What the Heart Sees

Choosing subject matter is always the first consideration in creating a painting.  So often I see paintings by students who want to show you everything in front of them.  As a result, the painting is about everything and in turn, nothing in particular.  There seems to be no emotional connection to what they are looking at.  

Often I have the same problem.  But over the years, I have learned to go with my first impression of a scene. The painting of the float a couple of posts back is a case in point.  A whole harbor scene was in front of me:  boats, beach, trees, an island cottage.  But I kept looking at the float below the dock where I was standing.  My eye kept going back to a green buoy and the round anchor buoys on the float.  Something spoke to me about that green buoy.

I fought the temptation to paint it because I wondered if a buying public would respond to my choice of subject matter.  Still, I wanted to paint the spot of green, the white spheres, and the wonderful reflections in the water.  I was not sorry about my choice.

The other day I returned to the same spot and looked again at the float.  The tidal current had now exposed the other end of the float.  I got out my sketchbook and drew that little slice of outdoor still life.

I began to feel that I had stumbled upon a theme.  Off to my right I spotted a single buoy that had been stranded on some rocks.  It was so far in the distance that I almost didn't see it. (See photo)  But it spoke to me of isolation, like a castaway marooned far from its purposeful place.  I zeroed in on it to make this sketch.  Today I will paint it.

My point is, go with what your heart sees instead of what might be more "saleable."  I can almost guarantee your result will be more satisfying.