People I Know: In Paint and Words – - Published!!

Following my advice given to others “freely” I have just completed and published a book of my paintings. The paintings are of people, most created in my studio with conversation I imagined them having. This has been a fun project and intend on doing another (larger) book shortly. I used the Internet publishing tool “Blurb” which has a simple to use program that will get you up and running quickly. There are many other tools out there which means that all of us can be published.

If you would like to take a look – see the preview here, or purchase

Technorati Tags: Self Publishing,Books,Art,Paintings,Writing

People We Know

I usually stay away from themes, the stories in my paintings are not consistent from one painting to another, except that I normally say I am complete with a painting once I recognize the people who are in the painting. I don’t really know them, but they look to me like people who I would know.

It’s the faces that inspire me. I imagine the conversation that they are about to have, what concerns them and have they figured out the answer yet.

I’ve often heard writers talk about the dreams they have for the characters they’ve created for their novels.

Learning How to Paint #2

One of the basic ways to learn anything is to study and even copy what others do better. Hopefully you begin to develop your own voice, but some how all of what you’ve learned that is good stays with you and shows up in your work. I think that’s the point that Francine Prose makes in her book Reading Like a Writer.

Bob Dylan has come under scrutiny lately because of some of his lyrics which may or may not have been ripped off from something he read. Original thought is rare and we live day to day mostly from what we have learned. So are we all fakes?

This painting is one that I copied from Jacob Collins as way for me to learn something that will eventually show up in one my paintings. I don’t have the same skill level as JC and there should be no comparison, but my use of color and brush strokes is mine and I’ve learned more about how to frame/layout a head.

Rare Books and Resolving a Painting

Went to a party this past Saturday, which is rare for me. I always feel spent after most social events. I had the start of one great conversation with a women who new art, literature and transported me back to a time when I worked at the NYC main Library, where there was always a lot of non-combative conversation. I learned that she and her husband owned a rare book store and knew or knew about many of the artist of 1950/60. What I loved was her use of words and her recall of the books she read. She had, in her past, taught English Literature. Well one day I will write that book, I’ve been thinking about for a while. For now I would like to be able to finish a painting or maybe knowing when I’m done.

Book Stores

Stopped by Borders books today and there are no Art Books. What was once 120 or more shelves is now down to 20? Just one wall of books. I noticed that there were considerably more books devoted to religion and like wise philosophy It may not mean anything at all, just that I was disappointed. Not only was there nothing new, there was hardly anything old.

There was not a lot of people, they must all be at Amazon. I wonder what that must be like, the social interaction? In a short while I will be outside painting, looking to enjoy myself with some friends and maybe create something that is wonderful.