Now, let me see if I can irritate a few artists out there. The art of putting brush to canvas seems to be dying. Or maybe the pencil and brush artists have found better ways to get their art out there.
I just got back from the Boulder City art festival, Art In The Park. I must say I'm getting a little disillusioned by some of the things I'm seeing at fairs like this anymore. I went to the Summerlin art festival last weekend and it was the same thing.
It used to be that when a photographer took a picture that they intended to sell, they would shoot it, make the corrections, blow it up to a print size they wanted, mat it and frame it. This is how they did photographs way back when.
What I'm leading up to is the plethora of photographers that take a picture and then have it ink-jet printed onto a canvas and sell it as fine art. Now, some may argue that it is fine art, but I would respectfully disagree. To my mind it really isn't. And I won't even get into giclees here. That's for another post altogether.
I realize that it does take quite some skill to get the right shot to begin with. Then it is run through various computer programs to enhance color and exposure, brightened up in one section, darkened in another. Then sent off to Fine Art America and printed onto a stretched canvas and sold as a fine piece of artwork.
The booths set up by the photographers appear to outnumber the booths of the pencil and brush artists. There were maybe 100-120 booths set up in the northern part of the park, which was supposed to be set aside for fine art and there were maybe a dozen painters and pencil artists there. There were probably twice that many photographers and the rest were taken up by crafters and such.
I guess what it comes down to is "art is in the eye of the beholder." As it always has been, is and always will be. There is just something ethereal about being able to run your fingertips over a canvas and feel the peaks and valleys of each brush stroke, to see how one stoke blends so well with the ones next to it and to know that the artist looked into their heart and put something on canvas that touched them.
Well, that's my little rant for the day. Hope I haven't aggravated the photographers too much.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
New website
I've made a change in the way I do my websites for my art. The Pencil and Brush will stay as it is with one change. I won't be putting my artwork here anymore. It will be a place for my musing about the world of art.
I have started a new website, The Daily Painting. I will be posting my artwork there and hopefully on a daily basis. So, click on the link and wander over there and see what's happening in my little world of art.
Monday, March 29, 2010
What have I been doing lately?
Well, here I am. I know it's been awhile since my last post and I feel bad about that. But, I don't feel bad about some of the reasons I've been away. I've enrolled in a six week painting class at the community college, with the goal of taking my oil painting to a new level. I've taken a couple of Bob Ross workshops in the past couple of months and have had a ball with that. Now, it's time to build upon the things I've been taught in those workshops and these classes are just the ticket.
First, let me show off my two "masterpieces" from the workshops. The one on the left was done in February and the one on the right was done just a couple of weeks ago.
I like them and can see some real improvements over my first attempts I made on my own. Having an instructor looking over your shoulder can make a world of difference. I do see some mistakes and some things that I will do differently in the future, but I am quite happy with the results so far. Next month we are doing a black canvas painting. Should be interesting.
In the college class, I am learning the traditional style of painting and seeing that it will try the average person's patience. That would be the biggest drawback to learning the Ross method first, in that, you get used to knocking out a painting in an hour or so. Then you get into a situation where it is going to take six weeks, maybe longer, to finish a painting.
But, maybe that's a good thing. Some times it will be nice to slow down and step back from the canvas once in a while and see where you're at. Maybe this is exactly what my blood pressure needs. Only time will tell.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
First, let me show off my two "masterpieces" from the workshops. The one on the left was done in February and the one on the right was done just a couple of weeks ago.
I like them and can see some real improvements over my first attempts I made on my own. Having an instructor looking over your shoulder can make a world of difference. I do see some mistakes and some things that I will do differently in the future, but I am quite happy with the results so far. Next month we are doing a black canvas painting. Should be interesting.
In the college class, I am learning the traditional style of painting and seeing that it will try the average person's patience. That would be the biggest drawback to learning the Ross method first, in that, you get used to knocking out a painting in an hour or so. Then you get into a situation where it is going to take six weeks, maybe longer, to finish a painting.
But, maybe that's a good thing. Some times it will be nice to slow down and step back from the canvas once in a while and see where you're at. Maybe this is exactly what my blood pressure needs. Only time will tell.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Be Careful In Your Thriftstore Shopping
I know it's been awhile since I last posted and I need to get better at that. I've been spending a lot of time in the garden lately, getting spring bulbs in the ground and doing some general clean up. I do promise to make my postings a little more regular.
Today I have a tale to tell, a bit of a cautionary tale. Some details I hesitate to divulge as I can imagine some artists will gasp in horror when I do. Some will accuse me of being an uncultured oaf. But, I digress.
A few days ago I was doing a little thrift store browsing with my girlfriend in one of our local Goodwill stores and I headed to the art section. Yes, there is an art section at the Goodwill stores, as there is in just about any thrift store you go into. They usually have shelves upon shelves of discarded paintings and prints of various sizes and shapes. I can spend quite some time going through these "treasures."
Am I trying to find some discarded Andrew Wyeth masterpiece or a long lost Van Gogh? Well, that would be nice, but no, my search is for something a little more down to earth. I am searching for frames that can be used for my own artwork and in some cases, I will look at canvases that aren't too heavily textured. I can hear the screams of "BLASPHEMER!" coming from all corners of the world. How could I possibly think of destroying another artist's work of art to create my own? Well, it happens. Especially when I find a nice 48"x48" canvas with some gaudy painting that looks like a reject from a junior high school art class. When the canvas can be bought for about five dollars and it is in good condition, I consider it manna from heaven allowing me to go large without spending over a hundred dollars on a pre-stretched canvas.
And the frames I've found have been used in many of my pieces of art. You can't imagine some of the frames I've found, frames that would cost large sums of money that can be had for just a few dollars. I found a brand new, still in plastic wrap, 16x20 frame a couple of weeks ago, that was in the thrift store bin because it had been dropped and the finish on the backside have chipped and flaked off. So, I bought it for four dollars, took it home and spread a small amount of epoxy across the chip and then painted the backside of the frame with black acrylic. It looks brand new and for four dollars and a few minutes work I picked up a frame that cost close to $70.00 in the art store.
Now, where does the cautionary tale come in? This last trip to the thrift store netted me two VERY nice frames that I thought would make excellent frames for some future pieces of art. These were two very nice, carved wood frames that were a matched set. And the great thing about it was that there were two paintings already in the frames, that weren't highly textured and would make great canvases for me. The paintings were nice, but nothing special in my eyes.
As I walked up to my girlfriend with frames in hand, she asked what I had. I explained to her that I had two nice frames and canvases to do some paintings on. When she saw the paintings she gasped in horror, "You blaspemer!" At that very second I knew that my treasures were no longer mine.
To make a long story short, those two paintings are now hanging, untouched by my sacrilegious hands, in our bedroom, laughing at me every time I walk by them. And my girlfriend has made it quite clear that I will NEVER paint over them.
From now on, I go thrift store shopping alone!
Today I have a tale to tell, a bit of a cautionary tale. Some details I hesitate to divulge as I can imagine some artists will gasp in horror when I do. Some will accuse me of being an uncultured oaf. But, I digress.
A few days ago I was doing a little thrift store browsing with my girlfriend in one of our local Goodwill stores and I headed to the art section. Yes, there is an art section at the Goodwill stores, as there is in just about any thrift store you go into. They usually have shelves upon shelves of discarded paintings and prints of various sizes and shapes. I can spend quite some time going through these "treasures."
Am I trying to find some discarded Andrew Wyeth masterpiece or a long lost Van Gogh? Well, that would be nice, but no, my search is for something a little more down to earth. I am searching for frames that can be used for my own artwork and in some cases, I will look at canvases that aren't too heavily textured. I can hear the screams of "BLASPHEMER!" coming from all corners of the world. How could I possibly think of destroying another artist's work of art to create my own? Well, it happens. Especially when I find a nice 48"x48" canvas with some gaudy painting that looks like a reject from a junior high school art class. When the canvas can be bought for about five dollars and it is in good condition, I consider it manna from heaven allowing me to go large without spending over a hundred dollars on a pre-stretched canvas.
And the frames I've found have been used in many of my pieces of art. You can't imagine some of the frames I've found, frames that would cost large sums of money that can be had for just a few dollars. I found a brand new, still in plastic wrap, 16x20 frame a couple of weeks ago, that was in the thrift store bin because it had been dropped and the finish on the backside have chipped and flaked off. So, I bought it for four dollars, took it home and spread a small amount of epoxy across the chip and then painted the backside of the frame with black acrylic. It looks brand new and for four dollars and a few minutes work I picked up a frame that cost close to $70.00 in the art store.
Now, where does the cautionary tale come in? This last trip to the thrift store netted me two VERY nice frames that I thought would make excellent frames for some future pieces of art. These were two very nice, carved wood frames that were a matched set. And the great thing about it was that there were two paintings already in the frames, that weren't highly textured and would make great canvases for me. The paintings were nice, but nothing special in my eyes.
As I walked up to my girlfriend with frames in hand, she asked what I had. I explained to her that I had two nice frames and canvases to do some paintings on. When she saw the paintings she gasped in horror, "You blaspemer!" At that very second I knew that my treasures were no longer mine.
To make a long story short, those two paintings are now hanging, untouched by my sacrilegious hands, in our bedroom, laughing at me every time I walk by them. And my girlfriend has made it quite clear that I will NEVER paint over them.
From now on, I go thrift store shopping alone!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
My latest project
I've put down the pencil and pad for a little while and picked up my brushes and palette. I'm doing an acrylic that should take about another 3-4 hours to complete. Knowing the rate that I work sometimes, this could take me a week to finish. Anyway, here is the progress so far.
When finished this should be recognizable as a hibiscus flower. Only time will tell.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Art and The Meaning of Life?
This evening I was eating a quick dinner at my desk and watching some artist videos on YouTube and I came across one that got me to thinking. It wasn't the art or the artist themselves, but the opening of the video that did it. It opened with a quote from Antoni Tapies that said, "Art should startle the viewer into thinking about the meaning of life." I really only had one reaction to that quote and it was just one word. Why?
First off I guess we would need to ask Mr. Tapies what he considers to be art, because I can think of a ton of art that wouldn't get me to thinking about the meaning of life in any way. And having stopped by a gallery of some of Mr. Tapies' art I can say without hesitation that his art didn't get me to pondering any deep meanings of life either.
I would never criticize another artist or their art in the negative because I feel that there will always be someone out there that will appreciate it. I may not, but someone will. However, I will question an all-encompassing idea that art should be one thing or it should be another, no matter who was making the comment. Even if Da Vinci had made that same comment I would feel just as negatively towards it.
I have seen incredible paintings of roses that I would consider great art, but they don't evoke a search for the meaning of life in my heart. Drawings by my children and hung on the refrigerator when they were young were considered by myself to be art, but I don't look for those pieces to be hanging in the Louvre anytime soon.
Sometimes when I see art that looks like the artist was trying too hard to make a statement, I am left with nothing more than a desire to move on to the next piece. Some artists are born to stir up the hearts of the viewers, causing feelings of deep uncertainty, while others are moved to paint something of beauty that will be pleasurable to look at. It might just be a simple bowl of fruit or a portrait of one's cat.
Some of the great artists of history have created art that evoked such responses and then the next week produced a piece that was just a fine piece of art. Van Gogh could create a painting like Starry Night that caused people to write songs about it and then turn around and paint a vase full of sunflowers. A painting of a vase of sunflowers by Van Gogh, while pleasing to the eye won't get me to thinking about my existence.
I think art is whatever the artist decides it is and when their work finds an accepting viewer then the artist has done their job. If it evokes feelings of the majesty of our lives, then so be it. If it just gets us to stop for a few minutes and admire the beauty of the artwork and maybe even pull out our wallets to buy it, then the artist has done just as valid a job.
Enjoy art for what it is. Not for what it isn't.
First off I guess we would need to ask Mr. Tapies what he considers to be art, because I can think of a ton of art that wouldn't get me to thinking about the meaning of life in any way. And having stopped by a gallery of some of Mr. Tapies' art I can say without hesitation that his art didn't get me to pondering any deep meanings of life either.
I would never criticize another artist or their art in the negative because I feel that there will always be someone out there that will appreciate it. I may not, but someone will. However, I will question an all-encompassing idea that art should be one thing or it should be another, no matter who was making the comment. Even if Da Vinci had made that same comment I would feel just as negatively towards it.
I have seen incredible paintings of roses that I would consider great art, but they don't evoke a search for the meaning of life in my heart. Drawings by my children and hung on the refrigerator when they were young were considered by myself to be art, but I don't look for those pieces to be hanging in the Louvre anytime soon.
Sometimes when I see art that looks like the artist was trying too hard to make a statement, I am left with nothing more than a desire to move on to the next piece. Some artists are born to stir up the hearts of the viewers, causing feelings of deep uncertainty, while others are moved to paint something of beauty that will be pleasurable to look at. It might just be a simple bowl of fruit or a portrait of one's cat.
Some of the great artists of history have created art that evoked such responses and then the next week produced a piece that was just a fine piece of art. Van Gogh could create a painting like Starry Night that caused people to write songs about it and then turn around and paint a vase full of sunflowers. A painting of a vase of sunflowers by Van Gogh, while pleasing to the eye won't get me to thinking about my existence.
I think art is whatever the artist decides it is and when their work finds an accepting viewer then the artist has done their job. If it evokes feelings of the majesty of our lives, then so be it. If it just gets us to stop for a few minutes and admire the beauty of the artwork and maybe even pull out our wallets to buy it, then the artist has done just as valid a job.
Enjoy art for what it is. Not for what it isn't.
Blog Action Day '09 - Climate Change
October 15th was what was called Blog Action Day '9 and it was to deal with the subject of climate change. It seems everyone has an opinion about this and I am no different.
I am solidly in the middle on the subject of global warming. Yes, I do believe that there is a bit of warming going on, but I also believe that it is the natural state of things. Cooling and warming trends have been happening since this planet was created and they will continue to happen long after we humans have been stupid enough to kill ourselves off.
Do we need to clean up what we've done to the environment? Sure we do, just as we should clean up our rooms and wash the dishes. It isn't healthy, physically or emotionally, to live in squalor and that's what we are doing right now as a human race. But, to think that we are that significant to this planet that we can affect the climate on a global scale, at least to the point of annihilation, is ridiculous and arrogant on our part.
And who's to say that these "solutions" that are being bandied about by the climate change PACs aren't going to make things worse? If these people truly think that we can bring the Earth's temperature back down, then what's to stop us from going too far and causing the next ice age?
The solution is to clean up our acts, develop new energy sources that are emission neutral and let the Earth take care of herself. She's been doing it for 4 billion years, so I think she can do a much better job of it than we can.
I am solidly in the middle on the subject of global warming. Yes, I do believe that there is a bit of warming going on, but I also believe that it is the natural state of things. Cooling and warming trends have been happening since this planet was created and they will continue to happen long after we humans have been stupid enough to kill ourselves off.
Do we need to clean up what we've done to the environment? Sure we do, just as we should clean up our rooms and wash the dishes. It isn't healthy, physically or emotionally, to live in squalor and that's what we are doing right now as a human race. But, to think that we are that significant to this planet that we can affect the climate on a global scale, at least to the point of annihilation, is ridiculous and arrogant on our part.
And who's to say that these "solutions" that are being bandied about by the climate change PACs aren't going to make things worse? If these people truly think that we can bring the Earth's temperature back down, then what's to stop us from going too far and causing the next ice age?
The solution is to clean up our acts, develop new energy sources that are emission neutral and let the Earth take care of herself. She's been doing it for 4 billion years, so I think she can do a much better job of it than we can.
Monday, October 12, 2009
A Live and Learn Moment
Sometimes being an artist is a trial and error experience. We try things and sometimes it's a fabulous success and other times it's an abject failure. Then sometimes it falls somewhere in between, as with this drawing.
My drawing of Lance is finished, but there was a problem that kind of caught me off-guard. I like to tape my larger pieces of drawing paper down to my clipboard and I've been doing it for quite some time. I just use a regular masking tape and have not had any problems with doing this.
The problem that came up this time was that when I started the Lance drawing I was just a few days away from moving to a new house. So the unfinished drawing stayed taped to the clipboard for almost three months. When I finished the drawing last night and peeled the tape off, well, you guess it. The adhesive on the tape had become one with the paper and now there was a sticky residue all around the outside of the paper.
Being as how I hadn't sprayed the drawing at that point, there was plenty of loose graphite to go around and some of it ended up in the sticky white border of the paper. Which obviously caused a real mess, making the drawing unsaleable in its present condition.
I took it to Aaron Brothers this afternoon to see if they would cut the white portion off, but they wouldn't do it. So the solution we came up with was in the mat. I had them cut the opening in the mat to cover the white portion of the paper, thus covering up the sticky, dirty part of the paper.
After coming home and placing the mat and drawing in the frame I have to say that I think it looks pretty darn good. So, without further ado, I present His Lanceness. Graphite drawing on 14x17 80# drawing paper.
©2009 Dave Casey
HIS LANCENESS
Graphite pencil on paper, 17 x 14"
Available WITH frame at my Etsy store or my ArtFire store - $89.99
DG Casey's World of Art - Etsy
DG Casey's World of Art - ArtFire
Also available as a print at my Red Bubble store - from $14.25
DG Casey's World of Art - Red Bubble
My drawing of Lance is finished, but there was a problem that kind of caught me off-guard. I like to tape my larger pieces of drawing paper down to my clipboard and I've been doing it for quite some time. I just use a regular masking tape and have not had any problems with doing this.
The problem that came up this time was that when I started the Lance drawing I was just a few days away from moving to a new house. So the unfinished drawing stayed taped to the clipboard for almost three months. When I finished the drawing last night and peeled the tape off, well, you guess it. The adhesive on the tape had become one with the paper and now there was a sticky residue all around the outside of the paper.
Being as how I hadn't sprayed the drawing at that point, there was plenty of loose graphite to go around and some of it ended up in the sticky white border of the paper. Which obviously caused a real mess, making the drawing unsaleable in its present condition.
I took it to Aaron Brothers this afternoon to see if they would cut the white portion off, but they wouldn't do it. So the solution we came up with was in the mat. I had them cut the opening in the mat to cover the white portion of the paper, thus covering up the sticky, dirty part of the paper.
After coming home and placing the mat and drawing in the frame I have to say that I think it looks pretty darn good. So, without further ado, I present His Lanceness. Graphite drawing on 14x17 80# drawing paper.
©2009 Dave Casey
HIS LANCENESS
Graphite pencil on paper, 17 x 14"
Available WITH frame at my Etsy store or my ArtFire store - $89.99
DG Casey's World of Art - Etsy
DG Casey's World of Art - ArtFire
Also available as a print at my Red Bubble store - from $14.25
DG Casey's World of Art - Red Bubble
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Lance portrait continues ...
I think someone needs to remind me someday how much detail there is in a bicycle. I think I'll stick to nudes for the next month or so. Not as much detail there. Anyway, here is the Lance portrait thus far.
Monday, September 21, 2009
This blog isn't the only work in progress ....
Sorry that it's been awhile since I posted. I've been doing quite a few things over the past couple of weeks and haven't had time to sit down and write. So, I thought I'd show you one of the pieces I'm working on right now. This is a drawing of His Lanceness. If you've looked at my profile, you know I'm a cyclist and my hero is Lance Armstrong. Anyway, here is a drawing I'm doing of him that is about half finished. I should have the rest of it done in the next day or so.
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