Rachael Baldanza: Fun

Upstate New York artist, Rachael Baldanza, continues my recent project by writing about "fun." In addition, Ms. Baldanza writes a great art blog titled, Honest Art Talk. As usual, I extend an invitation to all local artists who would like to participate in this effort. Just email me!

Gumption
acrylic on paper
30" x 22"
2003

Rachael Baldanza: Fun

Painting is fun, no doubt, but not foolish and not meaningless. I paint to enjoy and relish in and respond to the paint, to connect ideas that maybe wouldn’t be found if I sat down with a strict idea, a stern look on my face, all set to accomplish a pre-determined task. Nope, I try to keep some play in my studio. When we are kids we rush into drawing, we revel in color, we spill and splash materials and have a damn good time (when we aren’t frustrated that our drawn cats don’t look like real cats). Over the past few years I’ve accepted that my hard work is fun (if often frustrating and demanding) and that’s OK. Painting for me is one half controlling chaos, one half finding the right color, and the other half is herding cats.

Elephant
ink and watercolor on paper
22" x 30"
2004

Previous Posts:

Charles Neenan: Tradition
Kelly Towles: Color
Ryan Mulligan: Originality
Matt Hollis: Confinement
Dean Fueroghne: Originality
James W. Bailey: Obligation
J. Coleman: Depiction
Andy Moon Wilson: Decision
Molly Springfield: Language
Bryan Whitson: Scene
Elyse Harrison: Motivation
Jiha Moon Wilson: Influence
Alexandra Silverthorne: Derivative
Jose Ruiz: Contemporary
Kathleen Shafer: Focus
Jennifer McMackon: Connection
Gregg Chadwick: Responsibility
Warren Craghead: Material
Angela Kleis: Purpose
Peter Reginato: Order
Anna L. Conti: Community
Wayne Schoenfeld: Content
Elizabeth Morisette: Naive
Tim Tate: Craft
Jesse Cohen: Hidden
Greg Ferrand: Experience
Joseph Barbaccia: Commitment
Jamie Wimberly: Burden
Christine Tillman: Discovery
Candy Keegan: Personality
Allison B. Miner: Introspection
Jennifer Miller: Fresh
Rosetta DeBerardinis: Fluid
Marsha Stein: Pride
Tara Krause: Primal
Andrew Krieger: Imagination
Trish Tillman: Technology
James Leonard: Conscience

Comments

[Anna L. Conti]

Nice work, Rachael, and it's good to see you here. I'd have asked you to write about color... actually I'm asking you now - do you use color intuitively, or with knowlege aforethought?

[rachael]

Thanks Anna! Yep, I use color intuitively. I am in love with bright pigments and my mood when I paint helps me choose which colors to play with. But I think my freedom with color comes from my years of study of art history and from one amazing color theory class I took in art school when I was 17 or so...
take care,
Rachael