I used to get really annoyed when I saw a piece of artwork named "untitled". I thought it was really lazy and assumed that either the artist didn't know what their art was about or that they thought they were being mysterious and intriguing. However, although I still name every piece of my artwork I can now appreciate the problem. When you have painted a dozen wildebeest watercolors what do you call them all? Or, more to the point, how many meaningful painting titles can my husband, Nigel, be expected to produce? He is the one who usually comes up with a title. Sometimes I paint a piece based around a title which has inspired me but usually the title is the last touch, even after the signature. I'll tell him there's a painting waiting for his attention and he'll go into my studio then come out and start reeling off possible titles. Its very convenient really.
I suppose the strangest thing is that I don't feel a painting is finished until it has a good title. But if I look at the artwork around my home (painted by other artists) I probably can't tell you any of the names of the pieces. So perhaps 'untitled' is not such a bad title after all.

Alison

(By the way, this piece is called "Buffalo Blues"!)

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MEMBERS COMMENTS VIEWING 1 - 2 OUT OF 2 COMMENTS From: kkrucoff 05/30/2008 22:04:05 I really enjoy your thoughts on the subject of naming pieces.  I have trouble at times and recently I have taken my husband's approach of stating the obvious about a piece.  I find some humor in that too.  Nice to collaborate with your spouse. From: ricmon 05/30/2008 18:56:08 That painting is so amazing~ and so is the name! I agree with you that if you aren't into your work to at least name it, then perhaps it isn't up to much. Rick