Tuesday 21 August 2007

Its in the blood

People often ask me how long I've been an artist and are usually surprised when I say "Always". I think they expect I'll say "Oh, only the last year or so". But I was born an artist. We all are. We all want to paint as very young children - brightly colourful drawings of houses, mummy and daddy, brothers and sisters, trees, dogs and cats, on large expressive sheets of paper where we can swish the paint around and get thoroughly messy. And we creatively scrawl on the walls, caveman fashion, to the annoyance of our house-proud parents who shout and scrub it off; its within us to create, and be artistically expressive. The only difference between the majority of the rest of the world and me is that I never stopped. I've always painted and drawn things. As a child I painted and drew houses and people and animals. As a teenager I painted weird and wonderful surreal fantasy paintings with a macabre edge to them, that used to perplex most of the adults who viewed them. Then as I reached adulthood, I progressed, and went away from the weird fantasy drawings and perhaps lost some of my creativity because I started to paint the pictures I thought other people wanted. I painted family dogs and cats, other peoples houses, flowers, other peoples favourite scenes, and put the fantasy pictures to one side. I was trying to please, but didn't please myself, or my creative side.

But now, as I've gown older again, I've progressed further and become what I want to be, I've found my creativity again, I'm painting the pictures that please and excite me - the fantasy pictures, whether its fantasy landscapes, even of "normal" scenes when I add interest with splatter or pour-on paint, or highlights of bright sunshine or deep purple shadows. Or fantasy pictures of wildlife - the ferocious tigers or prancing horses, or purely fantastical creatures like glistening mermaids, magical unicorns, glowing angels and fiercesome dragons. Or, best of all, the erotic fantasy paintings, where I depict someone in the image they want for themselves. Their creation of their own fantasy - making them feel sexy, tantalising, erotic and ultimately desirable.

I wonder what I'll be painting should I live to old age. Will it be fluffy kittens and landscapes. Somehow....... I doubt it.

15 comments:

Sage said...

Jackie, I suspect that you will still be painting pussy but NOT of the feline variety. lol

Jackie Adshead said...

Sage - something tells me that you may well be right!!!

Lucy Felthouse said...

Awww... I was gonna say what Sage said.

You know I love your fantasy paintings, and also your naughty ones ;)

Luka said...

I think it would be fascinating to retain your models into old age, and paint erotic octogenarian sexual fantasies! There isn't enough of that in our youth-obssessed culture, you could be a ground breaker.

Ronjazz said...

Those of us who are lucky enough to have known who and what we are when the world was young are still basking in a creative glow. I've known I wanted to be an actor since I was six, when I saw Danny Kaye in "The Inspector General" on television. You are a prime example, my dear, of what all that means.

Vi said...

You be painting sex still, but in the 'twilight years' of our lives to show us the oldies STILL do it!

Cherrie said...

Jackie, you have been fortunate enough to follow your dream and have it come true. Hopefully, the dream won't end for a very long time!

Lady in red said...

I think I was born to be a painter in words. I never could draw, my grandfather who was an amazing artist and taught my gran to paint could never get far teaching me. But I have always been able to paint pictures with my words.

For years I kept hearing that I am very artistic and I never took any notice due to not being artistically creative but now I realise its my words that help me to be creative. I did stop for many years between the age of 21 when my gran died (she was a writer and a big influence in my life) until last year. but now I am revelling in my rediscovered talent.

Jackie Adshead said...

Lucy - thanks, I love doing both!

Jackie Adshead said...

Luka - I'm always interested in new artistic ideas. Do octogenarians have sexual fantasies about pussy? Or do they just think about letting the pussy out at night?

Jackie Adshead said...

Ronjazz - Yes, I probably am. I want to be creative even when I'm not doing artist type things.

Jackie Adshead said...

Vi - I hope so!

Jackie Adshead said...

Cherrie - I hope not, especially with all my blogging friends being so supportive.

Jackie Adshead said...

Lady in red - Good for you - I hope that your creativity continues, for your pleasure and for the pleasure of your readers.

Lady in red said...

if my grandad is anything to go by then yes octogenarians must still dream of pussy. He is 93 and got into a spot of bother for being too interested in one of the ladies in the care home where he lives when he began touching her breast and putting her hand on his crotch. I half imagined he would have to move out of the home.