Sure enough I was and I ended up majoring in a something else. However, something from art school must have stuck with me because I have never liked pure photo realism. Instead, I have always enjoyed just a little taste of the abstract. I like to have paintings within paintings. While the subject of this weeks post is obvious (black cows) there are many parts of the painting that are rather abstract (notice the other photos). I think this is why Impressionism became so popular. People love being able to tell what the subject is but amazed that "blobs of paint" can make them.
While I don't expect to ever become the next Jackson Pollock, I do purposely attempt to add a little of him in every now and then.
I was talking about this very aspect of art programs yesterday with some other art teachers. (I was at a pastel portrait workshop. I'm an elementary art teacher.)I really believe that there are a lot of teachers, at all levels, who do not have the skills to teach representational art. Therefore they have no desire to encourage their students to have an interest in it. Many art programs seem to not teach art anymore. They are more about self expression and feeling. Our district, I am glad to say, seems to be going towards teaching real skills. I don't believe most of the universities are going in that direction, yet.
ReplyDeleteForgot to comment on the painting. I like it very much. I would rather look at work that looks right but is "painterly" than work that is closer to photo realism. I don't recall seeing animals in your other paintings.I think they add a lot of interest.
ReplyDeleteDoug