You could argue that art is the defining trait that sets us apart from other species. At the very least it’s one of them. Every human has art in their bones. Each of us are compelled by different kinds of art. We all crave expressions of our human experience in our homes and our lives. If the human voice is a right, art also is a right.
Having experienced being too poor to purchase art I felt strongly about keeping my art accessible, even to people with a small budget. I also felt strongly about paying my bills so I had a predicament.
The solution I came up with was tiny paintings. A lot of the cost of a painting is in the canvas. Beyond that it’s my time. The time I spend on each painting and the time I’ve spent, over a whole life, compiling my skill is what you’re truly paying for. Tiny paintings are painted on tiny canvases and therefore can be offered to the world at tiny prices. At least comparatively sized.
Each painting still gets all my attention and love. That’s the only way I know how to paint. In making art on such a limited space there’s a whole new kind of freedom because one doesn’t have to commit to a theme. It’s just a snippet of scene, your imagination remains free to fill in the rest of the context.
We’re all struggling to balance work and life. I like to imagine that these little paintings help tip the scale towards the good things in life, for everyone.
https://www.rachelratcliff.com/
