tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23385665078216648952024-03-16T13:29:25.481-05:00John PototschnikThe blog of artist John PototschnikUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-37960883411340618612013-07-28T23:51:00.000-05:002013-07-28T23:51:19.340-05:00Changes are in the works<br />
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<span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The blog and website are being converted over to WordPress.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for your understanding and patience while these changes are being made. After I figure out how everything works, I will again be posting some outstanding interviews, and some of my latest paintings. Four interviews will be featured including Deborah Hill, a master framer; artists John Austin Hanna and Bryce Cameron Liston...and Kara Ross, Director of Operations of the Art Renewal Center.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I promise, it will be well worth your time to learn what these important people have to say.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, by the way, you're going to love the new website.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-36904156592232431352013-07-21T17:30:00.000-05:002013-07-21T17:52:32.136-05:00"She paints like a guy" - Part 2<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This subject, concerning the acceptance of female artists within the American art scene, has apparently struck a cord with many of you. Last week's post has become the second most read post I've done during three years of weekly blogging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I publicly want to thank these eight ladies for "sticking their necks out" by participating in this 2-part series. There was some disappointment expressed after last week's post that anonymous comments were included along with the others...those that had the "courage" to go public with their opinion. They felt it lessened the impact of their opinions and potentially made their careers appear less important.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You all need to know, that was my doing. The anonymous contributors did not want to go public, they just shared their opinions with me. I'm the one that valued those opinions and thought them important enough to share. Of course, the only way to do that was anonymously. Don't be disappointed in the women for not publicly coming forward. Everyone is at a different place in life's journey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week I am pleased to present the final segment of "She paints like a guy". As in the last post, these four ladies are highly respected and also have slightly different takes on the topic. Here are this week's participants:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kim Casebeer </b>is a Master Signature Member of the American Women Artists, and a Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America and the Pastel Society of America. Her work has been featured in many of the prominent art magazines. As part of a fourth generation farm family, Casebeer has felt a connection to the landscape for a long time. She routinely travels across the western United States to paint on location and gather ideas. </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b> <a href="http://kimcasebeer.com/">Kim Casebeer website</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Barbara Jaenicke </b>is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, a member of the International Association of Pastel Societies Master Circle, and a member of Oil Painters of America. She developed a passion for drawing and painting during her teenage years. She spent a decade in advertising as an art director, and later in marketing communications. In 2002, she turned her focus to fine art. </span><span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://barbarajaenicke.com/">Barbara Jaenicke website</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cindy Baron </b>resides in Rhode Island. Her passion for art led her to watercolors and in 2000 she was awarded signature status in the American Watercolor Society. In 2012, she became a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America. She's among a small group of artists that have received acknowledgment from her peers in both mediums. She's represented from coast to coast by some of the finest galleries, and she's an enthusiastic plein air painter. </span><span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.cindybaron.com/">Cindy Baron website</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kathryn Stats </b>has traveled to and painted the coastal areas of California and Oregon as well as locations in Alaska, Russia, Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal. The <i>Arizona Republic</i> writes that she is "a Utah artist whose best landscapes are a complete pleasure. The paint in them is given over to the subject and you know that Stats doesn't feel the need for any gimmicks to get her point across. Direct, honest, and sensuous; these are the work of a genuine painter." </span><span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.kathrynstats.com/">Kathryn Stats website</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>...</b>and here is the question:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Are there any significant differences in the way male and female artists are accepted within the American art scene? If so, what would you like to see changed?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">Kim Casebeer</span> </b> When John asked me to participate in this discussion on his very popular blog, I was encouraged by the fact that an established male artist such as himself believes this is a discussion worth having. Before I get to it, I want to first make clear that I can't speak for every woman in the art world. I can only relay my personal experience and be completely honest, hoping that gives insight.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are differences in the way female and male artists are accepted. One of the most noticeable differences is the recurring comment that a woman shouldn't paint like one; or the opposite comment I've heard while viewing a woman's work, "She paints like a man", which usually refers to work that has strong lights and darks - supposedly a positive thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Several years ago I had an upfront conversation with a male artist during the Western Visions show. My painting was more tonal and a bit softer than some I've done. This was apparently perceived as a negative, and he told me so. I think it's interesting that softer work is assumed to be a woman's and that it's often not as supported. I've seen great tonal pieces done by both men and women. I've also seen bold work done by both men and women. So if a woman uses bolder brush strokes, or higher contrast in her work, why is she painting like a man?</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Curve in the Road </i>- 20"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think being treated equally should be the goal. I once overheard a male landscape painter cautioning a woman not to join a women's only art organization because it would pigeonhole her. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've never heard anyone comment negatively regarding many of the other art organizations that they might also be limiting. As a Master Signature Member of the American Women Artists, I primarily participate because it's great networking. It has opened many doors for me. To my knowledge, there are no female members of the Cowboy Artists of America, so is being a member of CAA limiting?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm going to send out this warning to women as well - expect equal treatment, not special treatment. (At this point Kim mentions a plein air event in which male artists only received awards). In the last month I judged a regional plein air event and the May BoldBrush online competition. Looking through hundreds, even thousands of entries for excellent composition, values, line, paint quality, etc. is hard enough. It's a tough job! I can't believe anyone would be able to spend energy deciding if the work is a man's or a woman's. If it's strong work then it's strong work. I can visualize which pieces I gave top awards to in the BoldBrush show, but for the life of me, I can't tell you if I gave more awards to men or women. If a female artist wants to be recognized as a strong painter, she has to do the work. I've personally always thought that if I work hard, I will eventually be rewarded, but have never expected special treatment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In general, attitudes toward females in our field have improved. I am fortunate to be of a generation where women working outside the home is the norm, and I believe that has spilled into the art world as well. There are more females making a living as artists, gallery owners, art writers, etc. than even ten years ago. Many women, such as myself, have made art their first career, which allows them to work at their art and have families. More women are participating in important museum shows. I believe this will continue to happen as more women will have long careers with which to pursue these prestigious shows.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">Barbara Jaenicke </span> </b>At first I was hesitant to answer this question, since I really wasn't sure about my view on this topic. But here are just a few of my observations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I work in oil and pastel. However, I spent the earlier part of my fine art career mainly as a pastel artist, and have more experience at the national level in this medium. Honestly, I haven't sensed any gender domination there. Although I haven't kept count, I think I know of just as many exceptional women pastelists as men who have achieved well deserved top honors and recognition in this medium. Much of this has to do with women who have worked tirelessly in the pastel community to bring more attention to this wonderful medium that is often (mistakenly) thought of as a lesser medium. Maggie Price, whom the pastel community just recently lost, was one such amazing woman.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only recently have I started participating in national juried shows with my oils and receiving national representation in this medium. I suppose that if I quickly think of the most widely recognized oil painters today, it would likely be more male painters than female who come to mind. I don't believe this has anything to do with differences in ability between the majority of male and female painters out there today, since I certainly know of many exceptional women oil painters. As I mentioned, this hasn't been the case in my experience with pastel artists. But, I imagine it might have more to do with the promotion by galleries and art publications of male artists - mainly oil painters - since oil seems to be the more popular art purchased by collectors. This is a result of the stereotypical male dominated art world that has held on throughout the centuries, and the belief that artwork by male artists may command better sales. However, with social/online media these days, this hopefully may change, and artists - male and female - can be more in control of their own promotion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So far in my art career I haven't felt this to be an issue for me personally and haven't felt like I've been treated any differently than male artists, at least so far. But maybe ask me again in five or ten years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">Cindy Baron </span> </b>This is a very important yet delicate issue to address. Even though the inequalities between male and female artists in the American art scene are improving, I feel differences still exit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Several years ago I was invited to paint at a plein air event with a talented group of artists. It consisted of eight men and myself. During the course of the week long event, we were individually invited to speak with the hosting gallery owner. I was new to the group and honored to be included. During my conversation a question was asked of me about my seriousness to my craft. He wanted to see if I was worth investing his time in representing. He also went on to mention that a male artist has a family to feed and bills to pay, etc., which we all do. I'm not sure how I answered him. I know I was silent for a moment, then I assured him that this was not a hobby and that I work at my craft everyday. Since then I have participated in many plein air events and shows that were more balanced in gender. One thing I have observed is how different the approach is toward selling. There is no doubt that the male and female artist have their style for selling; one is bolder than the other and therefore seems more investment worthy. I think the female artist could learn more aggressive marketing from men.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cindy mentioned that she recently participated in a show with seven other women and they spent 10 days painting together. They discussed many issues from marketing, galleries, frames, to supportive mates. Most male artists I know have a support system behind them. But as women, we have a natural tendency to support everyone around us, and most often we are unsupported or not taken seriously.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of my painting buddies are men. Let's face it, today a woman is more at risk of danger than a man. I have learned a lot while painting with my male friends. We give good constructive advice when needed and respect one another. I am going to go out on a limb and say that men do have the competitive edge in the art world. I believe most galleries still think the male artist is more marketable and aggressive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Female artists have to be more assertive if they want to succeed in the art world and they need to know they have support. Would love to see more female shows like the one I participated in earlier. It brings tremendous awareness and respect for the talents and uniqueness that wormen have to offer in the arts. It's a changing art world and a great time for women to grab it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To sum up, it is about making great art for both genders...being creative, bold and doing what you love. Women cannot be shy about marketing themselves and need to insist on respect. Art is a job, vocation, and a tough way to pay the bills for both sexes. Women have a lot to give. It's not about egos but about helping each other to greatness. To my female art friends, I am here because I have you. Thank you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">Kathryn Stats</span> </b>As a female artist, I owe much of my success to a great husband who provided a solid income while I was developing my art, He was always encouraging and never felt threatened when I was off on painting related travel. He is my biggest supporter. I also owe much to two gentlemen who never gave gender a thought while promoting my work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know of females who always defer to male artists over females of similar talent...and I'm not sure if they are even aware of it. I do not find it helpful for females to complain of the disparity between male and female numbers in galleries or shows. I find that the better, or at least more secure the artist, the less complaining they do. It falls to each of us to put our head down and be the best artist we can be.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Morning Shadows</i> - 24"x 36" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe any bias for or against gender lies within ourselves as individuals. Some are proud of their biases and will stick to them no matter what; others find the information a valuable tool with which one might change their own perceptions or biases.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Male versus female in the American art scene today...gender predisposition...while it exists, I wouldn't hang any biological argument on why men do better than women in the arts. As in other professions: i.e., chefs, hairdressers, writers, actors, as well as visual artists, it appears to be improving somewhat. In years past there were almost no female leads carrying entire movies. That seems to be changing as the generations mature.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe we are all part of any biases or prejudice in these areas. For example, while in the delivery room while my grandson was being delivered by a fairly young, small of stature female obstetrician, I experienced a brief panicky flash of a thought that said that this baby couldn't be born until the man with the big ego showed up. These stereotypical thoughts said nothing about male or female doctors, but they certainly reflected a wealth of information about my ingrained biases. I was pleased to receive that information about myself, shameful as it was. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks, ladies for your contribution to this discussion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ea9999; font-weight: bold;">In closing</span>, allow me to add my two-cents worth:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) It's a shame really, that any person desiring to develop their God given talent honorably and in an honest manner would be hindered to do so because of jealousy, fear, or any kind of prejudice. Art, to me, is not a competitive venture. We are not trying to outdo one another in order to take something away from them, or gain an advantage over them. If each of us are uniquely created, it also follows that our creative expression will be unique as well. Our attitude should be one of developing our gift to its full unique potential, thereby honoring the Giver of the gift...and adding beauty to this world. If we look to God as our provider, it seems to me He will take care of all of us, and give us what we need when we need it. We would do well, in all areas of life, to make judgments based on one's fruit and not on preconceived ideas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) If one is married, I believe a huge part of one's success in the art world, regardless of gender, is dependent upon the family dynamic. It's important to have a totally supportive mate. Male artists have the advantage here because generally women, by their very nature, tend to be caretakers of the home, mothers, nurturers, and supportive of their husbands. It's important that each household figure out what works best for them. It would be ideal if each party was encouraged and enabled to develop their creative gifts to full potential, but that doesn't always happen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) Surely we can acknowledge that men and women are different, therefore I'm not particularly opposed to gender based groups. The dynamics of any group changes the moment the opposite gender is involved; we see this in school, sports, social settings, etc. What I am opposed to are reactionary groups...those that are established with an attitude of "getting even" or "we'll show them". Let's be honest here, I don't see any male only groups being formed to counter any female only groups.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) Regardless of gender, it would be good to know upfront any biases that the other party holds that creates conflict within us and would therefore hinder our business relationship. View that knowledge as a positive more than a negative. There are plenty of great people out there that will give the respect we desire. In all my years as a professional artist, I have not heard any of my male friends subordinate another's work because of their gender.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5) No gallery owner should be blamed for seeking the best, most reliable, marketable artists possible...regardless of gender. It should be expected that they would want to know if their artists are fully committed and can be relied upon to provide them with quality work on a timely basis.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is absolutely no place for gender discrimination in judging the quality of one's art. Judges will have differing opinions, but if any honor is bestowed based on the name on the painting, or the gender of the artist, then that person has no business judging. If it's about gender, or about who you know, it's no longer about the art.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7) Any effort to equalize the number of male/female artists in any given show becomes an entitlement and will end up lowering the overall quality of the show. It must always be about the quality of the work, and only the quality of the work. Period.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8) From my experience, women play a major role, if not a predominate one, in most art purchases. If men are outselling women, is that gender bias? More than likely, it's a non-issue.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9) Price of any given painting is based on supply and demand, and perceived value, not gender.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10) As I look out upon the current landscape, "women are everywhere". They are the leaders in many local art organizations; many of them run art galleries. Most of the participants in painting workshops are women, they're taking top awards in prominent art shows...and they're able to do a significant amount of advertising. They make a significant contribution to the current art scene. Checking the male/female ad ratio in four popular art magazines this month, I discovered women averaged 35% more ads then men. If they happen to live in a household where the husband is providing a sufficient income, they have the advantage of reinvesting almost every dime back into their business. That to me seems to be a pretty significant advantage. It may also account for the disproportionate amount of advertising.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11) We all experience offensive comments; I like what a pastor said, "Don't whine, but shine"...and that goes for all of us, regardless of gender.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now let's get out there and do the best paintings we can. We can all make important contributions to beauty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-71559618046155394942013-07-14T17:30:00.000-05:002013-07-14T21:00:17.625-05:00"She paints like a guy" - Part 1<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A woman approached me recently after admiring one of my paintings, and said, "You paint like a woman". After a long pause, while I recovered from the shock, I asked..."Which one?"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, you never know, it could happen! We all realize that there are some great women artists out there; personally, I'd like to be able to paint like some of them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The idea for this blog came as a result of an interview I recently had with Debra Joy Groesser, newly elected president of the American Impressionist Society. You may read that interview <a href="http://pototschnik.blogspot.com/2013/06/debra-groesser-interview.html">HERE</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had asked her if she noticed any significant differences in the way male and female artists are accepted within the American art scene. From her response, I realized there might be other women artists out there who would like to weigh in on the matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realize the subject is controversial and differing opinions have the potential of creating animosity between groups...and boy, do we have enough of that already! Hopefully this little blog will not do that. I think it's valuable to voice opinions in order for all parties to understand one another...and make adjustments where appropriate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this 2-part series, you'll be hearing from eight important women artists. Four women turned down my request...well, sort of. One had nothing to offer on the subject, another was prevented by circumstances, and the other two did not want to go public. Their comments are well worth sharing however...which I will do...you just won't know whom they came from.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are this week's four contributors:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AN3TvdNzbS0d5nYedwwy1nvloWzRNdnd31rAqRGDVHutIsAdl8ytWdc6z8-2dUbmQyhXHpYEkCoTzvyvKU75eTIPETVQlyXT2m4_5VBGupMqqFYcrCAisTJ_SLUkd6G1PhgUVtFQzE4r/s1600/debra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AN3TvdNzbS0d5nYedwwy1nvloWzRNdnd31rAqRGDVHutIsAdl8ytWdc6z8-2dUbmQyhXHpYEkCoTzvyvKU75eTIPETVQlyXT2m4_5VBGupMqqFYcrCAisTJ_SLUkd6G1PhgUVtFQzE4r/s200/debra.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Debra Joy Groesser</b> is a Signature Member and President of the American Impressionist Society, and Signature Member of Plein Air Artists Colorado and American Plains Artists. She is best known for her impressionistic landscape paintings, particularly her plein air work. She is represented by SouthWind Art Gallery, Topeka, KS; Mountainsong Galleries, Carmel, CA; Abend Gallery, Denver, CO; and Art in Miniature, Tubac, AZ. <a href="http://debragroesser.com/"><span style="color: #ea9999;">debrajoygroesser</span></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnZ7SyyOjQ6cjCrAHePR67NQWge5Jj4udcZHpS7jxxQuvTgwxDdTm5uLD6UrOabJRgpWPS_FBf78PRGtARZEujG5PYvB3X9K8xORwzkIilCEyDIz1_gz3AKVfxUkf2xlHeQUK1-Ne9wB6/s1600/robbins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnZ7SyyOjQ6cjCrAHePR67NQWge5Jj4udcZHpS7jxxQuvTgwxDdTm5uLD6UrOabJRgpWPS_FBf78PRGtARZEujG5PYvB3X9K8xORwzkIilCEyDIz1_gz3AKVfxUkf2xlHeQUK1-Ne9wB6/s200/robbins.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Elizabeth Robbins </b>began painting in her early 20's but soon children became her priority and her love of painting was an occasional hobby. As the children grew, so did her desire to expand on her art. She now devotes full time to art and is the winner of numerous awards including "Best Still Life" at the National Oil and Acrylic Painter's Exhibit, and the "Tuffy Berg Award" at the 2008 CM Russel auction. <a href="http://www.elizabethrobbinsart.com/"><span style="color: #ea9999;">elizabethrobbins</span></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEspGUBjz434th6qEedskLz5fQikRBmHxiXSLgkbeQcYO7SP8J82P3kzfUUfLBAz9_-oO-c_PeZYIvIZBNUGIm4-ZSGl0jKETyFo74qpVSm1y3FPM9Cv3Xif3XG7jA4UUQ5ZyUknCCaQxy/s1600/Putnam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEspGUBjz434th6qEedskLz5fQikRBmHxiXSLgkbeQcYO7SP8J82P3kzfUUfLBAz9_-oO-c_PeZYIvIZBNUGIm4-ZSGl0jKETyFo74qpVSm1y3FPM9Cv3Xif3XG7jA4UUQ5ZyUknCCaQxy/s200/Putnam.jpg" width="157" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lori Putnam </b>is the winner of numerous awards, and has been featured in several important American art magazines. Recognized as one of America's finest impressionists, she credits Quang Ho, Scott Christensen, and Dawn Whitelaw for their influence and encouragement. She was asked to share her art philosophy and painting methods at this year's Plein Air Convention, attended by more than 700 artists. <a href="http://www.loriputnam.com/"><span style="color: #ea9999;">loriputnam</span></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSDdT81ZL4dVFzPGpfa8iCPaMcBjaTAgXWLb2Hd9LCXDfPopEGtTMB2bYpFNKt2sbb5BAbDGWZgTvgI94e0xVX8_0nepVS1rTEQeIV5iTOlFDBAtuVy92jURLuTQ-MNimyM9XQh7Ke5cJ/s1600/dawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSDdT81ZL4dVFzPGpfa8iCPaMcBjaTAgXWLb2Hd9LCXDfPopEGtTMB2bYpFNKt2sbb5BAbDGWZgTvgI94e0xVX8_0nepVS1rTEQeIV5iTOlFDBAtuVy92jURLuTQ-MNimyM9XQh7Ke5cJ/s200/dawn.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dawn Whitelaw</b> is on the faculty of the Portrait Society of America and Peninsula School of Art, and for over 25 years has taught basic principles of oil painting as an adjunct instructor at David Lipscomb University. She's been a featured instructor for the National Plein Air Conventions in Nevada and California. In 2001 she was awarded "Best of Show" at the National Conference of the Portrait Society of America...and last year she was appointed Vice-Chairman of the organization. <a href="http://www.dawnwhitelaw.com/"><span style="color: #ea9999;">dawnwhitelaw</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and here's the question:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Are there any significant differences in the way male and female artists are accepted within the American art scene? If so, what would you like to see changed?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ea9999;">Debra Joy Groesser </span> </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As much as I wish there weren't differences, I definitely believe there are. It doesn't seem to be much different than many other occupations. If you look throughout art history, you rarely find women artists mentioned. In most of the major invitational exhibitions, the vast majority of the artists are men. I think that's a big reason you see several organizations now that are devoted to women and their art. I've heard several comments recently about there being a "masculine" or "feminine" feeling to paintings, and that the women who are getting the most recognition have a "masculine" feeling to their work. I find that an interesting observation. A couple of years ago, I was at a show admiring the work of one of my female painter friends when a couple of male artists came up and said that they loved her work because "she paints like a guy!"</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZ0t1t66Nqn91ETnbc_oHRw9apC_CeDx261_5vjS5aiOszmqgzseNUp2otu9ftZZLoaDtUXQ2RkYdh5A-p1ckbbwSzStYHO8oJEnWNRaD3jZRvejFRzzvrIERt_N1gUQxNrj9llJxCr1W/s1600/debra-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZ0t1t66Nqn91ETnbc_oHRw9apC_CeDx261_5vjS5aiOszmqgzseNUp2otu9ftZZLoaDtUXQ2RkYdh5A-p1ckbbwSzStYHO8oJEnWNRaD3jZRvejFRzzvrIERt_N1gUQxNrj9llJxCr1W/s400/debra-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Debra Joy Groesser - <i>"Just Chillin' in the Shade" </i>- 14"x 18" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As far as what I would like to see changed, I'd like to see more recognition for female artists, and more inclusion in art exhibitions and events. It's important to remember though, that ANY artist, male or female, must work hard and do very high quality work in order to earn recognition. Regardless of gender, good marketing, persistence, perseverance, confidence, being unafraid to seize opportunities when they arise, and "thinking outside the box" are also all necessary. Women need not be apologetic or afraid to be bold about getting their work out there. I'm happy to see some small groups of female artists banding together, creating special exhibitions, and finding good galleries to host them...taking control and creating their own opportunities. I think educating people about some of the little known female artists from the past is very important, for there have been some truly outstanding ones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">Elizabeth Robbins</span> </b>This is a very difficult question. As a female, I only write about what I have experienced. I would be interested to read the male perspective on this issue. I can honestly say that for the most part I feel that being a female has helped me in the art world. Perhaps it's the subject matter that I paint, but I have such an emotional connection with my flowers that I think the collector feels that. I feel as women, we are more spiritual by nature and that we are more "emotional" and "sensitive". This is not to say that men can't be emotional or sensitive. There are many who are, but most people in the non-creative world would consider being so sensitive as a handicap...whereas, I consider it a blessing.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPgA7FwPwuB4JpIz5kZUyfJo04DLyV3elVtyJ2YQwhC4ssTosp1F5Xq5lwBeom6FOrnUY4ZBnvOWTXVyG-qpViDyAvk5Dbk8WI878mU_EIp-hCG94tSMG7kmcUmdScK4yimK3Ca_g_2rq/s1600/robbins-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPgA7FwPwuB4JpIz5kZUyfJo04DLyV3elVtyJ2YQwhC4ssTosp1F5Xq5lwBeom6FOrnUY4ZBnvOWTXVyG-qpViDyAvk5Dbk8WI878mU_EIp-hCG94tSMG7kmcUmdScK4yimK3Ca_g_2rq/s400/robbins-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Elizabeth Robbins - <i>"Birthday Roses"</i> - 20"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the flip side, I have had the unfortunate experience of having dealt with some gallery owners who were men that really didn't care about promoting women artists. If you look at the ratio of women artists vs men artists in the big shows such as <i>The Autrey, Prix de West,</i> etc. you will find that the majority of artists are men. Whether this is due to the fact that there are more professional men artists than women, I don't know. I do know, however, that there are many professional female artist that don't seem to get the recognition they deserve. Perhaps I was a bit naive when I first started selling in galleries because I felt that the artwork should speak for itself, but I have found out that at times it's not so much about the artwork as it is about who you know that gets you ahead. This of course can work for either male or female. I have been fortunate to meet many wonderful people who have helped me along the way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've heard from many women that galleries don't take them seriously because of family obligations. Some galleries feel that if you are a wife and mother that you won't give 100% of your time to your art, whereas men don't have that stereotype to deal with. I have not had that experience, perhaps because I am a widow and the only income I have is from my art. I feel women are better at multitasking than men and are able to handle the demands of family and career.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have never had anyone tell me that they wouldn't buy a piece of art from a woman but I have been told that there are some that won't buy art from someone because of their religion. This is mind boggling to me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I would like to see changed...let the artwork speak for itself. Male/female, christian/non-christian...it shouldn't matter. Let the artwork speak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you think of all the great civilizations, what have they left us? ART! We remember them for their music, their literature, their sculpture, their art. One-hundred years from now, I do believe that women will play a very big roll in how the future remembers us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">Lori Putnam </span> </b>During a recent conversation with an artist friend in England, we discussed similarities and differences between the way artists of different sexes are viewed in our respective countries. Prior the that conversation, my perspective on the subject was quite narrow-minded. It seems true that in the U.S., female painters are largely stereotyped as being far less serious about their work and careers than their male counterparts. We are often identified in our local papers by our floppy hats and sensible shoes, leisurely painting the day away, while our husbands are out working to support our painting hobby. Furthermore, fewer females sell paintings in the higher price range that many men enjoy; more men are labeled as "masters" in large organizations, and until recently, the percentage of award-winning painters appeared to be predominately male. This seem odd, given that there are many more female artists in this business than there are men. Therefore, statistics would suggest that the odds should be in our favor. This all leads me to believe that surely we Americans are much further "behind the times", than our European friends. As it turns out, I was mistaken. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Putnam goes on to explain the difference between the American Salmagundi Club and the English Wapping Group. Salmagundi's early history was predominately male but during the last several decades has welcomed females into its prestigious organization, even promoting Claudia Seymour to serve as its most recent president. At the same time, England's esteemed Wapping Group remains exclusively male. After comparing the two countries, Putnam feels somewhat encouraged about our "modern" world here at home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having said all this, Putnam is still amazed to see the look on someone's face when she reports that this is what she does for a living...that it's not a hobby.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Putnam continues...Over the past year and a half, I have spoken at length about all of this to some of the men whom I consider to be among the most influential in our art world. I am not sure, just yet, that they clearly appreciate the situation, or have any idea how they can help, but I do feel I have made them more aware. Awareness that talented, successful women artists exist seems to be the first step to acceptance, respect, and equality. Unfortunately, for now, awareness involves labeling us in that way...as "women" artists. I long for the day when the word "women" can be totally dropped from the description and is in no way part of identifying what we do. Along those lines, if I am totally honest, I have to add that I am not a fan of any type of art group that separates itself with labels - specifically those which describe race, gender, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">Dawn Whitelaw</span> </b>Historically, in America, it is obvious that men and women artists have been treated differently. I have seen this condition improve greatly over the past few years. I expect the trend of accepting women artists on equal footing to continue. I know it has gotten better during the course of my career. I see great changes in the number of women who are invited to exhibit in museums. Contemporary women artists are now widely collected and often featured in magazines. They are invited to lecture, and to judge exhibitions. Women are included in major exhibitions, often receiving top prizes. Some inequality certainly still lingers, but I am grateful for the remarkable improvement in opportunities for women artists today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are the ways I would like to see women artists change in response to these more favorable conditions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) Outstanding painters, like Carolyn Anderson, Jill Carver and others are accelerating the respect women artists receive today. The equality will happen even more quickly as more "top-notch" women painters emerge. We all should raise our personal standards of excellence. Decades ago, when Bettina Steinke was asked about the plight of women in art, she shrugged and said "women should just paint better".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) Gender exclusive organizations seem to send a message of weakness rather than strength. Groups and shows exclusively for women don't seem to be appropriate any more. If we women want a level playing field, then that's the field where we should be willing to play. It's time to take off the training wheels.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) I think women should acknowledge that some of the roadblocks for female artists with families also apply to male artists with families. Many men and women have to wait until they retire from the job that provides income and benefits for their family, in order to pursue a full time career in art. Those of us who got a late start in our careers bring an intensity, focus, passion and maturity to the table. The experience of family is a great positive, not a negative. During the years when I had to paint in short, stolen patches of time, I learned to be a very efficient painter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) We women should be honest in facing what is really holding us back. Is it the lack of appreciation in our culture for women artists, or is it some internal factor such as a failure to fully commit? Could it be guilt for taking time out for ourselves, or even laziness, that is our stumbling block? Do we suffer from timidity or lack of confidence? We won't be fully able to take advantage of opportunities that do come our way until we deal with some of these internal issues.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #ea9999;">One really fine artist</span>,</b> who prefers to remain anonymous, feels that many women are viewed as mere hobbyists and not serious painters who will work hard, day after day, in order to create work of consistent quality and in reliable quantities to support a gallery and their deadlines.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She knows a number of women who view painting as a hobby...and yet they want to "be in a gallery". She believes one's attitude contributes to the way female artists may be viewed...plus, some work can look feminine and sweet and may not be well received. My friend comes from a management background in business, for many years the only woman to hold that position in the company. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Ultimately, it still comes down to good work, growing in strength, providing consistent inventory to galleries, and taking the risk of applying for shows; not worrying about being turned down...just keep trying...just like the Nike slogan, 'Just do it'".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her choice and recommendation in dealing with any perceived or real bias is to work hard, continually challenge oneself to raise the bar; maintain a professional, courteous and business-like relationship with galleries, vendors, industry publications, and event coordinators...and take a show turn-down as a challenge to do better...and just keep going. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to you ladies for your participation in this discussion and your honest comments. Next week we will hear from: Kim Casebeer, Barbara Jaenicke, Cindy Baron, and Kathryn Stats...and of course, since it's my blog, I'll add my 2-cents worth.</span><br />
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-29640085547745350912013-07-07T17:30:00.000-05:002013-07-07T17:46:33.959-05:00Roger Dale Brown Interview<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One would need to have lived in a cave, isolated from humanity, to have not heard of Roger Dale Brown. In a recent article in <i>Nashville Arts Magazine</i>, Brown is recognized as the 'go to' guy of the South when it comes to teaching plein air painting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've heard of the thoroughness and excellence of his teaching for some time, for he has been a favorite instructor for several years now with the Dot Courson hosted painting workshops. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A resident of Franklin, TN., Brown credits historical master artists, John Carlson and Edgar Payne as strongly influencing his belief that plein air painting is an essential element in being a great landscape painter. He is able to capture the emotion of a scene by drawing on his knowledge of painting and dedication to fine art.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2-qoX7BIwGNy-fGh0SLVLWiZUta0YTavtG5wSthfgEJLUg0rwdyk1w3g3g5wjGtMWyEdep8Bn6PRlW6sj0jF7wTewxsQzsXMawFcOFIw1UehhQaSh-MzNcZ9YRY313vbpi_BJYkDuAyk/s1600/601a+-+Roger+Dale+Brown-bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2-qoX7BIwGNy-fGh0SLVLWiZUta0YTavtG5wSthfgEJLUg0rwdyk1w3g3g5wjGtMWyEdep8Bn6PRlW6sj0jF7wTewxsQzsXMawFcOFIw1UehhQaSh-MzNcZ9YRY313vbpi_BJYkDuAyk/s200/601a+-+Roger+Dale+Brown-bw.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He really didn't pursue art as a career until 12 years out of high school, but he has certainly made up for his late start through study and lots of hard work...much of that outdoors...en plein air.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His spiritual journey in itself is a pretty interesting story and will be covered in a later blog. For now, I know you will appreciate hearing from Roger Dale Brown on the subject of art.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #f6b26b;">I have heard you are an excellent teacher. What is the importance of teaching in your career?</b> I feel so blessed to be able to have a career that I truly enjoy. I also enjoy passing the information on to other people. There is a sense of accomplishment for me to see the progression of a student. I love sharing and as I progress there is more and new information to pass along. To be able to share and talk and discuss scenarios with aspiring artists and get them excited about the process of art is invaluable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What makes a good teacher? </span> </b>Being able to break down a topic into its simplest form and build it back up in an understandable explanatory way, both visually and academically.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I try to explain things from a student's perspective at each student's individual level. I put myself in their shoes, and remember when I was at their stage. That makes it easier not to talk over their head, and to explain situations at each unique stage. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love to figure out the best way to teach a student. Understanding strengths and weaknesses of individuals and understanding personalities help. I love to figure out the best way to impart a sense of accomplishment to each student.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a workshop scenario you have to rely on impact...meaning, there are many different ability levels of students. In a time constrained workshop you do not have the luxury of teaching drawing, design, color theory, etc. It is futile to try to teach this in a 3-day workshop setting. I have good success with verbal teaching, coupled with visually showing the students what I am talking about, and then giving them the opportunity to implement it themselves. My goal is that they will take that information and seek knowledge outside the workshop. Helping the student to see certain important facets of the academic process, such as different types of light, simple shapes and the values of those shapes, seeing atmospheric perspective, simple drawing of shapes are all important elements that can be shown in a class with significant success. It gives them a base to learn from inside the class and out. It gives them a success which in turn creates passion, and passion goes a long way in the learning process.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understanding individual needs so I can work within the capabilities of each person is helpful for the advanced student since they need instruction at a higher level.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I lecture, talk through a slide show or give a demonstration, I don't hold back information for the sake of the beginning student. The beginner or intermediate student will not understand a lot of the theory or logic presented, but they will grasp what they need at the time and it will introduce them to terms and knowledge they can refer back to when ready. This way, all levels are getting proper attention.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Do you feel you received sufficient training to be an artist?</span> </b>I don't know the answer because I'm still training. I think the answer is "no". I never had formal training and have worked extremely hard gathering as much knowledge as I can. I hate the phrase "self-taught". I don't think anyone truly is. I have taken workshops and have had very good mentors and I am close to some excellent artists that help me. I am in a perpetual state of study and learning. I think it is a never ending process in one form or another. I will always strive to achieve more...then one day, I will die.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Gently Rocking - </i>22"x 28" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What part has plein air painting played in your development as an artist? </span> </b>It played and still plays a huge part. Knowledge proceeds execution. Being able to see the nuances of nature proceeds painting them. Sight has to be developed. You teach yourself to do this by going to the source and replicating natures subtleties.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What qualifies as a plein air painting?</span> </b>I think if you go outside with the intent to paint, study, or complete a painting...it's a plein air piece. If you have to work on it inside to correct a few things or make it a better painting...it's still a plein air painting. I do not believe in percentages, as in 80% plein air. That is politics that has no place in the art world. No professional artist raises an eyebrow or questions whether you tweak a painting inside. That is petty and unworthy of their time. The only thing that matters in the long run is if it's good or not. Personally I don't believe in genre labels. You're either a good painter or not, whether it's portrait, figure, landscape, or still life. I believe in being an artist for all it's worth...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Along the Hapeth - </i>30"x 40" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Tennessee Creek</i> - 24"x 36" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What is your view of the current plein air movement?</span> </b>I think it's good. It draws attention to representational art. I believe anytime you paint from life it is a positive step and a great teaching tool. It helps teach us to see as an artist needs to. It has introduced new collectors and buyers to the art market. Its created a new vibrancy in the art community. All in all, it leans more to the positive than negative...but...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do think there are drawbacks. I think its been bad for the perception of what good art is to both aspiring artists and collectors. There are some great artists that do an exceptional job painting on location, and there certainly needs to be room for every level of painter, without question. I think the issue is what is being advocated as good work. There is a lot of mediocre work being passed off as professional quality. In turn this hampers the artist because they are being told on all levels that their work is great. So they stay drunk and stagnant with praise, hampered in the learning process.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With that said, I'm being hypocritical because plein air is the way I started and I wasn't very good. Years ago, when I first started painting and was so excited and passionate, I threw myself into the "art world mix". In retrospect, and in my opinion, too early. Luckily, I had good mentors and started to mature in my understanding of art, coming to see the "error of my ways". I took a step back and did what I needed to do to further myself as an artist. I started to study and became a student of art...and I will continue to be a student for the rest of my life.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-aQYoC2x_yUEpVQtouY5Om2XwtvPO23SMyim7vOhXHbj3tRNNXk1AzaS7azsv3RbeCEx3l3-_Myu8HLhpX_4RI06PN1LIilMuPBrtw9rEI_vmNYamr6kq7UEjSRGnxiyhBgjrQ-IvnEH/s504/rdb+-+spring+drift+-+24x30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-aQYoC2x_yUEpVQtouY5Om2XwtvPO23SMyim7vOhXHbj3tRNNXk1AzaS7azsv3RbeCEx3l3-_Myu8HLhpX_4RI06PN1LIilMuPBrtw9rEI_vmNYamr6kq7UEjSRGnxiyhBgjrQ-IvnEH/s400/rdb+-+spring+drift+-+24x30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Spring Drift - </i>24"x 30" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Is it necessary for you to continually discover new locations to paint in order to stay inspired?</span> </b>I always have places that are special to me...those places never get old and I feel closer to God in these spots. These are comfortable places I submerge myself into, exploring the layers of culture, history, and beauty. I feel that eventually my paintings will translate the depth of those areas. I do like the exploration and discovery of new places. The enigma of a new location has a pull on my spirit that no other element in art can produce. The sheer excitement of the exploration and discovery of a new area can produce mountains of new material to produce artworks. For my temperament, it is important to discover new locations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What do you hope to communicate through your work?</span> </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I try to create art that intellectually engages the viewer with a positive narrative. I want to evoke an emotion and give the viewer enough information to set the tone, but not spell out everything. I want the viewers imagination to work, and let them come up with their own conclusions while directing them to certain areas...interactive art.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Small But Important - </i>24"x 36" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Do you have basic rules of composition that you adhere to?</span> </b>I can see merit in many different theories. There are many ways to approach a painting and they are all the correct way. Artist's throughout time have come up with their own way of putting into words why and how they create. It is their description of what they see, feel, and do...put into words. One artist might have a different way of describing than another, but they are all trying to get to an end result, which is to make a good painting. I do adhere to some basic rules of composition, but I am not critical of other views if they produce good results. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What is your major consideration when composing a painting?</span> </b>I look at the whole of a scene that intrigues me, then I lock in on something. I find something to grasp...a focal point. It can be something as simple as the light hitting a tree or colors that complement each other. I then can mentally work what's around the focal point into a design of darks, lights and color as I see fit. I always bring the landscape to its abstract and work with simple shapes and their value. I break the scene into a dominate color and its complement, or even simpler, into thinking of it as a warm or cool dominate. I visually compare values. For instance, I may compare the lightest part of the tree foliage to the sky, or the darkest accent under a rock to the surrounding ground or water. The "art of comparison" is important in capturing the essence of your scene. I understand that my sharpest edge will be in and around the focal point, but the rest of the scene's edges are very important and have to be considered also. Sharper edges tend to be in the foreground while getting softer as the landscape recedes or form turns.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnncOLJYi8NQTaBqbDSKj3GtwLJ4q72cgISRBFFasrZkf1bdO3IoJBS0HPWkrKRbmXuFxfED6QGRqfsK6bQPYNXXO8RunkMXJzDRE1c44ls4M4wuRuBItJS2oCFU1XoUs58BJ8saFhtnUG/s600/rdb+-+cattails+24x36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnncOLJYi8NQTaBqbDSKj3GtwLJ4q72cgISRBFFasrZkf1bdO3IoJBS0HPWkrKRbmXuFxfED6QGRqfsK6bQPYNXXO8RunkMXJzDRE1c44ls4M4wuRuBItJS2oCFU1XoUs58BJ8saFhtnUG/s400/rdb+-+cattails+24x36.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Cattails - </i>24"x 36" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">How thorough is your initial drawing?</span> </b>I don't necessarily draw the scene out. I carve the scene in with shapes of value, after laying in washes for my initial color composition. The proportions of the different shapes in a scene need to be accurate in order to make the scene believable. I think drawing and value are neck and neck as far as importance in the painting process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Describe your typical block-in technique. </span> </b>I typically do not draw the scene. I start with washes; sometimes with earth tones; sometimes monochrome; sometimes with complements. Although there are situations, with some particular scenes, that I will draw and use no undertones. I do whatever I feel is the best to capture the essence of that moment. The one constant is that I always bring the scene down to its simplest shapes or abstract shapes. This is the starting point for the block-in. For example, if I am painting a lake or a group of trees, they each become one large pattern with a general value. This is my platform to start creating from. As the painting progresses, I paint within these abstract shapes keeping the values close, so that the original shape always retains its identity.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Against the Wall</i> block-in</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Against the Wall - </i>22"x 28" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Do you let the subject determine the concept of the work or do you create the concept and use the subject only as the starting point?</span> </b>I use the scene as a platform to develop an idea from. It evokes a mood and sets the tone, but we are all creative and to be too literal with every aspect of the scene deprives the viewer of your unique vision.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manipulating the scene to create a better composition has been done for centuries. Strengthening certain aspects of a scene, while playing down others, is the beauty and genius of Sargent or Schmid's work. Creating the essence of the scene by being free to create is critical for a successful painting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whistler once said, "An artist is known for what he omits".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">How do you decide on a dominating color key for a painting, and how do you maintain it?</span> </b>Part of my initial analysis of a scene is to simplify it into a dominant color and a subordinate color; the subordinate is always the compliment of the dominant. Nature gives it to us, we just have to look for it. Defining these two principal colors helps me maintain the mood and harmony I want in the painting...this is not to say there are not other colors in the painting, but these take precedence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are instances, such as early morning and late afternoon, when there is a hue cast over the scene as a whole. It is like a filter of a particular color held in front of your eyes (rose colored glasses come to mind). In this case, I sometimes use an analogous color system to better capture the moment. I define the hue I'm seeing and then use adjacent colors on the color wheel to paint the scene. Toward the last quarter of the painting, I will introduce the complements (opposites on the color wheel), or I might glaze the painting at the end, to reinforce the cast of light and color in the scene.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What are the key points one needs to know when creating a true sense of atmosphere?</span> </b>The power of observation, and the science of art. Knowledge precedes execution. If you know that values, color, and edges change according to atmospheric conditions, you are better able to see it when you're in nature. If you can see it, you will eventually find a way to paint it. You can only paint what you're able to see.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What are the main problems encountered when translating a field study to a large studio work?</span> </b>I don't view the field study as a miniature studio painting. My field study is one piece of information to be used in the studio. Although I have brought some field studies to completion, most of the time it is not my intent. My intent is to be satisfied with the field study and try to get the best painting and most information I can. I don't want the pressure of thinking I have to take a field study to completion. I prefer the freedom of exploration. The result of solid foundational application coupled with exploration allows for more unpredictable elements in the field studies that I might be able to use or draw from in the studio.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I approach a studio piece with more purpose than an outdoor piece. My objective is to create a studio piece that evokes the mood of the scene, not a replication of it. If I tried to paint the studio piece exactly like the field study, I would fail. Usually it will not translate into a bigger format. It's a guide, just like a photo, a drawing, or narrative of the scene. In the studio I have a completely different mentality, a completely different arsenal of tools and techniques, a completely different time frame. I have the tranquility of my own space and the time to work through problems and produce the desired affect of the scene.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Think of it in terms of a writer who wrote a 50-page narrative of a story and wanted to make a novel. The story is there in the 50 pages but the novel has to have more information. The writer has to put more into the story, build each character, expand each aspect and create more sub-stories within the main body of the novel to make it complete and interesting.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What part does photography play in your work?</span> </b>I like to use photographs to jog my memory, to put me mentally back in an area, as a reminder. I think gathering information is key to having a more successful painting. Knowing and understanding your subject helps the photo reference work. When I am on location I try to explore the area, not just the object. I walk around and study the scene up close, how the light falls on it, around it and behind it. I study the culture of the area. I really absorb the moment. Sketches, drawings, descriptive words all help in creating a studio piece. By gathering all of the information possible, I am able to fill in gaps that the photograph leaves out.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Harbor at Dusk - </i>30"x 40" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Finishing the Day - </i>18"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Yacht Club at Night - </i>30"x 40" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">What colors are most often found on your palette?</span> </b>Although I shift colors in and out of my palette, I do have colors that can always be found on it. I use a split primary palette with a few friends...Titanium White, Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red Light, Quinacridone Rose, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Indigo Blue, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do not use a green because when I do, it becomes the dominant color in all the greens in the painting. I mix the green for the specific area I'm focused on. This insures a variety of greens...key to a successful painting in spring and summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">How does one find their individuality as an artist?</span> </b>I think your individuality finds you. I often hear a student ask, how do I develop a style or how did you get your style? My answer is, "don't worry about it, just paint". Painting is a process and you should not get caught up in developing a style. You will restrict your ability to explore if you try to force or copy a style. It will lead to formulating your work, which you don't want to do. Your unique voice will develop naturally. Your spirit and individual personality will show through in your work if you just paint. That is obvious if you have ever been with a group of artists painting the same scene. None of the paintings look the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #f6b26b;">If you could begin all over again, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently in developing your career?</span> </b>Start more with the academics. Drawing is an essential part of the growing process of an artist. At the very least it teaches us hand eye coordination. It takes what is in your head to the canvas or paper. It also teaches us the power of observation...the power to see. Getting a late start in life, I have always felt an urgency to develop my skills...and I honestly enjoyed the challenge...but in retrospect I feel I could have worked harder on academics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks Roger for a very interesting and informative interview. Your honesty and time are sincerely appreciated.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i><a href="http://www.rogerdalebrown.com/">Roger Dale Brown website</a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i><a href="http://dotcourson.com/workshops">Dot Courson Workshops</a></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view art and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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<br />john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-75518832015722052782013-06-30T18:58:00.001-05:002013-06-30T19:12:32.884-05:00The Roots of Creativity<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Creativity is not simply a property of exceptional people but an exceptional property of all people"</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Ron Carter, <i>Language and Creativity: The Art of Common Talk</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was during the Renaissance that this belief began to change. In the 1800's modern thought had pretty much replaced the "outdated" belief that God was the source of all creativity. After all, man had become "enlightened" and come to believe that creativity was not a result of the divine at all, but rather an ability that solely originated with man.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The great Jonathan Edwards in his dissertation <i>"The Nature of True Virtue</i>" countered this belief. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>For as God is infinitely the greatest Being, so he is allowed to be infinitely the most beautiful and excellent; and all the beauty to be found throughout the whole creation, is but the reflection of the diffused beams of that Being who hath an infinite fullness of brightness and glory; God...is the foundation and fountain of all being and all beauty."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, if one denies God as Creator then it's obvious some other explanation must be devised. Filling the void are many wonderfully crafted and creatively presented explanations, all in the name of science, that are designed to convince us of anything other than there being a loving, personal, creative God who spoke all this into existence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Name one dance move that was not imagined, then designed, practiced and refined. What about writers, sculptors, architects, painters? The list is endless. Every visible thing in our world formed by the hand of man, whatever it may be, was at some point imagined, designed, and brought into physical being. To acknowledge this, while at the same time debunking God doing the same thing on a much larger scale with an infinitely more complex creation, well...it's beyond comprehension.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I like how Leland Ryken explains it in his book "<i>The Liberated Imagination".</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Human creativity is rooted in divine creativity. Artists create because God created first. In Genesis 1, the first thing the Bible does is introduce us to the God of the universe. He is introduced as a creative artist. Before we know anything else about Him, we know that 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth'. This divine artist began, as all artists do, with something formless: 'The earth was without form and void'. God then proceeded to create the forms that comprise our universe. Like a painter working on a canvas, God assembled one detail after another until the picture was complete. He then pronounced the creation 'very good'".</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ryken goes on to say that God's creation was only the beginning as He also delegated the ongoing work of creation to His human creatures.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7HZfI2IdHsUHUc7rNrexOZWquuRUQufL4ik9JgxyeWtHw-dOZeqvtM0-Xu3oMQI2vLt1QkisHCCsUSU5dyd-qptt5qWF5VyJd5qIyWIPrboYwp9sbi6ehmqDYIYsz2xu8KpEdi3nQpf_/s1440/paris-eiffel-tower-1440x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7HZfI2IdHsUHUc7rNrexOZWquuRUQufL4ik9JgxyeWtHw-dOZeqvtM0-Xu3oMQI2vLt1QkisHCCsUSU5dyd-qptt5qWF5VyJd5qIyWIPrboYwp9sbi6ehmqDYIYsz2xu8KpEdi3nQpf_/s400/paris-eiffel-tower-1440x900.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We see that in the statement, "God created man in His own image". When that truth was revealed, none of God's other attributes are yet mentioned. This doctrine, that the image of God resides in people, emphasizes that we, like God, are creators...and that ability comes from Him alone.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukBIA6R3DtOVbh_Cf30sbPrFkFbu7IHKa9_gzSm7hSJODxeUswM7grLqDEY8AKURey02lgzO1XFklY89LyDK09g3eIjIpFglEMY5E1pverf7xN-T7zkCrKV23V99pHvTr2vz5N_Z7H6Uk/s1600/proxima-car-bike1_2000x1410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukBIA6R3DtOVbh_Cf30sbPrFkFbu7IHKa9_gzSm7hSJODxeUswM7grLqDEY8AKURey02lgzO1XFklY89LyDK09g3eIjIpFglEMY5E1pverf7xN-T7zkCrKV23V99pHvTr2vz5N_Z7H6Uk/s400/proxima-car-bike1_2000x1410.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>We create because we have been endowed with God's image. This, in turn, deflects the ultimate praise for artistic achievement from people to God."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether God is acknowledged in the creative process or not, the truth remains...and humanity still benefits. It's kind of like gravity...it just IS. Bow to Him or not...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are ourselves creations. We are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves. This is the God-force extending itself through us. Creativity is God's gift to us. Using creativity is our gift back to God"...</i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Julia Cameron, <i>Heart Steps.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFztwBYvHJLOy_C_SvZDIyOdi2bdmNuvMmUKMxKhV_p7aUQ5JSFupkc203-jfxGRMOASlXaTTRJjY30h6COcrWZgacjCe3ycyUDDwzxbjzMbEiOKCbixZy5qytEucaFvHw2ySKOLBeqj4e/s655/72865_435988193139532_1369702574_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFztwBYvHJLOy_C_SvZDIyOdi2bdmNuvMmUKMxKhV_p7aUQ5JSFupkc203-jfxGRMOASlXaTTRJjY30h6COcrWZgacjCe3ycyUDDwzxbjzMbEiOKCbixZy5qytEucaFvHw2ySKOLBeqj4e/s400/72865_435988193139532_1369702574_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>George Washington Carver</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the centuries, many great creative people have credited the God of "The Book" for their achievements, one of my favorites is George Washington Carver. Born into great poverty, hardship,and being of poor health, he achieved international fame when he revolutionized the economy of the south by introducing hundreds of uses for the peanut, soybean, pecan, and sweet potato, in the place of cotton<i>. </i>Many of you may know the story. What you may not know is that he approached all his experiments and eventual discoveries with great humility. As most creative people will admit, we create best when alone. Dr. Carver was like that. He entered his laboratory alone and would lock the door behind him. He once said,<i> </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Only alone can I draw close enough to God to discover His secrets"</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He believed God would show him what questions to ask and how to conduct each experiment. He reasoned that the One whom created the plants was also the same One who had all the answers as to their use.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before a Senate Committee in 1921, he was asked how he learned all these things. "From an old book." "What book?" asked the Senator. "The Bible", replied Dr. Carver. "Does the Bible tell about peanuts?" inquired the Senator. "No Sir", Carver replied, "But it tells about the God who made the peanut. I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut, and He did."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have no doubt that the ability to create is a gift to us from God. It didn't just light upon us through some impersonal cosmic happenstance. With the gift comes responsibility. George Washington Carver understood this and we, as artists, can learn from his attitude as it applies toward our life's work. He was a man of unusual creativity and humility and possessed an attitude worthy of our emulation. "The secret of my success is simple", he said. "It is found in the Bible, 'In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths'". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I agree.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">To view work and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-47292325855169232013-06-23T17:00:00.000-05:002013-06-23T17:17:28.896-05:00"Cherished Memories" reviewed<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We all have them, you know, those special memories?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the time we didn't think much about them, we were just kids, but over time after we've acquired a few wrinkles and come to realize there are more years behind us than before us, those special memories become cherished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, they don't need to be monumental events, in fact, in most cases they're not. They're often just the simple joys of living...going to grandma and grandpa's house, that first kiss, catching fireflies and putting them in a jar, walking to school, learning to tie our shoes, ride a bike, or jump rope...even falling asleep on daddy's lap. They're all cherished...now that we can look back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My painting, <i>Cherished Memories</i>, captures some of that. It's one of those beautiful, sunny autumn days. The birds are singing. With each passing day the leaves declare their beauty but eventually they abandon their place and gently fall to the ground. Neighborhood friends have come over to play. It's a perfect day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wrhSiiQ_UxEQiIc3Xe3kSsDpLcFmrKXVT3Yogc9b83LOultX_l5IN82SkdBCWre8A6AQ_gTZR5UW-XAcJCJWoTiW-e9N4Afw8cG1vJHFkZC_U9DxrfMHYiA4qXCw7D3tFVRATcxnCeDr/s1600/Cherished+Memories+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wrhSiiQ_UxEQiIc3Xe3kSsDpLcFmrKXVT3Yogc9b83LOultX_l5IN82SkdBCWre8A6AQ_gTZR5UW-XAcJCJWoTiW-e9N4Afw8cG1vJHFkZC_U9DxrfMHYiA4qXCw7D3tFVRATcxnCeDr/s400/Cherished+Memories+photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Photo reference for <i>Cherished Memories</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Writing about it and painting it are two different things. Now I can't honestly say all these thoughts ran through my mind as I developed this painting. I had a general idea of where I wanted to go with it, but I seem to work best when I allow ideas to evolve and eventually become specific as I work through a piece. That's why I like to do small color studies. It's here that concepts, composition, values and color schemes can be tried and then accepted or rejected.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPktjhU-Lemr1TcviA7IJZpvu6ZenMJ8nMRfmUd-noNLCIrAj6eXefX6TM8l-nmLmpYiPFnMS6r_kvUciyFmWVDYyVRJ9oLSIjTdURdpWlQfpZU1aRB2Oe1oULzuyo_dQhxjv3KeYFBJC/s1600/Cherished+Memories+-+study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPktjhU-Lemr1TcviA7IJZpvu6ZenMJ8nMRfmUd-noNLCIrAj6eXefX6TM8l-nmLmpYiPFnMS6r_kvUciyFmWVDYyVRJ9oLSIjTdURdpWlQfpZU1aRB2Oe1oULzuyo_dQhxjv3KeYFBJC/s400/Cherished+Memories+-+study.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Color Study - 3.75"x 7.5" - Oil on paper</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've done two other versions of this theme over the years and in each, selected a different composition and color scheme. The focus here was to press into the scene somewhat and really expand on the feeling of autumn. To do that I experimented with a number of color schemes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will often select bits and pieces of the color wheel when selecting a palette for any given work. It helps keep things simple, greatly aiding in achieving color harmony.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgdbgzYfa4RWOEEsijESJMgoI8zG-qajOHwlqg5LYD4_5wzcyp87yj_AkLgPmr5Taq-P6JKuGtIA78NxnXnH5JpFR9k5UHn6gkST6ny0RABtcewh4BZ_vjWFb3n03p0yL4U75qOmchy5A/s1600/color+wheel+-+red+dominant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgdbgzYfa4RWOEEsijESJMgoI8zG-qajOHwlqg5LYD4_5wzcyp87yj_AkLgPmr5Taq-P6JKuGtIA78NxnXnH5JpFR9k5UHn6gkST6ny0RABtcewh4BZ_vjWFb3n03p0yL4U75qOmchy5A/s320/color+wheel+-+red+dominant.jpg" width="294" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For this painting I chose a <i>red dominant</i> color scheme. That means everything on the color wheel that contains red was put on the palette. Here's a <i>red dominant</i> palette (above) using ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson, and cadmium yellow pale as primaries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The palette used for <i>Cherished Memories</i> looked like this.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6jqyKgfI616VfRdGx48QE98rTyjhJ_dAJmtb1mPg199S5cHOaweX5o0Kwqux-_ab6jJuCFSHp_vRF85gcMqySTKQ1EjkfiHCAPgjwATXAFV_FzMvkZGqdBuOjYqTYNxRCyaU8NKaFU8-/s1600/red+dominant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6jqyKgfI616VfRdGx48QE98rTyjhJ_dAJmtb1mPg199S5cHOaweX5o0Kwqux-_ab6jJuCFSHp_vRF85gcMqySTKQ1EjkfiHCAPgjwATXAFV_FzMvkZGqdBuOjYqTYNxRCyaU8NKaFU8-/s400/red+dominant.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Left>Right: blue-violet, violet, red-violet, red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ultramarine blue, cadmium red and lemon yellow were the primaries. Grays were achieved by mixing those colors farthest apart.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPG2lZU9ND5agqDNs0ha1aI1Nk5HiLfwr0R5d0y8z4_7RUcrQovUoFkzrl2n6Wte3z4U8QSlhn1df_XvJbsljmVYQfqsG1M2DfuY0O5CSM1xdAftUdn60srspRZDk0L8g89gwe8CDAJjx/s1600/Cherished+Memories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPG2lZU9ND5agqDNs0ha1aI1Nk5HiLfwr0R5d0y8z4_7RUcrQovUoFkzrl2n6Wte3z4U8QSlhn1df_XvJbsljmVYQfqsG1M2DfuY0O5CSM1xdAftUdn60srspRZDk0L8g89gwe8CDAJjx/s400/Cherished+Memories.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Cherished Memories - </i>12"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This painting is available through <span style="color: #e06666;"><a href="http://www.abendgallery.com/html_artists/john-pototschnik-artist-page/#.UcZfKxgo59A"><span style="color: #e06666;">Abend Gallery</span></a> </span>in Denver, Co</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View large image of the painting <a href="http://www.pototschnik.com/displaypainting.asp?pid=587"><span style="color: #e06666;">HERE</span></a></span></div>
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-88295983991472248962013-06-16T18:30:00.000-05:002013-06-16T18:37:39.342-05:00"Kissed by the Sun" reviewed<br />
<i><span style="color: #ea9999;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"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 to accomplish it".</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Edgar Payne</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few years ago, on the recommendation<i> </i>of one of my collectors, my wife and I traveled to Holmes County in Ohio. It's located in the northeast-central part of the state and is home to the largest Amish community in the world. It is a place I could easily enjoy painting for many years, for it pretty much captures the emotional and physical essence of everything I enjoy about landscape painting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the paintings from that trip, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Kissed by the Sun", </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">has received a lot of exposure lately because of the kindness of friends sharing it with others on Facebook.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is the photo reference used for the painting. There are many things I like about this photo but it's primarily the composition that prompted me to stop and take a longer look. There's a distinct and clear focal point, nice lead-in, a variety of contrasting shapes and sizes, and an obvious foreground, middle ground, and background. In addition the subject itself, the rolling countryside, the winding road, and the embankment on the right with large tree, are all appealing.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUVu0FN1dh8VtJY2d4ywwztREHVtVuLdEWtt7eGU4U2wXPho23hn_A_kMhXTti0__DkSw9HcQYKgyMCkD_eV57xBekdYylAAsJA7TSFhwZEhzJj0vBcoFpHOEfO4uEbPzy177sky_7VN3/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUVu0FN1dh8VtJY2d4ywwztREHVtVuLdEWtt7eGU4U2wXPho23hn_A_kMhXTti0__DkSw9HcQYKgyMCkD_eV57xBekdYylAAsJA7TSFhwZEhzJj0vBcoFpHOEfO4uEbPzy177sky_7VN3/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The scene: Holmes County, Ohio</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As an artist I try to bring something of myself to each painting, not as a conscious, deliberate act, but as a natural result of focusing on what is to be communicated...the concept or "purpose" as Mr. Payne puts it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, I'm not always successful. When I'm not, it's usually the result of not spending enough time thinking on the front end, not doing preliminary work, and not having a clear idea of where I want to go with the painting. I fall into the trap of reproducing a photo. Hopefully, in these cases, I have enough sense to at least pick a good photo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few things about this photo are lacking...the feeling of warmth, of intimacy, a place of comfort that makes one feel right at home. I know, it's a subtle thing. The basically flat lighting has something to do with it, but also the new almost perfect barn, the modern asphalt road, random spots of color, and an imposing background also contribute.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I sought to resolve these issues with this preliminary color study.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaL1LtqyCTZ89C9S8ZJMAu5c0sdPVhcClSyDinTMbMY72OExV8GBCa1vOgvK42hWDzCIUBl96csPgCNt9wjN2Isjov2yuJGKUoIHXyIUT1Q_uCZ6OTMXXg38fsJh2S0f7jwtgFPpLevlhq/s1600/Kissed+by+the+Sun+-+study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaL1LtqyCTZ89C9S8ZJMAu5c0sdPVhcClSyDinTMbMY72OExV8GBCa1vOgvK42hWDzCIUBl96csPgCNt9wjN2Isjov2yuJGKUoIHXyIUT1Q_uCZ6OTMXXg38fsJh2S0f7jwtgFPpLevlhq/s400/Kissed+by+the+Sun+-+study.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Kissed by the Sun (Study) - </i>4.5"x 6" - Oil on paper</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By simplifying the background and changing the value, casting the foreground into shadow, and moving the light in order to cast part of the barn in shadow, the scene becomes more interesting, unified and less confusing. At the same time the size of the barn was reduced, aged for character, and highlighted. The road was narrowed, asphalt removed, thereby making it much less traveled. Finally, the tree on the right was enlarged, forcing the viewer to stay within the painting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the preliminary work was a great help in clarifying the concept and actually enabled the final painting to come together more quickly with less problems. As you can see however, from the completed piece, I continued to make changes I thought necessary in order to clearly portray the feeling I was after.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Kissed by the Sun - </i>12"x 16" - Oil on canvas</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The painting is available through <a href="http://www.greenhousegallery.com/cgi-bin/mp/lookup.pl?titleid=POTOTJ00096&displayhorz=4&displayperpage=9999"><span style="color: #e69138;">Greenhouse Gallery</span> </a>in San Antonio, TX</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">To view work and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></span></b></div>
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-82802990192659271072013-06-09T17:00:00.000-05:002013-06-09T17:02:55.949-05:00Charles Warren Mundy Interview<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQOpF-truHW4P7PKM6O7k3LaQ-K0IKYdpSewOoSOVdy-4YyU_6sCmK2l7GLRaX6oQsNs3mm4-WxPvjlcPnCQ2l-URDh6KeOu6s25Vhh5yrHV9oeI-lAEP8GBkjkOlbveGpVqk8a6cWjev/s1600/CW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQOpF-truHW4P7PKM6O7k3LaQ-K0IKYdpSewOoSOVdy-4YyU_6sCmK2l7GLRaX6oQsNs3mm4-WxPvjlcPnCQ2l-URDh6KeOu6s25Vhh5yrHV9oeI-lAEP8GBkjkOlbveGpVqk8a6cWjev/s200/CW.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first met C.W. Mundy when I stepped into the back of a limousine one evening in Cincinnati. We were participating artists in the <i>Great American Artists Show </i>and were being transported to the show venue.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you know anything about C.W., you know he is not shy. An outspoken Christian, it was not long before we discovered our common faith. I admire his authentic boldness and fearlessness, and it seems to permeate every area of his life including his work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His painting has gone through a continuous evolution. Always experimenting, never content to rest on his past successes, he is a bundle of energy, continually looking for new challenges. If it's not painting, it's music. If it's not music it's something else. He's not one to sit around wasting time. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Train Station - </i>36"x 24" - Oil - 2012<br />2nd Place, Masters Division, 22nd Annual OPA National Competition</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He just won second place in the Master Division at the 22nd Annual Oil Painters of America National Competition in Fredericksburg, TX., yet on the drive home to Indiana with his wife, Rebecca, he took the time to answer my questions for this interview...just another example of an active mind making every second count.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm very pleased to bring you this wonderful interview with Charles Warren Mundy:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #76a5af;"><b>As I've watched your work over the years, it seems you are always experimenting...trying new things. Are you fearless about experimentation?</b> </span> I've always been fearless to experiment because for me it is necessary to have a challenge, otherwise I'd be bored. The quest is the search.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">It seems you paint anything and everything, is there any subject you shy away from? </span> </b>You won't find me painting little kittens with a ball of yarn!...On the other hand, who knows, I might just do that sometime.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">The creation of <i>All Along the Boulevard</i></span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9RaLrKjYyyOOdQGE2qsV06KeBfRQcDJsYE39sY1d7tvJG0jtedAnQofycllC0_ZrAqrl8PwMgGDsgKpwFnyQV_qY48Ho70baet5YNM8-BDTJMd3-Wv8Dsca619wj9EQoF28Afn7gkRxW/s1600/cw+-+all+along+the+boulevard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9RaLrKjYyyOOdQGE2qsV06KeBfRQcDJsYE39sY1d7tvJG0jtedAnQofycllC0_ZrAqrl8PwMgGDsgKpwFnyQV_qY48Ho70baet5YNM8-BDTJMd3-Wv8Dsca619wj9EQoF28Afn7gkRxW/s400/cw+-+all+along+the+boulevard.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>All Along the Boulevard - </i>24"x 36" - Oil - 2012</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">There is a certain unpredictability to your work, not in a negative sense, but in that one is never absolutely sure what you're going to paint next...or how you're going to paint it. How do galleries and collectors feel about that? </span> </b>I've done this from the beginning, so my collectors and my galleries are actually used to it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">What do you see as the future direction of your work? </span> </b>My future direction - more experimentation! Especially right now, I'm experimenting in the area of "paint manipulation". There's a multitude of ways that one can make a mark on linen. I've figured out that since these things are called "paintings", the paint expression is very important!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>Sunrise, Our Backyard - </i>20"x 16" - Oil</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">How do your Christian beliefs affect and direct your art career? </span> </b>My wife and I pray about everything! This has directed us in every facet of the career, from conceptualizing, in painting, and in the business aspects.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>Prague, Church of Saint Nicholas -</i> 5"x 7" - Pen and Ink - 2000</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">I consider you to be a pretty savvy marketer of your work, please explain your strategy. What has been your most effective marketing tool? </span> </b>Taking the leap of faith from answered prayers. (Psalm 32:8)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Early in the career, for 10-15 years, I did much advertising. That's how I became known in the industry. Currently I use social media, newsletters, exhibitions, website, blog, trying to stay in front of people. You must continually remind people. A quote I'm known for..."It's one thing to launch your career, it's another thing to sustain it".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">How do you balance market expectations and artistic growth? </span> </b>I'm more concerned with artistic growth. My galleries allow this and don't place high expectations on me.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>Sailing Into Rockport at Sunset - </i>24"x 36" - Oil - 2005</span></b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65B0VEwA-PNRfosL1F8j_gfO4p-joEHOCOC5-lraY7phhN7_cAoJG9FEOz6ZYA9kcsTnrXLw17hlhEsst-Q6HOe22ztjH4IYNEDIOTZf69svMkc4WAP0yyuiLjhCXoWJZPyLCLE4y1w1o/s1600/CW-+Early+Afternoon+Light%252C+Williams+Creek+9x12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65B0VEwA-PNRfosL1F8j_gfO4p-joEHOCOC5-lraY7phhN7_cAoJG9FEOz6ZYA9kcsTnrXLw17hlhEsst-Q6HOe22ztjH4IYNEDIOTZf69svMkc4WAP0yyuiLjhCXoWJZPyLCLE4y1w1o/s400/CW-+Early+Afternoon+Light%252C+Williams+Creek+9x12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>Early Afternoon Light, Williams Creek - </i>9"x 12" - Oil</span></b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #76a5af;">You are heavily involved in music, and for a time, sports. How have these contributed to your ability to succeed as an artist? </span> </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've always worked hard to achieve my goals, in sports, music, and in art. There's no substitute for hard work!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">The relationship of painting to music is frequently made, could you explain what is meant by that? </span> </b>There are many parallels between art and music. Here are just a few examples:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There must be unity and variety in correct proportions. In music and in art, if everything's too unified, it's boring. Too much variety, and it's fractured. You want to have as much variety as possible, but still have it unified.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You must have an "attitude" about your work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In music as well as art, you must have a "centrality of focus". With music, the centrality is in the lyrics of the chorus. Just as in a painting, it's where you want your viewers (or listeners) to have a resolve or anchor in your composition. The musical verses have to point to the chorus. In art, the secondary and tertiary areas have to support and not challenge the centrality of focus in the painting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The dynamics of when to be loud and when to be quiet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are music notes and color notes - how do you want them to play out or speak?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">Why did you select art over music as your career? </span> </b>I was in a great 5-piece band in L.A. in the late 1970's. We wrote all our own music, and were getting ready to record with a major music recording company, when one band member became very sick and then passed away, and the band dissolved. Our dream ended and I was dejected, not only at the loss of our friend, but because of the investment of time and effort for the band. I felt that God really spoke to me at that time and told me to go back to art and painting, where I didn't need to rely on other people to make a living, just my own hard work.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxv5XvssnqdDMagOMk9cURwodxMXN7lorW4VG9os2SVhiFMUX6L1A2IylQVPixHDPix5asTOrsxb1kXAyMvg2RXwMD4svhQ1aXlLX_0R2LbpnZ7H2tSZa_xJC2X3S9F-NKHt4Z8mmo-AZ/s1600/cw+-+emily+with.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxv5XvssnqdDMagOMk9cURwodxMXN7lorW4VG9os2SVhiFMUX6L1A2IylQVPixHDPix5asTOrsxb1kXAyMvg2RXwMD4svhQ1aXlLX_0R2LbpnZ7H2tSZa_xJC2X3S9F-NKHt4Z8mmo-AZ/s400/cw+-+emily+with.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #f1c232;">Emily with Basket at the Beach - 9"x 6" - Oil - 2012</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>Red Striped Umbrellas, Santa Margherita Ligure - </i>16"x 20" - Oil - 1996</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz771PtNgBV5SSt7y0wQRV6CiGbqPTCudOszFZog69O8Az98J6H4fuh6JRlm2WlwysSEaCUN4_O-N5CtPZtjfZ8vrbwUItXdDxJieCxUikPITBC0rBO87wDiW68eE4lBBpG7Q-2M1rJLGz/s1600/cw+-+silver+coffee+urn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz771PtNgBV5SSt7y0wQRV6CiGbqPTCudOszFZog69O8Az98J6H4fuh6JRlm2WlwysSEaCUN4_O-N5CtPZtjfZ8vrbwUItXdDxJieCxUikPITBC0rBO87wDiW68eE4lBBpG7Q-2M1rJLGz/s400/cw+-+silver+coffee+urn.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>Silver Coffee Urn - </i>12"x 9" - Oil - 2011</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">Why, at this time, is there such a move in America toward realism...even the classic kind?</span> </b>The pendulum swings! The American Impressionism of the last several decades has had a good run, but that continues as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">How do you decide on a dominating color key for a painting, and how do you maintain it? </span> </b>If you're concerned with color as opposed to tonality, one might take advantage of playing up complementaries. There is a reason why colors have their complementary. In the history of art, the greatest colorists had a sophisticated usage of color and chroma. Painting straight out of the tube is OK for modernists, but to me it's like "finger nails on a chalkboard".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">What part does photography play in your work? </span> </b>When subjects move and it's your only option. Sometimes as well, it's very advantageous to record spots where you can't be around such as Europe or other travel destinations, although 90% of all my European Collections of paintings were painted en plein air. If I have to paint from a photograph, I often paint it "upside down" which is much more right brain and creative and helps me stay out of the mode of just painting "things".</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTtYSNN_xmVDYO4TKwe6-Y3sKC-w69B_wbzvuPW2yYohy3YFgHew4rT8aStfCe7Y0uCKaQDq3WBp3PzattD4QCUi-a1QDroo_vrgz-7CMX_MAq0dXjQTL8PaYKKlh1MCI1QQiFRyXsk02/s1600/cw+-+musee+d%2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTtYSNN_xmVDYO4TKwe6-Y3sKC-w69B_wbzvuPW2yYohy3YFgHew4rT8aStfCe7Y0uCKaQDq3WBp3PzattD4QCUi-a1QDroo_vrgz-7CMX_MAq0dXjQTL8PaYKKlh1MCI1QQiFRyXsk02/s400/cw+-+musee+d%2527.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>Musee d'Orsay - </i>12"x 9" - Oil - 2012</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">What are the key points one needs to know when creating a true sense of atmosphere? </span> </b>It mostly really boils down to "edges" and being very careful with color notes. In a landscape, many times in the distant trees and distant hillsides, I add more sky color into those masses. Value as well has to be adjusted from the literalness of the scene.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">C.W. Mundy painting on location in France</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">What are the main problems encountered when translating a field study to a large studio work? </span> </b>The loss of the human spirited endeavor and the inability to make large masses interesting and exciting with paint manipulation...are starter problems. The problem continues on when unnecessary details are added. Less is always more!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">Do you have basic rules of composition that you adhere to? </span> </b>Almost always I go for the exploitation of a centrality of focus, what I call a "resolve" or an "anchor". I gravitate toward compositions that have a strong primary, a supporting secondary and supporting tertiary. The Equalization theory which is the exact opposite invented by the modernists was to exploit the eye floating randomly everywhere in the composition with no "resolve" or "anchor".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">How does your work reflect your personality? </span> </b>I'm a charismatic person and I'm too old to have any interest in rendering anymore. I've grown into becoming a child trapped in an adult body. I'm like a child wanting to experience things that I've never experienced.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny6pY7OeIVW-zzxTJJOc6dfKd6o_c5vZ9-hAG1FCBXzxtzmIhScFU20XnPSaxkTIs3fQ7sLIdVnn0_wa5OvNLp32wIG7UiteGcIj2bu7MoMarQU_7h1_FDaHSnE31RcsV0TC1S39vmGZq/s1600/CW-+July+Sunset%252C+oil+on+linen%252C+20x16+%25C2%25A9CWMundy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiny6pY7OeIVW-zzxTJJOc6dfKd6o_c5vZ9-hAG1FCBXzxtzmIhScFU20XnPSaxkTIs3fQ7sLIdVnn0_wa5OvNLp32wIG7UiteGcIj2bu7MoMarQU_7h1_FDaHSnE31RcsV0TC1S39vmGZq/s400/CW-+July+Sunset%252C+oil+on+linen%252C+20x16+%25C2%25A9CWMundy.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>July Sunset - </i>20"x 16" - Oil - 2011</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">What is your major consideration when composing a painting? </span> </b>First of all, composition rules over all the other tenets in painting. You can do a great job with value, color, edges and paint manipulation, but if the composition is not good, the painting will still "circle the drain". Your composition will support and explain your love for the subject.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hate formula painting; it's the death of an artist. So each experiment in composition in many ways is unique to itself. In a series however, the variables in composition are more consistent for research purposes only. Doing an experiment is different from doing experiments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">What advice would you have for a young artist/painter? </span> </b>You have to become a painter and understand the "science" of painting before you graduate to becoming an artist. Study, hard work! There's no substitute for mileage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">What advice would you have for a first-time collector? </span> </b>If you really love a painting and can afford it, you'd better purchase it! It only takes one or two regrets to learn your lesson.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">When you become discouraged and feel the well is dry, so to speak, what do you do? </span> </b>The first and most important question you need to ask yourself is "why is the well dry?" The second question is "Would it be more productive to work through this or take a break and get a fresh start".</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;"><i>Kinderdyke (European Collection 2002) - </i>24"x 36" - Oil</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">If you could spend the day with any three artist, past or present, who would they be?</span> </b> Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and daVinci.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">If you were stranded on an island, which three books would you want with you? </span> </b>The Bible, a Hebrew concordance and a Greek concordance!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #76a5af;">What's your opinion of art competitions and how do you go about selecting paintings for these shows? </span> </b>Art competitions are only relative to the judge and shouldn't be taken too seriously by the participant. These competitions have probably destroyed the enthusiasm of the participants in the same proportion to the careers they have resurrected. My selections for shows...Find an artist who is very experienced and has your best interest at heart, and allow him or her to be more objective concerning your entry.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #76a5af;">Who has had the greatest influence on your career, and why? </span> </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To say one who has had the greatest influence would be very misleading and not include the many who have inspired me. It's always a compilation of many.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you C.W. for a very interesting interview. We're going to look forward to all those interesting places your continual experimentation with paint will take you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Mundy is a Master Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society,and a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists. He is also a member of the Disco Mountain Boys, an Indianapolis based bluegrass band. They just released their debut CD, <i>Road Trip.</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.cwmundy.com/">Charles Warren Mundy website</a></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-size: x-small;">To view art and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-84479534770410012662013-06-02T17:30:00.000-05:002013-06-03T16:51:49.115-05:00Debra Joy Groesser Interview<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She's currently exhibiting in two shows: The Missouri Valley Impressionist Society 2nd Annual Juried Exhibition that opened May 1st...and "Earth and Sky: Women of the Prairie" which opened May 31st in Wichita, Ks. In April she exhibited her work with six other ladies in Carmel, CA - "Powered by Nature: Seven Women". This July there's the Door County Plein Air Festival in Wisconsin; In August the Plein Air Artists Colorado 17th Annual National Juried Exhibition; the 14th Juried Exhibition of the American Impressionist Society in September...and she just returned from a month long painting trip to California.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She's a signature member of the American Impressionist Society, American Plains Artists, and Plein Air Artists Colorado. She's an associate member of the Oil Painters of America, and American Women Artists...and she's on the Board of PAAC.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This folks is your current president of the American Impressionist Society...one busy lady to say the least.</span><b style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It took several months to finally complete this interview, but I believe you'll find it worth the wait. I first met Debra a couple of years ago in the Flint Hills of Kansas during a plein air event organized by Kim Casebeer. I found Debra to be a delightful person. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is more to this interview than shown here, so I will include some of her other comments in future blog topics I have planned. I hope you enjoy the interview.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's the correct pronunciation of your name? </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Grow-sir</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">How did you first become interested in art and what led you to becoming a professional? </b>I just remember always being interested in drawing. My favorite thing to do as a child was to copy the illustrations out of my story books. I also copied the words and by doing that, taught myself to read at age four. My favorite book was "Barbie Goes to a Party". I would love to find a copy of it! Back in the days of Romper Room (giving away my age here), they would put pictures up on the TV screen for kids to draw and mail in to the TV station. My mother sent one of mine in when I was three and they put it on TV...I don't remember it but I guess you could say that was the start.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Heading Into the Storm</i> - 12"x 30" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my coloring books I always put light and shadow on everything. It was never just flat coloring. I had a friend in 5th grade when we moved to Nebraska who was also very artistic. Instead of playing the usual games that kids played, we would draw for hours. We set up tennis shoes, still life's, drew the trees in the yard...anything we could find. I just loved it. From there, I took every art class I could in high school and then earned my BFA degree in college (studio art/painting). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After graduating, I married my first husband, and began working as a graphic artist for a local bank. I tried to do a little painting when I could find time. My husand decided to start a home building company in 1980. We had two children, and when they were almost two and four, I left my graphics job to stay home. For the next couple of years, I did the bookkeeping for my husband's business, painted and did freelance graphics work when the kids napped and at night after they went to bed. That lasted a couple of years until it became necessary to get my real estate license so I could help my husband's business by selling his homes. Ironically, the week that I was waiting for the results of my real estate test, Denise Burns, founder of Plein Air Painters of America, was in our town to teach an oil painting workshop, which I attended. She really inspired me and encouraged me to pursue my art (the painting I did in that workshop still hangs in my studio next to my easel). </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Last Hours Before Sunset</i> - 18"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I passed the real estate test and, reluctantly, ended up having to put my art career on hold. With two small children, the demands and time commitment of a real estate career and still doing the bookkeeping for the home building business, there was no time for art (other than drawing architectural renderings to advertise the homes we built). Three years later, we divorced.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout my time in real estate, I never lost sight of the goal of returning to my art career someday. I always considered myself an artist first, and real estate was just temporary.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrkULMkhhY9ehiXiyd-ehbhboFyN21Tm6fXtmkitOEQKAKSGwfpbw1x1OssPgSbQlS3kdBhTixRvzg292hV5yX0Mvi2Z9ixcxFCIsV3BCrimAA1H43sSw_fLkbpCrtrzxv-Ps6Ib5gGaV/s1600/DG+-silver-symphony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrkULMkhhY9ehiXiyd-ehbhboFyN21Tm6fXtmkitOEQKAKSGwfpbw1x1OssPgSbQlS3kdBhTixRvzg292hV5yX0Mvi2Z9ixcxFCIsV3BCrimAA1H43sSw_fLkbpCrtrzxv-Ps6Ib5gGaV/s400/DG+-silver-symphony.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Silver Symphony</i> - 14"x 18" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In late 1991 I married my husband Don, with whose love and support I was able to return to my art career. By this time I was doing architectural illustrations for several home builders and little pen and ink drawings (sometimes with watercolor added) of people's homes to give as closing gifts. I also did note cards printed from my pen and ink drawings of homes. Soon, other realtors started ordering my drawings and cards for their own clients. Eventually I got to the point that I was earning almost as much from the "house portraits" as I was from selling real estate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started painting again a couple of years later. When Don saw my paintings and how happy it made me to be painting, he encouraged me to let go of the real estate career and get back to creating my art full time. We remodeled our basement into a small classroom where I taught art classes for children. I painted, and continued doing the house portraits, renderings and graphic work. Eventually, my art took over the spare bedroom, the basement, the office and then the dining room. At that point, in 1996, we bought a small building in our little downtown area and remodeled it to house my studio, a large classroom, a frame shop and a gallery...and I let my real estate license go. That freed up my days for art and my evenings and weekends for family time. Each year we analyzed which areas of my art business were profitable for the amount of time and money being spent, and reviewed and set new goals. I closed the gallery after four years to spend more time producing my own work, and eventually stopped doing commercial framing for the same reason. Next, I let go of the renderings and graphics work, and started scaling back on the house portraits (which were all deadline oriented and not as enjoyable as painting) so I could concentrate just on painting. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfElZhSaKA_ctUj7qWRw07gUT06BmZdmJPRv97To_G1oC6-9UFbBVRR6njhmM-jCkntk8ZFE_C0QPnxL276pEaTuxAW_SbWpeerQpkxWNrViD0suOE2ZNzZ39ojnEvrjNJtlc21tBIOVf/s1600/DG+-+The+Promise-10x20-oil-med+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfElZhSaKA_ctUj7qWRw07gUT06BmZdmJPRv97To_G1oC6-9UFbBVRR6njhmM-jCkntk8ZFE_C0QPnxL276pEaTuxAW_SbWpeerQpkxWNrViD0suOE2ZNzZ39ojnEvrjNJtlc21tBIOVf/s400/DG+-+The+Promise-10x20-oil-med+res.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>The Promise</i> - 10"x 20" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also in 1996, the same year we opened the downtown studio, I began taking one painting workshop a year to help improve my painting skills. The first one was with Tom Browning in 1996. In 1999, my first plein air workshop was with Kevin Macpherson in Bermuda...AND I FOUND MY PASSION. I went on to study with Kevin several more times as well as Kenn Backhaus, John Cosby, Kim English and Scott Christensen. Other than traveling to workshops, I stayed pretty close to home until my children graduated from high school. I began entering juried shows and competitions, first locally, then regionally, and finally nationally. Being accepted into several, and winning a few awards, brought attention from some gallery owners and resulted in representation by three of the four galleries who currently represent me. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although I'd been a full time artist (which included painting too) for about ten years, my goal was to be a full time painter. I made that transition about seven years ago.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These days, I try to paint during the day and do my marketing in the afternoons and evenings. Some weeks I'll set aside a couple of days just for marketing. I spend probably about as much time on the business side of art as I do actually producing art.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Faith Strength, and Perseverance - </i>24"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">What is your role as president of the American Impressionist Society? </b>I'm still very much in the learning process since I've only been in this position since the end of January of this year. Communication and coordination best describe the biggest roles I have at this point, and working with the board, the founders and the officers. The first priority was to get to work on our 14th Annual National Juried Exhibition with our Show Chair, Suzanne Morris, who had already been working hard on the show for a few weeks. The show will be held at M Gallery in Charleston SC in October. I've worked on things like writing the show prospectus, arranging for the workshop in conjunction with the show, communicating with our web designer, recruiting volunteers to help with various aspects of the show, updating the AIS Facebook page as needed, and writing communication for the membership. Now that the online entry system for the national show is active, I'm fielding questions from members and helping however I can. I'm actively seeking ideas and suggestions for new opportunities and ways to serve our membership so we can continue to build on what is already a great organization. We already have one exciting thing in the works...but as nothing is finalized yet, you'll have to stay tuned for more information as it progresses.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiCjJKNFQq8N8XTqIYQ2flwO9_9M70foZJ-18pS21EgIurogSKWU2RUT7To42d0WTIDM_F0EIjzyYcrbeDCxKR-6haur0MOVPmYkLSahJmWNe0EIp51mXiqxQ-muLuYo-jHZGPdNlF9UF/s1600/DG+-red-onion-with-garlic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiCjJKNFQq8N8XTqIYQ2flwO9_9M70foZJ-18pS21EgIurogSKWU2RUT7To42d0WTIDM_F0EIjzyYcrbeDCxKR-6haur0MOVPmYkLSahJmWNe0EIp51mXiqxQ-muLuYo-jHZGPdNlF9UF/s400/DG+-red-onion-with-garlic.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Red Onion with Garlic</i> - 5"x 7" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<b style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are so many art groups today that differentiate themselves according to medium, subject matter, style, region of the country, or even gender...what are your feelings about that? </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There really are a lot of them. I think that many of these groups do give artists a place where they feel their art fits in (style, medium, subject matter), as well as opportunities to meet other artists, network, paint together, take part in workshops and, often, group exhibitions. The main thing I've done is research what they offer and decide which of the groups fit my needs, my goals and my work. My style of painting is more impressionistic and I do a lot of plein air painting, so I've done well with AIS and plein air groups, such as Laguna Plein Air Painters and Plein Air Artists Colorado, as opposed to other groups who, for example, favor tighter realism. There are not a lot of artists in the area where I live, but through one fairly new group, the Missouri Valley Impressionist Society, I've been able to connect with many artists who live in about a three hour radius of me. Through MVIS I can participate in paint outs and exhibits closer to home that I otherwise would not have known about. I paint landscapes, but I also do portraits and figurative pieces, so I've been encouraged to join the Portrait Society of America, which I'm now seriously considering. In my experience, there are a lot of benefits to be gained from being a member of a group or groups.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">Several contemporary art movements seem to have a pretty fuzzy definition as to what fits into their "movement"...What is your definition of Impressionism? Is it merely surface appearance, intention, a philosophy...or is there more to it? </b>Impressionism is more about spontaneously capturing a moment in time, an "impression" of the subject, by carefully observing and quickly rendering the effects of light on the subject, the colors, the atmosphere, movement. Impressionist paintings are representational with visible brushstrokes but without a great amount of detail (think plein air paintings as the most obvious example). Tightly rendered pieces with a lot of detail and smooth surfaces wouldn't fit into that definition. The American Impressionist Society, Inc. defines American Impressionism as "the concern for light on form, color, and brushstrokes. It allows equal latitude between these attributes, and recognizes not a single definitive element, but several factors - including high key light and hue, visual breakdown of detail, concern for contemporary life, and cultivation of direct and spontaneous approaches to a subject".</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Just Chillin' in the Shade - </i>14"x 18" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">What proportion of your work is done en plein air? </b>Probably about 70 to 75%.<b style="color: #c27ba0;"> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">What qualifies as a plein air painting? </b>There are so many different opinions on this subject. To me, if the majority of the piece is painted outdoors, on locatoin, from direct observation, from life, it qualifies as plein air. Now "majority" can mean different things to different people. I think some touch ups in the studio are permissible for it to still be considered plein air. I have a couple of pieces I did in Zion National Park that need tweeking, but probably 85-90% of these pieces were completed on location. Just because I will finish them in the studio, the overwhelming majority of each was plein air. In my opinion, they will still qualify as plein air. I've had to paint from inside my car during rain and thunderstorms, and because I'm painting it from life, on location, from the actual observation of the scene in front of me, I consider that plein air as well.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Whaler's Cove Solitude</i> - 11"x 14" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">What are the major problems encountered when translating a field study to a large studio painting? </b>The major problem is to translate that freshness and immediacy that you achieve in the field on to the canvas in the studio...it's very, very difficult. So much of that freshness is achieved because the time is limited in the field...the conditions are changing so rapidly that to capture the scene, you have to paint quickly and more intuitively. In the studio, there are no time constraints. The light isn't going away. The shadows aren't moving. There is much more time to think about what you're doing and that in itself takes away from that original feel of the field study. I no longer try to make the studio pieces be an enlarged 'copy' of the field studies. Instead I use the studies as color reference and inspiration. It frees me up to play with composition, color, mood, etc, in the larger paintings and is much more fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">What advice do you have for a first-time plein air painter? </b>Keep it simple! Pack as lightly and as compact as you can when it comes to your gear. There are a lot of options out there for equipment. Be sure to have a hat with a good brim, sunscreen, bug spray and plenty of water to drink. Avoid wearing bright colors when you paint outdoors as they will reflect onto your canvas and skew the color in your painting. Keep your canvas and palette out of the direct sunlight...even if it means having your subject behind you. Keep your compositions simple. Block in your shadows first and commit to them. Avoid 'chasing the light' (changing your painting as the light changes). Work quickly.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Hidden Treasures </i>- 18"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">What are your artistic goals for 2013? </b>To stay organized, to successfully serve and lead AIS and find new opportunities for our members, to produce another 20 paintings for the solo exhibition this fall with historical works by artist Abby Williams Hill, to have a successful National Juried Exhibition for Plein Air Artists Colorado (I serve on the PAAC board and am the show chair this year), be more consistent with my blog, to get out and paint on location locally as much as possible, and to create a new body of seascape paintings from the plein air studies and reference photos from a recent trip to California. I will be traveling and painting for a month this fall as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Thanks Debra for your time, for your active participation in so many art organizations...and for your boundless energy. From your resume, it's pretty obvious...you're not done yet.</span><br />
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<b style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>For more information:</i></span></b><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://debragroesser.com/">Debra Joy Groesser website</a></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.americanimpressionistsociety.org/">American Impressionist Society</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</b></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view art and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-2876772470874708922013-05-26T17:30:00.000-05:002013-05-26T17:40:54.427-05:00Oil Painters of America National Salon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Partial view of the Oil Painters of America National Salon Show at Insight Gallery</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's one thing to see pictures of a painting, it's a whole other ball game to see the original. Of course we all know this, but I was hit between the eyes with this reality once again when I walked into Insight Gallery for the 22nd Annual Oil Painters of America National Salon 2013. Wow, what a spectacular show!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xIo2f9Mf3DB9OqzzmlNsHaLBNo1VaVBkM8jtnJsPSdZUKQhDF1GtdK1MuyVcYbURZX5S4yokHDuJceqRO8_74lKTpPMpR0-61gkdNVzoge81tAr65LkAhvSkRSshM0FGZ0t30iGDRfWy/s1600/hanna+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xIo2f9Mf3DB9OqzzmlNsHaLBNo1VaVBkM8jtnJsPSdZUKQhDF1GtdK1MuyVcYbURZX5S4yokHDuJceqRO8_74lKTpPMpR0-61gkdNVzoge81tAr65LkAhvSkRSshM0FGZ0t30iGDRfWy/s400/hanna+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Kaline Carter, regional sales manager, and Kristin Bucher Hoerth, editor-in-chief of <i>Southwest Art </i>magazine</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Jeff Legg with his award winning painting <i>Illumination</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Insight Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX did a wonderful job displaying the work. Opening night the place was packed. I have been honored to be a part of several of these national shows but this is the first one I have actually attended. Two things really surprised me, 1) The scale/size of the paintings 2) The quality. The overall quality of the work being produced today is significantly better than that created just ten years ago. It just emphasizes the fact that we must keep working, keep learning, keep improving. Being juried into prominent shows like this cannot, must not be taken for granted, for if they are, we will eventually find ourselves outside looking in.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>John Hulsey with his wife, Ann Trusty, have created <i>The Artist's Road...</i>a practical, informative, and inspirational site for artists</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>John Austin Hanna and Bryce Cameron Liston at the RS Hanna Gallery. Hanna received the Donors' Award of Excellence for his painting <i>Summer Cool</i> during the OPA awards ceremony. Liston is a signature member of the Oil Painters of America and currently is a featured artist at the Hanna gallery</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was nice to finally meet John Hanna. We were both illustrators in Dallas during the '70's. He was one of Dallas' best. I admired his work then...and now he's an OPA award winner. Also enjoyed meeting so many fellow artists...enjoying paintings first hand of artists I've admired for a long time.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>With my painting <i>Road to Tularosa</i> at Insight Gallery during the OPA National Salon</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congratulations to all the winners. It's an amazing achievement to win anything in a show of this caliber.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view all the winners, click<a href="http://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/awardees.cfm?year=2013#national"> HERE.</a></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Other important sites:</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.insightgallery.com/">Insight Gallery</a></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.theartistsroad.net/">The Artist's Road</a></b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.rshannagallery.com/RS_Hanna_Gallery/Home.html">RS Hanna Gallery</a></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://johnaustinhannastudio.com/">John Hanna website</a></b></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.jefflegg.com/default3.asp">Jeff Legg</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.listonart.com/">Bryce Liston website</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.southwestart.com/">Southwest Art magazine</a></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #93c47d;">To view work and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></span></span></b><a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458"></a><span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-72590669848187222502013-05-21T23:31:00.001-05:002013-05-21T23:32:07.045-05:00John McCartin Revisited<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Australian friend, John McCartin, has a wonderful feature article in the current issue of <i>International Artist </i>magazine, Vol. 91. In the article, "Painting the Cotswolds", McCartin says that the distinction between what you physically see and how you paint what you see, makes all the difference.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first became</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> aware of McCartin's work back in February of 2012. We were showing together at the Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, TX during its 30th Anniversary Celebration. John had just won the Grand Prize for "Art Challenge #64 - Favorite Subjects", sponsored by <i>International Artist, </i>and was new to the gallery. His work was an instant hit. I was so impressed with his work that I contacted him and asked if he would allow me to interview him. He is not only an amazing artist but also a wonderful person, so I truly enjoy sharing more of his work with you.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1Tn5Ru4k4_5CzR-UX287HJt_924CGq4GdjHoBIPzEN-cm83hmlyTjiVTcqhk_Vb0mvea_46sP7Hqf2ZTcmc-AqSzbQLoGDclEXe0wkZ1242HmKpn2hXAyvsorhJXfJ5gJyt3sGi1FwB0/s1600/Bourton+on+the+Hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1Tn5Ru4k4_5CzR-UX287HJt_924CGq4GdjHoBIPzEN-cm83hmlyTjiVTcqhk_Vb0mvea_46sP7Hqf2ZTcmc-AqSzbQLoGDclEXe0wkZ1242HmKpn2hXAyvsorhJXfJ5gJyt3sGi1FwB0/s400/Bourton+on+the+Hill.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Bourton on the Hill </i>- 26.38"x 39.38" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He only began painting full-time professionally in 2002 and is now regarded as one of Australia's finest artists across a range of genres. He is currently preparing for a solo exhibition of his works to be held at Morpeth Gallery, in the Hunter Valley, NSW...coming up in July 2013.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before leaving however, I couldn't resist asking him a few questions:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEItu8VrnDrF0ZKKPXOSJ-A9GlhIHSCyGmCgp4CoGeqvsZOWMcU_rklf9eq3Nq3PdrFiSXwqboFcObJhJ8OfH8g67PQ3cdbGGVhVIQpwy9b8jc4Xc9dLuOtNPt-p_iJD8xoQCCUmsPK49/s1600/Waiting+at+the+Gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEItu8VrnDrF0ZKKPXOSJ-A9GlhIHSCyGmCgp4CoGeqvsZOWMcU_rklf9eq3Nq3PdrFiSXwqboFcObJhJ8OfH8g67PQ3cdbGGVhVIQpwy9b8jc4Xc9dLuOtNPt-p_iJD8xoQCCUmsPK49/s400/Waiting+at+the+Gate.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Waiting at the Gate -</i> 29.12"x 20.5" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #3d85c6;">How would you define "success", as an artist? </b>No simple answer to this question. My definition of success as an artist will be different from that of another artist. My personal idea of success is to be in a position whereby I can fully develop my craft without having to spend large amounts of time doing other things. To come close to reaching my full potential as an artist while encouraging and inspiring other artists along the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #3d85c6;">Is it possible to be a good landscape painter without painting en plein air? </b>It is possible but not likely. Painting en plein air trains the artist to be selective. The limited time at his disposal forces the artist to focus on essentials. The most important aspect of painting from life is observing the subtle colour changes which are not apparent in photographic images and understanding how light behaves in the natural world.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEyt6-GE2UUMx0r4mjnCY6ovrKEUZeLnqlBMw2eLEJncGIXeGfWoC7ESruepyeiDufp2h6XdeiqwmwcCKoPWXtaPdeCpD3NEe9EqPfg8yH_tzDSc8ElIlePMkKA683ciZ75yW8vIETjn7/s1600/the_gardener%2527s_cottage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEyt6-GE2UUMx0r4mjnCY6ovrKEUZeLnqlBMw2eLEJncGIXeGfWoC7ESruepyeiDufp2h6XdeiqwmwcCKoPWXtaPdeCpD3NEe9EqPfg8yH_tzDSc8ElIlePMkKA683ciZ75yW8vIETjn7/s400/the_gardener%2527s_cottage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>The Gardner's Cottage - </i>13.75"x 15.38" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #3d85c6;">What are the main problems encountered when translating a field study to a large studio work? </b>The biggest problem is how to maintain the simplicity and spontaneity of the smaller painting done in the field. Because time in the studio is not restricted, the tendency is to add more detail then is necessary. This has a way of weakening the composition. The initial emotional response to the subject (the reason you painted it) and the emotional impact of the painting is often diminished.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjux84cNBXz_72HWhqaLNJuMBjDVbv5bKAWjdXXjc7CZowTDtpljAYgvXGj6oFy8d63kVK0XGD5-bLeM51vjYpITbYqYqI1t8xuAdDEWSa6pR7PTg-lvOanFdW2MJaF-qW38KkuTdyAn8Ql/s1600/study_for_gums_of_aroona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjux84cNBXz_72HWhqaLNJuMBjDVbv5bKAWjdXXjc7CZowTDtpljAYgvXGj6oFy8d63kVK0XGD5-bLeM51vjYpITbYqYqI1t8xuAdDEWSa6pR7PTg-lvOanFdW2MJaF-qW38KkuTdyAn8Ql/s400/study_for_gums_of_aroona.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Study for Aroona Gums - </i>13.75"x 18" - Charcoal</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktN0kao_Ifq0OAox-nuJ7UxyYYR-WZLPATnBMd-_Up7VrehD5OFx3VYceeGXoJt7qDfY2yiCP-Ci1qD5M8KFB3WZA8ieaRVFsvhkIolcGupvdG1V_h26NJ6ptPvMXE3C9kBwYEZuet6Vf/s1600/leafy+lane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktN0kao_Ifq0OAox-nuJ7UxyYYR-WZLPATnBMd-_Up7VrehD5OFx3VYceeGXoJt7qDfY2yiCP-Ci1qD5M8KFB3WZA8ieaRVFsvhkIolcGupvdG1V_h26NJ6ptPvMXE3C9kBwYEZuet6Vf/s400/leafy+lane.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Leafy Lane - </i>18.5"x 26" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #3d85c6;">What qualifies as a plein air painting? </b>One that is essentially done on location. The majority of the painting needs to be done from life. Tidying, touching up or completion work in the studio should be minimal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #3d85c6;">How do you know when a painting is finished? </b>A painting is finished when nothing can be added or taken away without it being detrimental to the whole. That's the theory. In practice it's more of a personal thing. A gut feeling. John Singer Sargent's answer was simple..."When I say it is".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>To read John McCartin's complete February 2012 interview, please click<a href="http://pototschnik.blogspot.com/2012/02/john-mccartin.html"> here.</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.johnmccartin-artist.com/">www.johnmccartin-artist.com</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, please click <a href="http://www.pototschnik.com/joinnewsletter.asp">HERE</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">To view work and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-44227981197716326952013-05-12T15:52:00.002-05:002013-05-12T15:54:47.368-05:00On Entering Art Competitions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's very possible that the painting you entered in that last art competition </span><u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"><b>was</b></u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a real dog. You know, the one that was rejected. But hey, your mom loved it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the other hand, you may have submitted a real masterpiece but unfortunately ran into an incompetent judge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Either way the rejection was real and you felt the blade of the knife.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having juried many art shows and submitted work to many more, I've experienced both sides of the coin...rejecting and being rejected.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ZdT8CJ7BZoeCJQWq8O7mTd0gvg7IzPsh2lUeS6J2QpcIDBudOelvarKhdcZ-xcIXK1q-b47e8Q2-ZcgrJPku_fj3jiZ2RQvpKi_jWZ66digdz9FY74AnMZFFd8iFwwRMi5VRQX-OaETD/s1600/A+New+Day+Dawning+-+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ZdT8CJ7BZoeCJQWq8O7mTd0gvg7IzPsh2lUeS6J2QpcIDBudOelvarKhdcZ-xcIXK1q-b47e8Q2-ZcgrJPku_fj3jiZ2RQvpKi_jWZ66digdz9FY74AnMZFFd8iFwwRMi5VRQX-OaETD/s400/A+New+Day+Dawning+-+b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>A New Day Dawning - </i>12"x 16" - Salon International 2012</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>(Honorable Mention)</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some people look upon art competitions with distain. They wonder why anyone would allow some stranger to make judgments regarding another's personal expression. They don't like the idea of having some externally imposed standard, or another's personal bias deciding whether their work is acceptable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, each of us make judgments every day regarding the quality of all kinds of creative endeavors, from the quality of our clothes to the quality of wedding photographs. Yes, fine art should be judged, critiqued, and scrutinized on many levels...and it isn't as if we have no standards of judgment. Let's just look at the last 600 years for starters.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZT4gLUqrAoXatRmyKLpvrgNW8eh7Djnc7SfKUf4G3Tdx3GYShs8E6gyyDfz3CJAu2rZfCBXXeLQW_9pYnTJdq24Rgj0bM4fGl6cyueeuncMkKdb3wGk586J-oLpUFQnjVRG8EpRRSu3-/s1600/Left+Behind++%2528Plein+Air%2529+-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZT4gLUqrAoXatRmyKLpvrgNW8eh7Djnc7SfKUf4G3Tdx3GYShs8E6gyyDfz3CJAu2rZfCBXXeLQW_9pYnTJdq24Rgj0bM4fGl6cyueeuncMkKdb3wGk586J-oLpUFQnjVRG8EpRRSu3-/s400/Left+Behind++%2528Plein+Air%2529+-b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Left Behind - </i>9.75"x 15" - Outdoor Painters Society, Plein Air Southwest Salon 2013<br />(Best of Show, Southwest Art magazine award)</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most thinking people will agree that art should, and therefore must, submit to some kind of critical standard. Art competitions are one way artists can assess their growth and see how they stack up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dianne Massey Dunbar agrees: "There are two main reasons that I enter art competitions. The first one is to see how I stack up against other artists. Secondly, I enter competitions to hopefully have my work seen by other artists, collectors, galleries, and even magazines."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marc Hanson uses competition as a yearly barometer for his progress. "Nothing like seeing your work amidst the work of your peers, year in and year out, to see how you're doing."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Winter's Dance - </i>30"x 40" - 2011/2012 Art Renewal Center International Salon<br />(3rd Place, Landscape)</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7k86osj_iDcqGXt5wAQJeJ5f1IQWPwrWvuwrJon-ysfQMoMCUK0YtXmKs_7XBbJU0hgBzoYJgZGebwMHss86E3muIK24QqmpXSAFhDnom90jL6ONgNOIF_kU2cU168Io0aXtDgjMhDTY/s1600/A+March+School+Day+-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7k86osj_iDcqGXt5wAQJeJ5f1IQWPwrWvuwrJon-ysfQMoMCUK0YtXmKs_7XBbJU0hgBzoYJgZGebwMHss86E3muIK24QqmpXSAFhDnom90jL6ONgNOIF_kU2cU168Io0aXtDgjMhDTY/s400/A+March+School+Day+-b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>A March School Day - </i>16"x 16" - Oil Painters of America Western Regional - 2010<br />(3rd Place)</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Here are some good reasons to enter juried art competitions:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Creates a healthy challenge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Forced to critically assess work relative to the judging criteria and to the work of others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Work is evaluated and recognized by peers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Helps in evaluating artistic growth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Chance to win money and prizes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Incentive to continue artistic growth and to take on newer and greater challenges.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Creates opportunities for gallery representation, invitation to other shows, art sales, exposure to new markets and new collectors, teaching and demonstration invitations, magazine features, and commissions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. Association with respected organizations and with established, recognized artists.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Builds resume and adds to your reputation and credibility among those in the art community.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsz8UnUvv6526JY3locJHNlr-1gnAKAfp3wf1A1JCAc3BhHRJhGslx4JoKXfoMoRbBwxOYOJ5EtjH-E5209olCPgKBoMEnUkr3w5sN0R8H8XIYkWbNObnjCC8Ny5jrhZhLh5G3jl1vxRM3/s1600/Cornish+Promontory+-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsz8UnUvv6526JY3locJHNlr-1gnAKAfp3wf1A1JCAc3BhHRJhGslx4JoKXfoMoRbBwxOYOJ5EtjH-E5209olCPgKBoMEnUkr3w5sN0R8H8XIYkWbNObnjCC8Ny5jrhZhLh5G3jl1vxRM3/s400/Cornish+Promontory+-b.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Cornish Promontory - </i>30"x 24" - 2011/2012 Art Renewal Center International Salon<br />(Finalist)</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Important considerations before submitting work to a juried competition:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Weigh all expenses and time involved versus possible reward. Only you can decide whether reward outweighs cost.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Consider reputation of the hosting organization. Choose those that have an established, well respected identity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Is the juror qualified? What style and quality of work does the juror produce, and is he/she a recognized professional...making a living from the work they create? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Honestly assess whether your work fits the theme, character, and quality of the competition.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Cherished Memories</i> - 12"x 24" - 2012/2013 Art Renewal Center International Salon<br />(Finalist)</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_Yp3_5hlz4OKTBslCG8OipeFoxXEUgVXzg8oYF2umDaH4jEATf4-8I-8NIn9glhi2Fjce46tXcFscToi_L9lOwmh2SbyfQUXE_jpqV2PyN1se0z2dWylSpTniM0kcNJGcP0pdihz_ekb/s1600/Kansas+City+Southern+de+Mexico-+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_Yp3_5hlz4OKTBslCG8OipeFoxXEUgVXzg8oYF2umDaH4jEATf4-8I-8NIn9glhi2Fjce46tXcFscToi_L9lOwmh2SbyfQUXE_jpqV2PyN1se0z2dWylSpTniM0kcNJGcP0pdihz_ekb/s400/Kansas+City+Southern+de+Mexico-+b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Kansas City Southern de Mexico - </i>24"x 36" - '<i>Artist's Magazine'</i> 26th Annual Art Competition - 2009<br />(3rd Place, Landscape)</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">False assumptions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Being accepted into, or winning a juried competition, will open the door to greatness and unlimited opportunities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. The judge will only select work that is similar in style and subject to his own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. The average art buyer is greatly impressed by awards and resume and will make a decision to purchase based on an impressive resume and awards won.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURP91zX3ECoo8aNrvEf5l5nqFUtn_uglwfCzkidsr5i5PGHZDOgA3NOG2nF9R41kzkcu8EVEfSSjDOQe79cbK9dq6TAVbc6_2-lheaIMToD4K7OIL9APhpqWjNtQl2dyRQsUsu6PHo65R/s1600/The+Old+Mill+-b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURP91zX3ECoo8aNrvEf5l5nqFUtn_uglwfCzkidsr5i5PGHZDOgA3NOG2nF9R41kzkcu8EVEfSSjDOQe79cbK9dq6TAVbc6_2-lheaIMToD4K7OIL9APhpqWjNtQl2dyRQsUsu6PHo65R/s400/The+Old+Mill+-b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Old Mill</i> - 16"x 16" - National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society On-line Open International 2013<br />(Best Landscape)</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Practical advice:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Accurately and honestly evaluate your work. Seek critiques from professionals who will be honest with you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Do not waste time or money entering national shows that you are not ready for.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Build confidence and establish a reputation for quality work among local groups before launching out regionally and nationally.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Consider on-line competitions while still applying all of the previously mentioned considerations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Be selective. Only submit your best work, professionally photographed...or its equivalent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. The more prestigious the hosting organization, the more meaningful the award.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Evaluation of art is not a scientific process. Personal taste will always play a part in a juror's selections. Even though you've done your best...carefully evaluated and considered everything...success is not guaranteed. Keep your head up, try again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. Resumes seem to be of little value outside the art community. If an art museum or prominent art collector is interested in acquiring one of your works, or if you've applied for membership in one of the important nationally recognized art organizations, they probably have value. For me, they do provide great material for those introducing me at local art club meetings.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, please click <a href="http://www.pototschnik.com/joinnewsletter.asp">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view work and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-33555946038554491572013-05-05T17:30:00.000-05:002013-05-05T17:36:05.448-05:00Deconstructing the Landscape Workshop<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know, someone has to do it. There I was in Pontotoc, surrounded by a room full of lovely ladies eager to hear what I had to say. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Undaunted, I pressed on. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbcZmIM93vqIRUXHcmpSC8s_mVEEMsnIleRO2rZP8rluGzmGSog_jugdoJKUq9OkfAgB77XF3H_Ta4ur-Bi4Th8YPubkNYHv_7HPgjgUmdUlQWBDMjt0oo6iZ0fyi_5gt0GXTqHnR22M3/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbcZmIM93vqIRUXHcmpSC8s_mVEEMsnIleRO2rZP8rluGzmGSog_jugdoJKUq9OkfAgB77XF3H_Ta4ur-Bi4Th8YPubkNYHv_7HPgjgUmdUlQWBDMjt0oo6iZ0fyi_5gt0GXTqHnR22M3/s400/022.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Standing, Left>Right:</span> </i><span style="color: #e69138;">John Pototschnik, Kay Heller, Sue Miller, Nancy Crossett, Betty Jo Johnson, Shirley Griffin, Danette Middleton, Reba Depoyster, Joe Umphress, Dot Courson, Rebecca Carter, Cathleen Windham</span><br /><i><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Seated, Left>Right:</span></i><i style="color: #e69138;"> </i><span style="color: #e69138;">Ruth Davidson, Susan Patton, Dianne Agnew, Holly Chapman, Karen Bennett</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was my last scheduled workshop of the year and the theme was, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Deconstructing the Landscape". </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each participant was asked to bring a painting that they knew had problems. With the paintings displayed, I defined and explained what many of us professional artists consider necessary building blocks for the creation of masterworks: concept, composition, drawing, values, and color. Additionally, we discussed technique and presentation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These principles were applied to each of the student's works. They were asked to reevaluate their paintings based on the teaching and reconstruct a new, improved version with my guidance. The lessons were backed up with demonstrations. First, a monochromatic block-in technique, and later, the full-color version.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVjOQ42lOwQ1p_aMsQ4X97iAIAiOXfuwVmq05iGDtC4du2veYOB-1woErzc9n-jNyngXPiH4mxhRv052JB1bMYLchSFyUZiXSqKk3puNPNfsGY65ngj5pE0qwwpG1bJeRqp88YBhPWfXI/s1600/612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVjOQ42lOwQ1p_aMsQ4X97iAIAiOXfuwVmq05iGDtC4du2veYOB-1woErzc9n-jNyngXPiH4mxhRv052JB1bMYLchSFyUZiXSqKk3puNPNfsGY65ngj5pE0qwwpG1bJeRqp88YBhPWfXI/s400/612.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Beginning the monochromatic block-in.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGztpFKS5AJgUHcyFjruucZ15Zj6BzcC4fGe9hGgAF6RhV-dWq3IcCYPCgirDk9cAr3iEcvEajOipodE9mzl3AARVoBAx6Ztd1b5xXBMdMMBzoQ0wyXtfVwbNFL4Dd8yJ_h8sVKFGpVSn/s1600/demo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGztpFKS5AJgUHcyFjruucZ15Zj6BzcC4fGe9hGgAF6RhV-dWq3IcCYPCgirDk9cAr3iEcvEajOipodE9mzl3AARVoBAx6Ztd1b5xXBMdMMBzoQ0wyXtfVwbNFL4Dd8yJ_h8sVKFGpVSn/s400/demo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Monochromatic block-in complete. Below is plein air study used as reference for larger work.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4cqVuWx4YHByb5w4GNhiSR9M9bmyrmuW88MLD2eePAeRIPKXJuGlubLwBIYosNGIe7c_32eugKhCztSjKsDNjkhqQBmscOMcvqEuJcRuqvm0sTzdc_SGiiF7-mLQnxitGIUTFBjpXASD/s1600/demo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4cqVuWx4YHByb5w4GNhiSR9M9bmyrmuW88MLD2eePAeRIPKXJuGlubLwBIYosNGIe7c_32eugKhCztSjKsDNjkhqQBmscOMcvqEuJcRuqvm0sTzdc_SGiiF7-mLQnxitGIUTFBjpXASD/s400/demo-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Initial application of color to monochromatic. The first layer.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ladies were enthusiastic and eager to apply the principles taught. They were all at their easels, hard at work, even before class officially began.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29PE4Z2SarBK7fXRY8A-OBme9TBM9OmpwT1nToM9Mnjxw_9dQIl3DPZfhhmXbNwlwaBP9U13qHkJhmlKemVS3qOg6kRq5G7cFAGABXX30AG0i9UZMI9KPzPzOgtiGirt5ogkCmem1StrU/s1600/246608_171081969718091_735990278_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29PE4Z2SarBK7fXRY8A-OBme9TBM9OmpwT1nToM9Mnjxw_9dQIl3DPZfhhmXbNwlwaBP9U13qHkJhmlKemVS3qOg6kRq5G7cFAGABXX30AG0i9UZMI9KPzPzOgtiGirt5ogkCmem1StrU/s400/246608_171081969718091_735990278_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Susan Patton's monochromatic block-in with first applications of color.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now there was one guy in the class, Joe Umphress, but he, like me, wasn't complaining about the surroundings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Participants later defined what they liked best about the workshop...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="color: #e69138;">"Group lectures, demonstrations, and individual instruction. Every aspect, very helpful"</i></span></div>
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<i style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The friendliness of the group was wonderful. Having an artist like John to learn from is amazing. I liked the mixture of lecture and demo. The individual help was most helpful"</i></div>
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<i style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Very hands on, one-on-one, <u>often</u>, not just once"</i></div>
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<i style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Lecture on the color wheel/color mixing and achieving mood in a painting. Placement of focal point on canvas. How to 'plan' a piece of work better"</i></div>
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<i style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Personal interaction with each of the students"</i></div>
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<i style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">"The inspiration and confidence you blessed me with by believing in me and encouraging me to 'do this'"</i><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46mWTyVwLk_Hr3AI82ZFzLj-BCtoxd_5KcTU9yWFPWPDwnrwKurLMlbH0J4hjPvqT9F1Dh6t_qxtryTg_NC39gWB7ZEHFqr9KZYMxh1yXfC6tP8dhxdHfuFmho80JIE-6Y6BckAYwk9bL/s1600/078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46mWTyVwLk_Hr3AI82ZFzLj-BCtoxd_5KcTU9yWFPWPDwnrwKurLMlbH0J4hjPvqT9F1Dh6t_qxtryTg_NC39gWB7ZEHFqr9KZYMxh1yXfC6tP8dhxdHfuFmho80JIE-6Y6BckAYwk9bL/s320/078.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Dot and Jackie Courson<br /><a href="http://dotcourson.com/workshops">Dot Courson Workshops</a></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Special thanks to Dot and Jackie Courson for hosting a third "sold out" workshop for me in Mississippi...and to a great group of participants. You all made it enjoyable.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view art and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-67226594699038615192013-04-21T17:33:00.000-05:002013-04-22T21:24:44.660-05:00Corot featured in "The Art Journal"<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sitting here with the 1889 edition of<i> The Art Journal.</i> Published in London by J.S. Virtue & Co. Limtd., this thick seven pound 13"x 10.5" volume is elegant in its writing, beauty, quality of printing, and fine art reproductions</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0B5-Bt64WBYoMeuU68ZFRIXmsWd5GWZHzu9vt90DIUgJ4seXz6PDa4L1M-SBtBZxQRdsK_aihf1wT8qnCW2H9cK4CGq5pK7gPkYOw1eD2BQcfP_hBoyIkWOQiJaEoPTUxRdsHI9BH6Bq/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0B5-Bt64WBYoMeuU68ZFRIXmsWd5GWZHzu9vt90DIUgJ4seXz6PDa4L1M-SBtBZxQRdsK_aihf1wT8qnCW2H9cK4CGq5pK7gPkYOw1eD2BQcfP_hBoyIkWOQiJaEoPTUxRdsHI9BH6Bq/s400/image.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While in England several years ago visiting family, I stumbled upon three editions of <i>The Art Journal</i> in my uncle's house. To me, it was like finding a precious gemstone on the beach. Expressing my delight in discovering these books, my uncle kindly offered them to me. They are the most cherished of my art books.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What caught my attention in this volume was an article on Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, by Mr. R.A.M. Stevenson, and I want to share some of his comments from the article.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-Hbqiw7jPQ7n6CvFYCrLgZ3XSlugvhYhrc56G3wa67ETWVaWVtx7SiAviiY8JPyUTml1mj4Cbedih7hrSkSVse7N6brZHKpe-olethWofhJO43pABdapr1FzSnGaHn6PXq8DbNRRgzK3/s1600/image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-Hbqiw7jPQ7n6CvFYCrLgZ3XSlugvhYhrc56G3wa67ETWVaWVtx7SiAviiY8JPyUTml1mj4Cbedih7hrSkSVse7N6brZHKpe-olethWofhJO43pABdapr1FzSnGaHn6PXq8DbNRRgzK3/s400/image-1.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most important Victorian magazine on art in England was the <i>Art Union Monthly Journal</i>, founded in 1839 by Hodgson & Graves. In 1848, Mr. George C. Virtue purchased the magazine and renamed it <i>The Art Journal</i>. The journal eventually became the premier art publication in Great Britain, and by the time he retired in 1855, Mr. Virture had published more than 20,000 copper and steel engravings of various works of art. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The journal became known for its honest portrayal of fine art. Under the editorship of Samuel Hall, the journal exposed the profits that custom-houses were earning from the import of Old Masters, particularly of Raphael and Titian, that were actually fakes...having been manufactured in England. In their desire to alert people to these misrepresented works, they created much skepticism and caution among the buying public which in turn greatly affected the art market.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think it interesting that <i>The Art Journal</i> took a strong stand against fakes in the art market, and yet, one of my very favorite artists, Mr. Corot, probably has more fake copies of his paintings in the world than most. I'm sure the journal would have been repulsed by that fact.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Early on, the journal strongly supported <i>The Clique</i>, a group of English artists that rejected Academic high art in favor of genre painting. They felt the academic ideals had become stagnant and believed art should be judged by the public, not by its conformity to some academic standard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">James Sprent Virtue picked up publishing duties after his father's retirement, but by 1880, the journal faced strong competition from the <i>Magazine of Art</i> and changing public taste, influenced by Impressionism. <i>The Art Journal </i>was last published in 1912.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFbXz5dHn6Fv-lxkJ95F1BG_Rj55QEZQCBO8G2b6C1sbGyxDwb2OLKPXnggMK1J_kWMQL0Pj94j9S0zsN36-WLMsaYroejnI2WNkQWTBjkGmJZug5Ty8Fwx-9vGhI1yWRMqk7g_MTLoqh/s1600/Corot+-+the_augustan_bridge_at_narni-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFbXz5dHn6Fv-lxkJ95F1BG_Rj55QEZQCBO8G2b6C1sbGyxDwb2OLKPXnggMK1J_kWMQL0Pj94j9S0zsN36-WLMsaYroejnI2WNkQWTBjkGmJZug5Ty8Fwx-9vGhI1yWRMqk7g_MTLoqh/s400/Corot+-+the_augustan_bridge_at_narni-large.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>The Augustan Bridge at Narni </i>- 13.39"x 18.9" - Oil - 1826</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's hard for me to explain why I am so drawn to Corot. From the first day I became aware of his work in a college art history class, I was hooked. Primarily, of course, it's emotional. One's emotional response to a painting is influenced by subject, mood, composition, etc. Corot's paintings are powerful, in the same way a whisper in the ear might be in a noisy room. There is an undeniable harmony, balance and perfection in his work. Critics have said it's like poetry. I am attracted to his magnificent use of gray, to the embracing peaceful, quiet of his paintings. Among the screaming paintings of today, Corot enters the room quietly, almost unnoticed. There's a certain humility in that which is appealing to me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another reason I like Corot is because he got a late start, age 26...and I relate to that.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbL-JxjxUOXue0Uy0LXRx-WtPzjN1CcZMvt7jtG0B6v4Gh7vzlyFU2NmHZO0tMEXSuHhZVyMDRES1EnFy01Yecu1PhrAzxSZQezSKBWZ0G7kulMK6hu-Igxk53dLkacsyetJSHyqYfeMS/s1600/Corot+-+diana_surprised_at_her_bath-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbL-JxjxUOXue0Uy0LXRx-WtPzjN1CcZMvt7jtG0B6v4Gh7vzlyFU2NmHZO0tMEXSuHhZVyMDRES1EnFy01Yecu1PhrAzxSZQezSKBWZ0G7kulMK6hu-Igxk53dLkacsyetJSHyqYfeMS/s400/Corot+-+diana_surprised_at_her_bath-large.jpg" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Diana Surprised at Her Bath</i> - 61.68"x 44.38" - Oil - 1836</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudQ7rGAlFwsFNrrWendu318NG8KO67DSfA88pnTMeDbBV9oFFP9sFrgOC54H1dGIjvjAQo5D1gxMR6drFZ_cQw8ji0pldS3DXGR6dm8NwRu-o5RQc0RwQPBSEr6e-eLR3JfdPnvW2fZoK/s1600/Corot+-+the_italian_goatherd%252C_evening-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudQ7rGAlFwsFNrrWendu318NG8KO67DSfA88pnTMeDbBV9oFFP9sFrgOC54H1dGIjvjAQo5D1gxMR6drFZ_cQw8ji0pldS3DXGR6dm8NwRu-o5RQc0RwQPBSEr6e-eLR3JfdPnvW2fZoK/s400/Corot+-+the_italian_goatherd%252C_evening-large.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>The Italian Goatherd, Evening - </i>32.38"x 24.68" - Oil - 1847</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Corot was a great man in a great century. He broke new ground both as a picture-maker, and as an observer of facts...and now, let's hear what Mr. Stevenson has to say, quoted from his article of 1889:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I think Corot's marvelously clear good sense, his long course of early carefulness, the slow growth of his style, and, above all, its sole foundation on nature, prevented him, when he once attained the expression of his own ideas, from ever feeling that doubt of his style and that uneasy wish to turn back and see if nothing has been left behind."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyh3mixL383MZp69qAQBzDpT1IEC6j4n-7VhHd5avwSw2PgbjH0MPR5oWg6ajdyBbYqfA2WZOkLnRgNmIkM0rofnq5a34GLO19tr_YCvRzm0IY1e0AsZzrTazlwfA9ZwSJaubiZ4g5dex/s1600/Corot+-+a_village_near_beauvais-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyh3mixL383MZp69qAQBzDpT1IEC6j4n-7VhHd5avwSw2PgbjH0MPR5oWg6ajdyBbYqfA2WZOkLnRgNmIkM0rofnq5a34GLO19tr_YCvRzm0IY1e0AsZzrTazlwfA9ZwSJaubiZ4g5dex/s400/Corot+-+a_village_near_beauvais-large.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>A Village Near Beauvais</i></b> - 15.75"x 11.8" - Oil - 1855</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Corot had been taught by the men of the Classic school, men rigid in drawing, rigid in their rejection of any facts outside the beat of Poussin and the ancients, rigid too in their devotion to formal arrangement, in a word, sticklers for convention."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Corot was conscientious in his purpose of modelling the large masses perfectly, and of suggesting the smaller detail only so far as he could do it without sacrifice of what is greater."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZdmG0wvwNf3m9ogzeWo0CxSlhU2gR_kNYFxREcHJOKvTwre6_VCZXNUDuwyRXdY78HE4DIkzatII-s3DxCA056EwDDGfE8hWp7Pc-7pBzsqK8zOeMwkM3zBhWWkxkBwYRhuFayJzXgzY/s1600/corot+-+wooded_peninsula-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZdmG0wvwNf3m9ogzeWo0CxSlhU2gR_kNYFxREcHJOKvTwre6_VCZXNUDuwyRXdY78HE4DIkzatII-s3DxCA056EwDDGfE8hWp7Pc-7pBzsqK8zOeMwkM3zBhWWkxkBwYRhuFayJzXgzY/s400/corot+-+wooded_peninsula-large.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Wooded Peninsula - </i>Oil - 1868</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Some have argued that Corot lacked the gift of colour, proclaiming him merely a "tonist". That belief is a total misapprehension of the aims and merits of modern painting. People who cannot call a man a colorist unless he knocks them on the head with red, blue, and yellow, are, of course, justified in their taste, though wrong in their principles of criticism."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Corot was quite sincere in his intention to render the open air, and surely no one denies the reality of open air colours, or that they are as beautiful, subtle, varied as the pigments in a colour box or the stuffs in a draper's shop."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Corot works on a composition made of broad, simply arranged, large masses. These he surrounds and overlays with a lovely lace-work of light branches and floating leaves."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh505AEMtqLSJlGli7NVG4yv8_3G98BDwMJBIaYPvvrt5jkC6sVt-jSkp_1OEBygg9krzUaB3hpqDIObyUB5lEXchGvikpXpRXRvzAQXaZPVZ9-5g3wpF6JvWFpQBd4CDOKVmEQZBcZJ-XZ/s1600/Corot+-+a_shady_resting_place-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh505AEMtqLSJlGli7NVG4yv8_3G98BDwMJBIaYPvvrt5jkC6sVt-jSkp_1OEBygg9krzUaB3hpqDIObyUB5lEXchGvikpXpRXRvzAQXaZPVZ9-5g3wpF6JvWFpQBd4CDOKVmEQZBcZJ-XZ/s400/Corot+-+a_shady_resting_place-large.jpg" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>A Shady Resting Place - </i>18.5"x 15" - Oil - 1873</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"So much for Corot's realism; there is also a decorative beauty in his art, consonant with, and, to my mind, inseparable from, his view of the world. One dare not say how much of his beauty is, as it were, realism sublimed. Your eye embraces his pictures in their entirety and nothing distracts or worries the attention. A great part of this unity, this harmony, comes from his logical and consistent rendering of atmosphere, the result of his most unusually complete grasp of the field of vision as a whole. Yet we may detect a residuum that is pure style distinguished from observation of nature."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>For the complete article...and earlier blog postings I've done on Corot, click links below</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013715696;seq=252;view=1up;num=208">Corot (1889 Art Journal)</a></div>
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<a href="http://pototschnik.blogspot.com/2012/10/jean-baptiste-camille-corot-speaks.html">Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot Speaks</a></div>
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<a href="http://pototschnik.blogspot.com/2011/01/corot-early-landscapes_16.html">Corot: Early Landscapes</a></div>
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<a href="http://pototschnik.blogspot.com/2011/01/corot-later-landscapes_19.html">Corot: Later Landscapes</a></div>
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<a href="http://pototschnik.blogspot.com/2011/01/corot-figurative-works.html">Corot: Figurative Works</a></div>
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Images: <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/">Art Renewal Center</a></div>
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view work and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>(Next blog posting will be 5 May. Thank you for checking back at that time)</b></span></div>
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<br />john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-27534568699226924612013-04-14T23:00:00.000-05:002013-04-14T23:18:15.250-05:00Why draw? Let's just paint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeskVMBvHTyPFwwRoIe9DUf3S7QquR0zKeHTzRV4S0QXQS_BamqBoF-oms65ZchlGjyUomzZGui7Lk1rwuGCin31Jt5jst909Anfwy5dCBFzrnLXI2sBKF_jDR7jonZR17uF8NxKiwjibG/s1600/basic+shapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeskVMBvHTyPFwwRoIe9DUf3S7QquR0zKeHTzRV4S0QXQS_BamqBoF-oms65ZchlGjyUomzZGui7Lk1rwuGCin31Jt5jst909Anfwy5dCBFzrnLXI2sBKF_jDR7jonZR17uF8NxKiwjibG/s400/basic+shapes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some years ago when I was asked to teach a weekly art class, I gladly accepted. I expected a class full of eager, enthusiastic students, ready to tackle the challenges of becoming fine artists. The class was full alright (17 students), but when they were given a simple drawing exercise, I quickly realized none of them had the slightest understanding of perspective. Desiring to actually teach them something and not just collect their money, I told them to put away their paints, we were going to concentrate on learning how to draw the cone, sphere, cube, and cylinder in perspective. The next week, one student showed up...and that was the end of that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having taught many workshops over the years, students are extremely excited about color and paint. They just want to get that paint on the canvas.. It is easy for them to acknowledge that their drawing skills are weak, but it's a whole other thing entirely to see them diligently buckle down and do the hard and sometimes tedious work necessary to improve that skill.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fortunately, the emptiness of the "modern art" movement has awakened many to the importance of drawing. After all the hype negating its importance, artists are in fact realizing that drawing is at the very heart of our ability to communicate as artists. I call it the foundation of all painting. Just as a house built on a lousy foundation will not stand, neither will our paintings hold up if the drawing foundation is unstable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As positive as the current craze for plein air painting can be, I still say, without the foundational knowledge and ability to draw...to accurately represent on a two-dimensional surface the perspective, proportion, and values of the subject before us, well, there is no hope of adding anything of note to the fine arts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with the Impressionist and Expressionist Movements, the current Plein Air Movement can also become an excuse for not really confronting serious deficiencies in our drawing ability.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Deane Keller</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What </b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is this thing we call drawing?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Jack Hines: </i>Drawing is the basic, most pervasive element of all visual art. If an artist can't draw, he can't create great art. Drawing is much like handwriting. The direct, unencumbered connection between eye, brain, hand and paper constitutes the purest statement an artist can make. None of the complications of paint, surface texture, brushes, knives, solvents and color get in the way. Personality, knowledge, technique and emotion become obvious in drawing, and if an artist can't draw, I dare say that he can't convey personality, knowledge, technique and emotion in the artwork.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Ken Riley:</i> Drawing demonstrates two capabilities, that of analyzing what is seen or thought, and that of recording it, and these two faculties in combination constitute the very foundation upon which art production is based.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Michael John Angel</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Michael John Angel: </i>I define drawing as the creation of (the illusion of) form, as does Harold Speed. The painter draws with colour, the sculptor draws with clay or stone, etc. I call simple outline drawing either outline drawing, or the map (when it's an underpainting).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drawing, in its widest sense, is used to develop an exciting and personal visual vocabulary. The importance of practicing drawing to develop mark-making skills, encourage selectivity, closer observation and create compositions are some of the points made by artists from a variety of disciplines.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>John McCartin</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>John McCartin</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>John McCartin: </i>Drawing can be defined in several ways: 1) A linear representation of objects. 2) Measurment - triangulating the position of points or edges relative to one another (includes drawing as applied to accuracy in painting). 3) A pictorial representation of objects rendered by graphical means. 4) Graphical methods of rendering surface qualities and textures. eg. Pen & ink, pencil, charcoal, conte, and pastel, have distinctly different methods of rendering the same thing. 5) A quick pictorial note akin to handwriting. A kind of shorthand.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>David Gray</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>David Gray: </i>Drawing, as I define it, is the decisive and appropriate placement of various elements of pictorial expression (line, tone, shapes of value and color, etc); the collective whole of which make up the picture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Giorgio Vasari: </i>Drawing is the necessary beginning of everything in art, though this is an important element of their value; they also facilitate the artist's creative process by describing what is seen, visualizing what is imagined, and symbolizing ideas and concepts. Although widely used as a means for artists to conceptualize their ideas for a painting, drawing serves a variety of other functions as well. Some of these other functions include: Descriptive drawing, ornamentation and illustration. Drawing as social commentary. Drawing as a means to clarify or crystallize an idea. Drawing as a means of self-expression.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Edgar Degas: </i>Drawing is the artist's most direct and spontaneous expression, a species of writing; it reveals, better than does painting, his true personality.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Thomas Reis</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Thomas Reis: </i>Drawing: The term is generally defined as a graphic form of delineation - representation by use of monochromatic lines. Personally, the word helps me to identify the methodical, measured aspect of the painting process from its massed, nebulous, painterly cousin. I like to think of drawing as the underlying/overarching structure of painting - so interwoven as to be inextricable. I'm not sure that good painting can exist without good drawing. I was thinking of how we generally associate the act of drawing with the use of certain tools...pencil, pen and ink, chalk, etc. Sometimes, we may even think of oil paint and brush, but the word "drawing" seems to always evoke an essentially monochromatic end product.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Richard Schmid: </i>Line drawing is only a representation or diagram of our visual world. Painting, on the other hand attempts to create an illusion of that world. Drawing is simply measuring. In painting, drawing comes down to nothing more than figuring out the width and height of color shapes and then fitting them together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The importance of knowing how to draw.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Skip Liepke: </i>The main thing when painting isn't rendering photographically; it's learning how to draw - learning about form, about how light hits an object, about how it falls across a head and reveals the planes of the face. That knowledge give you freedom. A writer who has a good vocabulary is the same way, the writer doesn't use all the words he or she knows, but they are always at the writer's disposal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drawing, in its widest sense, is used to develop an exciting and personal visual vocabulary. The importance of practicing drawing is to develop an exciting and personal visual vocabulary, to develop mark-making skills, to encourage selectivity, create compositions, and encourage closer observation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Camille Pissaro: </i>It is only by drawing often, drawing everything, drawing incessantly, that one fine day you will discover to your surprise that you have rendered something in its true character.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Peter Paul Rubens</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rembrandt Van Rijn</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Gerard Houckgeest</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Leonardo da Vinci</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Michelangelo</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres: </i>To draw does not simply mean to reproduce contours; the drawing does not simply consist in the idea; the drawing is even the expression, the interior form, the plan, the model. Look what remains after that! The drawing is three-fourths and a half of what constitutes painting. If I had to put a sign over the door of my atelier, I would write: <i>School of Drawing</i>...and I'm certain that I would create painters.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>John McCartin</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>John McCartin: </i>Drawing is important for a number of reasons: 1) Selectivity - knowing what to leave out comes with time and practice. 2) Development of hand/eye control. 3) Working out composition - arranging shapes etc in different design formats as small thumbnail sketches. 4) Developing tonal precision - learning to see in terms of tone rather than colour. 5) As preliminary studies - certainly a good way to highlight potential pitfalls. I've often had to backpedal on a painting simply because I was too keen to paint the picture and didn't take the time to draw. 6) It develops accuracy in painting - drawing errors are probably the most common.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>William Bouguereau:</i> Paint as you see and be accurate in your drawing; the whole secret of your art is there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Leonardo da Vinci: </i>First learn perspective, then the proportions of objects. Perspective is the rein and rudder of painting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>John Ruskin: </i>The art of drawing is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing. It should be taught to every child just as writing is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>David Gray: </i>The importance of drawing lies in the fact that the underlying drawing of any painting gives context to the painterly expression. Particularly for the realist (but also other forms of pictorial expression), without this understanding of the importance and skillful execution of drawing, flashy brushwork, exciting color relationships and other painterly effects lack context and therefore become meaningless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Michael John Angel: </i>As for the importance of drawing, this depends on one's aesthetic. The more decorative branches of painting (Art Nouveau, Art Deco, even much of French Impressionism) don't give much importance to it, but I think that a strong illusion of form on a flat canvas has a truly emotional clout (and emotional clout is the most important aspect of painting, in my opinion).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>John Singer Sargent</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nicolas Poussin: </i>Drawing is the skeleton of what you do and color is the flash.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>John Sloan: </i>Drawing is the cornerstone of the graphic, plastic arts. Drawing is the coordination of line, tone, and color symbols into formations that express the artist's thought.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Arshile Gorky: </i>Drawing is the basis of art. A bad painter cannot draw. But one who draws well can always paint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Betty Goodwin: </i>Drawing is the simplest way of establishing a picture vocabulary because it is an instant, personal declaration of what is important and what is not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Ken Danby: </i>Without good drawing, the foundation of a painting will collapse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Alexander Creswell: </i>Drawing is the backbone. It is no good having a lovely sense of light and color if there isn't the firm foundation underneath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sir Kenneth Clark: </i>It is often said that Leonardo drew so well because he knew about things; it is truer to say that he knew about things because he drew so well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Sergei Bongart: </i>Never become an artist if you can't learn to draw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Henry Tonks: </i>It's by drawing that we make our records of form. Its importance cannot be exaggerated. A school of painting in which drawing is not taught and drawing dissociated from painting is not worthy of the name of 'school'. When a student begins to paint he will soon perceive the relation of drawing to painting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Michelangelo: </i>Let whoever may have attained to so much as to have the power of drawing know that he holds a great treasure.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>David Kassan</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Newell Convers Wyeth</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Howard Pyle</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Tom Lovell</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So, how can we learn to draw?</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Go to a really good school that is serious about teaching drawing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Study under a great teacher that can draw.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get one of many books that teach perspective. Start at page one and don't move on to page two until you understand everything on page one. Work through the book in this manner, and do all the drawings on each page.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Draw anything and everything and draw every day. Work from life and not from photos at this stage.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You only learn to draw by drawing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, get after it.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">James Gurney is a guy who really lives and breaths drawing. It won't take very long, as you read his daily blog, to realize this is true. He's a big inspiration to me.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>James Gurney</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Important Links:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://www.angelartschool.com/mja.html">Michael John Angel</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://www.davidgrayart.com/#home">David Gray</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://www.johnmccartin-artist.com/">John McCartin</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://thomasreisfineart.com/">Thomas Reis</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://jamesgurney.com/site/"><b>James Gurney</b></a></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></b>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-29221850533549439312013-04-07T20:47:00.000-05:002013-04-07T21:04:43.108-05:00Plein Air Southwest Salon 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What can I say? While attending the opening reception of the Outdoor Painters Society <i>Plein Air Southwest Salon 2013</i>, held at Southwest Gallery in Dallas, I learned one of my paintings was selected "Best of Show".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Honored, shocked and delighted are words that come to mind.<i> Honored </i>because of the overall quality of the show, and because of the great respect I have for the judge, George Strickland. <i>Shocked</i> because it's a first for this show and I totally didn't think I had a chance. <i>Delighted</i> because of all the kind words received from others...and of course, the prize money, free magazine ad, and painting sales that resulted. It was a pretty special evening and one that doesn't come around nearly as often as I'd like.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Celebrating its seventh year, Plein Air Southwest Salon has become one of the premier events of the Spring. The Outdoor Painters Society sponsors the event to promote an appreciation for the process of painting "en plein air", which is French for "in open air". Most works are completed in a single painting session, painted outdoors on location and are characterized by the bold use of color, design,and freshness of paint application.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Opening night, <i>Plein Air Southwest Salon 2013</i>, Southwest Gallery</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plein Air Southwest Salon's are juried competitions. Participants selected for the show are carefully chosen by a jury panel. Award winners for this year's show were selected by George Strickland. His works are regularly featured in the most distinguished invitational shows, and he has earned numerous prestigious awards throughout his career, including Gold and Silver Medals and Artists' Choice awards. He is a Signature Member and past president of the Plein Air Painters of America, a member of the Northwest Rendezvous, and the California Art Club.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Artist's signatures were covered before judging began, and from what I hear, Mr. Strickland took his job very seriously, studying each painting thoroughly...just the way it should be done. As artists, we put a lot of effort into our works, it's nice to have a judge that does the same. So, a big thanks to George Strickland.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Left Behind"</i> actually began as a larger painting but was cut down to improve the composition. Painted in one six-hour session, on-site, few refinements were needed back in the studio. Originally titled <i>"Beside a Fallen Giant"</i>, the new title popped into my mind while laying in bed two nights before the show...better expressing the story I felt while creating the piece.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Special thanks to Southwest Gallery for hosting the show, and to all the sponsors for supporting this event. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and here are the other award winners:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCT9Nuu1kp82ph1Umv8QcT2f1l8-gqHAzPePc70pXgdl7G-rKxuYcT_gpGgKwWkHPT0Ym1z2uCebOCcvdc30fb0Aw-gK1qiPlJYvOPVmy2BXU3B1Gnh7R_4z0kKF-4S4Ynom6BCC2boutA/s1600/21+-+Beside+the+Fallen+Giant+%2528Plein+Air%2529+-+w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCT9Nuu1kp82ph1Umv8QcT2f1l8-gqHAzPePc70pXgdl7G-rKxuYcT_gpGgKwWkHPT0Ym1z2uCebOCcvdc30fb0Aw-gK1qiPlJYvOPVmy2BXU3B1Gnh7R_4z0kKF-4S4Ynom6BCC2boutA/s400/21+-+Beside+the+Fallen+Giant+%2528Plein+Air%2529+-+w.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>John Pototschnik - <i>Left Behind</i> - 9.75"x 15" - Oil<br />Best of Show, <i>Southwest Art </i>magazine<i> </i>awards</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzg_UTZ8Xh48jjT6me2r3YwTBvQPFMHdXykRE5mfeBsAQ_uB44DJ4jcEgXAtVebe9n3Ud31pGf5DRn46ZH3KNjlJNtTRbIeIxfAACmOXmhCuDlNePWami829hpuAgPo6o29obrPQg3DrU4/s1600/OPS+-+catherine+elliott+-+sancturay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzg_UTZ8Xh48jjT6me2r3YwTBvQPFMHdXykRE5mfeBsAQ_uB44DJ4jcEgXAtVebe9n3Ud31pGf5DRn46ZH3KNjlJNtTRbIeIxfAACmOXmhCuDlNePWami829hpuAgPo6o29obrPQg3DrU4/s400/OPS+-+catherine+elliott+-+sancturay.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Catherine Elliott<i> - Sanctuary - </i>16"x 20" - Oil<br /><i>Plein Air</i> magazine Award of Excellence </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy7bNkcDB8DJdv0z9CublUeZjxNTIkVVwOt9uSuNBpdGrFu3Cw7lTwjKSj6h8TiwihuwMmJXQQXhJKz4UtPIQ7R1fc13Yb4nqCiexG0Emc76jVrZ8_j0WaNJPGf2acHwelJzBJrbcl5li/s1600/OPS+-+ted+clemens+-+red+window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy7bNkcDB8DJdv0z9CublUeZjxNTIkVVwOt9uSuNBpdGrFu3Cw7lTwjKSj6h8TiwihuwMmJXQQXhJKz4UtPIQ7R1fc13Yb4nqCiexG0Emc76jVrZ8_j0WaNJPGf2acHwelJzBJrbcl5li/s400/OPS+-+ted+clemens+-+red+window.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Ted Clemens - <i>Red Window</i> - 10"x 18" - Oil<br />SourceTek Award of Excellence</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCrK7YMpeJGYTsFv53Ob6cLuz49JRovmvbebQ7iNkVgQUBkqf01U8hGnYNvf-6UEXSUh7CDMRCRhZA6wjZbYhZrZeQhExyDUrkCNOen4FZPo2S5BYY87M7h9ERf_AawEaoGEz-8Lbck_f/s1600/OPS+-+kathleen+dunphy+-+ready+to+roll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCrK7YMpeJGYTsFv53Ob6cLuz49JRovmvbebQ7iNkVgQUBkqf01U8hGnYNvf-6UEXSUh7CDMRCRhZA6wjZbYhZrZeQhExyDUrkCNOen4FZPo2S5BYY87M7h9ERf_AawEaoGEz-8Lbck_f/s400/OPS+-+kathleen+dunphy+-+ready+to+roll.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Kathleen Dunphy - <i>Ready to Roll</i> - 12"x 16" - Oil<br />Fine Art Studio On-line Award of Excellence</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgB0dwYT36iIhtDP1R-HLRlixjqKv3Wq6kzD71CZyP2ZK_32RmZ4jckwNWTUqfiHV5mX2N7CHWMmV0dKXc1gXk60jdCb5AkEJOlAwx1I7woHN1xT4LF4lzeNNp8cRdWYpR1fvAHhUKM2e/s1600/OPS+-+after+dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgB0dwYT36iIhtDP1R-HLRlixjqKv3Wq6kzD71CZyP2ZK_32RmZ4jckwNWTUqfiHV5mX2N7CHWMmV0dKXc1gXk60jdCb5AkEJOlAwx1I7woHN1xT4LF4lzeNNp8cRdWYpR1fvAHhUKM2e/s400/OPS+-+after+dark.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Jason Sacran - <i>After Dark</i> - 9"x 12" - Oil<br />Blick Art Materials Award of Excellence</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYUtQXxexecdqPhrBpsUcyesRI0yh2RKpGl2niwoxdtjLDqb2SMin18BTHHtoJHGWE7heBIDwgyLKhIHK5QSVdt3b9tIpG_sja-A3PYmD5cVenf47zUeJif8JlR66chz9w-Uw5PFsExTe/s1600/OPS+-+kaye+franklin+-+mexican+petunia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYUtQXxexecdqPhrBpsUcyesRI0yh2RKpGl2niwoxdtjLDqb2SMin18BTHHtoJHGWE7heBIDwgyLKhIHK5QSVdt3b9tIpG_sja-A3PYmD5cVenf47zUeJif8JlR66chz9w-Uw5PFsExTe/s400/OPS+-+kaye+franklin+-+mexican+petunia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Kaye Franklin - <i>Mexican Petunia - </i>10"x 10" - Oil<br />Utrecht Award of Excellence</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHOhyphenhyphenHcAmCKCIedlkqdZuahdYHB5LfITivXUWlkfZkhXc44Hs5R5uTcPVGLiCJbSgoTrvNAN5Sl1LS_tWp5Jy-8P8FVbQqNfHP0PVtcHzmum7osIzpmJvj8d6nuJnW_UNSovQqWUDWFE_/s1600/OPS+-Bob+Beck%252C+the+big+white+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAHOhyphenhyphenHcAmCKCIedlkqdZuahdYHB5LfITivXUWlkfZkhXc44Hs5R5uTcPVGLiCJbSgoTrvNAN5Sl1LS_tWp5Jy-8P8FVbQqNfHP0PVtcHzmum7osIzpmJvj8d6nuJnW_UNSovQqWUDWFE_/s400/OPS+-Bob+Beck%252C+the+big+white+house.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Bob Beck - <i>The Big White House - </i>11"x 14" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention - Wind River Arts Award</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfrxrUFwneqKShqe5q0cGq0y8-MuZDE84Lq-swQ7Yt9PgQi-FOoNQt_qU0kQAiscaxVQX2bIGGzkeL8W6npCJI24ZLUGBNoMWUt70jYuIcIjbVKqOZEiy8uGQIoIpiOzQ-lElhB6F6DP0/s1600/OPS+-+robert+rohm-+cliff+shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfrxrUFwneqKShqe5q0cGq0y8-MuZDE84Lq-swQ7Yt9PgQi-FOoNQt_qU0kQAiscaxVQX2bIGGzkeL8W6npCJI24ZLUGBNoMWUt70jYuIcIjbVKqOZEiy8uGQIoIpiOzQ-lElhB6F6DP0/s400/OPS+-+robert+rohm-+cliff+shadows.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Robert Rohm - <i>Cliff Shadows - </i>12"x 16" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention - Raymar Art Award</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWinnF4gSXLL2oJlVPwVLohXTWmtj1udKwF7aifoFHFQ0tJVq2OiPOqzbkN3sPlZpdKja_dTPLAiNiPGEH7CCZcLynlNojgES68PI3HzfBaj7YtowsRWnqSU2mwQc-iHyfpc7HZQsOH6X0/s1600/OPS+-+fran+ellisor+-+terlingua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWinnF4gSXLL2oJlVPwVLohXTWmtj1udKwF7aifoFHFQ0tJVq2OiPOqzbkN3sPlZpdKja_dTPLAiNiPGEH7CCZcLynlNojgES68PI3HzfBaj7YtowsRWnqSU2mwQc-iHyfpc7HZQsOH6X0/s400/OPS+-+fran+ellisor+-+terlingua.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Fran Ellisor - <i>Terlingua - </i>12"x 16" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIVC2K_K3Jy3BQFq4Uk9P7KpwZNjwsOipvyAkGpS0paoDV887Ea5mH1kFoeN_bDGJLm3A0w3vpdM7vrmAP_R18ll94hgVdrWLWPNpR9spGZxSrcNxoJOhuxEqU6-s-xDE61gJ-ooRBQ5x/s1600/OPS+-+janis+krendick+-+connemara+preserve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIVC2K_K3Jy3BQFq4Uk9P7KpwZNjwsOipvyAkGpS0paoDV887Ea5mH1kFoeN_bDGJLm3A0w3vpdM7vrmAP_R18ll94hgVdrWLWPNpR9spGZxSrcNxoJOhuxEqU6-s-xDE61gJ-ooRBQ5x/s400/OPS+-+janis+krendick+-+connemara+preserve.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Janis Krendick - <i>Connemara Preserve - </i>8"x 10" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention - Judson"s Art Outfitters Award</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zx9Lfqz_x4n1KkJnhH3hbjJEKS4Hn4oMhF_3_il4B68Ux1NuSCxWPlS4PQ5YK_p0pQLZuf48NkVGs49w8FIt_pRXC4onLYi7q9cp33EEEr7t5o7GMaCV6C4Dw5wP8aPlwyEq9mpnlhhd/s1600/OPS+-+Laurel+daniel+-+summer+morning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zx9Lfqz_x4n1KkJnhH3hbjJEKS4Hn4oMhF_3_il4B68Ux1NuSCxWPlS4PQ5YK_p0pQLZuf48NkVGs49w8FIt_pRXC4onLYi7q9cp33EEEr7t5o7GMaCV6C4Dw5wP8aPlwyEq9mpnlhhd/s400/OPS+-+Laurel+daniel+-+summer+morning.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Laurel Daniel - <i>Summer Morning - </i>9"x 12" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention - Asel Art Award</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypMCysDsULbpyz_jjHnHEzREWb0_1zgFmSMcxx_6sf4z5IAseNx3frrh5zfDUS9j1xg8UqP279g0QfQksGQBHgDkJ8O-81I7VoNUfQs3rk1tmEx7XmrZib9Vyikt1maUOXg-5MuSFbuNb/s1600/OPS+-+lee+macLeod+-+eucalyptus+grove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypMCysDsULbpyz_jjHnHEzREWb0_1zgFmSMcxx_6sf4z5IAseNx3frrh5zfDUS9j1xg8UqP279g0QfQksGQBHgDkJ8O-81I7VoNUfQs3rk1tmEx7XmrZib9Vyikt1maUOXg-5MuSFbuNb/s400/OPS+-+lee+macLeod+-+eucalyptus+grove.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Lee MacLeod - <i>Eucalyptus Grove - </i>12"x 16" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention - Airfloat Systems, Inc Award</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf6OdE1Vei3bxNnrczcmcxzJskPC16g4555EoKLi8_KsEhD8Ask_D3b9FLyTy51FvtguHKxsT-9Pwv_GYWC0x6mw30RgS2jAB2UA-Q5QOZWJl8zA-1zZacfX8Nhj7O-SGaFOI_GfZ-Gxt/s1600/OPS+-+peggy+kingsbury+-+aspen+shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf6OdE1Vei3bxNnrczcmcxzJskPC16g4555EoKLi8_KsEhD8Ask_D3b9FLyTy51FvtguHKxsT-9Pwv_GYWC0x6mw30RgS2jAB2UA-Q5QOZWJl8zA-1zZacfX8Nhj7O-SGaFOI_GfZ-Gxt/s400/OPS+-+peggy+kingsbury+-+aspen+shadows.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Peggy Kingsbury - <i>Aspen Shadows - </i>11"x 14" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention - Jack Richeson & Co. Award</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Joshua Been - <i>Cactus Dance - </i>18"x 12" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention - Jack Richeson & Co. Award</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Rusty Jones - <i>Palo Duro Overlook - </i>12"x 16" - Oil<br />Honorable Mention - Gamblin Award</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Judy Crowe - </b><i style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">King Williams Court - </i><b style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">11"x 14" - Oil</b><br />
<b style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Honorable Mention - Gamblin Award</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Not Shown:<br />Lawrence Rudolech - <i>Old Lancaster - Fredericksburg Art School Award</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Tom Lockhart - R<i>emains on the Back Road - </i>Honorable Mention</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">John Cook - 11"x 14" - Quick Draw - Artist's Choice Award</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Important Links:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.outdoorpainterssociety.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Outdoor Painters Society</a><br />
<a href="http://www.swgallery.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">Southwest Gallery</a><br />
<a href="http://www.georgestricklandstudio.com/" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold;">George Strickland</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, please click <a href="http://www.pototschnik.com/joinnewsletter.asp">HERE</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold;"><i>An Art Renewal Center Living Master<br />To review art and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-64876813478929952272013-03-30T20:30:00.000-05:002013-03-30T20:32:20.809-05:00He's not here<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-75976554805997222702013-03-27T22:36:00.000-05:002013-03-31T11:50:53.723-05:00Deconstructing the Landscape Workshop<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just returned from teaching a three-day oil painting workshop in Carthage, MO. The "Deconstructing the Landscape" workshop was successful because each of the participants were enthusiastic and willing to move out of their comfort zones.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3ZZ6c_SF0HqgXThlEvKu4Orx5P0v6wQHwqFiHCStFfvL2BjMou1HWLlWz2QOz5lpcVO03BNhlW0KWlbOih0NmgT6G6arPQRUpduSvNpUVBRcKISAQWzY215XfYBWcOjLL-r52QLP6Rb0/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3ZZ6c_SF0HqgXThlEvKu4Orx5P0v6wQHwqFiHCStFfvL2BjMou1HWLlWz2QOz5lpcVO03BNhlW0KWlbOih0NmgT6G6arPQRUpduSvNpUVBRcKISAQWzY215XfYBWcOjLL-r52QLP6Rb0/s400/001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Carthage, MO oil painting workshop students<br />L>R (standing): Larry Clingman, Jason Inman, Kristin Huke, John Mills, Jeffrey Jones, Cherry Babcock, Helen Kunze, Ron Lipe<br />L>R (seated): Cleda Curtis-Neal, Becky Golubski, Crystal Manning</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Class members were encouraged to bring a landscape painting that they were struggling with and felt could be improved. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Daily lectures and demonstrations dealt with selecting a concept for the painting, choosing the appropriate proportioned canvas...and organizing the subject matter elements on the canvas so that the concept was clearly communicated. We also addressed the importance of drawing, primarily focusing our attention on accurate representation of objects in perspective. We established and proved that the value structure of a painting determines and sets the mood...and finally, lessons in color helped each participant simplify (while also expanding) their knowledge and use of color.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each lecture was backed up with examples or a demonstration. Class members then applied lessons learned in the creation of a totally new work, or a revision of their original. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some comments from workshop participants:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"The workshop was exceptional. It was rich in content and it seems the information will be life changing in my art journey. It's sparked a new excitement in me."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"You share your knowledge generously and with kindness. That puts your students at ease."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"This was the best workshop...life changing on how to approach my next painting. Honest and constructive critiques. Very easy to understand - excellent teacher."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Thanks, John, I appreciate how well prepared and well thought out your presentation was. Stressing the basics was not only a good workshop, but taking a painting, which I found to be a failure, and making an improvement, taught me a great deal. Thanks."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Special recognition and thanks go to Cherry Babcock, of Cherry's Custom Framing and Art Gallery, for organizing the workshop...and to Precious Moments for hosting it. Thank you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and thank you to <i>The Carthage Press </i>for their front page report of the event.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like to see what these workshops participants are talking about, here's your chance. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>3-5 May - "Deconstructing the Landscape"</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>The Art School at Sandy Springs, Atlanta, GA</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>dthomas555@aol.com</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.theartschoolinsandysprings.com/Home_Page.html">The Art School in Sandy Springs</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view art and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span><br />
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-48150693162868110462013-03-17T17:00:00.000-05:002013-03-17T17:12:57.640-05:00Ron Adair Interview<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do not believe in coincidence, accidents or luck, however, I do believe in divine providence. Meeting Ron Adair is one such example.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met Ron possibly as early as 1973, neither of us can remember for sure. I had moved to Dallas a year earlier and was beginning a freelance commercial illustration career when my Dad saw one of Ron's promotional pieces that had just been printed by a local print shop. He picked one up for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New to the city and wanting to meet some people, I gave Ron a call. Now the story gets interesting. A long-time friend and mentor from Kansas, knowing that I was moving to Dallas, recommended that I attend a particular Bible Church. Well, after eventually meeting Ron, it wasn't long before realizing we were both Christians and Ron was attending the very Bible Church I was encouraged to seek out...and, Ron lived in an apartment just down the street and around the corner. Oh, and one more thing...the Bible Church...well that's where I met a gentleman who gave me the incentive and help to leave illustration and devote myself totally to fine art.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Additionally, Ron and I became fast friends and by the mid-seventies we shared an office together. Eventually, Ron's identical twin brother, Don, also an illustrator, joined us after moving from Atlanta. Don died in 2010. (Please read my tribute to him which I link to at the end of this interview).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ron now lives in Colorado Springs and continues his work as a commercial artist. Because of the changing dynamics of the illustration business, Ron has taught himself to adapt, becoming very proficient in many disciplines. This is his story.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Pujois </i>- 10"x 8" - Oil <br />One of more than 200 paintings of sports professionals produced for Upper Deck and Donruss Baseball Cards </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">What would be your definition of art? </b>I am not one of those guys who think that any visual expression should be classified as art. When I was in school, during the Vietnam war, many of my fellow students painted or sculpted things that they considered to be 'art'. I saw it as nothing more than manifestations of their own world view that too often reflected a vacuous, dark understanding of reality. Just venting or expressing things meant to shock or challenge societal norms doesn't inherently qualify as art. While I certainly don't think one has to be a Christian to create art, being one certainly provides a lens through which one looks at a world where God is present and providentially working to accomplish His purposes. So, I guess for me, I tried to draw or paint in ways that reflected, if ever so slightly, the reality of God. Anything done well that avoids a preoccupation with man's depravity could be classified as artistic expression.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8V6SNc_nE6hA9KVWbr0wkMcqty_4BrH-htAe1kABCHiJWP3wBY7egIUDKZ3mUXqRAo9Hd967CtbmHra38TCWq6m-tRpE77ufRlGhM2jYeiss3EeweY6oaWbfpQ7v3Rov5JtgzJJS2uu_/s1600/Adair+-+laughing+donkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8V6SNc_nE6hA9KVWbr0wkMcqty_4BrH-htAe1kABCHiJWP3wBY7egIUDKZ3mUXqRAo9Hd967CtbmHra38TCWq6m-tRpE77ufRlGhM2jYeiss3EeweY6oaWbfpQ7v3Rov5JtgzJJS2uu_/s400/Adair+-+laughing+donkey.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Absalom</i> - 11"x 14" -Digital<br />First version sent to the publisher, with the intent of putting a smile on their faces. Soon after, the actual illustration with normal looking donkey was sent.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">How did you obtain your first full-time job as an illustrator and what was it? </b>While still in school, I went to Dallas, during Spring break, to explore the art market and got an interview with a large publishing company. They loved my work and offered me a job on the spot, so when I got my diploma, I simply went to Dallas and got to work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">What caused you to pursue a freelance career over continuing to work for someone? </b>I felt that my skill set and potential earning ability was greater than what the company, for which I worked, was willing to pay me. I began to get calls from out of state companies asking me to do work, and I didn't want to turn them down, which I had agreed to do while employed by my employer.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya9pR5g8EgkcTEtudxgQv52sfLh35wYAfuBBmx14ykBHvGFoH2iFFDoUVAa65WQBORxkrX3jDMExEi_P9JVKr6d-UMAHl2c77AjF9cWvVsvf1-8eDzhEZp3CPaXRL3a_cZpsjh2XtScil/s1600/Adair+-+pilates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya9pR5g8EgkcTEtudxgQv52sfLh35wYAfuBBmx14ykBHvGFoH2iFFDoUVAa65WQBORxkrX3jDMExEi_P9JVKr6d-UMAHl2c77AjF9cWvVsvf1-8eDzhEZp3CPaXRL3a_cZpsjh2XtScil/s400/Adair+-+pilates.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Logo commission - Adobe illustrator</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">Why did you choose illustration over fine art? </b>I guess part of it was pragmatism. I wanted to do a job and know going in what I would be paid for it, and when. Additionally, and more fundamentally, I just admired the great classic illustrators of the 30's through the 60's. Personally, I would place the best illustration of that era next to any fine art painting...and do so with a clear conscience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">How would you define the difference between fine art and illustration? </b>In terms of quality, those lines or disciplines overlap sometimes. Certainly, fine art generally understood, is not as subject to the rigors of doing art for publication. This demands fidelity to the art director or designer, to deadlines or to price. These things can at times prevent the artist from spending adequate time in the execution of the art piece. But, as I have read from some books that contain letters of the great Renaissance painters...Those men were subject to all kinds of pressures beyond the mere execution of their work. They were accountable to their benefactors and thus more 'commercially' driven than many would think.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZl097U65Eqg2IP0KLvkKCwD8xniyJTTiMfz0BytBpPdh7b4WIPJ0l9MdrmNyIvTtdNcc1ZxxbT99-oI-b6L4KOCywBCTaTUjOq895yiNMrWM24-kWsJw402kCIsxmVvf3gUF9MPBnOwQy/s1600/Adair+-+colt+sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZl097U65Eqg2IP0KLvkKCwD8xniyJTTiMfz0BytBpPdh7b4WIPJ0l9MdrmNyIvTtdNcc1ZxxbT99-oI-b6L4KOCywBCTaTUjOq895yiNMrWM24-kWsJw402kCIsxmVvf3gUF9MPBnOwQy/s400/Adair+-+colt+sketch.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qcK3X62clPS6kSQ5dyUECD3LF_1W_rPoRfXBvgv291yI0HziQJvKDGOcGt1kJtxncXXvpKwFPmL8HHbZ6M4mWoYlNvEzrHvrQEt-1-SA1aMaB8q1vOIUN-F-2Xb_tvb3M8uqANDciP08/s1600/Adair+-+j+w+gun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qcK3X62clPS6kSQ5dyUECD3LF_1W_rPoRfXBvgv291yI0HziQJvKDGOcGt1kJtxncXXvpKwFPmL8HHbZ6M4mWoYlNvEzrHvrQEt-1-SA1aMaB8q1vOIUN-F-2Xb_tvb3M8uqANDciP08/s400/Adair+-+j+w+gun.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Colt SAA .45 Commemorative for John Wayne</i> - Pen and ink<br />Preliminary drawings for gold-etching are shown</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">What does it take to be a successful illustrator these days? </b>Talent, tenacity, and relevance. The market place is a moving target, especially when technology (digital media) is used artistically. Illustration, compared to what it was like in the 70' and 80's, has dramatically downsized as a viable solution for many companies. Good illustration is usually labor intensive, and thus expensive, which makes it an increasingly diminished option for those who need a compelling visual for their magazine, book or website. One thing for sure, successful illustrators have to be able to do one thing as well or better than the competition. They have to stick out as being top shelf in at least one area. It's also important to be able to meet deadlines on budget, and have the ability to create a process that is enjoyable for the guy paying the invoice. So, professionalism is essential, and consistently exceeding the expectation of the client. Additionally, the business side of things is crucial which includes a strong work ethic, savvy marketing, book keeping and all that stuff that creative types hate.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalefVzdPCzjJvl6BMPFNAUl5kZxlmKcYw9aNR-Mzpe0TMYomQ-IPXnffpJjGYkCjRAT4WFEmGciG80nMoJp8gIhF19PLI3xWTohyphenhyphenyzJuIb9LN3aHBqRHHIio566BnHZiKs8THxUNUb8o-/s1600/Adair+-+Wayne+on+Horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalefVzdPCzjJvl6BMPFNAUl5kZxlmKcYw9aNR-Mzpe0TMYomQ-IPXnffpJjGYkCjRAT4WFEmGciG80nMoJp8gIhF19PLI3xWTohyphenhyphenyzJuIb9LN3aHBqRHHIio566BnHZiKs8THxUNUb8o-/s400/Adair+-+Wayne+on+Horse.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Wayne on Horse - </i>13"x 18" - Graphite pencil<br />Most recent pencil portrait. Ron is working with Wayne Enterprises for possible use of this image in future marketing projects.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-n7VLKfAxW-5btDH2vWMhLrUjg0zzLQ77bTU5uwB8u__VMLC55gGWWeKyeIyKKvDaWoO2vFS0hWars8a9kzOuM5w4v_fs1BuGtgFvpiwzGHVQOMiUxS8ZyI0cP_0UuWIzVutfeixiNAI/s1600/Adair+-+Reagan+Montage+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-n7VLKfAxW-5btDH2vWMhLrUjg0zzLQ77bTU5uwB8u__VMLC55gGWWeKyeIyKKvDaWoO2vFS0hWars8a9kzOuM5w4v_fs1BuGtgFvpiwzGHVQOMiUxS8ZyI0cP_0UuWIzVutfeixiNAI/s400/Adair+-+Reagan+Montage+LR.jpg" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Reagan Montage - </i>20"x 16" - Graphite pencil<br />Done for the Republican National Committee. Used as a donor premium item. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQe7AMU0HO91NsCP-AMqTmptwtpC_AEpUesn-lq6cRgiM0bioJI5e8gPly4rHqoD2mLnPL15nMwhHXr-jsCPeltpBtCoD6SxYa_A-e3iJzS2UNOsliVkWYKgCtGNp0dEV414abBmublkd/s1600/Adair+-+patton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQe7AMU0HO91NsCP-AMqTmptwtpC_AEpUesn-lq6cRgiM0bioJI5e8gPly4rHqoD2mLnPL15nMwhHXr-jsCPeltpBtCoD6SxYa_A-e3iJzS2UNOsliVkWYKgCtGNp0dEV414abBmublkd/s400/Adair+-+patton.jpg" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Patton - </i>24"x 18" - Graphite pencil</b></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjir8p0rYO2JLvPprw1JCnICA0XDUOOpZxs3CJmrvytcGsgqVWpf3Ze1wh5o0_cjlj4f856mTopVPHNPquRN8m7qOfHhe5gw86Ub79CUq0M3D3cvqA-hBE5YN3Ho6CwDPcgIW9v59PxX-Qd/s1600/Adair+-+Spurgeon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjir8p0rYO2JLvPprw1JCnICA0XDUOOpZxs3CJmrvytcGsgqVWpf3Ze1wh5o0_cjlj4f856mTopVPHNPquRN8m7qOfHhe5gw86Ub79CUq0M3D3cvqA-hBE5YN3Ho6CwDPcgIW9v59PxX-Qd/s400/Adair+-+Spurgeon.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>C.H. Spurgeon -</i>20"x 16" - Graphite pencil<br />Ron's favorite "dead guy". This illustration has been used in several ways, most recently as the cover illustration for the reprint of <i>"The Forgotten Spurgeon"</i> - Banner of Truth Publishing</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">Your work is very realistic, why have you chosen to work in this way? </b>Well, some times I wish I could paint more like a fellow named Pototschnik, but I suppose that I equate a general fidelity to reality (what God has created) with that which reflects His essence. Our culture has pretty well tanked in terms of any grounding or recognition of God's transcendence in and over His creation, so anything I can do to get my licks in, to mimic real beauty, is a good thing. Certainly, a tight rendering style is not necessary to accomplish that, but it's just kind of how I ended up doing art. Maybe one of these days I will go partially blind and end up doing my best work.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexuEOJ9o28qmZJwyRjzOehtYA82ysvj0ic-E0b49UkRBlBmfLJycbHNo9gmUq4KuWFxYBmHGsddTeBUGnqVlF77CfykZSXlruK8IRMtLMoO_QFah_D4PMWRFEgju6zyUbEpHCa_NGZjiu/s1600/Adair+-+early+settlers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhexuEOJ9o28qmZJwyRjzOehtYA82ysvj0ic-E0b49UkRBlBmfLJycbHNo9gmUq4KuWFxYBmHGsddTeBUGnqVlF77CfykZSXlruK8IRMtLMoO_QFah_D4PMWRFEgju6zyUbEpHCa_NGZjiu/s400/Adair+-+early+settlers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Issac McCoy</i> - 36"x 60" - Oil<br />One of several historical paintings, including some preliminary work, done for a client who is creating a collection of important religious figures of American history.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">What do you like most about being a commercial artist...the least? </b>I like getting in and out of a project pretty quickly if possible. I like the variety of things that often come when one freelances, and seeing the art published or utilized in ways that contribute to the ongoing success of a company or organization - all of that is gratifying. On the down side...dealing with people who don't pay their bills on time, or expect a 'Lexus for the price of a little red wagon'...that is irritating.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">When a client calls with an non-computer generated illustration assignment...please lead us through the process. </b>Well, the artist must know what essentially the project will entail. He needs to know subject matter, how it will be used, and what the general expectations of the client are. He must know what the budget and deadlines are, and always commit to those things, with no exceptions except maybe your death...or your spouses! I think having great communication from the client is critical; not getting that is a recipe for disaster. So after I determine that I am actually qualified to do the assignment, and I have turned some things down that would take me outside my artistic jurisdiction, I will agree to do conceptual drawings. If need be, I'll then produce a set of more refined drawings, and after approval, move forward to do the finished piece. If you and the client are happy with the preliminary steps, then doing the final is really enjoyable. You can concentrate on executing a great piece and not worry about the content or philosophical approach to take. Solve as many issues up front and you will be happy most of the time. Also, be professional enough to lightly 'push back' if the client has a silly idea that he wants done. Don't be afraid to bring as much professionalism to the process and product as possible, but also, don't push too hard or you will either lose the account, or never hear from him again. A hand full of times, I have deferred to the guy with the gold when his idea was really bad. I simply did the assignment, took the money, didn't sign the art work, and certainly didn't add it to my portfolio. Thankfully, that hasn't happened but a few times.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5Pdemaq5RlE5XHKtWTNjl3L0TMJkNcuPhSB5FVZtYstJXMil7SCZ6p2qtkQI34awdDb_1kud2XZET9pj0wjdfWO2Ne-mNYh7qtxVDBn7WGL8pwUrvvnj_k9MhElcVUAfoU4suUuoISMv/s1600/Adair+-+No.+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5Pdemaq5RlE5XHKtWTNjl3L0TMJkNcuPhSB5FVZtYstJXMil7SCZ6p2qtkQI34awdDb_1kud2XZET9pj0wjdfWO2Ne-mNYh7qtxVDBn7WGL8pwUrvvnj_k9MhElcVUAfoU4suUuoISMv/s320/Adair+-+No.+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Mike Cervenak</i> - 12"x 20" - Digital<br />Sample portfolio piece of Triple A baseball player.</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGb8ANpR1Xh9X-gGYWskUY7MfPUDrd7zCbrNHaZcAwBvx0dqgxPVmCgGNnlJEuEPQbonMMlNI_c-cmlnQVh_3u_C8WOc91rOBqznVtal7_MItdv3TGrB4Q3ceAHITlvrigAjdoDIebuiW3/s1600/Adair+-+conductor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGb8ANpR1Xh9X-gGYWskUY7MfPUDrd7zCbrNHaZcAwBvx0dqgxPVmCgGNnlJEuEPQbonMMlNI_c-cmlnQVh_3u_C8WOc91rOBqznVtal7_MItdv3TGrB4Q3ceAHITlvrigAjdoDIebuiW3/s320/Adair+-+conductor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Gustavo Dudamel - </i>12"x 20" - Digital<br />Wonderfully animated director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra . </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">What illustrations have brought you the most satisfaction? </b>I think some of the stamp work, sports art and book covers have been my most enjoyable projects. I just enjoy drawing or painting people, and when I have adequate time and resources to do a good job, then I am usually very satisfied </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">Who has been your favorite client and why? </b>May favorite client is one who understands what illustrators go through to produce good stuff. They respect you, your talent and ability to get the job done right. Additionally, they pay you what the job is worth, and they simply treat you as a professional. I have been blessed with a number of those type clients over the years, but they, like illustration itself, are dinosaurs.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFanyJCQQO9ree4vfwkcG-xl0NLZhLdeMEZgyIML0oxkA6KbcIUUCdjfBLtpgTNIlVaeXzH1N1Eg5Va9H3EAEThXdNQP-Ov4DnqEyos4pKqIGYB1unVGJj-W2hveMXzS3BccfDav_Xusy/s1600/Adair+-+PTS+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFanyJCQQO9ree4vfwkcG-xl0NLZhLdeMEZgyIML0oxkA6KbcIUUCdjfBLtpgTNIlVaeXzH1N1Eg5Va9H3EAEThXdNQP-Ov4DnqEyos4pKqIGYB1unVGJj-W2hveMXzS3BccfDav_Xusy/s400/Adair+-+PTS+logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Commissioned logo design for a Colorado Springs Seminary - Adobe Illustrator </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>One of several marketing pieces created for an in-house agency. Adair conceived the concept, wrote and designed the piece. </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Commissioned book cover design</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">What do you see for the future of illustration? </b>Boy, that is a good question. I think there will always be illustration, but it does definitely seem to be dwindling. The market place is hugely Darwian, and illustrators are going to find it difficult to do high quality work for the time and money budgeted for visuals these days. So, I think it is going to be very challenging for most people who desire to be simply illustrators.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">You do many things well, what do you consider your greatest strength? </b>I suppose capturing human emotion, People are the crown of God's creation, and as such, we bear the image of God, so doing art of people, and capturing their human essence is really satisfying. While drawing or painting foliage and rocks are within my skills generally, I would go quite insane if I never got to do a person along with the trees and rocks.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7IoP_EGlS1sYeD4LgA0C_OvlpC_omgLJyIBUitns4MP3hW6QrjQGnmvp9cfb0m2K0aCK4llL8XPONi-T6huQT8tBZqzliKcakHU6hDZ149T4vPa6_8_Gdyk4DNPLFGGTDzhmHRSKbTXi/s1600/Adair+-+Tebow-Painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7IoP_EGlS1sYeD4LgA0C_OvlpC_omgLJyIBUitns4MP3hW6QrjQGnmvp9cfb0m2K0aCK4llL8XPONi-T6huQT8tBZqzliKcakHU6hDZ149T4vPa6_8_Gdyk4DNPLFGGTDzhmHRSKbTXi/s400/Adair+-+Tebow-Painting.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Tebow - 20"x 16" - Oi.</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">How has the field of illustration changed during your career? </b>Digital illustration has come on strong, and I must say, I do love it. I love conventional media, but there are times when I prefer, or the budget 'prefers' to approach a project with digital media (Painter 12 or Photoshop).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">How have you marketed your freelance career? </b>I have produced fliers, or collateral material through conventional printing, but more and more I create theme focused pdf files that I simply attach to emails. Additionally, my web presence is there for people to access via desktop or mobile devices. The best things of course are referrals, which naturally take place when you do a good job for someone. It's always better for someone else to sing your praises. Twenty years ago, I used art reps with limited success.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Lion, Witch and Wardrobe</i> - Photoshop and Painter<br />Book design for Cook Publishing</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">What recommendations do you have for those desiring to pursue a career in illustration? </b>Refine your essential area of expertise, sell it above all else, and work hard to produce the very best art you are capable of. Adapt to the market place as you must, but don't set bad pricing precedents because you will never be able to raise your rates once you give your art away...and avoid speculative work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks, Ron, for a very interesting interview. The field of commercial illustration has changed significantly over the years, especially with the introduction of the computer. You have adapted and prospered. Congratulations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://www.ronadair.com/">Ron Adair website</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://pototschnik.blogspot.com/2011/01/don-adair.html">Remembering Don Adair</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Upcoming Workshop</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3-5 May - Atlanta, GA - Contact: dthomas555@aol.com</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The theme of this workshop is "Deconstructing the Landscape". Bring a landscape painting you're struggling with. We will discover the problems and I will help you resolve them...one on one.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">See you there.</span><br />
<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Studio-Landscape-Workshop-in-Atlanta.html?soid=1102520700937&aid=s5H-vt8Z04M">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Artist</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #93c47d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view art and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-3839282541646212632013-03-10T17:00:00.000-05:002013-03-10T17:14:38.560-05:00What's on the easel?<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most touching moments I experienced while in Italy a few years ago was in the town of Sorrento while visiting the Santa Maria Della Pieta Nursery and Primary School. Our group had been invited to the school, and while there a class of primary school students presented a short program in which we were welcomed to their town and introduced to the town's history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later, while being served cookies and coffee, the young children entertained us with a selection of songs in both Italian and English, concluding with the very beautiful "<i>Torna a Surriento", better known to us as "Come Back to Sorrento".</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were deeply touched and for a moment did not know how to thank them until, sort of spontaneously, we all began to sing "<i>God Bless America". </i>It was a very special moment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Come Back to Sorrento" </i>is a song that has been with me since childhood. It was not unusual to hear it played in our home. Dean Martin popularized it in 1951 and Elvis Presley, with a change of lyrics, turned the melody into the most popular song he ever recorded...and into one of the best selling singles of all time, <i>"Surrender", </i>1961. And, in 1963, I chose it for my high school trumpet solo. There are many memories attached to that song.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Now there's a lemon! Discovered in a Sorrento market.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was also in Sorrento that I tried Limoncello...an intense recipe of lemon peels, vodka, water, and sugar. I did not enjoy it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sorrento has a long, long history. Its Roman name was Surrentum and its oldest ruins date back to 600 BC. Located in Southern Italy, it overlooks the Bay of Naples, and Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius are nearby.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Sorrento, Italy</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's an impressive town, a tourist's destination for sure. I am generally attracted to impressive architecture, and Sorrento offered many great painting opportunities. One of those paintings is currently on my easel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are any number of concepts that could have been chosen for my current painting of Sorrento...and any of them would have been just fine. So, why this? Well, the answer won't elevate my status any, but the truth is, I wanted to do a vertical painting since almost everything I do is horizontal...and, I've had a 30"x 50" frame laying around the studio for several years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once size and direction were decided upon, the critical work of composition began. Sorrento is built on cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples. A low horizon line would emphasize its height. The photo above presents the feeling of majestic height I wanted to capture. With the scene selected, composition decided, some liberties were taken with the drawing in order to adapt the scene to the 50"x 30" proportion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The photos below demonstrate the steps taken to get me to where the painting is as of today.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLPvZn9h3hCTNuzsf8wqmY3HpRIk8B2172R4FWwlF2mFI85HrF1fspaEzp57g0qjAZmO9jVjl3gG8Yq22N5FFjUAqNalJS9A5jRF9t_W6zEaJqDuWqr4eM6H63xhlmbOaMI2Di-iBebCP/s1600/value+study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLPvZn9h3hCTNuzsf8wqmY3HpRIk8B2172R4FWwlF2mFI85HrF1fspaEzp57g0qjAZmO9jVjl3gG8Yq22N5FFjUAqNalJS9A5jRF9t_W6zEaJqDuWqr4eM6H63xhlmbOaMI2Di-iBebCP/s400/value+study.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Beginnings of value study. Canvas is toned with raw umber and approximate areas of light are lifted out with a paper towel. Then drawing with brush begins.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I consider planning to be an important and necessary step in the creation of any successful painting. When you think about it, everything we use, from a simple ball-point pen to complex computers have been carefully and thoughtfully designed...well before being manufactured and ending up in our hands. Why should paintings be any different? Is the design of a ball-point pen any less creative?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, what makes for a successful painting? What needs to take place in the planning stage? First, a clear idea/concept. What is it you want to communicate? After that, attention should be given to creating a balanced composition, accurate drawing, interesting distribution of lights and darks, and which colors will best communicate the concept. Put all these things together and we have a pretty good shot.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AG5CaUnqJAEI5tNYupwoE4WQvCaTtupB98oU4vmyoxNVwdv5uOfTeA0I9UFgLcAbRvoWUzguS4rpOhjpse-B50ixEDm_-gDk8uoZM_iXamYqTl_sajRcqZrBabjAgICBMtg-Ud_zAMUL/s1600/value+study-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AG5CaUnqJAEI5tNYupwoE4WQvCaTtupB98oU4vmyoxNVwdv5uOfTeA0I9UFgLcAbRvoWUzguS4rpOhjpse-B50ixEDm_-gDk8uoZM_iXamYqTl_sajRcqZrBabjAgICBMtg-Ud_zAMUL/s400/value+study-1.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Continuation of the value study - 12"x 7.25" - Oil on canvas </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />A very common sense but important bit of advice...make sure the size of the final painting is exactly proportional to your preliminary work. In my case, the size of the available frame was the determining factor for this painting, but in most cases it will be the proportions of the canvas, or one's preliminary sketches that determine the final.. I give this exhortation because over and over again I have observed students doing just the opposite...preliminary work one proportion, canvas selection another.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The block-in shown above is on canvas which has been taped to hardboard. Note the clear definition of horizon line (HL)...very important... if there is any hope of accurate drawing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9d0GF8olwSGNgmuI5FYE1Rv-3m8cMfep4gFQo18iN38Zk91s7-LnaYQJ0zBn7UqPe-3Dry6PFQrtzsU_aw3Dk9Y9kZJAGdNB-FhtW3SOkdULocvQ7FBb3-ipRUBD14G5vp0sEhNIWYUeI/s1600/value+study-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9d0GF8olwSGNgmuI5FYE1Rv-3m8cMfep4gFQo18iN38Zk91s7-LnaYQJ0zBn7UqPe-3Dry6PFQrtzsU_aw3Dk9Y9kZJAGdNB-FhtW3SOkdULocvQ7FBb3-ipRUBD14G5vp0sEhNIWYUeI/s400/value+study-3.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Completed value study with grid drawn on an acetate overlay. Work is now ready to be enlarged and transferred to the 50"x 30" canvas</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the study has errors in drawing, those errors will be accentuated when enlarged. Great care must be taken every step of the way. Inaccurate perspective will create a sense of instability in architectural subjects...and a discomfort in the viewer.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Even here, adjustments have been made to architectural details and proportions </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Block-in on 50"x 30" canvas is complete</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It may seem like a lot of detail for a block-in...and it is. However, I thought it necessary in this case, because without it, all the perspective work done in the study would have to be totally repeated in the larger version. It is much easier to work out perspective issues on a small scale rather than a larger one.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB74fcD46FPcHOOBNsuHD2MU_DMMoeUq2FMl7V9SakwaYEwUIDIyNacXebB_u7tmthrLfUl7mbMi2oviap483BMwoc_JuHHGF1dN3U89tuz6ZqjxbEOg3SdchXoCq5WmTqbs167slPzo4u/s1600/color+test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB74fcD46FPcHOOBNsuHD2MU_DMMoeUq2FMl7V9SakwaYEwUIDIyNacXebB_u7tmthrLfUl7mbMi2oviap483BMwoc_JuHHGF1dN3U89tuz6ZqjxbEOg3SdchXoCq5WmTqbs167slPzo4u/s400/color+test.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Block-in of final painting is complete, selection of suitable palette is made.<br />Top row: ultramarine blue, cadmium red; cadmium red, transparent red oxide<br />Middle row: ultramarine blue, transparent red oxide; ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow medium<br />Bottom row: Cadmium red, cadmium yellow medium; transparent red oxide, cadmium yellow medium </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is very typical of how I select a suitable palette for each painting. I have stacks of cards similar to these in which two colors are mixed together with white. I simply flip through the cards until I come upon a set of colors appropriate for the work at hand. The cards selected will tell me what colors to place on the palette. In this case: white, ultramarine blue, cadmium red, transparent red oxide, and cadmium yellow medium.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4hwbSU4WApqt5j_S23p4M-g8FfqVXXerFyeFFxfPwGe3vNg71Vx7ntyD5G9qEurHClMGR6ZQYUNvuhB5qsXvs64EidlSVM94RAdr4lGDiI8X7F-8n8MsNO0cLPqheGYeUyN-b3pO8MC2/s1600/Sorrento+study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY4hwbSU4WApqt5j_S23p4M-g8FfqVXXerFyeFFxfPwGe3vNg71Vx7ntyD5G9qEurHClMGR6ZQYUNvuhB5qsXvs64EidlSVM94RAdr4lGDiI8X7F-8n8MsNO0cLPqheGYeUyN-b3pO8MC2/s400/Sorrento+study.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Color study - 7.5"x 4.5" - Oil on gessoed paper </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The painting as of today - 50"x 30" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even after all the preliminary work, as I've begun painting on this larger scale, the foreground felt deserted, certainly less than the intimate feeling I'm after. You can see the changes being made...removal of the large boat on right, replaced with a terrace...and the addition of a boat, with gentleman aboard, on the left. I view this whole area teeming with activity. I'm developing the center of interest first and then will relate the rest of the painting to it. Onward and upward!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><b><i>Upcoming Workshops</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">3-5 May - Atlanta, GA - Contact: dthomas555@aol.com and <a href="http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Studio-Landscape-Workshop-in-Atlanta.html?soid=1102520700937&aid=s5H-vt8Z04M">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: x-small;">The theme of both workshops is "Deconstructing the Landscape". Bring a landscape painting you're struggling with. We will discover the problems and I will help you resolve them...one on one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-60307955644644366842013-03-03T17:38:00.000-06:002013-03-03T18:12:54.384-06:00Dianne Massey Dunbar Revisited<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After I posted one of Dunbar's paintings of a glass jar on my Facebook page, an admirer of the painting wrote wanting to know where he could purchase a "tube of that glass" used by Dianne to complete her painting. Well, that would be nice, but I told him that Dianne doesn't share that information with anyone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To my mind, no one paints glass better than Dianne Massey Dunbar. Her depiction of things transparent is very carefully observed and yet painted with such intuitive confidence, dexterity, boldness, clarity, and excitement that one just marvels at her ability.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first interviewed Dunbar in August 2012, and at that time only revealed half of the interview. Now, with a few additional questions, here is the remainder of that amazing interview.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYfUAJ-8jYAvZsSSSBoqNpwtp2NNNhXojYCy-k2_lDV7ZbvRS7Zehv42qF6mQbPDYXhN5s8TSVsbtkPQm03Twb_8jueI2UkDLAMNj2CD_JVUvaWh42KveEzmm0FIUTu88X56vhr94JrBf/s1600/545+-+Dianne+Massey+Dunbar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYfUAJ-8jYAvZsSSSBoqNpwtp2NNNhXojYCy-k2_lDV7ZbvRS7Zehv42qF6mQbPDYXhN5s8TSVsbtkPQm03Twb_8jueI2UkDLAMNj2CD_JVUvaWh42KveEzmm0FIUTu88X56vhr94JrBf/s200/545+-+Dianne+Massey+Dunbar.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What would be your definition of art?</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> To me, art in its broadest sense includes music, dancing, acting, photography, painting, writing, and the like. It is a personal expression of oneself that generally involves creativity and honesty and an audience. It almost always requires a degree of skill. It is also, invariably, the end result of a process.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Narrowing the definition to drawing and painting, to me art is the creation of an image personal to the artist that is intended as a visual dialogue with an audience. When I stop and contemplate art, it is easy to think of eloquent paintings that have been carefully designed and executed. However, I have seen many rough drawings by children that have deeply touched me. So, I guess I would say that if a painting or drawing reasonably incorporates the principles of drawing and design and craftsmanship, and further inspires in me as a viewer a sense of awe or excitement, interest, beauty, or involvement...and if it is intended to be art, I would call it art.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">Are you saying then that you believe art is really in the eye of the beholder?</b> In my opinion, everyone is entitled to his or her own definition of art. For me personally, I agree and disagree with the statement "art is in the eye of the beholder". That phrase seems to infer our personal likes and dislikes. I do believe that our tastes influence what we enjoy in the way of art, if we are attracted to a particular painting, whether we like thick or thin paint, still life or landscapes, realism or abstract. It is our emotional response to a painting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All that said, people generally know when they are in the presence of real art. For me art is</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a form of communication. But to be considered art it also needs to reasonably incorporate the tools we artists use every day: composition, drawing, shape, line, value, color, texture, and edges. Even rough drawings by children almost invariably have wonderful expressive lines, textures, shapes, and color. So, I would say that for me to call something "art" it needs to include these elements of draftsmanship regardless of my emotional reaction to the artwork.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrtHaDsYFhnsLYZxoF4oMhWGzdm5UJgsQwMPB84YUHkTwev6yR8EkSFvjdECJF07C4XoxfeP1_FFgHF85F8deC1lMFH3LRE_aQQjXFH3aN2hV81owyoKmsNoKxGVrYu3-UYDE0yxPpcU1/s1600/Dunbar+-+Five+Pop+Cans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrtHaDsYFhnsLYZxoF4oMhWGzdm5UJgsQwMPB84YUHkTwev6yR8EkSFvjdECJF07C4XoxfeP1_FFgHF85F8deC1lMFH3LRE_aQQjXFH3aN2hV81owyoKmsNoKxGVrYu3-UYDE0yxPpcU1/s400/Dunbar+-+Five+Pop+Cans.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Five Pop Cans - </i>12"x 18" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Can there be art if it doesn't communicate with an audience, in other words, if it can't be understood?</span></b> In order to answer this, I need to define "understood". One might not recognize the objects in a drawing or painting, or fully understand what the artist was trying to accomplish or communicate, but that does not mean it's not art. For example, a person that is not versed in biblical stories might not understand religious art. However, I think most people would agree that there are numerous examples of wonderful religious art. Another example is prehistoric art. I may not understand the symbols, recognize the figures or the animals, but I can still appreciate the lines and design. And, many people do not enjoy abstract art but once again that does not discredit it. Understanding a painting has absolutely nothing to do with the subject matter, and everything to do with the visual elements and execution of the painting. So, even if I do not understand the subject matter, I can still appreciate the shapes, the drawing, the lines, the texture, the design, and in that way it still communicates with me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be art it must be able to be understood from a purely rational point of view and be organized to create a visual statement. If a drawing or painting is so disorganized that I am unable to understand the visual elements, then I do not think it meets any definition of art. All art, including abstract art, must have drawing, shapes, and values. One can study the painting to see if it is balanced, and if the values and composition are working. Lacking any visual organization so that there are no shapes, values or drawing, well, it would be difficult to call it art. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjHm4njkp_hed54Rv-aQLLNB1esfmKE76jFZphYadWKgeN3DvCd8188cf9UENQAc5M_Y3cKjjLuQP-z_NILNhraoys2c6qYc1xE2o0k0O37MUtka_wCVxsGXggXhgYRwb6_QwZSLE10kR/s1600/Dunbar+-+Chocolates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjHm4njkp_hed54Rv-aQLLNB1esfmKE76jFZphYadWKgeN3DvCd8188cf9UENQAc5M_Y3cKjjLuQP-z_NILNhraoys2c6qYc1xE2o0k0O37MUtka_wCVxsGXggXhgYRwb6_QwZSLE10kR/s400/Dunbar+-+Chocolates.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Chocolates - 8"x 8" - Oil</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">Do you consider the process of painting more important than the result? </b>I think they are rather inseparable. If the result is a finished painting, you can't have the result without a process of some sort. And, at some point in time the process of painting ends in a finished piece. I will say that for me, the process greatly influences the result, which includes all my preparation before I begin a painting. I will also admit that for me the most important part of the actual painting is the beginning, because it will set the tone for the remainder of the painting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">No, what I mean is...Do you consider the act of painting itself...one's personal joy in applying paint, experimenting and creating...more important than the physical result? </b>I wish I could answer yes to that question because it would be so freeing to let go of the end product and simply enjoy the process of painting. Also, if creating art was merely the act of painting with no regard for the outcome there would not be the inherent fear of failure or the discomfort when we are outside our comfort zone. However, being a professional artist is a career, a business, and so one must consider the end result as well. I think that there needs to be a balance between the creative process and respect for the end result. If it is all about the act of painting, experimenting and being creative, which incidentally can be quite frustrating on occasion, then we are on a journey that does not go anywhere. If it's all about the end result, I think over time we become bored, don't take risks, become too comfortable and our art grows stale and predictable. So, I think the process and the end result are inseparable, and I can only hope that as I paint I am aware of and can appreciate the joy and frustration of creating.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJrer6SFreLbkhrerimuvVfTpG7Eyz3YldhrU4G5bOKZ2Nd6nxQRo5CniLH3Whmz_jkUHwu_fqk5AbY32XcKBYK1B3ftPaiNJhIdM1u2Z9WkzvL51LpHTXJeBgu6UpJ5GF6cifr8upn3g/s1600/Dunbar+-+Clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJrer6SFreLbkhrerimuvVfTpG7Eyz3YldhrU4G5bOKZ2Nd6nxQRo5CniLH3Whmz_jkUHwu_fqk5AbY32XcKBYK1B3ftPaiNJhIdM1u2Z9WkzvL51LpHTXJeBgu6UpJ5GF6cifr8upn3g/s400/Dunbar+-+Clean.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Clean - </i>18"x 18" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYF09GjPpoQ6z67rBzLjBy50mQWqUvJ1AUZdAqL3Rzlb3xEgCtIDH6T6ylQpSwgUpkeqx2jI7VsXVbr6NewPSRgh9FHkMP1rm1L_BMe7VkzxO9Nk1d2kQr5LuildEmbwL2vp3XYxB0u_St/s1600/Dunbar+-+Gummies%252C+Sour....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYF09GjPpoQ6z67rBzLjBy50mQWqUvJ1AUZdAqL3Rzlb3xEgCtIDH6T6ylQpSwgUpkeqx2jI7VsXVbr6NewPSRgh9FHkMP1rm1L_BMe7VkzxO9Nk1d2kQr5LuildEmbwL2vp3XYxB0u_St/s400/Dunbar+-+Gummies%252C+Sour....jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Gummies, Sour Cherries and Orange Slices - </i>11"x 14" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">Where does creativity come from and how can it be nurtured? </b>I believe that creativity is a gift from God. I also believe we all have some degree of creativity and that creativity is not reserved for artists, musicians, actors, writers and the like. Everyone from plumbers to lawyers, teachers to advertisers and to builders, all encounter problems that require creativity to resolve. Mulling it over, it seems to me that creativity is often the result of problem solving, curiosity, need, a willingness to explore and a desire to be creative. Creativity also requires imagination and an open mind. To nurture creativity, we need to emphasize and value exploration, give others enough tools and knowledge to be able to explore different options, and offer problems that require imagination and problem solving.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZhmz1y12tIEwdEPRU_hdoHnmxVz7Urpzy-MJ6uaa0a49pPmwe3Fc0SNEQK3dzOy_eL8bx1ue8hINzEKoC8smRLel8vt9Rp9bNbpSRTpb-Tgwv6d1oT07e1uvo19hZC-x8FeZ-5Agwo5H/s1600/Dunbar+-+Driving+in+the+rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZhmz1y12tIEwdEPRU_hdoHnmxVz7Urpzy-MJ6uaa0a49pPmwe3Fc0SNEQK3dzOy_eL8bx1ue8hINzEKoC8smRLel8vt9Rp9bNbpSRTpb-Tgwv6d1oT07e1uvo19hZC-x8FeZ-5Agwo5H/s400/Dunbar+-+Driving+in+the+rain.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Driving in the Rain - </i>18"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">You said in our first interview that you love to play with paint...to smear it, scrape it, splatter and flick it...using all manner of tools. Were you a pretty creative child? </b>Probably yes. I was rarely interested in playing with dolls or dress up although I loved stuffed animals. What I really liked to do was make things. So I played with Lincoln Logs and Tinkertoys. I had a small tool set with a hammer and saw, and I would use wood and nails to build things. One Christmas I was given a wood burning set so that I could decorate the things I made. I liked crayons. I started drawing at the age of six, and started art lessons and oil painting at age seven. I also use to write...primarily poetry.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmCV75elX12Or5vCPqv3gpvE1x-vy6CSgHtY_pKQno0lwMDHhosK0w-D3wY12Qt-L92H_1CO7XZISbHQagNvSHYScfqcLxfYjqXrPr__XFOemztUhLl_JwJYN7P7hOU-VnOZ6rSqxOcsH/s1600/Dunbar+-+Raindrops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmCV75elX12Or5vCPqv3gpvE1x-vy6CSgHtY_pKQno0lwMDHhosK0w-D3wY12Qt-L92H_1CO7XZISbHQagNvSHYScfqcLxfYjqXrPr__XFOemztUhLl_JwJYN7P7hOU-VnOZ6rSqxOcsH/s400/Dunbar+-+Raindrops.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Raindrops - </i>18"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">How does your work reflect your personality? </b>First off, I think I am somewhat sentimental, so much of my work is derived from my life experiences. It is my impression that no matter who we are or what we do, most of life is lived in the ordinary, not in the extraordinary. I think there is something special, maybe even sacred, about the ordinary stuff of life. I want to somehow honor those things we use or images we see in our daily lives that often go unnoticed. I appreciate the ketchup bottle I pulled out of the refrigerator nearly every day when my sons were young. I can find beautiful colors in simple jars. There are surprising greens in a stack of French fries. The world is full of wonderful shapes and color everywhere, even where least expected. I hope that people can see the world a little differently as a result of my painting.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMD7RFEW5SV2oBbtaD4o4UqemXcb5VW3G4bAUWruMPi_U9tTalSeK6v8XiujbOUbxpN7YqWNs2WhBMNQJOInDFIhFwdD5pdOawlBEi8y42XUda6FUUw62eYk_bOunEIEvOBLdN3qOWVRb/s1600/Dunbar+-+Yellow+Digger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMD7RFEW5SV2oBbtaD4o4UqemXcb5VW3G4bAUWruMPi_U9tTalSeK6v8XiujbOUbxpN7YqWNs2WhBMNQJOInDFIhFwdD5pdOawlBEi8y42XUda6FUUw62eYk_bOunEIEvOBLdN3qOWVRb/s400/Dunbar+-+Yellow+Digger.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Yellow Digger - </i>5"x 7" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">How does one find their individuality as an artist? </b>I would say finding individuality is a process. Where you begin will likely be very different from where your journey of art ultimately leads you. I also believe that individuality is a result of passion, excitement, exploration, risk taking, failing, succeeding, practicing, and honesty. Paint the subject matter that excites or interests you. Play with paint. Splash it, brush it, knife it, smear it, and make puddles. Try different surfaces because I am learning that they too make a difference. Be creative because after all, we are artists. Some paintings won't succeed but will boost you to the next painting. Eventually you will have enough paintings behind you, that instead of you finding your individuality, I imagine your individuality will find you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">You use a very extensive palette of colors. How do you manage to maintain control of the color harmony in your paintings? </b>The frank answer is I have no idea. Drawing and design do not come naturally to me but color seems to be rather intuitive. So, when I am mixing paint, I just keep mixing until I get a value and color that seem to work for the situation. I wish I could elaborate on this answer but in all honesty I really don't know how I control color harmony.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic993Ll9U1X2Y_b-v-iNSSEeS3xarbA3hF3_peSGNYjmCvRGg9hsYpOVg3p_gEtwvI2hk-_vHUYTLohlD8X3d90TBzDCUCFd-kBYdNx3iw59khVHi9Dc_3NmBUMIY2tFwB70pBmWTgISHU/s1600/Dunbar+-+Two+Buckets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic993Ll9U1X2Y_b-v-iNSSEeS3xarbA3hF3_peSGNYjmCvRGg9hsYpOVg3p_gEtwvI2hk-_vHUYTLohlD8X3d90TBzDCUCFd-kBYdNx3iw59khVHi9Dc_3NmBUMIY2tFwB70pBmWTgISHU/s400/Dunbar+-+Two+Buckets.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="color: #c27ba0;">What advice do you have for a young artist/painter? </b>Making art is a journey and not a sprint. There are no real road maps beyond practicing and attempting to master the basic skills involved. It requires a great deal of passion, commitment, dedication, practice, and courage. Along the way there are wonderful highs and times of utter frustration. Being an artist is not at all what one envisions being an artist should look like. I believe it is about 85% work, 10% fun, and 5% inspiration. Also, I am not at all sure that we choose being artists. I rather think art chooses us. I cannot imagine not painting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Primarily, I would suggest that you practice drawing. Drawing is absolutely essential to whatever type of art you eventually choose to do. Painting is nothing more or less than the completion of shapes. You need shapes to put value and color on. Those shapes need to be drawn, whether you do abstract art or representational art. I cannot stress the value of drawing enough. Also, if you are having problems with a painting, check your values. I have found that color can be rather forgiving, and that a problem with a painting is more often a value issue. Experiment, play, scrape, and learn what paint does (and doesn't) do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find a mentor; an artist that is better than you, whose opinion you trust and who is willing to critique your work and offer suggestions along the way. Avoid asking others what they think of a painting or project, for opinions are as varied as the weather...and often not helpful. So, get a mentor/teacher to help with this process. Learn from your failures. Take those to your mentor as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't be too quick to approach galleries. Everyone wants to be represented by a gallery and many young artists make it their goal to be invited into galleries. Instead, your goal should be to focus on your art and make it as outstanding as possible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lastly, keep some of your early work. I have a painting up in my studio from several years ago. When you get discouraged, and you will at times, look at that painting and spend a minute being proud of your progress.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, be aware and prepared for the fact that painting is expensive and for most of us it takes time and practice to get to the point of earning any money.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://pototschnik.blogspot.com/2012_08_01_archive.html">Read Part I of Dunbar's interview HERE</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.diannemasseydunbar.com/">Dianne Massey Dunbar website</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, please click <a href="http://www.pototschnik.com/joinnewsletter.asp">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view work and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Upcoming Workshops</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>22-24 March 2013 - </i>Carthage, MO (Contact: info@cherryscustomframing.com</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>3-5 May 2013 - </i>Atlanta, GA (Contact: dthomas555@aol.com)</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The theme of both workshops is "Deconstructing the Landscape". Bring a painting you're struggling with, we will discover the problems and I will help you resolve them...one on one.</span><br />
<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">See you there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-11795810281335979412013-02-24T17:02:00.000-06:002013-02-24T17:03:27.116-06:00Dancing with the angels - Part 3<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I actually began this series, "Dancing with the angels", several weeks ago when Facebook friends were asked to share their experiences regarding the common phrase "in the zone". Is it a real phenomenon and if so, what's it like? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interviewing 12 elite artists and seeking input from Facebook friends, I was pretty amazed to find so many similarities in the answers. That alone tells me that there is indeed such a phenomenon, and with only a few tweeks, everyone pretty much agrees regarding the experience. There are differing opinions on how to get there and some disagreement on whether being "in the zone" enables us to produce work over and beyond our normal level of understanding. Some, without hesitation, insist it is possible to create work 'over and beyond'. Others say we are only able to produce work up to our level of understanding.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tend to side with the second group. My argument is pretty simple, maybe too simple. However, if someone is able to create something spectacular, it tells me they are capable of doing it again. Within them somewhere is the knowledge and understanding that enabled them to do it in the first place. The word 'normal' is probably the stumbling block of the question.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To illustrate...I wouldn't expect Jackson Pollock, while deep deep "in the zone", to be able to produce anything close to a Rembrandt, but it wouldn't surprise me, if with a particular flick of the brush or bucket, he created something over and beyond anything he had done before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, let's hear what our Facebook friends have to say...and at the end I'll summarize.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Value study for <i>Best Friends</i> - 4.5"x 4.5" - Oil on paper</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Zan Barrage: </i>Being in the zone happens only when you have a clear vision of what you are attempting to put on canvas. The clearer the vision the faster you get in the zone. When we struggle and are ever conscious of what we are doing, I bet it is mostly because somewhere along the line we did not clarify the vision and we are making it up as we go along.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cathleen Windham: </i>When I'm in "it", I know it. Can feel it. I understand why and where every stroke of my brush is going, and exactly why I chose and mixed that hue. The result is work I feel very good about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Jimmy Longacre: </i>Not sure I can define the specific trigger, but it seems to follow prolonged periods of intensely focusing, with strong desire, on gaining better understanding of this or that aspect of my painting. The result is a feeling of "getting it" in some measure and a satisfying feeling of ease, confidence and rightness in what I'm doing.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Burnt Siena block-in</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>First applications of color</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A. Jillian Crider: </i>I didn't 'do' anything to get there, other than working on a piece of art that I liked, and therefore not 'forced'. Result - one minute looking at a blank page, then next second looking at a completed work and staring in awe wondering how it got there. Did I REALLY do that?</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael Pointer: </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I used to think that it was something that just happened. Now I understand that it is a process of preparation that leads to the zone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Nettie Carnett-Kennedy: </i>A vision of the outcome definitely seems to be a prerequisite. The 'zone' is a very real state where nothing exists except you and the painting...and you are driven by a force outside yourself to complete it. If you try to stop, it calls you back. Time does not exist, nor does hunger or sleep. You become tired but it won't let you rest...the painting has taken on its own life and energy and your very soul is in direct contact with our Creator.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>John Hulsey: </i>My best paintings have come from those moments of complete absorption and focus on my painting. This was an easier state to achieve when I was much younger and had no other commitments or concerns. Nowadays it requires meditation to get to that calm, focused center.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Shadows defined</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Jana Johnson: </i>I too have experienced the zone while painting or sketching - but often don't realize I've been in that state of mind until I stop working and step back to get a different perspective of my work which then breaks the spell of the zone. It's then I'll often notice for the first time I'm roasting from the heat, or freezing from the cold, or it's way later than I thought it was, things I wasn't even conscious of when in the zone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Bruce Newman: </i>I have never gotten 'in the zone' by conscious thought. When it happens, I believe it comes from the confluence of interest in the work and a feeling that I am on the right track. It comes, essentially, from doing not thinking of doing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brocha Teichman: </i>I find, time and again, that it's about my clarity of vision at the start, and holding on to that, that keeps the painting honest and keeps me in the zone. When your vision and your hand aren't having an internal fight, that's harmony. Such paintings usually fall right off the brush...if only that happened more often.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Jimmy Leach: </i>Only get there when one gets lost in the act of doing painting, outside forces vanish, so one must DO painting to get into the zone of painting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mike Perez: </i>It happens...but not sure what triggers it. Having a subject one relates to and is interested in helps a lot. Listening to music that one really feels, helps get me in the zone, even if it is the same song over and over. After a while, I am not really listening to anything but the rhythm. I recently heard Bill Evans, the jazz pianist, describe it in an interview from the 60's as getting into a state where the mechanics are in the subconscious and thus the mind is fully freed for creativity...(in his case improvisation around the structure of a music piece). It feels great! and then, there are those days where the left side of the brain takes over and it is hard to get anything down that you are happy with. I have wondered whether some Irish Cream would help get in the zone, but I have heard the effect is temporary. You really like what you are doing at first but after a while it doesn't look so good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and then there's...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Howard Friedland: </i>I was once in the zone but got a ticket. It was a No Parking Zone!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Best Friends - </i>12"x 12" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In his book "<i>Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience", </i>psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (mee-hy cheek-sent-me-hy-ee)...whew!...and I thought I had a difficult name...anyway, he extensively studied the phenomenon we've been considering. He coined the word "flow" in 1975 to express what we are calling, being "in the zone".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He decided on the term after interviews with several people who described their experience as being carried along in a current of water...as in "going with the flow".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a 1956 study, Mihaly determined that the human mind is capable of processing 126 bits of information per second and that a typical conversation consumes at least one-third of that total per second. Now I know why it's so difficult for me to talk and paint at the same time...and why it's virtually impossible to be in the zone while engaging in a conversation. After extensive research in the 1980's and 90's, Mihaly outlined several conditions needing to be present for any of us to have an "in the zone" experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Necessary conditions for "in the zone" activity:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Must be involved in an activity with a clear set of goals and be able to track progress. This gives direction and structure to the task.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The task must have clear and immediate feedback. This helps the artist adjust to changes and enables him to stay in the zone.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There must be a good balance between the perceived challenges of the task and the perceived skill of the artist. Artist must have confidence that he is capable of doing the task at hand.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Emotions that disturb the flow are many, but these three are near the top: apathy, boredom, and anxiety. Apathy occurs when there is a low challenge accompanied by weak skills. Boredom: low challenge/high skill; Anxiety: excessive challenge/inadequate skill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just as negative emotions can prevent one from experiencing the "in the zone" phenomenon, positive emotions likewise aid its appearance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fully immersed, energized focus is a prevailing description of what we are talking about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As an artist, the "flow" can be only entered while performing an activity, and more likely when we're wholeheartedly performing a task or activity for an intrinsic purpose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're not going to be "in the zone" while passively sitting on our hands staring at a blank canvas.</span></div>
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-2333071197578215202013-02-17T17:30:00.000-06:002013-02-17T17:32:32.792-06:00Dancing with the angels - Part 2<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Twelve professional artists talk about being "in the zone", what it means, what it's like, and how to get there.</span></i></b></div>
<b><i><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are lots of words for it..."in the grove", "singularly focused", "in tune", "wired in", "centered", "on a roll", and "in the moment". Some have described it as "going with the flow".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is said of Michelangelo, that while he worked on the painting for the Sistine Chapel, he became so focused on the job at hand that he went for days without eating or sleeping until he almost passed out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That does seem to express the sentiments of some of our twelve artists as they discuss painting "in the zone"...not that any of them have actually passed out...but you get the idea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am pleased once again to bring you six more very accomplished artists who will continue our discussion of painting "in the zone"...is it real, what's it like, how do you get there, and what's the result? When it happens, it's like "dancing with the angels".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to this week's participants, as we present Part 2.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Karen Blackwood: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Classically trained, Karen Blackwood initially painted portraits and figurative works before the landscape became her constant muse. While her work gravitates toward the light and atmosphere in the landscape, her artistic pursuit is to convey an emotional response to the solitary beauty of nature and to achieve that perfect state of being that sometimes comes from painting it.. She is represented by Susan Powell in Madison, CT. She's a member of Oil Painters of America and the Society of American Marine Artists.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Roger Dale Brown: </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roger believes that studying and painting from life is essential to being a good artist. He spends hours painting on location to enhance his ability to see the nuances of a scene, a day, or an object. He considers this one of the elements necessary to create a successful painting both on location and in the studio. Roger captures the emotion of the scene, by drawing on his knowledge and his dedication to art. He promotes art education in many ways, believing that passing along information is an obligation to generations of new artists.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">John Cook: </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From still life to portraits, landscapes to architecture...and his native-Texas western imagery, nothing is too small or too large for John to attempt as is demonstrated in his diverse range of subject matter. Trips to London, Paris, Bruges, Venice, Rome, Florence, Portofino, St.Marguerite, San Francisco, and New York have inspired many of Cook's paintings. In 2012, Cook's 11th annual one-man show was held at the Southwest Gallery in Dallas.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kathleen Dunphy: </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kathleen's rapid success in the competitive art world was predicted when <i>American Artist Magazine</i> recognized her as one of the TopTen Emerging Artists in 1998. In the ensuing years, she has earned an impressive and growing reputation with galleries and collectors. A Signature Member of several important art organizations, most recently</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> she has been honored with Signature Membership in the prestigious Plein Air Painters of America. She is one of those rare people who have true passion, dedication, and a gift for transposing nature's beauty to the canvas.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Daniel Gerhartz: </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The powerful and evocative beauty of Gerhartz's paintings embrace a range of subjects, most prominently the female figure in either a pastoral setting or an intimate interior. He is at his best with subjects from everyday life, genre subjects, sacred-idyllic landscapes or figures in quiet repose, meditation or contemplative isolation. "My desire as an artist is that the images I paint would point to the Creator, and not to me, the conveyor. J.S. Bach said it well as he signed his work, 'Soli Deo Gloria', To God alone is the glory".</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">James Gurney: </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gurney is the author and illustrator of the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling <i>Dinotopia</i> book series. Solo exhibitions of his artwork have been presented at the Smithsonian Institution, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the Norton Museum of Art. He's recently been named a "Grand Master" by Spectrum Fantastic Arts and a "Living Master" by the Art Renewal Center. His most recent book, <i>Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter </i>(2010) was Amazon's #1 bestselling book on painting for over 52 weeks and is based on his daily blog: gurneyjourney.blogspot.com</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>James Gurney - <i>Dalleo's Deli - </i>9"x 12" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We've all heard the phrase "in the zone", what does that mean to you?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Blackwood: </i>"The object, which is back of every true work of art, is the attainment of a state of being, a state of high functioning, a more than ordinary moment of existence." - <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Robert Henri.</span></i> "In the zone" is that perfect state of being I strive to be in while painting, It's a state of letting the spirit within lead, working from the subconscious mind. Every movement and thought flows effortlessly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brown: </i>Being in the "zone" to me means being in a more visceral region of my mind. Being made in God's image, humans are inherently creative in one thing or another. When an artist creates, we go to a place in our subconscious that taps into the knowledge intuitively, and our emotions instinctively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cook: </i>Things are "clicking" when I'm painting productively. Not that it is an easy process, but I know somehow what looks "right", when the preceding brush stroke, or knife application is placed. I "explain" to myself often audibly, what temperature the next color should be, and what pigment, or mixture is wanted, or what correction is needed in drawing, and so on...Of course the drawing must be correct, and the composition must be worth continuing. Color, whether intense or muted, or purposefully unbalanced, should remain harmonious. The balance of simple patterns vs the complicated textures are becoming obvious to me, due to many paths down that road for the design to be "on". Must mention correct values. I could go on...I shall...Then the treatment of edges seems to fall in place. I can seem to understand which need to be "lost", and those that need to show straightness and obvious clarity. I do have much more fun watching an oil sketch fall in place without thinking much, something with a real flair happening quickly...within 45 minutes to an hour and a half.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dunphy: </i>Being in the zone means being able to paint without tremendous effort, much like hitting my stride when I'm running or nordic skiing. All extraneous thoughts from other parts of my life turn off and I'm solely focused on the task at hand. It's finding that rhythm when my mind, body, and creative energy are all in sync.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gerhartz: </i>When the conditions are right and I am accurately translating what my eyes see in terms of the abstract nature of light, shadow, shape, edge and color.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gurney: </i>Having my conscious mind take the back seat, and letting intuition take over.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Karen Blackwood - <i>Winter Reflections - </i>24"x 18" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>If you believe in such a phenomenon, what techniques do you use to get there?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Blackwood: </i>To help me get "in the zone" or at the least, a higher level of focus, I try to approach my subject with great feeling. Taking the time to contemplate before brush touches canvas helps me to let go and paint from a more intuitive place, allowing the information to "flow" through me. In the studio, listening to music and looking through books of a master artist's work can stir my soul and subconscious, which allows flow to happen. I have been known to listen to the same CD to an insanely repetitive degree. If it works for a particular piece I'm working on, I tend to want to keep that mood throughout.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brown: </i>It is important that I have an atmosphere that is conducive to painting. In my studio I have surrounded myself with inspirational things and music. This comfortable space helps me remove the "world" from my mind, so I can be more sensitive to the scene I am painting. Also, I problem solve; I imagine being in the scene, or on location again; I assign words to describe the scene; and finally I visualize the finished painting. By approaching a painting this way, it helps me bridge the two elements of painting, the science of painting and the intuitive aspect of painting. When I have a solid image in my mind, I can start painting. All of this helps de-clutter and prepare my mind to paint so it's easier to sink into that nice warm comfortable place...and create...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cook: </i>Don't know how to "get there". I can't force anything to get there. In fact last year, because of some very stressful conditions, I was definitely out of the zone for a least six months. I struggled with drawing especially, and consequently painting anything worth showing anyone for that period...well, I won't linger on this. Tough year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dunphy:</i> It's easiest for me to get in the zone when I'm outside plein air painting. It seems like that direct communion with my subject matter helps me to more easily ignore that background chatter of non-art-related thoughts. I still can get in the zone in the studio but it happens with more effort. I've found that certain music helps set the tone - classical baroque music, Italian opera arias, and most especially Gregorian chants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gerhartz: </i>Putting myself in the position to be successful, (working from life, distractions minimized, enough rest, approach the subject humbly, and squint!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gurney: </i>Ironically, I've got to think consciously to get to the intuitive state, and just practice a lot.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Kathleen Dunphy - <i>Magic Hour - </i>15"x 30" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>When in the "zone", are you more conscious and aware of what you're doing...or less so?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Blackwood: </i>When I'm in the "zone", I am more highly in tune to what I'm painting but less self-conscious of my process. It's a more intuitive state where the painting seems to paint itself. I lose all sense of time, at least until my husband or daughter calls out for food!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brown: </i>Even though my space is important at the beginning of a painting, once I am in the "zone" I am less conscious of my surrounding, or of time, and more in tune with my creative process. I would say I am less conscious when in the "zone". Since I worked through the foundational decisions and possible problems with my painting early on, the decisions and process of painting are easier. This doesn't mean it's a "walk in the park" for there can still be struggles, and sometimes I still have to wrestle that thing down, but I am less likely to get frustrated and angry. I stay calm and the painting proceeds at a nice pace and rhythm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cook: </i>Definitely aware of what I'm doing, as described in the first answer, but not laboring mentally or emotionally.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dunphy: </i>Both - I'm more aware of the idea and feeling that I'm painting and less aware of the technical aspect of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gerhartz: </i>Not necessarily aware of it. More aware when I am not in it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gurney: </i>I'm inside the painting, not thinking of my immediate surroundings.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Daniel Gerhartz - <i>Dawn from Within - 6</i>0"x 60" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Are your best ideas and work a result of being "zoned in" or does it make any difference?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Blackwood: </i>I am personally more fulfilled when I am "zoned in". It is invigorating, joyous and feels like a state of being more fully awake. Because the subconscious is flowing more freely, I think there is a deeper level revealed in the work for those able to read it, making it more successful for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brown: </i>All of my planned ideas and crucial decisions about a painting come prior to the "zone". Once the decisions are made, and I have a clear image of my painting, I am free to de-clutter my mind, and go into the "zone". The advantage of this process for me, is when I am in the "zone", my right brain is in control. This opens up the opportunity for some fantastic ideas to arise during the painting. I can realize them and take advantage of these opportunities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cook: </i>Can't answer that my best ideas come "in the zone", but my best canvases definitely do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dunphy: </i>Yes, by far my best work comes when I'm in the zone. It causes a conflict for me because I can only be in the zone when I don't have the distraction of other people around, even other artist friends. I enjoy the camaraderie of painting with others and need that human interaction, but I end up having to view those paintings days more as "mental health" days instead of times when I get serious work done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gerhartz: </i>I believe all artist work is best when focus is concentrated and precise. I believe my best works have almost painted themselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gurney: </i>The two modes switch back and forth for best results, like two different creative characters: The idea man and the refiner.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bMb6GvTY06vHPqhm3XSEkIDFTP8nhkLiaLKz70ZfUIgmtFnLYn_lNkHquXgTA12wp7Q3S2BIdD5sYsJac8IZ4Z2cJ2UwIgUrxKPEYImdEoyM5atWVcbUDsd5eVeA3ck0RLNDU30qafl2/s1600/Blog+-+JC+-+Out+to+Pasture+30x40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bMb6GvTY06vHPqhm3XSEkIDFTP8nhkLiaLKz70ZfUIgmtFnLYn_lNkHquXgTA12wp7Q3S2BIdD5sYsJac8IZ4Z2cJ2UwIgUrxKPEYImdEoyM5atWVcbUDsd5eVeA3ck0RLNDU30qafl2/s400/Blog+-+JC+-+Out+to+Pasture+30x40.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>John Cook - <i>Out to Pasture - </i>30"x 40" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Is it possible for a "zoned in" person to produce work beyond their normal ability or level of understanding?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Blackwood: </i>Being "in the zone" is an active, high state of functioning that can propel me to another level. Provided I have acquired the necessary skills, the excitement brought on by a challenge above my current level of understanding awakens my spirit and allows me to reach the higher state within that my conscious self sometimes blocks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brown: </i>For me, the only way this whole process works is to study and build my understanding of the fundamentals of painting, understanding what I see and my ability to see as an artist. I have to train myself to see the subtleties of a scene and to understand perspective, atmosphere, quality of light, shade, value and edge. You can't paint what you don't know. We are given talent, but passion is the driving force that will develop it. Without putting in the work the emotional part of art has nothing to draw from. Since being in the zone is being more visceral, I don't think I can paint beyond my ability, but it does make it easier to work from the knowledge that I have collected over the years and it makes me more intuitive with my decisions and not over think and second guess myself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cook: </i>Any piece that exceeds my normal ability is a gift from God. Should that happen, I believe I would continue doing even greater things, with a dedicated work ethic. Love this! There are some pieces in the past that stand out as hard to "match the magic". I wouldn't continue if I thought it might not happen again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dunphy: </i>Without a doubt. I call those works gifts that are given to me in order to let me know I'm on the right track and encourage me to keep going.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gerhartz: </i>Yes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gurney: </i>To me, intuition is conscious understanding made automatic. Rarely do I get major leaps of intuition that take me beyond my conscious awareness of solutions.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Roger Dale Brown - <i>Old Hickory - </i>22"x 28" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>When "in the zone", are you aware of it?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Blackwood: </i>I think on some level I am aware that I am "in the zone". Everything feels so right. When I'm out of it, I still have that lingering "high" that makes me look forward to painting again. It is an addiction, isn't it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Brown: </i>I am aware I can go to the "zone", but I don't always know that I am there, until someone or something interrupts me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cook: </i>Definitely aware when I'm "in it", however, being in it one day doesn't necessarily carry over to the next session. Hate this!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Dunphy: </i>Not right away. Usually some time will have passed where I realize I'm in a great rhythm and not struggling so much. Then I try not to think about it to much in order not to jinx myself out of it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gerhartz: </i>Not always, the more I think about being "in the zone" the more I can be assured I am not in it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gurney: </i>Yes, and I try to abet the mood by means of music or sound effects.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Special thanks to each of the distinguished artists participating in this enlightening discussion. Your comments have been greatly appreciated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those that have not read Part 1, I invite you to do so. It also features six elite artists: Kenn Backhaus, Joni Falk, David Gray, Marc Hanson, C.W. Mundy, and Romona Youngquist. It's also very good. Just scroll down and continue reading. Thanks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://karenblackwoodfineart.com/">Karen Blackwood</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.rogerdalebrown.com/">Roger Dale Brown</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.johncookart.com/paintings.html">John Cook</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://kathleendunphy.com/">Kathleen Dunphy</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.danielgerhartz.com/Artist.asp?ArtistID=36476&Akey=HTDFQTVK">Daniel Gerhartz</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://jamesgurney.com/site/">James Gurney</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, please click <a href="http://www.pototschnik.com/joinnewsletter.asp">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>To view bio and work, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-4307750477272077522013-02-10T18:00:00.000-06:002013-02-10T18:23:57.819-06:00Dancing with the angels - Part 1<br />
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<span style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Twelve professional artists talk about being "in the zone", what it's like and how to get there.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Facebook friend, John (Skeets) Richards, suggested I do a blog addressing the issue of whether or not artists are in a "zone" when they paint their best, I thought it was a good topic to pursue. I personally don't think in those terms, I'm just focused on doing the best painting I can. I will acknowledge that once in a great while some of my paintings have been created so effortlessly and quickly that they seem to have painted themselves...but most of the time it is just tough, down and dirty, hard work...with all the ensuing frustrations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess I never thought of those effortless paintings as having been done while "in the zone", but maybe that's a suitable explanation. After considering the opinions expressed below, it's very possible I'm "in the zone" more than I realize. Having professional artists address the issue will cast light on the subject. It's hard to deny that something really special can happen when we're in the creative mode...often unexpectantly. I call it "dancing with the angels".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm honored to have such an elite group of artists address this issue. Here are this weeks participants: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kenn Backhaus: </b>After an award winning career as a commercial designer and illustrator, Kenn decided in 1984 to devote more time to his passion for painting and his love of the outdoors. He found that capturing true color, value, atmosphere and the mood of a subject was best done on location or through direct observation. Winner of many awards and a featured artist in a 13-part PBS television program "Passport & Palette", Kenn is a Master Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Joni Falk:</b><i> </i>Joni has lived in Phoenix, AZ since 1960. She has been featured in several magazines and books, and is a popular instructor at the Scottsdale Artist School. Her work is included in the permanent collections of The Cheyenne Old West Museum, The Booth Museum, and The Desert Caballeros Museum. She's represented by Legacy Galleries, Settlers West...and has participated shows at The National Museum of Wildlife Art and the Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>David Gray: </b>An award winning artist, David has made a career of pursuing a pure and relevant art form which has its roots in the Classical Tradition. The resulting paintings reveal a personal and contemporary expression of beauty and order while giving a clear nod to the Old Masters. David's works have been collected throughout the United States and abroad since 1997.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Marc Hanson: </b>A Signature Member of OPA and winner of the OPA Bronze Medal for oil painting in the 2011 National Exhibition. He was awarded both Artist' Choice and Best of Show at the 2012 Door County Plein Air Festival. His work can be seen at Addison Art Gallery, R.S. Hanna Gallery, Gallery 1261, Elizabeth Pollie Fine Art, and the Mary Williams Gallery.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">C.W. Mundy: </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Worked as a sports illustrator for several years. In the early 1990's he took on the challenge of painting in a more impressionistic style, going out of doors and painting "en plein air" and "from life". Now a noted American Impressionist, he is a Master Signature Member of OPA. Most recently, 2007, he was awarded Master Status in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The American Impressionist Society. </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is also a Signature Member of </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The American Society of Marine Artists.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Romona Youngquist: </b>Self taught with nature as her classroom and the great masters her teachers, Romona knew at age four that painting would be her calling. Today you'll find her paintings as far away as Germany, London, and downtown Manhattan. Her works have been published in the premier art magazines including <i>Southwest Art, American Art Collector</i>, and <i>Art Talk</i>.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>C. W. Mundy - <i>Sunrise-My Backyard - </i>20"x 16" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We've all heard the phrase "in the zone", what does that mean to you?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Backhaus: </i>Being in the zone is like a well-oiled machine, you are performing without hesitation, no distractions, and can push yourself and you respond, The challenges that are present or come up during the painting process become solved. The traditional sound principal and foundations guide your skills that you have acquired over the years. Confidence directs the eye and the hand. Everything within you and around you is in harmony.<i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Falk:</i> "In the zone" for me, means my painting seems to almost paint itself...a sense of confidence and satisfaction as the painting progresses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gray: </i>To me it means that space in time when everything you do is "right". In these moments it seems like you can do just about anything. And if you do make a mistake it is corrected with ease and on the spot. It's a time when everything you've learned is working for you. Your background, natural skills, education, and years of hard work are all coming out on the canvas and it's glorious. You trust yourself implicity and all of your second guessing goes out the window. Ir's a great place to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hanson: </i>My earliest memories of being an 'artist', were while sitting at my parents kitchen table with a newsprint drawing tablet and some pencils and crayons, making action drawings of tanks, soldiers and airplanes at war. Man, was I "in the zone" then. In a place of total imaginative, creative thought, where the question from my mom..."Marc, are you listening to me???", didn't even make a sound wave in that zoned world that I was in while the airplanes and helicopters flew over head, while the tanks rumbled across the impossible terrain, and while so many army men became 'X's and tanks went up in clouds of red and yellow flames.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is what being in the zone means to me. Being totally absorbed in the act of creative activity, in a heightened state of awareness. Being so absorbed by the painting activity, that nothing else around me has meaning, and time evaporates. It's letting your conscious mind go to where it needs to go to achieve complete concentration on the task at hand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mundy: </i>"In the zone" is a term used by an artist to describe being subconsciously carried along in the painting, making one creative move after another. You may not be aware of being in the zone. The painting experience has mesmerized the artist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Youngquist: </i>Being "in the zone" is like having a wonderful massage in which you're conscious but asleep at the same time. It's the place I want to be. It's where I reach my optimal creativity and production and where I have the most fun.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Kenn Backhaus - <i>Cotton Wood Beach - </i>30"x 30" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>If you believe in such a phenomenon, what techniques do you use to get there?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Backhaus: </i>I don't think you can control when you get into the zone. I feel it happens on its own from one's focus and enthusiasm of the project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Falk: </i>Regarding the phenomenon of "in the zone", I think it is just that...if there were a technique to get there, I sure would like to know what it is...???</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gray: </i>I don't believe you can force it or make it occur. It just happens sometimes. It comes as a result of years of discipline. I consider that I am highly skilled and have worked very, very hard for many years to develop my craft. I can paint or draw something very well on demand. But that doesn't mean I'm in the zone. Usually I have to keep my wits about me the entire day of painting and the littlest thing can throw me off. Still I have learned how to fight through and create effectively. Only once in a blue moon do I ever feel like I'm truly in the zone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hanson: </i>It's easiest for me to find myself "in the zone" when outside on location, painting 'en plein air'. Almost every time that I paint outside, I'm there, in the zone. I think that's partly why I feel that is the most honest place for me to be painting. Having the time constraint of plein air painting, and the lack of any outside interference, except for the occasional passerby, makes it the ideal situation fo me to find myself in that zone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the studio, to help me move into that place of concentration, I choose music to listen to that will help me find that zone once I get a painting going. That changes from day to day, and according to where I am in the painting. At first I like music that is...loud and upbeat. Music that sort of shakes the rafters. Then as I am developing the painting, I turn to music that is softer and less intrusive, that allows me to concentrate. Sometimes I need to turn it off completely and have a silent work zone to zone out in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mundy: </i>Problem solving should be the process before ever beginning the painting. The left hemisphere of the brain, the analytical side, is the problem solver. Preparedness in getting everything ready is hugely important. It's like a surgeon who has everything on the table and ready to go. I also have found in the last six months, that I have more opportunity to get into the zone if I have no music, no distractions. Having the excitement to create, to take on the challenge of a new painting, is a key ingredient and a wonderful start!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Youngquist: </i>The best way for me to get there is to be constantly painting. It's like a snowball effect and the more I paint the more everything around me disappears (not good for housework). And the ideas just keep coming.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Joni Falk - <i>Taos Winter - </i>20"x 20" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>When in the "zone", are you more conscious and aware of what you're doing...or less so?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Backhaus: </i>I sense that there is a time period that elapses before one knows that you are in a zone. Once you feel that everything is in that harmonious mode, yes, then you realize that you are in the zone. I feel that you are more conscious and aware of what you are doing and you also note that you are doing it according to your truths and beliefs. There is a sense of honesty that abounds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Falk: </i>As far as being more conscious and aware what I'm doing or less so...I definitely think I am aware I'm in the zone in that the painting seems to be flowing and coming together more easily - and with more confidence..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gray: </i>I think I'm just as conscious. It's just that all my decisions seem to be "right". All my marks are spot on. I'm still very cognizant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hanson: </i>Yes, I'm totally conscious of what I'm doing when in the zone. I paint without thinking about what I'm doing, but on a conscious level. My experience, training, skills, and desires as an artist become one fluid movement when in this place. Like I mentioned above, it's a heightened state of awareness that I find myself in when there. Being in the zone is very similar to being in a meditative state. I tried meditation as part of a yoga class I was taking once. I realized that when I'm painting...and in the zone...I'm consistently in a meditative place, so the meditation class was kind of pointless for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mundy: </i>It's a combination of both being conscious of what you're doing, and less conscious. But if you really "let go", it can lean toward being unaware of what you're doing. There's a connective interplay between both knowing and not knowing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Youngquist: </i>I'm less conscious and intuition kicks in. And that's where the fun and passion happens.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>David Gray - <i>Arrangement with Selected Sketches - </i>18"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Are your best ideas and work a result of being "zoned in" or does it make any difference?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Backhaus: </i>Yes, definitely my better works come from being in the zone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Falk: </i>I think some of my best paintings were done while "in the zone", and I look back on them and wonder "how I did that".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gray: </i>I think for me there is a slight difference. In general I would say my best work has been done while "zoned in", but not always. I've done some paintings I'm very proud of that have been a fight every step of the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hanson: </i>This is a difficult place to be if you have interruptions by phones, other people, or errands to run for the day. My best work comes when I'm lucky enough to be able to find that level of concentration. Not because there's anything metaphysical about it, simply because I'm concentrating and keeping a clear path open as I paint along. With too much interruption, I loose the ability to go deeply within myself and my creative thoughts. It makes sense that a painting wouldn't get the full store of what I feel and have to offer it if I'm not there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mundy: </i>Based on my own results, the best paintings can be painted either in the zone or not in the zone. Nevertheless, for creative explorations, every endeavor and experience is different.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Youngquist: </i>Heck ya.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Marc Hanson - <i>October Flow - </i>10"x 8" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Is it possible for a "zoned in" person to produce work beyond their normal ability or level of understanding?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Backhaus: </i>Yes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Falk: </i>I do think it is possible to produce work beyond normal ability or understanding...it's as if that feeling of "self-doubt' disappears.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gray: </i>I think so. I'm not sure I've been there, but I believe it can happen. My process is so controlled that I am very rarely surprised by the result. "Happy accidents" just don't happen with me. Though highly skilled and a good teacher of my craft, I still don't consider myself a "Master". I'm not sure I've done a work that completely transcends my earthbound limitations. But I believe it can happen. I've heard of these kinds of experiences happening to people working in other art forms as well...musicians, or actors, for example.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hanson: </i>I'd prefer to say that it's 'more possible' to create the work that you're capable of making, if you are able to concentrate at the level that being in the zone brings to you and your painting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mundy: </i>It is absolutely possible for a "zoned in" person to produce work beyond their normal ability. Retrospective thinking will prove it out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Youngquist: </i>I think you still only paint to the level of your knowledge, but happy accidents happen. If only I can remember how I did it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeSTFz2aj4-B2JHWwM0-0CSpZcMmRvfMQX1pKmbAYUa2FoLveTr7vZwummUFkIcElIqhL0xm_6JieszfgXW2rPODKJ_NyuZHvD1PrQbe6SEd14VkeyHqfIywnKtebI2cgjvP85PRfsVsm/s1600/Blog+-+RY+-+October%2527s+End+-+24x30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeSTFz2aj4-B2JHWwM0-0CSpZcMmRvfMQX1pKmbAYUa2FoLveTr7vZwummUFkIcElIqhL0xm_6JieszfgXW2rPODKJ_NyuZHvD1PrQbe6SEd14VkeyHqfIywnKtebI2cgjvP85PRfsVsm/s400/Blog+-+RY+-+October%2527s+End+-+24x30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Romona Youngquist - <i>October's End - </i>24"x 30" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>When "in the zone", are you aware of it?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Backhaus: </i> As I mentioned earlier, for me I may be performing for a time period before I realize that I am in the zone. Believe me, you will know it when your're there. The results of your efforts should reveal it.<i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Falk: </i>When I am "in the zone" I am definitely aware of it - it's that special feeling I wish I could experience more often.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Gray: </i>Yes, I think I am.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hanson: </i>I think this one was pretty much answered in question #3.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Mundy: </i>In most cases, I am not conscious of being "in the zone" although on the other hand, several times, I think that I have made the realization that I'm in the zone while "in the zone".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Youngquist:</i> It's the same thing that happens when getting a massage. Your aware but at the same time not....(using linseed oil instead of lavender).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Artist's Websites:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://kennbackhaus.com/">Kenn Backhaus</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.jonifalk.com/">Joni Falk</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.davidgrayart.com/#home">David Gray</a></div>
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<a href="http://marchansonart.com/"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Marc Hanson</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.cwmundy.com/">Charles Warren Mundy</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://romonayoungquist.com/"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Romona Youngquist</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Next week Part 2 featuring: Karen Blackwood, Roger Dale Brown, John Cook, Kathleen Dunphy, Daniel Gerhartz, and James Gurney. Don't miss it.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>To view bio and work, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></i></span></div>
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338566507821664895.post-79058581189374484252013-02-03T17:00:00.000-06:002013-02-03T17:12:44.987-06:00Greenhouse Gallery Anniversary Show<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>8 February - 1 March 2013</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"31st Anniversary Celebration"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6496 N. New Braunfels Avenue</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">San Antonio, TX 78209</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mark Smith: mark@greenhousegallery.com</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.greenhousegallery.com/">www.greenhousegallery.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm pleased to announce my participation in the 31st Anniversary Celebration of the Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art. I've submitted four paintings for this year's show.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When it comes to listing favorite places to paint, two that would be right up there near the top are the country of Italy and the state of Vermont. Both locations are featured in my display. I invite you take a serious look at these and consider how beautiful they'd look if purchased for that special spot in your home.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYesLJuiBBzTfrcxABvss0dfC2oV7_nUnaLiFxQ5S7VaK6piPlfw4LQ2GRVsIqh6b8eNHtBmIZgGTcIGNhcaS_0niTXRXakU02pYtiZpAbHWS6SGjt-9K6FZ2fCcmxybgTNNORMFxUGZr/s1600/Italian+Coast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYesLJuiBBzTfrcxABvss0dfC2oV7_nUnaLiFxQ5S7VaK6piPlfw4LQ2GRVsIqh6b8eNHtBmIZgGTcIGNhcaS_0niTXRXakU02pYtiZpAbHWS6SGjt-9K6FZ2fCcmxybgTNNORMFxUGZr/s400/Italian+Coast.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Italian Coast - </i>24"x 48" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cruising Lake Como aboard a ferry, the sun shining, the temperature perfect...well, it was pretty difficult to stop taking pictures long enough in order to eat lunch. So, after gobbling down some trout, potatoes, pasta, carrots, bread and water, I was back on deck capturing as much of this incredible coastline as possible. Of all the European countries I've visited, Italy is my favorite (haven't been to France). What an amazingly beautiful place. The architecture, stonework and sculpture...well, it's just perfect. They are designers and craftsmen extraordinaire. Cruising along the coast of Lake Como, with its spectacular backdrop, has presented me with subject matter for many years to come. <i>Italian Coast</i> is just the beginning.. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6m7DIjK2TAzyrkiPj3-7QfxxeJU_oamlQ5XCx2QBeiZuZjPf2-z2P0VUv34mQv0cMnS-46mLtKbhkdbbM4VedbQi5W_YygFZbTZWV9pegWJnDP-y7zZVM-UqcWMDe31KVEAnVT5epzkxu/s1600/House+in+the+Woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6m7DIjK2TAzyrkiPj3-7QfxxeJU_oamlQ5XCx2QBeiZuZjPf2-z2P0VUv34mQv0cMnS-46mLtKbhkdbbM4VedbQi5W_YygFZbTZWV9pegWJnDP-y7zZVM-UqcWMDe31KVEAnVT5epzkxu/s400/House+in+the+Woods.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>House in the Woods - </i>18"x 18" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you want a great place to stay, I strongly recommend "Inn Victoria" in Chester, VT. Located right on Main Street, this little Inn is surrounded by magnificent old churches and houses. After a hearty breakfast of raspberries with whipped cream, waffles, bacon, apples with Vermont Maple Syrup, orange juice and Yorkshire Black Tea, I was wired for a day of painting. Traveling the back roads, I found this very interesting <i>House in the Woods, a </i>structure nestled deep among trees. In need of significant repairs, I took the liberty to spruce it up a bit while still retaining its unique character.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LJEVu2kRd9RBWw97S2swGBSqnx8HUvfbts58Wxl7c98UgRj-moy_hf-moIxI1mqAT0lhNv3TF0did2AqS2prO0D4SPllz47kE8CuqPgMsEavGVCzNN6gOvozQRlxH-xUFNerA_vICh9n/s1600/Img3640.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LJEVu2kRd9RBWw97S2swGBSqnx8HUvfbts58Wxl7c98UgRj-moy_hf-moIxI1mqAT0lhNv3TF0did2AqS2prO0D4SPllz47kE8CuqPgMsEavGVCzNN6gOvozQRlxH-xUFNerA_vICh9n/s400/Img3640.tif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>On the Way to Rome - 12"x 20" - Oil</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My wife and I have visited Italy twice. On our first trip to Southern Italy, and after two weeks of intense sightseeing...many hours on a tour bus... we were ready to get home. The day before leaving was </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spent in Montecatini. I walked at least seven miles, up and down Montecatini Alto and a good bit in Montecatini Terma. I thought the five hour bus trip to Rome to catch our flight would probably be a great time to just sleep...not so. The inspiration for <i>On the Way to Rome </i>was found on that drive. Cloud formations that day were spectacular and in constant flux over the mountains. The picture of them remains with me to this day.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bXVVynRslpvFVkMBmxR0UnTBw1kAvrW_jPxACDwyP6zrWHEIXOMFmKvmaP8LM3RfOJmZ5sUBwwiF6EBYSzJKLMko4SbKAPYJS3Fu5SD46462yANcKlUd7E6uj2u5t6dK6Z973zEs1tut/s1600/New+England+Morning+-+el.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bXVVynRslpvFVkMBmxR0UnTBw1kAvrW_jPxACDwyP6zrWHEIXOMFmKvmaP8LM3RfOJmZ5sUBwwiF6EBYSzJKLMko4SbKAPYJS3Fu5SD46462yANcKlUd7E6uj2u5t6dK6Z973zEs1tut/s400/New+England+Morning+-+el.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>New England Morning </i>- 16"x 24" - Oil</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fog and light rain were the order of the day for West Dover, VT. Located just north of Wilmington, West Dover is a beautiful little spot nestled at the base of the Green Mountain National Forest. You wouldn't know it on this particular day, but the beautiful Green Mountains are right there. Do you see them? They're right there, just through the fog. It did not make much sense to do a lot of sightseeing in this kind of weather, but it was a perfect day to paint as the light remained pretty constant. While standing in front of the Deerhill Inn, a light drizzle complicating things, I completed two small color studies. These were the impetus for <i>New England Morning.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>An Art Renewal Center Associate Living Master</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>To view work and bio, please click <a href="http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=7458">HERE</a></b></span></div>
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john pototschnikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00728524231280036261noreply@blogger.com0