I am working on two paintings. This slows the process down significantly. One is a winter scene and the other a summer scene, both paintings include water. Hopefully sometime today these will be completed. Taking a photo during the winter months is a challenge. The lighting is odd with cloud cover and even in full but low angle sun, I do not get good photo's of paintings indoors or out. Spring, summer and fall everything works splendidly.
I am also reading two art books. One is called "Brushwork" by Emile A. Gruppe. Wonderful book about painting, composition, and brushwork. I am struck by the simplicity of the Table of Contents. The chapters are titled, Rocks, Trees, Skies, Water, Roads, Buildings, Boats and so on. Simplicity in names and writing and most importantly, painting. The names of his completed paintings are also named with simplicity, for example: Shadows, Dairy Country, and My Daughter. Direct and simple, but extraordinary work as is this book.
The other book is by Edgar Payne and is called "Composition of Outdoor Painting". I have quotes all throughout this blog by Mr. Payne. Here is the first couple of sentences in the first chapter. This sets you up for his style of writing and his approach to painting.
All creative endeavor is toward a definite purpose. Therefore, it is imperative that we have a definite conception of this purpose as well as a clear understanding of the means that accomplish this end. Quality in fine pictures is dependent on a knowledge and a respect for the elements which create it.
These books and this blog are about painting and not about selling, bragging, marketing, all are boring and tiring subjects. Painting. Whenever a group of painters from my area get together conversations turn to marketing and bashing galleries. My resolution for this New Year is to focus on painting and quality, and to talk about painting and quality. When I am near, I will not brag or talk about selling, marketing or even gallery bashing.
We sell to keep going, but quality in painting comes first. That is what this is about and it is the only thing, oh and of course Buckley.
4 comments:
you made me smile...your words about art translate easily for life...THANK YOU for sharing your clarity...LOVE
Thank you Laura!!!!
Donna, while reading your blog today, I got down to the paragraph about Payne's book, and what you said about the blog beeing about painting- - - not marketing, not products, not about "keeping up with the Jones", so to speak, but about compostions, brushwork, ideas, and painting!! I so need someone to talk with time to time about just painting---the thinking parts, the planning parts and the mood parts that are so interesting! I have a double problem with my family- - who always believe I should paint westen stuff--horses, cowboys of today, ect - -sometimes I do...but I really like and consider so much more than that. I like your blog, because its about more than that! (plus, love your work)
Wow, Thank you Ida. It seems like there is so much comment from people that really do not understand where inspiration comes from. My Mom thinks I should painting horses since I love them. But the land is what I find compelling right now, maybe horses later or not at all. It is all about inspiration.
I have three new paintings almost ready to post and think I will write about inspiration because it is so important to have a painting come through you and not be something contrived. An idea comes from somewhere that one cannot always define, but you know it, feel it, and see it, when it is there!
Another problem for me is when I am around people that do not realize the thought and effort while painting. It is really about thinking through problems as you go. Very hard. One of my artist friends told me that if you wanted to do something easy you could have become rocket scientist. I thought that was funny and so true.
Happy Painting Ida!
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