I have created an “e-commerce” site this week to sell my paintings, but I would rather talk about why I create paintings. When I paint I’m going on a journey. The beginning of these painting journeys are like other journeys, I gather things I’m going to need, I make plans about what I want to achieve and then I take off.
But a painting journey, unlike other journeys I have taken, ends up in a completely different place at the end than I except. When traveling I have a destination, when painting I’m free wheeling. The freedom I feel when I start a painting is fabulous, there are no rules and I can have as much fun as I like. Unlike responsible adult living with it’s constraints and obligations, painting for me is freedom.
However, as I get further along into my painting the responsible adult in me starts to creep in and I start to make decisions about the design or composition of the painting. Decisions need to be made, alterations take place and the painting comes to the end of it’s adventure. When it’s done it is time to move on. Unlike adult living, moving on and beginning again is what I do in the studio. In adult life I stay put and keep going with my obligations and commitments. In adult life I create a website, write a newsletter and do social media to promote my work and sell my paintings. This is all part of an art practice that allows me to find freedom by way of making art.