Robert Genn's Twice Weekly Letter
Insight and inspiration for your artistic career.

Dear Artist,

Wow! That was quite an experience. After submitting my painting for your input in the previous letter, this Inbox jammed up. (On Friday morning, more than three thousand emails came in before breakfast.) Reading and gisting many of them one after the other reminded me of the time I had a two-hour session with a psychiatrist. When I stepped out of his office, I didn't know whether to turn left or right. I forgot where my car was parked, or even if I had a car, and if I did, what kind of a car it was.

On another level, it was like being in the central spotlight of an arena with thousands of spectators pointing. And just then my briefs fall down. In other words, I thoroughly enjoyed the exposure. Thanks to all who participated, even those who were not as brief as requested.

While there was a remarkable consensus on improvements to some parts of my painting--the background tone, the spotty trees, the hole in the middle--it was also valuable to see opposite opinions in adjacent emails: "Your painting has so many errors it's not worth going on with," and, "Don't touch a thing, Robert, it's fine the way it is." It surprised me that some folks went to a lot of trouble and Photoshopped various elements in and out. Thank you. An amazing number of people told me to put a deer in it. Thank You.

A very high percentage felt there were value problems between the main (dark) trees and the (too pinkish) background. To get the Full Monty, you really have to cruise our listing of representative opinions. Michelle spent Saturday assembling and condensing many of these for your interest. Other input ranged from reflections on the validity of committee work to outright trashing of me and my efforts. It seems that some people are coming from a position of theory and conventional wisdom, while others are able to see clearly with practical knowledge and sensitive eyes.

Lessons learned? No matter what you do, your accumulated errors become part of your style, and while others may copy you, no one can take it away from you.

As usual, some critics echo our own ruminations. Hopefully improved, thanks in part to your goodwill, my revised painting is at the top of the current clickback. Really, thanks so much for your input. It was a slice. Now, if I can just find my car.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "We all admire the wisdom of people who come to us for advice." (Jack Herbert)

Esoterica: A few years ago I was conducting a workshop and had noticed one young lady who was particularly in need of help. No matter what I suggested or pointed out, she continued merrily doing her own thing, fraught as it was with ignorance and wrong-headedness. When she abdicated my workshop prior to its valuable, climactic end, she was singing to herself as she carried off an armload of "paintus horribilis." Later, I heard she had several successful shows with the stuff. This morning I looked in vain to see if she had anything to say about my own effort. She hadn't. I don't think she's a subscriber. "The best advice yet given is that you don't have to take it." (Libbie Fudim)

If you would like to read more information related to the above letter please visit the Lessons learned clickback


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