Seeing Like an Artist, Tip 2

Narrow Your Gaze

If Tip #1 is to Consider All Possibilities, then Tip #2 is to narrow your gaze. An artist studies the subject at the center of his/her work with a focus not dissimilar to meditation. 

After considering a world of possibilities, an artist tunes out all outside information to consider an idea, object or event in intense detail.

This might mean examining a single subject over and over in order to understand it's core.

It is safe to say, for example, that Monet knew the Rouen Cathedral like the back of his hand after painting it more than thirty times. Of course, what he was really studying was the way that the light affects a scene. He could have chosen to include details such as the particularities of its architecture, or the life congregating outside its entrance as well, but this series is so powerful because it involves a narrowing of gaze.

In fact this is one reason why artists tend to exhibit series of work together, submit their related work to competitions, and be historically remembered for a certain type of work. A serious artist knows that every moment is full of mind-blowingly exciting information, and decides to jump right into one aspect of that fullness with gusto.

5 Tips for Seeing Like an Artist

I am blessed to have friends working in just about every field imaginable. Scientists, Architects, Coaches, Engineers, Teachers, etc. -- it's fascinating how differently we all see the world!
Of course there are as many artists as there are people, but this week I am writing a series of posts about what it is generally like to see the world through the eyes of an artist. So without further ado, Tip Numero Uno:

CONSIDER IT ALL POSSIBLE (And Be Just A Tiny Bit Insane)

 An artist does not consider reality in terms of its limitations. Where other professionals may look and see what is, an artist looks and sees what may be. 

Christo and Jeanne-Claude are a classic example:

Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin

Running Fence, Sonoma and Marin counties, California

Wrapped Trees, Riehen, Switzerland

Over The River, 6 x 40 miles of silver fabric suspended the Arkansas River in Colorado

The pair viewed landscape and architecture as jumping off points for their creations. 

Or you could consider Adonna Khare, the elementary school art teacher,who took home ArtPrize 2012's grand prize:

Khare dared to imagine a drawing which used the humblest of materials, the carbon pencil, included an exhausting level of detail, and wrapped around multiple floors of a gallery. Can you even imagine the stamina that would take?

Of course, seeing the world in terms of possibility does not apply only to thinking in terms of extreme scale. 

Capri Battery, Joseph Beuys

No matter the form of the work, an artist sees the conceptual possible in what is.

Saying Much With Little

Friends, thank you to everyone who came out to the Holiday Open Studio last Friday! The night was such a fun way to catch up, share some art and toast the future!

This week I am back to work on holiday commissions. I've told you before how I love the challenge of finishing art under the pressure of a deadline. There is nothing like slapping on the last few brushstrokes, and crossing my fingers that a painting is dry enough to ship in the morning. I relish that adrenaline, but every holiday season I run up against the same problem.

A painting sings when it strikes that perfect balance between giving 'too much' and 'not enough' information. There is a temptation when working on depictions of real people or places for someone else though, to include more detail than necessary. The subconscious thought process goes something like this: "Mrs. X wants me to paint a portrait of her son, therefore I must be accountable for every last one of his eyelashes and freckles."

John Singer Sargent: master of the subtle portrait

Of course this logic is completely ridiculous! A person or place is more than the sum total of its parts. The job of the artist is to shift through mountains of visual information and re-present/highlight only the most  important or interesting details.

Richard Diebenkorn had a genius for conveying the simple. The importance of that cardamon orange plane against the cobalt sky would be completely lost if he had made this a painting about details.

Reading this article from the Greater Good blog, I was struck by words to that effect: 

 (A)n author/artist used his or her skills to convey much with little—to articulate a complicated human condition in a few words, to relay reams of information in a few pictures, to turn a single memorable mental image into a take-it-with-you tool for understanding the soul and navigating change. And that, I suspect, may be the key takeaway for generating and sharing insights: it’s about finding a simple way to help a reader, an audience, a fellow human being make sense of complex things.

I've been awful about posting, but next week I promise to share a few "complex things" that I've broken down a bit!

The art has been hung, the lights have been strung and the alcohol has been purchased...

All that's missing is you!

Can't wait to see you all tomorrow night!

...or at least I hope that you will!!

A few (awesome!) friends are helping me string lights and hang art tonight for Friday's Holiday Open Studio!

And I'm taking cocktail suggestions.

This looks good:

Also dreaming of some sort of spiked hot chocolate...

Any personal favorites? Do share!

Did I Mention the Monotypes?

I adore printing! I do. Especially when it comes to monotypes. I wish I had access to a press all the time. Sadly, I do not. BUT! You, my friends, can help yourselves to the infrequent fruits of my labor at the Holiday Open Studio on Friday!

Also, there will be large sketches for a whole lot less than a you would spend on that lame sweater for your brother. SOooo...stop by the studio and pick your poison!

Two More Reasons

In case you need a little more convincing to stop by my Holiday Open Studio, here are two more little reasons in oils and thread:

ONE

TWO

 Are you coming now? Say yes!!

Here is the deal in case you missed it the first time around: If you are a supporter of my art practice (which of course you are as a reader of this blog) I am inviting you to my studio for a little party to celebrate the successful launch of my Urban Portrait Project, AS IS. There will be paintings, sketches, prints and cards for sale at a steep discount by way of a big THANK YOU for your friendship and support! So come stop by 3838 Northampton Street, DC on November 30th from 6-9 PM for a cocktail or two!