A Painter's Musings on the Visual World

The word ‘discrimination’ is guilty by association, its reputation sullied by the bad crowd it hangs out with.  While the Webster definition means “discernment; the ability to distinguish or differentiate; to recognize differences and respond selectively” (all well and good) the entire front page of a search engine relates to the negative legal definition relating to race or gender or age. It is a shame that such a good word has almost lost its full meaning. 

Carl Rungius Studies, Western Wildlife Museum, Jackson, WY

Judging art certainly requires it, whether it is done privately in the studio or curating a museum show. We differentiate our own work from a mentor or perhaps even from our own work at a a previous time. A painter can distinguish herself from her colleagues. We use discernment in choosing pieces for a show. Buyers respond selectively when purchasing art from a gallery. But perhaps our most discriminating behavior happens during the actual process of painting. 

It starts with an idea. Thousands of ideas fill our heads and at one moment we select just one to commit to painting. All the other ideas have to move aside for the moment. Like numbered ping pong balls in a bingo blower, only one gets selected at a time. 

Then comes the design. We try different formats and angles, do thumbnails of the possible approaches, then proceed on only one. 

Values demand our critical eye.  We pull forward and push back, focus attention on one part while relegating another to a supporting role. 

Then color choices require even more discernment. We have at our fingertips every color in the rainbow but we cannot treat them all equally. We find a harmonious family and stay within it.

Our strokes don’t just brush themselves. We pull and push them, load them up and drag them dry, mercilessly bending them to our will. 

None of what we do at the easel is fair.  At every step we discriminate, differentiate, and respond selectively. We are judgmental, critical, manipulative and hard to please.  The point and shoot camera, by comparison, is far less discriminatory.