Working from photographs

Near and Far original mixed media landscape by Polly Jones

Near and Far by Polly Jones

I finally did a large, 18" by 24" version of a landscape from one of the photographs I took in Italy this past summer. My mom was an artist and participated in workshops and shows when I was growing up.  She was co-president at the beginning of the Plains Art Association in my home town of Plainview, Texas.   I've been thinking back on how as a kid, learning from this environment, there was a big stigma about using a photograph to paint from. Real artists only painted from life. I've changed my mind about that over the years, believing it's what you do with the photograph that matters. It's important to keep in mind that the camera sees things different than my eye. Photography brings up the question of why paint realistically when you can just take a photograph?  What do you think?

In my Etsy store here.