What makes a painting?

It's always so encouraging when people take the time out to write to me and share with me their enthusiasm for my work. It fills me with great joy when someone can find some inspiration for their own work in my paintings and I am always happy to provide any advice I can to help.

Many years ago I wrote some essays for 'Work Small, Learn Big' and 'International Artist'. I put a lot of thought into the articles and, although they're more than 10 years old now, I still think they stand up today. My work has moved on in many respects but essentially my approach to painting remains the same.

Several years ago, for the first time, I gave some painting workshops and this caused me to deconstruct my working methods in an attempt to pass on to others not only 'how' I make my work but also my thought process as a painting progresses.

When you are looking to make a painting, the subject matter (in my case, fields, farm buildings, etc.) are only important in that they have stimulated you to want to create. Once you have begun your painting, once the first mark is made, the subject ceases to have any importance. All your attention should now be on the surface of the painting - only make marks, add colour, draw lines, splatter paint which you think make the painted surface look better. 

The world of your painting is your world, you are the supreme being and only you get to decide what looks 'right' and only you can decide if something is 'wrong'. You have the power to make grass red and the sky black, or even the other way around but you must also apply your own internal logic to your creation.

You probably know what you want your painting to look like, don't let your knowledge of the natural world inhibit you as you create your new personal world. It will be difficult at first to make complete paintings which satisfy you but parts of your work will be everything you hoped so treasure these parts and try to develop and grow them until you're making paintings which are expressing your inner vision.

I hope that doesn't sound too 'spiritual' and helps you a little. Happy painting!

Francis