July 12, 2015
“What separates artists from ex-artists is that those who challenge their fears continue; those who don’t, quit.” – David Bayles
Author: ssemchuk
“Painting is the nail to which I fasten my ideas.” – Georges Braque
July 5, 2015
“I’ve been doing a lot of abstract painting lately, extremely abstract. No brush, no paint, no canvas, I just think about it.” – Stephen Wright
June 21, 2015
Just like Stephen, I’ve been thinking about painting more than I’ve been painting. Instead I’ve been making books like these. Next weekend I’ll be back in my studio.
“It never gets easier.…”
“It never gets easier…. I try to remember that the job — as well as the plight, and the unexpected joy — of the artist is to embrace uncertainty, to be sharpened and honed by it. To be birthed by it. Each time we come to the end of a piece of work, we have failed as we have leapt — spectacularly, brazenly — into the unknown.” – Dani Shapiro
June 14, 2015
Just a short little painting session with a little work done on the bowl.
“In art there is no progress, only fluctuations of intensity. – Robert Hughes
June 7, 2015
A little more progress this week.
“We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.” – John F. Kennedy
May 31, 2015
Another painting session and a little progress on this painting.
I came across the quote above on Brain Pickings. I can easily spend hours on this website following trails of bread crumbs from one article to another, constantly discovering new and wonderful books to read, podcasts to listen to and ideas to explore…
“Technique alone is never enough….”
May 24, 2015
“Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion. Technique alone is just an embroidered potholder.”
– Raymond Chandler
I read this week’s quote and instantly felt like I could relate. Not that I think that I have mastered technique – but I realized that I’ve been focusing too much on embroidering potholders instead of finding subject matter that is calling out to me. So I’ve started a new painting that has elements that I enjoy – drapery and minimal colour – but is still somewhat daunting. I suspect this one will take awhile, and that’s ok. I hope to enjoy the process.
“In my experience, anyone can paint if he doesn’t have to.” – Beatrice Lillie
May 18, 2015
I’m still feeling pretty uninspired to paint. So I decided to play a little and created these two pour paintings. Next week I hope to begin something new and large. And hopefully interesting.
“The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic.” – Oscar Wilde
May 10, 2015
After a short vacation, I’m back with another blog post. I spent last weekend in Vancouver, BC running my sixth half marathon. It went well – it’s been two years since my last half marathon and I didn’t have high expectations. I surprised myself and ran my fastest race yet finishing in 2:06:55. Vancouver is a beautiful city and I enjoyed the trip very much. I have not painted at all for a couple weeks though. I haven’t had the chance and I haven’t really felt like it. I really need to find some new subject matter to inspire me. In the meantime, here are some drawings that I’ve done recently.
susanne semchuk 