I wanted to express my
feeling that the artist as outsider is an outdated concept. Nobody is an outsider
if they ever really were, in reality the artist has a place in society and
always has done. Contrary to the popular myth that art is easy and artists are
lazy it is actually a very intense under-rated career choice. Of course it is a
joy on one level to make art and to have the opportunity to do something we
love but it is always a challenge to put into practice what we see in our minds
eye, the output whilst important is only part of the story. To develop and
promote our work we require a disciplined approach and regular constructive
feedback and we cannot live in isolation because we have to take on board what
is happening around us. It takes a lot of self discipline to keep going against
the tide of opinion as many an artist has discovered in the hope that at some
point the population at large will get it.
I experienced real satisfaction when
I visited the Metamorphosis exhibition at the National gallery and discovered
that I was not the only one to be inspired by Titians Diana and Actaeon series
of paintings. The voyeuristic quality of art has always fascinated me and to
see Mark Wallinger’s Diana, Conrad Shawcross’s Trophy along with Chris Offil’s
paintings all responding to Titians work in differing ways from my own work A Four panelled Screen was quite thrilling. I enjoy other
people’s art and want them to enjoy mine. So in the year ahead I plan along
with my fellow artists to try and get my work out there as often as possible.
And on that note I want to say I have now completed the Wedding painting of
Porth Sele beach, not perhaps what I usually do but it has been an interesting
subject matter and I hope will bring pleasure to the bride and her family.
