Saturday, January 30, 2010

Manet

Another try.
4x3 oil on board

4 comments:

Kelly M. said...

your oils of flowers also remind me of John LaFarge -- lovely!

GW-Images said...

Joyce, a question out of ignorance, since painting is something I can admire, not do.

In following your painting for the past couple of years, I notice that in your oils you have different techniques for applying the paint, some, like on this one that are bolder and strike me as being applied with more abandon. So my question is, how important is the brush stroke to the painter? Does it matter if it is as delineated as it is on this painting or if is it subtler, more blended and seemingly more planned as it is on the painting that proceeds and the painting that follows this one.

As you know, I am a photographer and photographers so often become so obsessed with the technique that they fail to see the photograph. I have no idea if this is a malady that affects painters or not. But specifically, the reason that I ask is because when I look at a painting, I cannot help but be drawn to the individual brush strokes. I am concerned that this may simply be my obsession for technique, however I explain this to myself as being where I see the painter in the painting. I know that I do want to see the photographer in the photograph and suppose that carries over to painting as well. I am just curious as to how the artist sees the technical application of the individual brush strokes. Are you, as an artist as drawn to the individual strokes? Or is the application of the paint only incidental to the painting?

Joyce Washor said...

Gary,
Ive been thinking about your question for a couple of days and today when I wrestled the computer away from Paul (mine is a laptop and the only one that gets near the bed) I have come to realize what I'd want to say.
The brushstroke is all important. It's the fun part. After blocking in the values that's when I let it loose. All of us are unique. Our signatures are all different. Maybe it's the musculature of our individual bodies, our impressions/filters of the world or whatever but that's what makes it ours. Brushstrokes can be altered by mood or by different canvases or paints but the personality usually is recognizable.
Thanks for the question; it's a good one!

GW-Images said...

Joyce, thanks for the reply. I am pleased that you also find the individual strokes relevant. Even though I can't see the texture and the depth of the paint in your posts, I greatly enjoy studying your brushstrokes, seeing how hard or how lightly they touch the canvas. I feel like I know more about you from your paintings than I have learned from correspondance with Paul. Now, if you could only get him to post more of his photographs to his blog. LOL