I have been hesitant to write in light of all that is going on in the world. Since the beginning of 2020 we have seen fires ravage a continent, extinction of species, a pandemic and now, racial injustice. How can writing about art be relevant? Then it hit me that without the works of creative people this life would be unbearable. So I would like to thank all the poets, musicians, composers, film makers, artists, writers and so many more who have touched my life with beauty and made these days a little easier to trudge through.
Pure Color
I have been reading “Chatting With Henri Matisse: The Lost 1941 Interview” - Henri Matisse with Pierre Courthion (edited by Serge Guilbaut, translated by Chris Miller); Getty Research Institute, LA, 2013. It was originally intended to be published while Matisse was alive, but difficulties arose and Matisse blocked the book. It is wonderful to look at his art and read his words. This quote by Matisse on page 38 particularly stood out in response to if it was easy to reproduce his colors: “Yes, because I only use pure colors. My blue comes out of a tube.”
Now why did this stand out for me? Well, I once had my paintings rejected by a gallery owner because he said “Your colors look like they came right out of the tube.” SERIOUSLY????? Ok, some of my colors I mix, but some are definitely right out of the tube. And I say, what was good enough for Matisse is good enough for me!
(Just in case it took you forever to wade through all the bibliographic information at the beginning of this post, well, I am a retired librarian and I wanted to protect myself against copyright infringement).
Art in the time of quarantine
Ok, so I have been following Hawaii’s “stay at home” orders for 8 weeks now. You would think I would have a lot of art to show for all that time. Nope. . . . .it took me at least 4 weeks to get my depression, fear and doomsday attitude under control (sort of). It took a lot of phone visits with my therapist, prayer, meditation and sleep for me to finally realize that the whole world just might not become extinct due to COVID-19. And then I started to create a little again. But it has been hard, the news of new cases and deaths has been heartbreaking. I honestly don’t know what the new normal will look like. In the meantime, I will continue to don my mask, only go out when necessary and stay 6 feet apart from everyone.
Taking a Break
I have decided to take a break from juried art competitions for a while. The main reason is that I've maxed out my budget for that particular activity. But there are other reasons:
1. My fragile artist ego has experienced enough rejection for the time being.
2. Fees for juried shows can be expensive and don't guarantee a spot in an exhibit.
3. I have never sold a piece of art in a juried show. All my sales have been through the galleries that represent me.
4. Unsold or rejected art from juried shows takes up too much room in my studio.
There are other reasons, but the most important one is that I don't need the stress of waiting for someone to pass judgement on my art. I have had enough sales to know that people like what I do. Juried shows are often about the juror and may have nothing to do with my ability as an artist. So, I'm going to concentrate on painting the way I love to paint and focus on making things for the galleries that represent me.
However, not all has been bleak. I was honored to make it into the 2016 "Healing Power of Art" exhibition at Manhattan Arts International, curated by Renee Phillips. Please visit Manhattan Arts International's website to view this amazing exhibit before it closes on September 20.
Jumpstart your creativity!
We've all been there as artists, right? All of a sudden, the well runs dry and our creativity hits a wall. In the literary world, it is known as writer's block. But we get it too. . . I know I have. Fortunately, I have discovered some tricks that help me to get out of a slump and maybe they will work for you:
1. Take an art class in something outside of your normal way of creating. Seven years ago I found myself unable to paint at all. Nothing. . . nada . . .a great big ZERO. Then I looked at a community art program brochure and found a beginning ceramics class. I found I loved it and spent a full year at it - 2 classes a week plus 4 days a week in the community studio. Working with glazes brought back my love of color and abstract forms and eventually I found myself painting again with renewed energy.
Next time I will share another medium that has totally made the creative juices flow freely again!
