Only the Flaws

I'm sure many personality traits common to painters transfer positively into their everyday lives. A good painter must be focused, disciplined and dedicated. But what about traits that have negative consequences? Topping my personal list would be a tendency to be overly critical. I approach art (not just my own) with a heightened critical eye. I gravitate to the flaws.

(Don't look too hard at the baseboard trajectories in this 2009 figure study)

Male Nude, oil on canvas, 8" X 10", 2009

Without this flaw radar it is doubtful my work would ever improve. Problems arise when it encroaches on ones personal realm. I am a multi-flawed individual as are we all. Collectively we form an imperfect world. But going through life primarily focusing on what's wrong with ourselves, other people and the world in general is not an optimal way to live. Accepting, maybe even embracing, some of life's imperfections is a better course to chart.

A New Life

On rare occasions something out of the ordinary and wonderful comes your way. A month or so ago I received an e-mail from a women in search of a figurative artist. She was seven months pregnant with her first child and had in mind an original artwork that would capture this special time in her life. She knew other women who had gone to photo studios for this purpose but was looking for something more personal.

A New Life, oil pastel on toned paper, 13 1/2" X 8", 2016

I avoid commissions like the plague but this request struck a nerve. I have had the good fortune of working with pregnant models several times over the decades. The first time in college. Every one was a special experience. My main trepidation in this case was that I didn't feel up to the task. I had been working outside on a cityscape oil the last two months and my figure drawing skills had atrophied. But this project was so compelling I tossed aside my fears and offered to make an attempt if she was agreeable. The warmth and joy this expectant mother projected was contagious. The experience exceeded anything I might have imagined.

Tennis Anyone?

I have played tennis since I was a teenager. First with my father then with my kids. Played may be a bit generous but I can return the ball over the net with some regularity. In the game of tennis, more than any other sport I am familiar with, ones level of play is clearly affected by ones competition. If the person you are facing is better than you your game is likely to improve. Conversely, if your opponent is not very good your game will almost certainly collapse to their level or worse.

Nude study, oil pastel on toned paper, 8 1/2" X 8", 2016

Most endeavors are to some extent like tennis. Art is no exception. If your contemporaries and mentors, the people you are around or seek to emulate, are on or below your level your chances of improving are slim. On the other hand, if you step on the court with painters better than yourself at the very least you will feel the impact of a hard serve. You are going to lose the match but the odds are your game will improve.

Two Painters

I recently started a downtown cityscape. It is a view I have wanted to capture for years but was reluctant to attempt due to the complexity of the scene. Then I came across two painters, one long gone and one still working, that set this project into motion. The first was Canaletto an eighteenth century Italian urban painter. Two of his early Venetian scenes were on view at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. They both blew me away. I was inspired and humbled fully aware that I could never hope to work at his level.

Downtown scene day 4, oil on linen, 24" X 40", 2016

The artist that actually got me to set off with my French easel was a British born New York based painter Rackstraw Downes. I attended a film and artist talk at the National Gallery where he was featured. I had been aware of Downes for decades but never keyed on the fact that he is primarily a plein air painter. The film left a lot to be desired, but seeing the 77 year old artist in person was an eye opener. He was clearly past his prime. Age and the rigors of painting outdoors had taken their toll. At 65 I'm just a little over a decade behind Downes. Best to hit the street while I still can.

Tough Angle

Sometimes when the model gets into pose at a group figure session you are presented with a less than optimal vantage point. An angle where you just don't have much to work with. If the room is crowded moving to find a better view isn't always an option. So you have to make the best of it.

Nude Study, oil pastel on toned paper, 7 1/2" X 11", 2016

While potentially frustrating I think these situations are actually good exercises. They force you to look harder searching for areas that might yield some interest. If you can turn an awkward or tough view into something even mildly interesting just think what can be accomplished when you are presented with a more prime vista.

Mindfulness

Here in the summer of 2016 mindfulness is all the rage. The concept being that an optimal way to live is to spend ones life fully focused on the present moment. This is by no means a new phenomena but it has certainly hit critical mass. Entire books have been devoted to the subject. Monks and great thinkers have spent their lives trying to achieve a state of mindfulness.

Portrait Study, oil on linen, 14" X 12", 2016

It occurs to me that creating art is a consummate mindful act. When fully engaged in a drawing or painting there is no other consciousness. This quality is one of and perhaps the most desirable aspects of making art.

Price vs Worth

I bought this little basket at a thrift store. I purchased it because I was taken by its design and how well it was crafted. I also bought it because an injustice was being perpetrated on its creator. The price tag reads 25 cents. I don't know who made it or when or where it was made. I do know it has a beautiful classic design and the weaving is excellent - tight and symmetrical. It must have taken hours of labor by a skilled craftsperson to complete.

Woven Basket, artist and date unknown

It is a cliche that our culture too often puts high value on things of minimal worth and little or no value on things that are worthy or even priceless. My hope is that the person who made this basket earned more than the equivalent of a quarter. I also hope they derived satisfaction and fulfillment in creating such a delightful object. When it comes to art there is too often little correlation between price and worth.