I believe in what the subject makes you do, yes, I do believe in a subject in the sense that it’s your starting point. And I suppose I am essentially a romantic. I believe in the sort of emotion that you get from what your eyes show you and what you feel about certain things. … I don’t really know what I’m painting. I’m just trying to paint!”
— Joan Eardley (1921-1963), BBC interview 1963
I’ve been looking a lot at the flower/field/landscape paintings by Scottish artist Joan Eardley. I like her abstraction, with enough realism to anchor it, giving viewers a path to connecting with and understanding a painting.
5 Replies to “Monday Motivator: Just Trying to Paint”
Oh, those Monday mornings! Just got to get on with it, better to scribble, doodle or cover a surface randomly with paint rather than staring at an empty canvas. As Buddhists say “Chop wood, carry water”. Your subconscious, just like a duck’s legs, will be paddling away under the waterline. Something will surface! Just love your latest stuff – those sheep…great.
She says:”…I don’t really know what I am painting….”. I think it is all what the artist-painters secretly try to reach. A wonderful state of absolute creativity in which there is no place to rationalization. But how to be “only an eye,yet what an eye” as Cezanne said of Monet? And just a hand open to liberty and imagination? But mind keeps a close “eye” on us… Rationality is never far away. Broad question!
Love Eardly but prefer figurative work. Did you see telly programme where mother of children she drew and painted threw sketches they brought home on the fire? Aaargh! Painting is a most courageous act. More power to you.
Inspiration is such an elusive thing isn’t it? I live by a river and this summer it was dry!!!!. Now the winter is nearly here and the water is running again and the hills are green. Roll on inspiration, I say.
I believe in what the subject makes you do, yes, I do believe in a subject in the sense that it’s your starting point. And I suppose I am essentially a romantic. I believe in the sort of emotion that you get from what your eyes show you and what you feel about certain things. … I don’t really know what I’m painting. I’m just trying to paint!”
Oh, those Monday mornings! Just got to get on with it, better to scribble, doodle or cover a surface randomly with paint rather than staring at an empty canvas. As Buddhists say “Chop wood, carry water”. Your subconscious, just like a duck’s legs, will be paddling away under the waterline. Something will surface! Just love your latest stuff – those sheep…great.
She says:”…I don’t really know what I am painting….”. I think it is all what the artist-painters secretly try to reach. A wonderful state of absolute creativity in which there is no place to rationalization. But how to be “only an eye,yet what an eye” as Cezanne said of Monet? And just a hand open to liberty and imagination? But mind keeps a close “eye” on us… Rationality is never far away. Broad question!
Totally agree that you must have a subject in mind even if not painting realistically. We need inspiration.
Love Eardly but prefer figurative work. Did you see telly programme where mother of children she drew and painted threw sketches they brought home on the fire? Aaargh! Painting is a most courageous act. More power to you.
Inspiration is such an elusive thing isn’t it? I live by a river and this summer it was dry!!!!. Now the winter is nearly here and the water is running again and the hills are green. Roll on inspiration, I say.