Hobe Sound Rose – Pastel on paper – no camera involved (except to photograph the painting, that is) – a rose that I grew and a pot that I made.

The inspiration to paint can come from so many places……….. and yet there are some days you say to yourself, why paint?  Sometimes my inspiration is to just improve myself.  Most of the time I’m overwhelmed with ideas and objects that inspire me and then the thought runs through my head that I might be insane.  But that’s a whole nuther topic.

“Drawing as a means of expression is the justification of art over photography.” Andrew Loomis, Creative Illustration, 1947

How cool is that?  We’re still discussing this today in 2012, yet some people have never even been made aware of it.  It bothers me that there are so many people that judge good art by how close to a photograph the painting it is.  Not to mention the hyperrealist or photorealist painters that have the goal of painstakingly reproducing a photograph.  As if the photograph were the standard that paintings had to live up to.

Don’t misunderstand and think that I’m not in favor of photography because I love photography! It seems that over time artistic goals have sometimes become distorted.

Mr. Loomis was directing this to the art student (in the 1940’s!!!) and comparing  original illustration to photography which he said couldn’t provide the expressiveness that the artist could. He doesn’t throw photography out the window but at that time guides the artist to understand they aren’t being replaced by a camera.  Even though we now have the means to be more expressive with digital applications, the camera still can’t produce the surface and line quality nor the atmosphere and character that original art can.

So that is why you paint – to go beyond the photograph with your personal expression of the poetic landscape (or what ever your thing is).  One good reason,  anyway.

Sometimes it seems that things and/or thoughts are presented to you by some unseen spirit and you can’t help but think it must be meaningful.  Kismet.  Destiny.  Some amazing global consciousness!  Why else would all of these things come together at the same time?

Yes, I’m looking for answers and finding the ones that suit me but so are many other people which is validation enough for me.  Because after all, I do need to justify my obsession and insanity.