Say What?

“Coming to Life” 36×48

Recently I have read a number of articles and blogs that suggest that practice of technique is more important than talent.  In fact some have gone so far as to say that there is really no such thing as talent.  Putting in the hours, they say,  is what matters.  Say what?  I must object!  Being a colorist, I know that there are elements of my painting style that cannot be taught or explained.  It is an innate sense of what to do next, which colors to use, and how to manipulate them to enhance rather than detract from the overall composition.  Comments from other accomplished artists “Your use of color is amazing.”  “I don’t know how you can put those colors together and keep a harmonious and peaceful painting.”  “You have a fearless us of color that is admirable.” confirm my opinion.  

My personal testimony lies in the music world.  I studied piano for 10 years;  by the time I was looking at colleges my instructor encouraged me to pursue piano on the college level with the goal of becoming a concert pianist.  I enjoyed playing piano.  I did it well.  But I could never sit at the keys and create a piece of music which by the way frustrated me to no end because I longed for creative expression from my soul.  So I opted instead for another line of study that ultimately led me to the visual arts.  That longing for expression has been fulfilled now for years. 

Combine an innate longing to create with recognition that (even as an experienced teacher) there are techniques, styles, and colors I use that cannot be taught and I find myself firmly planted on the side that says there IS such a thing as God given talent.  That said, I also will be the first to say that every talented musician still needs to practice, every gifted painter still needs to paint regularly.  Both must study  if they are to progress in that talent.  But to say that practice, no matter how many hours, weeks, or years, can replace being gifted by the Divine?  Let’s just say I “strongly disagree.” 

What do you think?  Where do you land in the push/pull between talent and education?  I’d like to hear your thoughts. 

All that Glitters…

In the ever constant quest for the “remarkable” (see Seth Godin’s book “Purple Cow”)  the need for wisdom and discernment increases.  Presented with new ideas, new products, and new applications the axiom “All that glitters is not gold”  has become an” ever present companion.  Instructors present artistic uses for household products (steel wool, joint tape and compound, sandpaper).  Product specialists present the latest and greatest in the line of art supplies (transfer paper, spun polyester paper, paints ready for sun printing).  It’s exciting and inspiring.

And confusing.  It is necessary to explore, but always with the question, “Does this fit in my wheelhouse?  My sweet spot?  My artistic voice?”   The purpose of exploration is to refine the search and be selective.

It’s not easy being selective.   It’s time consuming and sometimes frustrating.  It’s not popular to be selective.  The crowd will often run after the next shiny thing that comes along.  If I am to find my unique voice.  If I am to march to the beat of my own drum.  It is necessary however.  I must check and recheck that the glitter IS or IS NOT gold.

 

Act II: Got to Have Some Fun

I keep asking myself, “How do you follow that???”  The past two weeks have been full of life changing memories and miracles as we have watched our friend’s son progress from near death to going back to college next week!  Truly amazing.  What do I write next???

As I pondered that I realized once again the parallel to the art biz.  And perhaps the art biz is in fact playing into my emotional state about blogging as well.  As a part of our weekend to Indianapolis, I delivered a major piece and collection as I have shared previously.  Artistically I have also been asking myself “How do I follow that?”  It’s a familiar question upon delivery of a large commission or the end of a terrific show, or simply the completion of a painting that I know in my knower is a cut above.

The answer came in simply not trying to create another masterpiece but rather in having fun painting small pieces in a new technique.  When in doubt, let the child within play.  That is what I have learned through the years.  To force inspiration never results in a promising result, whether it be a painting or a blog.

So here I am, a week or so later, sharing the results of my labors this week…but really I was just havin’ fun!  Hope you enjoy!

  I even reverted to childhood memories as I named them:  “Grape Lollies”, “Lemon Lollies” and “Purple Tree”.  Fanciful, fun and oh so therapeutic.  All are just 6″ square and will adorn my tent as I travel to Madison, IN.  for a show this weekend.

Until next post…hope you let your inner child loose to enjoy the day!

Long Days and Hard Work

 

I know, I know, nobody said it would be easy.  It’s just amazing to me sometimes just how much hard work and long hours go into this business we call art.  I am in the midst of preparing for a pretty significant show (Penrod Arts Fair in Indianapolis) followed by a presentation of my three decades of being an art professional(Art:  Up Close and Personal sponsored by the Arts Council of Williamson County).  Oh and by the way, delivery of a major commission piece (finished:  see photo).  Most days I thrive on being busy.  After all, I hate being bored.  Lately however it seems I am trying to tell myself not to stress more often than not.

At our last art show, my husband encountered a gentleman (I use the term loosely) who suggested that all of the artists did this kind of thing as a hobby.  Can I just say that nobody but nobody puts themselves through what we professional artists do for the fun of it?  Do I love the gypsy train?  Indeed.  Do I appreciate that I make a living doing something that I’m passionate about?  Absolutely!  Is it grueling at times and mindless at other?  Too true!

Don’t get me wrong.  I wouldn’t trade my profession for another….ever!  As I posted last week (or was that two weeks ago???) I know that I know I was created to express myself artistically.  That said, I think there is a misconception that all we professional artists do is play all day.  Painting is fun;  it is the play part of the job.  Varnishing, wiring, framing…not so much.  Powerpoint presentations, email newsletters, social media marketing….work.

When your passion becomes your profession there will be long days and hard work if you want to succeed.  It goes with the territory.  Business plans, profit and loss statements, marketing strategies are all a part of the business of art.  Dare I say they are the work that balances the play.  But oh the pay off when a customer falls in love and has to have a painting I’ve created.  Then suddenly all of the hours melt away.  All of the hard work seems easy.  In other words it’s all worth the effort.  So to the studio I go to teach and paint and label and load up and…and…and…  Guess I’ll sleep well tonight!

Hours, Weeks, Decades

On any given Sunday afternoon you will find me in front of the television perusing HGTV, the Cooking Channel, or the Food Network.  Ever watch “Chopped?”  One of my favorites:  four professional chefs, each successful in their own right, compete with unusual (surprise) ingredients, limited time (30 minutes each course), over three courses.  With each course, one of the chefs is “chopped”, and sent home by the panel of expert judges.  I have often watched this show sitting in wonder as these gods of the kitchen create masterpieces out of funky ingredients (leg of goat and trail mix…really?).  How do they create on the spot?  How do they know which ingredients to grab?  How do you know how to make a chocolate cake without a recipe???

This past Sunday however, I decided I sort of know how they do it.  Years and years of training and experience are behind every minute they spend in the kitchen.  “How long does it take you to paint a painting?”  is perhaps the most commonly asked question I hear.  I think most artists would agree it is also one of the most frustrating questions to answer.  The truth is that the best answer will sound sarcastic:  whatever the age of the artist.

I have been painting for 6 years.  I have been a professional artist for 27 years.  I have been artistically expressing myself my whole life.  All of life’s experiences import to my memory base (whether I remember it or not) and will mix with my technical skills, my media, and my current style to export on the canvas. In the case of last week’s adventure at the county fair, it is easy to say “She painted this in one hour!”  However as you my readers are aware, I spent three days preparing for that one hour.  (Believe me my catch up list has been long!) To finish it back at the studio (to my standards of completion) took another 2 hours. However, in reality, it took over 5 decades to complete as all combined for one hour on stage.

The finished painting?  “Take me out to the Fair”  30×24, acrylic on canvas.  It will be auctioned through The Arts Council of Williamson County with 100% of proceeds benefiting the organization.  It is after all the organization that offered me the “experience of a lifetime”.

Speed Painting

You’ve probably heard of speed chess but how about speed painting?  That’s how it felt last night to have one hour to paint a 30″x24″ canvas.  I got home and felt like I’d just run a 5K!  But it was also fun and rewarding to see people respond to the process and painting.  I must say all of my preparation was absolutely worth it.  Even the written guide to know where I needed to go next.  There’s just something about painting before a live audience that makes your brain skip a beat.

Photo to the left is midway through the show when the host checked on the progress.  At that time I knew I had to step it up to get the basic details in.

Photo to the right is the “Reveal” at the end of the show.  The painting isn’t finished by my standards, but there were those who thought it looked complete.  That was my goal.  As an artist I am more particular about the details than anyone else.  That’s when I know a piece is finished.  When I can look at it and not say “Oops need to fix that”  I know I can sign my name as the final stamp of approval. 

Ready, Set, GO!

Today’s assignment was putting together the plan for tonight’s live painting event.  Or from my point of view, painting off site.  I hope I am always alive when I paint!

An hour and a half is not a long time to paint a 30″x24″ painting.  My layer upon layer process usually requires me to put the painting aside, work on another and come back to add the next layer.  For instance I will lay the sky in on a canvas and let it dry often until the next day before I add the background, mid-ground, and foreground.  Each might take at least an overnight before I move to the next design area.

Not so tonight.  So I have written a map of sorts, a sequence of areas to paint, hopefully allowing the background time to dry before adding the next design element.  I have also pre-mixed my paints with the medium I use for my first layer of color.

People often ask how long a painting takes to complete.  The hidden time is amazing:  pondering design elements, process, and specific paint colors can take a relatively huge amount of time.  The perfect color in the perfect spot is after all what makes a great piece of art.  Then there’s the time consumed in selection (as in where exactly is that tube of paint?) and mixing of the first layer, making sure I have the right tools in hand, the easel at the right height, the lighting correct, etc.  All before the first knife of paint has danced across the canvas.

Usually I paint the first layer before I select the detail palette and prepare my tray of paints for finishing.  Not so today.  Anticipating the details is what it’s been about as I have prepared my tray of over 30 hues to develop tonight’s masterpiece.  I am as ready as I can be.  Master plan in writing in case my mind forgets, enough paint to finish at least two pieces I’m sure (don’t want to run out!), palettes prepared, supplies boxed.  I am set.

Now it’s time to GO!

Prototypes and Ferris Wheels

   The assignment:  a painting with a county fair theme to be done on stage in an hour and a half.  What you see here is the prototype and is really just a section of the larger piece I will paint tomorrow night.

The solution:  combining images of our fair with images of our county.  With a little help from a friend who served as a great sounding board and offered the wonderful idea of using the flags from the fair’s logo, I worked out a sketch.

The problem: working through the color scheme and placement enough to be able to simply stand at the easel and paint.  Thus the prototype.  I often use these to work through a color palette or design idea for a commission piece.  Yesterday I contacted the president of the Arts Council who will be auctioning this painting as a fundraiser to approve the sketch.   Having the prototype (which in this case is just about a third of the actual painting) helped to share my vision.  This is another step I often do with my commission clients so that everyone is comfortable with the page I’m working from.

The result:  I discovered the perfect solution for the background behind the Ferris wheel, with a bit of brighter color and a swish of the palette knife the feeling of movement and the excitement of the Midway surfaced. And my “customer” was more than thrilled.  Having stretched my creative envelop, I am more comfortable with the whole idea of creating a painting within the given time.

Tomorrow’s assignment:  The PLAN

 

Imaginings

Been off to the Smokies for some family R&R which was wonderful.  However it was particularly gratifying to get back into the studio yesterday and go a little crazy painting.  In the process I use, the first layer is the loosest, most free, and really just serves as a jumping off point.  In other words, I really don’t know where most of what I started yesterday will end up.

That’s where imagining comes into play.  There is some thought that goes into selecting the palette, the size of canvas, etc, but the joy of my process comes when staring (some would say blankly) at a canvas with the first layer of paint already applied.  As an abstract painter, this is when I will see images emerge, have a feeling evoked, or see a truth represented thus giving me a path to follow.  Sometimes I just begin to paint and allow the piece to take me on a journey, imagining what it will become as I develop this or that area.

There is a misconception that suggests that as artists we “think up” our art,  like grabbing images or ideas out of the air.  I would suggest that artists carry a deep reservoir of creative thought, ideas, and images.  As I sit at the easel I reach down into that reservoir, stir the waters of creativvity, and pull out that which fits the painting I’m working on.  I do my best work when my mind gets out of the  way and I allow the canvas to communicate directly to my creative spirit.

Which means I may not be aware of you if you are quietly looking over my shoulder or I may have a dazed look on my face when I am.  Take no offense.  I’ve been off on a journey of the imagination; it can take a moment to return.

Is it oil or acrylic?

Recently I picked up my art from a local exhibit (sponsored by an art organization no less)  where the title blocks of my work listed “Oil Painting” as the medium.  WRONG!  I paint with acrylic paint.  This is a common misunderstanding with my work due to the high relief texture that I am known for.  So, today let’s discuss a few of the differences.  My disclaimer here is that I have studied oil paint and talked with oil painters, but have never actually used them.

When I began to paint I chose acrylic for the same reason I prefer latex paint for my home:  easy clean up.  Therein lies the first point of difference.  Oil paints clean up with mineral spirits;  Acrylic paints clean with water.  That said, acrylic brushes need to be cleaned quickly after use (or during use) because of the quick drying time that acrylics have.  In other words, water clean up does not always equal easy.

Second point of difference:  Oil paints take much longer (days, weeks, months,) to dry;  acrylic paints dry in a matter of minutes or hours.  This is perhaps the most significant reason I continue to use acrylic paint.  My technique is founded upon applications of  layers upon layers, wet (paint) over dry (canvas).  In any given inch or so of a painting I work on, I have gone back to the canvas perhaps 10-12 times to create the overall effect of a given hue.  Upon closer examination the viewer will see that in fact several layers of different colors have combined to form that effect.  Many a student has complained to me that their oil paintings “turn to mud”.  This is because of the longer drying period of oils which cause them to blend rather than layer.

Which leads to the third point of difference:  Oil paints blend under the brush, on the canvas better than acrylic paints.  Actually this difference is a result of the drying time.  Oil paint blends better; acrylic paint layers better.  I often tell students that if they want the perfectly blended flesh toned cheek on a portrait, oil is the paint of choice.

There are questions out there regarding the toxicity of oils vs acrylics.  Personally I think it’s a draw.  Yes, oil paints have the fumes, etc.  However acrylics use titanium, cadmium, iron oxide, etc.  So there is care to be taken with each medium in that regard.

Another debate is longevity.  There are those that insist that oil paints will stand the test of time better than acrylic paint.  I would suggest that we simply don’t know what the future will bring.   Artist quality acrylic paints are a relatively new medium.  Although they have not been time tested we don’t know how they will hold pigment, shape, etc.

Personally,  I paint for today and today’s client.  I am less interested in how many hundreds of years my paintings hold up than I am in creating a piece of art that will enhance today’s homes, offices, and lives.  Therefore I select the medium that works best for my artistic purposes.  For me, I choose acrylic.

Today’s Painting:  Natural Beauty, first in progress and then all layered and finished.  It is 36×24 and is available at the studio for $950.