Archives for June 2017

Becoming more self-aware (a requirement for clarifying our artistic vision) often results in a curious irony. Going inward to find enchantment and beauty in our everyday lives invariably leads us to an acknowledgement of the tremendous gratitude we hold for others. We are each connected to those who have come before us!
One of the great lessons in art and in fact, life, is that there is no such thing as a self-made woman or man. We, as individuals, are each products of the creativity of the parents, teachers, mentors and friends who have nurtured us, taught us, shaped us, inspired us and showed us the way.
Also consider the many people we have never met from whom we have benefited because of their paintings, their poetry, their music, screenplays & books. We walk around with their melodies stuck in our heads, their ideas in our hearts and their words on our lips: For example, did you know that every time you state that “Time is Money” or you are “snug as a bug in a rug” you are quoting Ben Franklin?
Or when you vow to “turn over a new leaf” or declare “Honesty is the best policy” that Cervantes said that?
Or when we are “off on a wild goose chase” or “split our sides with laughter” or say “Mum’s the word”, we are quoting the Man of La Manchia?
In the business of making paintings, I know that I can hardly find an art magazine or periodical that does not contain this sentence: “My goal as an artist is to capture the fleeting effects of light!” Some creative soul decades ago came up with that lovely and appropriate phrase, and, it stuck. It is woven into the fabric of our artistic discourse and now, (sigh), there is no escaping it!
The point, though, is how often wise and learned observations become a part of us, even though we have no idea where they came from! We are connected.
I think of those who have influenced me and I pause at the responsibility behind the question, “Will any be influenced by me?” Artists know that art endures.
I remember, as a young child, sitting on the floor looking above the couch at a landscape painting and getting totally lost in this majestic place that had a lake, mountains and a huge cottonwood tree. I wondered what it would be like to look out my window and to see mountains instead of cornfields. I imagined myself sitting on the elephant trunk roots and smelling the moist morning air. Well, a few decades later I found that forgotten picture in the basement of my mother’s home. By now I recognized my childhood escape as a copy of a famous Bierstadt painting. My Mom had displayed that first Christmas gift from my dad in a place of prominence for all those years, and once shared with me: “You know, I never did like that picture!” But it hung there when I was young, and I believe that the creativity and insight of a man born in 1830 had an influence on my life.
We are called to embrace the melting pot of influences that have helped make us who we are, and, with gratitude and humility, re-examine and rediscover who we can be. Sometimes in the frenzy and fear we lose our perspective.
Artist and author M. C. Richards said, “All the arts we practice are apprenticeship. The big art is our life.” This thought comforts me when the demands of real life interrupt my painting time.
I have read that as a culture, we tend to define creativity too narrowly. I wholeheartedly agree. Nearly everything we do requires making creative choices, although that fact is seldom recognized. Everyday life is raw material. Through mindfulness, we can sculpt each day as we wish. How we respond to others, the way in which we dress, set up our homes or studios, the music we listen to, the books we read, how we spend our time…how we problem solve or overcome obstacles; these are all expressions of our individual creativity. This may be who we really are, and who will seep into our work. These are the qualities that we bring to the easel.
Finally, in a state of gratitude and with a sense of connectedness, we can find enchantment and beauty in the simplest things. Be joyful. Let’s slow down and listen to a cardinal or the children’s voices. Experience the sensuality of existence! Look more deeply at the vibration of the yellow and lavender in the wild prairie plants. In the grand scheme of things, we are so very fortunate! Let’s stop a moment and be grateful that we can look at the world through an artist’s perspective!

OR Three Ways to Reverse Engineer Art You Love

Pablo Picasso is famous for saying, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” In my opinion, creating art work that is honest is one of the most important commitments that an artist should make. So I have no interest in stealing anyone’s artistic ideas nor style. However, there is an abundance of incredible art available to view and so many lessons to learn from each painting. As artists, it is our duty to constantly push ourselves and continue to learn. In a way, pursuing art is like committing to an unending personal journey of discovery; constantly interpreting the visual world and distilling it onto canvas. One way to learn from the artists who you admire is to systematically deconstruct their paintings. Apply some reverse engineering principles to your favorite paintings and prepare to learn.
It is not uncommon to break down complex systems into smaller more manageable parts in order to understand and master. In studying science, this practice is common protocol-modus operandi. When I was in medical school, we learned anatomy by systematically breaking each body system into smaller more comprehendible units. This allowed for understanding the underlying structure in greater detail. Artists have also been known to do this. Leonardo Da Vinci dissected cadavers to learn human anatomy. He also created incredible drawings of his studies. In fact, Alastair Sooke has said, “If Leonardo da Vinci’s uncannily accurate studies of the human body had been published in his lifetime, they would have changed the course of science.” So the art of deconstruction is nothing new.
How can we efficiently break down paintings? Well first, I would suggest evaluating the composition. You may ask yourself the following questions.

• What makes the composition unique in any way? For instance, what is the perspective
  of the subject?
• What is the compositional stem of the painting (See Edgar Payne’s book on
  composition for clarification).
• Is there a focal point and if so where is it located?
• What artistic devices does the artist use to highlight the focal point?
• How does the artist lead the viewer’s eye through the painting and by
  what artistic devices?

Look at the Value Structure
I think the best way to understand the underlying structure of the painting is to understand the value structure. For example, how does the artist group the values into a cohesive design? I would recommend actually drawing out a 2-value thumbnail sketch of the painting (just like what many artists do prior to beginning their own painting). Analyzing this 2-value sketch should really help understand the large design of the painting. I have done this exercise many times myself. I have found that the strongest compositions tend to have dynamic, integrated value shapes that create an interesting pattern within the painting. This is very intentional by the artist. Below is one of my paintings and next to it a quick two value sketch of the painting.

Identify the Color Scheme
You may also want to evaluate the color scheme and ask yourself these questions.

• Is there evidence of color theory? Is the artist using a common scheme such as
  complementary colors or a triad?
• Are the colors bold and intense like a Walt Gonske painting or subdued and greyed
  typical of many of Andrew Wyeth’s paintings?
• What is the most common color in the painting? Which color is the most intense?
• And probably most importantly, do the colors describe well the intensity and quality
  of the light source?

For example, Joaquin Sorolla painted in the intense sunlight of Spain. His paintings tend to superbly convey light and shadow with intense warm colors in the sunlit areas. One way to analyze the colors: use the painting as a reference and do a small sketch. When doing this, create separate color notes. Below is one of my paintings and next to it color notes taken from the same painting.

Evaluate Transitions
Lastly, I would evaluate the transitions or edges.

• Where are the edges hard and crisp?
• Where have the edges been lost by juxtaposing two equal values?
• Is there a rhythm or gradation of the edges throughout the painting?
• Does the artist blend edges mechanically with a tool like a scraper or are the
  transitions created by a series of discrete shapes in order to create a
  ‘softer’ edge?

I hope this inspires some who have not systematically evaluated paintings in the past to begin this process. As an artist, you may have very particular interests and thus the evaluation would include some of your own specific objectives. The number of questions you may ask yourself to evaluate paintings is almost limitless. It’s just important to keep asking the questions.
Good luck!