| A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe |
There’s something to be said for having the right tool for the job – the pencil with exactly the right hardness of lead to make the next mark. There are also advantages to being able to make a “close enough” tool work for the job at hand – grabbing the closest pencil/pen and making the next mark. You might know people who take one approach over the other, or prefer one way of working yourself. Neither is better than the other, but it’s worth recognizing your preference and embracing it.
This week’s artist is – Matthew French-Holt – who thinks that all of life is a creative pursuit, when done right. He also believes that art makes life better. (And that’s enough of writing about myself in 3rd person.) You’ve probably seen some of my work around – the portraits of employees in the last few emails, the mural on the back of Kroeger’s (1/3 of the lead artists on the project), and examples scattered about the Art Supply House. I worked in tech support for a few years, enjoy writing, and love creative pursuits of all kinds (especially portraits, stick figures, and landscape sketches). Before working at, and then purchasing, the Art Supply House I spent a couple of years traveling about the US in a motorhome, visiting all of the National Parks and contiguous states along the way. Now, I’m thrilled to have settled in Durango and getting to be part of the community through the Art Supply House!
- There is a full week of classes at the Scrapbook Nook. Join the gals tomorrow at 1 to focus on making an autumn album. Then on Saturday at 10 you can play in your art journal! Tuesday at 1 it’s another chance to make some snowy Christmas-themed cards.
- Have you ever thought about undertaking a daily art project? Andrew is on his third week of the SketchEndeavor, drawing for two hours every day in order to get better at it. He is recapping each week in a video. If you want to watch, here is week 1 and week 2.
- A version of the top quote has been used as a checklist for every day – however you interpret the creator, humans need beauty to thrive.
- Do you have any studio rules? I don’t, yet… but it’s only a matter of time, since there’s a young’n of my own on the way.
- Want to stimulate your mental taste buds? Head to the Animas Chocolate Company on Thursday from 11-12:30 for the Coffee Connoisseur Series (if you’re interested in such things… I might be too enamored by coffee). Learn more here.
- Tomorrow evening, Matt Payne will introduce the art and technique of photographing our dramatic landscapes under the night sky. The Durango Photography Club meeting is free and non-members are welcome. It is from 7-9pm at the TBK Bank community room, 259 West 9th Street.
- The NY Times has a photo-quiz – do you think you can recognize each of the 50 states from a photo?
- The Fall Gallery Walk is this Friday evening, officially starting at 5! See you out and about!
- As part of the Gallery Walk, Sorrel Sky is hosting an Artist Reception for Jim Rey and Star Liana York from 5-7 on Friday.
- Studio &‘s reception for Shawn Lotze’s show, Everyday Wings is also Friday from 5-9pm.
- You can meet Deborah Sussex on Friday starting at 6 at Create Art & Tea in the Durango Art Center building. She will be sharing stories of her creative journey in Japan.
- The Durango Arts Center‘s 25th annual Autumn Arts Festival is also this weekend. Here’s more info, if you need any details.
- Looking for something more interactive than the Arts Festival on Saturday? Head to the library and touch (or draw) a truck! A variety of trucks and emergency vehicles will be gathered for kids of all ages to explore from 10:30-12. Take your portable art supplies to the parking lot in the 1900 block of E. 3rd Ave., across the street from Durango Public Library and sketch some interesting equipment (and characters, I suspect!)
- Want to get out of town this weekend? Head to Mancos for some open studios. Veryl Goodnight will have an open studio from 10-5. Samantha Combs and Susan Matteson will be showing work in her downtown gallery.
- While this article is about writing, I think it also applies to any creative endeavor. To live a creative life, you have to live an interesting life. What are you putting in your mind’s blender?
- Our next art contest is live. We’ve been pretty painting-focused for the rest of the year so this go-round we’re switching it up. What are you going to do for the Draw Something contest? Check out the contest page on our website.
- This week’s featured product are the plein air/gallery frames. We try to have a few different designs and finishes on hand and can order other ones if needed. One of the portraits is on a stretched canvas and the other is on a canvas panel – as examples.
Even though the intro specifically mentioned tools, the same concept also applies to skills. Even though Andrew is a fabulous painter, he’s working on developing his drawing skills further. Being able to create better drawn studies will improve the finished painting that is created from them. Additionally, the practice will also help improve his ability to see forms and values and thus will make him an even better painter. Learn widely, practice narrowly, and have fun pursuing creativity in your life!
Cheers!
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
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