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   CHAIROSCURO, Laura Prikule and Eva Vēvere, Upper Gallery, Mukusala Art Salon, 2017

2. Memories About Painting

   by Laura Prikule

   I used to think the primary purpose of painting was instant gratification of the sense organs. I used to think one could express anything/ everything just by using different colors and juxtaposing them against each other. I used to think painting had to be an emotional activity. I used to enjoy the very process of applying paint on canvas. I used to layer one idea on top of another until it was impossible to recognize any of them. I used to like painting large scale. I liked stretching and priming canvas. I used to like showing my work as often as possible. I used to enjoy painting in the early hours (1.00 am to 3.00 am. I used to play loud jazz-era music while painting. I used to think of painting as a job. I used to like paintings done until the 1960s. I liked to use different textures in my painting. I used to like painting on an easel. I used to paint almost every day (or night). I used to stay in my studio for extensive periods of tie. I used to wear all black. I liked to use a lot of paint. I liked to use top quality paints. I used to have a studio in a former factory. My studio had windows, I liked looking outside. I used to mix paint on a plexiglass palette. When painting I used a variety of palette knives. I used to like abstract paintings. I used to like going to museums and gallery openings. I used to like gestural painting. I used to like not having my paintings under control. I used to like looking at my paintings. I used to like oil paint. Most of the professors I have worked with are painters. I majored in Painting in my undergrad. Painting used to be the only art form I was truly interested in. I used to work with a gallery. I used to paint without a specific idea to express. I used to think painting had to be aesthetically pleasing. I used to have a very formal approach to painting. I used to think painters had to be lonely. My mood used to affect the look of my painting. I used to find it difficult to price my paintings. I used to take photos and shoot slides of my paintings. I used to think artwork had to be long-lasting. I used to like leaving brush marks. I used to like dividing my paintings in color fields. Blue and orange used to be my favorite colors. I did not consider painting from real-life an engaging activity. I used to think painting had to be fun. I thought I knew what painting is about. I used to read books and magazines about painting. I used a wide range of color. I used to think about my paintings even when I was not in my studio. The world for me used to be a huge canvas of endless combinations. For me to actually like a thing it had to be decorative. I used to approach work in other media from the viewpoint of a painter. I could paint very fast or very slow. I used to like covering the canvas with thick layers of paint. I liked to use turpentine. I liked to use alkyd gel as well. I used to like those painters who were good colorists. When I was growing up I used to have a huge painting in my bedroom. I used to like working from imagination. I used to hire a minivan to move my paintings.