Painting Your Imagination

They say that most artists do not paint from memory. Admittedly, it is way easier to paint something when you have a photo or the real thing in front of you. However, you should know by now that I am addicted to painting for escape; to search for bliss, for enlightenment, and to find my holy grail.

Despite all my picture taking, I do not identify myself as a photographer. It is only by accident that I may like the results. I do frequently run to get the camera and am still mesmerized by bug watching, as long as my tiny friends remain outdoors. My salvias are now rootbound in their flower boxes (I think that I over indulged them with plant food, YUM for them). But they look great. The hummingbirds (OMG!) love them too. Couldn't get a pic of their fast moving and quite noisy wings but I did capture this guy featured here. He's been hanging around on this little salvia stalk. I've seen him before but I do not know his name. Does that make him a stalker? Tee hee.

Sooo, with my photo in hand, I drift far away into oblivion and only feel the smoothness of the paint and the rhythmic movement of the brush strokes. I can only see the dizzying and swirling colors dancing onto the canvas. My composition may become unrecognizable from the image that is in front of me. Sometimes I love the result. Sometimes it is comme ci, comme ca.

My college art professor chastised me for drawing from a photo, stating that the work is too flat. I seem to recall that he frequently critiqued my work and it was devastating. If you've been reading along, you may recall that I was quite reluctant about choosing art as a career. Superficially, I said that I did not ever want art to be "work" for me. That's true - but secretly I feared I had no talent. Today, I am finding a way to weave my passion into everyday life. The real joy for me now is in creating art with those who also share the love of this experience.
Regardless, while I may lose the dimensionality by painting from my imagination, I know that it is always an original composition. Take for instance this isolated cabin in the woods which seems to be a favorite theme of mine. I can always go there for a moment or two of solace and for that enveloping but ever elusive sense of peace.

If you painted your imagination, what would it look like?