Is painting for a gallery different than painting for yourself?
Posted on March 21, 2008 by highcountryart
General question to the artists of HCAA (or any other artist for that matter)…when you know you will be submitting a piece specifically for a gallery, is your mindset different than when you are painting for the fun of it? Or do you decide that a piece is “sell able” after the fact? Also, and I know the answer, ever keep a piece for yourself that started out as a gallery piece?
Filed under: General Artist Musings | Tagged: Blue Ridge, Georgia, High Country Art
as a retired law teacher and now dabbling in the art world it’s a bunch of fun to keep track of which style of ‘naif’ style pieces sell. and then i use that as a quasi-guideline for future paintings. i don’t have the guts, at this point, to really paint what’s in my mind as i’m certain there isn’t a gallery around that would even look at them. my absolute favorite style is work done by a youngster in, say, third or fourth grade. if any gallery art director would even give them a look it would probably be the high country gallery. mr. yamagi aka louis mason
Most of the time I just start a piece because I have some scene that I want to paint! Then, I decide where it will go — that is if it does turn out to be frameable. Decision will be — is this good enough for a competition, or is it a piece that would be perfect for a particular gallery? Is it technically correct with regard to compositional rules — then probably a competition. Is it more an emotional piece — then it could be either — but most likely more suited to the gallery.
With saying that, I do sometimes start a piece of art with the specific destination being the gallery. It may end up unfinished, or one that I think could make it into a competition — I believe I have to be flexible in that regard. But, I probably always think about the gallery when painting — asking myself whether this one is right for the gallery.
I believe sometimes I do paint for the fun of it only. Meaning I will try things I think the gallery might not really want from me. Then, when it is finished and I like it, I will also give it a try at the gallery or in a show. I try to look at all the paintings with a judge’s eyes — not just emotional eyes.
And, of course, you are correct that sometimes a piece started for the gallery becomes something I want to keep for myself for a period of time. Maybe it is just a place that is special to me, or I did something different I want to look at for some time. Or — when I win an award on a piece that has been for sale in the gallery, I want to keep it around for awhile. I want to enjoy looking and assessing what it was that made that piece special enough to win and probably in the hopes that I can duplicate the feeling.
There are those paintings that we just know we need to keep. Why? Might not really understand the feelings, but usually we must act on them. Later, it might change again and become something we are ready to let go of — probably because we have moved on in the journey of painting and learning — and there is another newer favorite!