Blog

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio.  Well, sort of.  Not painting today.  Nope, not in the studio.  We overnighted in Voronezh, Russia at the Holiday Inn Express.  Yes, Voronezh, Russia has a Holiday Inn.  Who knew??

Back to the studio word:  I have this day to myself, to explore Voronezh.  My target is the The Kramskoy Museum of Fine Arts.  And I intend to use every minute there absorbing knowledge that will hopefully step up my studio action by at least one microskill.  So, yes, welcome to the Cooper studio, on assignment, Voronezh.

But the museum doesn't open for another two hours, so in the mean time, may  I share an observation with you??  I am typing this as I sit in the breakfast room of the Voronezh Holiday Inn Express, cup of coffee at the ready.  Guests are ambling in and out, seeking nourishment for the day at hand.  Hotel staff are not ambling.  They are hell bent on their individual tasks.  Those related to food service move deftly and quietly about with food tray replenishments.  Quietly, in the background.  The picture of discreet, and unnoticed.

Wait a minute!  Who's that?  The guy in the suit?  

Yes, those swinging doors that by simple observation can lead only to the kitchen, part.  And here comes the guy in the suit.

We all know immediately.  HE is the one in charge.

Well tailored suit, dark rimmed glasses perched knowledgeably on his nose, shoes cleaned and shined, the bearer standing tall and erect - oh yes, he's definitely in charge.  He looks the part.  In charge.

Unless this is your first visit to these opinionated (!!) pages, you'll know from precedent, we always relate the story du jour to the art world, in whatever manner it seems directed.  How goes it today?

I'm thinking of a book title "No More Wishy Washy Watercolors".   I am not (thank God!) a watercolor painter.  Been there.  Tried that.  Can not cope.  End of story.  BUT!!!  I have always loved that title.  

Let's not dwell on the watercolor portion of the title, however.  If you need to make it more relevant to yourself, simply insert oil paintings, pastels, charcoals...

Yes, I'm saying we need to focus on the 'wishy washy' part.  Because of course, In Charge and wishy washy are the opposite ends of any spectrum to which we apply this analogy.  Right.  I just gave wishy washy a bad rap, but really - if there's any hope at all for success in our endeavors, we have to emulate the guy in the suit, not the phrase in the book title.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Later, Karen

ps.  I'll be looking for paintings at The Kramskoy today, that push the in charge button.  Trying for those bits of knowledge to take back to the studio, and the easel.  In charge.  My easel endeavor!!