Browsing: Letters
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Reality Check
Dear Artist, It was evident from the response to my last letter — “The Golden Stations” — that many creative people do not have the freedom to follow their nose on an hourly basis — let alone monitor it. What’s…
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The Golden Stations
Dear Artist, My friend and fellow artist Joe Blodgett devised a system he calls “The 14 Golden Stations.” At the time he was concerned with procrastination and time wasting — conditions that attack some artists. It works this way: You…
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The competition
Dear Artist, In a room full of artists the name of Sorolla came into the conversation. The place brightened up and a knowing “yes” was passed around. You might say Joaquin Sorolla (1863-1923) is an artist’s artist. A Spaniard of…
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Love Affair
Dear Artist, When I was a kid I thought learning to paint would be a piece of cake. Now that I’m getting better at it I find the job to be more complex than I originally thought. What happened in…
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Spirit of the Heart
Dear Artist, I’m floating over southern Alberta in a hot air balloon. It’s autumn; the stubble fields are a random quilt leaning away in all directions. Hedges and tree-rows measure the edges; slips of water and oxbow bends catch for…
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Efficiency
Dear Artist, A respected fellow artist once said to me, “What you’re doing is okay — just do it more efficiently.” It took me a while to rationalize his advice and figure out how to be more efficient. Now I…
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Where to start
Dear Artist, Michelangelo started his Last Judgement in the upper left hand corner and, over a period of four years, worked his way down through about 250 nudes. Every figure was started with a “comp” — a paper drawing pounced…
