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For all you artists in London Ontario and area – I just saw sunflowers in some local grocery stores! Happy painting – woohoo!! 

There is one method that seems to work best for trying to get that stubborn lid off of a paint jar or tube – and that is to run it under hot water for several minutes. The water needs to be really hot, and you need to be patient, holding it there for awhile to let the heat penetrate through the lid and soften the paint. This seems to work with all types of paint. This method is less likely to damage the paint tube or jar than pliers are. Sometimes pliers rip a metal tube. 

“All that is gold does not glitter /  Not all those who wander are lost /  The old that is strong does not wither /  Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”   J.R.R. Tolkien 

The emotional attachment to art is huge. Who was it that said, “Art is emotion”? Visual art that happens without words (usually), relies on touching people’s emotions with colours, shapes, sometimes subject, always interpretation. This is also why it takes courage to show others your art. Our emotions and the expression of them is a vulnerable place. But it’s also a place ripe with meaning. I hope that as you create, you can take a deep breath and let others share your heart. Your thoughts? 

It’s an interesting question: What is the artist’s role in society? Art Promotive asked this question of 10 different artists. Here is the link to see their responses: “Art Promotive“, and I’d love to hear what your answer to this question is! 

“An onion can make people cry but there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.” Will Rogers   Have a happy long weekend, everyone! Next blog post August 7/12. 

There are so many interesting brush shapes – and names to go with them. For example, “Cat’s Tongue” is a square brush that has had the corners rounded – if that makes sense. But which is the very best brush to use? Certainly not the tiny one! You pick up niggley little amounts of paint, and spend more time moving your hand back and forth between the palette and the painting, than you do actually painting. If you are wanting to make thin lines or small marks, a larger round brush that holds a good point will do that just as well. The key here is – it is in good shape and holds a good point. Personally, I use a lot of square brushes. If you hold them on the chisel point, they can still make a thin line, and they can be held at an angle for thicker marks, or pressed flat on the canvas for the widest mark of all. This versatility in marks is fun for me. But which is the very best brush for you? It should be: 1. Large enough to hold a decent amount of paint,   2. In good shape and not having a bad hair day,   3. Make the type of marks that you are excited about having in your painting!    Notice #3 – that’s why I can’t tell you exactly which brush shape will be your favourite. You need to experiment with a variety of shapes to figure that one out for yourself. Happy painting! 

Here’s a list of ideas that may inspire your next drawing or painting. Thanks, “ArtPromotive – Inspirations“ 

With Olympic fever upon us, it is impressive to see what mere humans can accomplish. If there is just one characteristic of an Olympian that impresses me, it would be the perseverance. The long determined road of hard work that goes into honing a skill to that degree. I admire the same thing in great artists – singers, painters, actors, dancers and the rest. How about you? What do you admire about those who are in the spotlight in London England right now? 

The stats say so. We have a tendency to overate ourselves. Apparently the vast majority of people think that they are great drivers, and better than average at sex. I’m not good with math, but I can see that 90% of people thinking they are better than average at anything, just doesn’t work with the numbers. Now, I’m sure you’d rather I talked about sex, but I’m going to take this overrating thing, and apply it to art. Let’s suppose, and I don’t know for sure how wide spread this is, but let’s suppose that some artists suffer from this too – thinking that their art is better than it actually is. What kind of things can we do to avoid this trap? First suggestion: learn to recognize your honest critics. These folks are few and far between – so if you find one, cultivate asking for their opinion. They don’t have to be knowledgeable about art techniques. They are the ones who say, “hmmm, really don’t like this one”. Or, “that area sure feels awkward”. No one in your life like that? Maybe you could to go to some art groups or art classes or retreats and network with other artists. And even in those situations, people are mostly very polite and supportive, so you will need to encourage honest responses. Finally, get exposed to the great art from history. Not only is it inspiring, but it’s hard not to be humbled in the presence of so much greatness that has gone before us. Now, it would be wrong not to mention that I have also seen the opposite problem – those who make great art and don’t see that it is. But that would be another blog post.