ABOUT ART

AUGUST 31ST

2009-08-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday today. Being 50 something... doesn't feel much different than being 30 something... well perhaps it does, but not in my head. That would mean I am satisfied, which is the death of art. I'm still searching and searching with the same fervor as the day I first held a brush.

Camille Pissarro wrote this: "I began to understand my sensations, to know what I wanted, at around the age of forty – but only vaguely. At fifty, I formulated the idea of unity, without being able to render it. At sixty, I am beginning to see the possibility of rendering it."

2009-08-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

Is it already the end of August? I've been writing and painting quite a bit this summer and time seems to go just a little faster when I'm working. I guess that's one strike against the arts.
We went to Philadelphia a few weeks ago. It was my first visit to that city. I Really enjoyed the art museum. They had a Matisse exhibition. It wasn't a large show, but a very nice one. Among the permanent collection are two Cezanne paintings of Mont Sainte Victoire. One in particular is really wonderful. They belong to the "middle" period of the series, so they're not quite as free as the later ones, but great all the same.
My book has been delayed due to the fact that the hardest thing has been to find a decent and professional printer. You wouldn't think so, but sadly it's true.
I'm back at the computer now, so I'll write soon.
Look at Cezanne.

VARNISHING

2009-07-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

How do you know when a painting needs to be varnished? This is a question I am often asked. After a painting has been allowed to dry (several weeks for oils), it is very easy to see if varnish is needed. Simply look at the surface of the work under a good light. If you notice that some areas are matte while others are more shinny, you need varnish. There are many reasons for this. Pre-stretched canvases are usually made of poor quality cotton that has not been primed properly. Student grade paints is another factor. Also, if you use thinners such as turpenoid instead of say linseed oil, the same problem will occur. Keep in mind that some colors, even in the best paints, will dry duller than others.
So the moral of the story is that one should use good canvas, well primed, and professional quality paints. I like Winsor & Newton and Rembrandt.
Personally I do not like to varnish my work. I find it gives it a much too unified and artificial finish.

DEAR ARTIST

2009-06-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Dear artist,

Have you been painting for a long time, perhaps twenty or thirty years? Yet your paintings all seem to look the same. The subjects differ a little, but the "style" remains the same. I put the word style in quotation marks because so many people are misled by the meaning of that word. Too many artists are concerned about finding a style.

Unless you are prepared to explore, you will not progress. New subject matters are a must. This will force you to use other colors, discover shapes you are not so familiar with. Change the format of your canvases. Use a long rectangle, paint something vertical, 40" x 20". Paint on a square canvas. Do not thin down your colors with thinner, except perhaps with a little linseed oil. In other words use more paint!

Study a great painter (Monet for example. I love Monet!). You will see an constant evolution throughout the years, but I would never say that he found his style. That would be the death of Monet. So do not worry about "finding a style". On the contrary, always strive to move forward by reinventing yourself.

THE RIGHT SUBJECT MATTER

2009-06-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

Someone asked me the other day why it was so difficult to find the right subject matter.

A subject has to have all the "ingredients" worthy of a painting. It must be structurally strong. Landscapes ought to have contrasts with shadows and sunlight. Painting is another word for colors. Without them, there is no painting. This does not mean that a multitude of colors ought to be present for a painting to be good. But if the subject is somewhat monochromatic, I hope that somewhere a splash of color will bring it to life!

One has to be inspired of course, but more often than not, an every day scene will be the better choice for a painting. The Impressionists really understood this. A spectacular view of the Grand Canyon may not necessarily translate into a painting. On the other hand a corner of a garden will produce an excellent piece.

DRAWING

2009-05-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

Why is drawing so important? It is the foundation. It is where everything begins, regardless of your style. If you are an artist, I hope that you draw as often as possible. It will never be a waste of your time.

2009-05-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have encountered unskillful amateurs with slick formulas at the teaching helm. They lead their unfortunate followers into a great void that is as far removed from the world of fine art as it is possible to be. Although painting can be a relaxing pastime, it requires concentration and discipline. Above all a painting must be good. Like anything that is worthwhile, art in all its forms cannot be taught nor appreciated in three easy steps, and unless one is sketching, a painting should be worked on over a period of days, not minutes.

I want to begin my first blog with the post-scriptum from my book "The Ten Commandments of Fine Art" (available early July 2009)

"The greatest artists are not predictably the ones more naturally gifted. You are born with a talent. What you do with that is up to you. Art is just like any other discipline; the ratio to succeed is ten percent talent and ninety percent hard work. There are some exceptions. Though he had to work hard, John Singer Sargent was as naturally gifted as it is possible to be. On the other hand study Cezanne's early paintings. They are heavy and clumsy, not at all what you would expect of someone who would eventually be called one of the world’s great painters. Look at Vincent Van Gogh also. Keep in mind that he only painted for a period of ten years. Both he and Cezanne were very inferior in academic terms. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Van Gogh’s early paintings lacked draughtmanship and his colors did not reflect the great colorist he was to become."

My blog "About Art" as its subtitle indicates, is art talk taken to a higher level. I hope you will subscribe and post any comments you may have.