Art is not a thing; it is a way.
~ Elbert Hubbard
We recently received a New Year’s email from Robert Gamblin (of Gamblin Colors.) Here are a few excerpts that stood out:
I started out having neither a clue nor a direction. Just the desire and the need to paint. Then after a few years, I chose to focus on the landscape. After much work and study, a few years later, I found my voice and my place.
I was dedicated to painting long before I was any good at it. So it wasn’t success that kept me at it. I think I stuck with it because of the need for a creative outlet, the art therapy that comes along for the ride, and the way that painting demands everything from you and yet can give back so much more in return.
As I look back over my painting life, what I value most isn’t the handful of works I’m most pleased with. It’s what the practice of painting has given me. When I see a work from decades ago, I see more clearly who I was at that time, and where I have come to as a person. So, we have one more wish for you. That you live long and that you also have painting as a record of your life.
- This week’s artist is – Olivia Trim – a Durango artist. more about the artist. See even more on her website and instagram!
- Duane Hanson would have been 100 on Friday!
- The Natural History Museum’s taking votes for People’s Choice for 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year – through Jan 29.
- Here are some hyperrealistic pencil drawings.
- Not quite to the same level of detail as above, but Strathmore has shared a realistic eye drawing tutorial.
- What should art schools teach? This is an interesting take on the question.
- If you love turn-of-the-(last)-century typography and graphic design, you’ll love this site dedicated to the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps.
- Googly eyes on public art?
- How 8 artists overcome blocks.
- Rare painting found in thrift store.
- Ernest Wright has been making scissors in Sheffield, England since 1902. This video takes a look at how they make one of the their most sought after models.
- A local restaurant has “tens of thousands of corks they’d like to give away to anyone looking to create crafts, cork boards, etc”. Reach out if you’re interested and we’ll share contact info.
- Just for fun, it’s “National Pizza Week” – celebrating that famous food that made its way from southern Italy to the US in the early 1900s.
Fun Fact: Andy Warhol famously produced “Campbell’s Soup Cans” as a commentary on consumerism, but he also claimed he simply ate soup for lunch every day for 20 years.- Head to the Durango Library today from 6-8 for the free Word Honey Poetry Workshop. Write and create original works together – all are welcome.
- The Christmas Tree drop off is still available at Santa Rita park – runs through the 31st.
- There are lots of live music events, open mics, live jam sessions, etc, scattered about the area throughout the week. There are too many to list here, so if you’re looking for such things, head over to WhatsHappeningDurango.com.
- There are classes/workshops/projects available at the 4 Corners Gem and Mineral Club, the Bayfield Library, Create Art and Tea, the Dancing Spirit Center for the Arts, Durango Sustainable Goods, Let’s Letter Together, the MakerLab, Picasso & Vino, the Scrapbook Nook, Seed Studio, and the Durango Arts Center. There are a lot more things happening that I don’t include – so if you’re ever looking for something to do, start at WhatsHappeningDurango.com.
- We don’t always add a liner to a framed painting – it’s more of a traditional style. But sometimes it just ends up being the best option. We didn’t get a great photo of this painting, but it caught our eyes every time someone happened to walk past and catch a glimpse of it!
Here are a few more lines from Gamblin’s message:
We hope we all find more time to paint this year. And we hope your painting evolves in a way that feels good to you.
Of course, we aren’t all painters. But we’re all creators. Look back at your creative life to see how you’ve grown. Your art is a record of your life – of who you were when you made it. Even if only for yourself – the world needs your art!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
P.S. – Ready to create every chance you get? After testing hundreds of supplies, we’ve narrowed down what needs to be in our Curiosity Kit. (Sign up here for the chance to preorder.) It’s compact but capable. Need tutorials? We’ll have them for everything in the kit. Only got 10 minutes? You can still make art. We can help!