How Important is Knowing an Artist's intention to Understanding a Painting?

'We Threw Pebbles in to the River as the Turquoise Moon Descended.'  acrylic on canvas, 50 x 60 cm

This question came up during a conversation with an artist at an exhibition recently. Is it really necessary to know why an artist painted a painting you are viewing at an exhibition or possibly thinking about buying?  While most buyers will purchase purely because they like something, recognise something in the painting, find joy or beauty in the colours, or follow and collect that particular artist's work, I personally believe it is essential to have an understanding of an artist's intention and ideas. It can enrich our viewing and enjoyment of the artwork and reveal things that are not immediately apparent.

At the same time, some artist's work needs less explanation than others. One well known website which sells artists' artwork advises that an explanation can often help sell artwork. As I scroll through paintings, I often find that some call out for the reading of their descriptions because the artwork may either be quite striking and unusual, or challenging.

The artist's personal statement is really important to gaining insights into their sources of inspiration, their methods and why they choose those methods, and how they find inspiration and interpret their ideas. The creative 'process' is incredibly interesting and much can be written on this and its mystery, but artists often feel the need to verbalise their intentions. Some paintings are easier to 'read' and others do need the message behind them explained, though generally it is assumed that a painting should speak clearly to the viewer. Ultimately, painting is a language and learning about painting is very rewarding and enriching.

In relation to my own work, when I'm painting I don't want to know exactly what I'm doing. I'd never paint if it was simply a case of filling in spaces I've calculated in advance. But there is always a demanding and passionate idea that generates the impetus to make the image. Ideas bounce off one another, jumping in to my mind in the middle of the night, or I see some shapes on TV or in a magazine that just seem to give an answer to a difficult passage in a painting. It could be a word, an idea could pop in to my mind while cleaning the house. Anything can inspire or give clues when your mind is buzzing with imagery and that creative passion is pushing at you to unveil a demanding, all encompassing and emotional theme.

My painting 'We Threw Pebbles in to the River as the Turquoise Moon Descended,' pushed at me for days to paint it. The theme is the transience of life and a desire to sit by a river (a metaphor for the passage of life) and have time to throw pebbles until the moon appears. It is about reflection, the desire to be awake, to feel life in all its aspects, to have the time to feel oneself in relation to the world. 

I've seen the moon rise in Cyprus in many colours and somehow turquoise fitted my feelings. I feel that in my work I 'surf' on meanings, pushing at the paint in a dogged way, making many erasures until I pull that image in to reality. It doesn't always work, of course, and the painting may take days to consider if I need to do more work on it. When dealing with unknown factors, you ultimately have to learn to read your own work and to absorb new elements in order to move forwards, which is why I let work sit for a while in order to be able to 'see' it afresh.

This next painting, 'Beyond the Black Lake' has just been finished a year after I thought it was finished. As my ideas for the translating of my ongoing themes keep being tweaked and the language extends, sometimes I see things that are irrelevant. 

If I'm asked to explain its meanings, it comes down to very personal feelings as with much of my work. The lake is the darkness in life. There is movement in the landscape, the movement of daily life, the tracks of passage across the land, brightness amongst the darkness. Possibly the turquoise shape above the lake could be a house and a suggestion of security. I like to enter meanings the painting suggests and follow those clues. I go in to another place entirely.

'Beyond the Black Lake,' acrylic on canvas, 35 x 45 cm

When I write about my work, or speak to people, I find that my intention is quite important to explain. My work is a reflection on the passage of life, personal journeys, and finding a way to translate these in to paint while exploring what paint can do and suggest. I let the paint direct me as much as possible and try to learn from the process of painting. It is always open to the potential for something new and exciting.

To be continued.