This year I decided to submit a new piece for the regional (and ultimately national) art competition, with the first round being held in my town and its surrounding district. Last year I didn’t submit and the year before I had a skin painting off on its travels for 6 months around the country, eventually placing in the national ‘Best Of’ Category’, but no podium…
I had wanted to submit my wolf woman skin painting but I like that so much I’m keeping it on my living room wall. Instead, a did a new painting called Dominion. The frame was a 10 hour graft without breaks on my knees.
The vernissage was held at Stropkov town hall and featured the winners (and those who didn’t) from Svidnik and Stropkov regions. There were about 50 to 60 artists represented from both regions combined, and from different media categories. In the catalogue for the exhibition they managed to place my painting, Dominion, upside down, even though it’s clearly two women sitting:
Maybe that was a factor in me coming second in the adult category. I know I should feel happy about my position but I don’t. I never do when it comes to my art. There’s always a reason why it should come first, and there’s no convincing me otherwise. I don’t paint often, and only when Muse-inspired, not to fulfill a quota. If the Muse leaves half-way through me painting, then I abandon the painting; I don’t press on and finish it technically. For me, every painting I do is like my baby. I paint because I like what I paint. I paint for my own aesthetic, so I can surround myself with imagery and symbology that I appreciate.
I’m often asked, in some sneering manner, why I’m always painting nude women. Because I like nude women…. Fit nude women. I don’t care if some obese and wrinkly octogenarian male would make a more interesting subject due to the experience and wisdom through age etched into his furloughed nostrils, it’s not something I want staring down at me from a wall. A sexy lady in a state of undress, a distraction from the occult secrets that the painting is really shouting out, that’s more my thing. But you can’t please every one. So I don’t bother trying. You either get it or you don’t, I’m certainly not going to explain every little secret I embed in my work when the spectator can’t get over the pert breasts.
Here’s me and my 2nd placed art:
One piece from another artist really did strike me. It’s a naturally found log which has been improved upon which really looks like a lady’s private parts, deshrubbed, surmounted by a dog collar and noose. The artist, I think, is Anton Kocis. It’s really cool but he didn’t get placed because it’s a little too much for our very conservative region. I’d definitely have it in my house though.
Here’s me with the Mayor of Stropkov and the Mayoress of Svidnik, Marcela Ivancova:
And here’s a picture of my constant companion, Sandy, asleep in his favourite armchair.
