The Incomparable Dejah Thoris

Monday, January 25, 2010

The Incomparable Dejah Thoris

I’m a bit pressed for time, so just a quick word of advice to any itinerate Barsoonian painter who happens to find himself in the Court of Helium. Should you be asked by the Princess of Helium to paint her portrait, very politely give the gig a miss unless you're a very competent painter in the Pre-Raphaelite style, or are a far, far better swordsman than you even imagine yourself to be, or own -- or can quickly borrow -- a very, very fast flier. The Lady's husband seems to hold extremely narrow views of proper art, is touchy and given to jealousy in that old Southern gentleman’s sort of way, and damned bloody minded like only a Warlord can be... I’m not all that sure my borrowed flier is fast enough...

(Painted this mostly yesterday, but it was too late to photo. Revisions today. 12x8" 30x20cm acrylic on hardboard)

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What I'm Up To

I think artist’s statements are largely needless. Paintings speak for themselves. And yet, here I am set to rattle on about my approach to painting. Now, if you're of the same opinion as I claim to be, skip this and enjoy the paintings, but if you want a hint as to what I’m trying to do, here’s the words.

I approach painting via two different roads that arrive at the same place. The first is that I paint only “studies” or sketches. Back in the day artists painted quick studies to get the colors and features down to use as a guide to paint a finished studio painting. Funny thing is of the paintings I’ve seen together with their studies, I’ve always preferred the loose and spontaneous studies over the stiff and polished finished painting. For that reason I’ve chosen to paint only studies.

My second approach to painting is inspired by a quote from the writer, Raymond Chandler: “I guess maybe there are two types of writers, writers who write stories and writers who write writing.” He considered himself of one of the latter, as do I which is to say; writers who’s words are entertaining in and of themselves, independent of the story. Perhaps painters could be divided the same way: Painters who paint pictures and painters who paint paintings. While I don’t consider one type superior to the other, I aim to be a painter of paintings. I want to paint paintings that capture a moment, inspire or recall a memory or mood, but which, viewed longer or closer, or with one's glasses on, prove to be clearly paintings: paint brushed into shapes on a surface. That these mere shapes can create an impression they’re something else, for a moment, or at a distance is the independent interest I would like my paintings to possess, not because they realistically reproduce branches, or water or what ever, but because they don’t. What I don't want to paint is places or post card scenes, even though landscape are the medium which I use for my painting.

The Day's Work - Paintings of C. Litka

Monday, January 25, 2010