I know that one the internet it is sometimes difficult to comprehend the scale of things so let me assure you this is A LOT more oyster shells of one sheet of paper then have previously appeared. That is because along with acquiring the Dr. Ph. Martins watercolor I purchased another Princeton Neptune Oval Wash brush, but this one is only a 1/2in, as opposed to a 3/4in. You might think 1/4in. difference, no big deal, but it is! That 1/4in. takes away a third of the brush area, a full third. Hence the brush does not retain as much pigment & the individual strokes turn out quite differently. Of course, I love the brush & its hand feel, but again some of the nuance disappears when I do not have as much pigment to work with in the brush. This seems to be my unintended theme of the week: not as much nuance. Oh well... next week is another opportunity to try again. Happy Friday Y'all! 

"Great things are done by a series of small things put together." -Vincent Van Gogh
While I do not think this painting is great yet, the idea of these words greatly appeals to me, as they clearly articulate my modis operandi of repetitive mark/printmaking. Happy Tuesday Y'all! 

When I read that quote I get a fun image of the word ART literally standing on the shoulders of the word CRAFT in some sort of cheerleading pose. It really makes me chuckle. Neither one is diminished in the scenario, as it is understood that both are integral to the success of the pose. While ART stands on the shoulders & receives the applause, anyone with basic understanding of cheerleading poses knows that without CRAFTs solid foundation, ART would fall. Practice is required for both participants. Neither one can just show up on game day & expect their stunt to work. 
Yesterday, Emily Proud, an artist I admire, posted one of her color charts on Instagram. Underneath was a conversation talking about how useful it is and others saying that they had just begun charting their colors. It takes the guess work out of how a color combination will turn out, if you have already tested it. In turn this allows your work to proceed with pace & flow. This is a very direct example of practicing your craft so your art can get better. And you really should check out Emily all over social media as she is full of wonderful tips & tricks, as well as pretty paintings. Happy Friday Y'all! 

Here are some of the birds from my "play" time yesterday. The were done with Higgins Waterproof ink & white-out pens. Happy Thursday Y'all! 

William Kentridge is an artist I greatly admire. His kinetic drawing style, combined with a sense of whimsy, tackles huge issues, both personal & global, with seeming ease. Kentridge eloquently gets at the heart of art-making with his discussion on the seriousness of play. It is almost as if when you are too distracted by the ART you can't make it, but if you allow yourself some leeway/play the art happens. I hope that you enjoy his work as much as I do & strongly encourage you to watch the longer documentary. It is well worth your time. Happy Wednesday Y'all! 

"The whole earth is a living icon of the face of G*D." -St. John of Damascus, Treatise Happy Tuesday Y'all!