Monthly Archives: September 2015
Pearls from artists* # 163
* an ongoing series of quotations – mostly from artists, to artists – that offers wisdom, inspiration, and advice for the sometimes lonely road we are on.
The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it. Since none of my work has met my own standards, I must judge it on the basis of that one which caused me the most grief and anguish, as the mother loves the child who became the thief or murderer more than the one who became the priest.
William Faulkner in Writers at Work: The Paris Review Interviews, First Series
Comments are welcome!
Q: What one piece of artistic “equipment” could you not live without?
A: Undoubtedly, I could not make my work without UART sandpaper. Over the many months I spend creating a painting, I build layer upon layer of soft pastel. Because this paper is so “toothy,” it accepts all of the pastel the painting needs.
As many people know, I own and use a lot of soft pastel! My entire technique evolved around this sandpaper, which allows me to add and blend as many as thirty layers.
Comments are welcome!
Q: How do you store your pastel paintings?
A: Well, I wish I could say that every pastel painting has sold as soon as it was completed, but that is a rarity that has only happened twice. As soon as possible after I finish a painting, I bring it to the framer. Pastel paintings are susceptible to smudging and other odd dangers (even a sneeze!) until they are under Plexiglas.
Framed work can easily and safely be stored by hanging it on a wall in my studio or standing it upright and face up, and leaning against a wall. When I put paintings in my storage closet for the longer term, I wrap them in bubble wrap.
The downside of having to frame everything is that it is a considerable expense. However, the upside is that I am always ready for a solo exhibition. Gallerists have called at the last minute when one of their exhibitions ran into unexpected problems. Usually, I am able to step right in.
Comments are welcome!
Pearls from artists* # 160
* an ongoing series of quotations – mostly from artists, to artists – that offers wisdom, inspiration, and advice for the sometimes lonely road we are on.
When I get asked what one piece of advice I have for young photographers, this is what I tell them: if you are working on a project, and you’re thinking maybe it’s time to put it out into the world, make sure you have already started your next body of work. Not just started, either; you should be well along on it. You will know that the first project is finished when you find yourself joylessly going through the motions to eke out a few more pictures while, like a forbidden lover, the new ones call seductively to you. This new lover should be irresistible, and when it calls, you will be in its urgent thrall, making the work of your heart.
Sally Mann in Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs
Comments are welcome!
Q: How do you decide how much realism and how much imagination to put into a pastel painting?
A: I wouldn’t say “decide” is the right word because creating a painting is not strictly the result of conscious decisions. I think of my reference photograph, my preliminary sketch, and the actual folk art objects I depict as starting points. Over the months that it takes to make a pastel painting, the resulting interpretive development pushes the painting far beyond this source material. When all goes well, the original material disappears and characters that belong to the painting and nowhere else emerge.
It is a mysterious process that I am still struggling to understand. This is the best way I can describe what it feels like from the inside, as the maker.
Comments are welcome!
Pearls from artists* # 159
* an ongoing series of quotations – mostly from artists, to artists – that offers wisdom, inspiration, and advice for the sometimes lonely road we are on.
We, the artists who are meant to provide art and teach the importance of beauty, have not yet been able to educate the public to know the difference between beauty and ugliness. .. It’s time to make sure artists with good intentions are ready to be taken seriously and to gain back their noble respectful place in culture. We should be ready with our own high standard of art for the new era, in which art patrons and a society that are more informed than ever will be thoughtfully critical and will expect everything from artists they support – talent, knowledge, skill and experience.
Samuel Adoquei in Origin of Inspiration: Seven Short Essays for Creative People
Comments are welcome!