Winter Scenes

I have found in the past year or two as the winter season approaches with the temptation to create a series of winter scenes. Some artists love to paint winter and some throw a winter scene or two into the mix each year and some artist actually do not paint winter scenes at all, in fact some artists adamantly refuse to paint winter subjects.

I find myself in somewhat of a separated place from others I have spoken with on the winter scene subject matter. I like winter especially the early parts of it when things are fresh and the holidays are approaching. The hard depth of winter and later part I don't find especially satisfying beyond the few days after each fresh snow fall when winter is again freshly renewed in its best -other worldly- presentation. Most often when I have thought of painting winter, it is the -other worldly- aspects of it that I most often think to create or capture somehow. In the past the place I have found myself in, is one of indifference. Winter is a season which seems to bring out firm and sometimes intense appeal in some people and in others it is only unavoidably tolerated. Most often in my tenure as an artist I have chosen to create images of Spring, Summer and Autumn as these are most appealing to me and have the broadest appeal to others. Winter is a selective genre, mood and thus market, so up until now I have simply not moved my own creative thoughts into the action of painting it.

Each time an artist takes on a different scene or genre' they must approach it from the nature in which they themselves paint, and I am no exception to that reality. It could also be said that when an artist takes on a new genre' they almost have to teach themselves to paint again... The idea is actually to learn how to bring ones own style or technique to the table and make the scene work using that approach. In much the same way an actor must learn to bring themselves to each new part to make the role appealing and/or compelling... it is not so much learning how to play a character as it is making the character work with the way you present. .. with the exception that as an artist, there is no director involved.

Winter is what it is... just as each character in Shakespeare are who they are... The best performances come from the individuals portrayal of a character according to their personal skills as an actor. I once saw Anthony Hopkins get asked how he managed to choose so many good roles.. how did he know which roles to choose? Mr Hopkins responded (in general) by saying that it was the character of himself -as a person- and the technique with which he conveyed that, which he brought to the role that made it work and not picking the right part or role which would be successful.

It is very much the same with art... one must create according to their own personal style and if you employ that with enough of your own character it will make the scene work. It is the scene which one needs to make conform and work with ones individual style, rather than trying to choose a scene which will be appealing. That is why a great actors always seems to be a good works of film and stage and that is how one can see the hand of certain specific artists from 20 feet away in a room with 30 other artists works upon the walls.

So after many years of passing it by, I have made the decision to make winter happen this year in the ways I personally like it best... crisp, fresh, furious and other worldly...