“So what exactly is it Jen?”

“Umm…so what exactly is it Jen?”
We all have different thoughts and feelings about “art” and its many forms. Painting alone is so broad and subject to all sorts of descriptions, delineations and movements including figurative, abstract, landscape, portraiture, interiors, modern, post-modern, post-war, contemporary, mixed media, water-colours, oils, acrylics. Then we have groups of artists with snappy names such as “The Surrealists” or “the Stuckists” and styles based on schools of art and thought. And it goes on…and on and on and on.   It’s what human beings like to do – they are pattern-seeking, pattern-making creatures who like to make sense of things, find meaning and label things. Nought wrong with that unless it makes you feel stuck, hemmed in, marginalised or excluded somehow.

When I won Sky Landscape Artist of the Year back in 2018 (yep, four years ago, can you believe it!), categorising myself purely as a landscape artist was problematic, especially as my practice has always been broad – sometimes I make quite traditional landscapes (well, I think they are quite traditional), sometimes I fancy making portraits and sometimes I make something involving toast. 

I was getting quite stuck last year, but thankfully now finding a lot more joy and flow in my work. Looser more abstract processes and forms have emerged which I really, really love. However, some people struggle with my more abstract work and ask things like “so what exactly is it Jen?”.

It’s difficult to talk about “art” and I have tried to get better at talking about my work. I mention the starting points, or perhaps the process that led to the finished work or “the inspiration” behind it or where the place it was based on.  I don’t know whether these sorts of answers help but they remind of being at an exhibition of local work around 1989, which included a triptych of portraits I had made in 6th form and also my art teachers “abstract” paintings amongst many other works.  Someone asked me to explain his abstract work (ffs) saying “because you understand it, don’t you? You’re an artist aren’t ?”. I was 16. I didn’t have a clue. I just liked painting. 

I recently asked my mentor of 10 years, what to say when people ask “what is it?” in regard to more abstracted work. He said “Just say it’s a painting” and that’s what I start with now. “It’s a painting” hahaha. All those in’s and out’s and cogitations and naming and framing and describing and that’s what I now say “It’s a painting”, AND if more is needed I might ask the viewer some of the following:

“What do you see?”
“What does it remind you of?”
“How does it make you feel?”
“Does it remind you of a certain place, time, memory?”
“What don’t you like about it?”  or 
“What unsettles you?”

You need to get people talking and thinking about painting. They need to be at ease and comfortable knowing that there isn’t a correct answer especially if it’s a little/lot abstract. It’s easier that way and after all, it doesn’t really matter what I think does it.  I started somewhere and ended up somewhere else. I might have used my knowledge of landscape or started with a particular aim in mind, but its unlikely I ended up there.  If you try and define the magical/undefinable, you limit it so much.

I’ve just read an interesting article on how we shouldn’t apply critical theory to teaching painting e.g. applying goals/objectives/science/technique to something that is subject to all sorts of unexpected events/something that is sexy/something that is fluid and changeable, can kill it. But I am on the fence as usual – both are important and you need to keep hold of both whilst you paint.
J xx 
 
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