Some Wisdom from Harold Speed

The discussion between realism and idealism is fundamentally one about clothes--in what garments shall the spiritual realities that are the real matter of all art be arrayed. Whether it shall be sought for in the aspects of everyday things, or clothed by the artist in the most fit symbols his imagination can conceive. The reality is the same in the best examples of all art, whether real or ideal. It is this inner world of reality, the other side of material things, that art seeks to give expression to in the material terms. The old antagonism between the material and the immaterial, between the flesh and the spirit, has too often in the past led the idealist to neglect the true aspect of things (the material with which his symbols are made), and inclined the realist to give too much emphasis to the purely material aspect of things, to the neglect of the spirit. But the more reasonable modern minds are everywhere seeking to combine these two extremes, seeking the inner realities in the meanest aspect of everyday things, instead of building in the clouds. There is, truly speaking, no antagonism between the realist and the idealist.¹

If you don't already own them, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of Harold Speed's essential texts on learning to draw and paint. The Practice and Science of Drawing and Oil Painting Materials and Techniques. They offer a wealth of practical information on learning the craft as well as a generous amount of sound artistic theory and philosophy. Along with Robert Henri's The Art Spirit, I would consider them required reading for anyone pursuing art. More from these two in the future.

¹ Harold Speed, Oil Painting Materials and Techniques (New York: Dover, 1987) 66

A pear and the bitter taste of defeat

Bosc/Box, oil on panel, 7" x 7", 2010

Here's a piece I just finished. Nothing too groundbreaking as far as subject matter is concerned but I needed to knock something out to remind myself that I still knew how to paint. I just spent a month working on another, more involved piece. Sadly, it ended up not really coming together the way I wanted. So it's facing the wall to be reviewed after a couple other projects. On occasion it can help to not look at a piece for a while to rediscover its merits. When you've poured so much time and energy into a piece, it can be very easy to get disheartened when it doesn't go your way. And like any tumultuous relationship, sometimes you just need some time apart to reevaluate things. And sometimes a piece just fails. In that case, all you can do is learn what you can from the defeat and apply that knowledge to future projects.

Two recent pieces

A couple of recent pieces.

My Father's Gun, oil on panel, 9" x 13", 2010

Pater Familias, graphite, 2010

Introduction and a little background

Welcome to my blog everyone. First, a little bit of information about myself, I am a 27 year old artist. After receiving a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2006, I spent two years studying drawing and painting in San Francisco under such artists as Carl Dobsky andJustin 'Coro' Kaufman at what was then called the Next Gen Atelier. It has since evolved intoThe Safehouse Atelier and anyone interested in really learning how to draw and paint should look into it. In an effort to clear my head after so many years of studying and working full time, I took to the open road, riding my bicycle from Seattle, WA to Nicaragua. Some of the fruits of that labor can be viewed at the blog I kept of the trip. I have since returned to my easel and am producing paintings once more.

Here are a few older pieces, executed while still in San Francisco.

Rite of Spring, oil on linen, 18" x 27", 2008

Jill, graphite, 2008

Modern Romance, oil on linen, 10" x 15", 2008

Figure Study: Clody, graphite, 2008

Pear, oil on panel, 2007

That should give you a bit of insight into where I'm coming from. Check back for updates on current projects as well and reflections on my pursuits as an artist.