Interpretive Painting

Yesterday, Sweet Farmer and I had a good day. We went to church, out to eat, and then out to watch some mounted shooting competition. I had my camera and caught this photo of a friend.

So today I wanted to interpret the photo. This is a hard concept to get across to my family and friends who are mostly non-painters (you notice I didn't say non-artists) They are impressed when you perfectly draw a photograph. But then why did you need the painting if you had the photograph I ask?

Anywhooo..I'm trying to paint what's in my head regardless of the critics or admirers around me and that's not always easy - just to go to that place...alone....undaunted.....with a raw drive to create my own art.

So, it starts in my art journal. Then I take it to Flickr and manipulate it. How can I improve on this design? What does it lack? And in the process I learn things about design, color, softening edges, adding wavy lines that increase my appeal toward the image because I have no real art education, no mentors (other than my blogging friends) and basically, don't know how to get to where I want to go. But nothing will stop me. It is my photograph, my art, my designing process and there is no failure in finding my own expression. The art will most likely end up in my own home. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

And now, I can see the painting on a huge canvas, in acrylic, over my bed- with little adjustments here and there. That is interpretive art as far as an odd chick knows it....today.