I’m working on two paintings of Thomas Jefferson High School. One is a view of the administration hallway at the entrance of the school, the other is a wide angel view of the school from outside. I made some progress on the hallway painting this morning. I am struggling with the vanishing perspective, but if I can get it right I think it will make a powerful piece.
Yesterday I finished a portrait of my nephew. I did it in pencil, so it’s a sketch not a painting, but I think it turned out ok. I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be offering to do portraits. I’ve always been insecure about them. Figure drawing was never my strong suit, but perhaps it’s time to move on from old self-concepts. When I start hustling for commissions after the new year I think I’ll offer portraits as well as houses and pets.
After I painted I signed up for health insurance. That put me in a pretty down mood. This transition to self-employed has been great, but it does come with drawbacks. It’s hard to convince people that you’re going to make a living, at some point. This past fall taught me that making a living as a painter is possible, but I still have to actually make that happen. It’s a stressful and yet exhilarating time.
These paintings I’m working on now of the high school are, I think, sellable. When I went to the tour there were a lot of alumni there walking around reliving their high school days. The organization that put on the tour was a historical commission whose goal is to restore the school and keep it a source of pride, not only for students, but alumni and the community as well. There are a lot of people who love that school. But, doing paintings of it is a risk. People may not want to buy paintings of it, no matter how much they love it.
So painting is a risk. I can paint all kinds of subjects and not know if anyone will be interested in buying them. I have a stack of paintings in my back bedroom to show for that. It’s a lot more satisfying to do commissions, to have people contact me who want a painting of their house, or dog, or kid. I’d rather try and please someone who already wants a painting rather than try and please someone who may or may not want artwork on their wall.
When I read about creativity and being a professional artist or writer people talk about where creativity comes from. Is it God? Is it a muse? Is it angels, as Steven Pressfield suggests? Is it from some other dimension? I read something last night that when you start creating, the gods, or the angels, start working with you, that creating isn’t solitary. I’d like to believe that. I’d like to think that if I ‘build it, they will come’. I’d like to think that there are people out there waiting for paintings of their alma mater, that when I got the idea to paint the school was because people, somewhere, want them.
I guess I don’t know, or won’t know until I finish them and they’re out there for sale. But it would be nice to think that this isn’t a solitary thing I’m doing. It would be nice to think that I’m responding to desires that are out there, in the ethers, that people want inspiration to hang on their walls, that they want something that will cheer them up or make them feel good.