Photographs (that I have taken) are the foundation for most of my paintings. I don’t paint them exactly as they are but try to add my own artistic touch or expression, slowly building up layers and changing as I go.
Early on I discovered that flower still life arrangements would not keep their sparkle while waiting on me to find time to paint (since I did have that full-time day job) so photos would preserve them. Sometimes it wasn’t so much the subject matter as the lighting on it that needed safeguarding. Once in a while the photos were old family black and white pictures.
Now the explosion of social media allows digital photographs to be shared by friends and family and sometimes they just hit me like a brick and I want to paint from them. I always ask the photographer if I can “borrow” their pics for a painting.
One friend takes photos of sunrises in the countryside as she takes her grandchildren to school. She uses her cell and it’s amazing what she gets with it. I’ve used two of her photos and was so touched by her reaction when she saw the first painting.
Another friend is a little more than a casual photographer and uses a very nice camera. She posted photos she took of a dear old horse who had just passed away. I was struck by those photos and she consented to let me use them. Now I am torn between the composition, texture and light of the photos and capturing the spirit of “V” the horse. Can I do both?
So, these are WIP (works in progress) of “V” – with only two layers done so far. I think I know where I’m going with these but am open to a change in direction.
Stay tuned for further developments.
PS – my daughter and I discussed how it is so difficult for me to write and she just said “pretend you’re writing one of your angry letters to a restaurant”! Ha! Even those writings don’t just flow, dear daughter!
The Art of Joy A. McGugan 