why I paint…
From an average person’s point of view, they’ll always look at a painting & will try to figure out what it represents, does it evoke certain feelings & memories? Some will have a strong reaction while most people will give the simple “I-like-it” or “I-don’t-like-it” comment.
From my teachers and artist friends technical opinions: they’ll notice the details, shades & shadows, the play of colors, the composition, whats my focal point, etc.
But from the artist side, the feeling is a lot more complicated to describe so I’ll try to make it simple: for me it’s not really important how would the painting would look like after, I paint because I love the magical feeling during the process. For a few hours, I zone out and escape from the world around me and just paint how I feel, let my mind and hand express my impression of the subject through splashing of colors on a blank piece of paper.
The process always leaves me exhilarated & recharged.
In this complicated, stressful world, I feel that I have to paint to be able to cope and function normally. It’s my morning cup of coffee.
Landscape painting for me is as nourishing and fulfilling as eating and drinking. As relaxing as going on a vacation to a faraway place where I can be alone with nature and reflect.
I need to paint to “escape”. I need to escape to paint…hence, the title of my blog.