So, five days left to myself!
No GG to nurse back to health.
No psycho mother to drive me crazy .....
The kids doing what ever it is that kids do ...
Yes, Kris is left on his own to paint his guts out!
First up is attending the Northwest Watercolor Society!
Yes, I was invited to check them out!
And, I imagine visa-versa ....
"Does he have all of his toes?"
Whoops!
Lost half of those!
LOL
So, last night I went to their workshop they were holding at Daniel Smith.
Yup, people painting ...
It is $40 a year to belong ....
I can afford it, by scrimping on my coin collecting or maybe throwing some things up on eay.
(chewing on a knuckle)
Well, I don't have to decide until I have attended two meetings.
Maybe I will let it slide for now.
In the meantime this week, I am oil painting.
Making my own paints and working on a picture first thought of by Whistler ....
Unfortunately, he was not familiar with the subject and so got EVERY detail wrong in the painting!
Oh make no mistake, Whistler was immensely talented,
So, even this painting is an owner!
But, we will see what this week produces ....
Probably paint coated canvas of no interest.
But, suitable for burning ....
Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts
January 23, 2019
December 7, 2018
Munger
So it was Tuesday night and my nerves were shot.
I just knew that with my Plattner luck, which reinforces Murphy's Law would kill GG!
After my internals were utterly depleted, I sat down to calm down.
I had just bought a book about the artist, Gilbert Munger.
Yeah, most people have never heaerd of him.
But, he was a less successful version of Albert Bierstadt - "The" Painter of the American West.
And he knew he was better.
Many in the West believed this true as well.
But, Bierstadt had the promoters and advertisers.
Munger even was the official painter for all of Emmons expeditions.
Yeah, you never heard of Emmons either.
But you have John Powell.
Same problem Munger had.
Luckily, Emmons, due to cunning became fabulously wealthy - and - he never forgot Munger.
So, 1860 - 1880, Munger did well in America.
But, the Pre-Raphelite movement was rising in Europe.
So, he moved to England to learn more.
But all Europeans wanted was pictures of the West!
Twenty years of this and he returned America.
He had been highly successful in Europe.
He had most European countries highest awards.
He thought he would be hearlded.
He was utterly ignored.
The final 15 years of his life is the story of failure.
Oh, his talent was still there.
But styles had changed as had the rules of the art game.
And, he could not adapt quick enough.
Why should he?
He was great.
He had the awards to prove it.
But, he had no following.
Luckily, he had three strong friends.
All had become wealthy with the development in western infrastructures.
Munger had invested poorly before leaving for Europe.
By the end, he was penniless.
Emmons knew his friend was dying of what we know as cancer.
And paid off $10,000 in debt in 1904 dollars!, for Munger to take the pressure off him.
With literally, the last stroke of his brush, to complete his greatest work, Niagara Falls, he died.
Unfortunately, it was in a style, no longer desired by anyone.
And, it was huge!
There are some very important lessons in his story applicable to artists today.
And wishing I could have been an artist, I think on this.
The easy answer is that art is actually dead.
It no longer exists due to art Nazi's taking over the domain.
New artists are diverted from art to social and political statements.
Yet, those cursed with the artist call, must produce, for reasons we do not even understand.
And there is few if any rewards.
Frustrations yes.
Torn between prostituting yourself desires, ideas and work for MONEY, only.
And the call to create something enduring.
Something which can draw the eye and then the mind.
Yeah, I feel for Munger.
He could not understand.
What artist ever does?
Nice hobby.
But don't quit your day job as they say .....
I just knew that with my Plattner luck, which reinforces Murphy's Law would kill GG!
After my internals were utterly depleted, I sat down to calm down.
I had just bought a book about the artist, Gilbert Munger.
Yeah, most people have never heaerd of him.
But, he was a less successful version of Albert Bierstadt - "The" Painter of the American West.
And he knew he was better.
Many in the West believed this true as well.
But, Bierstadt had the promoters and advertisers.
Munger even was the official painter for all of Emmons expeditions.
Yeah, you never heard of Emmons either.
But you have John Powell.
Same problem Munger had.
Luckily, Emmons, due to cunning became fabulously wealthy - and - he never forgot Munger.
So, 1860 - 1880, Munger did well in America.
But, the Pre-Raphelite movement was rising in Europe.
So, he moved to England to learn more.
But all Europeans wanted was pictures of the West!
Twenty years of this and he returned America.
He had been highly successful in Europe.
He had most European countries highest awards.
He thought he would be hearlded.
He was utterly ignored.
The final 15 years of his life is the story of failure.
Oh, his talent was still there.
But styles had changed as had the rules of the art game.
And, he could not adapt quick enough.
Why should he?
He was great.
He had the awards to prove it.
But, he had no following.
Luckily, he had three strong friends.
All had become wealthy with the development in western infrastructures.
Munger had invested poorly before leaving for Europe.
By the end, he was penniless.
Emmons knew his friend was dying of what we know as cancer.
And paid off $10,000 in debt in 1904 dollars!, for Munger to take the pressure off him.
With literally, the last stroke of his brush, to complete his greatest work, Niagara Falls, he died.
Unfortunately, it was in a style, no longer desired by anyone.
And, it was huge!
There are some very important lessons in his story applicable to artists today.
And wishing I could have been an artist, I think on this.
The easy answer is that art is actually dead.
It no longer exists due to art Nazi's taking over the domain.
New artists are diverted from art to social and political statements.
Yet, those cursed with the artist call, must produce, for reasons we do not even understand.
And there is few if any rewards.
Frustrations yes.
Torn between prostituting yourself desires, ideas and work for MONEY, only.
And the call to create something enduring.
Something which can draw the eye and then the mind.
Yeah, I feel for Munger.
He could not understand.
What artist ever does?
Nice hobby.
But don't quit your day job as they say .....
September 10, 2018
Meeting My Father
I thought I was finally past my father and his damning affect on me.
But, I sat down to read a book called, : "The Aesthetic Adventure".
It is the story of the death of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement.
I really did not expect to meet my father in those pages.
Father was venomously anti-art.
When, at 5, I asked to take art classes, his reply:
"I am not going to have a homosexual as a son!"
And I was beaten every time I tried to take an art class!
Truth.
It was only by staying with my grandmother I was able to draw anything other than a straight line!
And NATO sending me to learn from Picasso for a week in sixth grade!
And father and I had no relationship after I was nine years old.
Well, he was sort of around until I was 16, but only in a negative context.
So, I am reading this book by William Gaunt from 1945.
He writes of the interactions and personal lives of the Pre-Raphaelite artists.
Particularly, James Whistler (always one of my favorites).
I think one of Gaunt's as well.
The book is extremely well written.
And what is not said is just as loud as what is.
Half way through the book we hit a lawsuit by Whistler, against Ruskin - one of the other artists.
And I was struck with the thought,
Were these guys even "straight"?
Yeah, the pettiness of their issues and fights sure looked like lover's spats!
Yet, some had married, even if for only a short time.
And other's I knew specialized in, er, scandalizing - the reputations of others' wives.
(remember, this a family friendly blog)
And the women seemed to commit suicide with great regularity ...
But, I shrugged this off.
Nah, they couldn't all be bi-sexual could they ... ?
Then enter Oscar Wilde, into the fray and now we have solid homosexuality running rampant!
Oh, yeah, he liked the ladies too.
Just not as much!
And the death knell of the pre-Raphaselite movement was begun.
Suddenly, I understood my father's comment about artists!
All he roared about decades ago were right here.
Somehow he had been affected by this movement.
In fact, father was very much an aesthetic man:
Godless, cultureless, amoral ... he was the "perfect" man according to European standards.
Of the mid-19th Century!
I can not condone who or what he was, but at least through seeing Whistler's life, I can understand him.
Now.
I feel sorry for Whistler too.
I understand the artist bent.
And to have it belittled, rejected, spurned.
The Pre-Raphaelites created some of the finest paintings of the 19th Century.
To my mind.
But the artists lives were one of unending tragedy.
They lived their lives to their own set of rules.
They even worshipped a "god", of their own creating.
And at the end, I doubt any of them understood that the real God would hold their hedonistic lives accountable!
And there will be Hell to pay for that one!
There is a lesson in this, for anyone willing to learn from history .....
But, I sat down to read a book called, : "The Aesthetic Adventure".
It is the story of the death of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement.
I really did not expect to meet my father in those pages.
Father was venomously anti-art.
When, at 5, I asked to take art classes, his reply:
"I am not going to have a homosexual as a son!"
And I was beaten every time I tried to take an art class!
Truth.
It was only by staying with my grandmother I was able to draw anything other than a straight line!
And NATO sending me to learn from Picasso for a week in sixth grade!
And father and I had no relationship after I was nine years old.
Well, he was sort of around until I was 16, but only in a negative context.
So, I am reading this book by William Gaunt from 1945.
He writes of the interactions and personal lives of the Pre-Raphaelite artists.
Particularly, James Whistler (always one of my favorites).
I think one of Gaunt's as well.
The book is extremely well written.
And what is not said is just as loud as what is.
Half way through the book we hit a lawsuit by Whistler, against Ruskin - one of the other artists.
And I was struck with the thought,
Were these guys even "straight"?
Yeah, the pettiness of their issues and fights sure looked like lover's spats!
Yet, some had married, even if for only a short time.
And other's I knew specialized in, er, scandalizing - the reputations of others' wives.
(remember, this a family friendly blog)
And the women seemed to commit suicide with great regularity ...
But, I shrugged this off.
Nah, they couldn't all be bi-sexual could they ... ?
Then enter Oscar Wilde, into the fray and now we have solid homosexuality running rampant!
Oh, yeah, he liked the ladies too.
Just not as much!
And the death knell of the pre-Raphaselite movement was begun.
Suddenly, I understood my father's comment about artists!
All he roared about decades ago were right here.
Somehow he had been affected by this movement.
In fact, father was very much an aesthetic man:
Godless, cultureless, amoral ... he was the "perfect" man according to European standards.
Of the mid-19th Century!
I can not condone who or what he was, but at least through seeing Whistler's life, I can understand him.
Now.
I feel sorry for Whistler too.
I understand the artist bent.
And to have it belittled, rejected, spurned.
The Pre-Raphaelites created some of the finest paintings of the 19th Century.
To my mind.
But the artists lives were one of unending tragedy.
They lived their lives to their own set of rules.
They even worshipped a "god", of their own creating.
And at the end, I doubt any of them understood that the real God would hold their hedonistic lives accountable!
And there will be Hell to pay for that one!
There is a lesson in this, for anyone willing to learn from history .....
June 4, 2018
What's In A Name?
I have been cursed with many names through my lifetime.
Originally, the product of living under Cold War rules.
It was like living in witness protection.
Only the bad guy you are hiding from is the product of American paranoia, not reality.
Though father lived in fear the majority of his life!
Soviets, Americans, ex-wives .....
Only the Soviets and ex-wives were actually a danger to him!
And father lived under at least half a dozen names that I know of.
So, every 3 years, roughly, we were moved to new locarions.
New homes, new friends, new names!
I never actual have gone by my name except until father's death.
Much easier not having to explain US laws which governed us as Paperclip citizens!
So complicated!
And no one believes you until they actually look into the maze of law and rules we are governed under.
So, I went by nicknames for the whole of my life.
Chip, Scotty, Chris, Kris, Cris, Flake, Dork, Nerd and a host of derogatory terms!
Yeah, the first five by family, the remainder by teachers and co-workers!
When you are not exactly on this planet mentally, well I was lucky to get Flake.
And my friends all went with Dork usually....
It is easy to tell the difference between derogatory and affectionate - "dork-isms"!
Well, and then there is, Bird-Beak!
As I slowly work on laying out a series of paintings, which name do I use?
I finally have decided on my Grandmother's.
Her birth name was Scott.
I was called Scotty because of my flaming red hair.
Of course around 15 all of that beautiful red hair turned - brown!
My mother was so freaked out she took me into emergency.
And Scotty no longer fit real well.
And I want to honor my favorite step-mother's name, Ivie.
Hmmm, Scotty Ivie?
Only way to get more Scotch would be to use Angus MacAngus!
MacIvie?
Scott MacIvie ..... ?
Luckily, I am months away from finishing another picture.
But what of my Plattner grandparents?
My father dishonored them in life.
I was never allowed to even know them!
His brother and sisters were my only key to there being any living family in Switzerland.
It stung when I found out the grandparents had died.
The death of my cousin and uncle hammered me hard.
I guess there is always Ivie Plattner.
But that might sound a little non-male-ish.
One of the artists I talk with, suggested KJP.
But that was used back before World War I by an Austrian Plattner.
And there are tons of painters named Scott.
Even Tschech, my ultra secret birth name the Americans gave me.
The government changed our name following my birth, no idea why.
But there are noteworthy Tschech painters.
And I am not related to anyone named Tschech!
Sigh ...
Well, I have time to figure it out.
But I am pretty sure I do not want to use my name or initials
I really do not want to even be identified with my father ....
As my pastor told me one time, when I asked how do I honor my parents?
His reply was, "don't tell anyone you have parents!"
Yeah he had crossed swords with them a few times .....
Well sorry for the blathering.
It is the only thing on my mind today other than the tremendous pain I am living in because of the dialysis.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday I am in good shape though.
Originally, the product of living under Cold War rules.
It was like living in witness protection.
Only the bad guy you are hiding from is the product of American paranoia, not reality.
Though father lived in fear the majority of his life!
Soviets, Americans, ex-wives .....
Only the Soviets and ex-wives were actually a danger to him!
And father lived under at least half a dozen names that I know of.
So, every 3 years, roughly, we were moved to new locarions.
New homes, new friends, new names!
I never actual have gone by my name except until father's death.
Much easier not having to explain US laws which governed us as Paperclip citizens!
So complicated!
And no one believes you until they actually look into the maze of law and rules we are governed under.
So, I went by nicknames for the whole of my life.
Chip, Scotty, Chris, Kris, Cris, Flake, Dork, Nerd and a host of derogatory terms!
Yeah, the first five by family, the remainder by teachers and co-workers!
When you are not exactly on this planet mentally, well I was lucky to get Flake.
And my friends all went with Dork usually....
It is easy to tell the difference between derogatory and affectionate - "dork-isms"!
Well, and then there is, Bird-Beak!
As I slowly work on laying out a series of paintings, which name do I use?
I finally have decided on my Grandmother's.
Her birth name was Scott.
I was called Scotty because of my flaming red hair.
Of course around 15 all of that beautiful red hair turned - brown!
My mother was so freaked out she took me into emergency.
And Scotty no longer fit real well.
And I want to honor my favorite step-mother's name, Ivie.
Hmmm, Scotty Ivie?
Only way to get more Scotch would be to use Angus MacAngus!
MacIvie?
Scott MacIvie ..... ?
Luckily, I am months away from finishing another picture.
But what of my Plattner grandparents?
My father dishonored them in life.
I was never allowed to even know them!
His brother and sisters were my only key to there being any living family in Switzerland.
It stung when I found out the grandparents had died.
The death of my cousin and uncle hammered me hard.
I guess there is always Ivie Plattner.
But that might sound a little non-male-ish.
One of the artists I talk with, suggested KJP.
But that was used back before World War I by an Austrian Plattner.
And there are tons of painters named Scott.
Even Tschech, my ultra secret birth name the Americans gave me.
The government changed our name following my birth, no idea why.
But there are noteworthy Tschech painters.
And I am not related to anyone named Tschech!
Sigh ...
Well, I have time to figure it out.
But I am pretty sure I do not want to use my name or initials
I really do not want to even be identified with my father ....
As my pastor told me one time, when I asked how do I honor my parents?
His reply was, "don't tell anyone you have parents!"
Yeah he had crossed swords with them a few times .....
Well sorry for the blathering.
It is the only thing on my mind today other than the tremendous pain I am living in because of the dialysis.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday I am in good shape though.
September 10, 2017
Loving Vincent
I think I am going to see this one .....
115 painters did the 65,000 frames to make this film, certainly Walt Disney on steroids!
115 painters did the 65,000 frames to make this film, certainly Walt Disney on steroids!
May 3, 2016
Nickels By The Ton
I did well several years ago selling off my coin collection but I have also been picking up coins as well. A very eclectic collection todate, to say the least!
My main interest has always been Jefferson nickels. Of course, with complete amnesia I can not tell you why I liked him, why I liked the US Mint nickels nor even what I already have! So, this past weekend, I dug out one of my boxes and began sorting through it. :)
I quickly figured out on Friday that I needed some form of a database to keep track of what I was finding. So, I pulled up my old Dbase 3+ software from antiquity and ... it does not actually run under today's technology ... sigh ... it wants an environment with two 5.25 inch floppy drives! So that left only Word or Excel to do the listing in, I opted for Excel. It was a bit nerve wracking since I was having to do this with no manual - who knows where they are! But, I got a nice layout that tracks dealers, purchasing information on all of the coins, the nickels, the proof varieties, the errors I have collected, Washington State nickel tokens used a century ago during coinage shortages and then eclectic things like: artistic commemorative medals.
And the great sorting began.
Rather quickly I realized that I have quite a few duplicates in just the proof nickels I was working on. I guess I can either sell those at a fall show or off to my coin dealer friend. How many 1962 proof nickels does one need?!?!?!? And, why on Earth did I buy so many? Are they rare? I must find out! But, I have only opened one box so far! And surprisingly I have quite a few of the rarest of the Jefferson nickels! I may have known or guessed at the time certain varieties would be rare and indeed 1994 and 1997 had special issues with a satin texture, only 25,000 of those it seems were made! I guess I own a percentage of those strikes! So, they should sell!
And, I surprised myself that I did own one of what I think is America's high point in coinage: the 1925 Norse American Centennial on a thick flan!
If you are interested, my second choice for most beautiful coin from the US Mint is the 1937 Oregon Trail Commemorative!
Yeah, those were made the era when coinage was an art form and the US Mint produced some great pieces, but these two were the best of the best - well except the $20 gold piece! But, who has that kind of money? LOL.
It will take me weeks to completely dig through just this one box and I have three more to sort through as well! So, lots to keep me interested in as I rest and recover between long walks and exercise periods!
My main interest has always been Jefferson nickels. Of course, with complete amnesia I can not tell you why I liked him, why I liked the US Mint nickels nor even what I already have! So, this past weekend, I dug out one of my boxes and began sorting through it. :)
I quickly figured out on Friday that I needed some form of a database to keep track of what I was finding. So, I pulled up my old Dbase 3+ software from antiquity and ... it does not actually run under today's technology ... sigh ... it wants an environment with two 5.25 inch floppy drives! So that left only Word or Excel to do the listing in, I opted for Excel. It was a bit nerve wracking since I was having to do this with no manual - who knows where they are! But, I got a nice layout that tracks dealers, purchasing information on all of the coins, the nickels, the proof varieties, the errors I have collected, Washington State nickel tokens used a century ago during coinage shortages and then eclectic things like: artistic commemorative medals.
And the great sorting began.
And, I surprised myself that I did own one of what I think is America's high point in coinage: the 1925 Norse American Centennial on a thick flan!
If you are interested, my second choice for most beautiful coin from the US Mint is the 1937 Oregon Trail Commemorative!
Yeah, those were made the era when coinage was an art form and the US Mint produced some great pieces, but these two were the best of the best - well except the $20 gold piece! But, who has that kind of money? LOL.
It will take me weeks to completely dig through just this one box and I have three more to sort through as well! So, lots to keep me interested in as I rest and recover between long walks and exercise periods!
August 21, 2015
Painting Workshop
I have slowly been getting stronger and able to stay awake longer periods of time, with that has come the ability to drive a little on weekends - no more than 30 minutes at a shot however. This past weekend was a special event at Daniel Smith - favorite art store and only 13 minutes from my house.
They brought in Laurin McCracken, one of the top five watercolor painters in the world! If you click on the link you will be taken to the Recent Paintings page on his website. I really do not like still life painting, which he excels in, but I went to his lecture on Dutch Masters - very good. Then a lecture on how to sell art - OMG!, I never knew what a used car salesman environment the art world really was! So, got all of those in's and out's in my notes now. And then a talk about how he created one of his paintings ...
Sunday, he offered a class - and I have never done any of Daniel Smith's Sunday classes before, but with an early service at church, I was able to hit Starbucks for iced tea and still make the class. I expected to do no painting, just listen and observe. It was awe inspiring this man's talent, his ability to communicate (with a strong Mississippi accent!) and one gets the idea he is a very regular guy.
As usual, there were four times as many women as men in the class - it drew only 8 of us! World class artist, thousands of artists in Seattle and 8 showed up - simply amazing! But, small classes also mean that you are going to learn! My most valuable lesson? How to make a smooth non-streaking black for backgrounds - a curse in my paintings! That alone was worth the $100 cost - probably the best money spent in quite a while!
Check out the link above and see the kinds of work which have set him apart in the world of art.
Best part of the weekend though, was I had a chance to talk with him during breaks. I found out he started painting at age 60. He had always loved to draw but had never painted. Now, 12 years later, he is at the top of the art world.
So, there is hope for Kris after-all! Cleaning house this week so I can paint next weekend!!!!!
:)
They brought in Laurin McCracken, one of the top five watercolor painters in the world! If you click on the link you will be taken to the Recent Paintings page on his website. I really do not like still life painting, which he excels in, but I went to his lecture on Dutch Masters - very good. Then a lecture on how to sell art - OMG!, I never knew what a used car salesman environment the art world really was! So, got all of those in's and out's in my notes now. And then a talk about how he created one of his paintings ...
Sunday, he offered a class - and I have never done any of Daniel Smith's Sunday classes before, but with an early service at church, I was able to hit Starbucks for iced tea and still make the class. I expected to do no painting, just listen and observe. It was awe inspiring this man's talent, his ability to communicate (with a strong Mississippi accent!) and one gets the idea he is a very regular guy.
As usual, there were four times as many women as men in the class - it drew only 8 of us! World class artist, thousands of artists in Seattle and 8 showed up - simply amazing! But, small classes also mean that you are going to learn! My most valuable lesson? How to make a smooth non-streaking black for backgrounds - a curse in my paintings! That alone was worth the $100 cost - probably the best money spent in quite a while!
Check out the link above and see the kinds of work which have set him apart in the world of art.
Best part of the weekend though, was I had a chance to talk with him during breaks. I found out he started painting at age 60. He had always loved to draw but had never painted. Now, 12 years later, he is at the top of the art world.
So, there is hope for Kris after-all! Cleaning house this week so I can paint next weekend!!!!!
:)
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