I loved learning things I didn't know about your past. Interesting how our lives weave and change. I'm learning a lot about art from your posts, specifically painting. I love your flower painting - so vibrant. I imagine painting with palette knives can be quite challenging - except for the cleanup, of course! I agree with you about the value in liberal arts education. More balance is needed, which isn't as easy as it sounds as there are only so many courses and so much time any given student can take and has. By the way, it was quarters when I went to college too. I wonder why that was changed anyway. But I digress. Thank you for another fine read. Keep painting!
Yes, it's amazing how our lives don't really follow a linear pattern. The person I was in high school -- wanting to be a veterinarian so badly -- is gone in many ways. Yet the interest in art has remained and has actually intensified.
Thank you for your kind words about my flower painting. I'm a sucker for vibrant colors. I know I have a long way to go to create palette knife art that I really enjoy fully.
You are right about the limited time students have for that balance of liberal arts and STEM courses. Thank you for your kind words about my post. I definitely will keep painting, though I will probably be painting with brushes for the next one. I'll come back to palette painting sometime. :)
Beth I am totally inspired by your ability to persevere with your passion and instinct to make artistic . I was so touched by the image of you as a child painting with an imaginary paintbrush. One lesson I’m taking from this amazing post today is to continue to honor your deepest impulse to create --and in doing so, eventually you can begin to celebrate yourself as an artist.
Gerry, thank you for your insightful, eloquent comment. I so appreciate it. As artists, it is so vital to honor our craft. This is such an important component of self-care. Sharing our art in the world is also vital, as I believe when we put our art into the universe, the universe wholeheartedly responds in a positive manner.
Beth, this is such a great post, and so much is contained in here! First I have to say that I agree with you that a liberal arts education is at least as important as skills learned in STEM education, and both should be included at all levels of education. My college education was dominated by science classes and I feel I would have benefitted by being required to take more liberal arts courses. I eventually caught up in some areas, but I still often feel culturally challenged when it comes to arts and humanities.
Everyone is an amateur to begin with. Being an amateur who wants to learn is the best part! I feel like a learner and an amateur in many ways with art. Being open to learning from anyone and everything, I feel like there is nowhere to go but up. I try to ask as many questions as I can whenever I’m around experienced artists.
I love your palette knife painting, it looks great and I happen to love the cattails and the way they catch the light. I think capturing lighting is the most challenging aspect of art for me. I also like cleaning palette knives because you just wipe them down...
Hi Alene, thank you! It's interesting because while I eventually focused on and taught in the liberal arts field, my daughter is a STEM girl, excelling in math and science. And I'm good with accepting who she is and the field she wants to go into -- science.
I agree that being an amateur who asks questions is fun! And I have asked a plethora of questions and still do.
Thanks for your feedback on my first real palette knife painting. I just saw on YouTube an artist who uses paintbrushes AND palette knives. That might be something I'd try someday. And I agree that capturing the light in a painting is so key. I try to do that regularly.
This read is what I needed today. As someone who has a very artistic son, it could not be more true about important art is. Also, how important it is to lift others up in their art. I always thought I couldn't label myself as 'artistic' because I cant even draw a stick figure right, but I am very artistic in many ways that my son is helping me discover. I cannot tell you how much thus post helped me today...thank you for being so transparent. PS- you are a fantastic artist and should re-create the work you lost! I would love to see it!
Kristy, I'm so glad this post resonated with you and helped you. You're probably more artistic than you give yourself credit for, and I'm glad your artistic son is helping you see that. Plus you are a writer, and that is a very artistic side of you. Being a writer is a gift, and you have it!
Hi Beth,
I loved learning things I didn't know about your past. Interesting how our lives weave and change. I'm learning a lot about art from your posts, specifically painting. I love your flower painting - so vibrant. I imagine painting with palette knives can be quite challenging - except for the cleanup, of course! I agree with you about the value in liberal arts education. More balance is needed, which isn't as easy as it sounds as there are only so many courses and so much time any given student can take and has. By the way, it was quarters when I went to college too. I wonder why that was changed anyway. But I digress. Thank you for another fine read. Keep painting!
Hi Nancy,
Yes, it's amazing how our lives don't really follow a linear pattern. The person I was in high school -- wanting to be a veterinarian so badly -- is gone in many ways. Yet the interest in art has remained and has actually intensified.
Thank you for your kind words about my flower painting. I'm a sucker for vibrant colors. I know I have a long way to go to create palette knife art that I really enjoy fully.
You are right about the limited time students have for that balance of liberal arts and STEM courses. Thank you for your kind words about my post. I definitely will keep painting, though I will probably be painting with brushes for the next one. I'll come back to palette painting sometime. :)
Beth I am totally inspired by your ability to persevere with your passion and instinct to make artistic . I was so touched by the image of you as a child painting with an imaginary paintbrush. One lesson I’m taking from this amazing post today is to continue to honor your deepest impulse to create --and in doing so, eventually you can begin to celebrate yourself as an artist.
Gerry, thank you for your insightful, eloquent comment. I so appreciate it. As artists, it is so vital to honor our craft. This is such an important component of self-care. Sharing our art in the world is also vital, as I believe when we put our art into the universe, the universe wholeheartedly responds in a positive manner.
Beth, this is such a great post, and so much is contained in here! First I have to say that I agree with you that a liberal arts education is at least as important as skills learned in STEM education, and both should be included at all levels of education. My college education was dominated by science classes and I feel I would have benefitted by being required to take more liberal arts courses. I eventually caught up in some areas, but I still often feel culturally challenged when it comes to arts and humanities.
Everyone is an amateur to begin with. Being an amateur who wants to learn is the best part! I feel like a learner and an amateur in many ways with art. Being open to learning from anyone and everything, I feel like there is nowhere to go but up. I try to ask as many questions as I can whenever I’m around experienced artists.
I love your palette knife painting, it looks great and I happen to love the cattails and the way they catch the light. I think capturing lighting is the most challenging aspect of art for me. I also like cleaning palette knives because you just wipe them down...
Hi Alene, thank you! It's interesting because while I eventually focused on and taught in the liberal arts field, my daughter is a STEM girl, excelling in math and science. And I'm good with accepting who she is and the field she wants to go into -- science.
I agree that being an amateur who asks questions is fun! And I have asked a plethora of questions and still do.
Thanks for your feedback on my first real palette knife painting. I just saw on YouTube an artist who uses paintbrushes AND palette knives. That might be something I'd try someday. And I agree that capturing the light in a painting is so key. I try to do that regularly.
Thank you for your insightful feedback.
This read is what I needed today. As someone who has a very artistic son, it could not be more true about important art is. Also, how important it is to lift others up in their art. I always thought I couldn't label myself as 'artistic' because I cant even draw a stick figure right, but I am very artistic in many ways that my son is helping me discover. I cannot tell you how much thus post helped me today...thank you for being so transparent. PS- you are a fantastic artist and should re-create the work you lost! I would love to see it!
Kristy, I'm so glad this post resonated with you and helped you. You're probably more artistic than you give yourself credit for, and I'm glad your artistic son is helping you see that. Plus you are a writer, and that is a very artistic side of you. Being a writer is a gift, and you have it!