When I tell someone that I am an artist, and they ask me what kind of art I do, I never really know what to say. It has taken me a long time to even consider myself a “true” artist and still it is hard to swallow. I still doubt it all the time. So I usually just say something like “oh, I like to paint.”
So many artists have a style, something distinct to identify themselves in their work and they paint very similiar things. Maybe I just haven’t found mine yet because I don’t always paint the same way or choose one medium. Part of what I like about art is that each work is a new fresh yet familiar experience. I love trying new things, and working in many different mediums. I can’t say that I have mastered any one of them..and if I ever do I think I might feel done with creating! Of course my skills have developed over the years but it is always fun to experiment, to challenge myself and to see how much more I can do.
My comfort zone has been in more realistic traditional styles, like pretty still-life paintings and that sort of thing. But I love to test colors and have found that I like texture and rich surface application.
This week I decided to try stepping a bit further outside of my comfort zone and try some abstract landscapes. One things I know for sure is that I love landscapes because I love nature, hiking and generally being outside. It always gives me perspective and peace. So I painted two oil landscapes in a newer much looser style. It was sort of freeing and scary at the same time.
Who knows maybe this will become “my thing” and when someone asks me what I do I will say “I am an abstract landscape painter” But I have a feeling I will never be able to stick to just one genre or style!! Stay tuned to see what I try next! Below are pictures of the two lanscapes.
