OK ...where to begin..?. well I am back in Bristol and have many days, painting adventures, and paintings to sift through from my Monhegan residency... hopefully I will get a few of those stories on here and some more pics of the work to go with them.. I came back from just about 4 weeks there with 73 paintings, some are closer to sketches and some have more of a "finish" but all have a story... The top one of the Lighthouse and the bell was my last piece on the Island its a 22"x28" and the bottom one from Fish Beach is an 11x14" .
I feel that my main goal of growth during this residency was accomplished. No I don't mean from the food on the Island,,,which was delicious, I must say.. But as far as really developing "my" filter and what I want to see on the canvas... The growth/self belief that comes when a group of people like M.A.R.C. (Monhegan Artist Residency Corp) believes in the artistic direction you are heading and puts their funds and name with your name to prove it.. It really helps me see what I'm doing in a new light.. not compromising my painting for current trends or giving up.
I am not saying I'm there yet and that I am not influenced by other artists, because I am but I have discovered that I am mostly interested in and inspired by Color, Paint(the physical look), and the story that is told through an Image....(not in that order..?.) These may seem mundane or the norm to some but these simple (hard to find) absolute truths are like digits in a lottery drawing. Only by finding out what your numbers are and then playing them repeatedly will you have a chance to win. (figuratively speaking of course) To find out these digits or truths I find that really looking at and into works of mine and others and asking "why do I hate this one?" "Why am I compelled to stare at this one?" "why is this one making me happy?" " why am I rambling?" :) OK I slipped that in to see if you were awake still.. long story short I am (finally) learning to truly value what I see... Thank you to M.A.R.C.! , John Blamey, Colin Page, My lovely Wife Raquele (sorry your 4th honey), my parents and family, last but not least Arthur and Isabella Corwin. I know I have thanked you all before and it might seem redundant but now I know what I'm thanking you all for..
"Are you painting here for the Summer? or just the season?" ....................a random visitor talking to me while painting on Monhegan
" You can't win if you don't play" lottery commission.
OK these are six pieces that I have OK (?) photos of and can post today.. I am trying to get out the door for some painting as the weather is not gray as forecasted.. I will write more on the stories that go with some of these when the weather is not so good... which should be soon...jpg)
