Telling a Story with my Paintings

Recent readings again brought up the topic of artists saying their paintings tell a story. My paintings do set a mood, an emotion, but I never thought about them telling a story, and yet, I’ve heard people make such comments.

For weeks this concept has periodically invaded my thoughts. How do I feel about this and what can I write about it? First thought was I don't want to project my story about the painting onto the viewers. I want the viewers to feel their own stories, which might be different for each person.

For instance, the very first charcoal drawing I did, which sold, the buyer saying the scene reminded him of a favorite fishing spot. So, it doesn’t have to be a long story, but a fond memory. I did an exhibit last year and viewers were trying to guess where exactly the scenes were from – which elicited conversation and memories.

I love for my drawings and paintings to do this. I enjoy hearing people experience the feeling the scenes suggest. I’m happy the scenes cause people to stop and reflect, and I love when people say how the scene reminds them of some special occasion or brings a good memory.

Wait a minute, though, I do have a story to tell, too! Isn't that why I'm doing the timelines? Why can’t there be multiple stories? One story is the emotion the scene triggers. Then there's my story of creating the painting. Then there are the stories that come to viewers’ minds as they look at the painting.

But just as I never use an exact location name in the titles because I want people to have their own experience, I don’t want my story to influence their encounter.  (Because the exact place might not be what they see, and a name could alter their reaction.) This means I need to find a way or a place to also tell my story. Hmm …

This brings me back to the timelines. I write about the painting process and the challenges I overcome. Maybe I could take it further back and talk about what drew my attention to the scene or photograph in the first place.

Oh, now I have another reason to be excited in my work! After all, for me, writing and painting intersperse with who I am.

So, 2020 is getting off to a rip-roaring start creativity-wise and it hasn’t even made it to the new year yet! But I’m off and running with great ideas and inspiration.