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Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, spreading color :)  in Lipetsk.

Have I ever told you about my computer skills?  In 1994, the library of the town in which we lived, upgraded.  The old card catalog, (yeah, yeah, don't say a word if you don't know what that was) was banished.  Everything upgraded.  Online.  The whole shebang.  One fell swoop.  One week I went in to the library and found my book the friendly old-fashioned way, and the following week that card catalog was gone.  "Louann", I said "What on earth has happened??"  "Well", Karen, said Louann, "it's time to learn a bit about the computer".  

Sigh.  Louann was the kindly soul who first showed me where the power button was.

It was ever so painful.

Two of our kids almost disowned me during this trying time.  They apparently assumed that if they told me something once, I would memorize it forever.  (duh)  I remember a later phase where I routinely called the critter our resident desktop beast.   And sometimes used some colorful adjectives along with that.

I am happy to report that now I can run circles around my spouse, and a few others, when it comes to computer dexterity & manipulation.  Old dogs can learn new tricks.  

Now, as we are talking about computer usage, may I ask :  "how do you feel as an artist, about intermingling with all things computer?"

1.  Is the desktop beast, and/or it's trendy variants absolutely essential to the professional artist?  (note:  I just typed out a list of all the ways I use it, but then deleted in absolute annoyance.)

2.  What would you do with the time you now spend on a computer/device IF you didn't have one?

3.  Were you an artist before the time when everyone had something digital in their back pocket?  And were you able to sell a painting so hampered?

Okayokay, I am sounding slightly negative, and I'll give you the real reason why about two paragraphs down from here.

But first, may we toss in a few words about the other impact of ohgreatmachine on the artist?   Yes, social media. The great information highway of said computerized devices.  If you have access, and can type a little bit, and know where the send button is, well then, you, too, can be an expert!  There are more folks than just a  few, who tell us we need to be spending ___ time on social media if we ever hope to sell a painting.  Yes, there needs to be a certain amount of web presence - hey, I've got a cool FASO website that you're reading this from, right?  But, think about item #2 up above.  Would you spend that time in the studio?  And would you be a better artist if you did?  Does doubt ever creep into your thought processes about whether  or not you need to maintain a website, AND a twitter, facebook, instagram-blahblahblah (that means fill in the blank with some form I don't know about) account?

Am I advocating throwing it out with the trash?  Not likely.  I am well aware of the benefits.  But I am also a big fan of asking questions, and keeping priorities in line.  A self proclaimed twitter genius does not necessarily a great artist make.

Now maybe you are wondering about the title of this post:  Social Media and Artists (The Nerve!) and the reference in a paragraph prior, to negativity.  Sometimes there are things on social media that just plain make you roll your eyes.  Now take note:  we're jogging slightly left here, but an artist friend who is also my facebook friend choses to share her art on facebook.  I don't, but I'm okay with those who do. But there's always a flip side.  Right on her facebook page for all to see today, was this:

"Would you be willing to donate one of your small paintings to the association as a door prize for our annual soup supper?"

Yes, I left out the names to protect the innocent, but as I already asked:  "What about that social media?!"  What's it worth, and are you giving it more than it's due?

In closing, I will tell you that even though I succumbed to dealing with computerization, I still refuse to have anything to do with the TV remote.  :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Later, Karen

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Lipetsk,  where it is a frosty 9 degrees today.  Whew.  This is not the Lipetsk weather we saw the two previous winters of our residence here!  

Anyway, I needed tomatoes.  (for making chili soup, of course)  I went to the vegetable market on the corner, and the folks there had some lovely ones :)  

As I was putting on my gloves, rewrapping my scarf and pulling up the hood of my coat, the vegetable lady gave me a smile.  "погода холодная!" I said.  (meaning:  the weather is cold!!!  At least that's what I aimed for :)  )  

The vegetable lady shrugged her shoulders and said "а, зима".  (translation:  what ya gonna do, it's winter)

I headed out of the shop, and as I rounded the corner, coming towards me were a mom and daughter.  The girl was carrying a bottle, that looked very much like the ones kids have in the summer for blowing bubbles.

THAT reminded me of the lovely summer memory I painted just before Christmas  Fwhooo, which is of course, a girl blowing bubbles in the park.

And THAT made me wonder:  is it possible to blow bubbles in this kind of weather??  Getting past the cold fingers, can bubbles even be created with that little wand  thingy when it's so cold?

Hey, it's Friday afternoon, on a холодно winter day, and obviously it's time for a resuscitating cup of coffee.  Thanks for stopping by!

Later, Karen

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Lipetsk.

I was disgruntled yesterday morning.  And though that word always makes me think of barnyard critters, I'm sure it's the word I need to be using today.  May I explain?

I just reread some old material, and came across this quote:

"When I judge art, I take my painting and put it next to a God made object like a tree or flower.  If it clashes, it is not art."

Supposedly Cezanne said that.  I know, really?  How do the record keepers/quotes keepers authenticate this stuff?  But anyway, let's suppose they're right, and he really did say that.  Would that make Paul C the first person to attempt to define art?  To give us parameters for what art is?  And ISN'T?

Okay, now let's get back to the objective of this post:  disgruntled yesterday morning, reviewing material, the meaning of art.  And explaining it all to you. 

Every now and then, I read through some of the listings for art calls.  I know this is not unique artist behavior on my part.  But I will share that I have a system for this perusal.

1.  Read the 'main-stream' listings  (they pop up quickly with a google search 'calls for artists')

2.  Note if they are re-occurring (annual events, biennial events, etc)  

If yes:

   a.  what artists participated in the past?

   b.  what work was chosen?

   c.  is my work polar opposite, or should I consider the event?

If not a re-occurring event:

   a.  who is the juror for this event?

   b.  what gallery or organization is sponsoring the event?

   c.  what kind of work is the gallery usually interested in?

    -   again, is my work polar opposite?

    -   or might this be a  fit?

I got into trouble when I hit the the item:  If yes: b. what work was chosen?

That is the point where I encountered disgruntled.

Now, I've already given you the Cezanne quote about what is art, and what isn't.  When you look in anybody's dictionary, under the word ART, does it say Cezanne first defined art?  I think not.  And how many people have tried the task since then?  And have you really given any of them any credit or regard??

What I tell you in these next few words will impress you even less regarding the definition of art, even LESS than what a truly famous painter once said (supposedly :)  )

But back to that word, disgruntled:  I viewed many examples of If yes: b.  what work was chosen?

I viewed rope casually draped over a hook, and I viewed six shoes glued to a floor.  I viewed a canvas with three lines painted on it.  I viewed strips of plastic stuck on a wall.  I was not inclined to ask a question.  I did not feel like taking part, getting involved.  It was not beautiful.  I felt no emotional attachment.  

Then I read the accompanying artist statement/juror comment.  The ones with the flowery language.  The ones that help us understand why plastic bags stuck on a wall are destined to be famous.  Or not.

I know, I know.  Who am I to say what IS art, and what ISN'T?  I already told you my words of definition won't take your breath away.  But that stuff I looked at?  All those images on my screen?  All those If yes: b.  what work was chosen?  All those images of things?  

They make me want to ask:  

If an image has to have gibberish-verbage accompanying it, to make it accepted, then why?

We artists and art lovers are participating in the venue of visual art.  Shouldn't we be able to look, see and FEEL without someone telling us what to feel?

This morning, I shelved yesterday's disgruntled.  I am moving onward.  I am  thinking of writing a new artist statement.  One full of mumbojumbo art-professional-speak.  It will wax eloquent of the new direction of my work.  It will carry on about how my new work refutes the current-current of art jurors.  This new statement will emphasize my theory that it's only art IF it says something - no words required.

I know, I know.  I am not the first artist to say this, but I am the next :)

And now before someone asks the question about what's the meaning of life :) ....   I'll just say, thanks for stopping by.

Later, Karen

The postscript:  one month past the writing of this blog post, I find this gem from Sara at Painters Keys:

"I recently visited an art dealer who took pains to tell me about an artist’s process of layering house paint on a strip of linoleum to achieve a linoleum-y-looking house-painty thing."

Yes, that sums it all up pretty well....

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, freshly returned to Lipetsk, from a holiday sojourn in Iowa.

This is a brief post, with exhibit news!

The teaser is:

and

AND a link to my newly updated schedule page:  http://karencooperpaintings.com/other2

Happy viewing, and thanks for stopping by.

Later, Karen

Just to make it easier on you, I will also give you a link for the gallery involved with said exhibit.  It's Outside The Lines Gallery, in Dubuque, Iowa. They just (Friday the 8th of January!) opened their exhibit 'Creatures Great And Small'.

Here's the place to click to visit their website with all the pertinent info:  http://otlag.com/