Thursday, January 29, 2009

Quote of the Week: He Has Spread His Influence

I'm a secretive bastard. I would never let anybody watch me painting... it would be like somebody watching you have sex - painting is that personal to me.
(Andrew Wyeth, 1917-2009)

I did not intend to let the week go by without mentioning the loss of Andrew Wyeth. I thought this quote was a good one to consider for this week. Maybe we couldn't observe his process, but from him we have learned just how personal painting should be. We have watched his paintings for evidence of his work ethic, his abstractions, his unstated truths. And over us all he has spread his influence.


i-Phone Photo: The Old Kitchen in Late Afternoon
Quote: This and others from Wyeth at Robert Genn's excellent resource:

BushStrokes (c) AAB

2 comments:

Joyce said...

I understand what Wyeth was saying. Once someone watches me (without my invitation) I get all self-conscious, make mistakes and lose that deep involvement in my subject matter.

I admire what Wyeth painted and this work is especially interesting.

Annette Bush said...

Hi, Joyce

Wyeth also didn't like criticism until he had finished. I think that's what we feel when we are observed -- that unspoken criticism.

This work is actually a photo from my i-Phone. It certainly looks different on-line, so I added the i-phone notation! The sun's rays reminded me of his influence. It certainly would have made a nice Wyeth painting though. hehe
A