Discovery

Peaceful Valley oil 18 x 14 SOLD

So it has been about 7 months since I started writing this blog.  I have posted more than I thought I would.  I have also discovered something about myself. I am not a writer. Blogging has become another thing on the list of things I have to do.  I thought it might give my readers some insight into my work, but what I have found is that I love to paint.  Painting doesn't feel like a job to me.  I amvery lucky that I somehow wound up making my living at it.

I have work to do and it is making paintings.  So, I am going to leave you with this post.  In the meantime, you can keep up with my work and my current events on my website http://www.katekieslerfineart.com/.

I will still keep up with my favorite blogs and I will still spend my free time taking in all I can about art.  I hope you do to.

Momentum

Evening's Shadow oil 14 x 11

Summers are a busy time for me.  One show is stacked on top of another, my galleries are selling work, the crowds are bustling in the resort towns near where I live.  Much of what I had to do happened in July.  I have finished painting for my Solo Show (more to come in my next post).  I have wrapped up my wet paint event in Crested Butte. August does have some teaching responsibilities, but for the most part, marks a winding down period for me.

Many artists experience the "post-show doldrums."  A lot of energy has gone into producing a show and it can be a time to reassess one's goals and sometimes the what-next can stop your momentum. So, I have learned over the years that it is important for me to line up specific projects for myself after a period of intense creation.  Otherwise, I lose focus and my production wanes.

A few ideas:

• Sign up for a plein air event.
• Line up some commission work. A specific assignment and deadline keeps you from aimlessly trying to paint.
• Visit a place that inspires you.
• Go to the nearest art museum. Study the artists you admire.

Maintaining some kind of schedule helps me immensely. Sometimes I have to do a few bad paintings to get back into the swing of things, but I do find that I can get back to my normal routine fairly quickly if I follow some of the ideas listed above.

Artist Friendships

Backyard Aspens oil 14 x 18



 Artists are solitary by nature.  We live inside our heads.  We communicate through paint or clay or charcoal.

Friendships with other artists come naturally.  We seek out people who understand what drives us.  We vent about the work and about what inspires us.  We spur eachother on. We root for eachother's successes. We know the exact blue that would make a painting work. We share information about supplies. We gather to paint together.

Matisse had Picasso.  Van Gogh had Gaugin.  Do you have an artful friend who spurs your creativity?

In Support of Art

Catching Light oil 18 x 19

I was interested to read that a new study suggests that cultural participation such as visiting art museums, going to the ballet, or attending gallery openings encourages good health and happiness in men. These activities measurably improved their lives. The study found that the effects were not the same in women--perhaps because we find other ways to wind down.  So, where physical activity was previously recommended for men, it seems that the leisurely activities that stimulate the mind and the eyes are just as important. Another reason to cultivate, not cut the arts!

Pivotal People



Cattails in April oil 10 x 8

 I recently watched a video of a talk given by the artist Bo Barlett and was struck by his artistic journey.  Every time he thought about closing the door on painting, someone would show up and lead him back to a life in paint. He was very fortunate that one of those people was Andrew Wyeth.  He was invited to work with the family to produce a film and that led him back to painting.  Since Wyeth's death, he says he has been even more motivated to do the best paintings he possibly can.

When I look back at my winding path in the arts, there have been several pivotal people that have shown up at the right time. There are memorable people who tapped me on the shoulder and reminded me to stay on course when I thought I wouldn't be able to make a living in the arts. People who opened doors for me and provided opportunity when I needed it, oftentimes immediately after a run-in with someone who did everything in their power to discourage me.

In fact, every time I tried to head in a different direction where I thought I should pursue something more stable, roadblocks appeared, and someone would show up and whisper, "hey you, remember painting?" Nothing but a career in art has made sense to me and I am lucky that there have been positive influences and pivotal people who make me want to work harder every day.

Why Selling Matters



Crossing Seasons oil 12 x 12

 For those of us who are pursuing art as a career, selling matters. Oh, I know there is the romantic notion that we should create no matter whether our product sells, but, in the end, it matters.  Selling what I have made means that my work speaks to someone. It means that I am not idly spending time in the studio. It means what I am doing goes beyond myself and makes a difference in someone else's life   It propels me to make more work. It means I can buy more materials and put food on the table and pay the mortgage.  Essentially, it means that I can do what makes me happy and that makes me very lucky indeed. 

Van Gogh is an astonishing example of someone who painted without making sales (of course, we all know what happened to him)!  He was so driven that he largely ignored the real world and his brother had the task of supporting him. Perhaps I am too practical to understand how Van Gogh managed to have any momentum, though I imagine it helps to have someone else to pay the bills. I sometimes wonder what would have happened to him had he made money from his paintings.


Van Gogh Two Cypresses

 There is a natural ebb and flow to sales.  Here in the mountains, sales follow the seasons which gives me time to compile my best work before busy summer and winter traffic.  Lately, the economy (gasp!) has kept sales in check and made me very aware that they do matter.  It is important to me to sell my work. It provides validation. It means my vision and my convictions matter.