15 "What Ifs" by Chelsea Thompto about my Current Paintings

Graduate seminar last night was led by professor Sarah Flohr, one of our full time faculty members here in painting at CSUS. We set up for what we thought was a simple critique, but instead Sarah assigned us each a piece or group of pieces to write 15 "What ifs". Chelsea Thompto, my grad peer and good friend was assigned my group of paintings that I had displayed for critique. Being who she is, a creative, genuine, and poetic woman- she came up with some great "what ifs" that stuck with me right away. I wanted to share those points here.



1. What if the pours were/ are representational of figure or landscape?
2. What if borders were addressed more?
3. What if you were colorblind?
4. What if your canvases were square?
5. What of your paintings were on the ground?
6. What if you made your own painting tools?
7. What if the learned painting canon had more women?
8. What if chance operation was a fallacy?
9. What if your painting gestures were considered political?
10. What if you made paintings in zero gravity?
11. What if you changed the role of drips in your paintings?
12. What if your palette was based on your clothes?
13. What if you painted in the dark?
14. What if being a painter was immoral?
15. What if you disregarded everything I wrote?

Bonus (alteration of #14)

16. What if painting was considered a sin?