Dear Artist, Exiting from the films at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, we hand in our ballots. Each attendee is asked to rate each movie between one and five — five being excellent and one being poor. I couldn’t help…
Dear Artist, Recently, Jane Murdoch Adams of Toronto, Ontario, Canada wrote, “I’m part of a 55-member artist-collective gallery. New members have suggested that we create a process to critique and give feedback to those who want it. I’m trying to…
Dear Artist, Recently, a fellow painter phoned to tell me that one of his galleries had asked him to sign a “Motion Picture Exposure Agreement.” From time to time the dealer might rent his work to motion picture productions, take…
Dear Artist, “The Matthew Effect” in economics was named after the verse in Matthew in the New Testament of the Christian bible: “For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that…
Dear Artist, “Virtuous circle” is a term used mainly in economics. It refers to a chain of events that reinforces itself through a feedback loop with positive results. When results are negative it’s called a “vicious circle.” In both systems…
Dear Artist, Recently, Herb Parsons of North Haven, Maine, USA wrote, “It has come to my attention that, at 75, I may not live forever. I recently sold my gallery/gift shop/studio of 28 years and, though my work has enjoyed…
Dear Artist, Last night, Aili Kurtis of Perth, Ontario, wrote, “I want to draw your attention to ‘The Stendhal Syndrome’ — the condition of being dangerously overwhelmed by beauty in either art or nature. Have you or any of our…
Dear Artist, In magic tricks, the curve has its beguiling ways. If a magician needs to distract someone’s eyes for a second or two, say with a coin, he need only move the coin in an arc. For some reason…
Dear Artist, English is lacking when it comes to expressions of specific situations. In the particularly rich language of Japan, for example, “tatemae” means what you pretend to believe, and “honne” means what you actually believe. Another Japanese expression, “arigata-meiwaku”…
