A Finale
This is the end of a season, the season of painting competitions. I’ll miss them. They give me the adrenaline and push to conceive and create a large painting in a short time. I’m also convinced that they make me paint better with the competition of the really good and more experienced painters out there.
Autunno, Parco degli Acquedotti50×60 cmOil on Canvas© Kelly Medford, 2012This competition, well, it really wasn’t what I expected. In fact I had no idea what to expect. A friend emailed me on Friday to tell me about it so I went.I was the only full-time painter there I believe and from the get go became known as “The American,” which was fun. Mostly it was a competition and a day for children to get out and paint and participate in the arts. The adults that participated had mostly brought their children along for fun, it was painting for sport.I didn’t win anything except the official title of “la americana,” but I was happy to have the day and the chance to create a larger painting in one of my favorite spots.In reflecting on the nature of competitions and watching myself in them get all nervous and excited, it’s good to keep in perspective the fact that the whole thing in the end is just to get out there and paint. Sometimes we don’t perform our best and sometimes we surprise ourselves when performing on demand. All of it adds up to practice and maybe a little bit thicker skin knowing that you gave it your all no matter the result.The desire to be recognized can be strong in an artist. I would say that sometimes we can even be driven by this, distracting us from our work. The desire to make paintings that please could be seen as childish or rather as serving collectors and contributing beauty to the world around us.All I know is that this path keeps taking twists and turns and I sometimes think I’m leading the way, then other times I’m not so sure. I do know that I want to paint Rome and to document it for good, bad, ugly or beautiful, just as it is now.This is my mission or what I am called to do.Where it will lead me I can’t really say.You can see today’s painting here on the website:https://kellymedford.com/works/992314/autunno-parco-degli-acquedottiSee paintings from the 120 Day Project here:https://kellymedford.com/collections/48556Upcoming Exhibition:An American in Rome: Paintings and Stories from the StreetsCasa della Cultura, Villa de SanctisVia dei Gordiani, 5RomeOpening Reception Saturday, October 274-7 p.m.