The secret gallery’s blog

“Maybe Human”  Work in progress     Marianne Potterton         22 February 2009

Oil on canvas

Studio in The Secret Galley

The two paintings above are what I have been doing today. The larger one is a collaborative piece which was started off by our children a couple of days ago, I really like the contrast of the marks they make with my own. Other painting that they helped me with are “Merging” and “Horses in the Mist”.

When I stopped to look at this painting it reminded me of some of Marc Chagall’s paintings where there are creatures that are both animal and human. Chagall is one of my favorite painters.  Previously when I painted people I felt quite restricted, say compared to horses; as if people were supposed to look real but horses could be a bit strange and that was fine! There has been such a history of life painting and life drawing being very academic and so called correct. I think I had it drilled into me from my foundation course so I was almost afraid to paint people, or if I do it should not be fun! Today I have enjoyed dismantling that old limitation!

Peace to all