​​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 11. 'Of Dubitable Embodiment.'

Dubitable: possible to doubt: possibly not true. Arguable, controversial, contentious.  

Embodiment: a tangible or visible form of an idea, quality, or feeling. Representation, incarnation, paradigm. 

​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 10. 'Of Perplexing Guise.'

Perplexing: completely baffling or very puzzling. Confounding, mystifying, bewildering, dumbfounding.

Guise: appearance, or manner of presentation, typically concealing the true nature of something. likeness, appearance, semblance, form.

Perhaps its because tonight is Halloween but somehow the word Guise sprang quickly and appropriately to mind when I was considering the title of this painting. Having lived in Scotland I'm very familiar with 'guising'. 

​​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 9. 'Of Ambiguous Rendering.'

Ambiguous: open to more than one interpretation. Cryptic, dark, enigmatic obscure.

Rendering: to represent or depict. Portray, show, interpret, execute.

This title really interests me. It has a a relationship to all my work, not just this painting, but I guess they all do. This one feels particularly significant though in terms of some my painting ideas which are currently  being revisited. 

​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 8, 'Of Obscure Nature.'

Obscure: not discovered or known about; uncertain. Hazy, doubtful, dubious, mysterious.

Nature: the basic or inherent features of something, especially when seen as characteristic of it. Identity, variety,  category, classification.

​Once again I spent quite some time deciding on the title for this painting. As always I do not intend to allude to anything. What do you think?

​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all Part 7 'Of Debatable Topic.'

Debatable: open to interpretation, discussion or argument. Unclear, moot, unknown, perplexing. 

Topic: a matter dealt with in a text, discourse, or conversation; a subject. Theme, concept, area, matter.
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I chose quite a (non)specific title of this piece. One that is still intended to say nothing about the work itself, but one that alludes to the conversations that the piece has already provoked. 

How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all? Part 6. Of Equivocal Configuration'.

Equivocal: open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous, vague, indeterminate.
Uncertain or questionable in nature.

Configuration: an arrangement of parts or elements in a particular form, figure, or combination. Arrangement, order, presentation. 

Draw what you will from this. What is it to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all? Part 5. 'Of Esoteric Appearance.'

Esoteric: ideas, or a way of thinking that are obscure or complex. Abstruse, recherché, abstract, enigmatic, cryptic.
​Appearance: the way that someone or something looks. Aspect, presence, demeaner,  figure, mien.

I feel like I need to me extra careful with what I say here. At this point this possibly one of my favourite paintings in this series, and because of that there is something of a hankering to say more than I should. But I won't, I'll stick to my rationale of 'not leading the witness'.

What I will say is that I would really like for you, the observer, to really consider the choice of title and how that it may relate or even balance with what you may consider you see on the canvas. As usual I'd love to hear your thought and ideas. 

How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all? Part 4. 'Of Inexplicable Disposition.'

Inexplicable; unable to be explained or accounted for. unexplainable incomprehensible unfathomable impenetrable insoluble. From the Latin 'inexplicabilis', ‘that cannot be unfolded’

Disposition: an inherent qualities of mind and character. temperament nature character constitution makeup'

Obviously I am now faced with the usual problem of what to say without saying anything. But on this occasion I have a jewel in my definitions; Inexplicable; From the Latin 'inexplicabilis', ‘that cannot be unfolded’. That cannot be unfolded, I love that, I'm sure it will make it's way into more of my work and ideas

​How to talk about a painting without saying anything at all? Part 3 ‘Of Indeterminate Form.’

Indeterminate: not exactly known, established, or defined.  Vague, unspecific or indefinite.
Form:a particular way in which a thing exists or appears; a manifestation. Shape formation, structure.

I'm at this point once more, challenged to say something about my latest painting without saying anything! 
'Of Indeterminate Form' is another painting which has occupied my easel and my mind for a long, long time. It's been so close and yet so far. In the end it was resolved by keeping it out of storage, alongside other paintings that I was working on. Painting is of course a learning process, even for someone who has been doing it for as long as I have. Aspects of one painting, lessons learned in another painting, they all come together in the end to make the the whole larger than the some of ofs parts. Or at least that's what I think. What about you? As usual I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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