You may or may not know there is a difference between naming and cataloging. Do I know the difference? Sort of, but I can tell you this much: its a learning process and interpretive. To me a catalogue is a way to organize what you've done and a name is a title. Since names and titles are one in the same, we'll look at my methodology, process and ideas about it.
Sometimes the name is easy and just comes to you right away, other times it may take months and you still come up with nothing. When that happens that jeopardy theme song from final jeopardy starts to play. There have even been times where I have come up with multiple names for the same painting and couldn't decide which one to use, as they were all fitting for the piece. I may or may not have lost sleep over it.
The dilemma of naming gets even more intense and demanding when you have to display pieces in the public. I have displayed my art in several locations and those pieces and their names were mostly painless.
Below I can and will give you two (2) examples of pieces that i have displayed publicly and these paintings immediately stick out in my mind of pieces that, for me were relatively difficult to title.
The first was a piece and idea i had and ran with, the painting process was extremely difficult and ever changing. the naming process was even worse. Finally i said enough, i quit with the painting modifications and finally, named and displayed it publicly.
as of today (12/4) it is called 'down the road'. yes, i hate the name however i am mostly satisfied with the painting, the way i see it, only a few things need to be done but i'll work it out.
the next painting i'll share with you wasn't as difficult to name eventually but i didn't come up with the name until days before the display deadline. 'the extended extension', seen below:
When i first created the piece, the name completely escaped me. i did put the image on my website and Facebook page and from what i hear someone is interested in buying it. Currently it is part of a show in Corning, Ny. Looking at it now, i can say i am happy with the painting and the title.
I would imagine that most people (art appreciators) may not fully understand how hard the process of titling a painting can be until now. And what i said and showed probably doesn't make it any easier. But, Ive learned that a name can make or break a painting, which is sad and understandable to say the least. If the name doesn't resonate, the painting is dead or at the very least it must take something away.
I find it incredibly funny that naming children was easier than naming paintings, and i should know, i named both of my children with fitting names. Perhaps I should try and apply that process, whatever it was, to my paintings.
