August 12, 2011

Fairfield Porter

Wish list: 

Fairfield Porter: Catalogue Raisonne of the Oil Paintings, Watercolor, and Pastels


Fairfield Porter (1907-1975)
Apple Branch, 1973

Watercolor on paper, 20 x 25 in.

Fairfield Porter (1907-1975), Girl Reading Outdoors, 1963, oil on canvas, 45 x 40 inches. Purchased in 1964 by the Commerce Bancshares Fine Art Collection






I think it's downright fascinating when I come across someone who almost simultaneously shares my enthusiasm for another artist not currently in the limelight. I've checked out every available book my library system has on Fairfield Porter (hence the wish list above). Meanwhile, I see a link on Painter's Table for Dan O' Connor
Dan O'Connor

My reason for reinvestigation of Fairfield Porter was a painting I finished about 2 weeks ago. It's in the show at Herron. At first I was concerned I had ventured off my familiar path and into the dark space of little old lady prosaic painting. Maybe it's the crepe myrtle. I wondered if  I needed to be more vigilant and keep myself in check. And then I remembered Fairfield Porter, breathed a little sigh, and gave a silent thank you to my surroundings. 


MAH, Every Morning I Drink Coffee and Wonder, 'Is This Really Me?', 2011
oil on linen panel



4 comments:

Nomi Lubin said...

That is not little old lady painting. Not that I condone putting down old ladies who are little; I may be one one day and expect to still be able to make a painting that I am not ashamed of.

But since I think I know that what you are really talking about is a kind of pretty but prosaic painting, I can say that this is not.

Good to see the Fairfield Porter paintings and words.

M.A.H. said...

Nomi, you do keep me in check. Thanks.
I, too, intend on one day being a little old lady still making paintings that I am not ashamed of. I like little old ladies. I was not putting them down and now that I think of it, I know some little old ladies that make better paintings than some young ladies, middle-aged ladies or their male counterparts. So yes prosaic was the better word choice. It's just that recently I had the opportunity to visit a stranger's home and it was filled with large prosaic art in ornamental frames and I suddenly thought if painting was a softball league, based on this painting, the prosaic painting team would pick me to be on their team before the cool painting team. To be fair, I had that thought at an earlier stage in the painting, so I do feel like I pulled out before the crash.

Nomi Lubin said...

Yes, it's a good painting, and radial in its quiet way.

Nomi Lubin said...

Not radial, so much as radical....hm.

It's over.

Nov 7, 2020. Tears of joy and relief. It's been unreal and I'm ready to get back to a sense of normalcy. The desert has been tough.