Magnificent obsessions

When I look at the work of some artists I realise that much of their art is informed by an obsession with something or other.
I don't know who coined the phrase, "Magnificent Obsession", but this definitely applies to most of the artists in Cape Town whose work I admire and appreciate.
Their art has a coherency, a consistency of theme and seems to reveal a message.
Look at the work of some of the artists under the link, "Cape Town artists" and see what you think.
Judy Woodbourne is a master of the technique of etching.

Some artists are obsessed with certain media or materials, or subject matter.

I don't seem to have found my magnificent obsession yet. I can only paint if something really touches me or moves me. These tend to be outside myself- landscapes, people, trees. Whenever I paint from my inner being or psyche it feels wrong. It seems that I only have access to certain emotions through paint- anger, frustration, discontent. All I seem to achieve then is a sort of visual whinge, which I couldn't inflict on an audience. I would be embarrassed as I feel that the viewer would hear this awful whining sound coming through the canvas which would be so irritating and painful they would not stay to look.
So for now, I will just keep on painting outer landscapes until I can get my inner landscape to feel more peaceful.

Karoo Mountains

Selling paintings

I was lucky enough to sell a painting at the South African Society of Artists' exhibition at Kirstenbosch in October.
I recently had a great weekend at a friend's farm in the Karoo. The peace and tranquility of the area was inspiring. It was very early spring and the fields were still in Winter mode, so the harvested ground was a beautiful, rich golden orange colour. The folded quality of the mountains in that area are amazing. The farm is just to the north of Seweweeks Poort, a fantastic pass with incredible rock formations. No painting could do those rocks justice so I didn't attempt to paint them, but this view seemed to cry "paint me!" so I did.
Here it is.