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Imagine. Imagine writing about a topic that defies your belief system. On the surface, that is what I am doing. If I weren’t a hopeless skeptic, my Monday morning experience would taste like Fortune Cookies in the Twilight Zone.
Last Monday I became aware of a strange phenomenon. As usual, I drove to the gym, which is in the rear of a large commercial parking lot. The anchor business is called Imagine That. I always look for the IMAGINE THAT sign on the street to find the correct entrance to the parking lot.
After a brief time at the gym, as usual on Mondays, I went directly to the dA Center for a day of figure painting. Painted across the concrete, in front of the entrance, was the word IMAGINE. Really.
Given my temperament, I chose not see this occurrence as a message to me from beyond. However, the signs were clearly there. Then it just came to me: it is time to imagine, to use my imagination, and to seek new images.
Stream of consciousness…I imagine going to the gym and coming out svelte. I imagine going to the dA and creating a masterpiece. Adding a heavy dose of reality, I can envision going to the gym daily and doing a serious workout. I can see myself working daily at my art. In other words, a disciplined routine is in order. I was further reminded of the importance of productive daily habits last evening, while reading Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon.
The signs also prompted me to recharge my imagination..play with paint, enjoy my world, take advantage of opportunities, amp up experiences, take notes, sketch, and ponder. My creativity is likely to thrive in a life that is paradoxically very full and has lots of room. Absorb, percolate, act.
I must gather new images. I look forward to journeys and jaunts where I can obtain painting references. Although I am likely to continue to seek out crowds rather than cows, the possibilities are endless. I hope to collect photos of people in which I can, with paint, imbue my sense of whimsy, humanity, conformity, and dignity.
I can imagine hard work, renewed creativity, and fresh resources.
post script…
My favorite painting? Perhaps my concern with this question seems petty in light of this evening’s Debate of the big issues. Hopefully, my humble pre-occupation will serve as an antidote and provide some relief. For me, at least.
In preparation for my October 27 Artist Showcase Interview in Fontana, I was to select my favorite painting. I balked. Would one admit to having a favorite child? Don’t we get different kinds of pleasure from each of our children? Realizing that a painting is not a child, I cobbled out a safe answer and settled on “Out of Context #3” to prep for this interview question. I assumed that an adept interviewer would ask why I chose that painting. And I would respond that “it is aesthetically pleasing to me, it exemplifies my focus on crowd behavior, and it amuses me.” Good answer. Simple, just enough information.
However, the more authentic answer would bring me into uncharted territory. I would appear to resist being pinned down. Because, in truth, my favorite painting is always a recently completed portrait. And, when a new portrait surpasses it, that painting is demoted or becomes my co-favorite. Now, of course, not every portrait achieves Favorite status. Yesterday’s effort was not even a Keeper (not shown). If I were to offer this dubious response in the actual interview, my adept interviewer would simply pause and, with a polite smile, go on to the next question. She would certainly not pursue this topic.
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But I am not being interviewed now. And regardless of how muddled the answer may be, I owe it to myself to ask why I favor certain recent portraits over all my other paintings. It occurs to me that my feelings for these portraits can be likened to a new romance. And, as in love, it’s difficult to translate sensations into coherent ideas. But…here it is…
- My current “favorite painting” always results from a prime painting experience: direct painting, bold strokes, complete attention, the pleasure of an emerging image, and a great deal of paint on my hands and clothing.
- My current “favorite painting” is always a portrait that captures the person…features, expression, gesture, mood. It reveals the essential quality of the individual.
- And finally, my current “favorite painting” is a portrait that I enjoy looking at. Up close I see colors, abstract areas, and lots of paint. Stepping back, an interesting person appears.
In short…excitement, getting acquainted, and attraction. I am so glad the question was not asked.
