Trying to consider how I feel about the person I am painting. Does it affect my finished piece? Interested in photography versus a ‘ sitter’. Why should a painting based on a photograph be considered a less legitimate work of art than one painted from observation. Is this due to an overly ‘romantic’ view of the artist getting in the way. Isnt a ‘sitter’ totally impractical in the modern contemporary art world of today. All images come through magazines, papers, tv and of course the internet. Why not utilize the millions of images and use them for art. Found the picture of Chuck Close on the cover of a biography that I have just read. It was an amazing read ( I love reading). Maybe it’s because I feel I know him through reading his biography that I have a this compulsion to paint him. I have also watched a DVD in the last couple of days lent to me by fellow student Karl. I am feeling a great respect for this artist. His life has been a fascinating journey. One of the things I love about Chuck Close was his determination to paint portraits when it was so out of fashion and considered out-dated. The art of the ‘time’ in the 60’s among many were Andy Warhol and Robert Robert Rauschenberg…and portraiture was held in disdain…let alone Chuck’s style of painting with his photo-realism paintings. While I admire Close’s attitude, I am not sure I relate emotionally to his paintings. I respect his dedication and talent, but also know that this is the style of painting I want to move away from.
