Month: October 2010

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Writings on Art- Mark Rothko

I am currently reading “Writings on Art” by Mark Rothko. This is a collection of letters, notebook entries, and essays by a very influential artist. Rothko writes a lot about creativity and education. He writes about how educating children on art should focus on inspiring creativity rather then instituting a regiment of lessons and disciplines. This reminds me that much of art making is letting go of the inhibitions we develop as adults. This is the part of art making that cannot be taught but only encouraged. So many believe that if they learn to draw they can be an artist. However, there are so many more intangibles components.

Many of Rothko’s texts are fragmented. However, this adds to the romance of discussing art. It is reminiscent of anyone’s studio journal which makes it fun to muddle through.

Mark Rothko, Writings on Art, Yale University Press

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Alla Prima

I have been focusing on an “alla prima” style of painting. This means that I do the painting all at once. This is not exactly an accurate interpretation of the original Italian meaning, but the idea has been adopted in Western practice all the same. Most of my recent work, using direct painting methods, was done in a single session. I used a book by artist Ricard Schmid to provide examples of this in the recent class I taught in Door County. Schmid’s book covers a range of direct painting styles and techniques. The writing that accompanies the work is helpful in understanding the thoughts behind the studio practice. My palette, of course, is much more saturated that Schmid’s quite transitions and tones. None the less, the book is an excellent find.

Alla Prima is published by Stone Prairie Press, 2008

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Small Spaces

I love the way these smaller pieces are going. I think the scale of the piece works well with the scale of the mark making. Also, I could not easy achieve these thick, creamy surfaces on a larger scale without using a different approach completely. There is an intimacy with the paint here. I think it is evident in the few larger works I have posted recently that this style does not translate well large. As I paint these, I experience a very physical connection to the medium. I push and pull at the paint, sculpting shapes, lines, and transitions through the edge of a painting knife. I very much look forward to showing this series.

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Studio Rants

There was definitely some frustration in my studio today. Ever have one of those days where nothing turns out? Yeah, sometimes I think my head just is not in it. Sometimes I think I paint aimlessly and get lost because I don’t know what I want. I am working on figuring that part out. In any case, I worked on a few different pieces today, and this is one of them. Not done yet because I am not really happy with it. My abstract landscapes are evolving. I have yet to decide what is next. With these thick oil paintings, I can only do into them so many times before the surface is too think and textured. If I don’t get it in the first few shots, it is often a lost cause.

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Weekend in Door Co

I had a nice three-day class in Door County. I taught “Painting Without a Brush” at the Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek. The focus of the class was on direct painting methods with a painting knife. I feel I always learn as much as I teach while doing these workshops. Everyone did really wonderful work and it was a beautiful time to be up north.

This image was done from photograph, I was demoing using a painting knife to paint a landscape. I am happy with how this piece turned out, and it may influence the direction my current work will take.