Dennis Hollingsworth

Another Window

I discovered another window to see my paintings today.

Usually, I shuttle back and forth between flat (the painting panel on sawhorses) and vertical (against the wall again on sawhorses). All the time, I'm negotiating the optical difference of the viewing angles.

I started to look at my work in many kinds of lighting conditions. I use halogens and I know they cast a yellowish light. (Somehow, I can take good pictures with them.) I paint with and without them, regarding the work in morning noon and evening light... sometimes in the dark.

And now, the blog. The last painting was cool to see in this blog to check out for compositional decisions.

I remember a friend who, in grad school, had the fortune of showing her work to the supersool sculptor, Paul McCarthy of LA -and now worlwide- fame. It's easy to see if a visitiing artist takes a shine to your work, and evidently he wasn't excited. His prescription for her: to look at her work through a camera, maybe set up a videocamera in the studio.

Then I thought, how very postmodern of you, Paul. A regard that was simultaneously admiring and withering.

And I guess the implied critique would apply to me too, If that is the only mode of seeing the work.