Blog

Greetings,  

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa. 

 

Last evening, I sat a non-artist person down in front of the FASO page called "FineArtViews Blogs - Insights Directly From Our Members".  Yes, this one:   http://faso.com/art-marketing-newsletter/blogs/   I was hoping for a critique on content, subject matter, illustrations, future direction for my own posts, etc.

 

Not.

 

Would you like to know what I got instead?  And this matters for anyone writing to publish online, not just artists, so listen up.

 

Said impartial viewer's first comment was:  "Don't they have spell check?" 

 

And before you jump in with "probably a school teacher or a freaking perfectionist", no.  Just a regular person.  A normal internet reader. 

 

So, to answer that original question, of course we have spell check.  Everybody can have spell check.  Maybe using it depends on how much you want, or DON'T want to annoy your readers?

 

If you are a FASO person writing your blog, at the bottom of the section where you type in your text, you will see two options:

 

1.  full screen mode for entry text

2.  old full screen composer for entry text

 

If you click on option #1, you are taken to a page with a new menu bar at the top, where, if you look to the right at button #13--you guessed it. Spell check.  And if you click on that little check mark icon, magically all your bad spelling will be underlined in red.  Click on that red underlined word and, whoa!  It gives you all the possibilities of what you might be trying to spell, and failed so miserably at.  You can choose the correct one with another simple click.  Now, go back up to the top and click one of those save boxes.  Correct spelling saved for publication, and eternity.  Isn't life amazing?

 

If you go old school with option #2, look at the menu bar, and count 8 to the right.  There it is.  Perfect spelling so easy, even a fool could do it.  Unless the fool is also lazy.  Lazy?  I'm not sure I can fix that with this blog post sermon. 

 

And now before I do the little click that sends this spelling sermon zooming through the blog-o-sphere, I am going to go click that magic spell check button myself.  And thanks for stopping by.

 

Later, Cooper

 

 

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  I've remembered how to turn the camera on.  And as proof, four new paintings for your viewing pleasure.

 

  Buying Some Good Humor, an acrylic painting on a 24 inch square canvas.  The setting you ask??  I had been to the Art Institute in Chicago, and rambled over to Millenium Park (that is what they call it, right?)  Near the amphitheatre, the Good Humor guy had his little truck parked for good viewing.  Hey, it was June, and June is National Dairy Month, so of course, they had no choice--people were buying ice cream.

 

  Garden Tourist, also an acrylic painting, this one is on a small sheet of canvas, and will soon be fixed to a board and matted.  Ames, Iowa has a fairly cool botanical garden Reiman Gardens.  Tourists and people with cameras :) abound.  Oh, and there were absolute drifts of Rosy Summersweet in bloom while we were there.  Lovely!

 

  Campus Traffic, an acrylic painting on a 12 inch square canvas.  Iowa State University,  ha!  This would be from last year's crop of students!

 

And off and on and on and off the easel right now--a caboose, and a biker.  Fortunately NOT on the same canvas.  Stay tuned.

 

Later, Cooper

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.

 

My husband just left to go "get his line wet".  Around here that means he's going to see if a fish wants to bite.  I should probably share that he is pretty much strictly a bass fisherman.  Large mouth or small mouth--no matter, but it had better be a bass.  I guess they are more fun??

 

But here's the thing about most bass fisherman:  they are catch and release fisherman.  They don't play for keeps.  At least not until you get to the Pro level, and then they keep them just long enough to weigh them, and then back they (the fish) go.  Bass fisherman buy lots of cool colored baits, and lots of gizmos and gadgets to catch these large mouth bass, or small mouth bass, and as soon as they've caught them--they let them go.  To swim away and get caught another day.  The whopper of a fish story he told last week/month?  He could tell it all over again tonight, with the same fish.  What a concept, the possibilities are almost endless.  Catch and release.

 

At this point, let's remember that this is an art blog, and while I love a good analogy, this is not the time for one of them.  In fact, we had all better view this as a polar opposite.  If an artist catches someone's attention with a painting, to the point they want to take it home with them, then I say at that point the release part of "catch and release" becomes a bad word.  A wrong word.  A much-to-be-avoided word.  We'd better be thinking in terms of keep.  Catch and keep.

 

No silly, I don't mean keep the painting, I mean keep the patron.  They just gave you a vote of confidence.  They just told you with their checkbook that they like what you are doing with the paint brush. 

 

And you would release them??? 

Not stay in touch??? 

Not send them a newsletter now and then??? 

Not tell them when your next show is, and where???

 

Ha!  I thought you'd see it my way.  Now go send out a few post cards or something.  An email note, or a newsletter.  Show that patron the new paintings you've been working on.  Whatever.

 

Catch and release is for fisherman.  Catch and keep is for artists. 

 

Later, Cooper

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.

 

I had a new opportunity this past week--why am I just now getting around to telling you about it??  But then again, it was THAT kind of week.

 

The opportunity:  a new gathering of artists to work with.  And almost in my own backyard!  Actually the next town north, but who's counting?  We gathered at 3PM to paint from a still life setup and then at 7PM had a model come in for life drawing.  At the end of the evening, I walked out feeling like the new semester had started!  What a work out!  Results?  Sure---

 

 

 

 

Also, I'm gearing up for September art fairs:

--Labor Day weekend:  Art Fair On The Square, organized by the Deer Path Art Guild, Lake Forest Illinois, September 4th and 5th.

--September 25th:  Octagon Art Fair, organized by the Octagon Art Center, Ames, Iowa

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Later, Cooper

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.

 

Two things happened recently to bring me to this thought place.

 

1.  An art festival that bills itself as a fine art fair gave 21 artists awards at the fair.  Three, maybe four, would get fine art billing at FASO.  The remaining seventeen or eighteen would either be considered fine craft, or in the case of numerous exhibits, folk art.  Nothing wrong with either of those.  However, with that unbalance of judging, I say a statement has been made.  The vision has been narrowed.

 

2.  An artist friend, who has always been an independent thinker, open to new ideas, and willing to try to understand other people's thoughts is changing.  The free-thinker has taken to labeling groups of people.  Using generalizations.  "If you think this about this subject,  then you belong to this group, and therefore all the rest of your thoughts are just like theirs too"  The liberal is turning into a narrow-minded thinker, able to see only one way.  Again, the vision has been narrowed.

 

It's kind of scary when it happens, isn't it?  My way or the highway.  Whew.  The original purpose, the original thought, the original reason for being, gets lost in a clutter of tunnel visioned thoughts.

 

It can happen in the studio too, you know.

 

Isn't art supposed to be about what the artist has to say?  Our vision?  If we are told what we have to paint/create "to fit in" or "to sell", or to "get an award", or (insert your own whatever) is it still art?  I am beginning to wonder.

 

At the aforementioned art fair, I saw so many exhibits priced cleverly to sell.  Trinkets made inexpensively to coax a twenty-dollar bill out of the back picket  Forget finding something special and committing.  Am I stepping on your toes?  I am sorry.  Yeah, yeah, the economythemortgageblahblahblah.

 

Here's a challenge:  grab a piece of paper and draw 2 lines down to form 3 columns.  (no, it's not a test, I can't draw straight lines either) On one column write fine art, on the second write fine craft, and on the third, write folk art.  Take it to an art fair next weekend.  Thanks to over zealous art fair producers there's one on every corner--but that's a subject for next time.  At each booth quickly decide which column they fit best in.  At the end of your art fair tour, count up and tell how you think we are doing.

 

I get to go first:  I think a whole bunch of exhibitors at art fairs are backing off, narrowing their vision of what they are really capable of, and for a couple of reasons.

 

1.  There is a glut of art fairs out there.  Producers who produce a string of art shows are seeing how much they can get from artists wanting to show their work.  $745 for 100 sq feet of space on a street for two days--really?  The game has become volume, instead of quality.

2.  Patrons are becoming immune to art fairs--there's one every other weekend--it's taking a lot to capture their attention.

3.  Judges reward cleverness instead of solid work.  Are even the judges becoming immune?  Do THEY need in-your-face kind of things to lure them in?

 

I say it's narrowing our vision.  Artists are creating what these pressures are telling us we have to, instead of what we know we should be.

 

At an art fair earlier this summer, at that lovely early morning time on the second day when the artists have arrived and the patrons have not, a group of three of us were conversing.  The guy behind me, a jeweler said "God, I hate jewelry.  We don't need it, and the people that buy it are so vain.  I wish I could show my drawings instead."  I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or pat him on the head and tell him it would all be better soon.  What I didn't tell him, was what I should have:  "Your vision has been narrowed, time to get back to the real".

 

Fine thoughts for a Monday morning, eh?  Now go have a lovely painting day.  

 

 

 Later, Cooper

 

 

 

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  And may I share I just returned here from Minneapolis and the Powderhorn Art Fair?

 

I have always thought that Jefferson is your basic normal rural midwestern town, so the city--which Minneapolis definitely qualifies as--for the weekend, was sure to show me something new.  It was an interesting few days, and a few short minutes of it supply the color for this blog post.  But possibly you need a little background info before we get to the color part :)

 

When our three oldest kids were school aged, we lived in northwest Iowa, where a large group of people of the Apostolic faith also lived.  Through West Lyon School, we got to know several families of that faith.  When young people made their public profession and joined the church, there were some changes made to their activities, including dress code.  For example, a young woman who'd joined the church would not have "being a high school cheerleader" on her to-do list.  It would not be considered appropriate behavior or dress code.

 

So while in Minneapolis, at Powderhorn Park, I happened upon cheerleader practice for some area school.  The scene involved two or three women, acting as coaches or directors, and ten or twelve girls, of the 8th or 9th grade variety.  All my pre-formed conclusions went out the window, as I noted the head coach and three cheerleaders all wearing the hijab.  Whaaaat?  Call me backwoods and all of that, but everything in my experience to that point told me that was not something that could/would happen.  And the girls wearing their head coverings (for modesty?) were wearing really short shorts, just like their sister cheerleaders.  Cool.  Lesson learned for me.

 

But here's why we are talking about this on an art blog:  that color commentary proves that it takes all kinds of people in this world to keep it interesting. 

 

Recently there have been articles written and opinions aired on the subject of painting in a subject matter and style with more salability.  Target painting.  I think the previous paragraph points out the error of us as artists trying to generalize about what the average human wants, and specifically what they want for art.  Yes, we can read statistics about what paintings sell well.  And we need to remember those statistics are averages.  Think of homogenizing all the preferences of this country's citizens into one number.  Doesn't that become a little mind-boggling to you?  That you should try to paint one specific way because it will more likely appeal to that homogenization?

 

My concern then is of two things:

 

#1. and foremost:  in painting a specific subject matter and style designed for salability, the work is devoid of emotion because it's not OUR style.  Aren't we instructed time and again to paint what moves us?  To paint until we find our style, and then grow it to become our very best?  Hard to do if we are target painting, or painting for salability.

 

#2.  the streetscape of our lives/world changes on a daily basis.  Is it wise to work at painting what's "in demand" today, when in reality it probably won't be tomorrow?  To paint what you're told a people in one place want, when it turns out people in another place might want what you'd really rather be painting?

 

Remember that childhood book The City Mouse And The Country Mouse?  Ha!  It IS good to find your place and be comfortable in it, eh?  Comfortable in our own skin, and our own painting style--I think it's an admirable goal for painters everywhere.

 

Later, Cooper

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa. 

 

Have I mentioned Jefferson is your typical rural midwestern town of about 5500 people?  Keep that in mind for today's discussion, please.  Three things have come to my attention this week.  (yeah, actually more than that, but this morning we'll dwell upon the three that I want to dwell upon)

 

1.  I read this article:  http://faso.com/fineartviews/33448/art-celebrity-playing-the-fame-game-in-art-with-powhida

 

2.  And then I read this article:  http://leslienuttingfineart.com/blog/33601/the-view-from-wyoming-why-is-beauty-a-bad-word

 

3.  And I went to the Greene County Farmers Market.

 

There you have it, three things.  Please allow me to connect them for you  :)

 

First, via my husband's less than stellar camera work (he has a great day job) here are a few snapshots of the Greene County Farmers Market.

                

Nothing fancy, right?  The Green County Farmers Market happens every Tuesday afternoon/evening, on the courthouse square in Jefferson.  Is it large?  No.  Yesterday there were maybe a dozen or fifteen booths.  The local orchard, a vineyard, several vegetable growers, some Mennonite bakers (Dilly Bread might be an upcoming article all on it's own--YUM!) a coffee roaster, and a woman selling homemade jam.  And because it runs through the dinner hour, each week a local group offers up an evening meal.  Last night it was the Greene County Cattlemen, grilling hamburgers, of course.  Young families grab what they need and run home, or off to a ball game, but the seniors like to sit around the square and catch up on the news.  A Greene County Cattlemen grilled burger works fine for them.

 

Do you get the picture?  It is all so very real. Everyday people in the motions of their everyday life.  Do you see even one person in those photos doing something for attention, rather than HONESTLY living their day?  

 

There are people in the world, and possibly they come from the scenario written about in article #1, who would scoff at the Green County Farmers Market.   Roll their eyes at the utter lack of hip and cool--as they plan their next step on how to get noticed in whatever arena they feel is important to be noticed in. 

 

I would venture people who appreciate Leslie's article (#2) would "get" the Greene County Farmers Market attitude.  People living their lives honestly.  Enjoying the beauty of a single moment from an everyday kind of day.  Honestly.

 

We are told by some art/museum exhibits what we need to approve of if we are cool.  If we are hip, with it, kind of folks, we need to get it line to ooh and aah and marvel at the genius of the maker they choose to show us.  Maybe the museum is just trying to get attention too?

 

Art.  Beauty, instead of abusive.  Honestly--isn't that what we really want?

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

Later, Cooper

 

 

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa, where a little bit of that title has been happening.  It's Monday, and of course, one of those days where a couple miles down the bike trail, in running shoes, is part of the plan. 

 

However, this morning, as the plan was being executed, AND as I was struggling to extract oxygen from the mostly liquid atmosphere, it occurred to me that a LOT of it was happening.  Sweating It.  Whew!  (hey, just you try Iowa in the summertime--it's the perfect definition of humidity)

 

Sweating it.  Sounds pretty much negative, doesn't it?  We think of:

 

people "on the hot seat"

people under the pressure of inquisition

a guilty person afraid they are about to be caught

an art fair artist worried they are not going to make the sale (!!)

an artist with that blank white canvas glaring at them from the easel

the same artist who just got the rejection letter from the jury

the other artist who has that commission deadline they don't know how they can make

 

Sweating it.  What a boatload of negative.  Sheesh.  We have too much negativity already.  We have to turn this around. Find the positive spin.  Let's.

 

Sweating it.  We should think of sweating it as:

 

to endeavor

apply effort

to endure

persevere

achieve a goal

work diligently--progress happens one day at a time

 

So cover that blank white canvas with some color, any color, just get started, that rejection letter is only one person's opinion.  To the studio, every morning no matter what--you know the rules.

 

Sweating it.  It can be a sign of effort.  Of diligence.  Of perseverance.  And that's a good thing.

 

Happy painting!

 

Later, Cooper