Coax the Soul

Scottish Rose, Susan Giannantonio

"The work of art is to help to coax the soul of the nation back to life."--Gutzon Borglum, sculptor, Mount Rushmore and other major work

Look Back, Paint Forward

Old Willow sketch, Susan Giannantonio

A trailblazing group of artists in Canada in the early 1900's struck out to the Canadian countryside and, after years of study and practice of sound academic painting and drawing, began to experiment with broken color, dots and dashes, underpainting, and alla prima. In an essay about these artists called The Story of the Group of Seven, Lawren Harris wrote, "When we focus our own seeing through our own creative activity and conviction, we are working from the inside, with the creative spirit itself; then the arts of the past and of other peoples become immediate, alive, and luminous to us."

Art's Unlimited Source

Pansies, oil on canvas, Richard Schmid

In one of my favorite "how to paint" books Alla Prima, Everything I Know About Painting, master painter and one of my very favorite artists Richard Schmid says, "Somewhere within all of us there is a wordless center, a part of us that hopes to be immortal in some way, a part that has remained unchanged since we were children, the source of our strength and compassion. This faint confluence of tangible and the spiritual is where Art comes from. It has no known limits, and once you tap into it you will realize what truly rich choices you have." For a glimpse of his creative genius, check out a 5 minute YouTube video of Richard finishing a painting: click here.

Beyond Precious

Whispering Call, 4 x 5' acrylic and collage on canvas, Mary Wilbanks

One of the messages that rings true about Mary Wilbanks' artistic journey, consistent both in her work and her instruction, is that sometimes we need to let go of what is too precious for the sake of the larger composition. Her paintings are rich in texture. The passages pull you in, compelling you to more carefully investigate. In the book Bird by Bird, author Anne Lamott tells us, "Go ahead and make big scrawls and mistakes. Use up lots of paper. Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist's true friend."

Go to the Masters

The Red Canoe, 13 3/4 x 20" watercolor, 1889, Winslow Homer
(sold at Sotheby's in 1999 for $4,842,500 and prior to that, in 1983 for $260,000!)

In the book Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg tells us "if you read good books, when you write, good books will come out of you. Maybe it's not quite that easy, but if you want to learn something, go to the source." That is my philosophy on painting as well. Those artists whose artwork draws me to it again and again have so much to teach. I never tire of pouring over the beautiful passages, hoping to figure out how to convey some of the magic in my own work. --SG

Chromatic Parallel

Vincent's Violins, Susan Giannantonio

"Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul." Wassily Kandinsky

Challenge: When to Stop?

"Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do." Edgar Degas

Yesterday I was talking with an artist friend, Jeanne Heise, who does such beautiful sketches in her sketchbook. I'd never seen them until she recently posted them on her website because she primarily exhibits full sheet watercolors. I am a fan of sketches and unfinished work. They help me understand the artist's process. They seem so fresh and spontaneous. Degas' quote may mean the obvious: painting is easier said than done. However, Degas may imply that an artist must not get bogged down in the difficulty of the process, but instead try to keep the painting fresh and not overworked. The challenge: to know when to stop!

No Time to Lose!

Dining Room on the Garden, 1934-35, Pierre Bonnard

My creative friends, it is time to pick up your brushes (pen, musical instrument, camera, your tools that enable you to create) because there is no time to lose. Get out of your own way and get busy!
In his old age, Pierre Bonnard stated "I am just beginning to understand what it is to paint. A painter should have two lives: one in which to learn, and one in which to practice his art."

Picasso, Profound

Watercolor Artist, Susan Giannantonio

22 x 30" watercolor on paper
There is much to learn from watching children. For an artist to paint from the heart of her inner child is an illusive challenge.
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." Pablo Picasso

Down with Perfectionism. Embrace Clutter!

Parable on Klimpt, Susan Giannantonio
30 x 22" mixed watermedia on paper

In the words of Anne Lamott, when we attempt perfectionism we will block inventiveness and playfullness. In the wonderful book Bird by Bird, Ann says "Perfectionism means that you try desperately not to leave so much mess to clean up. Tidiness suggests that something is as good as it's going to get. But clutter and mess show us that life is being lived. Clutter is wonderfully fertile ground--you can still discover new treasures under all those piles, clean things up, edit things out, fix things, get a grip."

Painting Inspiration: Winslow Homer

Girl Carrying a Basket, 1882, Winslow Homer

In recent months Winslow Homer's gorgeous watercolors have piqued my interest. He utilized several techniques that modern watercolor instructors seldom endorse or teach. In fact he used anything and everything necessary to achieve his beautiful results. For instance, he often used opaque white watercolor, sometimes mixing it with color, to highlight certain areas of the painting. He often abraded the paper with knives and sandpaper. He used rough paper. He even used breadcrumbs to achieve a texture similar but more subtle than salt.

Bike Jam

Bike Jam
12 x 12" ltd. edition, numbered giclee print on watercolor paper
$95 including tax and insured shipping
Purchase safely on PayPal
No account needed and all major credit cards accepted: