Archive for the ‘Abstract Art’ Category
Abstract Art Class – Winter 2012 – #1
My long time friend, Thelma, stays with me in Florida for the winter. She also is a painter and together we take classes in abstract art at the Center for the Arts at Bonita Springs. Last Wednesday, was our first day of class this year, and class went something like this:
The teacher, Shirley Blake, welcomed her 12 students and we all introduced ourselves. She explained the class procedure: critique on any paintings completed since last class, lesson of the day, painting time and quick critique at end of class. She will show us a variety of methods of creating abstract paintings. We will be using acrylic paints.
The lesson began with teacher demonstrating creation of an abstract picture from a photo, and she had a variety of photos from which we could choose. The first step was to draw the general design of the objects in the chosen photo in a rectangle. In the second rectangle, enlarge some parts of the original drawing, diminishing or omitting other parts. Repeat for a third rectangle, and the picture is becoming abstract. Repeat again in a fourth rectangle and by this time, there should be no recognizable object in the drawing. In abstract art there must be no recognizable forms.
Why the Landscape Painter Should Teach a Workshop – Part 3
People attend workshops for a variety of reasons. Many have little or no previous experience with art and merely want to relax, have fun and explore their creative sides. Others want to take up art as a hobby but do not want to invest a great amount of time and effort in an ongoing program of study. Trained artists will attend them in order to acquire new skills or learn techniques outside their areas of expertise.
The big advantage of workshops is that participants receive individual attention and support from teachers. Beginners and hobbyists will appreciate the hands on approach for self esteem and personal creative growth. Artists will appreciate it for professional and technical reasons.
With such divergent interest among attendees, making students happy is of prime importance, and there are successful strategies you can employ. The two most important criteria the landscape painter should use for successful workshops are: choosing a method or technique that can be taught completely within the half-day or full day period of the workshop, and insuring that each student comes away with a finished work of art – a diploma.
Why the Landscape Painter Should Teach a Workshop – Part-2
Money is not the only reason landscape painters should teach a workshop – and may not even be the primary incentive. Artist Li Gardiner says that her workshops stimulate her own creative juices, help to relieve artists’ block and give her ideas and inspiration for future work. Within the arts community, an overall increase of exposure results from teaching workshops. Artists add students’ names to their mailing lists for future workshops. Students return and often bring friends who are interested in painting.
Artists who teach other artists in their workshop report that they are great avenues for networking. Artists find that by maintaining contact with each other, they are more effective at creating and marketing their own art than those who go it alone. In addition, teaching lends an aura of authority to artists. Being a voice of experience can lead to opportunities in other areas, such as writing articles or books.
Love and Anger of the Landscape Painter
Love and anger are two of the motivators for making art. Due to economic conditions, disabilities, peer pressure, teachers or others, a few landscape painters are able to fight the uphill battle to at least channel their anger and daily they are driven to “show the world”.
“Other creatures take a more gentle and loving approach. The finding of love within our work unlocks the studio and prompts the action of hand and mind. The extraordinary prevails and even ordinary and well-trodden subject matter can be freshly explored and rejuvenated. Between the turning on and turning off of the lights there’s a span of privilege. Held steady by the gentle hand of love, we begin, we keep going, and we sign off. There may not be a higher calling,” said Robert Genn in his January 6, 2012 newsletter. “Love does not just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new.” (Ursula K. LeGuin)
Tips for Getting a Grant for the Landscape Painter – Part 1
These tips are listed in the January issue of the Artist’s Magazine and are important for the landscape painter to heed. Search online for opportunities. The internet provides a wealth of information. Network with members of local art associations, such as city arts councils and sign up to receive the clubs’ newsletters. Be conscious of the application deadline. The application process will take time, so start preparing early.
Be wary of application fees. Most legitimate groups that distribute grants and fellowships are nonprofit organizations and don’t require fees for applicants. Many programs are theme-based; therefore your application should directly address the theme. Understand all budget restrictions. For example, if the granting organization is unable to provide support for capital equipment, your budget cannot include funding to buy a camera.
Nirvana for the Landscape Painter
A well known anthropologist, Robert Ardrey, wrote in the 1860s that living beings are driven by four factors that govern their performance: Security, Recognition, Reward and Stimulation. As a civil servant tends to be more driven to achieve security (stability), the creative soul of the landscape painter is more driven by stimulation rather than any of the others.
It is stimulation that makes us cut through the skin and get to the meat, simply to work harder, to surround oneself with like-minded people, to experiment, to push boundaries, to look at everything sideways, to levitate onto a more spiritual dimension and see life from an objectively focused vantage point. Our Nirvana is a far cry from the TV set or a pat on the back.
Holiday Greetings
The holidays are here. There is only a little time left to do the last minute preparation – to share gifts and thoughts with those who are dear to us.
I want to thank all of you for reading and subscribing to my blog – for being passionate about creating and willing to put yourself “out there” for the world to see and judge – for your great desire to become better, not just as an artist but as a person – to trust yourself enough to go deep and find the artist that resides within your soul. It is you that makes the world a brighter place to live, and I thank you. Wishing you a happy Holiday Season and best wishes for the New Year.
Resources for This Landscape Painter
As you all know, being popular with Google and the other search engines is a good thing. The more popular you are, the higher the ranking is that Google gives you and your business could jump from page 150 to page 2 on any appropriate search.
There are many ways to become popular with Google – use keywords strategically in your web site, have lots of links and have a fan page on Facebook are only a few. Recently I have been reading about how to set up a fan page on Facebook and with a few books, downloads and perhaps friends, I’m hoping to accomplish this. Then perhaps Google will reward this landscape painter with a higher ranking. So today I’m ordering Facebook for Dummies, ED 4 (For Dummies, 2011) by Leah Pearlman and Carolyn Abram and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Facebook (Alpha, 2010) by Joe Kraynak and Mikal E. Belicove.
Tracking Cash Flow for the Oil Painter
In the December 2011 issue of the Professional Artist, Robert Reed, PH.D., wrote an article entitled, Planning Your Art Business Part 3: Tracking Cash Flow. Oil painters as well as others could use it. Two versions are built on Microsoft Excel (an earlier and a later version) and a third version for the Mac is built on Numbers. All are downloadable and free from www.yourartisyourbusiness.com.
In the magazine article, Dr. Reed discussed three of the worksheets available: The Income Worksheet, The Expenses Worksheet, and the Depreciation Worksheet. After I downloaded my copy, I found other worksheets are also available. The discussion seemed pretty straight forward so I’m looking forward to keeping better track of my income and expenses – and it’s just in time for the new year!
Art Walk Night
The third Thursday of the month is Art Walk night in Bonita Springs, FL. Tonight was the night and I decided to attend. Besides, my Abstract Art teacher has a studio there and I wanted to see where she works.
The Promenade in Bonita Springs is an uptown area that is part of a mall. Part of the mall is still open but many shops have been closed, mostly because of the economy of the times, and are being used by artists to display their works and use as a studio. What a wonderful use for those unused spaces.
During my walk, I saw beautiful paintings, some in acrylic, some in oils. There was also stunning fabric art like no other I had ever seen, by a lady whose mother and grandmother were also fabric artists. A lady who formerly did fashion design had absolutely beautiful jewelry. She also made the most delightful wall art from found objects like dresser handles and other antiques. Someone else had created large mobiles out of plastic of some kind – very colorful and amazing. I finally found my teacher’s studio and the art she had to display and had a wonderful time walking through the Promenade for December Art Walk.