We live in a consumer-oriented culture that's confused
Lynn Harrison about what's really "big" and what's really "small." All artists need to affirm the importance of single, often unnoticed, creative acts and to keep doing them, even when (especially when) the culture around us says they don't matter. When the art is small (noticed by few, selling for low prices, not trumpeted in major media) it is an act of generosity and gratitude, born of positive energy that becomes a life-changing force for the artist and a world-changing force for others. Last week, a small and flawed sketch I had once given to a relative was displayed at her memorial, and it struck me that that small act of drawing her home and giving it away may have been one of the most important artistic achievements of my life.

With the world going portable these days, and telephones, computers and entertainment on wireless, your idea of "Feel the energy of the portable smug," fits in. In the case of painters, the low-tech wonder of the pochade box or the folding easel, you can be your own factory in the field. Traditional factories, and the disheartening transportation required to get to them, to say nothing of the lack of job satisfaction, are now seen as a hazard to the "life well led." In many fields, more and more are striving for the personal rewards that comes with being your own master. And those masters who achieve this indeed deserve to be "smug."

There is a sense of urgency to record and study this
oil painting on canvas amazing speck of cosmic love we call earth. The need to make a remark on the place in a way no one else can. Perhaps we are a bit egotistic to think we must do this. It becomes, however, necessary. We must put paint to canvas and take our cameras and click hundreds of images. In this way we honour the magnificent essences of It, and how It makes us feel. Mr. Gore is up for the Nobel Peace Prize for making us aware that we need to look after It. Well done, Al.

After reading your note from Hawaii, I reflected on being Garden Wall
original painting on the coast also, in a storm on Lanai, feeling less a part of the island and more entwined with the sea winds and sheets of rain. Corot, in the Roycrofter's Little Journeys, Eminent Artists, 1902 noted: “The sun sinks more and more behind the horizon. Bam! he throws his last ray, a streak of gold and purple which fringes the flying clouds. There, now it has entirely disappeared. Bien! bien! twilight commences. Heavens, how charming it is! There is now in the sky only the soft vaporous color of pale citron - the last reflection of the sun which plunges into the dark blue of the night, going from green tones to a pale turquoise of an unheard-of fineness and a fluid delicacy quite indescribable… The fields lose their color, the trees form but gray or brown masses… the dark waters reflect the bland tones of the sky. We are losing sight of things - but one still feels that everything is there - everything is vague, confused, and Nature grows drowsy. The fresh evening air sighs among the leaves - the birds, these voices of the flowers are saying their evening prayer."

The letter from Virginia Wieringa in the previous clickback Meeting in East Nelson Yard
oil painting on canvas
18 x 24 inches prompts me to write with a warning about mouth atomizers. If I understand the device correctly, the liquid is placed in a jar and sprayed onto the surface by blowing through a tube which is affixed to the top of the jar. The great wildlife painter Robert Lougheed used this method for applying his finishing varnish coats to his oil paintings. Although a lifetime non-smoker, he died prematurely from lung cancer and the speculation was that inhaling solvents from this device may have caused the disease. I imagine it would be safe enough for water solubles but it sounds like it should be avoided for solvent based paints.

I'm just catching up with all your letters after having been Ted - down but not out
oil painting on canvas away on a painting trip to Northern Australia. I noted your query in response to Direction of flow by Sue Johnson . You were correct in questioning the flow direction in the southern hemisphere. We do indeed work our way around in a clockwise direction in galleries and supermarkets, etc. – just like the water that swirls down drain plugs Down Under.

Regarding your letter A Painting's Progress , I am an artist from Ukraine and a Lecturer in drawing at Kharkiv Academy of Design and Arts . In my view, the price of your picture ($6.000,00) seemed to me a bit fantastic, because in our country the market of art is undeveloped and the prices of the majority of our artist don't exceed $ 300 (even for a very elaborate work). The common level of prices is about $ 50-200. I would say it is difficult to get on living in Ukraine by your own art. Actually, many nouveau riches in our country seem not to wish to acquire a piece of art. They seem not to understand the value of art at all. I am very regretful to say that. Some of art dealers who wish to buy our works usually pay very little. They seem to be baulk at buying a good piece of art for proper price. I regret very much now about those works I sold practically for nothing.

(RG note) Thanks, Denis. The price of art in all jurisdictions is a function of liquidity. The more liquidity, the higher the prices paid. All cultures can only spend what they've got. Having said that, we too have many nouveau riche who would squander their liquidity on anything but art.
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The earliest known painters were generally limited to yellow
Karl Leitzel and red ochre (the actual soft rock, not tubes of paint), charcoal, and perhaps white chalk. Nevertheless, they produced some fascinating work. The issue of colors, and even medium, on your palette is not whether one combination is better than another, but what the chosen palette will allow the artist to do, and how easily. Any palette that can't reach the full spectrum of colors (and all fall short in some way) will create limitations. Limitations for an artist are not always bad, and sometimes are critical in helping to create outstanding art. On the other hand, if the artist has a great idea in his or her mind's eye, but the current palette or medium will not allow it, then there is a problem.

Versatility in technical competence, media, and stylistic approach is critical, even if most of an artist's work at any given time is in a very limited range. An artist should never let "I can't do that" take the place of "I choose not to do that."

My art publisher was giving me 50% of "wholesale" on my originals but then wholesale was only 40% of retail. On prints I was getting 10% of "wholesale" but it appears that the prints were selling (World Wide Art, unframed) for 4 times the wholesale price that shows on my royalty statement… They call it "Royalty Base Amount" which means I was credited with 2.5% of the retail price. Does this sound like a standard business practice in the print publishing business? If I self-publish, should I expect wholesale buyers to demand a price of 25% of retail? Is that universally agreed on?

(RG note) Thanks, Bruce. While there is no universally agreed way to cut up the cookies in the reproduction business, yours is fairly typical. Publishers have lots of expenses, and let you know it. Check your royalty statement against others who deal with the same outfit. A phone call to competitors can also be of value. Artists can sometimes cut a better deal just by checking around. Regarding the sale of original art through middlemen, I don't believe in it. Proper dealers and galleries want mostly to deal directly with the artist. It's better for everybody.

Do you have any advice for me on how long to stay with a dealer who Tangerine
oil painting on paper
6 x 8 inches isn't selling much? We started out well last March, the dealer selling four paintings right away. However he discounted the price without asking me. One other painting sold over the summer and nothing since then. My paintings are not on the walls now but put away on the shelves in the back room. Should I be moving on or is this normal?

(RG note) Thanks, Sue. It happens. Think of your dealers as places to store your paintings. Take them out of storage after a year of nothing happening. Concentrate on your life as a worker.

You recently included a quote from an artist who stated he wanted
Church Interior to be well known, but not famous. I found this viewpoint intriguing and appealing. I would like to further research this position. I live in the Los Angeles area and there is tremendous activity, fame and confusion associated with movie industry artists; the same holds true to some extent for visual/fine artists. Fame can destroy or deteriorate the distinct pleasure of anonymity found when one wants to just go to the market, the park or the cleaners. Peace and quiet can be lost with fame.

(RG note) Thanks, Armando. There may even be a case that the better artists may not be famous. That's what keeps them better. Speaking of “better," perhaps it's better to leave the fame business to the better judgment of history.