Harnessing the emotional content of a painting
An intimate look at content and mark making
I am in the third week of teaching a class titled "Loosening Up: Stepping away from Realism."
It's been a fun course to put together because it has allowed me to examine the paths I have taken in my artistic journey.
In the first class, I jumped right in with "mark making." I supplied the subject matter and the content (the mood, vibe, or narrative), and paintings of "sexy, romantic shallots" ensued. The class really brought it! For the second class, I had them look at these images above and below and paint not what they see but the emotional content of the photos. We are producing a fresh piece for each class, in about 2.5 hours.
Putting together these types of assignments only helps me ask myself…
What has helped me loosen up?
What can help push the boundaries of realism to something you don't recognize but instead feel?
First and foremost, it really helps to understand the underlying themes in your work. I have kept copies of my artist statement over the last couple of years, and even though I have changed the verbiage quite a few times, the underlying essence and thread runs throughout my work, even when I was doing figure paintings.
When I realized that I didn't always enjoy the painting process with the large bodies and that I was taking these into an area I knew would be too one-note for me, I needed to find new "Subject matter" to carry my content to fruition. I talked about this in my last post.
Straddling the line between realism and abstraction can be a big task for someone who relishes overthinking. I have also convinced myself that if I paint one painting that I love, I should paint another four just like it. As a person who likes to challenge myself, I convinced myself this repetitive work was not good (or worse, boring). But now, I don't know. After all, Alex Katz painted over 250 paintings of his wife Ada.
I knew the answers would lie less within the subject and more within the type of marks I was making on the canvas.
I started this series to question space or "room" in our physical and mental space, juxtaposed with the chaotic world that we allow in. Can and should we shut out what is perpetually coming at us? How do we distinguish what we need to know from what is threatening the more intuitive voices in our heads and spirits?
Do we need blank space to ease us, or can we actively fill ourselves with what we instinctively know we need?
What emerged from these questions took up every space of the canvas with emotional, sensual strokes.
The viscosity of the paint and the idea behind it overtook me, and I no longer needed the elbow room I thought I was searching for.
I had allowed myself to take up space.
Well, THAT feels like a turning point. Taking up the entire space.
It was so freeing and grounding to paint marks and memories. And I want more of that feeling.
There is something intimate, unpretentious, honest, and elegant within that.
Marks on a simple canvas can harness that kind of emotion. To me, that is so powerful.
Michael and I can’t wait to show you more art in our next collection that has moved us as we capture intimate and awe-inspiring moments from the natural world.
Giardino: Narratives from the Garden featuring my (Monica Lee Rich) work and the work of Michael Rich is coming soon!
Until next time! Monica Lee Rich