Just What May An Artist Use as Inspiration?

Praha (Prague) - ink brush and watercolor by Judy Schroeder - This is a good example of "suffering" for art. I waited for the table and chair at the gelato shop to be open so I could get this view. Naturally I HAD to buy a gelato! Fair is fair.

Oftentimes when I stop for a lunch break at the gallery, I grab a book off the shelf and treat myself to reading about other artists and their work. Today I was reading Composition for the Painter by Frank Webb – a very good book by the way. I bought the book when I met him at an art association several years ago when he was the guest demonstrator. He had several paintings for purchase and I noticed that they all seemed to be various versions of a very few subjects. He spoke about his designs used for the demos and while he didn’t call them patterns that is my memory.

I surmised that this sought after artist is a very smart man; by using a few familiar subjects he could be free to easily comment while demonstrating for groups. Recently I have begun to think that Webb just might have another reason for his use of limited subject matter.

When painters have perfected their craft and are fully engaged in their work with hand, eye and heart, they have spent years and many, many hours finding their own personal shorthand to express their unique view of the world. Since I host workshops, I see the generosity of several painters who share this hard won knowledge with their students. Some even break down the painting process into “bite-sized” chunks, showing the group their step-by-step way of constructing a painting.

Therein lies the rub. Students, who naturally want the fast track to artistic competence, sometimes take that generosity for granted. They think that since they “painted” the workshop exercise, it is theirs. Let’s just break that down – the subject matter, composition, color scheme, emphasis – all are from the imagination of their teacher. If the work is signed at all, it should say something like – Jane Doe, after Teacher Smith. And it should not go any farther than their own walls, certainly not be entered in shows or in any other way presented as original work. Artist Tom Fong has a wonderful way to say this, “Don’t steal your teachers thunder!”

Tom could well have added, “Don’t infringe on your teacher’s copyright.” Beware, this is legal territory. If a student submits work as their own, and it is obviously taken from a workshop or copied from another source so much so that it is clearly the inspiration of another painter, the student can be held liable, however innocent their intent. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. This also pertains to the use of photographs without the express permission of the photographer. Yes, it is another medium but that doesn’t matter. The intellectual property has been used.

This subject has been coming up more and more often recently. Work on the web is so easily gathered without thought of asking permission. Posting images is so easy that hasty, thoughtless actions can come back and bite you if the work is shown without permission and attribution.

A good friend has even had her paintings copied verbatim, albeit not so skillfully, and presented to her as a “gift.” It is not a compliment to be copied, period. The student means well but please know that teachers are thrilled by work that is original and shows work and thought and progress. The way to competence as a painter is the way of all disciplines, by way of study and application of time and energy.

So now you see why I suspect that Frank Webb limits his demonstration subjects. It makes it very unlikely that others will copy his work since his demo pieces are few and well known. He’s really doing a service to both the novice painter and the hard working art associations. Work presented for judging should be original, unique and the property of the artist submitting the work alone.

Be confident of your own artistic vision. You may not be there yet, but rest assured, you will be. And when you get to that place? You will have new and more complex goals and that’s why you will become better than you ever thought possible!

Thanks for the listen, Judy

PS There are many informative sites on the web that explain the copyright laws clearly. It’s interesting reading!

  

Watercolor Musings: So THEY Say Watercolor is The Most Difficult Mediu...

Watercolor Musings: So THEY Say Watercolor is The Most Difficult Mediu...: So THEY Say Watercolor is The Most Difficult Medium.   I'm not sure where "THEY" live or pontificate, but THEY have a very ...

So THEY Say Watercolor is The Most Difficult Medium.  

I'm not sure where "THEY" live or pontificate, but THEY have a very large presence in lots of commonly believed "truisms." And sadly, most folks believe these oft repeated urban myths precisely because of that repetition which has no rebuttal. Here is my response. 

Just telling yourself that a task is difficult makes it so. Our minds are powerful so you need to get in the habit of talking yourself into expecting good results rather than the opposite. It also helps to be realistic in your expectations. Growth is a step by step process, one building block at a time. No one expects to play a difficult piece of music in one month but somehow that basic wisdom flies out the window when painting is considered. Focusing on the joy of the process rather than the end product will keep the whole experience fresh and fun. If it's not fun, chances are you won't do it with any regularity - and that really inhibits growth as a painter. 

I teach a class called "Beginning Watercolor Bootcamp." It consists of two days, usually weekends, from 12 noon to 4pm. It has proved to be much more successful than the shorter classes which run several weeks. I'm convinced it's because on the second day, there is considerable muscle memory. Practice is easier, the paint and brush better behaved and I often hear, "Oh, I get it!" Students then bounce into other workshops with confidence. Earlier I had a hard time getting them to take anything except another beginning class. 

Here are examples of studies done late on the first day of class. When I tell them that we are about to paint small landscapes, they groan and roll their eyes. But when they are finished, the delight and excitement are contagious. 

Earlier in the day, they practice several ways to apply paint. Flat washes, graded washes, glazes, wet on dry, dry on dry, wet on wet, charging in color, etc. In this exercise, I ask them to work in either a vertical, horizontal or square format using a high or low horizon line. That insures that they will avoid the half and half division of space. 

Some of the paint is applied when the initial wash is dry and some while it's still wet. Sometimes they hold up the paper to get the wet wash to run into areas they prefer and sometimes they touch an area with a repetitive color to bring more harmony, not to mention excitement, to the landscape. 

Putting paint down doesn't mean it has to stay there. Various lifts are explored such as using a tissue as above or blotting with a textured paper or simply drawing with a wet brush to animate an area. These little experiments are only about recipe card size so there is no hesitation to do several. When I take small mats to isolate each image, sometimes adjusting the size of areas, they marvel at the results. They agree with me that receiving a handmade card is very welcomed and I can see that they just might begin working small and even saving a few dollars in the process. 

Here is what I LOVE hearing at the end of the second day of class. "I'm looking at the world in a whole new way!" "That was fun!" "I'm going home to paint!" "You have opened my eyes!" 

One of the things I stress is that as painters, we never get to that plateau where we think we finally have it all figured out. No Nirvana for painters. Rather it is a continuum where effort and practice are rewarded with proficiency and progress. This is something that can be begun at any age and for most, it's an activity that is life long.

Painters tend to have long lives. I believe it's because each day has the promise of new discovery, new shapes, new images and the pure joy of discovery. I was privileged to be with Millard Sheets at a workshop near the end of his life. He said he wished he could begin all over again, saying, "Now I know what it's all about."  Not a month later I was reading a book about Cezanne and his words were almost identical. 

So if you still think THEY know anything at all about anything at all, toss that thought! Is watercolor painting easy? No. Nothing that is worthwhile is particularly easy. If it were easy, it's value would be diminished. Is it fun? Oh, yes! So if you've always wanted to paint, get out that old paint set and have a go. Find a class and if there is negativity, find another class. Don't let anyone get in the way of something so wonderful! 

Watercolor Musings: Capistrano Mission Sketch - Ink and Watercolor

Watercolor Musings: Finding Gallery Representation: Capistrano Mission Sketch - Ink and Watercolor         This article was originally written for the National Watercolor Societ...

Finding Gallery Representation

Capistrano Mission Sketch - Ink and Watercolor

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 This article was originally written for the National Watercolor Society Newsletter when I served on the board several years ago. I suggested it's inclusion after having artists come into the gallery and seek representation with seemingly no thought for how to do that.  The approach is often so clumsy that the artist gives themselves very little chance for success. Just this morning I received a phone call from a young man wanting to find a place to show his work. After I asked him a question or two I found out that he had never visited the gallery, worked in acrylic and in an abstract manner. Had he visited he would have seen that we are very full with seven painters represented and furthermore we specialize in watercolor with a representational approach. I sent him this article and was glad to hear that we were the first gallery he'd called on his long list. Since I am an artist, I want to do all I can to help those who are seeking gallery representation. Right now, after this long downturn in the economy and the subsequent closing of so many galleries in our area, knowing a few ground rules can be very helpful.

  After spending years learning and perfecting your craft, finding gallery representation might be your next goal. Since there are many more talented painters than there are galleries, it is crucial to know the various ways to introduce yourself and your work so you increase the chance of success.

         I am a painter and teacher and for the last fifteen years have owned and run a gallery with my daughter, Katie, who works in fused glass. Because of our respective disciplines, our gallery specializes in watermedia and art glass. We have watched many artists who desire representation in both media come into the gallery and request representation. Sadly, the majority has not done their homework.

         Do not:

         Walk in to the gallery with your paintings or a book of photographs of your work under your arm and expect an immediate meeting to discuss your intent.

         Expecting immediate attention in spite of a gallery full of guests is a sure way to get a negative response. The person working owes their time and effort to those artists whose work is in the gallery and to the customers in attendance. Even if the gallery has no customers, this is not the way to introduce yourself and your work.

         Go directly to the person in charge and ask, “How can I get my work into this gallery?”

         By approaching the person working the gallery about representation, you are making the big assumption that they are in a decision making position. There are many more appropriate ways to communicate your desire.

         Call on the phone during gallery hours and ask for representation. It is easy to tell if the caller has ever visited your gallery. Sometimes they don’t even know what media you specialize in. Getting a list of galleries and making a phone call to all of them without first visiting is a waste of your time as well as the gallery owner.  

Many telemarketers call during business hours and you do not want to be included in that group!

         Make disparaging remarks about the work on the walls. This should be intuitive, but it is done. If you don’t like the work included in the gallery mix, perhaps that’s a gallery you want to cross off your list.

         Expect your friendship with the gallery artists to gain you entree. Or, for that matter, expect your relationship with a friend of the gallery owner to assist you.

 Knowing an artist in a gallery can be a real advantage in that you can ask them for the appropriate way to approach the gallery owner. Some gallery artists will recommend fellow painters but that depends upon their relationship with the gallery.

         Do:

         Visit several times and observe the variety of work offered by the gallery. Galleries have “personalities” and probably reflect both the owner and the area where the gallery is located. Pay attention to that. By visiting numerous times, you get a good feeling for the kind of work that is included in the gallery mix and you can observe the gallery personnel interact with customers. This is good information to have before you make a decision about approaching a gallery.

         Be very honest with yourself about the quality of your work compared to the work on the walls.

         Oftentimes artists leave a card and a website address. It is wise to offer that information after you have had some affirmation in the artistic community. Entering shows, receiving awards for your work, and or asking for critiques from well-known and respected artists will give you a good picture of your readiness. Having said that, don’t be so hard on yourself that you wait well beyond a time when you deserve gallery representation. A neighboring gallery owner told me he thinks that 60% of artists are better than they think they are while 40% are the opposite.

         Also, by leaving a card, you put the gallery owner in the position of having to find your website and be responsible for contacting you. It’s likely that your card will be discarded if the owner is either very busy or not interested in new work at the time.

         Take note of the pricing and how it compares with yours.

    Write a letter asking if the gallery is welcoming new artists, including some photographs of your work and a request for a meeting at the gallery director’s convenience.

         Follow up with a phone call, which you have promised to do in your letter. If the answer is negative, ask if they will keep your information on file for the future.

         For this important step, doing at least as much homework as you commonly do for a large painting is a very wise use of your time. Whereas you may have more than one chance to approach a gallery, the old adage, “You have only one bite at the apple,” has some truth to it. What you don’t want to do is get off on the wrong foot at the beginning. Be methodical in your planning and keep good records. And finally, “Good Luck!”

Watercolor Musings: From Whence Subject Matter?

Watercolor Musings: From Whence Subject Matter?:   I teach a class on March Mondays for a group of painters in South Orange County, California. They meet every Monday morning and ha...

From Whence Subject Matter?

 

I teach a class on March Mondays for a group of painters in South Orange County, California. They meet every Monday morning and have a different teacher for each of the months that they meet. They are an uncommonly welcoming and wonderful group – eager for new experiences, new approaches and they treasure their time together.

I have taught, nudged and watched them over the past 5 years during our month together and this last week talked “turkey” to them. It was done with love and concern for their growth as artists but let’s face it, that sort of conversation is fraught with peril. To my delight and thankfulness, they took what I said to heart and thanked me for my candor. What did I say?

Number one, I reiterated my cautionary comments of last year when I told them that by receiving so many views, so often from a group of instructors was tricky business. Having space between and ample time to work is optimum. They then have a chance to take what makes sense for their own work and release that information that does not. Lacking that, they needed to be very choosy about what they chose to include in each teacher’s offerings. Most of these folks paint on Mondays only, which complicates growth by itself.

Then I shared my observation that most of the group used source material from others, whether it was sketches or photos or magazine photographs, the common occurrence was the use of material that was not their own. There is nothing wrong with using other resources as long as permission is granted or if the image is only a jumping off spot for a new work. But too often, the painters were copying someone else’s composition, color choices, value patterns, etc. All the important decisions are made. We have “no skin in the game” if we choose another’s viewpoint. Working from the work of others is fine if it is for the purpose of learning but the issue of copyright looms if the work is a copy of another work and then is offered for sale. Drawing and interpreting is much easier and more pleasurable if the subject has meaning to the artist.

The above is especially true of artists finding their way to their own voice as painters. Subject matter that is familiar and enjoyed frees the artists to “play” with new approaches, color schemes, compositional motifs, etc. With their enthusiastic reception of my comments, I am optimistic and looking forward to see what they do in the future.