My Winter 2009 issue of Watercolor magazine was delivered this afternoon. I poured over each painting, and then read one article through and through - the one about Nicolas Simmons and his watermedia techniques and paintings (talk about Eye Candy - and I mean the paintings! ha ha).
If you don't have a subscription, get a copy at your local newsagent/bookstore because it's full of wonderful artists that are bending if not downright breaking the rules of traditional, typical watercolor. Check it out! And go on over to Nick's blog (http://nicholassimmons.blogspot.com/) and see more work and read more words about art, music, life, etc.
What made this current issue so interesting and timely to me: I also got my latest issue of The Artist's Magazine. Inside, a watercolor painting instructor at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL bemoaned the lack of any images being painted in watercolor that were more than "interchangeable collections of beautifully crafted images" and that many talented watercolor artists are "only interested in creating images for decoration."
Well, maybe he should open the current Watercolor magazine and view works inside by:
John Salminen, Paul Rickert, Dominic DiStefano, and Nicholas Simmons.
I don't think any of these artists are just creating pretty, decorative pieces of art to hang above your sofa. They are some truly kick-ass painters, whether they pick up a brush filled with watercolor paint, acrylic, fluid acrylics, or mud from their back yard!
15 comments:
Thanks for the tip on the Watercolor Magazine, Rhonda. I look forward to finding compadres.
I can't believe we both focused on the same idea today! I copied verbatum the letter to the editor of Artist's Magazine for my blog today. Will run out and get the issue of Watercolor Magazine. Great minds....!
PS I REALLY like how you're developing your blog! And, while I'm at it, am enjoying your ever-changing profile photos.
Thanks, Suzanne! Do get the mag, it's got great stuff in it - I truly read each article through after greedily looking at all the paintings first :)
Myrna, I thought it was very timely to get all these great watercolor artists kicking butt in the Watercolor magazine and yet have a watercolor instructor from Chicago, for goodness sake, saying all watercolor artists were wimpy and pretty and decorative! Ha!
Can't wait to se the issue. Sounds like it will be delicious. Bring it in to class on Tues and we'll have 2 to share???
Thanks for the post, Rhonda. I'm quite happy with the feature, I wasn't expecting 14 pages - it's the biggest in the issue. And that writer did a great job, it was fun talking to him. Haven't seen the American Artist yet. I've got more magazine stuff scheduled for 2009, hoping everyone will still be able to afford a magazine by that time. (wish I was joking!) thanks again
Rhonda, I don't subscribe to Watercolor Magazine but I will get a copy soon. I do subscribe to Artists Magazine and I do the same thing when I receive them; all the painting photos first, then each interesting article. I especially enjoyed the one by John Salminen, hearing him talk about his process was so very interesting.
Nick, it's always fun to see a familiar face in an art mag :) and I'm looking forward to your next workshop at Sandy's. Have a fantastic holiday...
I was waiting with baited breath for the last Watercolor to come out knowing that two of my faves were going to be in there - John Salminen and Nic!
Seemed like it was taking forever, so read Artist's in the meantime and have been steaming over that letter ever since!
Wondering if this professor is living in a cave somewhere - if he doesn't like the 'pretty' wcolors he's seeing, he wouldn't have to look very hard to find something more exciting!
And to be honest, I paint those pretty flowers he alludes to- and how dare he decide that 'beautifully crafted images' aren't saying anything?
I am saying something with each and every one - and, more importantly to me, they are saying something to me. Each painting is an adventure in self discovery.
Maybe he's the one who needs to do a bit of deeper thinking and step a little further out of his box (or cave - what have you).
Angi, you're right in that beauty in and of itself can make a "statement." There is never a reason to apologize for painting something that is beautiful. You certainly do that with your flowers - the Blanket Flower painting blew me away!! I like how you play the warms against the cools to make them pop. I think this man is going to get TONS of letters sent to the magazine refuting his ideas - we'll wait and see in the next issue. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I have see your blog. It's very nice and interesting. You speek of Nicholas Simmons. I have also write a bill on my blog.
You have a comment of Suzanne McDermott. I Know her. We are sending e-mails
Best regards
Pierre, alias masmoulin
P.S. Excuse me for my bad english. I am a french man
Merci tellement de l'arrêt près et du commentaire, Pierre/Masmoulin. Je ne parle pas le français, mais l'AM traduisant de Babelfish - faites-moi savoir comment cela fonctionne ou s'il tout est incorrect.
Je vois que vous, aussi, êtes sur un voyage d'aquarelle, et j'aurai plaisir à voir votre travail. Il ressemble à vous ont beaucoup de nouveaux bloggers sur votre artroll que je n'ai pas entendu parler encore ainsi j'aurai plaisir à les explorer, aussi.
(For those English-speaking blog-friends who are so impressed with my French, don't be! I just translated this using Yahoo's BabelFish - so easy!)
Thank you!
It just got me so mad. I mean, anything an artist decides to paint is at least saying,
"Hey, look at this. I found it worth looking at (maybe it's beautiful, interesting, ugly, contradictory, calming, exciting, whathaveyou), worth studying enough to create this entire piece of work around it, so that I can show you!"
Even if all a paintings purpose is is to remind us that there are all kinds of beauty in the world - well, I find that valuable.
And it makes it much more than just decorative.
Loving your site, btw. Am really glad to have found it.
:)
Thanks, Angi, and do stop by often :) I try to keep things going even when I don't have a new painting to share.
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