When I began this blog a few years ago, I envisioned the possibility of it becoming a discussion forum by attracting like minded others. Though it may certainly be attracting those like minded others I envisioned (at least according to the blog stats), the interactivity is not what I had hoped. So, OK, I give up. Let this blog be what it already is, my own personal blog. I try to create informative posts illustrating my various challenges and experiments. People are, as always, welcome to post comments, questions, information or links here – according to the appropriate category – anything that relates to the knowledgeable use of craft in making fine art.
To be fair, there are some great forums already out there full of rich experience, depending on your speciality and interest. For informative troubleshooting these three are my own personal favorites : WET Canvas – especially for oils, acrylics and alkyds; the Society of Tempera Painters – for egg tempera enthusiasts; AMIEN a non-profit forum managed by knowledgeable conservators. To my knowledge, fresco and encaustic are not yet well represented in an informative yet disinterested format. If someone knows contrarywise, I’d welcome the link.
Anyway, this blog began by transposing the technical info from my own personal gallery website . That info had been there for years, but has now become interactive. The information then is from my own knowledge and experience (very little of it came from my university years in art studio). It has been arranged into various categories according to the topics on the right. Additionally, I am continually adding to that knowledge through new projects. Thus the blog format works very well as an archive for documenting “works-in-progress”.
I am not setting myself up as an expert of any sort (other than that of experimentation) and I would not encourage anyone else to do so, either. Let this space be the kind of open, informative possibility that the internet fosters. To comment on a particular post, just click on the small word “Comment” at the end of the text, create a user name and supply an email address (for WordPress validation and not for me) and you’re off and running. Abusive content, personal advertisements and spamming, etc… will be banned. Otherwise, please consider yourself welcome – and have at it!
May 12, 2009 at 10:24 am
Hi, Ellen
It’s such a nice surprise. Each painting is so fresh, so different from one other even that the viewer has the same perspective.
And for the rest of the sit, I think that is so difficult to find digested information about techniques to paint. I find that is a big and unselfish effort. Thank you for sharing with us. By, G.
May 13, 2009 at 7:29 am
Gina, thanks for the encouraging words!
May 27, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Hi Ellen,
Thank you for taking the time and effort to distill this really useful information. I’m sure I’ll check back from time to time as I need a specific nugget of instruction included here.
Happy painting, your website looks good, too.
Susan
May 27, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for doing this, there is a great deal of helpful information on this site!
Do you subscribe to International Artist magazine? It’s very good, too.
Best,
Katie Horacek
May 27, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Hi Katie,
Thanks for the magazine tip. I’ll check it out…
May 27, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Hello.
My name is Alex Hunter. I make high end carved gallery frames in Toronto Canada. I am originally from Belgium. Can anyone tell me if there is an art magazine published in Belgium .
Thanks.
Alex Hunter
Paramount Picture Frames
Toronto Canada
May 27, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Hi Alex,
In what language? High end contemporary art? Surely there is, surf around and you might find something? I can look too, but I don’t know of anything off hand.
May 29, 2009 at 10:09 am
So glad Ellen has produced the ‘fertile soil’ for planting our seeds of faith’ in ourselves as creative visual artists. I hope to contribute more after Open Studios week at Redearth in Bickleigh, Devon, where I have my workshop…..Nigel.
January 4, 2010 at 10:40 am
Oh my god loved reading your article. I submitted your feed to my reader.
January 24, 2011 at 4:04 am
This was refreshingly different. I just posted about indirect painting techniques and referred my readers to you. Thank you.