The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.
~ Pablo Picasso
Photographer Anthony Epes wrote an article in Petapixel.com about finding beauty in the mundane. He defines mundane as “the everyday, ordinary, or banal.” Epes explains that “it’s easy to take amazing shots of amazingly beautiful places. Although we can always do something fresh, or unique or interesting with our subjects, you’re bound to get something awesome with, for example, a great location and a great sky.”
Then Epes adds:
“But to create something beautiful, or find beauty in the mundane? That’s a skill that is fantastic to have and one that’s worth developing because it will help your photography as a whole.”
The same is true with how we approach the mundane appointments and waiting rooms of life. There is beauty to be found there if we use our time wisely.
- This week’s artist – Masayoshi Matsumoto – is a balloon artist. I once knew how to make a couple of animals with balloons, but nothing more complicated than a bear or dog. These are delightful! Be sure to check out his instagram and youtube for more!
- Looking for a more precise word to describe how you’re feeling? The Feelings Wheel can help.
- This stopmotion chocolate cake baking video is far more fun to watch than it might sound.
- These playful illusions are made with household trash! (I like the easel and the dog hiding in the trash can.)
- The Louvre has launched a database compiling more than 480,000 works from its collections.
- Here’s an affordable workshop from Alyson Stanfield on How to Ask for More Money for Your Art.
- Here’s an interesting way to help you procrastinate (that could be the creative fuel needed for a future project.)
- This free online art magazine looks interesting.
- Lake Nighthorse opens for non-motorized recreation on Friday! They’ll be opened Fri-Sun from 9-4 (until May 15, when they will be open daily).
- Seed Studio has a series of Art Labs for kids aged 6-12. If you know of someone who might be interested, have them sign up early. There are only 6 spots available for each class.
- The Divine Light Healing Center’s grand opening is this Sunday. They’re also hosting an art show, featuring Tim Kaputska, Annie Brooks, and others. We have brochures at the store if you want more information. DLHC is located at 140 Mesa Street in Mancos.
- Kristen’s been working hard in our paper section. She’s been testing new brands, colors, and more. Well, the results are in, literally! We’ve got a few new additions to our notebook offerings you might want to check out. We also re-arranged a bit, so it’ll be fun to check out!
Above, I said that Kristen has been testing new materials. She sent one of our sales reps a 5 page email with feedback on a single paper brand – and that’s the short version of her notes in order to not overwhelm the rep with too much information! Her testing is work, but she also makes it fun. She works with different materials on each paper to see how they hold up and react. She uses opportunity to test out new designs and techniques. In short, she makes a routine task into something fun and exciting.
One of the reasons why I love James Gurney’s work, is that he chooses to draw attention to the daily things that so many of us overlook. He “washes off the dust of daily life” and draws attention to the things that capture his. We can all do this – use our art to point at the things we appreciate. Your art can make the world a better place!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
P.S. – Thanks for reading! If you like this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If you’d like to receive a weekly newsletter in your email, you can subscribe below.