Friday 17 September 2010

Why do you paint erotic art?



This is the question I'm asked the most. Firstly there is an enormous difference between nude art and erotic art at it's extremes. Clearly there is also a crossover point. Maybe I'm generally close to the centre. I have a few pieces of work I'd argue are fit to be seen in public places. Most of my work is sensual and erotic rather than verging on the pornographic.

But why is that what I've chosen to paint? I like it, I like the feeling of it. I'm interested in the change in the way women represent themselves. Being told that I should leave such images in the domain of pornographers and porn stars and go off and paint flowers just makes me more determined than ever to carry on. I like flowers too by the way, I just don't enjoy painting them as much.

The effect on men doesn't occur to me. I have mostly female friends and so the people who see my paintings close up are girls. We just don't see it as dirty. Cheeky maybe, fun, sexy.

It's the colours, the sensuality I like. And the process. Which I'll address in another answer.

Short answer. Because that's what I like.

If the question really is "Why do you paint erotic art when you don't come across as a very erotic person and you're not responding to my flirting or offers of modelling" I'm afraid the answer to that is

"get a grip"

4 comments:

  1. Love, love, love that picture of you in front of the paintings. You've got a new follower in me :)

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  2. Thank you :) I promise, I'm not always this stroppy. I'm just making myself laugh. I'll do some painting soon instead of just being a mardybum ;)

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  3. It's a shame people have to explain or give justification to creating erotic art. Because we paint representations of the female/male form in sensual/sexual expressions does not mean that our own private sexual energy is up for public knowledge or exploration.

    Like myself, we can choose to paint erotic art for many base level reasons. For me, it's how I can change random marks into representations of the primal animal within the human spirit. This does not mean people can see me as some great animal in the bedroom!

    I agree with you. Women probably face greater attention from men when they paint works of a erotic/sexual nature. The people who focus their attention on you and not your art because of what you paint, are basically not interested in what you put all your hard work and attention on - your art, and warrent no further attention on them.

    Work this out, I can sit in my studio and paint/draw "erotic" art but would be scared/shy working from a live model.

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  4. Thanks for reading, Mark. I feel so much better for getting that all out but I'mgoing to have to be careful that my blog doesn't tun into a teenage stropfest!
    I did get completely run out of town by the attention. It seemed to make people so very angry- either my subject matter itself or frustration that I refuse to be part of the deal.
    Six months on and I've developed a sense of perspective again. I will use this blog to answer questions as I'm asked them and hopefully that's the last of it.
    On the other hand it's part of my interest in the genre- the perception of it. I never mean these things to come across badly. As i said in the "do you paint in the nude" post- it's advertising which has formed these ideas.
    I think you'd be amazed how quickly you'd get over the worry about a live model. I can remember thinking that. I know it's easy for me because they're people I know- and I'm a girl so everyone says yes! It's harder for my models because it's generally the first time they've done something like this and so they're often very vulnerable. But my best pictures come from that. I'd recommend it!
    I love the differences between male and female erotic artists too. Mostly you can work it out, sometimes you can't and I'm fascinated with it.
    I really need to stop being cranky and actually produce some work ;)
    Talk soon
    Joanna

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