I wish I was born in the nineteenth century. Maybe I'd have taken a long Tahitian retreat, like Gauguin, or Matisse. Actor Marlon Brando figured the same.
Just kidding. I'm tentatively happy with my first oil start. More tubes are on order from Seattle, so I can actually color this baby in.
So many questions I have. Will I leave the impasto textures, or will they just get in the way of the varnish? Will I trench-in a new power line, or fish around for the old one?
Drywall plans are on the drawing board. One step at a time.
The idea to use the barn for a studio has been going around in my head for some time. I was warned about the downsides, and there are many. But, the space is big, and well ventilated for when I want to try my hand at large oils. We'll see how things turn out as I use this for a temporary oil painting studio, at least while the weather is good!
Amedeo Modigliani (July 12, 1884 – January 24, 1920) has been the subject of a couple of feature movies. Mostly, they cover his love life, which lacked no drama. I take that back - the more recent flick is also very much about the artistic process. Critics and the public hate it, but I loved it. The metaphor of his grand premier compared to a bloody mugging in the snow is rich, and I liked the way he consulted his boyhood self from time to time.
Watching the 1958 film, Les Amants de Montparnasse, in French, is a nonsensical treat for me, since I don't understand the language.
Happy Birthday, Modi.
Here is a You Tube of his paintings streamed to some music with an Italian title about love's consequences. I like to watch these with the digital projector on the big screen. Maybe some of his great style and visual grace will rub off on me.
My friend, oil painter and pastelist Ken Elliott, is not shy about putting down color. Watch this fine artist create a colorist landscape, in its entirety, on video.
The work of the American artist Edward Hopper is so moody and evocative, that more than a few amateur videographers have tried to distill his images with a track. Which one of the following works best for you?
Yes, a sublime waste of time. But, you get to soak up some great Hopper while doing it.
Hopper was so tied into his subjects that when he outlived them, his output died, too. Don't be sad about that - stand up and cheer for what he gave us when he did.
I added that edge in Photoshop. Is that fair? I feel that presentation is a good thing, especially with works on paper. In real life, though, this work would be framed with a mat.
Sometimes you have to push yourself to market in a cart, so strong is the inertia defending the marketplace from you. I find this especially true in the summer, when family, chores, and focus on art-making occupy my time.
Here are some great links for art marketing to get you revved-up.