Back to the Easel: Kingsmen Park

Kingsmen Creek
16 x 20
Oil on Linen
2008

Well, after nearly four months I finally got back the easel last week. This was a commissioned piece. It will be used to promote a fund raising auction that my alma mater puts on each year. The image will be used in the promotional pieces and the original will be sold at the auction.

The location is a creek that runs through the park at the center of the campus. The theme of the auction is "Violet and Gold," the school colors. I tweaked the local colors to work better with the theme. I suppose that puts this painting into the realm of illustration rather than fine art (who knows the difference anymore, though).

I felt pretty rusty at first, but got a little feeling of "flow" after push paint around for a little while. It's excited to be painting again, knowing that very soon I will be able to focus on painting for 8-10 hours a day for two days a week. Can't wait to get to the next blank canvas !!

"Orange" Accepted to OPA Show

Orange
12 x 16
Oil on Linen

I am very excited to announce that my painting "Orange" was accepted to the 2008 Oil Painters of America 2008 Western Regional Juried Exhibition.

This prestigious OPA show will be held at Devin Galleries in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, beginning Friday, September 12, 2008, through Saturday, October 11, 2008. Collectors and art lovers are invited to attend the opening reception on Friday, September 12, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with the awards presentation at 6:30 p.m. I hope to go the the reception, but time will tell if that is possible.

As you know, I have not created much work so far this year. This is one of only a few that I have finished. Acceptance to this show is a nice little boost as I go to my new work arrangement in August.

By the way, I am working on a new painting now. It is the first one in four months. It is a landscape of sorts. I am feeling a little rusty, but I think it is going well. I will post it when it is finished.

To the artist community: Thank you!

One of the wonderful discoveries I have made in taking my art and the business of art more seriously is the incredibly supportive community of artists. Your genuine and heartfelt good wishes is so very encouraging.

Many of you have shared with abandon your own experiences. You have painted a very real picture of the challenges facing an artist who is just starting out. But along with those challenges you have shared the pure joy of being an artist.

I believe that being an artist is a calling of the highest order. We have the opportunity to use our gifts to give the world beauty and hope. We show others new ways of viewing and thinking about our life experience.

I cannot thank you all enough.

Preparation for a Big Step

I have been very silent lately. I am about to take a big next step in my art career. On August 1, I will be switching to part-time employment to devote at least two full days a week only to painting.

OK, a cautious, moderately sized step. But a step nonetheless.

This is quite a sacrifice on my amazing wife's part. She's the one who makes this move possible. She is really my rock and true soul mate. If I have one incentive to make this new arrangement work, it is to make her commitment to my future successful.

I have worked full-time in an administrative position at the same university for nearly 30 years. They have generously agreed for me to work part-time so that I can devote more time to painting. The whole campus community for the President on down, have been incredibly supportive.

Here's the irony. Preparing to reduce my hours has been very time consuming. (So has a major backyard landscaping project which has been going on for far too long. More about that in a future post.)

Much of my time has been productively spent preparing the business side of my art career. Getting mailing lists organized. Updating the Web site. Getting involved in local arts organizations, establishing an online presence on Facebook, ArtSkuttlebutt.com and elsewhere.

But, for the past two months, I have painted zip. Very frustrating. I have, however, been doing a lot of soul searching primarily inspired by rewriting my artist statement under the guidance of Alyson Stanfield's book, I'd Rather Be In The Studio!. I have been reexamining where I am going artistically, and why I am going there. I believe that, once I start painting again (AUGUST 1, for sure!!), I will have greater clarity and focus in my work. I expect to be painting at a new level once the ol' rustiness is worked loose.

Enough excuses, already!

Wish me luck. And watch for new work.

On creating a style: Two paths

I have been thinking about whether or not to be deliberate in developing a style. People I deeply respect, Alyson Stanfield and Juliette Aristides, represent two opinions. Artist marketing coach, Stanfield, suggests in her book I'd Rather Be In The Studio!, that an artist should consciously develop a style that is distinctive. This differentiates an artist's work from others resulting in a signature style.

Artist, teacher and atelier advocate, Aristides, suggests in her book Classical Painting Atelier, that an artist, being a unique individual, will with time and hard work, naturally develop a style that is as unique as that artist.

I am torn between the two. My gut reaction is that Stanfield’s approach is artificial. It just feels wrong to so deliberately make an effort to be different simply to stand out from the crowd. However, she might be describing exactly what many artists do naturally. And this approach could push an artist to try new approaches, chose new subjects, try new materials and possibly discover new things about themselves.

Aristide’s concept sounds appealing to the artiste in me. It is natural, almost organic, and appeals to a democratic belief in the individual. But it might also take an artist down an easy but ultimately less satisfying road. It could take a less self-assured artist down the road to imitation of masters and other artists of influence. That can happen when an artist needs the assurance that what they create is “acceptable” and "good" rather than unique.

I think the truth lies by weaving the two concepts around a central core of honest and systematic self examination. A brutally honest search for what the artist's most basic beliefs and desires to express are. This forces a daily self-examination of what and why the artist creates which in turn guides the exploration for what is unique to stay on track with those core beliefs. The result should be honestly and uniquely the artist's born from diligent practice of the craft.

Can art be taught & goal setting

Can art be taught?
One of my favorite artist/teachers, Richard Schmid, tells us that most anyone can learn to mix colors, and the dexterity it takes to make a brush stroke is less than writing ones signature. But is that all that it takes make art? Of course not.

A choir director I know, after working on piece for weeks, told his choir, "Now that we know the words and the notes it is time to make music." Making music and art are gifts that not everyone is blessed with.

About Goal Setting
Artist, Romare Beardon, said, "I don't believe in goals; goals are for a football team. An artist is just seeking what he might find." Now he might be on to something, but the problem is not setting goals. The problem is not being totally aware of the joy, pain, failures and triumphs which are part of the journey in reaching your goals. We also should exercise our freedom to change our goals as we make new discoveries along the way. It would be ashame, especially for artists, to be blinded to new paths simply to achieve a singular goal.

Jazz musician Arte Shaw said the most disappointing time of his life was when he achieved a goal. For those of us who need goals to motivate us, Arte's advise was to aim higher than you think is possible and savor every moment of the journey.

Thank you Alyson Stanfield at ArtBizBlog for prompting this post.

Artists! Protect Your Ownership Rights

Yes, again, this is repost. But artists and their friends cannot afford to be complacent while the ownership of their work is under attack.

Congress is considering a bill, U.S. Orphan Works Act of 2008, that would be devastating to visual artist and photographer copyright protections. The bill would require registration with fee for each image - photograph, painting, print, etc. It would also remove current "you create it, you own it" copyrights.

Congress is being pushed by large corporations who would benefit greatly by being able to "use" (read steal) orphaned (unregistered) works. Artists without deep pockets will be fee-ed out of business and/or loose the rights to their own work.

I just took action on this issue and hope you will too. You can take action by sending an email to your senators and representatives. There is more information and a simple prewritten email you can use at the Illustrators Partnership of America site - they send it to the right people, you even don't need to look your congress people up. Very Cool !