Local Flavor

Sacred Heart - Augusta © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

There's a theme in my paintings. My wife has seen the theme. She has even asked that I would move from that theme to something else. I have a hard time doing something other than flowers. It is not because I feel that I am incapable of doing a different subject, but that they are so fun to paint. So, I did what any good husband would do. I said, "Yes, dear!"

What subject would adorn the canvas of my newest painting? Before I could ask myself this question, my wife had some ideas. Specifically, she felt that I should paint a local landmark that is recognizable by anyone who lives around our city of Augusta, Georgia. My first thought was The Augusta National Golf Club, specifically a hole from Amen Corner. Yet, her thought was a little different from my own. She wanted me to paint a former church turned cultural center that is in the middle of downtown Augusta.

The building of reference is Sacred Heart Cultural Center. It is a building I know very well, for I saw the double spires of this former Roman Catholic church almost everyday as a child. Architecturally, it's a very beautiful building. I didn't even have to give a second thought on if this would be my next painting. Still wanting to play with a palette knife versus brushes, I looked forward towards the task of trying to capture those two spires and the doorway to the church.

The Art of J. Travis Duncan

Tempering The Mettle

"Fire and the Sky" © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

Have you ever realized that most painters continue to paint until the end of their lives or are physically unable to do so? They never stop. They never quit trying new techniques. There is a continuous metamorphosis of what they do and how they do it. Daily, they are doing something with art; sketching, painting, photographing, or trying to find new subject matter or reference material.

Painters try new things and sometimes they gravitate towards something that others might not find aesthetically pleasing. Picasso is a fine example. Most people only remember him for his works in cubism and surrealism. A lot of people do not like either style. Yet, many have no idea that he was well versed in realism earlier in his life. You read that right, he could paint realistically. He handled the brush quite well if you want my opinion. However, being an artist, he didn't want to stop there, he sought out a way to express himself on the canvas in different ways. He is not alone. Others before and after him have done, do, or will do the same thing.

In order to find that new means of expression, an artist not only has to take a chance, but has to do it on a rather regular basis. No one becomes great at color theory overnight. Most of us know the complementary colors, but do we truly KNOW the complementary colors? Can we grab any tool of the trade, and even some we've created ourselves, and paint? We can and we will, but it is vital that we work at it as often as possible. That is what I want to do.

I want to try to paint one (1) painting a day for 30 days for the sake of advancement, becoming focused, and better stewardship of not just my artwork, but every aspect of my life. Internally, I believe that with any worthwhile endeavor, more than new knowledge can be gained. Deficiencies can be uncovered and dealt with, fears can be overcome, skills can be strengthened, and the whole being benefits from walking such a singular path. Proverbs 14:23 states, "In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty." I pray I follow through.

The Art of J. Travis Duncan

First Solo Attempt

"First Solo Attempt" © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

This was inspired by a photograph I took of my son trying to swim last summer. I know I'm impartial, but he truly was the cutest little boy, decked out in his swimming trunks, shirt, and matching hat. The yellow of the swimmies (water wings) broke up the blues in the picture. I even had to have the water noodle in the painting as well!

Constraint Versus Restraint

Bed of Red Day Lilies © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

Quick vocabulary lesson. According to Webster's, a constraint is something that limits or restricts someone or something and a restraint is a way of limiting, controlling, or stopping something.

I know my limits. I'm not a gymnast. I'm not a surgeon. I'm not a mason. There are many things I am not. Yet, there are times when we look at what we do or don't do and in that moment, we subconsciously turn a restraint into a constraint. To put it another way, we tie our own hands behind our back.

For my artwork, details have always been paramount. Be it an illustration of a comic book hero or a barn, the lines had to be correct or my satisfaction would be absent. Thinking back, I wonder where such a thought would come from, for my taste in art is quite diverse. The art movements that have come and gone are delightful in their own way.

Since brushes allow me to paint even the smallest details, what could I do to break from my self-imposed restraint with my art? The answer is simple; I imposed another restraint upon myself: a palette knife. No longer tied to detail-oriented tools, I was forced to paint unimpeded. "Bed of Red Day Lilies" is an acrylic on canvas panel with a palette knife. A slight impasto technique was used with the acrylics. It is liberating to loosen the weak knot I placed upon my own hands. The greatest shame is how long I've imprisoned myself. Lesson learned.

 The Art of J. Travis Duncan

Subject(ive)

Red Day Lily © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

Briefly in Emotional Response, I discussed how art elicits a response, be it internal or external. In the discussion, I made no mention of the emotional catalyst: the subject. The importance of the subject can often be overlooked and, many times, the viewer might not realize that there was a process in the artist's mind and heart that beckoned he/she to choose that very subject.

Many of my paintings, be it watercolor or acrylic, have been of flowers. Why flowers? The quick answer is that they bring a smile to my face. The more detailed answer has to do with my family; preferably, my mother. The God-given gift bestowed upon my mother is a green thumb. I don't think I have ever seen anyone do the amazing things that she has with flowers, or plants in general. Her yard is full of so many different kinds of beautiful plants that blossom throughout the year. From vibrant amaryllis (pictures and nomenclature) and red day lilies, to various colors of iris and gladiolus, there is a litany of flowers I can paint. Yet, I don't paint them for the sake of just painting, but rather it brings me joy to see what she has done and I hope that I can reciprocate those same feelings when she sees me painting the very things that she joyfully toils over.

Recently, I have been overtaken by beautiful landscapes. I linked to van Gogh's "Starry Night Over The Rhone" in my last post because I find it to be one of my favorite van Gogh paintings. Impressionism is one of my favorite art movements and I can bask in one of Monet's many works for a long time. Everyone is familiar with "Water Lilies", but have you ever seen "Bathers At La Grenouillere"? As usual, I like to also share some modern works as well. Alvaro Castagnet is one of the world's prominent watercolor artists. He and Joseph Zbukvic are two of my favorites that work in watercolor. Their works are fabulous.

The subject(s) of an artist's painting is a thought-out process that starts in the heart. Even in commissioned paintings, there is value found in the subject. So before an emotion is drawn out of the viewer, know that one was brought about before the painting ever started. This can help you see what emotion or thought the artist was going through when he/she painted the piece you are examining.

The Art of J. Travis Duncan

A Distinctive Appearance

Magnolia © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

Style. Every painter has a specific style. One painter might have something subtle in his/her paintings, yet another might have something so overtly different that it distinguishes itself from all other artists. Van Gogh is a perfect example of a painter with a signature style. Everyone knows "Starry Night", but even some of his other works, "Wheatfield With Crows" or "View of Arles With Irises In The Foreground", reveal their creator by their brushstrokes and color. To think of a more modern example, I would have to propose oil painter, Leonid Afremov. Working with a palette knife, he has an amazing style that he has honed and perfected. The color palette he uses is not limited, but rather seems to include every color of the spectrum. With any artist, a style tends to evolve and solidify with each painting finished.

Do I have a style? When it comes to watercolors, I like to work a loosely. Details are something that I have a hard time pushing away from due to my years of illustrating. However, I enjoy having more freedom with the brush. In other words, I rely upon the viewer to finish the details when viewing the work. This can be seen in my acrylic painting "Magnolia". I opted not to use a lot of detail on the blossoms, but rather put them in a brighter light to allow the eyes and mind to fill it in. As for a style, I guess I would say that my style is still brewing inside.

Sometimes I have to fight trying to force a style. It would be easy to mimic another painter's style, but I believe that when you try to do something that's not natural it is counter-productive. Experimenting with your art is fun and needed in order for artistic growth. It is when I try to reproduce another's style, I ruin my paintings. I love Monet's paintings. Yet, if I were to replicate him, I have done myself a disservice as well as art itself. To the artists out there, work hard, continue to experiment in your art, but never forget the person in front of the canvas is you.

The Art of J. Travis Duncan

Emotional Response

Madstract © 2014 J. Travis Duncan

I have heard artists make the statement that they paint for themselves and for no one else. As an artist, I understand this frame of mind, but how honest are they being? One can say that their art is personal, but if that were the case, it would remain locked away and hidden from any other set of eyes beyond that of the artist. Let's be honest, we want others to see our handiwork. No one has to like it, but we do covet public thought. There is something about art that demands an emotional response. Some artists paint for shock value. Others paint as a means to bring awareness to a social issue. While some, including myself, want to simply express themselves in hopes that something can be stirred up inside others. Life is about living. Art often mimics life. Yet, whether it be an impressionist painting of a city, an abstract painting of a menagerie of color, or a watercolor of a flower, an emotional response, internal, external, or both, is churned up. This is why I truly love every form of art and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Click to see the art of J. Travis Duncan