Finding your style as an artist is like a prison.
You find something that works, and you stick with it. Forever. This is often the case for many artists. Once you land on something that brings even a hint of commercial success, you start to worry: If I try something different, will it kill my momentum?
I’m still very young in my artistic career, but I want to try my hardest not to find myself locked in that self-contained prison. When you look at my work, it may seem a little all over the place. I maintain the Western and Native American themes, but the styles often clash.
Some of my work has been called “contemporary,” while other pieces are seen as more “traditional.” I guess my question is — why can’t I do both? Wouldn’t that just show more of my range as an artist? I believe it’s important for me to practice both muscles.
People often say the more contemporary paintings are what they see as more commercially viable. For example, my White Earth series — a collection of paintings with a simple background: one solid color taking up three-quarters of the canvas, with the remaining quarter being a clean white strip. Overlaid is a realistic oil painting of a grazing bison. I get it — they’re attractive paintings.
But why are they no fun for me to make?
I guess they feel easy. That kind of simplicity works a lot of the time, but it’s not necessarily the most fulfilling thing to create.
I much prefer chasing subtle complexity. The new series I’m working on is called Comanche Legacy. It depicts three generations of legendary Comanche chiefs — but the twist is, I’m painting Native Americans in the style of the Baroque painters. I like to say I’m painting the West in Tenebrism. These paintings excite me. They’re much more difficult. They take more skill.
I understand that skill isn’t everything in art — but I do think it’s an underrated aspect.
So what kind of artist am I? I’m not quite sure. I suppose that’s for my audience to decide. I would say I’m simply painting what I want, how I want.
Am I contemporary? Am I traditional? Am I both? Am I neither?
Maybe it doesn’t matter.
Maybe what does matter is only that I paint — by any means — and hope it connects with people
- Julian Centofante