Gemwolf's oils - 2007 Collection

After a special request (from my one and only fan, Anx) to update my thread Gemwolf's oil: Share your thoughts I decided to start a new thread to present my latest works to the critics... I'll do my best to update as I paint along.

Here's a couple I painted over the past 3 months or so.

Nude


Zebra
(This painting felt a bit empty to the left, thus I added a few thorn bushes after I took the picture.)


Fish Cocktail


Milady's back


Farm house


Again some of them are bad quality pictures that aren’t a true representation of the colours.

Well... This is the part where you tell me what you think.


[edit on 13-3-2007 by Gemwolf]

These are really great Gem
I like all of them.
I'm particualrly fond of the Zebra, because it's such an accurate depiction.
The crested mane, looks great!

The Fish cocktail, for the humor.
and the Farmhouse, great perspective, and the red roof really makes the house stand out, even though it's off in the distance.

Really nice work!

Well done Gemwolf.

The zebra is fantastic, it almost looks like a photograph. And like spacedoubt said, you captured the mane so well.

The other one that really struck me is the farm house. You have a real knack when it comes to country scenes.

It's always nice to see more work from your brush.

Like your style on all of them Gemwolf, the Fish Cocktail is showing you have good taste

Originally posted by spacedoubt
Really nice work!

Thanks for your comments and compliments!!! Much appreciated! The picture of the Farm house painting isn't very good. The real colours are much brighter, which makes your comment more "true", than what's presented here...

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
The zebra is fantastic, it almost looks like a photograph.

Wow. I can't tell you how much of a compliment that is!

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
The other one that really struck me is the farm house. You have a real knack when it comes to country scenes.

Thanks (again ) ... On a side note this painting (along with two others I don't have pictures of) were commissioned by someone who wanted "Carla Bosch" style paintings. (Carla Bosch is a famous South African painter known for scenes like these.) The difference between my usual style and her style is her use of black lines to differentiate between colours and objects. This helps to accentuate each colour in its own right, but in the "art circles" this is considered an amateur method of painting, especially because it's unnatural. There are no such lines in any real-life subject or picture...

Originally posted by XPhiles
Like your style on all of them Gemwolf, the Fish Cocktail is showing you have good taste

And thanks to you as well... I'm just not sure what "showing you have good taste" means? Does it mean I have good taste in drinks?


[edit on 15-3-2007 by Gemwolf]

Originally posted by Gemwolf

On a side note this painting (along with two others I don't have pictures of) were commissioned by someone who wanted "Carla Bosch" style paintings. (Carla Bosch is a famous South African painter known for scenes like these.) The difference between my usual style and her style is her use of black lines to differentiate between colours and objects. This helps to accentuate each colour in its own right, but in the "art circles" this is considered an amateur method of painting, especially because it's unnatural. There are no such lines in any real-life subject or picture...

I see what you mean, I found this one by Carla Bosch that is similar to the picture you painted.



I like your work better.

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
I see what you mean, I found this one by Carla Bosch that is similar to the picture you painted.

I like your work better.

Well thank you... (Although I think you're biased ) Most people will disagree with you however, seeing that she's the famous one, and not me...

All of these are great Gemwolf!

You really are talented.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
You really are talented.

Oh, flattery will get you everywhere... Thanks!

These are a couple I did in the past month. I painted these to sell commercially. Those who are familiar with my work will note that this is not my style at all. But this is what the yuppies want, so it means I have to copy the works of "Yuppie Painters" if I want to make a buck or two.

In my opinion this isn't art at all. It takes +/- a day to paint a painting like this. Now that I have a couple of paintings on my portfolio, I can continue with my own style again. (If only I could remember what it was... )



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The Zebra painting and the painting of the girl are my favorites.


So simple, so zen, so natural. It's static and dynamic at the same time. A very good painting overall

Gemwolf.

That first one, of the "FMC" series. (For Mass Comsumption)
Looks like a row of female legs. With the mouth where the kneecaps would be.

Thats just what it reminds me of.

I still like the bold colors in all of them..

Originally posted by TheB1ueSoldier
So simple, so zen, so natural. It's static and dynamic at the same time. A very good painting overall

It's strange how sometimes the most simplistic things are better than complex and extravagant paintings. Which is a bit "unfair" because obviously detailed and complex paintings are far more difficult than simple paintings.

Originally posted by spacedoubt
Looks like a row of female legs. With the mouth where the kneecaps would be.

And that's the beauty of art, isn't it? You can interpret art to your hearts desire and "see" what you want to see.

Although I don't see the "female legs". I suppose that tells us what's always on your mind.

Hi Gem

The painting of the girl is also my favourite. I think in terms of complexity and multilayered art, sometimes the simplest option is the one most people prefer. I understand your pain. You just keep painting what you love and we will flock to you.

Don't confuse simplicity with a pop-music version of painting. You are certainly talented, whatever style you choose. What is possibilty happening is that you are not conscious of having toiled for days and nights on it, tearing out your hair in the process. Thus you think it isn't worthy of your other work.

I think it is beautiful.

(darn artists)

Originally posted by Gemwolf
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I love this one, I just wish I had a room to hang it in.
It's so sharp and bold, and so different a style than most of the work posted in the previous thread.

Originally posted by nikelbee
Don't confuse simplicity with a pop-music version of painting. You are certainly talented, whatever style you choose. What is possibilty happening is that you are not conscious of having toiled for days and nights on it, tearing out your hair in the process. Thus you think it isn't worthy of your other work.

I know we've spoken about it, a thousand times perhaps? Do you stay true to yourself or do you sell out and give "the public" what they want, i.e. mass production vs. something unique? And even more so who decides what is art and what is not. People like Jack Vetrianno are not acknowledged as a real artist, yet it's the people that are willing to pay millions for his works that makes him famous. Most people wouldn't want a Van Gogh for free (well not for artistic value), yet he is seen as one of the masters... Who decided it!?

You for one should know the satisfaction of working on something for days and weeks, and afterwards step back with pride, knowing that you've worked hard to get it that way. Thus it's complete and utter frustration when you do something half-hearted in a couple of hours, just to see it get more attention than something you've really worked at.

Sigh. The world of art is strange indeed.

Originally posted by anxietydisorder
I love this one, I just wish I had a room to hang it in.
It's so sharp and bold, and so different a style than most of the work posted in the previous thread.

You could always make room.
It's already been sold, although making one exactly like it wouldn't be much of a challenge.... Oops... Did I sound like a pompous ass right there?
What I meant to say was: Thank you kindly.

Yes we have indeed discussed this many times. I prefer to do it somewhere dark and cavern-like, where you can smoke and I can drink red wine. How pretentious is that?

Yes, I do understand what you mean. BUT, having worked on my own projects many hours, days, weeks and believe it or not, years sometimes, never getting it right; knowing how much energy and discipline goes into it and sometimes the output is... how can I put this? Blah.

I'm not for a minute telling you to sell out or to purposely hide your complexity because people won't like it. What I am suggesting is that sometimes what we know are our true treasures, things we are trying to express ourselves with, sometimes don't hit the mark. Or sometimes they hit the mark and we are the only ones who see it.

Simple things likewise shouldn't be discarded as the desires of the great unwashed masses. Not always at least.

I've read things aloud that I thought would be great and you could hear the proverbial pin drop. Seriously, seriously nerve-wrecking to be doing something you think people will get and they don't.

On the other hand, I've written things in a few hours that people love. Should I hate that piece becaue it came too easily, or seems too pretty and vacant? Maybe. It depends on the piece really. But not everything simple is worthless. Sometimes it has been working in the back of your mind and comes out in one go.

You as an artist can't start dividing good and bad for other people. Yes, for yourself, of course, you know what works. But to put moral attributes to a process like art that depends on visual pleasure, instinct and non-verbal communication, is like cutting off your own hands. And you kind of need them.

Paint what YOU want. If you happen to paint something people love, don't hate it or yourself. But if you start painting things on purpose ONLY becaue people love them, or they will sell and forgetting what you know deep down inside is the real deal; then I will hate you.



[edit on 20-4-2007 by nikelbee]

Wow. You're philosophical for a Friday... And it makes absolute sense. I have no retort. Seeing that it's Friday and all...

Here's to not hating me?

Love your paintings! You are very talented!

Wow, it's been a while since I last posted in this thread. But then again, it's been a while since I last painted anything worthwhile...

I started with a leopard on a huge canvas, which is going to keep me busy for a couple of months. I'll post some pics as I progress and maybe as for some advice or just to get some compliments...

Anyhows... I recently finished this one, and it's up for sale at a gallery. This was before I framed it - which is a pity because the frame makes it even better...




[edit on 20-9-2007 by Gemwolf]