Some of My Musings

This after noon I tried to paint. I've had two paintings that I've worked on all week, and all I can say is that I need to take a class. Seriously. When I use colored pencils I know what to do and the work just rolls along, but paint is so difficult and that is frustrating. OK. I've vented. 

Now let me explain the work I've posted here. These are all from last year, and I don't think they have ever been posted on my blog. The one above, with the kiwis, hung in the gallery for months and didn't sell. The one below, with the pears, sold to someone in California, and the last one is hanging in my living room. Well, my point here is that I pretty much like them better than the work I've been doing. These are all on pastelbord, and done with colored pencils. The backgrounds all look so washed out in the photos, but they are dark in person. Anyway, I'm happy with these, but they don't express anything. I haven't found my voice! I've been trying to express myself better with the acrylics and it's not happening and I'm frustrated. As I said before. Well, I guess I've vented twice here.

Here, finally, is what I want to say today. The reason for this post is that I've been thinking about this......I peruse many artists' sites and see all kinds of art. It seems to me that we can be sorted into three categories. Stay with me here, I am going somewhere. OK. Let me just say that these are only my observations.

1. I see many sites that represent traditional, working artists. Some are working casually and some are supporting families with their art. 
2. Illustrators are the next group. Some of them cross the line and are selling work as traditional artists, and some do work for design companies, and some are freelance illustrators.
   
3. This is the category that I find strangely interesting; sketchers. Especially the moleskin sketchers, it seems they seek each other out more than the other two groups. The beautiful work that sits in these notebooks is unbelievable. When I look at the detailed drawings, I think of what great art these already make, and how they could be the basis for wonderful paintings.  I regularly check in on France Belleville, Andrea Joseph, Nina Johannsen  and others.  Maybe they sell work I don't know about, but the point is that they all seem to sketch for fun. Now I know I should be sketching on a daily basis to make my self a better artist, so I've just ordered my first moleskin notebook. And I hope I will be generous with my art like they are.