Time for a Break

So, more sketches and paintings are now in progress and I'm gonna take a break and put my toes in the sand for a bit.

Before I leave, I'm going to share something I've been pondering that puzzles me greatly.

I paint in color. You can't miss what I do and how I do it. I do not paint in realistic color....I interpret with color. I assume people are drawn to my work largely because of the color, or if they want one of my paintings, they know I'll be using unusual color. So I am baffled when a client (and it's been more than one) asks me to paint their commission piece in realistic colors. For me it's like saying "I love what you do, but do something different." And I do accommodate the requests to some degree. After all I want my client happy. But my best paintings are the ones where I have the most freedom to let the subject matter speak to me.

Similarly not too many months ago, I took my paintings out of a gallery that was not successful in selling for me. The gallery director, upon my leaving, thanked me for bringing my work and told me how much he and his clientele loved seeing what I do. And that he'd love for me to bring more work in the future if I desired. And that maybe I should do landscapes.

Now, I was feeling pretty good and ready to thank him profusely until that last sentence.

Huh? I dunno.

Would you ask a landscape artist to paint green dogs? A portrait painter to draw bowls of fruit?

Again....I dunno.

Share your thoughts if you are so inclined.