Dear Artist, In the process of making art you need to ask the quality questions. Every stroke, every minute, like bits on a digital disk, are made of tiny but important decisions. Every piece of evolving art is a march…
Dear Artist, James Allen (1864-1912) of Ilfracombe, England was the granddaddy of the self-improvement industry. His little book, As A Man Thinketh, has gone through multiple printings and translations and has influenced millions, including Norman Vincent Peale, Earl Nightingale, Tony…
Dear Artist, From the cosmic consciousness of our artist-subscribers came three letters in the same day all asking about style. How important is style? How do I find my style? How do I avoid getting locked into a style? This…
Dear Artist, Back in the home studio with my faster computer I’m doing some of those personality inventory tests on line. According to the “Keirsey Temperament Sorter,” for example, I’m what they call an “Idealist Champion.” This gives me an…
Dear Artist, In the early morning, while it’s still dark, they gather on the Muhalapu bluffs. It’s a tradition on Kauai. They’re here to receive the sun. Together they wait. Lovers. Loners. A cameraman with a professional tripod. A meditator…
Dear Artist, From the place where you leave your kayak to the foot of Opaekaa Falls there’s a forested walk of about half an hour. The trail winds between the medieval roots of giant koa and baobob. Black boulders have…
Dear Artist, I like Gandalf. He’s a regular wizard. I identify with the guy. As we speak I’ve got some hobbits making my costume — the pointy hat, the heels to make me taller, the long gray hair extensions. After…
Dear Artist, Here on Kauai there are a lot of people with “Tommy” written on their clothing. When you think of “branding,” names like Coke, Nike and Marlborough also come to mind. A long way from the world of art.…
Dear Artist, Alfred Stieglitz said to Georgia O’Keeffe, “A woman can’t have kids and also be an artist. I don’t want you to have kids.” She didn’t. After the recent Stephen King letter (he claims he only works four hours…
Dear Artist, Bit of rain and rainbows here on Kauai. I’ve been reading Stephen King’s On Writing. Specific, clear, candid, no baloney. (He would use another word.) This is simple but beautiful advice for writers — hard-won ideas, attitudes and…