Pen Fun

 Now and then I like to do some drawing at my design table. This is a pen and ink drawing of a Belted Kingfisher. I was a drawing major in art school long ago. A couple of years ago I bought myself a nice drawing table. I would love to make a living drawing, but alas, drawing is on the very bottom of the food chain of the art world. To make money, you must be a painter. 

in my view, drawing is the most important medium of art. It is the skeleton of all skills in art. Even the most famous abstract painters knew how to draw. My collage work has helped to improve my drawing. I don’t use other templates or patterns. I don’t cut out pictures for my collages.  I draw every collage myself first. Drawing is crucial to all mediums and basic design skill. I keep working at it. 

Country artists practice drawing…..

Wholesale Attitudes

 Some artists have what I call a wholesale attitude about their work. These are painters who sell their work substantially below market value. 

 Their work tends to be formulaic in style. They have found a style which is easy to do quickly and is marketable to the pop culture we now live in. Often, they will line up canvases, painting all the sky, then trees, then grasses, with slight variations.

 They use tried and true palette colors, brushwork they are used to, and subjects they are sure will sell. This sounds like good business and financially it probably is. They sell lots of paintings with their production line assembly. They borrow it from Ford’s original idea. It is the same for artists who sell reproductions. To each his or her own. This is probably jealousy on my part.

 That is an easier way to make a living than for those of us who struggle with new and difficult processes we are unsure of. I am always pleasantly surprised when finishing a painting in good form. Many of my experiments are failures, but I learn from all of them. Constant study, changing brushwork, palettes, subjects, and mediums are risky. The rewards are vast!

 

Life is process and experimentation for country painters....

Early Walk

 This morning when I hiked around my Deer Woods Trail, I was led by Mr Moon. It was just dawn and the sun was still sleeping in the east. This is my week to get up before dawn and let my French Bulldog out for his break from his crate. The almost full moon threw off just enough light in the west to guide me along the path. When it is near dark, I am more aware of the sounds rather than sight along the trail.

I could clearly hear the song birds waking up to talk back and forth. Blackie the crow and his pals were not awake yet. They usually start cawing and flying about 7:30, looking for a diner for breakfast. It was even too early for the owls to clock out for sleep. They must have been off getting in that last quick hunt before bed time.

Strolling along in moon light is a really lovely way to start my day as a painter. I observe large shapes and think about the atmosphere as it gradually lights along the way. The soft cool moonlight over the tall pines in. the west is lovely to see.

I think about my projects for the day and listen to small animals rustle along the edge of the path in the woods. The tortoises are asleep, but I call them by name as I pass their dens. Having a life in rural north Florida is extraordinary for a landscape and nature painter. As I age, I have become happiest out here in the woods and farm land my parents thoughtfully purchased 60 years ago. 

Life is wonderful for a country painter….

Muscle Memory

 I am a science buff and I've been reading  about muscle memory. I read up on muscle memory and found this paragraph in a Popular Science article.

 "Neurons inside your muscles play a strong role too, of course, but [the pattern of activity](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16290273?dopt=Abstract) that helps you perform the same action over and over happens inside your brain. It only feels like something your muscles are doing on their own." I am grateful for this muscle memory that my brain tells my hands that they can still be steady enough to do some art. 

 That is the great thing about being an artist. There are no real limitations except the ones we place on ourselves in our own minds. Over the years we evolve with physical changes and our taste changes in color and design. As a young painter my color saturation was intense in my work. As I mature as a painter, I have subdued my palette quite a bit and am more interested in value and contrast, moving closer to a Notan approach of values transition.

 I was a long time Plein Air addict, but have become most comfortable in the studio, due to health restrictions. No matter, anytime I can paint in or outdoors, I am grateful and lucky! I still get out in cool weather to do a few paintings. 

 

I hope to paint and draw the rest of my life, however long that is. The gift of creativity is precious and should be honored and cared for, not taken lightly by artists or society. Think about the fact that a painting is done once in a lifetime. Owning it, the only one of its kind is very special. That is why I don't make reproductions of my work. There should only be one.

 

Life and science are wonderful for country painters…

Issues

 I’ve had some health issues this year. One thing it has taught me is to be flexible. I was able to paint about ten real paintings this year and I am grateful for that. I have a lot of muscle pain in my arms legs and hands right now, so I have switched to making paper and making hand made paper collages.

 

Moving to different art mediums gives me a fresh outlook on my work, until my hand dexterity improves again. I know it will. I am confident that I will get back to painting again. I have always found a way to be an artist. Reinventing my art every now and then keeps me learning and growing. The collages have improved my drawing and design skills greatly. 

 

All art is good and fun for country painters….

 I read an article in a science journal that reinforced my long time belief that being goal oriented and having a purpose filled life is the key to a well balanced, positive thinking mind.

The article research showed that purposeful life goals prevent narcissism, and mental instability. Goals promote independent and higher order thinking skills. There was no particular emphasis on the level of education. I believe that this view of life can benefit people at any stage or education level. My daddy had a third grade education, yet he became a successful machinist at a university because he was purposeful and had goals of self education. He was a prolific reader. 

A purposeful life keeps me busy. I don’t get caught up in the chaos and hatred swirling around. Yes, I care deeply about public issues. I put my money into support for organizations who fight for human rights, who fight to protect our planet. I don’t get involved in the shouting matches with unstable purposeless people. 

I keep to my goals both as a painter and person of decency and civility, helping those I can.  I believe most Americans are decent and patriotic, on both sides. 

I  have conservative and independent friends. We find ways to avoid politics and enjoy each other’s company. There are lunatics on all sides. I move forward!

Being purposeful is good for Country Painters….

Post Cards

 It has been awhile since I did a post card mail out. Since I can’t have big parties right now, I decided to do a mail out about my collages. They are becoming popular, and I enjoy making them so much. I think it is time to tell people about them. 

I have an excellent mailing list and that is gold for artists. I use Vistaprint for all my post cards. They do a good job at a reasonable price. There are many options and the design process is easy. I’ve never been disappointed. 

I have found post card mail outs to be my best marketing tool. People love to get post cards with paintings on them. They often save them for a time. I always put my website URL and email on them. I try to give people purposeful information.  If any of you would like to send out my post cards to your art loving friends, I’ll send you some stamped cards. Just put the name and address of your friends on the card and drop them in a mail box.

Becoming a paper and collage maker has been a wonderful adventure.

Life is wonderful for country painters....

Gratitude

 I’ve been on a course for a few years now to improve myself as a person and a painter. I’ve discovered the key to my improvement is simple gratitude. we can focus on the good in our lives, avoiding the chaos and meanness in our current world.

There is nothing I can directly do to end the violence, political anger and strife whirling around me. I simply inch forward one step at a time, helping other artists when I am able and wake up grateful every day. As I age, I have become aware of the rare privilege of being a painter.

We record the culture and visual elements of our time here on earth. We landscape painters record in our own unique texture and style of the life, earth, smells, and tastes of the places we live. We are highly influenced by the regions where we live and grow up.

I believe when we offer dignity, kindness, and appreciation to others, we are an example to those around us whom we can influence. Artists have great power, in that we are admired and are influential to our collectors and students. The way we behave is noticed by others. It is not just our work that we put out to the world, but also ourselves.

If you are an angry, resentful artist, frustrated about your place on the food chain, perhaps you are missing the greatest opportunity, that of being grateful to have this wonderful gift. No one forces us to be professional artists. We make that commitment, knowing that it will be difficult financially for most, and there will always be artists who paint better than we do. Instead of anger and jealousy, let us redirect ourselves into artists who are grateful for the privilege each day.

Life is a privilege for country painters.....

Blogging Along

 A lot of people have declared blogs are dead. That’s ok. I have been writing a blog in some form for as long as there have been blogs.

I don’t write it to try and sell products, or to be an influencer. I write it for myself and others who wish to have a glimpse into the life of a painter. I write about whatever is on my mind on Wednesday morning each week.

I think blogging is a great medium for me particularly, as I like to take notes and write a few paragraphs at a time. I have so many interests and notes are perfect. I am old school. I take notes on vertical  index cards. I keep stacks of them on my design table, my office desk, by my bed and in my studio. I write down to do lists on Sunday night for the week ahead. I write ideas down, naturalist notes form my walks in the woods, and color mixing, composing notes on the cards. 

Some of those end up here on the blog. I’ll keep on with blogging. It matters not whether others do as well.

Life is swell for country painters……

Eletism

 I had an interesting conversation with friends last week about elitism of artists. That seems to be a big problem in almost every town.

 There are always little groups of artists who try to shut others out. I saw it as a festival artist years ago, as a gallery artist, and as a paint out artist too. I’ve heard stories from artists in other cities about this elitist attitude.

 I call it believing your own press. I used to have a good friend back in the starting out days, who was a terrific painter. He wanted to make it to the big league. He has distanced himself further and further from his old friends and now considers himself far above us peons. I have other old friends who are just as successful now but they still love their old friends and are still just as kind as ever. 

 Who do you think is happier, deep in their hearts?

 Elitists artists live on the edge of failure, just as the rest of us do. They just can’t admit it to themselves. Many well known artists price themselves out of the market. When hard times hit, they can’t sustain their income, so they become workshop teachers. They become completely dependent on teaching, not by choice but by necessity. I’ll leave the big league to others. 

 Being just a country painter gives me a wonderful life.....