Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Pursuit of Personal Joy is Serious Business


The title of this post is a quote from Robert Genn, author, painter, and internet art blogger.  Robert keeps a kind of blog called Painter's Keys.  If you haven't looked at it, do take a look.  Even if you are not a painter...if you are interested in creativity and how to spark and how to live it day by day...you may want to sign up for his bi weekly newsletter AND the clickbacks are really interesting.

 Robert paints (primarily en plein air) but also studio paintings and he works in various media...and if you google him you can also find his videos of painting techniques mainly in acrylic which is a medium I struggle with but love.  He travels all over the world painting and keeps up with his bi weekly blog somehow with his laptop...I do believe he has a staff that helps him.  How that works I am not sure...the blog is free.  

What I specifically like about Genn's blog is that he covers a huge variety of topics usually in a few short paragraphs and then lets people comment (published at his discretion, of course) and includes the commenter's art work along with the comments.  I have even commented a few times myself!  While most of us blog (it seems) about technique and sometime inspiration, Robert seems able to get at the heart of what makes art and artists tick.  He's not above talking about color mixing or tips for better composition, but he also talks about art as an expression of who one is and what brings us to the pursuit of this dream.  

This is the time of year when I try to squeeze a little en plein air work in now and then.  En plein air is not for the faint of heart, by the way, as you must pack up, plan carefully, and fight the environment for comfort..especially in the north woods of WI where I am currently located. This is black fly and mosquito season.  But I sneak out and loaded with repellent and try to spend a few hours during parts of the day when they are least offensive.  The pursuit of personal joy is serious business.  Now where did I heart that?  :-)

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