THE HORSES

THE HORSES, a photo by Narolc on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
The precocious virtuosity of Picasso’s draughtsmanship is well documented and illustrated by accounts (much favoured by his numerous biographers) of his ability to draw the outline of a horse perfectly, starting from any point. Horses are notoriously difficult to capture; most artists will agree life drawing in general requires arguably the greatest technical skill. With no expectations of posthumous plaudits, I present this humble image of two feline companions I saw in my mind’s eye one occasion. I am under no delusions that it will enhance my reputation as a representational artist, but, nevertheless, because it is an honest representation of the image I had in mind, and the image has a tender quality, I still feel it is worthy. As an artist, I have always recognised and valued the importance of technical skill. Now, I produce pictures in one of two main ways: I consciously and deliberately execute them, or I emotionally ‘extract’ them from my unconscious self. Of course the latter way is still a conscious process—I do not create work in a somnambulistic state—I mean I relax and plan nothing. For me, either process is equally valid: the end results are what matter.