2 Reasons to Ignore Feedback from Artist Friends
“Birdsong” ©Ruth Armitage Acrylic on Paper 22×30″
Here are two reasons I sometimes ignore feedback from my artists friends:
- I’m the only one who needs to be happy with the painting.
- They may not know my goals for the painting.
Do you always listen to feedback about your work? Why or why not?
Seeing the work in Process
The painting above has gone through lots of phases, not all of them documented. A friend and respected painter told me she absolutely loved a previous version, shortly after it began as a demonstration from my workshop at OSA. The earliest version was mostly greens and whites. I felt it needed more variety of color. Maybe you’ll enjoy seeing a few in progress shots, below:
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- In Process #1
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- In Process #2
In progress shot #1 I felt I had too much contrast, and too much going on.
In the second in progress shot, you can see I’ve tried to unify the piece by glazing over the middle section with quinacridone gold.
Finally I decided to eliminate a few shapes, and lighten the middle section even more, also darkening the upper section, and moving the shapes down into the middle section.
Now I feel like it expresses my original inspiration: a fencerow filled with wild roses and birdsong.
Join me for Portland Open Studios
I hope you’ll enjoy seeing this new work in person, during Portland Open Studios this weekend: Saturday & Sunday October 8-9, 2017 or next weekend: October 15-16 from 10-5 here at my Oregon City Studio. Click this link for a map and directions, or find your tour guide retailers or download the #PDXOS app here: http://portlandopenstudios.com/
I have lots of new paintings to share, and the studio is all spiffed up!
One of the things I love about hosting an open studio is that people drop in. Growing up, our home was a place that friends felt comfortable in. People dropped by all the time, from breakfast time to late night. I have vivid memories of coming downstairs as a child in a flannel nightgown to find farmers sitting at the dining room table over coffee in the morning, or my mom & dad’s buddies playing cards at the same table late into the night.
I hope you’ll enjoy this chance to drop in on me, and see some of the behind the scenes changes happening with my work!
Post Edit: This painting will be included in the Watercolor Society of Oregon’s 2017 Spring Exhibition at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Eugene, OR. April 7 – June 19, 2017. Opening Reception April 7, 6 pm.
Hi Ruth, I do like the finished painting over 1&2. I feel a more cohesiveness with the lighter color and larger shapes. It’s lovely!
As for taking advise in my critique group…although everyone has their own great opinion, I have learned to not follow through with some of their ideas. In my mind I have ruined many paintings trying to convey what they felt. Sometimes I felt so beat up, that I just put the painting away. Most artists in my group are realistic painters with only two that are modern/abstract painters.
I have thought about looking for a abstract group to join. But, keep my other group of ten years now. They are all great artists and do know a lot about color placement, values etc….
Enjoyed this post. Thank you.
You are so right Ruth. Your 2 reasons are spot on. Thanks sir sharing!
Hi Ruth,
I like how you resolved your design issues.
You reminded me that when attending a critique, I might be a more productive member if I ask questions like “what are your goals?”, what are you trying to do?”. I find it hard not jumping to how I might resolve a painting problem.
I do value opinions of others, but in the end, artists have to resolve paintings in their own unique way.
Fun article.
Only two reasons, but boy, do they say it all. Keeping these two reasons at the front of my mind gives me the courage to express myself more freely. Thanks, Ruth!
Thanks Elizabeth 🙂
Great article, Ruth. And I agree with you about the input by other artists. As a member of a critique group myself, I can relate, And those are good questions to keep in mind.
I am curious how you came up with the title “Birdsong” for this piece. Titles are always tricky for me. Maybe a good question for another blog post?
Thank you! Love your beautiful work.
Thanks Jean-Marie!
I’ll talk about titles in another post 🙂 Great idea.