Archive for March, 2011
Maker’s Blinders
Canadian artist, Robert Genn, is in Santa Fe but he still receives email from his readers. One wrote this week saying he had “Maker’s blinders.” He sees only one part of his oil painting even though other parts might be substandard – as if he had on blinders.
Genn replied that this is a common malady. It’s human nature to pay attention to what we do well and avoid what we don’t. Here are some tips to avoid that problem: 1) See the “big picture” – the whole work as it might play out, perhaps in many outcomes, 2) See the “whole meaning” of the work so that one part will not distract from the main thought, 3) Regularly refresh and reboot your image-in-progress. Walk away and leave your work for a while, 4) Give yourself creative power over all. When you begin to see yourself not as a technician, but as a master “auteur,” you begin to be one. Don’t consult with someone else. Your consultant may have blinders on also.
Art Class, Again
Today was our fourth “Paint Your Passion” class. Next week is our last one. I like this class so much because Teacher always gives us something to think about. Today she brought pictures of still lifes, dining situations and other scenes inside the home. If a student is not interested in her subject, the student can work on whatever she likes.
At the beginning critique we each showed work we had completed since last week. I had chosen a photo of a plein air painter painting the landscape because it reminded me of a former teacher. My painting needed more green in the shrubbery as I had made it only brown so I corrected that first.
I am not interested in painting still life or any kind of construction or buildings. I had brought a tiny photo of some colorful landscape I liked, so went to the office, had it enlarged and began work on that. I’ll enjoy working on that for next time.
Linnea in Monet’s Garden
As a young girl, one of my favorite books was “Linnea in Monet’s Garden.” In tells the story of a young girl who accompanies her elderly neighbor to Paris to visit Monet’s garden. The simple storyline and ample photographs were a wonderful introduction to art, and particularly to the work of Claude Monet.
My parents also bought me a matching Linnea doll and I have watched the animated movie based on the book several times. I have introduced the book to my own young ones and they seem to love it just as much as I did. Actually, the book has inspired me to learn more about the plein air painter as well as his colleagues. Perhaps when my children are a bit older we too can visit Monet’s garden.
A Spiritual Event
Robert Genn, Canadian painter, in his twice-weekly newsletter last week described painting as a spiritual event. He said, “The act has something to do with making a physical tribute – a sort of visual prayer – honoring the gifts that surround us and the life we’ve been given.” Specifically, he mentions the following:
Art establishes and makes tangible a time, a place, a thought, an idea. Art, properly made, enhances and enriches the lives of others. Art gives an opportunity to endow new life and new meaning into the ordinary. Art gives an opportunity to design your own world, and, as in your children, create a significant immortality.
Art is hard-earned work that is its own reward and has a degree of permanence. Art, because it’s so easy to do, and yet so difficult to do well, encourages humility in the human soul. Art is an apprenticeship that can be stretched into a lifelong education. Art thrives on democratic ideals, freedom of expression and rugged individualism. Art permits you to step out of the labyrinth and into a quiet corner of your own private joy. “Work is love made visible.” (Kahlil Gibran)
Growing
This winter, I have painted such a variety of things. I began by drawing a group of items which were in my purse and by elongating and diminishing them, came up with an abstract painting of triangles and circles. Amazing! What followed were studies of circles and rectangles to create more abstract art. Along the way, I’ve gotten help with some of my oil paintings, too.
Recently, I’ve painted an abstract landscape, colorful fish, and a figure study of a plein air painter. Who knows what Teacher will come up with next? It has been a great ride! I have grown a lot and loved every minute!
School’s Out
Last week in my “Paint Your Passion” acrylic painting class, I chose a photo of a group of colorful fish to paint. Today I brought the finished painting to class and everyone liked it! I was happy because I had spent time one day just doing the background. The next day I painted the multi-colored fish and named the painting, “School’s Out.”
The lesson today was to paint one or more figures. Teacher showed us several examples of figures representing people, but certainly not portraits! Some were very flat, some askew, some painted a variety of colors – blue, for example – so that we would understand that there are many ways to paint a person. I chose a photo of a plein air painter to paint because I know so many. The painting in the photo was hastily done so it was easy to replicate it for it had few details. I was able to get a large part of the work done in class, but will complete it soon.
Recovering Your Inner Artist
Robert Genn, Canadian artist, writes a twice weekly newsletter to which I subscribe. Recently a reader wrote to Genn saying he had lost his “inner artist” over the years due to taking care of grandparents, running a business and other life responsibilities. He is not able to begin again and has frequent feelings of failure although he looks at art magazines and books to try to stimulate his creativity.
Genn replied that every artist has those feelings, whether for a few minutes, weeks or years. Books don’t usually help – you have to get yourself busy. Your own personal creative processes are their own reward. Oil painting can be a parade of minor defeats and failures, but overall, the individual working process is more positive than negative. In Canada, they call it “beavering away.” Beavering can start at any time, even with old beavers. Beavers pay little attention to the overweening mountain. Simple accumulation changes the course of rivers.
Your “inner artist” is just temporarily out of action. It just needs exercise. Ready or not, you need to start. The philosopher Lao-Tzu (604-531 BC) said it well: “A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.”
Color
This winter I have been exposed to so much color! I visited the gallery of Leoma Lovegrove, well known painter in the Fort Myers area, in Matlacha, Pine Island, just off the coast of Fort Myers. Her paintings are among the most colorful I have ever seen. My acrylic teacher, Shirley Blake, is an abstract artist who loves color. Also, I found the web site of Wolf Kahn, a wonderful painter of abstract landscapes, which are full of colorful trees and backgrounds! His works are a wonderful inspiration to me.
I am so hoping that some of these colors will seep into my pores. I love color and am trying to do a better job of incorporating it into my paintings!
“Meandering” is Finished
The photo today is “Meandering”, the abstract acrylic painting I finished yesterday. I described it in Friday’s blog spot.
Last week in class I chose a painting of colorful fish to paint for Wednesday’s class, and have been working on it this past weekend. I am not an experienced acrylic painter an have had a difficult time covering the canvas. It just seems to take me 2 or 3 times of repainting an area in order to get the little holes caused by the weave of the cotton canvas filled.
Actually, these particular canvases seemed extra rough, so I gave them all a coat of gesso. Then I primed this one with light blue and have lightly painted on the fish in white. Most of my time today was spent putting in the background in dark blue and green, light blue and white. I’m anxious to see how the colorful fish will look!
Reworking “Meandering”
Today I had time to work on only one abstract painting. I chose the acrylic painting which has several bright colors in the background with a yellow line meandering throughout the painting.
The green splotch had an “arm” that reached into the pink which Teacher didn’t like. I was to paint over the green “arm” so that the remaining green splotch was more or less circular. In order to cover that green, I had to put on a white coat. Then I noticed the picture had 3 pink splotches and a red one in addition to the greens and blues, and I decided to change that pink splotch to orange. The problem was that the orange I chose was too similar in value to its neighbor, the red. Tomorrow I’ll try to find an orange that will go with both the red and the green. This will all become clear when I post the photo on Monday.