Painterly VS Photographic Accuracy

I am torn between what is painterly execution and what is a photographic resolution of an image. If I look at the great painters (historically) I am reminded of August Renoir, one of the great impressionists.

If we think of him in context with Monet, Sisley,Caillebote , and Pisarro, his work is loose,interpretive, and very painterly. Although he rarely painted plein aire, it is not until his later works that we see his conflict (much like mine)... his great regard for the Classical period of French Painting that included Ingres and Gerome, pushed him to polish his work and create his neoclassic pieces.

We consider the work of Degas to be an impressionist, but it is more from the time that he painted and shared exhibitions with his contemporaries, than his approach or working philopsophy.

While I studied with Philip Pearlman, and met and much admired the works of Gabriel Ladderman and Alfred Leslie, I leaned away from polish and deliberation, and became swept up in execution and bravura.I think it becomes more pronounced the older we get, due in part to impatience, and acceptance of of who we are and what we want to accomplish. This is not necessarily a lowering of standards. Look at the mature painting style of Matisse, and then the fact that he had to go to cut paper to express his working ideas. I still look at the more polished works (Philip always called them slick) often with admiration, sometimes with jealousy, not often with scorn.

I recommend that you viewt the works of Brad Stevens and Mike Francis (you will have to google them), two of my college peers. I shared a studio with both of them and perhaps you can see their influences on my work, or vice versa. We all studied and worked closely with Bill Woodward, one of the giants of our time.