we have framed the landscape with skill

Whats the skill is made of? We are talking in terms of landscape painting here. More of watercolour landscapes as it is dominant medium especially in on locale type.

Skill in crafts or any activity where specialization is required is matter of doing certain thing better, efficiently, effectively, 'beautifully' than other less 'endowed' practioners of that craft. Skill separates men from boys. Seniors from apprentices. Skill makes it's owner superior to the others who are mediocre. Skillfull mechanic will attract more business and renown. But we are not talking of craft here. And in this there is no insult meant to craft. Its perfectly honourable to do your thing with honesty and dedication.And honesty and dedication is the thing. It makes life worthwhile.

But Who is an artist? How is a follower of craft different than follower of art. Art is making life beautiful... more beautiful than what it will be if artists are not there. Crafts make things easier and smooth, but beauty is different. If artists are not there, painting would have been there, just like say, cooking. Again no offence. There are people in cooking who are sublime, but everyone cooks. So everyone, nearly everyone has painted or doodled some day in his life. So, whats the job of an artist? To paint skillfully, which anyone can given time and chance? Landscape painters, and in larger context realists are threatened now with advancement in technology. We all know whats meant by that term.

One is apt to defend in the name of talent. God given ability. Whats that? Its a subject for another day. But talent is not being able to paint a bullock cart on village road in streaks of sunrays efficiently with brush.Well its already painted well by HIM, and anybody with little eyes for beauty will see. Is skill lies in putting it on paper which others cannot even though they are aware of it?

The level of 'skill' in putting it will vary i admit. Some will put it more 'beautifully' than others who will not be able to 'catch the light' or 'catch the mood'. So what? Some mechanic will repair the Mercedes better than others. And an intelligent driver 'knows' what wrong, but doesnt possesss the 'skill'. Luckily machines have not come, a la camera, that has questioned the mechanic. Good for him.

Coming back to landscape painters, camera only highlighted the obvious. Turner would never have dreamt of digital cameras which will 'paint' the sunsets better than normal run of the mill painters. He was 'turner' because he was not only skillfull but a visionary. And vision is the real 'skill' of landscape painter. For any painter also, but in case of modernists, the vision is more subtle phenomenon. For landscape 'vision' has become essential if that art form has to remain relevant.

Painting something beautifully and skillfully, was good till the practice and time spent for years disguised itself as talent. Even now when i am painting on locale, many people admire the 'skill', and then say my son also paints well.

Well well well, whats is he saying? And sometimes a young turk admires my guts to spend so much time on 'painting!!!' or 'sit on road'. But do you ever have been questioned 'WHY' you are painting this...this way? Why you are painting is a common question. But why, this way? Or why, this? Why, that area or scene? Does it question the commoner why? Not how?

When you exhibit, does the audience gets awestuck by your skill, in their sense of the word, your efforts ? Or does it get awestuck by 'differentness' of your painting itself? Be it choice of subject itself ...why this? Or choice of 'way of seeing'... whats this? Does he admires your 'differentness' in 'guiding' him in seeing the world more beautifully?

This seeing the unseen or seeing it differently is just the beginning . What landscape painter lacks is a vision. Now we usually misunderstand vision with 'way of seeing' differntly. Its too narrow or rather wrong interpretation.

The skill which we talk of, somewhat consists of this skill of seeing things also. Some see things differently than others. You will say thats true for all. Yes, but we are talking of degrees here. Slight change of angle or composing tree here and there on picture square is not seing things differently.

So first angle of view. Then seeing it 'differently'. Then vision. These three steps loosely in a way differentiate the skill from talent. From practice to passion. Now dont think you are to climb this step by step. Well, it just marks out levels or types. Maybe levels of landscape painters themselves. And this applies more to landscape painting. Talent has different connotations for different genres.

Majority excel in skill. Find solace and pride in that. Few have the aptitude of angle of view and seeing things differently. Sometimes or most of the times its misjudged as divine talent. A different angle of view makes landscape attractive and commands attention. And different way of seeing helps artist to paint such subjects or locations which others wont even imagine as candidate for painting. But thats not exactly a vision.
Even my own experience in journey so far can vouch for this. 
 Majority of us, will feel great in 'catching' that light or catching that 'mood' or 'time of the day'...or even feel of the place. But as i said earlier its felt by all. A certain eeriness of night street, a certain light early morning in temple looks beautiful. Only thing is that painter takes years of efforts to be able to paint those.

And what happens is that 'acheivement' of skill is considered epitome of artistic excellence. Thats what is considered a great landscape should be. And that makes us stagnate.

If we get harsh on ourselves, then the attainment of skill has somewhat narrowed the scope of landscape painting. The whole sphere of excellence has diminished to 'how'. How a certain painter paints trees or how certain other paints streets or how one 'leaves white' or some other 'uses' white. How i use 'black' even though its not to be used!!! i admit everyone will have a uniuqe way of brushwork or 'illustrating' things. Everyone will have different ways of wash or detail or penache. But thats skill not talent. Definitely not god gift!

In short, the main bane of landscape has been deluding ourselves with being 'gifted' or 'talented' when we achieve a certain level of skill with practice. That makes us paint same things more skillfully year after year, generation after generation. Walking the same road with better gait as we improve with better shoes and better practice.

EVERY PAINTING NEEDS A FRAME. BUT WE HAVE FRAMED THE 'LANDSCAPE' ITSELF. WE HAVE FRAMED IT WITH SKILL.