Artist’s Statement: I’ve been painting for five years. I am mostly self-taught.
When I started painting, I decided right away that I was going to paint for my own joy, not to please other people.
I wasn’t going to worry about whether the paintings were thought to be good or bad but was going to celebrate whenever someone found something in them. I have worked in other artistic contexts and there is always pressure to do well, to excel.
But what this resolution regarding painting did for me was free me to simply play. Like when I was a child and I had paints. Sheer playing.
This has been my method of operation since. I learn all the time, I am always experimenting, facing challenges, correcting mistakes, following unexpected paths – that is part of what makes it new and joyful for me every time.
I feel a bit mystical about painting: something comes into or through you when you paint and if you are lucky you are a vessel for it and can express what is there. I love colour, bright colour, blurry edges, motion, energy.
I can capture energy, when I paint I feel the energy of the world pulsing all around me and through me. The aliveness of things. I think my paintings are a bit child-like and simple and I am okay with that.
Childhood is when we feel wonder and constant surprise and such pleasure in the natural world, in things in and of themselves.
We love colours when we are children, we love to sing and dance, we love to make art. That’s the world I want to make for myself when I paint.
It has made the latter part of my life somewhat like the early part, painting, and I am very grateful for that, to find the simple pleasure of making art.
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Hume Baugh has published work in Queen’s Quarterly, The New Quarterly, and won This Magazine’s inaugural Great Canadian Literary Hunt with his story “Sisters.” He is the author of the play “Crush,” produced by Optic Heart Theatre in Toronto at Summerworks in 2008 and at the Factory Studio in 2011. It was nominated for Best New Play in the Independent Theatre Category at the 2012 Dora Mavor Moore Awards in Toronto. He is also the author of the monologue The Girl in the Picture Tries to Hang Up the Phone, which has been produced by Optic Heart Theatre at Buddies in Bad Times Rhubarb!; Harbourfront’s HATCH; the Windsor and Ottawa Fringes; Zoofest in Montreal; and at videofag in Toronto. His paintings have been featured in The Spadina Literary Review, Intermission, and The Fictional Café. He was previously featured in The Fictional Cafe in December 2020. He is also an actor, director and teacher.
I love the honesty and openness of your creations! Looking forward to seeing much more 🙂
Hume, You can “celebrate” today as I have found much that is compelling and blurry-beautiful in your paintings. Your subjects are original and captured so well. The colors speak to me. There is a lot happening sub rosa, more than meets the eye. Yes, “mystical” and of the mysterious side of life. I love that you write about finding the singing, dancing and surprise in your painting. Very wonderful artistic expression!
I like ’em. And as a writer I know where you’re coming from: Enjoy what you’re doing and everything else will follow.
Impressive, & much to see, especially “Three Windows, Three Figures.”