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I started writing this in the shade at the Camden Public Library, in the short interstice between delivering paintings and the start of this yearās Camden on Canvas auction. By the time you read this it will be all over but the shouting, but at this moment I donāt know whether I made the right choice.
My two paintings are both indirect views of Camden Harbor. On Friday, I rowed out to Curtis Island, intending to paint Colin Pageās dinghy, but I was sidetracked by kids playing in the surf. On Saturday, I painted on Sea Street from the bed of my pickup truck. Only one painting is allowed in this auction. Although I was inclined to choose Sea Street, I brought both paintings to the amphitheater so I could pother until the last possible minute.
Bjƶrn Runquist simplified matters by doing only one piece in the 2.5 days we had to paint. Ken DeWaard made it extremely difficult on himself by painting four. Two or three is more typical, and then the artist has to narrow it down to one.
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This weekend I introduced Ken to the word dithering, about which I wrote on Friday. āSo, itās just like complaining, right?ā he countered. No, itās when the general confusion in your mind starts bubbling out your mouth, I said. In fact, it means to vacillate indecisively. And itās so easy to do when you choose a painting for an auction, online jurying, or any other situation where the stakes are high.
There is a difference in how artists and non-artists see paintings
Artists make judgments about color, composition and draftsmanship (and we all have our own hobby-horses). We donāt necessarily care as much about subject as our buyers do. For collectors, sentiment, color and the paintingās place in their home are real considerations.
Why donāt you just ask a lot of non-painters then?
Itās tempting to start polling people, and they can give you insights into your work. However, the more people you ask, the less consensus youāll have. And whatever the last person said, is what will stick in your mind. Thatās no way to decide.
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The one on which you worked the hardest isnāt always the best
Iām always enamored of the tough ones, because I have the greatest investment of time, thought and emotion in them. But these, paradoxically, can move the audience the least. And itās simply not true that the ones you whip off are worth less; theyāre the sum of all the work in every painting thatās gone before.
Weāre not always the best judges of our own work
I can analyze my own work using formal criticism, but that doesnāt take into account the audienceās emotional response to my work, or my own emotional blind spots.
There is no right answer
In the end, neither of my paintings were ābad.ā I can speculate on what the other painting might have netted at auction, but nobody ever really knows. The auction is now over; I was satisfied with the price my painting netted, and Iāll put the other one in my own gallery as soon as I get a frame on it.
My 2024 workshops:
- Art and Adventure at Sea: Paint Aboard Schooner American Eagle, September 15-19, 2024.
- Immersive In-Person Workshop: Rockport, ME, October 7-11, 2024.
Which painting did you choose? Great blogpost!
Sea Street.
Thx for sharing your process! Both are beautiful but I think you picked the right one!
I like your painting perch on the truck! Brilliant. Keeps folks from looking over your shoulder and commenting.
FTR, it’s entirely possible to dither inaudibly. I do it all the time.
Congrats, nice piece as always!
Another great topic, Carol. This can be a real conundrum, choosing. Iād have picked Sea Street as well. The public definitely responds differently than I do regarding preferences. When another artist comes in my booth and selects my own ābest picksā I feel so validated, but other peopleās surprising favorite just reflects the great diversity of experiences that move us. All good!