The painting/conceptual debate continues both explicitly and implicitly in the blogs. Painting seems to be acceptable when it is conceptually based. I engage in the debate,but sometimes I feel that my debate is camouflaged self defence. I wonder if this is common, or peculiar to me. My experience such as it is, suggests that much of what happens between people, be they artists, scientists, teachers, children in the playground, is determined by personal dispositions which support a world view which is tenuous and fragile, or monolithic and static, and either way has to be strongly defended. Real insight and understanding is a rare experience for me. I have no ‘real’ idea why I made this drawing. I know that it was a satisfying experience, that I ‘liked’ the outcome and feel affinity with the subject-matter. It grew from what I had been doing and has prompted visual thought. The need for explanation perhaps is an attempt to banish the fear that there is none. We make the art that we need.
