Will Libraries be Obsolete in 2020 and beyond?

"An Open Book" acrylic on canvas SOLD (prints available)

I haven’t checked out a library book since I purchased my Kindle a few years back. I must say, my experience was a refreshing change. I’m more at home in a library than anywhere else in the world next to a paint store or an Office Depot.

I love the smell of books, the excitement of having the world at your fingertips, and the thrall of people with the same sense of drama. Today was no exception. Our library is adjacent to the local high school, and is home to a poor but diverse community.

"Broken" mixed media on canvas SOLD (Prints available)

On this Saturday, every computer, every chair, every table was filled with students and adults reading magazines or searching for books, and parents helping their children find books for themselves. Movies were being checked out in abundance. Non-fiction books seemed more popular than fiction.

I was struck by how vital a library is to a community; especially one with few resources. I sensed that this weekly or monthly trip to the library was an exciting part of each family’s agenda. Eager smiling faces added to the vibrancy that filled the building.

I waited in line with my books: two on pastel techniques, and two on general basics; my way of taking a refresher course in between regular painting sessions and classes. A woman next to me said, “Oh, you’re an artist, too!” Then she proceeded to tell me all about the class she was taking and how she picked up some books to reinforce what she was learning.

"Victims of War" mixed media on canvas

I hope the public library will always be with us. It meant so much to me as a child. I’d walk a few streets on my own and spend the whole afternoon in its warm embrace reading books, sniffing their wonderful pages, and settling into an imaginative world that took me from my small town roots into an adventure with other worlds and cultures.

In some regions, they are already phasing out the library as we know it. Books are being replaced by computers and digital books. You can download books and never have to return them. It seems to be catching on.

I’m sad for the children who will never experience what it feels like to curl up with a real book and smell the wonder of its pages. As a child, I’d sneak a flashlight into bed. After my mother left the room, I’d read under cover for as long as I could. When she discovered my secret, the magic ended, but not my love for books.

"Fish Market" acrylic on canvas; Uganda

That day in the library, I was happy to see parents and children who still had the excitement of books written on their faces. They renewed my hope in America and in the world. Hunger and thirst for knowledge is a good thing. I hope we never lose it!

The freedom to ask questions and search for answers is what keeps us alive and thriving. Without it, we would become puppets of the state and emotional zombies unable to appreciate a world of wonder and beauty.

"A Joyful Heart" 9 x 12 pastel on Bristol; man from Uganda

Who is more Talented (Qualified): The Graduate or the Gifted?

"My great granddaughter, Kayla, looking through a door window. I'm going to turn
this into a painting titled: "Looking Outward" (implying looking toward the future).

A debate is ongoing in "Linked in" about this question: “Do you need a degree to be a successful artist?”

The initiator of that question was not necessarily supporting this idea, but simply generating discussion. She even suggested that perhaps amateurs and those less educated should stay out of the market and away from art shows. She wondered if just anyone who applies paint to canvas should be allowed to call themselves an artist.

This topic got my blood and that of others to boil. For one thing, the insinuation disregards innate talent, self-education obtained through taking classes, and the hours of practice and skill obtained through one’s own efforts.

"A friend gave me an old window I am going to use as a frame. The child will be
painted on the surface of the glass in oils."

Even though a good art education gives you a wonderful foundation and a solid infrastructure of knowledge to hang your hat on, rarely does someone begin a successful career the minute the miter board comes off and the gown is retired.

My journey was long and hard fought. While raising six children, my time was not only limited, but so was the money. Extra funds went into piano lessons and athletic activities for the children. When I had more time, the extra money went into their college educations

.

I had an insatiable appetite for learning. Since we made many trips to the Public Library in those days, selecting books I could read to my children and those they could read on their own, I checked out books for myself, and read those I couldn’t while we were there.

"I'm going to use this scene as a background; painted separately on canvas that
will be attached from behind, creating depth."

I know from previous experience that in classes at university, your mind may wander, and you may get distracted. You prepare for tests rather than for life. When you’re self-taught, the motivation is a driving force from within. It’s a hunger that propels you from one step to another. To say that this kind of learning is inadequate or invaluable is like saying that life itself is a waste of time.

Every experience we have, every piece of knowledge we retain and remember is valuable and adds to the enormous amount of information a person obtains over a lifetime. Additionally, when the mind is focused on the prize, or on the subjects that are loved, information is hungrily consumed and digested. Skills are developed through diligent practice and painful but revealing error. Time is used wisely because to waste it would corrupt the passion that is a driving force.

To say that we have no right to practice what we’ve worked diligently to achieve is ludicrous, with or without acquired credentials. Someone remarked that in order to call yourself a Doctor, you must have paid the price or you can’t practice medicine. If you don’t have a law degree, you cannot then become an attorney. Does art then fall into this same category?

"This small dog will be included in the background. He
is looking up at the child, wanting to come in."

The detractors have a point, to a point. But in the arts, innate gifts and hard work trump all. There is something to be said for obtaining a degree. It tells the world that you spent time and money to gain knowledge in your field. The diploma allows you to teach with authority.

But a bird doesn’t fly until he flaps his wings and leaves the nest. And what about those child prodigies you see on “America’s got Talent?” How does a 13 year old child sing like a professional without training? How does an artist touch the hearts and minds of viewers without a degree?

The soul is the instrument upon which God plays. Who can explain beauty except from personal perception? Who can measure inborn talent in the quest for perfection? To limit the scope of who has a right to perform and when is to stifle all that we cherish about free speech and self fulfillment.

Since this is a "mixed-media" project, the dog and background will be painted in acrylic on canvas. The child in oil on top of the glass. I also want to add a folding drape over the blanket and onto the frame, to give the whole window a three-dimensional look.

"fabric soaked in Elmer's glue and water will be added as a drape, to create a
three-dimensional matching blanket overflowing onto the frame."

Learning is a Never-Ending Journey

You will never “arrive.” Get that thought out of your head. If you’re not learning, if you’re not growing and adding to your knowledge, you are backsliding.

Sure experience, and technique once mastered, gives you an edge. But if you don’t stay on top of current trends and a changing audience, you become stagnant.

Just ask an artist in their seventies or eighties. You can quickly become irrelevant if you fail to adapt to the changing world around you. Businesses rise and fall when a company fails to keep abreast of current trends and customer demographics. Skills weaken and change if they’re not being used. If you allow yourself to get rusty and out of shape, no amount of salesmanship can pull you from a neglectful slump.

Consider your vocation, your avocation or career as a lifetime endeavor. You never arrive because you’re always striving to become better. Your competition is not with other artists, but with yourself.

This dynamic creates enthusiasm, joy, and satisfaction. Nothing can compare with the feeling of mastering something new. Life is never dull because there’s always the next hurdle to overcome, the next goal to reach, and the excitement of reaching a new level of skill.

Achievers never quit. Their journey is a process not a destination. Discovering new layers of themselves brings them success automatically. Their goal is not fame, but self mastery. When all the elements of success are in place, recognition comes automatically.

Timing is another key. When opportunity strikes, the achiever will reach out and grab it. This is not the time for procrastination or self doubt. The golden ring doesn’t come around often. Be alert to opportunity when it comes. Don’t let fear keep you from reaching out. If you do, there may be no second chances.

The photos in this blog were taken in parts of Snellville and Hiawasee, Georgia.

From Tentative to Bold – Going Pro

"Sandhill Cranes at Twilight" 24 x 30 acrylic on canvas, in gold frame with black liner

It happens gradually that transition between learning a skill and mastering it. One day you realize you’ve mastered a color mixture or a technique. You’re painting a face or a landscape with confidence and with fewer brush strokes. You’ve gone pro.

It happened to me while painting a leaf. In the beginning I’d try to mimic what I saw unsuccessfully. There was usually too much paint on my brush and only a gut feeling of what to do. My mind didn’t seem to be engaged. That may be a good thing once you’ve mastered a skill or technique, but in the beginning concentration and execution take thought. As the T.V. artist, Jenkins’ said to his students: “Don’t rush the brush.”

"Maestro" Work-in-Progress 9 x 12 pastel on Bristol

Now I find myself painting intuitively and skillfully. Instead of adding veins on the leaves as an afterthought, I leave lighter line areas untouched, forcing the creation of realistic veins without having to paint them. This was an eye opener. I could do this with other things: the smile lines on a child’s face, creases in an older man’s forehead. Instead of painting hard lines which often age a younger face, I could place shadow next to the highlight for a softer looking crease.

These simple revelations come to all of us as we practice our trade. The more you do something, more ways open up to do the same thing in a more efficient and realistic way. I found myself telling a few other artists how to paint portraits. I remember thinking: “wow, so now you’re the expert?”

"Maestro" 9 x 12 Pastel on Bristol

We all have self doubts. But once we cross that threshold of confidence and skill, there’s no going back. The next step is to start acting and thinking like a professional. In the beginning we worry about pricing. We see every mistake we ever made on a canvas, and wonder who would buy it? We price our efforts low and even feel somewhat guilty in trying to sell our wares.

Oh, go on – I know you've felt this way, too. After a few sales and some commissioned work, we begin to see our own work the way others see it. We value our skill and our talents. I use a simple rule of thumb. Width times length equals value; i.e. 16 x 20 = $320 add price of frame, etc. A good asking price is $350.

"Brown Thrasher" 16 x  20 acrylic on canvas

As your skills increase and your name becomes known, the prices go up. Always factor in the cost of the frame and the percentage a show or gallery charges for showing your work (30-40%) and price accordingly.

Once you cross over from beginner to Professional, don’t let anything hold you back.

The Learning Curve

I'm changing gear on this blog. Don't want you to get bored with "Jack's Roses" before I'm finished. My worry about the red rose dominating the painting turned out to be a good thing. I'm putting a larger red rose smack dab in the middle. All of the other roses will lead to it in one way or another. See how practice makes perfect? I'm going to do some glazing which requires time and patience, so I will get back to you on the completion details (stay tuned).

There is definitely a curve in learning how to draw and paint well. Not only is practice involved, but learning from professionals who have been there--done that. I want to thank my first art teacher (I've forgotten her name). A professional art educator and artist in her own right. She taught classes in her basement each week, and I was an avid student.

She taught me how to see, especially how to focus on shape and form, and the tricky details of foreshortening. She taught me how to prep a canvas, and how to plan a composition and paint it in oils. Everything I learned from her became the basis from which I work even today.

I also learned through classes at junior and technical colleges. I discovered my favorite medium was brush and ink. I liked the stunning effect of black on white (or sepia). I won my first art contest with a linear drawing of a nude. I started the painting at the top of the figure and continued my stroke until the ink was dry. A first prize ribbon graced my efforts in the art show.

I learned how important live models are to the drawing experience. The freedom I felt in those classes gave me a new life and a purpose. Overwhelmed by personal problems in those days, I literally found an escape hatch. When I was painting and drawing, nothing else mattered. I was lost in a world of my own making. I felt in control of my circumstances and my art.

Sometimes I struggle with writer's or artist's block. I freeze up. I lose my self confidence. I become analytical and critical of both my skill and my execution. At those times, I try to get back to the freedom I felt as a student when it was all about discovery and learning. Then I didn't worry whether something was good or bad or whether it was the correct form or perspective. I just let my imagination fly and my spirits soar.

There is a learning curve in doing anything correctly, but there's also a choice. Plug along methodically and practice your art as a pianist does his scales by rote, or enjoy the ride: experiment, play, enjoy the freedom, savor the moment.

My oil on acrylic painting "Flash Dance" was an experimental painting. I let myself go. The colors are wild, the leaves and petals have a somewhat fanciful feel. I wanted the flowers to literally dance before your eyes. Did I succeed? You be the judge.
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