Four years after I first picked up a paint brush, I still don’t consider myself to be a real artist. Part of that is that I live with an actual fine artist, but the larger part is because I am a novelist and a photographer. Though I enjoy painting, it is a distant third for…
The short answer is it depends. If, by valid, we mean always and universally true, then no. By this standard, all design rules are nonsense. The Rule of Thirds is an arbitrary line for amateurs to gaze upon while secretly learning to shift your brain’s natural tendency to center things and create symmetry. A rule…
Visual Arts, and especially painting, suffer from the same dilemma that confronts writers of fiction: that is, a lack of specificity and clarity in defining its genres. When discussing painting, it is more common to think in terms of styles than genres, so we will call them that here. While fiction has dealt with the…
The way people respond to art is pivotal to its success. Though often, the way people actually respond to art can leave the artist wanting. As an artist, of course I desire feedback beyond the usual platitudes, but despite the inexhaustible wealth of opinions that people seem to harbour and express these days on all…
I once wrote 12 rules to help newcomers become prolific writers. There was some good advice there, but looking back, most of it can be boiled down to, “Be consistent and results oriented.” Being prolific isn’t about how many projects you start. It’s about how many you finish. Were I to give similar advice today,…
As a multidisciplinary artist, I find that passing time has different effects on how I perceive the art I create. The same does not seem to be true for others’ art. If I like another artist’s piece, I will always like it. Occasionally, as I grow more in my understanding of art, my tastes broaden,…
In addition to painting versions of my and my wife’s photos, I’ve begun a series wherein I do an interpretation of photographs taken by renowned street photographers. I don’t usually have a predetermined approach to them. I really just start sketching (or painting without a formal sketch) and seeing where they take me. The results…
I am not a trained artist. I am a photographer and a novelist. Painting is a retirement hobby. I do have, however, an artist “wife coach.” Seeing her paintings develop and seeing mine are two different experiences. Maria’s paintings bloom like flowers in early June. You can tell from the start they’ll be lovely, you…
Since my favorite (and only) social media outlet, Post.News, is closing, I’ve decided to start using my blogs as a place to deposit my work. No one reads blogs, really, but it’s better than taking a part-time job to remedy my occasional boredom. I restarted my love affair with art, in earnest, back in 2021,…
I started painting in oils in early 2022, and although I’m not sure I’ve improved much, I am taking it more seriously. Here’s an effort from last year. “Wodaabe Men,” oil on canvas, 16 x 20 inches, 2023, Bill Jones, Jr.
The Artists' Sanctum 