Thursday, January 15, 2009

"I'm Sorry, It Just Doesn't Match My Drapes...."


This is a piece I did back in November right after Thanksgiving. It's just a blown down tree but with the light just right I had to give it a shot. It's one of those things that when you paint it you wonder if it is marketable or will a gallery want it or will somebody want it in their home but ultimately you have to paint it regardless of it's marketability because if you just paint the things that you believe are marketable it will ultimately show up in the quality of your work. You have to paint those things that "move you" or "you connect with" or any one of those other flakey cliches that describes what you love to paint. I think that may be one more in about 10,000 reasons I like what Richard Schmid does. In a recent magazine article he said that his proudest accomplishment was that he always painted what he wanted and he wasn't driven by the market. And in his book Alla Prima, one of the nicest paintings in the book is a blown down tree.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I totally agree with you. I love that fallen tree painting of Schmid's. Yours turned out very nicely as well. Keep painting what moves you.

Debbie Turner Chavers said...

I love it! Who needs drapes when you can be outside in the field.
The photos below this painting are great also. I would love to see the darkest one combined with the birds in a painting. The clumps of grass in the lighting are great.
Debbie

Theresa Rankin said...

Yes I too agree...Schmid's fallen tree! The book is exquisite and I refer to it diligently...Don't you hate the it doesn't match my drapes sofa walls...whatever! Do what you do...they are beautiful!

Kevin Menck said...

Thanks for the comments guys.
Hope ya'll are able to paint the things that "move you" also.
For anybody who reads this and hasn't seen the Richard Schmid book "Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting" get it, borrow it, whatever, and read it cover to cover. There is some very informative info and some fantastic art. As far as I am concerned, Richard Schmid is at the top of the food chain.

Doug said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Doug said...

oops... I messed up and had to delete that last comment.

I was just wondering if you made all those color charts like Schmid recommended?

Kevin Menck said...

Aww man, you got me worked up for nothin'. I thought I had 6 comments intead of 5.
As far as the color charts, no but I feel like you will let me borrow yours when you get em' done.