On Titles
"And It Appeared To Be Laughing At Me" 24"x30" oil on canvas
© 2011 Brian Kliewer
Now this painting is rather an odd duck, I know (pun intended, I do like puns...sorry). But it represents something I've always had issues with...titles for my paintings. I was reading Robert Genn's comments on giving paintings titles when I thought of posting this.
Why is the title for this painting so long? Well, it did appear to be laughing...at me! But I think there was something subconscious going on as well. The painting is quite simple in subject. Was I overcompensating? I've seen other "simple" paintings with long titles, and vice versa. I like many of Karin Jurick's titles as they seem to fit her paintings quite well.
Why is the title for this painting so long? Well, it did appear to be laughing...at me! But I think there was something subconscious going on as well. The painting is quite simple in subject. Was I overcompensating? I've seen other "simple" paintings with long titles, and vice versa. I like many of Karin Jurick's titles as they seem to fit her paintings quite well.
The first painting I ever sold through a gallery was titled, "Common Ground." It was of a gray day with a field covered in brown grass, an old fence and some leafless trees. The sky: a swirling pattern of clouds. It also featured, among other things, a small grave yard. The title fit both the scene and the idea implied by the graves.
On a lighter note... there is a story behind this painting...
I saw this gull while I was on a walk out to the Rockland Breakwater. It did appear to be laughing but it also reminded me of a fishing trip. Not really much of a trip but a day of doing some fishing. I was fishing from a nearby dock and not catching much of anything. I was about to wrap up for the day but decided on one last cast. I wound up and let it fly.... and waited to hear the jig splash in the water....nothing. I hadn't really thought about but I looked at the end of the pole and noticed that my line was ascending rather than descending into the water! It was lifting off into the sky above my right shoulder. I looked back and as I started to reel it in, I noticed a seagull lowering in the sky behind me. I reeled in some more and lower it sank in the sky. At that point I let the line loose, cutting some slack. I was afraid I'd actually sunk my hook into the bird but apparently not. I think its wing just got wrapped up a little as it eventually freed itself and flew off.
So....was this the same gull? Ha! I highly doubt it but that look of "laughter" took me right back to the day I 'caught a seagull'.
I saw this gull while I was on a walk out to the Rockland Breakwater. It did appear to be laughing but it also reminded me of a fishing trip. Not really much of a trip but a day of doing some fishing. I was fishing from a nearby dock and not catching much of anything. I was about to wrap up for the day but decided on one last cast. I wound up and let it fly.... and waited to hear the jig splash in the water....nothing. I hadn't really thought about but I looked at the end of the pole and noticed that my line was ascending rather than descending into the water! It was lifting off into the sky above my right shoulder. I looked back and as I started to reel it in, I noticed a seagull lowering in the sky behind me. I reeled in some more and lower it sank in the sky. At that point I let the line loose, cutting some slack. I was afraid I'd actually sunk my hook into the bird but apparently not. I think its wing just got wrapped up a little as it eventually freed itself and flew off.
So....was this the same gull? Ha! I highly doubt it but that look of "laughter" took me right back to the day I 'caught a seagull'.
5 comments:
Great painting! and great personal story to share! :) Thanks!
Thank you, Helen. It was a funny situation and the perfect post for that funny animated gif, too.
Fantastic point of view!!
nice painting, like the part where the water moves when the bird swims, so realistic...great job!
What a wonderful painting! and a lovely story to go with it. I like it!
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