I've been thinking lately about why I like showing my paintings as works in progress. I think there are probably a lot of artists out there who never know their "in progress" pieces but, I've always taken pictures of the process. I think I hope the viewer will see the process as much as they see the work. I know personally, I've always loved watching people work because everyone is so different in their approach. Every painter holds their brush a certain way, every drawer holds their pen or pencil a certain way. Of course, as artists, we hardly ever like anyone looking over our shoulders. We get tense, unsettled and cannot concentrate the same. So, while I cannot invite everyone into my studio as I work (even if I could, I probably wouldn't. I like to work in solitude), I take pictures. Maybe it lets you into my world a little bit or maybe it helps you to understand the work behind the painting. Either way, I feel like the process is just as important to show as the final piece. In every stage of the process, artwork grows and changes. So why not share that growth with the viewer?
The image above is a painting I started yesterday.
