The Secret Life of the Artist part 6

As I mentioned in the last posting, I have three paintings in the "Farms & Barns" show. If you, as a painter, enter a show, know who the judge is. Is your judge a painter or an "Art Major"? It takes a painter to understand what a painter is getting at in their work. Some art history people can paint, but painters have their own knowledge of art history -- and painting. Now, I appreciate art history and educators, but a painter is one who learns to "see" and create in a way that sitting at a desk behind a book doesn't. A painter learns to read, study and process painting by painting, artist by artist. What comes out on a canvas has a whole history of study behind it: looking at artists of every period asking how did they paint this, what colors did they use in this situation or that, what brushwork expressed their thought and seeing, what composition did they use? Anyhow ----- I did receive a ribbon and a check for my painting "Farm at Honey Creek". The judge/painter knew what I was getting at in my work. And, yes, I've been skunked several times when the judge was not a painter -- and I'm not the only one who thought that they had picked amateur work over better work. All that being said, this entry has a picture of my palette that I use at home as a way of saying that this is where it all begins: this is where the artist works with his colors and his brushwork to bring the thoughts and feelings out on the canvas after hours and hours of study and practice.

copies of Rubens and Rembrandt

The "Influences" show ended at The Next Picture Show Gallery last week. Before I loaded these and two others into my car I took this photo of my Rubens "Two Satyrs" and Rembrandt's "Saskia" as they were hung on the wall. My old oil painting instructor, Eugene Hall, encouraged me to do some copies of the Masters to learn. And learn I did. I've done a good number of copies, but stopped doing that about 25 years ago. Now I just do my own thing of course, but the lessons I learned doing these and learning to really look were all important. By the way....Eugene Hall is the person who tagged me with the nickname "Slim". It comes from a mutual interest in all things Cowboy. Unfortunately these did not sell, so they will go back into the studio, perhaps never to see the light of day again. On to the next show which is another Farms and Barns show at NPS Gallery for the month of September and part of October.