Post #446848 by teaKEY on Mon, Apr 13, 2009 7:09 PM

On 2009-04-13 13:06, Tiki Shark Art wrote:
Aloha Tiki Tribe!
little lost tiki - Ha, you are mean to anyone!

bigbrotiki ~ I just had a chat with someone about the dead bird. Paint it in or leave it out? If I put it in, the painting becomes a sudo-eco statement about evasive species in the Hawaiian Islands and the depletion of the native bird population, or even an urge to make sure your cat is spade or neutered to help with the feral cat problem on the islands.
If I leave the dead bird out, The painting becomes a little more accessible to the common viewer, and hopefully then, an image that would sell more prints. You see, I was having this talk with my mom, and my print sales go to help her financially. So, for mom's sake instead of the native Hawaiian bird's plight, the dead bird will not be painted in, but will perhaps be addressed in a future painting - after my mom's retirement is more secure.
Her argument was something like "Do you see Thor painting dead birds? No, you don't. Why? Cause who'd buy a painting of a dead bird?" :) (Mom is a total hoot!)
And... Thank you, I am deeply honored to have you compare me to one of my all time low-brow art heroes Mark Ryden. Wow, that really made my day! Jeeze I can feel my head swelling! These last two paintings sure have been influenced alot by Ryden's work. And, I got a really great printer. His reproductions are so spot on, I can retain the image. It's not exactly the same as the original, but it's close.

[ Edited by: teakey 2009-04-13 13:10 ]

If my vote counts for anything I say paint a bird. Why a bird? All great paintings are more than just something pretty to look at. To be able to paint a great looking painting may only take a skilled hand. Now great art should also contain a reason or thought provoking questions. This type of painting would need a skilled mind and hand.

I thought of the dead bird meaning one of two things which would be up to the viewer to decide (two sides for me at least). Did the cat, who dresses sharply and plays a sunset ukulele, kill the bird and now plays a remorseful song before the feast? Feels sorry for the things he must do to live. Or was this loving feline a friend to the bird? Just found him dead and performs a song of sorrow and drinks to a fallen friend. In any direction, I don't really want to know the correct answer.

You asked the question would Thor paint the dead bird and I too don't think he would. When I think of Thor's work, I think of Thomas Kinkade (the painter of light) for his great detail to habitats in beautiful landscapes. I'm saying this in a good way cause some great "low brow" artist hate Kinkade but Thor uses creativity that Kinkade doesn't.
Would Mark Ryden paint the dead bird, absolutly. If you haven't checked out http://www.markryden.com to see the new snow series, its worth a look. He is certainly edgey. A nude girl who looks like she could be in her low teens. And yes I buy all his work if I had the cash.

Something you could do, I love all the progress shots that you post and in doing so, I've gazed at your work longer than other Tiki Central painter or Mark Ryden painting times ten. I think each progress shot is a worthy painting in itself. What you could do is make prints of a non-bird version and half the run in the thought provoking bird version. Either way, you still have your first sell here.

What?

[ Edited by: teaKEY 2009-04-13 19:14 ]