Thoughts on Painting

I’ve heard from various students that they are missing the weekly class, and somehow they do not find the motivation to paint at home on their own. This seems to be a fairly universal problem for aspiring artists. Here are some thoughts from one of my favorite artists, Alain Picard. “I know what happens when… read more

Last night I watched an episode of Portrait Artist of the Year on YouTube. Have you seen this terrific British show? Painters from all over the UK submit a self-portrait to be juried into the competition. As viewers, we get to see their initial submission, hear the three judges’ critique of it, and watch in amazement… read more

I have a confession to make… after many years as a representational painter, I’ve fallen in love with abstract art. I know there are people who don’t get abstracts at all – I used to be one of them. There are those who think abstract art is the refuge of would-be artists who don’t have… read more

I have long said that I can teach color mixing and brushwork, but I cannot teach seeing. But perhaps I am wrong! Let’s find out… “Seeing” is a specific skill that can be practiced and improved on, as important as brushwork or color mixing or any other painting skill. I am using the word “seeing”… read more