Added May 30, 2019
What’s On The Easel, May 2019, Vol. I, No. 2, A monthly newsletter from Jim Fischer
A note from Jim: A month has passed since my first newsletter. I started the month wondering if I would have anything to put into the next one and I started keeping a list. I stopped when it reached eight items in just one week. But this is a newsletter, not a book and, as such, I will limit my self to two or three items so as not to bore you, my reader.
So, what is on the easel?
This is the story of a painting that goes to the heart of what art is, and isn’t, today (a favorite topic when I get together with fellow artists). When I do a painting I usually put much more paint on the palette than I will need. At the end of a session, when I no longer need those colors, I usually scrape them off and throw the pile of gook away. A couple weeks ago I decided to have some fun with the mess. I took a piece of scrap photo paper and, with a palette knife, randomly scraped the paints across the surface. The result was a small (8 x 10 inches) piece of something.
But, what? I decided it looked like a WWI battle field and I called it ‘No Man’s Land’ It’s official title is a quote from a soldier’s letter home: “No-man’s land under snow is like the face of the moon: Chaotic, crater ridden, uninhabitable, awful, the abode of madness.” This seemed to give the work, a random mess, some context. You do see the snow, right?
Now I belong to an artist’s site where I post my work, Art Mejeur (artmejeur.com) and I put this one up. Low and behold, the editors of the site chose the piece as one of their weekly picks putting it on the home page. Most of my works rack up a couple hundred views and it takes at least 3 months for that. This piece, with it’s special placement, racked up 23,000 views in just two weeks! What do you know, a complete goof is being hailed as a masterpiece. Still, no one has stepped up to buy it. That’s what selling art today is like, a lot of lookers, no takers.
A Tale of Two Townhouses
With the closing of my Whistler exhibit (for which I suspended everything else in my life for five months) I have finally been able to get around to many things needing attention around the house (no art, after 60 pastels in 4 months I’m painted out for now). One of those ‘things’ was getting contractors to do some much needed painting. In keeping with our restoration of the place to 1910 condition, I had them paint the cornices in front deep, forest green. We are very happy with the results. Our efforts must have spurred a neighbor with an identical townhouse to do some painting as well. The results are, well, somewhat different than our efforts. All I can say is to let the pictures speak for themselves (oh, but what a travesty to paint over the beautiful yellow-with-iron-flecks original brick). Whatever.
In other news…
I opened a YouTube account where you can view:
Whistler’s Venice gallery: https://youtu.be/ZvHyNrhjejU
How I did a pastel reproduction: https://youtu.be/h_DaN9r9ZhQ
And a surprise original composition: https://youtu.be/-pl3Ru9qmn4
April is the month I work in the gardens getting ready for summer. Yaaaaaay, summer!
That’s all for now. Drop me a note if you like. I’d love to hear from you.
Everyone be well.