I delivered my first painting commission for a long time this week and the thrill was just the same as it always has been. I get quite emotional when I talk about making art for people, it's just something so intrinsic to who I am and a little taste of it this week has made me crave more!
One of my earliest memories was being in reception class at school and drawing a robin in my book and ending up drawing little robin red breasts in everyone elses' books around the table at their request. I loved the feeling of giving something away that I had made. That grew and grew and was eventually the reason why I ended up giving 5 years of my life to studying Art. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to study something I feel so passionately about and it genuinely grieves me deep down inside to think that so many budding creative types will potentially miss out on the same opportunity, because they can't afford to risk educating themselves in a subject that is not deemed "useful" to society. That's a whole other subject, which leads down avenues about the value of creativity and education for education's sake...and I will return to it another day!
I wanted to try to explain how and why I create as I do. I'm a people lover...all sorts of people, they just fascinate me. There's nothing I love more than having a good chin wag with someone and finding out what makes them tick. My works of art reflect that. Usually, when I am commissioned to do a piece for someone - or more than one person, I start by asking them what inspires them. Sometimes this can be a piece of writing, a poem, a place or even their name (there's a goldmine of inspiration in someones name...do you know what yours means?). I shut myself away for as long as I can and see where this starting point leads me. I'm always surprised by where I end up!
My latest painting was for a good friend who wanted something based on the Hymn, "Be Thou my Vision". Research (and this usually means sitting with notebook and sketchbook in hand, surrounded by books and a cuppa) led me to find that the Hymn is based on an ancient monastic poem, set to an equally ancient tune. The tune used to belong to the folk song "Slane", and is about Saint Patrick lighting a fire on the Hill of Slane in defiance of the Pagan King's decree that no fire should be lit that night. According to some legend, the pagan King was so impressed with Patrick's boldness, he gave him his royal protection to spread the gospel from that day on.
There's all sorts of symbolism in the painting, including an alter, or cairn made from discarded possessions, echoing the lines in the hymn, "Riches I heed not, nor Man's empty praise."
The frame is based on the Table of Showbread - part of the Jewish Temple furniture, on which the priests would lay bread to signify their sacrifice of the first fruits of their labour - again fitting in with the theme of the song.
I hope the painting fulfils its desired role of serving as a reminder that material wealth and the favour of people is not, in the end important in this life.
This is what I love to do - to give someone something that is especially for them. I feel like the process enriches me....and hopefully the recipient!
Anyway, the fire has been rekindled and I have to create some art soon - so if you want me to create in your direction, as it were, now is the time!
I'm off to do a bit of granny squaring now....still addicted to that too - but it's slightly less brain stretching! Good night xx
