Steven, an old friend and I made facebook contact after 30 years, he was surprised I became an artist. Perhaps he forgot that I was doodling constantly in school but more likely he was surprised because he thinks, as many people do, that artists have a difficult time making a living…the “starving artist stereotype”
I thought I would try to answer him through my first blog post.
He said, “My wife and I are trying to figure out what her (his daughter) career possibilities are in the art world since we don’t understand too well. Maybe you can give some advice.”
Before I go into the practical side of being an artist I thought it would be good to ramble a bit about what I think makes a good realist artist first…then we can get to all that career stuff.
I was trained as a classical artist, in the Frank Reilly technique…value, line, color, edge, plane, form, composition etc. I was instructed to not paint what I feel, but rather paint what I see. And learn to see I did.
I guess before my classical training when thinking of a leaf, my mind would fix upon a bland green spear shape thing with little resemblance to an actual leaf. As Lao-Tzu said “the five colors make a man blind, the five tones make a man deaf” But while studying and painting and drawing I began to see a “leaf”, with a multitude of colors, patterns, textures …and it was beautiful.
This is mindful observation.
The artist in seeing this way can begin to represent, as my business partner David says, “the truth and beauty” in life.
This artist can see the patterns and beauty of life. Through this type of observation the quieting of the labeling, judging mind happens immediately.
This state of mind does not come easy, but through proper training, and experience an artist can realize their best work.
This state of observation must be coupled with intense study in how to represent what you can now see. Classical art technique has been taught for hundreds of years and some of the best schools still teach these techniques. It is no easy task to become an artist, it takes talent, dedication and a lot of practice!
I know …just food for thought, but I promise Steven, I’ll try my best to answer your question next time.
- mike a
Links to Frank Reilly
http://www.dhfa.net/Artiststatement2.html
http://todaysinspiration.blogspot.com/2008/05/frank-reilly-could-teach-wooden-indian.html
