Inspiration for Artists – From Behind the Camera
While watching the Olympic athletes I was reminded of something Polly Hammett said about art critique groups. Polly said the best critique groups are those that help artists understand and embrace their strengths rather than weaknesses. Elite athletes work to purge any thought of failure from their minds before a competition. It’s part of their training. Their focus is winning. Likewise, artists need to surround themselves with success.
Take advantage of the fact that as an artist you are a visual. Be your own good influence. Give away, burn, pulverize or turn to the wall your own work that does not represent the direction in which you want to grow. Keep a copy or the original of your own best work.
Acquire examples of work that please you. Original or print, let the imagery you strive to make your own surround you. You might be surprised to find that fellow artists, you admire, are often open to trading one of your paintings for one of theirs. Of course, books and art instruction DVD workshops are a help too.
The artists creative process is a delicate balance between free-flowing intuition and analytical thinking. Inspiration and confidence helps in both categories.
Cheers,
Lynn Powers
Cheng-Khee Chee Watercolor Workshop DVDs
Cheng-Khee Chee has developed five watercolor painting techniques, each suited to most effortlessly express a subject. The first half of each workshop begins with free-flowing, intuitive creativity. In the second half, Cheng-Khee Chee analyzes design and makes adjustments. He demonstrates an amazing mastery of watercolor painting. There is not enough room here to describe each workshop, so we recommend checking out the previews at the LINK below.
Sale Ends Tuesday, 9/2/08.
From Behind the Camera: Art From the Outside In
When I was an Art History major, I liked to imagine that when looking at paintings it was as if I was looking through someone else’s eyes. Paintings were my own time machine into the past. Painters could not help but create a reflection or reaction to the styles and mores of their day. Even changes in science and technology presented themselves as new and different materials. Social movements were reflected as changes in subject matter.
You can see their answer to religious and political institutions of their era. Even the artist’s frustration with media and technique are visible.
Granted this is not a scientific study with 100% accuracy, but it does give us access to a world beyond our own.
When asked what ART is, George James answered, “Communication!” If that is true, then the viewer contributes to the success or failure of a painting. Before judging a painting by its technique, style or content why not try to experience it on the artist’s terms. Permit yourself a moment of non-judgmental experience. Travel with that fellow human being on their path. At worst, it takes you nowhere. At best, you travel through time and space.
Cheers,
Lynn Powers
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