Monday, June 5, 2017

Art Lessons Ahead

I will start two new art classes this week.  Each one is 6-weeks long - one class a week.  Tuesday afternoons I'll be attending Kevin Menck's "Fundamentals of Landscape Painting" at Warehouse 521 in Nashville.  Then on Thursday mornings, I will be attending "The art of Landscapes" by Rachael McCampbell at Owl's Hill Nature Center.  Should be interesting.

Mostly I'm a little nervous - like I'm going to be revealed as a major novice painter and will be so far behind everyone else in the classes.  However, one of the benefits of being older is that I really don't care that much about what other people think.  I AM a novice, and I'm there to learn.  I know I'm not a great painter - I don't have what some call a "talent" for it.  However, I can learn - and I get a lot of satisfaction from it.  So I will continue.

I'm glad both classes are on landscapes.  That something I'd really like to get better at - both en plein air - and alla prima.  I want to get to the point that I can see values more easily.

Onward and Upward.  LOL!

Update:  I discovered that I actually DO care what other people think - especially when the other person is someone who teaches art and described my art as "naive."  I cancelled my participation in all the classes I listed above.  I need to work on my art for my own enjoyment.  I can take online classes and lessons.  And I KNOW that "naive art" is an actual thing - and that some artists aspire to paint naive art.  However, when you AREN'T aspiring to paint naive art (art that looks like a beginner/child did it), then calling it naive is definitely not a compliment.

However, with that said, I have to work on not being so sensitive about my art.  I certainly don’t want insincere compliments.  I see people online post some truly dreadful (to me) art, and people praise it and go on and on.  I also see art that simply doesn’t appeal to me, regardless of how well it is painted.  I’ve had to “eat crow” a little after my flare-up of insecurity when the art teacher called my art naive. You’d think at the ripe old age of 67 (at the time) I would know to wait out knee jerk reactions a day or two before taking actions or responding.  But no - I had to respond while I was highly emotional.  LOL!  Age doesn’t necessarily bring wisdom!  I’m human - and that’s life.  No biggie.  Moving on . . . . 

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