Realism Painters?

[D'Ann Blair]

Hi people. I am about to do outdoor shows. Not sure what to expect, but, I sure hope it is better than hanging in galleries. Does anyone out there do realism? That is my style; even when i have tried to branch out or loosen up. Finally decided to paint the way I paint and not fight it. Even though it is time consuming. Not seeing much realism painters. Are you out there?

[Steen Pedersen]

Guess there are a few of us here - artists interested in form of realism that is .... good to me one of course

[D'Ann Blair]

Thank you Guy-Anne. It is so good to see someone else has the propensity for detail and realism!! I decided to not fight it, be thankful for it and be ME! I will check out the web site. I know a show organizer who says 'realism' is coming back to being cool. I don't know about that, but we can only hope, because I feel it's/we are not very appreciated. I will try to do some looser stuff, but I would not be surprised if my friends and fans would be disappointed. ( they are use to seeing, and I think expect, the 'real' out of me.) I will take a look at your stuff now. Good luck. stay in touch. do you sell much? D'Ann

[D'Ann Blair]

Very interesting. Everyone is different. Donald is right. It's all abstract in that we can never do the beauty of the earth around us justice. We TRY to represent it. Recreate that that we Love. (That's my feelings). I LOVE the "in my face 'REAL'."
Admiring the works of people who do it though, (more abstract/loose works), I have tried my hand at it. I decided to not fight it and do what comes natural, because it made me crazy. I suspect that everyone's style reflects a little bit of their personality, and how they view and feel life. ( I'm told I'm 'wound tight'). I have hung in the galleries, given big commissions, sold some stuff, had lots of requests from people who want their favorite places and stuff painted on canvas, but I want more excitement I guess. I will still hang in galleries!! I wish us ALL happiness within , from whatever comes of our artworks.

[Slone Fries]

I do realism also! I have a very hard time trying to just do something and not having it turn into blahhhhh. I understand your frustration with it. My pictures end up looking like inlarged photographs, sometimes there is a bit of me in there but its hard when someone says, "I want a picture of this or that." Good luck with your show! I know a lot of people enjoy going out and walking around to see the art they may want to buy without feeling like they are being "eyed" like in gallery. So go with the flow, your art is beautiful and will find its way into the right hands!

[Donald Kennedy]

I am Seventy one years old and I my paintings are representational I have a water color in the Brandy River Museum and Have shown at The Hammer Galleries on West 57 th St. in NYC. American artists have a long history of depicting their environment and continue to do so. All art is abstract only God can work in flesh and blood, sky sand and sea, when you take a three dimensional object and transform on to a two dimensional plane it precludes abstraction and even sculpture transposes an image to stone or metal it becomes abstract, therefore all art is abstract. I call my painting representational because the forms are recognizable. My sculpture is nonrepresentational because it is not derivative. I made a sculpture made of house keys the heart is a standard concept of Valentine type heart built up into a three dimensional image using real house keys. A little humor infused with common house hold item. The concept is abstract, but the images are "real" and universally understandable although sardonic the poignant aspect of the sculpture is that all people have keys to their hearts desires as well. I have sculpture in the permanent collection of Columbia University so you see artists may be recognized for working in all genera. The development of a career is based on where your art is placed so a terrific painting in Sally a Harry's living room in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn bought at an outdoor show in Greenwich Village has less prestige that a painting bought at The Mary Boone Gallery first of all no one will be in Sally a Harry's living room and the Greenwich Village show, although seen by many people, has no cache. You will make an immediate sale, but no future sales will come from it. If you are a amateur painter who would like to make a few sales by all means show your work at the outdoor show, but if you wish to be a professional artist (and God help you) make your work distinguish its self from other art work so that it maybe identified as yours. An example; mention Jackson Pollock's name and is identified with pain dripped on canvas. If you take the representational route you will have centuries of artists to compete with. Good luck and my God bless your efforts.

[D'Ann Blair]

HI Derek. Absolutely beautiful work. Really. I am new myself. Just getting serious about trying to sell my work. I tried once to paint people. It was a watercolor, even though I don't like water color so much. It was OK i guess. I Love to paint in oil. Is your work oils? D'Ann

[Derek McGowan]

Im here! Im new though so I dont know much about this forum, how bout your self?