A Drawing a Day: How Cliché
I never really liked painting sunrises or sunsets. It’s probably because of an idea I have in my mind about them being so cliché for artists and photographers.
But today, waking up on the 26th floor on my friends new apartment, I couldn’t resist being so taken by the dawning view from the box shaped window. Sunrises are fantastic for all the cliché reasons, the shifting burst of colors, the serenity, the divinely inspired beauty. But trying to actually paint one can be nothing but frustrating.
It was my first attempt to “paint” a sunrise. I actually was more interested in drawing the skyline, but I couldn’t resist trying to mimic the baby soft background of pinks and blues climbing up around the buildings. I’d have to say that I have a new found respect for artists that are able to paint beautiful sunrises. Being able to capture all the right hues in the right shapes and movement is really quite a skill. One that I apparently do not possess, as per today’s drawing.
Feeling the need to really capture the view I had to get out my camera and take a few shots. Although I’d have to say my opinion about photographers that take photos of sunrises remains the same: how cliché! I mean, its really easy to take a beautiful photograph if your subject is the sunrise.
But even as I write this I feel I’m fulfilling the cliché of a an “artists” morning – up at sunrise, contemplating the day ahead while gazing out the window of a city scraper apartment, writing and making “art.” And in the fashion of repeating things until they get worn out, I will say it once again: How cliché!
