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MAKE ART THAT MEANS MORE THAN A BRAND NAME

February 17, 2021 by

Make art that lasts, something that leave a clue about who you are. It doesn’t have to be complicated; you don’t have to give it away. If you make art that makes you happy, do it. No one expects you to look into the soul of a loved one and make them a perfect gift. […]

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BASIC WRITER QUESTION: WHY BOTHER

July 13, 2020 by

The best writer question is the one they ask themselves before starting their daily word haul. It’s a question writers never want readers to ask, so they ask themselves: Why bother? Here’s why:

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HOPE IN ONE HAND, AND IT’S ENOUGH

April 15, 2020 by

Art is defined by hope. As in, “I hope people like my work.” Turns out people like Grant Wood’s American Gothic just fine.

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ART WORLD DEFAULTS TO TRUTH IN THE ORSAY

February 27, 2020 by

Did the art world need a change in 1849? Who knows, I was just trying to keep up on a march through Paris in 2019. Ah, Paris. Just saying the name brings it all back: the museums, memorials, and churches; the neighborhoods, the Metro, and Versailles. Nothing hit harder than the painting in the top […]

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FUTURE YOU, FUTURE ME, UH HUH, WHICH ONE IS GOING TO BE

December 11, 2019 by

Will future you be alone in the world, walking the same path until the end of days? Future me says, “I hope not.” I’ve got a habit of watching people when they don’t know I’m watching. I especially like watching people who remind me of a different time.

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ART HISTORY FOR THE ART FANS

December 3, 2019 by

The two words, art and history, joined together as Art History, are too often dismissed as an elite thing, which is code for “who gives a damn.” “Oooo, art, tell me more,” said no one ever, unless the speaker had an agenda to fulfill, like trashing on something they don’t like. But art history is […]

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MY STILL LIFE WATERCOLOR

September 2, 2019 by

It’s a still life watercolorOf a now-late afternoonAs the sun shines through the curtained laceAnd shadows wash the room Every time I walk out the front door I hear water falling. Instead of running to find the source, I remember it’s a yard fountain. I’ve grown so accustomed to the sound that the silence left […]

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UGLY BUILDING IN PRETTY CITIES, PT 1

August 23, 2019 by

An ugly building grows on the people who see it every day. Living near ugly architecture doesn’t make anyone ugly, but it’s not wonderful reflection, either. Imagine seeing the same eye sore every time you went to town. You’ve got one where you live? There’s at least one for every city. Portland has one, Paris […]

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MONA LISA ON THE RUN

August 22, 2019 by

Via Rick Steves: “Due to renovation works in the Louvre, the Mona Lisa has been temporarily moved to a different wing of the museum.” Mona Lisa travels, gets a new wall, hides out. Such a mystery.

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ART HISTORY BASED ON THE GYM HUSTLE

July 31, 2019 by

Art history is a funny place to start a post, especially when it’s not about art or history. A man working out with women said: Nude male bodies are sort of gross, all hairy and lumpy, not like women who are smooth and sleek. The guy got some kudos from the ladies for his observation, […]

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