When a painting sings . . .

We are so lucky that we have complete freedom to enjoy art.

As a painter and as people who enjoy looking at paintings, every day we have this gift.

As a painter, I wake up knowing I can paint today. I may have no idea what or how I’ll paint. That’s fine – I love the serendipity of seeing where the paint will lead me. Sometimes though I have a clear vision in my mind and that’s great too because I can start out working towards that goal. The paint of course may, and often does, have different ideas and completely change the subject and style! But that’s fine too: it’s fun, often illuminating – often the road less travelled - always a voyage.

As lovers of art, we’re living in an awesomely amazing time. Think of a painting, or genre of paintings, and Google it and there in front of us is a selection of colour and image and often astounding beauty. I’ll put in an artist I like and there is her newest as well as older work and, often, links to similar artists so I go on to discover new streams of pleasure and if I’m lucky a diamond of a painting that sings to me.

It’s not that we’ll often come across paintings we love, even today. Until the new technology I’d go in vain from gallery to gallery and it would be a very, very rare thing to see a painting I loved and resonated with. But now the world of art is literally at our fingertips and the chance of that shot of joy when you like a painting much more likely.

There is a magic about seeing a painting we fall for. The feeling can be a thrill of recognition, a quiet satisfaction, an empathy, a surprise of joy. I feel it sometimes for another artist’s painting; I feel it as I’m painting a canvas that’s going well; and I feel it when I’ve finished one that sings to me.

When a painting resonates with you it’s a melody and a harmony. It sings.

Seems to me this is what the joy of art is all about.

With love and light, Jenny