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"The Faux Meister"  |
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| O n life's scale most choices in painting, if honest, are relative or simple. You must educate yourself regarding the facts, challenge, test and prove them, make the best possible selection and always be willing to test accepted knowledge again. Not only your own, even the wisdom of your most respected and admired colleague and teacher . Realize that some who have "arrived", reached a pinnacle of development and a measure of stature, will shutter themselves off from the outside world. They deem themselves complete perfect, beyond challenge, change and further education. In my mind, they are, for most practical purpose, dead, finished books, to which no word or chapter can be added. | ||
| On the other hand, do understand that one single path is not the way for all of us. This perhaps is even more true of those who engage themselves in intellectual and creative pursuits, "Many roads lead to Rome" we used to say. The path best chosen is the one most clear, the one which aids you, the individual, to reach your personal best, even a measure of excellence. | ||
| Never, even you wander, loose sight of that path and your ultimate goal. The principle behind a traditional approach is one of discipline and order. Of learning a chosen craft from a proven master of that craft. Following certification as journeyman or women, one was expected, as the name implies, to journey. To seek out other masters in various cities and stated so to further ones education and embellish it with the experience of others. This to collect, much like a sponge; all accessible information on the many facets of the craft. To sift from this vast pool that which suited the individuals creative endeavor best. Then to return or settle, after seven years and prove that one has indeed mastered ones craft. To, among other, create ones Masterpiece. |
Northern Light | |
| This is an ancient, time tested principle. You may find that in essence it still holds true today. A time when the old is, at least in passing, admired, but its' lessons are most often ignored. A "modern" time which purges itself of the values and wisdom's of the past and replaces them with fast, fleeting, cheap, self-indulgence. | ||
| If you can separate yourself from this, are capable of patience and willing to invest a little time and effort. Then, should you find a painter or artist who excels, ask them, and ask yourself - why. Talent? Perhaps. I personally do not believe in such. At times a person will come up to me exclaiming: "You have such talent. I could never do that!" First, such notion is self defeating. If you believe that you can not do a thing; then you will not. Second, such comment is at best unfortunate, at worst insulting. My ability was not given to me at or prior to birth by kind muses nor by a bee sting while laying in the cradle or from my mothers milk. It was gained through hard work, sacrifice, an early, uncompromising and continuing love for, and the desire to master my craft. Along the way I had, and continue to have choices. This not only regarding my education, the techniques I may choose for any particular project or aspect of my work. Every day I do have, among many other, choices as well as responsibilities regarding-what is best, or at least reasonable in the techniques materials and tools I use. And so do you!. | ||
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