I am not yet ready to fit in a box.

“Wild Flowers” 20 x 20, Acrylic on canvas | Jen Day

“Wild Flowers”.

If you have noticed recently, I have done a few different flower themed paintings. I almost started to describe this as a “departure from my style a bit”…but it’s really not. If you look at my early paintings, including my very first painting “The Garden” for example this is very much my style.

It got me thinking. Many of my paintings are often at first glance mistaken as photographs, and yes, that is one of my styles. I once showed my paintings to a person I don’t know well but respect her opinions. She was once an art teacher, a current gallery owner and a Juror in a few of the Art Fairs in Wisconsin. She was very complimentary of my paintings which I appreciated, but also did and said something that gave me pause. She separated the ones she liked from the ones she “liked less”. The ones she liked less came with the comment “stick with one style, don't confuse your audience.”

The thing is, as an artist I feel like I’m still finding my style, and I paint what and how I like in that moment. I’m only speaking for me, maybe what she said is true(?) I can spot a Van Gogh from across a room because he is consistent in his style, and same with a lot of other celebrated artists works. But, I am sure they all had a journey to get there, right? I am on my journey. Where it takes me and where it ends up IS what painting is all about.

While I appreciated the advise, I am not yet ready to fit in to a box, and if and when I finally do, I hope my box is painted differently on all four sides.