Three Way Interpretation

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11126231_10150557249669956_2207303122166726283_nNot too long ago I wrote about a pencil drawing that inspired a few more sketches and a few other ideas. It ended up being a three way interpretation of the same image. I played around with four or five more sketches and then decided to paint. After an amazing private painting night with the ladies of the Orange CT Chamber of Commerce 11147867_10150564658444956_5834943068492316670_nI thought I could use the leftover paint on a few canvases I had available here at home. It was a lot of fun to paint again. Before arriving to the image that started it all I used another sketch for the first painting, then another for a second. The third painting was using that first sketch. I called the three paintings together “Spring Fairies”.

The first 11128803_10150564658469956_8933270425009002914_oone has the extra long hair. It was a lot of fun adding all that extra paint around the figure. I tried to keep the figure as monochromatic as I could. Based on this result I decided to paint the other two on longer canvases I wanted to recycle. That’s something you maybe didn’t know. When people talk about the mysteries of Leonardo’s multilayered paintings I just laugh. Sometimes, not to say many times, I paint over paintings I don’t like that much, and over again. 11070544_10150564658484956_8377671706688468462_oI can’t wait until someone decides to x-ray one of them. Nevertheless, I covered the previous paintings and continued the fairies. The third one was inspired on the pencil sketch. There is a sequence of the process in Instagram and Facebook. I didn’t stop there. I tried a sculpture with the same sketch. After all, I am a sculptor primarily.

11136631_10150563648774956_2926769332023686813_nIt is interesting how one image can get multiple interpretations. I can still try a full round sculpture. Someone might think about trying a more modern art version of it. Maybe we can create a cubist version or something more abstract. The possibilities are endless. That is the beauty of art and the human mind.

Let Art Speak

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Back in November 2014 I wrote How to Explain Your Art and it became very popular not only in the blog but also in Ezine Articles and Fine Art America. In several discussions in LinkedIn I believe the article was misunderstood by some. The article was never intended to explain a specific piece of art but our general intent in creating art. Each individual piece should speak by itself. At least that is what I aim for as I explain in my artist statement:

“I am inspired by the fluidity, dynamism, and power of the human body.
I experiment with techniques and media that allow me to portray the figure in its balance between vivacity, emotion, strength, and sensibility.
I aim to provide each piece with its own soul, a life, and a story to tell on its own.”

A few years ago I painted a face of a lady with a crown of flowers and a very colorful background. The day I posted the picture on Facebook I received two comments from two different ladies. One of them expressed how happy the painting made her feel. On the other hand, the second lady expressed how sad the painting made her feel and how she cried when she saw it. The same painting was speaking in two different ways to two different individuals. The painting had no meaning in itself, or better said, no intended meaning. However, these two ladies found meaning by themselves.

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In my current exhibit closing January 24 the torsos speak differently to different individuals even though there are no faces. The body itself communicates to the viewer without explanations. Each piece can tell a story to the viewer and even more important, each viewer can create their own story. If I explain each piece I am stealing from the viewer to find meaning on their own. I would be also limiting the story to one instead of leaving it open to interpretations and an unlimited amount of stories as the viewers can find.

Photo Aug 27, 9 46 00 AM copy

I would preferably let art speak. Maybe it wants to tell you something if you just listen. Stop and observe. What domes to mind? What is it trying to tell you? How are you letting art speak to you? Words are not always necessary. You can feel it too without trying to articulate it. Just feel.