I just discovered your work (god I love it) and your insights confirm the suspicions I have in my own naive and young art journey. I dearly needed this to reflect on! Thank you.
Harry - some/most of the things you write, I also feel. Thank you. I cherish the painting I have of yours. I bake all the time. I try to paint all the time (even if it is in my head) ... and I notice some of my paintings other people like and that is good. I try to compare myself to myself and it is hard with all the other paintings out there ... an amazing amount! Thank you for your writings.
A lot to unpack there Harry, so many great points.
One area that resonates with me was the 'baker' analogy. Years ago I was talking to an accomplished (long history, works in state galleries, retrospectives etc) contemporary artist here in Australia. He was worried that he was no longer achieving high prices easily and I said (a bit insensitively I suppose) that it's ok because it's 'just art'. I meant that in reality art is just another 'thing' humans do like cooking, making bridges and digging ditches. He became very angry and said that that was only my 'projections'.
He may have been right - perhaps, but I have thought about this a lot over the years and still feel that way. I have enjoyed a very modestly successful on/off painting life for 40 years and still enjoy it, sales or not. To me art is just what I do at times - at other times I dig ditches.
Thanks for this...and great story! The sad truth is that the vast majority of art (and everything) will end up in the landfill site.....this reality is not a permanent gig :) So it's a good idea to ease up a bit on all the angst. I really enjoyed your response!
I really got a lot from this article, thank you so much. I am planning to print it out and stick it into my workbook. I personally have found getting to ‘don’t worry, be happy’ takes mental strength and fortitude - the strength to turn away from pointless worries. And you provide great prompts for doing just that.
Your larger point seems to be, we shouldn't worry about consistency, "coherent body of work", development, etc.
Your self confidence and (sorry) extremely consistent painting style is both admirable and enviable. But, well...
Don't worry, be happy? Nice work if you can get it, cry the teaming hordes of lower animals like me, as well as shining stars like Robert Schumann and Nicolas de Stael.
P.S. I still enjoy very much the painting I bought from you many years ago.
Thanks, Kathleen...and I'm glad you're still enjoying the painting you purchased! I actually don't think I know that much about happiness......but I know that making the work, and keeping going, will really give purpose, and helps reduce mental anguish. But for whatever ailed Nicolas de Stael...oh my goodness, I can't comment much on that depth of misery.
I just discovered your work (god I love it) and your insights confirm the suspicions I have in my own naive and young art journey. I dearly needed this to reflect on! Thank you.
Thank you, Kaitlyn! :)
Always enjoy your thoughtful posts. Thanks doe sharing.
Thank you, Maggie!
Harry - some/most of the things you write, I also feel. Thank you. I cherish the painting I have of yours. I bake all the time. I try to paint all the time (even if it is in my head) ... and I notice some of my paintings other people like and that is good. I try to compare myself to myself and it is hard with all the other paintings out there ... an amazing amount! Thank you for your writings.
Thank you so much, Teri! Happy painting...and baking :)
A lot to unpack there Harry, so many great points.
One area that resonates with me was the 'baker' analogy. Years ago I was talking to an accomplished (long history, works in state galleries, retrospectives etc) contemporary artist here in Australia. He was worried that he was no longer achieving high prices easily and I said (a bit insensitively I suppose) that it's ok because it's 'just art'. I meant that in reality art is just another 'thing' humans do like cooking, making bridges and digging ditches. He became very angry and said that that was only my 'projections'.
He may have been right - perhaps, but I have thought about this a lot over the years and still feel that way. I have enjoyed a very modestly successful on/off painting life for 40 years and still enjoy it, sales or not. To me art is just what I do at times - at other times I dig ditches.
Thanks for this...and great story! The sad truth is that the vast majority of art (and everything) will end up in the landfill site.....this reality is not a permanent gig :) So it's a good idea to ease up a bit on all the angst. I really enjoyed your response!
I really got a lot from this article, thank you so much. I am planning to print it out and stick it into my workbook. I personally have found getting to ‘don’t worry, be happy’ takes mental strength and fortitude - the strength to turn away from pointless worries. And you provide great prompts for doing just that.
Thank you Helen....glad the writing was helpful! Good luck with everything!
Your larger point seems to be, we shouldn't worry about consistency, "coherent body of work", development, etc.
Your self confidence and (sorry) extremely consistent painting style is both admirable and enviable. But, well...
Don't worry, be happy? Nice work if you can get it, cry the teaming hordes of lower animals like me, as well as shining stars like Robert Schumann and Nicolas de Stael.
P.S. I still enjoy very much the painting I bought from you many years ago.
Thanks, Kathleen...and I'm glad you're still enjoying the painting you purchased! I actually don't think I know that much about happiness......but I know that making the work, and keeping going, will really give purpose, and helps reduce mental anguish. But for whatever ailed Nicolas de Stael...oh my goodness, I can't comment much on that depth of misery.
Thank you, Harry ❤️
Thank you, Ethan!