of three.
So where does the future lie for me. Should I continue to work in the niche, even though opportunities to exhibit are limited? Should I move across to oils or the cheaper (but just as effective acrylic). Should I go with the flow? We’ll see.
Anyway, I will be doing some painting in acrylic over the winter. My daughter has asked me to paint a large piece for her kitchen, it is too big for watercolour…… it will have to be acrylic. I could do it in oils but I can’t see the point of the extra hassle. In fact I will do a few, so that she can have a choice. I will post them up on my website, perhaps in the spring.
In the meantime, enjoy the coming period of transition from summer into autumn, get out and about, feel the fresher morning air in your lungs, glory in the parade of colour that nature has in store for us, and above all be inspired.
And stock up on winter fuel!
