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George Rhys Artist

Fear of Posting

2/19/2016

7 Comments

 
​It’s one thing to say that a courageous act is one performed in the presence of fear, but that does not persuade the courageous protagonist to feel large in any way. Speaking only for myself, if I do something that others might call brave, all I know is that I did something that scared the pants off of me. The fearless might feel brave, but most likely they are just nuts.
Picture
Canyon Lake Segmented, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 16," en plein air
That procrastinating blather aside, here is a brand new plein air painting that I fear is almost dumb in its simplicity. If you do find it to be dumb, I would appreciate it if you would keep that judgment to yourself, because I am feeling pretty fragile here.

I have to post this painting because I believe in it in spite of my misgivings. It is getting close to what I expect of a painting that comes from the true inside of me.

But there’s nothing there!

Of course that is not entirely true, I reassure myself. I like those colors together. I like all those crazy stripes. I like a view through a screen. I’m getting a good feeling from this little work, whether or not anyone else ever will.

And it does, dammit, show just what attracted me to the scene. I saw the texture in the bark, but I didn’t care. I saw little waves and houses across the water and pebbles in the dirt, but I didn’t care. I cared about only the stuff that shows up in the painting. To limit myself in that way is always something of a triumph for me.

But it’s so rough!

Not so rough as it once was, and after all I left it rough in order to display process. Wasn’t it I who for twenty-five painting-suppressed years exhorted math students, “Show your work! An answer all by itself is worthless!”?

Yes, it was I. And leaving this painting just like this was a conscious choice, even though I love paintings that are all finished and pretty, with the appropriate amount of detail—especially when other people paint them.

But I’m going to have to make some more of these.
​
I make no claim of educational value in this post. I wrote it all just to encourage myself to be brave again. 
7 Comments
Denis Longhi
2/19/2016 09:53:43 am

Please do that again. I wish I could be fluent enough to express in English what I felt watching this. Something like: "raw, peaceful emergency"? So far emergency could be peaceful ? Thank you, whatever, for... daring.

Reply
George
2/19/2016 01:59:14 pm

Yes, Denis, I will do it again! Thank you for your comment. When we get together in April we can explore the meaning of the peaceful, eh, how you say it, emergency! (And we have a French/English dictionary.)

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Maren Phillips link
2/19/2016 03:42:05 pm

I'm so happy you had the 'courage' to do this! Keep it up!

Reply
George
2/22/2016 03:45:27 pm

Thank you Maren. You're a great pep squad, and I am very grateful!

Reply
Janet Chang
2/20/2016 07:08:18 am

I enjoy reading artist's feeling and thoughts with his/her paintings. You are a classic example of this kind that enriches our creative life. Good job!

Reply
George
2/22/2016 03:48:40 pm

That's a wonderful compliment! I am so honored that you would consider me that way!

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12/19/2022 04:26:39 pm

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