Louise Bourgeois said it to all who can listen, "The purpose of art is to express emotions. My emotions are inappropriate for my size."
Painting the mystery while seeking your own answers is to converse with emotions larger than yourself. Can you give yourself permission to push beyond your size?
I see that Kathryn Law is having just such a conversation with her paints, and I hope you'll take a look at her work. She mentioned Bourgeois the other day and I found the youtube link of the trailer for the documentary.
These emotions are worthy of expression, even if no one listens. The work is everything. I was also inspired to fix a painting that had been bothering me. This painting can be seen at Artist Melinda: Off into the Weeds, Back with Saddle Burrs.
This painting is 12" x 12," oil on artists' board, of a door leading somewhere at the mission of Tumacacori, near the Mexican border with Arizona.
Verfhond's Half a Thousand Living Painterly Painters #94 and working my way up the sanctuary steps.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
There is a Way to Mystery While Seeking Answers
Louise Bourgeois said it to all who can listen, "The purpose of art is to express emotions. My emotions are inappropriate for my size."
Painting the mystery while seeking your own answers is to converse with emotions larger than yourself. Can you give yourself permission to push beyond your size?
I see that Kathryn Law is having just such a conversation with her paints, and I hope you'll take a look at her work. She mentioned Bourgeois the other day and I found the youtube link of the trailer for the documentary.
These emotions are worthy of expression, even if no one listens. The work is everything. I was also inspired to fix a painting that had been bothering me. This painting can be seen at Artist Melinda: Off into the Weeds, Back with Saddle Burrs.
This painting is 12" x 12," oil on artists' board, of a door leading somewhere at the mission of Tumacacori, near the Mexican border with Arizona.
Verfhond's Half a Thousand Living Painterly Painters #94 and working my way up the sanctuary steps.
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23 comments:
Hi Melinda,
I love the painting. And I love the post. I come here innocent and leave educated. Of course our art is about emotion. I just painted a portrait of a tiny woman, that is much bigger than she is. The emotion is about joy and claiming our own power in my case. In yours the emotion seeps in and out of the art and stirs the viewer profoundly. Wonderful.
I've been looking at a book of women painters and thinking of you
the whole time.
Thanks for the painting and the blog. I loved the video. I loved the girl skating through the spider and touching every leg. So perfect.
xoxoxoxoxoxBarbara
Wonderful! Full of intrigue and EMOTION! (The quote is superb...now I'm off to check out saddle burrs...)
wonderful interesting post Melinda and your piece is just as interesting :)
Thank you, Barbara, for your thoughtful comment. It's great, too, that you watched the video. I had the same reaction to the young woman skating under the spider. Loved it.
Wish there were more books on women painters!
Hi Linny,
Yes, don't you think when visiting an ancient building that there are great mysteries there? Who walked there hundreds of years ago? What conversations flowed through those doors as they walked?
Now be careful with those burrs!
Thank you, Jeane. Inspired by your work, I'm trying to push toward simplification, emotional expression and more abstraction.
Having some days a slim grasp on reality, this should not be so difficult, but it is...
Dear Melinda,
Thank you for the kind mention and for your precious friendship, and your support of all women in art. The Louise Bourgeois video is wonderful.
Your work successfully treads the fine line between abstraction and representation, giving rise to what used to be called "the sublime" in art: a projection of mystery, emotion, something beyond. Your paintings are truly sublime in that sense of the word.
[I love that my "word verification" is "enses". Could be for "senses", "menses" --the power of women has pervaded "captcha".]
Great painting of another Great Mystery!
Congratulations on having your verfhond recognized and respected. You know that appeals to hotdogs everywhere.
Yes, always trying to live large.
Hi Melinda, this painting is GORGEOUS! The painting is so luscious, I love it. I like the graphic bold composition.
Great quote, too. thank you!
Joan
I am grateful for your friendship and beautiful artwork, Kathryn!
It was so good to view and hear Louise speak about her work and life. I'm hoping to see the full documentary someday.
Ah, to be sublime. I would like that always.
Love your wv! Yes, we need to regain our rightful places in the world, with all of our mystery and pragmatic senses.
Thank you!
My nose tells me it is good to be a dog--hot doggin' through the Ethernet is a joyous run indeed.
Thank you, SamArtDog!
Hi Joan,
Thank you! I'm glad you like the graphic qualities of this painting.
Hope you get a chance to see more of Louise's work, too.
An interesting blog post. I agree with the blogger who said "your work successfully treads a fine line between abstraction and representation," which is what makes it so interesting.
Jean
I think what you wrote is exactly why painting is so difficult and traumatic at times...and irresistible too...
sigh
Thank you, Jean, for such a generous comment! I really, really want to walk that line. Maybe it's okay to step to either side once in awhile too, yes?
Oh, yes, Karen, it is one of the strongest, natural "drugs" ever. Okay. Music is the other one.
Don't let those canvases "defy" you, Karen. You're climbing higher every time you paint.
Hi Melinda
Thank you for your inspiring post!
I must take another really good look at Loiuse Bourgeois again – what a fascinating and extraordinary woman she was throughout her long productive life. I totally agree with the idea that art has a duty to express emotion - I think without the expressive function of art we are in a prison.
Well your painting has a wonderful composition and symmetry to it parallel to the picture plane with the dome slightly off centre and the passages of color are amazing, truly amazing!
Marcia
Melinda Thanks for your email. I enjoyed your site. I like your references.
Hi Marcia,
You have an excellent eye as you saw that the dome was painted off center.
Thank you for your very thoughtful comment.
Yes, it is a wretched prison that we sometimes put ourselves in when we deny ourselves of art--criminal when done to others.
Hi annell,
Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. I love your blog and look forward to visiting often.
You live in the area I dream of...
Hi Melinda,
Actually you are the one with the excellent eye. It is a masterful stroke to shift the dome slightly to the right – it makes for a great composition.
And your paint quality expresses with total eloquence the deep reverence you feel for the mystery you seek and are speaking of.
A stunning painting, Melinda. A door to somewhere... and painted without fear of pushing beyond your size. That question about giving oneself permission is also kind of a stunner. Thanks for the link to Kathryn Law, another bold and brave painter!
Hi Donald,
Glad you like the painting and the quotes. Louise really got to me on that one.
And, Kathryn is another inspiration! She's also a brilliant and kind artist.
Yes, pushing ourselves beyond our size--that is the goal.
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