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michael

Michael Edwards

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I'm primarily a watercolourist and have developed my own style but like everyone I do get a bit of a block from time to time. But I still love my hobby and always find a different avenue to try out. I am never lost for something to do - there's quite a list including my minimalist line drawings, cartoons, acrylic and acrylic ink abstracts, and my little rural and coastal sculptures (not made many of late as I've built up a bit of a stockpile although they are currently in two galleries). On top of all this I love to try out different watercolour styles and subjects. My latest attempt at this has just been posted if anyone cares to take a look. http://www.painters-online.co.uk/gallery/art-view,picture_163535.htm It's surprising how much you learn by trying something different and this can be of great advantage to your usual work. I guess the point of all this is that I am often surprised to see so many artists who contribute to the gallery and stick rigidly to the same format and never seem to try something different. When I comment on the work of others, no matter how good they are, it gets a bit difficult to do so when I've said it all before. So this is a bit of an appeal - lets see more experimentation and fun in the gallery. Or am I appealing to the converted and should be addressing this to those who simply post in the gallery and never seem to venture into the forum?

Alan Bickley

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I agree with you there Michael, to churn out the same stuff all the time would send me insane, but that's only for me, others seem to cope with it without a problem. As many of you will know, I am always seeking new idea's, combination of medium, supports, anything that I can to make things more interesting and keep me inspired and hopefully on top of my game. Before some clever dick tells me that there is nothing new, I already know that, but it might be new to me, and that's what matters. Even so, and doing my utmost as a daily painter to keep motivated there are times, many times in fact that I still suffer from the dreaded 'block', and at times this is hard to pull out from. What matters to me and my art is that it stimulates me, being creative and experimenting is all part of this process.

Derek Snowdon

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Posted
Nicely put Michael and Alan, especially ME's last sentence. The farthest I seem to get from my card style/technique is to attempt some less blocky subjects and more detail. Luckily my sketching style seems constant, maybe I should try other media, but then I am reluctant to carry too much and then when comfortably? seated, take ages to determine which I should use.

Alan Bickley

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Malcolm, my comment was purely a personal view outlining my own thought's on the subject, as I did state in my text, and of course I am not referring to everyone as 'insane', only myself. I suppose the phrase 'churn out' may have been the wrong one, I'll change that to 'produce', same meaning in my book, sounds nicer. I understand entirely your view regarding your art being on a personal level, but this is good, you draw and paint the things that excite and inspire you, that's all that matters. Your work is different, you use different medium and it has an interest value to many of those on POL with your excellent little write up's about each piece, and long may they continue, as I'm sure they will.

Alan Bickley

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Just to put everyone's mind at ease that is concerned with the phrase 'churned out', here is the official meaning, and I don't see anything derogatory mentioned, some of us should look before we hastily leap to the wrong conclusion. Phrasal Verb: churn out. To produce in an abundant and regular manner: churns out four novels a year. [Middle English chirne, from Old English cyrn, cyrin.] This is how my painting life takes shape, abundant and regular. I trust that this now clarifies the matter, particularly for Davide19, who was quick to make a comment, but who was also totally incorrect in his translation of the phrase.<div class="__IE11CLEANUP__"> </div>

Edited
by alanbickley