The rusty, old car - a 1928 Ford 5-window coupe - was rusting away in a yard near Cloudchief, Oklahoma. Because I've always been charmed by old cars and trucks, I told my husband "Stop! I want to take a picture of THAT!" Of course, the ravens weren't roosting on it, and the green stuff around it was Oklahoma green stuff, not sagebrush and chamisa. Those elements I found on various trips through New Mexico. But they combined nicely with the car, and I named the picture accordingly: "Saved by the Sage" (referring to the car, of course).
"Saved by the Sage"
So often I feel compelled to paint or collage something I've seen in travels. But the inspiring object or sight doesn't always occur in surroundings that are aesthetically pleasing, or even interesting. I have to transport the thing that compels me to paint it into an environment that supports it and appreciates it.
This is called "artistic license." My paintings aren't documents, architectural renderings or botanical illustrations. They MIGHT be called a snapshot -- but they are a snapshot of my impressions, feelings, and responses to something. What is "real" is up for interpretation -- maybe "real" is how I "really" feel, not necessarily what someone else might see or feel.
Inspiration: An emotional response to an object, combined with elements that support it in a different setting.
No comments:
Post a Comment