Since I’ve been on this whole book thing for a while … thought I’d pass along some stories that might inspire others.
Recently, Don B (who has probably been wondering when I’d post this!) wrote me about taking the initiative to study works by a deceased artist:
I’ve been reading Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting again. There’s a gallery here that specializes in antique regional art. I’m well acquainted with the owner and gallery manager, so I asked if they’d let me study everything at once. In a miraculous moment, they agreed. So, last week I was able to sit in a back room, all alone with a bunch of his works to study, pick up and handle, or whatever I wanted to do. They even let me take some detail photos. Of course, these are mostly plein air pieces that he did while he was heading up the Broadmoor Academy, back in the early 1900s.
Now how cool is that??
I recall chatting with Tim Shinabarger a few years ago about a stop he made at the Glenbow Museum in Canada (the one that has more Rungius works than anywhere else in the world). When he told them he was a sculptor and wanted to see what other Rungius work was in their archives, they ushered him into a room and laid out loads of drawings, etchings, and studies for him to handle and study. Awesome, eh?
Never hurts to ask - the worst they can do is say “no”.
Tags: growth
Entries (RSS)
November 6th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Must. Go. To. The. Glenbow.
November 8th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
I’m gonna be in Calgary in April. I will go to the Glenbow and see If I can get to see Rungius drawings and let you know. I made a special trip to the Fort Worth Zoo to see the collection of Wilhelm Kuhnert paintings and they definitely didn’t give me any special treatment. I was told by a rude guest relations lady that I only had about a half hour to look at them even though I just flew thousands of miles too see them and made arrangements well in advance. But still glad I went, because that man could paint!
November 9th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Thanks! Too bad about the bum’s rush at the Fort Worth Zoo.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Your welcome. Yeah I know, …the Fort Worth Zoo doesn’t realize what they have, they use the room with the Kuhnert paintings for special events and fund raisers but the paintings clearly belong in a museum.
November 11th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
As cool as that moment was, I’m not sure I’ve implemented what I observed there. One of the things that sticks with me is that, in his book, Carlson talks about how the landscape is rounded as things bulge out from the earth. The concept is obvious in his work, when you’ve been made aware of it. I’ve noted this many times, even written poetry about it, but it hasnt been noticeably translated into my work.
November 11th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Please let me add that there are a lot of good artists posting here. If there’s a link to your work, I’ve probably clicked on it and havent been disappointed yet. You notice that there’s no link to mine. That’s because my web guy has been after me for ever so long to get him some pics. I did finally send some this weekend. The site should be updated soon and I’ll include the link then.