Monday Morning Art School: critique is executive function for the artist.
Executive function is a core concept in psychology; it is also a core concept in painting, except we call it self-critique.
Why does work look different in a gallery?
A painting isn’t truly finished until it’s in the world, doing the job it was meant to do: communicating with viewers.
Spring flowers
Spring flowers are a great opportunity to think about that all-important concept to painters: color theory.
Exercise and creativity
There’s a demonstrated link between exercise and creativity. Even a short burst of aerobic exercise unleashes our creative thought.
Announcing a new critique class online
Criticism is never mere fault-finding. There is a seed of brilliance in almost every painting, and it needs to be enlarged upon. That means discussing the merits of a painting as much as discussing its faults.
Monday Morning Art School: what is critique?
It’s not an emotional response or mere fault finding. Skylarking 2, 18X24, available. This week I begin a new online class dedicated to critique. Since it’s a totally new idea, the shape of this class is evolving. However, the plan is that students will bring work they’ve done on their own for analysis within the group. The hope is …
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Stressing out our kids
Art, not drugs, saved me from the horrible trauma of my childhood. So why do we think it’s optional for our kids? This is my grandson Jake when he was a few months old. He starts kindergarten this year. I really hope he has time to paint and draw in school. The overall death rate …
Everyone should make art
Why spend money teaching kids arts and music when we can drug them into submission? Not only did yesterday’s painting class develop their brains, they watched an osprey family on that nest on the pole. As a parent, I skirmished with my kids’ school about doodling. I agreed to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for my youngest …
Why group classes beat private painting lessons
I never give private lessons; they’re not good value for money. The hive intelligence in a class beats any painting critique I can come up with on my own.
A friend challenges me to go deeper.
Paintings aren’t made in grand gestures; they’re made with brushes, one stroke at a time. Morning Fog over Whiteface Mountain, by Carol L. Douglas. Available. When I was younger, I did a lot of work that told a story and had deeper meaning. Today, much of it seems sophomoric. I prefer to concentrate on simple …