Painting Possibilities
Rodney Dickson
I have selected this diverse group of painters, not because they are necessarily my "favorite" painters, but because they show a range of painting possibilities that fit in with my own painting interests. I have always considered art to be not limited to one discipline, and painting is not limited to one style or school.
I admire Kiki Smith’s work because she has the courage and curiosity to work in many different ways, constantly searching for the perfect means to express her ideas. Good painting is recognizable in any form, should it be hyperrealist or abstract. Painting may also not be limited by the constraints of the canvas at all, and an artist like Peter Kastner shows this by incorporating his paintings in his performances/installations. David Liddell is more or less unknown in the art world, having spent most of his adult life living in the wilds of the Scottish countryside where he has painted in seclusion. In a different way than Kastner, he has also moved beyond the limitations of the canvas and paints on pieces of board that he colors almost at random and arranges in the gallery space, as an installation. On the other hand, Elizabeth Magill paints landscapes, which could be seen as being a more traditional approach to painting. However, her paintings go beyond illustration to the very essence of good painting, being somehow able to evoke an eerie sense of calm that could be considered in the same way as an Edward Hopper.
Someone asked me recently about the connection between my installations and my paintings. I replied that since both are dealing with space, it would seem like a very natural crossover for a painter. Equally though, they may be quite different, as a painting may be "quieter" and communicate less information immediately. Therefore it can require more time to appreciate this kind of art. It is this element of time however that makes the best paintings compelling and one can spend a lifetime with paintings such as Valerie Bogdan’s and still remain curious about the work.
