Betty Gerich, Artist, Painter and Sculptor

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What is artist’s intension?

Looking at Art:

Art is a message from the artist to the audience, no matter which medium or style the artist selects. To understand the meaning of a work of art it is helpful to be able to read the artist’s intention. What do they wish to convey? Do they want to create an environment to which the audience may respond? Do they want viewers to enter a field of color or is the message social or political? The possible ideas addressed in works of art are infinite and in some cases an artist may be intentionally ambiguous, allowing the audience room to interpret what they are seeing.

Work in the Studio:

I have never been quite satisfied with my attempts at self-portraits, although I have made many of them. I have done portraits looking in a mirror, attempted them in wild colors, combined my face with images of my sculpture, painted my image in a cloud filled sky. None of these attempts have been very satisfactory in my view. The latest self-portrait, seen here, reflects my feelings about these paintings. I wonder if I should call it “Of Two Minds” or '“The Critic”. What do you think?