Marvelous confabulation

Dear Artist,

Just as the Santa business is a marvelous confabulation, so too is art. Perhaps it’s only with the addition of confabulation that art delivers its wizardry and magic. Scientifically defined, confabulation is the confusion of imagination with memory, and/or the confusion of true memories with false memories. In both the art of art and the art of Santa, falsehood gets to a deeper truth.

Early researchers, such as psychologist Daniel Berlyne (1972), linked confabulation with amnesia and abnormal brain chemistry. Nowadays, it’s more pleasantly harnessed to the marvelous potential of the human imagination. Fantastic and spontaneous outpourings of irrelevant associations and bizarre ideas come quite naturally to ordinary creative folks.

There’s a sack full of it in the world of art. One need only look at pictures. Take Paul Klee’s “A Young Lady’s Adventure” (1922), where convoluted lines, intertwining design and off-beat symbolism weave a sensual spell. Or Gustav Klimt’s “Mme Fritsa Riedler” (1906), where decorative elegance and over-the-top opulence, combined with a stunningly realistic face, spin the mind to suspend belief in the normal. Just look at the cascading negative-positive dress line that diagonals the painting. Is this not magic?

Art without confabulation is the plain goods. Confabulatory enhancement can come from an idiosyncratic style or stroke, or from some happenstance slice from an individualist’s hand. It can also come from the brain. Ancillary ideas, metaphors and the embellishments of truth add interest and depth to otherwise standard work. Consciously or unconsciously, we ask the viewer to avoid saying, “So what.” In a world where it’s easy to be complacent or uncaring, confabulation raises curiosity and is a key to a broader, more enriched view. It’s what we do with what we have that makes art. Confabulation adds energy, joy, fantasy and mystique to the human experience. Always, always, the hooves are prancing on the roofs of our minds. We need to listen. We are all delivered with a gift of canvas that we may fill any way we wish. “The world,” said Henry David Thoreau, “is but a canvas to the imagination.”

Best regards,

Robert

PS: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” (Albert Einstein)

Esoterica: It’s not confabulation that I’ve been signing and dedicating copies of “Love Letters to Art” all last week. Thank you so much for your encouragement in this venture. Extra elves were brought in to help with the wrapping, shipping and the filling out of customs forms. Every few hours a special sled went up to our local post office. Sometimes we were confused and in a dither. While we feel we have most of the books out for Christmas delivery, there will be some that will come down chimneys after the New Year. To those few who will be late in receiving, I apologize. Mrs. Claus and I sincerely hope that our personal shortcomings will not interfere with your belief.

 

Resolutions
 

(RG note) More than two thousand artists left their New Year’s resolutions in our safekeeping for the year 2007. The majority wrote one- and two-line zingers. A few resolutions were amazingly lengthy and loaded with specific personal details including the interaction of others. The writers also ranged from the dreamily spiritual to the fiercely practical. Some were vaguely optimistic and others were boldly monetary. Many artists mentioned health and, particularly, weight concerns. Others mentioned specific numbers of creative acts they were intending to perform. The highest was “500 paintings in 356 days.” The lowest was “I resolve to paint one good painting in 2007.” These included here are all anonymous, but the resolutions are real and will be returned to their rightful owners about midnight on the last day of the year. If you wish to leave resolutions for 2008 to our safekeeping, please send it to rgenn@saraphina.com All the best in 2008! It’s going to be a great year.

 

Resolutions
 

Persistence and determination in daily work is paying off. Still, as I said last year, some of the most important still eludes me.
Health and wealth — I have to get to at least 140 lbs to have the necessary energy to do all of this. This means
1) Daily exercise and a PLAN for exercise every week.
2) Control of binge eating and excessive drinking. Starting Jan 7 promise to self 145 by May 1.
3) Control spending… buy no new clothes until May 1. EVERY DAY try to wear something unusual from what I have. Watch ‘little stuff’… pack a lunch always. Make sure to have $5000 to go to Italy!

 

Resolutions
 

1. Smile more. Eat less.
2. Sell more.
3. Paint better. Look more.
4. Network more.
5. Draw more. Criticize less.
6. Stay outside more.
7. Enjoy and share the rewards I have earned and deserve.
8. Drink no soda, almost no ice cream and less wine and chocolate, but not so little I can’t do #7.

 

Resolutions
 

With only two more galleries in less depressed cities added to the five I have now, and with the current desire and need to paint larger paintings and work on more ambitious projects in 2007, I will be able to bring production up to 70 majors and with the 10% price increase my income will be over $200,000 for the first time. This plan is doable. I have the ideas, the work habits, a supportive family, wonderful husband and the ability to make it happen.

 

Resolutions
 

in 2007, I resolve:
to create $3000 of painting inventory each week.
to submit my work to new galleries every quarter.
to enter one national show per season.
to continue to push my comfort zone — to be “uncomfortable.”
to continue my journey toward physical health — eating right and exercise.
to paint and sell more large paintings.
to continue my dedication to higher standards in my own painting.
to read my mission and plan once a week.

 

Resolutions
 

My resolution will be to record the time spent dedicated to art and see how close I come to 1/3 of the 8760 hours you state are available during this year. I will include in this the hours creating, planning, studying, teaching, and contemplating. This is a double challenge because when I begin a commission I always plan to record every moment spent and seldom get beyond the second session… so we’ll see.

 

Resolutions
 

This coming year may turn out to have some major changes, depending on what happens in the next month or two. In any case, I plan to make some changes in how I spend my time.
1. I resolve to spend at least two days a week painting.
2. I resolve to exercise daily, and work out with weights every other day.
3. I resolve to change the emphasis of my business to more engineering geology.
4. I resolve to clean out the cluttered files and boxes of stuff that I no longer use.

 

Resolutions
 

Strive for greater self-love and providing greater self-care. Continue healthy eating and exercise. Ask the Unseen Spirit’s guidance for help with prayer and then pray more. Support friends as much as possible, especially Anne. Take only the best care of Theo and Acadia. Draw and paint. I have saved the most difficult for last. Seek self-acceptance of all our work. Do the work as much as possible. Seek to resolve the creative block that has been harming us since July, if not before then. Take more photos. Look at more art. Make all we do with art a core activity of daily living. Be thankful. Love those we love and those we don’t. Forgive. Seek peace. Do what makes us feel life is with us and for us. Stay quietly aware and enjoy the senses. This really is a lot you know.

 

Resolutions
 

I just did 130,457 words in 36 days. Not very good words, but words. So, girl, keep it up. And:
– Make room every day for writing, even if just a little time.
– Make sure that you also make room for research.
– Remember that what gets the job done is doing the job, putting one foot in front of the other.
– Also remember that perfection is not the goal; completion is the goal.
– Finally, remember that you do know what you’re doing now — don’t let yourself second-guess yourself out of action.

 

Resolutions
 

1. To sell 12 paintings.
2. To keep my weight at 144 lbs.
3. To get more exercise.
4. To work on getting the condo organized.
5. To be able to entertain more.
6. Plan some interesting travels.
7. To really live in the moment.
8. To meditate daily.
9. Plan more interesting things daily.
10. To be in gratitude & grace.
11. To identify when it doesn’t feel right and stop.
12. To be kinder to myself and others.

 

Resolutions
 

“What is this painting about? What are you trying to accomplish or say?” I vow to keep these questions in mind every time I paint. So far I have been consumed by “How can I paint this? What colors match the reality I see? How good is my drawing?” etc. And while I still have a lot to learn of basics, it is time to move beyond so that, if by chance the technical parts are OK, there is something to say in the final product. Not necessarily a full statement, but at least a glimpse of a goal. “Here I’m trying to work with colors for beauty or to add impact or emotional content or reality or to play with complementaries or chiaroscuro.” “Here I am exploring ways to put on paint – more and more impasto and absolutely no scumbling.” This last year I have worked on, and achieved, a somewhat better sense of composition – how to put together a still life with visual interest. I continue to work on drawing but must learn to paint my object, not draw them. Away with line in paint! Maybe this will improve since I also want to return to the line work I love by going back to pen and ink. Work on line there, not in paintings. Finally, where is the “me” in my work? What do I want to say? And only then, “Have I even begun to achieve it?”

 

Resolutions
 

About 4 months ago, shortly after my 30th birthday, after some 14 years of shutting the door on drawing, painting, and all those things fun, I’ve opened the door again to the treasure trove of charcoal and colors. I picked up the pencil with a child’s curiosity (and tried) to draw a figure. First they were “action lines,” then rough geometric shapes. Then the sharp edges became rounder. With swift movements, I let go of rationality and what looked “right.” What turned out were figures that looked more and more semi-human. Then I turned to charcoal pencil. With that, I had to be bold. The outcome was marvelous. After many years of self-incubation, the gift was still there.

In 2007, I aim to:
1) Paint, paint, paint!! With acrylic, as well as oil, pastel and water colors.
2) Draw the human body in all its intricacies.
3) Complete 2 works twice a week.
4) Give away my works to friends as presents and token of friendship and good will.
5) Draw an hour each day.

 

Resolutions
 

Increase kindness to myself and others, maintaining a close bond with all of those I care for and gaining the acquaintance of others that happen along my way. To better focus and follow through on all endeavors – especially with my progress and production of art and my living environment. To improve my listening and learning techniques and to travel steadfastly along my journey through artland.

 

 

Resolutions
 

I will be doing pretty much the same as I did this year, producing 100 works of art, doing at least 20 local shows, and entering into some National competitions. I will also be doing a solo show or two this year. I may also try to enter into the arts festival scene on a more regular basis. Or gallery representation may be a better direction. I’ll be looking into taking my career to the next level. My main goal is to get a more focused direction to take. Galleries vs. festivals?, publishers vs. self-publishing?, seek consultation? are questions I will be trying to answer this year. One thing is for certain, I will enjoy the journey on whatever path it takes me.

 

Resolutions
 

To be thankful every day
To paint a minimum of 5 days/week
To make field work a priority
To complete 12 major pieces, plus several small pieces
To be accepted into at least one of the U.S. wildlife art galleries on my list
To be accepted into Leigh Yawkey Woodson “Birds in Art” 2007
To do my pages and take my artist’s dates

 

Resolutions
 

I hereby resolve to paint 104 paintings by 2008 and view a minimum of 1000 paintings per week. It really is not difficult to do so (It takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours total). I have been painting now for less than 1 year. I still have not found myself as far as style or subject is concerned but by viewing well over 1000 paintings per week on the Internet from galleries all over the world. I have grown quickly in many aspects. One aspect is a greater respect and appreciation of the many artists, their styles, their subjects and their willingness to keep the information highway freely open to rank beginners such as myself. Scanning this many paintings is so easy and only takes a fraction of a second to do so as you will get 12 to 16 views on a page. The paintings that grab me get downloaded quickly into a special folder which I can open at my convenience for closer scrutiny. It is only a few of the many downloaded that get real attention. Just by increasing the size of the painting, I am able to study the brush strokes and style of most artists. It’s a great learning experience! The overall result is my dabbling in styles I never would have entered.

 

Resolutions
 

Persevere
don’t talk about it do it
follow the threads as they appear
health first
that means total health body mind soul
cut back on the phone time
don’t let others prey on my better nature
write again
read again
quiet time
in nature
just keep my feet on the path.
TRY to go and take the plunge regularly!
 

Resolutions
 

I aim to make my work more interesting and personal by using more bold color and changing a scene whenever needed for improved design. I’ve been stuck for a long time trying to make my work look as realistic as possible, and sometimes it just looks dull. Now that I have proven to myself that I can draw and paint, I want to have fun with my art, be audacious and not care about pleasing anyone but me.

 

Resolutions
 

I’m resolving to have my first show, either with another artist or solo. I’m looking toward one of the galleries in Sacramento that have started to draw large crowds on Saturday openings. I’m open to other galleries that are respected and frequented by art collectors. I’m resolving to allow for, invite and, if the situation is right, become involved in an intimate, loving relationship with someone who can give and take and with whom I can establish ease and healthy communication. I resolve to maintain good physical health by eating right, exercising and taking care of my body. That includes being increasingly aware of and able to speak in the language of feelings. I also resolve to further develop my art through printmaking — monotypes, but perhaps other methods as I find different ways to capture particular subjects. I shall begin marketing and seeking illustration projects and find ways to use various mediums to create illustrations for clients. I resolve to allow the whimsical way of my art to shine through in much of my work, and to welcome the more serious moods and images. Most importantly, I resolve to take the spiritual connection, physical well-being and loving compassion that I’m currently developing through body work and relate with others through those newly-developed senses and awareness. I resolve to carry my power openly, no longer be afraid to do so because I’m always and continually immersed in the river of compassion.

 

Resolutions
 

All I have to do for 2008 is to get through to my BFA. When I get that thing in my hand everything will be okay. There have been so many high and low points along the way, and I know my knowledge and appreciation has increased and will increase further. What I can’t figure out is why when freedom is so well preached so much limitation is exacted. But I must stay the course as my instructors have been wonderful.
 

 

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Gardening by Moonlight watercolour painting, 22 x 30 inches by Jill Brooks, Winnipeg, MN, Canada

 

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