Studio 37

A long time coming

2011-01-21T11:49:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been forever since I posted anything here and sadly since I updated my website.

It's amazing what an upheaval in your personal life can do to your creativity. May 2009 I separated form my wife of nine years. While in some ways it has been the best thing for me because i was truly unhappy and felt restricted in what I was 'allowed' to do to pursue my art it has still been a very tough and trying time.

I have since met a beautiful young lady who has made a huge difference in my life, especially through her support for me and my art. Sadly however, I have had the hardest time getting back into my art. I have created a few paintings that I'm happy with but nothing substantial. I did a minor show the first summer after my separation but again nothing substantial.

You would think now that I have this 'freedom' that I would spend more time creating. But it seems like we as humans lose one creative block only to fill that space with another. Health and financial concerns have been the two that top my list. But I'm dealing with both now.

I am so thankful for the fact that I teach in an art program filled with talented and enthusiastic young people. I find people from my own generation to be a little stodgy and well, frankly boring. Maybe this is because I spend so much time with younger generations I thrive off of their energy and enthusiasm.

I am so excited about teaching drawing that sometimes it's hard to control that excitement. Especially when students are 'on' and they are really getting what it is I am trying to put forth. Nothing is more exciting than seeing that light come on and the student going to the next level in their art.

I suppose in some ways I am still participating in my creativity, albeit vicariously through my students. But every time I step into that drawing studio a new Me comes forth. A little happier, a little more confident and a lot more enthusiastic. Now...how to carry this through into the rest of my life?

Print making

2009-03-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

Had an awesome crash course in printmaking today at The Print Studio, 173 James North Hamilton ON. If you're in the area, go and have a look at their setup, its quite impressive.

The seminar was directed by Matthew McInnes of The Print Studio. His love and adeptness for the medium was quite apparent as he touched on screen printing, relief printing (wood block, lino block), intaglio printing (etching, engraving, drypoint) and planographic print making (stone lithography).

We were allowed to print what we brung as we came prepared with lino blocks (and in my case a bad version of a drypoint) ready to print. The whole process was painless, and relaxed and a hell of a lot of fun. Its a great process.

If you have yet to immerse yourself in the world of printmaking, take one of the techniques mentioned above and research it. Look into seminars or courses or become a member at The Print Studio. Printmaking allows such versatility and flexibilty and creative empowerment it is unbelievable.

Indulge yourself

"Man in a Box"
Drypoint
James Gielfeldt 2006

Words from Master Picasso

2009-03-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

I love this excerpt from a book I am finishing up, "Life with Picasso", written with Francoise Gillot, one of Picasso's many lovers.

"...art is something subversive. It's something that should not be free. Art and Liberty, like the fire of Prometheus, are things one must steal, to be used against the established order. Once art becomes official and open to everyone, then it becomes the new academicism." " How can I support an idea like that? If art is ever given the keys to the city, it will be because its become so watered down, rendered so impotent, that it's not worth fighting for." pablo picasso

think about it.

métamorphose de la femme
acrylic on paper
james gielfeldt 2009

its been a long time (since I rock and rolled)

2009-02-25T18:45:00.000-08:00

Well, its been way too long since I wrote something here.
I had lost my focus for a while (my sense of purpose, not the car) but it seems to be coming back in droves.

What has brought it back I can't really say for sure but a lot of it has to do with the enthusiasm of my students. As most 'teachers' (i consider myself an instructor more than teacher) would agree you tend to feed off the energy in the room. I think this is particularly true in the arts. Lately there has been a good deal of hard work and enthusiasm going on and it has bolstered my own.

Also, I had reflected back on my methods of teaching during the summer break and decided it was not effective for the current generation of students. I had to make some changes. Those changes were in fact, simply going back to what I knew works, the basics. Good structure, good drawing habits and lots of demonstrations. Also, bringing the students along a little more slowly than trying to fast track some of the ideas. It seems to be working.

The demonstration part has had the wonderful side effect of improving my eye, and therefore my sketching and painting. One can never draw too often...it needs to happen all the time.

Also, I have started a journey into the world of Pablo Picasso. I Just completed a wonderful retrospective book on his work, and life and now I am reading the book 'Life with Picasso', which basically chronicles his life with Francoisé Gilot. Its a wonderful read. I am completely smitten with Picasso at this stage of my career. I see some similarities in my path as his including a love of the work of El Greco.

I have gained a lot of inspiration from these readings. Not to try to emmulate or copy Picasso because that would be rather futile. But it is always inspiring and encouraging to see what other artists have gone thru in their quests.

As well, there has been a lot of encouragement from certain individuals, you know who you are, to continue what it is I am doing. This kind of encouragement, and interest in an artist's work whether monetary, emotional or cerebral is probably the most important. It solidifies in the artist the desire to continue on the path they have chosen.

Living in the past

2008-09-23T21:27:00.001-07:00

Friday, February 03, 2006

Referring Back

Recently while doing an inclass painting assignment with my second year students the question came up about using reference. Specifically reference photos. How true to the photo should you stay? Can you use other people's work as reference? etc etc. Well, as far as other people's work, as long as you are abiding by copyright laws and not copying or reproducing other artist's materials then it is fine to look to those who have gone before for guidance.

As for how true to stay to the photo really depends on what it is you are trying to achieve in recreating the image. If you are attempting a photorealistic image then I guess it is best to stay true to your reference. But personally, I see little value in trying to exactly recreate what you have already done on film or digitally. It should be your goal to add your feeling, emotions, point of view etc to the work. There is nothing better than a piece of handmade artwork, where you can see the artist at work through each brushstroke or the placement of each piece of whatever media it is you choose. As A.Y Jackson said (and I paraphrase) "The recreation of nature is never the artist's intention and is of minor virtue".

Besides all this, one must be careful not to let the reference dictate the piece you are trying to create. One must work beyond the limitations of the reference material. See what the camera eye misses, see past the photgraphers lens.
Never be afraid to alter or interpret the reference material no matter what it is. And remember that the camera tends to distort the image even to a slight degree and you have to use the knowledge you have gained through true observation to discern between what is assumed and what is believed.

An oldie but a goodie

2008-09-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

check the date

Saturday, February 25, 2006

An abstract point of view

As a student I never really liked Picasso, cubism or abstraction, but as I progresse more as an artist, abstraction and cubism etc becomes more and more interesting to me. It seems that as we develop our skills realism takes a back seat to experimentation and abstracting. I think it is the artists desire to create from within and not just copy from nature.

Abstract: (Websters says: Etymology: Medieval Latin abstractus, from Latin, past participle of abstrahere to drag away, from abs-, ab- + trahere to pull, draw
-having only intrinsic form with little or no attempt at pictorial representation or narrative content )

Some proponents of abstract painting , particularly the great Lawren Harris of Group of Seven fame, believe that an artist could abstract purely from thought, that there would be no relationship to any given form or natural occurrence. This may be true but since our thoughts are completely impacted by our senses, particularly sight then that may be hard to prove. But, abstracting can be as simple as painting an apple, the minute you lay brush to canvas that painting is abstract because that apple is never going to look quite the same ever again. This may be pushing the envelope but to a degree I believe it to be true.

I think that every conscious and subconscious thought we have goes into our work, abstract or not, therefore our work is impacted in some degree by our experiences.

Even high realism and photorealism I consider to be abstract because it is too clean, too perfect, too precise to be natural. Yes it has pictorial sense and narrative but it it is hyper-real, too real for real, therefore in a sense it could be called abstract just not in the classic sense.

Welcome

2008-09-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back at the blog. You know how it works, go nuts.
I'll try to keep this thing updated with interesting but useless facts, notes about art and creating and what ever else pops into my mind.