ArtBlog
Welcome to my monthly Artblog dedicated to my teachers and mentors. Their expertise, encouragement, trust and honest critique have guided me, and continue to inspire me through the meanders of the painting process.
Giving Titles September 2008
Someone recently asked me how I choose titles for my artwork. I hadn’t given it much thought before, titles just came to me it seemed. Yet, the question is interesting and invites some exploration.
As a matter of principle I prefer not to give a title with a negative connotation. Who in his or her right mind would want to hang on their wall a painting titled “His Compulsion” or “Neurosis III”? No thank you! I do not wish to contribute to the pool of bad news; I’ll leave that to a more intrepid artist.
Titles can be just plainly and unpretentiously name the subject matter such as “Tomatoes”. I like to add a nuance but without too much interpretation since I hope the viewer will discover an attribute on his or her own. So instead of just “Tomatoes” or “Bouquet” I might prefer “Ripe Tomatoes” and “Birthday Bouquet”. To me, short titles limited to two words are preferable. Evocative titles without too much dramatic effect are usually also pleasing such as “First Sail” or “Quiet Embrace” as they may invite to imagine a narrative. I stay away from titles such as “Composition #3”. To me such titles are too clinical; I can’t warm up to them. While I might opt for an occasional foreign noun especially if it is a cognate, I usually stay away from esoteric terminology only a few can understand. Ultimately choosing a title is obviously a question of personal preference.
Are titles important? Different artists will give you different answers. I feel titles are important. Naming a painting that I have finished is for me a form of acknowledgement. It gives me a sense of accomplishment the way signing a painting does. Furthermore it is a form of reverence for the painting itself.
Yvette Stenzel
Painting With a Palette Knife August 2008
My friend Sheila O’Donnell just reminded me the other day how much easier clean up is, when using a palette knife instead of a paint brush. Wiping the blade clean with a paper towel or rag does not require the use of any solvent which is so toxic to the environment let alone to your skin. For plein air painting, when keeping the amount of supplies to a minimum is desirable, palette knives are a great alternative to paint brushes.
Palette knives come in all sizes and shapes. Technically knives fall into 2 categories; painting knives and palette knives. Palette knives are flat and resemble spatulas or spreaders. They are designed to pick up paint and clean the palette. Painting knives have a more distinct bend between the blade and the handle, and look a bit like a trowel. To me such distinctions are inconsequential, I use whatever feels right.
I usually have 3 ready to use; a large flat one that allows me to quickly spread a lot of paint, a medium size and a triangular shaped one for details and small strokes. I prefer to use the ones that have a metal blade and a wooden handle over the plastic ones which I find less sturdy.
Using a palette knife is ideal for a variety of techniques such as impasto, when a thick layer of paint is applied to create volume, shape and texture. It is also great for splattering, scratching and for sgraffito, a technique in which paint is scraped off of a multilayered surface to reveal a previous layer. It is an optimum tool for creating all kinds of texture.
With a palette knife paint goes on to the canvas like butter. One cannot be timid about it. When using a palette knife, I find that several layers of paint tend to sit on top of one another rather than get blended quickly to way they do when applied with a brush. It is easier to keep colors separated and clean.
Beyond the obvious advantages, I find the use of a palette knife over a paint brush less fussy. Indeed equipped with my palette knife, I approach a painting with greater spontaneity…pretty much the way I like to cook. I feel energized, ready to experiment and improvise, confident that the effort will somehow pay off.
Yvette Stenzel
Silent Dialogue With The Canvas . July, 2008
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Silent Discussions Leave the outside for a while |
Yvette Isabelle Stenzel , July, 2008
Graduation Time June 2008
You have enjoyed being in the same class for a while and may continue enrolling. It has become a part of your routine and expectations. However, there may come a time when it is practical to acknowledge that you’ll need to move on.
It might be time for you to graduate when you experience any of the following signals:
You find yourself criticizing the teacher or other fellow painters on a regular basis.
You too often feel like imitating the teacher or others in class.
You spend your time socializing more than painting.
You habitually forget some art supplies or come late to class.
You are done before class is over most of the time.
You feel discouraged most of the time.
You get quickly offended by feedback or suggestions.
You feel envious when others get positive feedback.
You are using class as a form of therapy and find yourself indiscriminately disclosing
your private life.
You find yourself going to class because you have nothing else to do.
You feel the teacher habitually does not understand you or let you express yourself.
As positive an experience as taking a class may have been, there inevitably comes a time to let go and move on
It will be good for you as well as for anyone else in class.
Yvette Stenzel
Painting on York River, Maine June '08
Why not take a class? May 2008
No matter how confident an artist you may have become, there is always something to be gained when taking an art class and painting with others. Even when I took a class from a teacher who irritated me a times, being in a class has helped me to better articulate my own perspective.
Taking a class gives me foremost a framework. I seem to manage my time more efficiently when I have a definite schedule and deadlines. Without such a structure I get too easily distracted. I’ll end up procrastinating and putting the creative process on hold while the domesticity of daily life all too quickly fills my spaces.
Painting with others provides me with a supportive environment. It is usually an enjoyable and informative experience provided you can ignore the occasional obnoxious self-centered student who loves to monopolize the teacher’s attention and give you unsolicited advice. I have always learned something; if not from an enthusiastic teacher than certainly from other fellow painters who like me struggle with the process of creating art. Becoming a regular member of a group can be quite rewarding. Beyond the obvious camaraderie, inherent to most such groups an “esprit de corps” develops over time. This feeling of belonging and experience of inclusion is to me an important component of knowing my place; I feel validated and connected in an artist community however small it may be.
At times I have enrolled in more than one class. The more accelerated pace has energized me resulting in heightened creativity. I find myself so busily involved that any censorship or resistance fades and I just go with the flow. Other times I have taken classes that are not my main interest, such as life drawing; these classes have greatly sharpen my skills which I could then incorporate into my paintings. Unlike some, I do believe that one art form enhances another, and taking different media has never been a source of confusion for me.
Workshops, whether short and intensive or involving a longer stay, are particularly great for concentrating on your art. Set in a different environment, away from the daily comfort and traps of your routine, you are more likely to awaken to refreshingly new sensations. You might experience seeing things for the first time again. To further maximize your experience, I recommend that you do not come with a spouse or partner even if you are both artists. Doing so to me would somehow defeat the purpose of participating in an art workshop. Rather than a true retreat it would be reduced to a mere theme vacation.
Ideally I look for teachers whose guidance, honest critique, encouraging support, tolerance and sense of humor engage me as well as others.
Yvette Stenzel
........................... .On Vacation in Martinique................................................. April 2008
Club Med
Cleaning Oil Paint Brushes: March 2008
You will need: 3 Mason jars with lids, heavy duty paper towels, odorless paint thinner and Murphy’s liquid oil soap. Do not use any plastic containers. Overtime the paint thinner will dissolve plastic and the container will start to leak and you won’t believe what a mess it will be!
There 3 parts to a brush: the handle, the bristles and a metal part called the ferrule which holds the bristles inside the handle. Never ever pull the bristles!
When you are ready to clean your brushes, first make sure to wipe off any excess paint with a paper towel. Pour some paint thinner in one jar and some liquid oil soap in the second jar. Protect your hands with either latex or vinyl gloves to prevent any toxicity to be absorbed by the skin. Also make sure there is good ventilation wherever you are working. Dip your brush into the jar with paint thinner and tap it several times against the bottom of the jar. As the bristles go far through the ferrule inside the handle, paint tends to collect there and you’ll need to remove as much of it as possible. After having wiped your brush with paper towel, dip your brush into the jar with liquid soap and repeat the same process as with the paint thinner solution. Finally run your brush through some water and towel dry it thoroughly, reshape it and let it dry onto a hard surface. Cover both jars with a lid.
Reuse both solutions. When they become too dirty pour both into a third jar which will become your “waste” jar. As with any hazardous material, dispose of it properly.
Never ever pour it down the drain. The mixture of paint, thinner and oil soap will create highly toxic goo which will clog your pipes and poison the environment.
Tip: Murphy’s liquid oil soap conditions brushes. When my brushes need to be conditioned I let them soak overnight in clean Murphy’s soap. Brushes become wonderfully soft again.
Yvette Stenzel
Dedicated to artists and friends of the arts.
V’s Day
I do not care for Valentine’s Day
A consumer culture’s celebration
What about the many lonely people
They’ll gladly do without it
And if you have lived for a while
Of course you know what I mean
Yes it is Valentine’s Day big deal
I could chose to ignore it again
Like last year despite Chet Baker
Or write a perfunctory silly
Red hearted card with a printed
Make believe love message
The one I will not give to you
This day no more or less ordinary
No day ordinary when you are in it
So I tell you today and tomorrow
Here is to you and to your art
Your unrestraint impish smile
Your quick frown your intent drive
Your attentiveness your tenderness
Your tough guy surface your colors
Your patience and your impatience
Your shamelessness your humility
Your strength your contradictions
Your reliance your inconsistencies
Your naughty vocabulary your gallantry
Your jazz sophistication and gipsy passion
Your surprises your predictabilities
Your guidance and your inquiries
Your strong profile your chiseled body
Your sensitiveness your wisdom
Your playfulness and serious veneer
Your expediency and your slow motion
Your maturity and your boyishness
Your virility your seductive charisma
So here is to you today and ahead
Happy Valentine’s Day 2008
Yvette Isabelle Stenzel
2008 Painting Resolutions
Who says one won’t stick to resolutions? As long as they are reasonable it is up to you! Here is a list I wish to share:
- Do something art related every day. This does not need to take much time! It could be as easy as paging through an art book while waiting for the tea water to boil. Keep a little sketch book handy where ever you are.
- As you plan your week schedule some time to paint.
- Tidy up your studio or work space on a regular basis. Too much clutter clutters the mind!
- Go on a solo “art date” at least once a month. Take yourself to an art museum, a quiet ride to the country or treat yourself to a decadent cappuccino served in real china. Nurture your senses!
- Treat your art supplies with care. Clean your brushes well, recycle your canvasses when appropriate and take inventory of your painting tubes regularly.
- Join art associations and take at least one class.
- When painting in groups or in a class exercise compassion towards your fellow painters. Unless you are truly an expert art critic, refrain from singling someone out with either your hyperbolic praise or with your uncensored disapproval. And please do not undermine your teacher’s expertise. If you do not like his or her style and approach choose another teacher!
- Participate in as many events and exhibitions as possible. OK, you’ll get rejected at times…GET OVER IT!
- Reward yourself periodically with an “art toy” like a tube of paint in an exotic color or a special brush.
- Cary at all times a travel size digital camera. AND USE IT!
Recommended reading: Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way.
Yvette Stenzel, January 2008
December 2007
This poem is dedicated to my friend Susie Kaplan who died of cancer a year ago. It celebrates her omnipresence in the beauty that surrounds us and sustains us throughout the year. It is in French, a language she loved.
Molto Cantabile
Tu es le vent dans les arbres quand
En automne jaunissent les vieilles vignes
Quand murissent les dernieres figues
Une douce sonatine qui s’ecoule
A jamais dans les jardins de Provence
De saison en saison un peu vagabonde
Molto cantabile
Tu es la rosee les matins de printemps
Aux parfums de lilas et de roses sauvages
Quand la lavande embrasse le romarin
Tu es la terre ancestrale l’eternel feminin
Sous le grand soleil lourd de l’ete
Tu es la longue plage chaude
Des belles iles grecques de la mer Egee
De saison en saison une sonatine
Molto cantabile
Tu es la passion des nuits romantiques
Desirs secrets des amants separes
Orangers andalous et flamencos gitans
Sous les caresses d’une lune magique
Tu danses un tango nonchalant
De saison en saison une musique
Molto cantabile
Tu es l’hiver en robe de mariee
Pres des cypres en pilliers endormis
Figuiers et amandiers en sourdine
Font fumer un feu de cheminee
De saison en saison une sonatine
Molto cantabile
Molto
Yvette Isabelle Stenzel
November 2007
Treasured Miniatures
Who hasn’t felt hesitant to throw away unused paint or wondered what to do with all the left over paint on one’s palette at the end of a painting session? Good quality paint whether oil or acrylic is, after all, expensive. We know all too well how quickly the cost of art supplies can add up. Perhaps out of a practical sense of economy, you have even at times hesitated to use much paint.
The following suggestion can both be fun and productive. When possible, have a few very small canvasses handy such as 8”x8” squares. At the end of a painting session, why not paint a miniature with whatever paint left on your palette? For me it is like playtime at the end of a labor intensive endeavor.
Perhaps as a reward for the entire effort one has just done by working with focus and intent, painting a miniature for the sole pleasure of painting can result in some great surprises. Spontaneous painting without the censorship of either our intellect or expectations can be extremely liberating. By spontaneous, however, I do not mean to imply painted with haste. While I might spend less than 10 minutes at the time on a miniature, I often let it sit and finish it over several sessions thus letting the painting emerge through many transformations. As one phase leads to another, in the end, it becomes more and more about the process of discovery and that can be a tremendous learning experience. I have found this to be far more exciting than painstakingly saving left over paint in some small plastic containers which really only adds to more left over paint!
Yvette Stenzel
October 2007
“Before my friends entered the studio, they always had to wait. That was nice to give me time to tidy up, to put on my clothes, for I worked in the nude.
Marc Chagall (1889-1985)
The Artist’s Studio
The need for one’s own studio is a great motivator to become quite creative with the use of space. Before my lavish present studio I had transformed a walk-in closet into a formidable studio space. Since it had a tall ceiling I maximized space by designing overhead storage where I kept mostly canvasses and frames. With some resourcefulness one will find ways to claim studio space. An artist friend of mine transformed a garage into a lovely studio, while another, remodeled a section of her basement and with clever usage of partitions created an innovative work space to suit her needs. As an artist your need for a studio is more than a necessity, it is your right.
Practical strategies can further help to keep expenses low while installing your studio. There are really only a few basic needs such as a sturdy work table, good light, an easel, a tray table, ventilation and some shelves for storage. My own workbench consists of a thick rectangular piece of plywood on top of adjustable sawhorses underneath which I store canvasses. One short side of the workbench is set against a wall where I hang tools for easy reach, while the remaining three sides are free standing such that I can walk all around it. Storage shelves can be very basic and inexpensive such as boards on top of plastic bins or recycled crates. Most of what one needs can be purchased at a large discount hardware department store including drop clothes and cheap commercial style rugs.
The meaning of one’s own studio goes far beyond the need for a work space. For me the studio is perhaps foremost a sanctuary; a place where I paint and meditate, a place where I find respite and solace, where I seek inspiration and solitude as well as companionship. Surrounded by many art books, soothed by heirlooms, alluring music and aromas, moved by symbolism and quietude, it is where I can replenish my creative well when I am not outdoors in nature. And while unlike Chagall, I have not yet painted in the nude, the studio is however, where I feel truly unencumbered and free to experiment.
Yvette Isabelle Stenzel
August 2007
“It is very hard work to turn out anything that looks like a good painting.”
Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986)
Why Aren’t You Painting?
When you find yourself neatly rearranging your studio, taking inventory of the many paint brushes you proudly possess, filing clippings or paging through an art supply catalog filled with tempting gadgets and luscious new colors, you are not painting! Who hasn’t indeed procrastinated under the convenient masquerade of getting involved in some kind of art business…yes, it is so easy to do. Don’t most of us secretly wish to fit the mold fostered mostly by non-artists, namely the romantic image of the artist who leads a carefree bohemian life style and picks up a brush driven by some mysterious moment of inspiration? Don’t we wish!
Painting is mostly manual messy labor that requires some of the discipline of a routine and the dedication of rituals. You may want to set time aside for art with the same seriousness and sense of purpose you would for any important work project. If being an artist is the only job you have, why not treat it as a full time occupation? Plan a weekly realistic schedule during which time you make a commitment to your art. Taking classes can provide an easy locked in structure. In addition, there are the obvious benefits of painting with others especially if you prefer the comfort of a more social environment. The energy generated by a group can be exhilarating, furthermore feedback from both participants and the teacher usually adds positively to the experience. Just like in any work situation you will need some kind of work outfit. Changing into your painting gear might just help to transition into that work mode. Set aside a pile of painting clothes which you can discard once they have become too worn.
Should one keep a schedule when traveling and/or vacationing? Obviously that depends a great deal. I do and I don’t. Between occupations I always give myself some transition time. When traveling, regardless of the length of the journey, I take my sketchbook and camera, but I give myself a vacation from painting. I take some time to purposefully fill my well with images and sensory experiences. Later with some distance I hope to draw from my repertoire and translate my enthusiasm into paintings.
PS: I am planning a vacation to South Africa and will be leaving soon. My next Artblog will be published in October.
Yvette Isabelle Stenzel
July 2007
Recycling canvasses
“Do not fear mistakes, there are none.”
Miles Davis (19226-1991)
I was very fortunate to recently move from my cluttered closet of a studio to a beautiful new space with plenty of storage. It is amazing how many canvasses of both unfinished and below standard pieces one can accumulate. I pledged to recycle before purchasing another canvas especially since my collection includes a variety of sizes.
You have, I am sure, been told that one should not apply acrylic over oil paint; oil dries slowly while acrylic dries very quickly thus it would adversely alter the surface finish and paint may even chip off. Well, Gesso is an acrylic product; yet, I have found it works quite well even over oil when applied properly in the recycling process. Our friend Madeline LaFarge suggests using a latex based product called Kilz available at the hardware store; it works really well and is inexpensive, thank you Madeline! First, choose oil paintings that have been seasoned for at least 6 months. Using medium grade sandpaper, sand the surface to a dull finish. Then, apply the first coat of Gesso or Kilz with an inexpensive disposable sponge brush. When dry, lightly sand it with fine grade sandpaper before applying a second coat which can also be sanded. If one desires a rougher surface for the paint to adhere better, one can mix sand or pumice to the final coat. You may wonder why not simply use Titanium white to cover a used canvas. It will work of course; however, I find both Gesso and Kilz to have a more neutral effect at less cost and much faster drying time.
Using recycled canvasses can give you the benefit of a more textured surface, the effect of which can be maximized in a new painting. Another way to reuse a bad painting is simply to keep pushing it to a different level of expression without any concerns or expectations. I have found this process to be very liberating and fun, and on occasion, I have even surprised myself with a successful new painting.
So, you think you painted some bad paintings! Who hasn’t? Acknowledge what it is that in your opinion didn’t work… get over it and have some fun with it! When in doubt, recycle, I have not yet regretted it.
Yvette Isabelle Stenzel
June 2007
In search of subject matter
“Oh, young artist, you search for a subject, everything is a subject, your subject is yourself, your impressions, your emotions in the presence of nature.”
Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863)
When asked at times by people who have not seen my work what the subjects of my paintings are, I feel a bit uneasy and I usually describe my latest piece or hide behind generalities.
True, I have experienced many times the anxious discomfort of looking for a subject matter or theme. I am embarrassed to admit that some years ago I even bought a book by Carole Katchen: 200 Great Painting Ideas for Artists. I have fretted before many a class looking frantically through my collection of photographs and clippings in the hope to find the one image that would hold the vision of a painting. Even when painting en plein air, I have looked with determination to find the perfect spot with just the right alluring light to imbue me with a visual moment that will truly inspire me. I have found value in doing serial paintings; one can certainly refine technique and expend one’s painting vocabulary.
In truth it seems the more confident I feel, the less important it becomes to find the right subject matter. So, if I somehow feel a driving enthusiasm for a particular scenery or subject I go for it head on. If I do not feel particularly inspired, I just start painting anyway, soon I find myself engaged in the process and the pleasure of painting. In either case the less preconceived notions I have before starting a painting, the freer I feel to experiment with new possibilities. Once freed from the mandate of finding a subject matter and perhaps even from the subject itself, one can focus more on the magic of paint.
This is not to say that subject matter is immaterial, that would be absurd. Painting to me is like poetry, there is a consequential duet between content and form which the poet can manipulate with intent. If the lyricism of rhythm, the power of imagery and the choice of nuanced words do not evoke a mood and captivate the reader’s interest, the content looses its impact. Content is as inherent in a painting as it is in a poem. The challenge is to train the eye to see beyond the immediate and subject matter derives; a raindrop can become the subject matter.
Yvette Isabelle Stenzel
May 2007
The challenge of beginning a painting
“Of course, I don’t go into the studio with the idea of “saying” something – that’s ludicrous. What I do is face the blank canvas, which is terrifying. Finally I put a few arbitrary marks on it that start me on some sort of dialogue.”
Richard Diebenkorn (1922-1993)
For me the beginning of a painting is unquestionably the most important step in the process. When I am planning a journey I spend time packing carefully with a sense of purpose, yet, leaving some space to be filled with things I might want to bring back. Most of the time before starting a new painting I do not have a clear or detailed concept. While I may have thought about a motive or chosen a subject matter beforehand, I try to keep an open mind to the possibility of discovery as I proceed. Painting becomes an opportunity to experiment and grow.
I never start with a white canvas. There is something viscerally frightening about a blank canvas as if the sterile white nothingness were an engulfing void. The responsibility of filling that void can feel overwhelming for sure.
I start taming my canvas by applying a variety of thin washes creating a layered abstract surface using a big flat brush, the kind I buy at a hardware store. I prefer to prep my canvasses with warm tones using acrylics for their versatility and quick drying time. I’ll never incorporate a pencil drawing of any kind regardless of the medium. Should I somehow feel the need for composition purposes to sketch, I’ll do so quickly on separate paper. I want to keep my paintings as open ended a feasible especially in the beginning. To me the contours of a drawing can be too stifling as I find myself limited by their linear restrictiveness.
I do not mean to imply, however, that one can forgo the ability to draw well, quite the contrary! If I feel confident about my skills I do not need the crutch of an underlying drawing to guide me. It is a misconception that somehow one does not need to know how to draw in order to paint. Whether or not one’s style is representational, the ability to draw with accuracy is an invaluable foundation. Surely there are exceptions…yet, like most musicians, painters too need to practice their scales and tune their instruments regularly.
On occasion, when an anatomically correct figure is called for, I trace a grid on the canvas, and then sketch the shape in a quick gesture fashion not concerning myself with details. As I move on I ‘ll adjust, refine details and make the necessary corrections.
After I have prepared the canvas, I paint in the general bigger shapes while deciding where the darker areas will go. Then, I quickly sketch with the paint brush, but rather than drawing outlines, I form shapes by drawing from the inside out.
Unless I decide to purposely work with a limited palette, I set out all of my many colors as well as a wide variety of paint brushes which I arrange with a ritualistic precision. When possible I like to paint to music. All of these strategies foster a comfort zone in which my senses can be heightened in order to better equip me for the sensual experience of painting.
Finally, I always hope for some excitement. When I do not feel an initial enthusiasm, I sense that my painting will lack in energy. On such days I may opt to sharpen my skills in doing exercises. At such times, a momentum is likely to be built which can fuel a renewed sense of engagement. Painting is a journey, the end of which shapes a new beginning.
Yvette Isabelle Stenzel, May 2007
