In which area (visual art) do I have more skill?

[Artything]

I hope it's ok to post small images to the forum!
I have education and background in arts but not in painting. I worked in design and used digital for the most part. So the painting and collage are new for me, and whilst I have been experimenting in different techniques and styles, I can't for the life of me work out which I have any affinity with, if at all!

I am not looking to sell work but would definitely like to take it more seriously if only for my own satisfaction and pleasure. Am interested how an unbiased observer would see these, and which you think I show more skill with.
I will split the photos over two posts.

EDIT to add, these are a mix of painting and collage. Only the little birds are vintage cutouts, the rest my own painting in watercolour and mixed media.

Thank you!

I really don't know very much about art but I'd echo what others have said about your landscapes - very compelling in a bleak, melancholic sort of way. I'd definitely appreciate having one on my wall!

I liked the landscape too.

I know what you mean about Maria Wigge; there are a lot of artists who work in that ephemeral, loose-looking style - she was just the first one to come to mind! If you don’t enjoy painting and drawing, is that possibly because you put pressure on yourself to achieve a particular outcome? Just a thought - but if you’ve clarified that your passions lie elsewhere, crack on!

I've definitely put pressure on myself in the past, I had this fixed idea that I wanted to paint, although it had never really come naturally to me. I had previously worked with moving images, combining other media such as poetry, sound, digital collage.
After many years of working that way I really ran out of ideas, that part of my life felt complete and I needed to move on, and wanted to create something more...solid, in one piece, in 2D. Painting seemed like the natural solution, but I must admit I have struggled with it these past few years. It feels like fighting my way through an iron thicket!

Something in this thread just caught me off guard, when asked about joy, it hit me like a ton of bricks that painting makes me nervous, although I don't know why. I need to give it more thought!

I love your botanical pieces too, I’ve a friend who’s a botanical artist and people underestimate how hard they are to do

I love your work.

The first designs seem good enough for commercial cards, wallpapers, invitations and labels.

The second post, I love the landscapes for hanging.
Have you tried selling them?
They are beautiful places; how great to be able to soak in scenes like those, Op.

Thank you everyone for your opinions and thoughts on my post.

I can't even imagine getting to a point where I could show, let alone sell them.
Sadly the examples I have shown are, for the most part, all that I have, as I have tried for many years to repeat the landscapes and can't for the life of me do it.

I can literally spend a full week's holiday with my paints and almost all attempts simply fail. Whilst I do agree that skills can be learned, I do think that having a natural affinity is possibly more important. I don't seem to have that in this medium.

I have been thinking quite a bit since posting this, asking myself what inspired me to do so, and I think I am at a precipice with it, and erring towards putting my energies elsewhere. I feel like I have been fighting with visual art for some time and am realising that pushing myself to keep painting is possibly a form of self harm

I have this passion to "pull something from nature", and can often reach that with words/poetry, sometimes accompanied with images, but not painting. Painting won't let me get the ideas out.
I apologise for this merging into a mini self therapy session, I wasn't quite expecting it.

Love your work - i particularly like the birds and flowers. Hope you do well in whichever direction you go in.

I wish I had a quarter of your talent OP. I like them all but I found the landscape very evocative.

I like the plants - but not the first photo.

The birds have potential.

Not fond of the landscapes - seem very grey and depressing to me.

I like them all! Landscapes have melancholic peaceful vibe, birds and plants remind me of 19th century book illustrations.

Go with your gut feeling and I suggest this because you are very creative, your illustration, and attention to detail is pretty tremendous.

In other words, the answer will come to you.

Your art is absalutely amazing by the way👍⭐😃

Again - it matters not what others think op; and the negative feelings possibly stem from fear (of the uncomfortable feelings you might have if it doesn’t’work out’ (I’m rubbish, why did I think I could do this? and on and on). Once you realise feelings stem from thoughts (as above) and thoughts are not the boss of you, you can let them pass through, as they always do, and carry on regardless, or decide from a place of calm that there are other avenues you want to explore and it’s no big deal either way.
You can see from the variety of replies here that people often respond based on what they ‘like’ or don’t like, which is completely irrelevant to you as the artist. Also, as an aside: there’s nothing more annoying than someone telling you they can ‘see’ something in your work.

Thanks for your thoughtful replies. You are right about the expectation of disappointment, but it has been years now, and I am not quite sure how to tell the difference between something 'clearly not working' or my own self sabotage.

People tend to encourage us, typically, to persevere, especially in the arts, as if keeping on trying will bring rewards, bit it doesn't always work like that!

Firstly, I think they’re lovely pieces! Tell you what through, I almost feel the two posts are pieces by different artists (not a bad thing, just a comment). I enjoy the type in your collage, it’s a lovely effect.

I know you said you’re having trouble fetting more landscapes done, what if you tried slightly different media - like pen and ink? Or gouache?

I mentioned working in various media in the past, which included paper and digital collage, often with 3D elements and moving images. Most of my themes were associated with nature and dreams, so perhaps the leap to minimalist landscape/flower painting was going to be tough!

Here is an example of how I used to work (around 2014 ish) ..

That’s stunning! Although I’m biased as I have a weakness for owls :)

‘People tend to encourage us, typically, to persevere, especially in the arts, as if keeping on trying will bring rewards, bit it doesn't always work like that!’
Fair point - tell me about it!

I collect landscapes, particularly watercolours, and yours are very much what I would buy.

Thank you again..

I do feel that the landscapes are the strongest, but I can't for the life of me reproduce one. I get a lucky accident or nothing. I find it very difficult to control paint.

@Agoddessonamountaintop I think you're probably right if you mean that the subjective opinion of others should not limit an artist - they should be free to create work that only pleases them - but even the old masters had to earn their keep. Surely all these responses (by and large positive) to the OP's art are relevant if she has any ambition to make a living from her work? Don't most artists have their passion projects and their bread and butter work? Posters are basically saying they would buy her work - surely that's not something to be sniffed at?

I’m not sniffing at anything. Yes artists who want to make a living will always to some extent be thinking about what their audience might buy (some would argue that’s illustration and not fine art but that’s another discussion).
But the op says:
’I am not looking to sell work but would definitely like to take it more seriously if only for my own satisfaction and pleasure. Am interested how an unbiased observer would see these, and which you think I show more skill with.’
Whether or not a stranger on the internet says they would buy a piece doesn’t signify when she wants to make work for her own satisfaction. There is an audience somewhere for every sort of art and if you are capable, as the op clearly is, of many different genres, at some point you might find it helpful to make a decision as to where to apply your time and effort based on your own preferences - self direction is part of being an artist but it doesn’t always coms easy - hence this post I suppose.

Yes, It's absolutely very encouraging to hear that some people would like to see my landscape examples on their wall!
Also true that I asked for hints on which direction might show more strength as opposed to saleability...I can't imagine even thinking of marketing anything at this point, perhaps a good few years of development first, if I manage to stick with it.

It's just great to hear different thoughts and ideas, since I am currently working in relative isolation, and even after scattering a few online, I don' really get much feedback. I was attracted to this part of MN because people generally don't hold back, they'll tell you if it's a dud!

I really do appreciate all comments. Especially the bird testicles..

I did make some progress yesterday, and have been practicing working with texture and abstraction. I think the ideas I have are currently beyond my ability to render them, but tempted to give it some more time and practice. I am just so tired of failure.

As for catering to an audience, I have the feeling that finding what resonates with myself fist and foremost is the only way to proceed, which would make stronger work, and perhaps a greater possibility attracting an audience much later on.
That said, it has been great to hear opinions because I do not like making botanical or cute work, so it's a relief that the landscapes were more popular