I had a really long chat with my good American friend from across the seas last night. Well, nowhere near the sea as far as he is concerned, and nor me either come to think of it! And although there were many miles between us (and a lot of ocean!) he could have just been in the next room to hear his voice. We talked of various things, and people in our lives, and have many similarities and similar interests in common, which is probably one of the reasons we get on so well. But, the first thing he wanted to mention, with some intenseness of urgency, was the last painting I did, of the Royal Crescent at Bath and the various people depicted within the oil painting. He reads my blog, and follows my art with avid interest, and was aware of the latest painting I was working on, but until I showed it here, he hadn’t got a clue as to what it was reeeally going to look like (any more than anyone else had, other than my description of it here, which didn’t fully describe it other than the bare bones of it). So, when he saw it for the first time here, he was taken aback by the colours, the feel of it, and the detail, and the work that had gone into the painting. I think I sometimes forget that because I’m working on it, and describing it in words to people, that really they don’t fully comprehend what it will look like, until they actually view it. I know when I have a painting to do, whether it’s for a commission, or for an exhibition, I have a definite and intense thought of how to start, how I want to lay out the composition, what colours I shall use, the tones, and siting of the lights and darks, and where the focal point will be, but after that I work on it as I go along. MMm….. no, that’s not exactly right, as that sounds like I haven’t got a clue as to what I’m doing or how. And I have.
Let me explain it a little better……
I spend a lot of time thinking about my artwork, nine tenths of painting it is the thinking aspect of it, no matter how many actual hours I put into painting it, it has far more thinking put into it. And that thinking will start with the practical ways to start it, but I don’t have a finished picture in my head (unless its exactly a copy of a photograph depicting a place, or person in which case it will look like the image I’m working from!). But after that, once I’ ve started, I will be thinking whilst I’m painting, I will be thinking when I have a tea break, when I’m having my lunch, or a walk, when I am watching TV at night later on, even if I’m out with friends in the quiet moments between conversations, when I am in bed falling asleep, and when I wake the next day, and so on, and so on, until the painting is finished. In in all that thinking, I will be assimilating ideas, working on colours, on the design, on the textures, and thinking of previous paintings I’ve done, and the experience of all of those, and using all that artistic talent and my huge experience to paint this painting, and add the artistic bits that make the picture more interesting and dramatic. So, its no wonder people don’t have a clue as to what my painting will look like, since its all in my head, until it gets transferred from there, down on paper or canvas.
Towards the end of our conversation, he asked me what my next painting would be. And I smiled, and said that I wasn’t fully sure. But, that wasn’t actually true, because I know what I shall paint next, it’s the one after that I’m not fully sure of!
Because, the one that is next, is one that I have been wanting to do for some months. One that I have been waiting impatiently to do. One that I shall LOOOVVVVVE to do. As its one of my favourite subjects.
And the subject matter?
Oh, I think you can guess……
It’s another Queynte.
To add to the collection of “Fantasy Fannies“. And I think you might have clue as to what that will look like! But not the colours I shall use. Not the shapes within it. Not the end result….
Ruf and I often look at my Fantasy Fanny which has pride of place above his bed. It really helps me to understand what he's doing down there 🙂
Joanna – Yes, I think a lot of women could relate to that as an idea to help them understand better! And I'm sure the men could too… 🙂
I always think of you when I start a new painting of a Fantasy Fanny, as I very much consider them as a positive celebration of womanhood, and an empowerment for all the women who have participated. And I know how strongly you feel about women finding themselves and feeling comfortable within their own bodies.
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