©2012 - Cathy Read -Quarry Bank Mill - Mixed media-41x58cm

Naive Painting Challenge – Playing with style!

How does an Artist Find their Style?!

Early in their career, an artist can struggle to find the right style. I was no different and went through portraits and caricatures, abstracts, realism, surrealism and this attempt at Naivism. The painting was a commission with a specific brief. In the words of the commissioner. She like “Boring” pictures amd wanted a hilly scene with 4 tiny figures and 2 dogs that she and her husband could imagine as themselves, their children and dogs. Here’s the creation of a painting from blank canvas to finished piece.

It’s turned out well for the style. I resisted the urge to put more texture and detail in. I’m really not cut out for Naive styles, but it’s fun occasionally.

Below are examples of my caricture and abstract phases.

Caricature of Ewan McGregor as Jedi Knight
Cathy Read - Artist - A Meeting of Minds Painting

Then there were the collage paintings and an early Mill obsession, inspired by a childhood walking to school past them. Times Mill was a local landmark and I’d pass it daily on the walk to school. This is from the disused railway line – a preferred route by many of us,

Times Mill - 42x56cm - Mixed media Collage - ©2010 Cathy Read
Times Mill - 42x56cm - Mixed media Collage - ©2010 Cathy Read

Quarry Bank Mill was a commission, which came as a result of the first one above.

©2012 - Cathy Read -Quarry Bank Mill - Mixed media-41x58cm

Eventually I found may way to creating painitngs like these.

London bus paintng. ©2015 - Cathy Read - Bus Queue - Watercolour and Acrylic - 55x75 cm

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