I have painted realistically since childhood,
and from my own photo references since college. Being a long-time admirer of
the impressionists—among others--I have, at times, actually tried to force
myself to ‘loosen up’, but it seems that a part of me just cannot resist
cleanly modeled shapes and detail. My goal is never to make a painting look
‘photographic’—in the vein of the photo realists—but to capture atmosphere and
light in ways that evoke an emotional response.
Of course, in order to know what does this, I have to rely on my own
sensibilities because I have no ability to preconceive how others might
react. But, my desire is to lay down
colors and create shapes that cause me to pull back and admire them…not because
I am the one who just painted them, but because if you hit on something that is
really fine, there it is, right in front of you and the reaction is immediate
Many other painters I have spoken
with agree that when something nice happens it’s not so much a product of coy
planning and consummate skill as it is the result of persistence and being
willing
to experiment. Unless you are willing to take chances you cannot grow
as a painter…or anything else, for that matter. You can, naturally,
pre-visualize goals for a piece—aspire to an ideal, if you will--but
unless you
are willing to treat your initial concept as simply a starting point
and remain
open to surprises, the predictable result often seems a bit of a
let-down. The paintings that cause me to miss meals and pull me into
them are the ones that
hold forth unanticipated surprises.
Because I frequently paint architectural
subjects--along with still-lifes, machines and figurative subjects—I need to
use brushes that give me good control of edges and lines, in addition to being
able to blend larger areas smoothly. I
have come to prefer filberts over other shapes, mostly because they blend well
and offer good flexibility in making both wide and narrow strokes.
I paint on birch panels, with oils, using colors
from most of the top makers. I also rely
on alkyd medium and have been using it since the 80s without any problems at
all. I tend to use brushes respectfully, saving the scumbling and scrubbing or
pouncing for older brushes that have passed their usefulness for tighter
painting. I still find that I use up
brushes at an alarming rate. And, I have
been unwilling just buy cheaper brushes. (It’s foolish to expect good results
through the use of mediocre tools…a lesson I learned emphatically as a maker of
collectable knives). So, imagine my delight at finding Trekell brushes. Here at
last is a brush that has premium using qualities but at a price that is beyond merely
competitive. All brushes wear out. It is, of course, possible to greatly extend
the life of them through careful use and cleaning, but for anyone who paints in
oils, they are expendable. How nice then to have premium brushes at economy
brush prices.
to force
myself to ‘loosen up’, but it seems that a part of me just cannot resist
cleanly modeled shapes and detail. My goal is never to make a painting look
‘photographic’—in the vein of the photo realists—but to capture atmosphere and
light in ways that evoke an emotional response.
Of course, in order to know what does this, I have to rely on my own
sensibilities because I have no ability to preconceive how others might
react. But, my desire is to lay down
colors and create shapes that cause me to pull back and admire them…not because
I am the one who just painted them, but because if you hit on something that is
really fine, there it is, right in front of you and the reaction is immediate
g
to experiment. Unless you are willing to take chances you cannot grow
as a painter…or anything else, for that matter. You can, naturally,
pre-visualize goals for a piece—aspire to an ideal, if you will--but
unless you
are willing to treat your initial concept as simply a starting point
and remain
open to surprises, the predictable result often seems a bit of a
let-down. The paintings that cause me to miss meals and pull me into
them are the ones that
hold forth unanticipated surprises.
ms at
all. I tend to use brushes respectfully, saving the scumbling and scrubbing or
pouncing for older brushes that have passed their usefulness for tighter
painting. I still find that I use up
brushes at an alarming rate. And, I have
been unwilling just buy cheaper brushes. (It’s foolish to expect good results
through the use of mediocre tools…a lesson I learned emphatically as a maker of
collectable knives). So, imagine my delight at finding Trekell brushes. Here at
last is a brush that has premium using qualities but at a price that is beyond merely
competitive. All brushes wear out. It is, of course, possible to greatly extend
the life of them through careful use and cleaning, but for anyone who paints in
oils, they are expendable. How nice then to have premium brushes at economy
brush prices.
