In Praise of the Still Life

I have to say a few words in praise good old fashioned still life painting. Before returning to school to paint many of these, I had drawn a few and painted even less, but had enjoyed them at the time when I did do them. As part of academic training, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about doing so many of them. I was used to seemingly more exciting subjects, and lots of free-form expression, and faces and figures etc. So a part of me thought that it may become boring with a capitol B. Boring. In the end, my appreciation for the still life has grown tremendously. I actually really love doing them--I have surprised myself with how much I enjoy them. There is something about the "purity" and "simplicity" of a still life that makes it so appealing. I use the words purity and simplicity more in terms of describing the "emotional weight" of a still life, not in the complexity or subject matter of the still life. Being free of a human figure, or animal or another living thing--except perhaps a plant or something like that, the emotional or mental effect of only objects can be very calming and clearing in some way--as the subject simply is what it is...and the act of painting that can feel very centering and clearing. At least that has been my experience. Not that a still life can't be imbued with a story or even an intended emotional charge---to make the effort to make one read that way can be interesting. Actually my still life series that I created for finals were still life paintings with a story.