Jasper Johns’s Emotions in Paint

Jasper Johns’s Emotions in Paint

Jasper Johns said “In my early work, I tried to hide my personality, my psychological state, my emotions. This was partly due to my feelings about myself and party due to my feelings about painting at the time. I sort of stuck to my guns for a while but eventually it seemed like a losing battle. Finally one must simply drop the reserve.”

Accordingly, John’s statement reinforces the importance of using your emotions ,but he goes further by adding  personality and your psychological state…which both of these points will have a direct influence on your emotions.

Last Months Drawings

Gregory, April 2012. MoI, ” What “

[Click on  image to enlarge]

Gregory, April 2012. MoI,”Home Boy”

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Gregory, April 2012. MoI, “Holding On “

[Click on  image to enlarge]

Gregory, April 2012. MoI, “Feeling Emotion.”

[Click on  image to enlarge]

Digital emotions

“Death’s Head Hawk over Orange”

As much as I enjoy the physical experience of painting, I have recently wonder if the “new media” is just as satisfying. So in between canvases I took myself off to the Photoshop package on my computer and had a go!

I can certainly see a few benefits of doing digital art, such as the ease of storage and the reduced expenses of  painting materials. The digital artist must be laughing… well now, aren’t they just great emotions.

As for the digital picture,  there is no drying time to consider and I wasn’t splashed with paint or inks. But, and there has to be a but, because I would like to know if the digital art and painted canvas could be considered to be of equal weighting.

First Attempt

Gregory,2012. Molecules of Emotion “Death’s head over Orange”

Then a little colour to the moth, over Orange refers to the embossed landscape of orange groves in Spain, which  visited a few years ago.

Completed “Death’s head over Orange”

Gregory,2012. Molecules of Emotion “Death’s head over Orange.”                      (Click for larger view)

“Death’s head with Musilanguage”

Now you can make a comparison with the painted  ”Death’s head”. I quickly photograph this  painting  and then realised that I don’t have consider how daylight acts on producing a photo.

With the sun is streaming across the painting, I had to do some adjustments to the images…just so time-consuming.

Gregory,2011. MoE, “Death’s head with Musilanguage”

[Please note: the undulating surface is because it is not framed and it was in storage]

Gregory,2011. MoE, “Death’s head with musilanguage”

Gregory, 2011. MoE,”Death’s head with musilanguage”.

Emotion Reversed in Left-Handers’ Brains

I am still busy painting, but during a coffee break  I came across an interesting article in a mag, and I thought I would share it alongside a couple of my recent drawings.

[Motivation, the drive to approach or withdraw from physical and social stimuli, is a basic building block of human emotion. For decades, scientists have believed that approach motivation is computed mainly in the left hemisphere of the brain, and withdraw motivation in the right hemisphere. Brookshire and Casasanto's study challenges this idea,  completely reverses in left-handers].

Gregory, 2012. MoI, “Wire in the Mind”

A New Link Between Motor Action and Emotion

[Neural circuits for motivation may be functionally related to circuits that control hand actions... emotion may be built upon neural circuits for action, in evolutionary or developmental time."]

With a link between emotional motivation and motor control (the hand doing the drawing).

Gregory, 2012.          MoI, “March “

“Quiet Mind” …a new painting

 Molecules of Emotion Musilanguage 7 “Quiet Mind”

“Quiet Mind”, a state of peace and bodily rest is my underlying thoughts in Musilanguage No.7.  I have concentrated on the layering  of a matrix for the movement of emotions throughout the layers.

Gregory,2012. MoE, “Musilanguage 7″.

I feel the quietness and depth within this painting, with its “words” just emerging before forming an audible noise, perhaps it is just the beginning of  a mundane and routine thought. There again, it may be a Eureka moment!

Gregory, 2012. MoE “Musilanguage 7″.

With a green acrylic fibre finish within this oval, it correlates with “acceptance” on Plutchik’s ”Wheel of Emotions”. Therefore he may well be correct, because with acceptance comes quietness, not necessarily verbal quietness, but quiet of mind.

Gregory, 2012. MoE, “Musilanguage 7″.

Describing Musilanguage 7

According to EARL (Emotion Annotation and Representation Language)  “Quiet positive” offers several descriptive words to use :-

• Calm
• Content
• Relaxed
• Relieved
• Serene

Gregory, 2012. MoE, “Musilanguage 7″.

Do you think  you would use any of those words to describe this painting, or do you feel differently?

Gregory.2012. MoE,Musilanguage 7″.

Time to get back to work, I have to prime a new canvas for my next Pareidolia  painting. I will be choosing “ The Jig” from  my MoI books and you can find the drawing  in my post  My Feelings My Second Brain.

Art Translates into Emotion, Emotion changes Colour, at Althorp

Early in 2011, I  painted some preliminary studies which have a huge emotional stamp  for many people, especially when we talk about Princess Diana. My daughter took me to Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire, where I enjoyed a great day painting in the gardens.

Gregory, 2011. "Althorp Emotion"

I do paint my sketches very quickly, and in doing so, I know I will capture some of the feelings which are truly palpable in the air and landscapes. Also, I can step away from painting the minutiae, which become an obstacle for me in getting to the ultimate concentration of feelings.

Gregory,2011. "Althorp Emotion".

The gardens will inspire artists of any genre to start working , they do offer endless opportunities to create in atmospheric location. The peacefulness of the day certainly added to the experience.

Gregory,2011. "Althorp Emotion".

Walking around this small arboretum near to the main house just invites the artist’s eye to look for patterns and colours to make some great sketches.

Gregory,2011. "Althorp Emotion".

Gregory,2011. "Althorp Emotion".

Gregory,2011. Althorp Emotion

The title for my post came from the quotations of Braque and Picasso bout how emotions act on their work.

 ….It (Nature) suggests emotion, and I translate that emotion into art. ” “Emotion should not be rendered by an excited trembling; it can neither be added on nor be imitated. It is the seed, the work is the flower. ”- Georges Braque.

“Colours, … follow the changes of the emotions.”-Pablo Picasso.

“No Objective Reality” just emotion and consciousness

Reality of Emotional Activity

• If reality is outside of me and truly external and objective, being a  successful artist  must be  not be governed by my beliefs or thoughts. Therefore, I will have no effect on my success as an artist.

• My subjective view on reality must therefore guide and colour my beliefs. And in so doing  my actions must have an effect on my reality.
• A subjective reality should be beneficial to succeed as an artist.

Gregory, 2012. MoE, "No Objective Reality"

I am trying to refine and define my work. By reducing it to its basic components, without reaching reductio ad absurdum.

Gregory, 2012. MoE, "No Objective Reality"

• To be subjective and have subjective experiences brings me to the word: sentience.
• Sentience and philosophy: enables us to have subjective perceptual experiences : Qualia.
• Qualia, (my favorite term) are simple sensory qualities, the fundamental component of images.

Gregory, 2012. MoE, "No Objective Reality"

“No Objective Reality” is a painting made up of millions and millions of Qualia. Mixed and inter-meshed with each other, bringing star light scintillation to the viewers eyes.

Gregory, 2012. MoE, "No Objective Reality"

Consciousness is entirely private, a first person phenomena. Consciousness and emotions are not separable. Consciousness and emotions are “No Objective Reality” personified in 60×50 cm mixed acrylic media on 12 oz canvas.

Uh!

My feelings & My Second Brain

Continuing with more of my drawings in the “pareidolia” series. I have tried to analyse some of my thoughts about the construction and choice of colours within each of the works; how difficult can that be?

Well for me it was extremely difficult, because I was focussing on the process of producing my work and using my “gut” feeling to complete my drawings. Then I had a eureka moment and discovered that I had a second brain.

My Second Brain

Apparently its true, we all have two brains, the second one being in the bowels, so the saying “I have a gut feeling”  is not fiction. The little brain is connected to the big brain and there is constant communication between the two [ via the vagus nerve].

The “Belly Brain” also produces 90% of the body’s serotonin. A very important component in regulating our moods. I’m sure you will agree with me in that “mood” is important for every artist, without it, we would be poorer artists.

Molecules of Inspiration [2012 sketchbook No.2, p 31]

“Beeston”

Gregory,2012. MoE,"Beeston"

All of my drawings are based on the  ”pictures in the clouds” phenomenon which I find in the landscape of the countryside. I then develop a relationship between shapes and the colours, and I must now say  with the feelings which come from my ” Belly Brain,” what  sounds better “gut feeling” of “Belly Brain”?

These pictures… actually exist on the ground, I just add the artistic and emotional elements to bring about a finished drawing.

Molecules of Inspiration [2012 sketchbook No.2, p 33]

“Dancer 2″

Gregory 2012 MoI "Dancer "

The “Dancer” is a fitting but arbitrary title, as it is with all of the drawings on this post. Once I have created the finished painting I will re-appraise the titles if they feel inappropriate.

Molecules of Inspiration [2012 sketchbook No.2, p 36]

“Dulcote Man”

Gregory,2012. MoI, "Dulcote Man"

I like the feeling of action in “Dulcote Man”  perhaps  in a canoe. riding the rapids.  You may like to share your interpretation of my pictures. It would be interested to know what you feel and see in my pictures. They may even look better if  they are turned upside down!

Molecules of Inspiration [2012 sketchbook No.3, p 10]

” The Jig”

Gregory,2012. MoI, "The Jig"

The “Jig”,  has turned out as a lively and decorative pastel and pencil drawing. In my eyes I see a dancing bear or a “Wooki” out of Star Wars!

Emotional Awareness…it’s all in the clouds

It’s all in the Clouds

Seeing images formed by clouds in the sky  is something I’m sure we have all experienced. Though the technical name of this process eluded me for a while. Until that is, whilst I was watching a tv show by the learned sage and presenter  Mr Stephen Fry(QI)…he talked about seeing pictures in the sky and it is called pareidolia!

Wikipedia to hand to give a meaning…  is a psychological phenomenon involving a vague and random stimulus (often an image or sound) being perceived as significant. Common examples include seeing images of animals or faces in clouds.

To be precise pareidolia is a type of apophenia: defined it as the “unmotivated seeing of connections” accompanied by a “specific experience of an abnormal meaningfulness”, but it has come to represent the human tendency to seek patterns in random nature in general.

Well if nothing else I had learned a couple of unusual words to add to a Scrabble board. Defining my work could be fun: Apophenism or Popism, poism  NO…

My  drawings are inextricably linked with my emotions, I suppose there is a connection between my emotional state and what my mind perceives. [ Mind as opposed to the brain]. Isn’t the  mind a truly amazing phenomena.

MoI Drawing 

Molecules of Inspiration [2012 sketchbook No.1, p 29]

E.C.Stacy is drawn in pastel on black paper, this is a pareidolia based on the countryside  and I have tried to show a oneness with the environment the trees and the grass.

I have painted this 20″x18″, in acrylic on ink-stained canvas. The low res image doesn’t do justice to the luminosity of this painting…sorry about that.

MoE E.C.Stacy

Gregory, 2012. MoE, E.C.Stacy.

Conceptual art is dying. Painting resuscitated.

Is Conceptual Art Dying?

For many years I have heard that painting is dead. A position which to me seems incredulous, especially when the date,  time and place of the  funeral has never been been advertised.

Therefore the patient must is still be on the table and the news of the demise has been a somewhat premature gesture.

On reading a recent article by Alastair Smart ( The Telegraph) I was more than pleased to read how the art market appears to be at another pivotal point in what it considers to be good art. In talking to James Sevier, director specialist in contemporary art at Sotheby’s he states:

“The top lots in our recent sale were abstract paintings by Gerhard Richter, for instance. I wouldn’t say Damien Hirst  has brought about a seismic shift in what we’re selling.”… Evidence that things are looking up for lovers of traditional painting?

And of the Fine art dealer Jonathan Clarke:

“The most influential dealers are increasingly turning away from conceptual or craft-less art,” he says, “largely because they can’t be sure long-term there’s financial security in it. Paintings are a much surer bet.

Damien Hirst :as shock art lost its bite?  (By Alastair Smart 04 Mar 2012)

Painting Resuscitated

“Henry Moore’s paintings are selling for three times the amount they were expected to just a couple of years ago. So the fact that Hirst is selling less – which he is – is not just down to the economy, but to the shift in the market.”

My Latest MoE painting

Gregory MoE No.6 Musilanguage series

Gregory, 2012. MoE No6. Musilanguage series

Gregory, 2012. MoE No6. Musilanguage series

Gregory, 2012. MoE No6. Musilanguage series

Sir Anthony Caro @ Chatsworth part… 3

To finish the Caro@Chatsworth series I have put my favorite sculptures of the exhibition together. Otherwise you will soon become too bored with all my close up photographs.

Sir Anthony Caro "Emma Gate" 1977-1984

Sir Anthony Caro "Double Flats" 1974

With “Double Flats” you can see the openings which need an inquisitive mind to go and see what is there. I’m naturally nosey when it comes to art! Next is the “Forum”, and this is my favorite sculpture, I would like to have this in my garden.

Sir Anthony Caro "Forum" 1992-1994

Caro’s finale of the exhibition is his “Goodwood Steps”, a monumental creation…I just wanted to climb the steps, the feeling to do so was compelling, but I wasn’t courageous enough. This exhibition for me, was more  than just a process of ticking “seen it”, it was about exploration and contemplation and stimulating emotions.

Sir Anthony Caro "Goodwood Steps" 1994-1996

With my children waiting patiently for me under the tree at the top of this picture, I knew my time of self-indulgence was drawing to an end…

You will also see:

• “Vespers”
• “Fathom”
• “Cliff song”
• “Skimmer flat”
• “Pleats flat”
• “Scorched flat”

         Caro at Chatsworth 28th March – 1 July 2012