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Realism is my thing, but I am aware of other art movements that say the medium or the material is the thing. I am similarly interested in what happens to the paint itself. I enjoy seeing an undecipherable mess of globs and drips become “right on” texture and detail when observed from a distance. But the paint, the brush strokes, or the knife should match the message the painting is trying to convey. A picture should always communicate something to someone. Therefore, my work tends to be personal; observed from nature, pointed to a particular person or people with particular or common interests. Portraits should say something about the sitter, still-lifes should tell a story, be heavy with symbolism and be of import to the viewer; and landscapes and seascapes should strike a chord of famliarity, or of a special moment.. The artist should have an inventory of techniques , media and processes unique to each painting to communicate the particular message, or idea, at hand. Lately, I have moved back to painting in larger formats although I still enjoy using my home made cigar box paint kits and I continue to do small work. In retrospect, (being of a somewhat advanced age) my activities and my interests over my lifetime have been diverse. From an education and roots as a pharmacist, I have been a woodworker, model maker, drawer, boat builder, canoeist, musician, bird hunter, fly fisherman, photographer, dog trainer, furniture maker, skier, hiker, jogger, rod maker, musical instrument maker, folk artist, skeet shooter, landscape painter, copy writer, business man, bank director, saltwater fisherman, elected official, navigator, gunstock maker, duck hunter, watercolorer, decoy maker, etcher, fly tyer, sailboat owner, fish carver, sailor, marine artist, bird watcher, figure painter, still lifer, brother, father, and grandfather. I hope the sum of this experience has shaped my work with an insight that strikes the observer with something that can be memorable, important, enjoyable, meaningful, and significant.
Will E. Kirkpatrick |
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Although I have earne a living in other wa
| Home | Artist's Statement | Bio | Paintings | Links | Shows | Contact Will |
ys, I have been a painter of sorts all of my life. An immigrant grandfather, an uncle, and my father in particular were gifted artisans and contributed to my early development. Art was encouraged in my home and a brother and a sister attended well-know
n art schools, and.
Realism is my thing, but I am also interested in what happens to the paint itself. I enjoy seeing an up-close mess of globs and drips become “right on” texture and detail when observed from a distance. A picture should communicate something to someone. Therefore, my work tends to be personal; observed from nature, pointed to a particular person or people with particular or common interests. Portraits should say something about the sitter, still-lifes should tell a story, and landscapes and seascapes should strike a chord within the viewer. The artist should have an inventory of techniques , media and process to use in each painting to communicate the particular message, or idea, at hand. Lately I have been spending most of my time developing on-site, alla prima, pallet knife techniques, and also to polishing a more fully developed, studio approach.
In retrospect, (being of a somewhat advanced age) my activities and my interests over my lifetime have been diverse. From an education and roots as a pharmacist, I have been a woodworker, model maker, drawer, boat builder, canoeist, musician, bird hunter, fly fisherman, photographer, dog trainer, furniture maker, skier, hiker, jogger, rod maker, musical instrument maker, folk artist, skeet shooter, landscape painter, copy writer, business man, bank director, saltwater fisherman, elected official, navigator, gunstock maker, duck hunter, watercolorer, decoy maker, etcher, fly tyer, sailboat owner, fish carver, sailor, marine artist, bird watcher, figure painter, still lifer, brother, father, and grandfather. I hope the sum of this experience has shaped my work with an insight that strikes the observer with something that can memorable, important, enjoyable, meaningful, and significant.
Will E. Kirkpatrick