Kim McAninch 

Contemporary Landscape Paintings

 

News from the Artist's Studio

October 2021

It has been awhile...

You may have noticed that I haven't sent out a newsletter in a few months. Or, you have a life and didn't even consider it. I know, it isn't all about me;)

Other than the Quadrennial Department of Art Faculty & Alumni Exhibition at Miami University, which is up until mid-December, things are pretty quiet. Finding the "right" opportunities right now has been challenging. I did not defer any exhibitions last year and now I find the venues are stacked with artists whose shows/residencies were rescheduled or who opted for in-person venues over virtual. I loved creating last year and kept the forward momentum, kept my commitments, and took the bird in the hand. But this year, I find myself writing about my work more and thinking about better marketing practices. No worries! I am finding alternate ways of getting my work seen by collectors and admirers.

There is one thing that I know.

Keep making art and making art so good, it can't be ignored!

Cheers to that! 

PROVINCES 3 

72"x48"

Ink, Acrylic, Charcoal, Pencil and Chalk on Canvas

Unframed

VIEW ON THE SHOP

Time flies, and this painting took a lot of it. I have been putting a lot of effort into the coastal work that people appreciate here in Florida. But, a more architectural view of fictional rural territories/countrysides has never been forgotten.  Like the WHERE THE LEMON TREES BLOOM Series, the PROVINCES are imagined. I do not work from photos or have a specific view in mind. The two series are different in that I am arranging architectural manmade elements instead of the elements of the natural environment.  They beg for the viewer's contribution of personal experience. Perhaps, you have been here or perhaps you imagine yourself there. That is the idea. 

 

 The hours of alone time with this large painting has prompted questions. Why and how am I able to I justify my decisions. These are decisions I am not aware I am making while I am engrossed in my task, but have learned to question in my quest to be a better painter. I have always maintained that cheating for art is justified. My "style" of painting requires freedom. Recognizing that an actual decision was made was just the start of the lesson. 

 

. As is true of most of my work, the eye finds a way to read and make sense of the arranged shapes. In this painting, straight lines of cascading walls and roofs are juxtaposed to blur each structure. Aware of this specific action, of hinting or obscuring, that is completely natural to me, I got to thinking.

 

If you have ever read one of the Facebook posts that show scrambled English words are often just as easy to read as the original words, then you may understand how my work is similar.  

Why does scrambling letters still get the point across? 

How is it similar to "reading" my art?

 

1. The words need to be relatively short. 

Too much information leads the viewer. You may have heard it from me before, "More information with less detail."


2. Function words (be, the, a, and other words that provide grammatical structure) can’t be messed up, otherwise the reader struggles. 

I apply this to my own compositional structure. Bigger, more detailed, larger strokes--the eye knows reads-CLOSER.  Mix that up and the viewer struggles.


3. We understand scrambled words better when their sounds are preserved: toatl vs. talot (for “total”).

Preserve the biggest visual clue, the horizon. If there is a perceived horizon, it will always read as a landscape. I can only stray so far from it without losing the viewer's understanding.


4. Here’s a big one: the passage is readable because it’s predictable (especially because we’ve seen it so many times)!

YES! That is how your personal experience of a landscape adds to my art.

Last But Not Least: 

 

I am a member of the National Association of Women Artists and the Women's Caucus for Art. In an effort to make the most of the membership and perhaps, make some friends, I am volunteering my time.  These groups are very important.  I see too many disheartening examples of gender inequality. I did not learn of about female artists in college. These groups foster awareness of the monumental contribution of women to the history of American art. I will post social media for NAWA and will assist onboarding efforts for WCA Florida in order to encourage involvement.

 

My appeal here: Consider liking and following NAWA on Facebook and/or Instagram- I will try to keep it interesting!

National Association of Women Artists FACEBOOK
National Association of Women Artists INSTAGRAM
National Association of Women Artists
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Contact me, it would make my day!

 

Until November, or until I have something to report, very hearty handshakes,

Kim

2010 Harbourside Dr. #2003 Longboat Key FL 34228

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