Have Tea with an Artist

We all have our blah moments....... Not only creatively but personally as well. Well, for artists the personal and professional are so intertwined that creative blah generally leads a personal one!! In one of my earlier blog post I have talked about "how to get out of creative funk"...... But as I was dealing with a sense of apathy today I thought one of the best way to renergize myself is through connecting with people who are completely passionate about what they do!! That is, other artists.

Surrounding oneself with passionate people has  direct influence on psyche of another. I have noticed that after spending time with one of those neurotic, " about me" people for sometime my spirit droops and I also start to think in that negative way...... Not to talk about the headache they give!! But when I am surrounded by artists (or anyone who is completely passionate about something) I come out with a sense of excitement!!

Their passion transforms me into a better artist. I can't wait to get up in the morning and head for the easel with that residue excitement! So if you are feeling strangled, find someone who is brimming with excitement about art or life and that infectious feeling will get you bouncing! I think painting groups are a great way of inspiring one selves! I have learned more from my fellow artists than all the professors at the art school! Some artists feel that they are isolated from other artists because of their locations but at this age of social networks that is such a non issue! I have met some of the most passionate people on social netwoks than I could ever have ever imagined!!

Off to the easel for now! Have a creative week, my friends!

Creativity\Solitude

Recently I found a website/blog called Zenhabits. One of the posts that I liked is called the Lost Art of Solitude! The post talks about how solitude is one of the most important thing artists need to create art! Or rather, any creative person needs time away from the general society.I agree with this wholeheartedly! I create best when I stay away from  people ! I might sound unsocial or reclusive but I have found that when I am interacting too much with people, I somehow lose that edge I need to create.Maybe I am one of those people who can't compartmentalize......When I am out and about with friends or family too much,  I am emotionally too exhausted to actually focus and reach deep down within myself that holds the well of creativity! Silence makes me eloquent! Is it true for you too? Do you feel that by being still you are able to speak more?

I have a feeling that I am creating less now that the Holiday season is here. I am out and about too much! When I am not really "out" I am thinking of the stuff that I need to do before I have to get out again! Saying "no" to all the engagements that takes us away from our art  is perhaps not possible.... But I am looking forward to maybe staying away  from society  for next couple days...At least till the weekend, when I will be sucked into the vortex of merry making...... Let me end with this quote:
“I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers.” ~ Thoreau
 You can read more about this topic here: Zenhabits 

Portrait of Paloma

Drawing children takes a different kind of skill. There  is always a chance that they might end up looking too mature for their age and be a parody of themselves! Only a very few artists, in my opinion has been able to capture that essence of childhood. Mary Cassat is one of the painters, I feel who was able to do it with aplomb! Even though Sargent is one of my most favorite painters , I always feel his portraits of children lack the innocence I would love to see in them . The portraits of the daughters of Edward Boit,  specially has a sense of mystery and secretiveness  that makes for a great work of art but it does lacks the sense of innocence and vulnerability! Of course I have to add here, that romanticizing children and sugar coating their portraits is not something I am advocating! What I want from a child's portrait is to glimpse his character but at the same time have that sense of  sweetness! But it is always easy to critique someone else work than to do one's own!

Portrait of a Child, Marry Cassat

Daughters of Edward Boit, Sargent Boston MFA

Paloma, Ishita Bandyo

The case in point is my rendering of Paloma, my two year old (going on three) ! She looks way older than her true age. I think the harsh lighting has something to with that. I feel proportionally it is not too bad but somehow, there is something missing ...... Something that makes it Paloma. She looks not only older but sort of wiser! Maybe that is who she  is, but  being her mom I still see her as the  little infant I brought home?

Man, Myth and Sensual Pleasures: Jan Gossart's Renaissance

I recently caught the Gossart exhibition, "Man, Myth, and Sensual Pleasures", at the Met, NYC. It was really exciting to see the evolution of an artist! I think the exhibition  was pretty comprehensive as it not only followed Gossart’s development as an artist, but  also placed him in the broader artistic scene of the time.

In the early part of his career, his style was no different from other Antwerp based Mannerist painters! His work at this juncture shows the same devotion to line, bold colors and overcrowded compositions! Fastidious rendering of architectural details and improbable relationship between these structures and the human figures were completely mannerist in style. He fit in perfectly with the artistic environment at this point in his career. In many of the paintings at the show, the architectural details are obsessive! In one "Madonna and Child" triptych the background was so crammed, it takes away from the central theme of the painting! Not to mention the garish colors!

As the exhibition  moves on to the next phase of his career, the shift in his style is palpable.Even though his paintings still remained somewhat mannerist, there was a marked move towards a more natural style! It seemed to me there was  some hesitancy to his approach at this juncture but  no doubt  he was moving away from his earlier style! In  a painting of the holy family (sorry about lack of pictures, everything everywhere is copyrighted) we can discern overlap of styles! While the background has the same crowded and detailed look as his earlier paintings, the holy family seems to be painted in a more naturalist way! The form seems fuller and the acid colors of mannerism seemed to have softened! I really did not understand why Joseph was rendered as an ugly old man, whereas Mary and Jesus were painted to look like royalty! But that is another topic all together!

His trip to Italy with Phillip of Burgundy at this point, leads to more acute change in his style! He copied sculptures tirelessly and the drawings show his endeavor towards a natural rendering of the human form! The drawings of Cain and Able and those of Adam and Eve are beautifully rendered with fluid gestures but with attention to anatomy! No more strangely dragged out and distorted anatomy that was still part of  Northern Art! A Durer Adam and Eve etching was nearby to show the divergent style! I absolutely loved his sculptural rendering of a sorrowful Jesus! The controposto of the seated Jesus was actually  copy of the  torso of the Apollo Belvedere but the expression on face of Christ is so human, it almost brings tear in one’s eyes! Gossart has finally come to his own! He is made the cut into that elusive definition of a “Master”. His humanity and technique has molded together to make great art!

The exhibition  next moves onto his commercial portraits..... They are done superbly with flawless technique of course! But to me the high point of the exhibition  was the Sorrowful Jesus, where, I think the Gossart , who changed the Netherlandic painting to its later form, came into being!

"Man, Myth, and Sensual Pleasures: Jan Gossart's Renaissance" ran at The Metropolitan Museum of Art through January 17, 2010. 


I have included a conservation Clip at the bottom from You tube, Really interesting !

Drawing: Again!

So, bored with my drawings yet? I hope not! Since I am having such a ball! I am thinking of starting another drawing tomorrow. I wish I had more patience to take more time to finish a drawing! To make the modeling more precise..... I am making myself slow down but it seems I can't slow down any more! My drawing teacher, Jon de Martin will probably make me erase the whole thing but I am okay with this one! Hope you enjoy this.

Drawing-Head III

I just wanted to add this picture to the drawing series. I need to finish at least one painting this month and I have been so engrossed in drawing that I haven't kept up with painting. With the holiday show coming up at the gallery (www.mapleandmaingallery.com) I need to step up!

Drawing-Head of a Man

Ugly men are so much  fun to draw! That did not come out right; what I mean is men with rugged face and prominent features are fun to draw/paint! Whew, that sounds much more politically correct! I think babies and pretty women are hardest to paint with their smooth skin and regular features....Maybe some artists drawn more to imperfection than so called ideal beauty.... Leonard loved to draw  deformed people.... And personally, I think those drawings are far better than his drawings of beautiful women. They have a pathos and integrity that the others lacked (again, my personal opinion and I understand if people disagree)! I wanted to include of some of the drawings by Leonardo that I absolutely love!. Here is a link to a drawing  of a hunchback that he drew. I want to copy it but I can't find a high resolution drawing to copy from...... Time to hit the libraries! 

http://www.drawingsofleonardo.org/images/grotesque.jpg

Drawing a day, keeps the cobweb away?

Back to Drawing I! Finally got to the head! I think I will take a break from drawing for this week! I got to get a couple of painting done for the Holiday Show at the Gallery! I can't believe the holidays are upon us! Macy'has been playing Old Santa songs since October..... So here it goes: Another Copy from Charles Bargue Drawing Lessons!

Follow up on drawing

I think I have made some headway in my drawings!  Not fighting with the medium as much but still struggling with the proportions.....I think I am getting a little obsessed by technique and not enough "creativity".I am not sure if that's good or bad but obsession can be dangerous sometime.... I was just thinking what if I get so bogged down by the grass that I fail to see the meadow anymore(or something like that)! Is creativity more important than technique? Or the other way around? I think the best way will be a marriage between the two? Are there any happy marriages out there??Ah well, here it goes:

Drawing

Lets read the quotes before we go on further with my post::

Never become an artist if you can't learn to draw. (Sergei Bongart)

 Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worth while, and it will do you a world of good. (Cennino Cennini)

 Drawing is the backbone. It is no good having a lovely sense of light and color if there isn't the firm foundation underneath. (Alexander Creswell)

 You just cannot cheat when you draw. (Sandy Davison)

Drawing is the basis of art. A bad painter cannot draw. But one who draws well can always paint. (Arshile Gorky)

I have not been listening to these great advices... ..I am sorry to say that I have been neglecting this side of art making! My only drawings have been little sketches with lines and scribbles to figure out a composition. Actually, I  have always loved to draw and did pretty good at art school when it came to drawing (well, lets not count the freshman year)! But somehow drawing took a back burner in the scheme of things. I got seduced by color and ultimately neglected something that is a backbone to an artist's skills! Like Gorky says, someone who can't draw is just not a good painter! And by ignoring drawing I think I have been neglecting the very foundation of my artistic integrity! So for the next month I am going to devote at least 50% of my efforts to drawing! I have decided to do at least four full blown academic cast drawings for this period.... I just think unless I do this I can't move to the next stage of my development! How many times have we seen a painting killed by poor drawing skill?! We actually smirk at people like that! And I am determined to avoid that fate! Seriously!So here's my first effort. Don't be too harsh! This is the first time that I have finished a drawing after almost three years!

For some reason I have steered clear of Indian concept of art ! I have seen and admired Indian miniatures but have not formed an intimate relationship with it! Having been trained in western art , somehow the decorative aspect of traditional Indian art seemed a little foreign to me! It is funny that your own can seem so alien! A recent visit to Boston MFA made me realize the scope of what goes under the term" Indian Art".

Most of the time when we talk about the Indian Folk Art , it means pictures/statues made in Indian villages, by both men and women, mostly for decorative purposes.The so called Indian Folk Art were generally made by family of painters who have been working at the profession for generations. I don't think there was any concept of individuality! It was a family business, that's all! That is not to say that they lacked signature style.There was always a marked difference between different workshops and the "master" painter ruled the roost. Most of the time the master painter also turned out to be the male head of the family.

Not only the quality of work differed from workshop to workshop but it also depended on the history, sociology and geography of the regions it was produced. The art produced in Gujarat is markedly different from that of Bengal. To some extent their style and quality depended on the materials available in the place in which they were executed And these very factors help us to identify them region wise. And yet, through all the apparent diversity there runs an underlying unity which makes them 'Indian'.

The paintings or miniatures that I saw in Boston cannot be called "local art" though! They were specifically made for the nobility and the court!Best painters from different regions were brought to the court and their work styles were infused together to make what is called the 'court art' .Of course the craftsmanship improved under the royal tutelage. Not only the best artists were employed for producing these works but the materials and the time spent on these works were exceptional! Nothing short of finest silk and gold leafing were used to produce these works.

Anyhow , my point is that I feel guilty that I have neglected Indian art for so long! Now that I am really "looking" I can see the influence of "Kalighat" school of painting in works by Picasso and Gris. Works by Klimt also borrowed heavily from Indian art. These painters ignored perspective, used color for its own sake or for symbolic purposes and had freely distorted and modified the human form-just like the Indian traditional paintings!