Some time ago, I read an article in an art magazine in which the author encouraged artists of all abilities to write an "artist's statement" consisting of points such as, how one's work is made, what kind of work one creates , why one makes it, and how one sees it develop.

I thought at first that this was rather grand for a humble amateur such as myself, and seemed to belong to Avant garde artists involved in various "isms". But the writer pointed out that everyone should do this as it helps to focus on your subject and get the most out of it and your materials. So I thought I'd have a try and do some artistic self analysis. That's where I came to grief! I found it really difficult to define why I paint the subjects I do, and so I thought it would be interesting to ask my fellow members on the forum why they paint the subjects they paint. So would be interested to hear your opinions, even if you think it's all pointless self searching.

Thank you for reading this, and sorry it's so long!