I’ve recently been shifting my artmaking to incorporate a way of making my art in a less planned way. This includes allowing a painting to unfold as I add color, line, solids and texture. Which is contrary to how I have frequently begun my work where I draw at least a thumbnail sketch of a design and then work with color and other marks. There was a bit of freedom in starting this way, as well as feeling unsure with not knowing where it was heading. This felt more like a freefall than freedom. In the end I did like how it evolved and will continue to explore this approach in the future.
#anntrainordomingueNew Hampshire artist; messy, uncommon, friendly, contemporary art
Lesson learned: Try new things even if it feels wrong.
I’ve often heard people say they love the titles of my work. Thankfully they love the work too, but they also make it a point to mention how much they love the title. It happened so often I needed to understand why it was happening with such frequency. I wish I could remember at what point my titles went beyond describing what was in the painting–to the idea of what it could say if it could speak. As though I am divulging a secret of some kind.
As I recall comments about my titles happened when I gave my fisherman a girl in 2014 or so. I began to think of the people in my work and what situation I had positioned them in. I developed a little story between them and thought it would be interesting to look at the work in light of the title. Sometimes the title would be a bit philosophical, hint at a religious sense, or be playful or hopeful. Or even what the painting might say about itself.
It’s not easy to choose one to six words as a title (my personal preference for word count). It’s similar to designing a brandmark or logo that I have done for many years as a graphic designer. There is something both difficult and satisfying about winnowing down multiple options to just some key shapes and letterforms. I think finding thoughtful words that work as titles is a similar process–before, during or after the painting is completed. For sure though, by the time the painting is wrapped and shipped off to a client or gallery.
It seems to be endlessly interesting for art viewers to learn the story behind a painting. And to tell you the truth I like to dig in and find out this information too when I am gallery hopping. I like to make the link from inspiration to interpretation and put myself in an artist’s shoes/sandals/barefeet and see what they saw, feel what they felt, and hear the little thing that became so powerful it had to become an artwork. It’s these translations that are as varied as there are artists in the world. So enjoy the view and let me know your thoughts on my visual story above. Find me and click the “Like” button to follow me on Facebook at www.Facebook/anntrainordomingueart or www.anntrainordomingue.com
We artists have so many options open to us as we design a new piece of art. This one is less real and more abstract or is it more real and less abstract. Let me explain. I love working with the landscape–New England, Caribbean and beyond– and that does not always mean working directly in front of it–plein air–as it is commonly known. I enjoy the process of interpreting the things that have inspired me and reworking into artworks that speak the language of the landscape but also let my personal interpretations in as well. I appreciate the time and efforts–and suffering–many of my painter friends put in for the sake of their art. For me I do plein air for other reasons, not to produce a final piece of art but to learn from the landscape of that day–to practice mixing colors, to see subtle tones, to work despite less than ideal conditions, to sketch quickly my impressions, to get out of the studio and get some fresh air–and perspective. My personal art process uses both the plein air experience and the studio experience to create art unique to me. If anything, I admit I am a fairweather plein air painter.
This is the final day of the 30 paintings 30 days challenge from artist/blogger Leslie Saeta. Although I didn’t get all thirty paintings posted, the challenge has jump started my year and I am happy for that little push. I have posted more on my blog than usual finding that I could actually write faster and show a work in progress or final piece. I tend to wait til it is totally finished before letting it out in the world. But there is something to be said for letting people see the “struggle” of a piece too. This piece was conceived while sitting in an airport waiting for a flight back to cold NH. I thought how lovely the warm air had been in Florida visiting my gallery Galerie du Soleil in Naples. So this snowbird idea came to me–how could I show both FL and NH landscapes in one painting. And here is my first effort at doing just that. Let me now your thoughts! 24×48, acrylic on canvas, One Sun, Two Loves.
This small format painting is a warmup for a new floral series I am working on for 2015. Bold black lines in acrylic paint define the flower shapes on paper and color was added by layering Neocolor I by Caran D’Arche. 30 paintings in 30 days project presented by Leslie Saeta’s blog, http://www.lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/.
Ann Trainor Domingue art 