Browsing: Letters
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Johanna van Gogh
Dear Artist, Vincent van Gogh died in 1890. Theo van Gogh, art dealer and brother of Vincent, died six months later, in 1891. Johanna, Theo’s wife, inherited all the shop remainders including virtually all of Vincent’s work. She soon moved…
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Overworked
Dear Artist, Yesterday, Rich Woy of Ocala, Florida asked, “How do you know when a painting is overworked? Are there boundaries or clues? Is this judgment left to the artist or the critic?” Thanks, Rich. Good question. Funnily, at dinner last…
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Heuristic painting
Dear Artist, Heuristic (pronounced hyu-RIS-tik) comes from the Greek heuriskein meaning “to discover.” The heuristic process means achieving some desired result by intelligent guesswork rather than by systematic formula. Generally used in the fields of invention, computer science, psychology and…
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Mickey Mouse Bill
Dear Artist, The principle of post-monetization says that nothing is worth anything until somebody wants it. Those of us who make art for a living essentially operate — outside of commissioned work — on this principle. We make the stuff…
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Fun with kids
Dear Artist, Yesterday I went to a local elementary school — grades one to seven. I set up in the library, and two classes at a time came in to watch me paint and hear what I had to say.…
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Voluntary graduation
Dear Artist, Yesterday Leslie Kimball of Tehachapi, CA wrote, “I paint with a bunch of wonderful women. We are a tight group, no envy, etc., but I have begun to understand my needs better. I need more but I’m afraid to…
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Design and character
Dear Artist, Yesterday Kerry Waghorn dropped by for lunch and a visit. Kerry is one of the world’s top caricaturists — his work syndicated in more than 400 newspapers, books and other publications. You’re probably familiar with his remarkable drawings…