Painting Like a Wild Beast

I am surrounded by muted colors, neutrals, and shades of gray. The decor in my house is understated, my closet overflows with blacks and browns, and my car is a boring dark gray. Even my language is not colorful, except perhaps the occasional mumbled swear word while driving. I am, simply, a quiet and reflective person. I do not live out loud, in a vibrant, expressive, colorful nature, even when I feel that way inside.

My creative endeavors often reflect this aspect of my personality. My art tends to be realistic, with natural colors, small brush strokes, extensive detail, and great attention to light and shadow. This semester, however, I am challenging myself to try new things. So, in a complete upheaval of my preferred style, I decided to give Fauvism a try.

The word ‘Fauvism’ may be unfamiliar to many, but the style is distinct and recognizable. Emerging in the early 20th century, Fauvism is characterized by bold, expressive brushwork and a vibrant, unnatural use of color. In 1905, when some of these paintings were first displayed at the Paris Salon, one unimpressed art critic complained that, “A pot of paint has been flung in the face of the public.” Louis Vauxcelles, another critic, disparagingly called the artists “Les Fauves,” which is french for “wild beasts.” Although meant as an insult, the name stuck and the artists themselves began to refer to their style as Fauvism. Two of the most well known Fauvist artists were Henri Matisse and Andre Derain.

Henri Matisse, Woman With a Hat

Andre Derain, Fishing Port, Collioure

Now that you’ve seen a couple extraordinary paintings by the masters of Fauvism, take a look at my first attempts. To be honest, this was a challenging and stressful experiment for me. As someone who generally strives for accuracy, I found it appalling to use teal and napthol red on an ox, or to apply broad strokes of vivid colors across a sky (which a classmate subsequently referred to as my “spicy ass clouds”). I tore up several initial attempts, and even my final paintings below contain layer upon layer upon layer of paint as I kept trying to figure it out.

Christi Seidman, Wyoming Windmills

Christi Seidman, Horsetooth Rock

Christi Seidman, Ox and Tukul

In the end, I’m somewhat pleased by the results, and am especially proud of the windmill painting. However, this style seems so unnatural and uncomfortable to me. I don’t know if I’ll continue to paint like a “wild beast,” because as a Fauve, I’m kind of a basketcase. Although, perhaps that crazy emotion is the best frame of mind for creating art?