Mar 7th

Well since my exhibition at Nanshe finished on the weekend I’ve had an urge to get out the oil paints again. This could have something to so with the fact that the only oil painting in the show sold and I loved it. Everything seemed to work, the colours, paint application, composition. SO to try and re-invigorate the oil painter within is my project. I’ll pop a photo in to show the progress.

This is a portion of one of the paintings I’ve been working on this week.

And I guess because of the inexplicable reason that my oil painting was so appealing to me I have been reading up on aesthetics and what it is that makes an individual find beauty (or any emotion really)  where others don’t. So far what I can gather is it comes down to how educated the viewer is ( I mean we all know the audience that adores representational art because it’s the easiest to view) cultural expectations and values of the time period (not many like the impressionist art when it was first released but few would argue its beauty and worth now). I’ll keep reading… Also I found a great video on the web titled The Psychology of Aesthetics. In particular the first part of the video was informative in regard to art. Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwsEeQpxkFw

This piece of art titled Wind from the sea by Andrew Wyeth was brought to my attention while watching the seminar on aesthetics. It does seem to tick all the boxes.

I’m actually thinking it will take a lifetime of seeing and learning to come even close to understanding aesthetics.

I’ve also been reading up about Australian art and design. So this has piqued my interest in some early artists including Ben Duterrau who painted an iconic image of aboriginals of Tasmania being coerced into leaving their land by George Augustus Robinson. I found a great seminar  The Conciliation: a gothic tale by Greg Lehman. Worth listening to.

http://vimeo.com/48335705

5th instalment. It’s coming along due to a large time commitment. I do enjoy it though. Thread and fabric have always been a favourite of mine.

The Concilliation
Artist: Benjamin Duterrau
Medium: Oil
Date: 1840
Location: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

My mission to have at least half of my tapestry completed by the end of the year is going well. I must say it is a very relaxing past time but I’m really looking forward to completing it so I can get on to the next project. I’d like to get some of my miniature paintings on tapestry canvas in their vibrant hues.

I’m also beginning a new concept of online exhibiting. This will be a work in progress. I guess I have started this project in part due to the online world being such a huge facet of our lives now. I am also not convinced of the traffic passing through galleries anymore. My first exhibit is titled My House Is One Of Many and click on this link to see it https://kerrismithartist.wordpress.com/online-exhibitions/my-house-is-one-of-many/ I hope you can offer me feedback on this exhibition. I am including one of the photographs below as an excerpt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ll keep you posted on any further developments in my exhibiting but for now that’s my week of art.