When is artwork finished?
Stepping Up, Watercolor, 14” x 11”
Looking at Art:
There was an exhibition at Met Breuer in 2016 called “Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible” which featured art from the Renaissance to Post Impressionism and posed the question: When is art finished? The show included examples of paintings which remained in an obvious incomplete state (the artist may have died or given up on the work) to images in which the artist had left portions of the work deliberately unresolved. The degree to which a piece appears finished is influenced by the artist’s style and intention for the piece. Do you find artwork more appealing if the artist leaves some areas to your imagination, or do you prefer works that are completely articulated?
Work in the Studio:
The watercolor shown here started out much lighter than it is now. As a result, it was difficult to understand the space and the figures did not stand out. At that point, I thought the painting was finished, but I was not satisfied. Later, I reworked the background and felt better about the final result. It is not unusual for me to leave a painting for a while and come back to see ways to improve it. Earlier in my career, I thought that working continually until I saw no areas that could be improved was a way to call the work complete. Now I am convinced that art speaks to the artist, directing actions that lead to completion of the work. Sometimes time will allow those messages to become clear. A finished work is the result of careful judgement and coming to the final stage of a piece can be tricky.
