Dear Artist, “What are you doing?” a voice asks from behind me in clear, almost musical English. Turning around I find a saffron-robed monk. He is a round little man with a round, shaven head, flatter than it is deep…
Dear Artist, On the giant coffee table in the hotel room there’s a bowl containing fruits that might not be familiar: Rambutan, Mangosteen, Durian, Custard-apple, Pomelo, Lichee. From my window on the 37th floor Bangkok is all atmosphere. In the…
Dear Artist, A few months ago a director of the Calgary Symphony Orchestra phoned and asked if I would contribute a painting as the “central piece” in a fundraiser. I don’t live anywhere near the city of Calgary. Even though…
Dear Artist, Joris Dik of the University of Amsterdam has trained some sophisticated instruments on Naples Yellow. From the 16th to the 20th century the chemical makeup of this lead/antimony pigment has been changed and refined dozens of times –…
Dear Artist, There are all kinds of envy — including the kind that Freud thought he detected. The kind I’m talking about is called professional jealousy. Some artists have it bad. Salieri had it for Mozart. Who wouldn’t? It’s supposed…
Dear Artist, I always knew I had a screw loose. Since I was a kid I often didn’t stick to some of the jobs I was given. Even then I was disorganized, forgetful, suspicious of authority, easily bored. I often…
Dear Artist, At April Point on Quadra Island I meet up with Mineo Yamamoto. He’s a master Gyotaku printer who has come here to give an international workshop in fish printing. Lots of fish around here: cod, flounder, haddock, salmon.…