For the purposes of this discussion I want to pull from this book and talk about composition. Composition seems to be a sticking point for students who have gained some drawing skills and are looking for more complexity in subject matter.

John Ruskin hits the nail on the head with his examination of the “Laws” pertaining to composition. I have to admit that I don’t agree with everything he proposes, yet everything he talks about has merit in the study of art.

Ruskin breaks composition into specific laws. Something that would not fly in the modern world, yet in 1857, it seems totally appropriete to think in such terms. Among these laws is Ruskin’s “Law of Principality”. I gravitate to this law because Ruskin uses musical dialog to illustrate defining prominance. Our equivilent to developing a focal point. Ruskin in his own words:

THE LAW OF PRINCIPALITY. The great object of composition being always to secure unity; that is, to make out of many things one whole; the first mode in which this can be effected is, by determining that one feature shall be more important than all the rest, and that the others shall group with it in subordinate positions. Ruskin starts by using a common leaf to illustrat his point. Ruskin uses nature on several occasions to make a point in this “simplest law of ordinary ornamentation”. Amazing how he starts with a leaf, navigates through a musical melody and begins to examine the complex compositions of Veronese, Raphael, and Titian. Any commentary I would have would just dilute his clear and direct explaination.

For more FREE information, visit the Gutengerg Project site and look for Ruskin’s, Elements of Drawing regarding The Law of Repetition, The Law of Continuity, The Law of Curvature, The Law of Radiation, The Law of Contrast, The law of Consistency, The Law of Harmony, and The Law of Interchange.

Finally, much like Robert Henri who cautions students not to become “acclimated to squaller” by viewing bad art, Ruskin states that not all art should be studied. ” Otherwise you run the risk of being led to grievous faults.  The surprise comes when he list those who may lead you astray, as being ”corrupted in taste”. I’ll give you one… the Pre-Raphaelites, page 220.

In the article, Words of Wisdom, there were the opinions of several noted professionals which I find very telling of the direction and course of the American art world. In talking about what she sees in our direction and course, Lea Wight, states, “For well over a hundred years the contemporary art scene has embraced the new ( whatever ). This seems like an ever narrowing goal that is reductive and inevitably leads to art that becomes ever more minimal and non-personal”.   Wight goes on to talk about a New York Times article that picked up on a trend of contemporary artists who were getting together to learn to draw, and draw from life. This, coupled with Michelle Dunaway’s comment in the same article where she talked about aspiring to be honest in front of the canvas. Being truthful to what she is seeing in the subject and aware of what she is feeling. Michelle later goes on to use a quote from Robert Henri which referenced being in the moment. Wow! Any comment I make would just diminish their clarity. I recommend you read this article.

Secondly, there is another article that brings up a totally unrelated topic from this totally unsuspected source. I looked at the art work of John Stephans in an article titled, “Control your acrylics”. Ya, I know; acrylics.

At one point or another, I challenge students to compose, draw, or paint subject topics based on abstract concepts. John Stephans had several compositions based on subjects such as that. The one I want to mention is a painting he did of a childhood memory called, “The art lesson”. This was not a one dimensional static snapshot. His linear approach to this topic allows the viewer to enter in to this recollection and explorer the details at their own direction. I encourage you to look John up, and get a much unsuspected view.

Kitsch is a form of art that is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value. The concept is associated with the deliberate use of elements that may be thought of as cultural icons while making cheap mass-produced objects that are unoriginal. Kitsch also refers to the types of art that are aesthetically deficient (whether or not being sentimental, glamorous, theatrical, or creative) and that make creative gestures which merely imitate the superficial appearances of art through repeated conventions and formulae. Excessive sentimentality often is associated with the term.

The contemporary definition of kitsch is considered derogatory, denoting works executed to pander to popular demand alone and purely for commercial purposes rather than works created as self-expression by an artist. The term is generally reserved for unsubstantial and gaudy works that are calculated to have popular appeal and are considered pretentious and shallow rather than genuine artistic efforts.

The concept of kitsch is applied to artwork that was a response to the 19th century art with aesthetics that convey exaggerated sentimentality and melodrama, hence, kitsch art is closely associated with sentimental art.

It is not my intent to push my view on those monitoring my thoughts on this topic, only to offer some great resources for you to resolve your own thoughts. I will say this, several years ago I was invited to participate in an art show at the Madden Museum in Denver. This show celebrated the influences of the Italian Macchiaioli group. I stood in front of William Bougureau’s 1866 painting, “The Return of Spring” and thought, “damn, why do I even try?” In todays world, some do call it kitch. All I can say is, “wow”.

“Venus de Kitsch: or, The Passion of the Venus de Milo” in Criticism. 2011

“Kitsch” by Denis Dutton, 1998

Kitsch, More than Art by Odd Nerdrum, 2011

… One last thought; well two. Do some research on the Bourgeois Realism of the twentieth century and artistic cliche’ .

First, I want to let you know where my foundation is set. I am fundamentally a representational artist. In that what I paint looks somewhat like the object or person I’m painting. I also understand the importance and do use abstract concepts within my artwork. I try to make use of both principles to achieve aesthetic harmony within my painting.

Secondly, I think of art as a verb more so than a noun. The importance of art is in the act of the artist, more than the evidence of the act, which is the painting.

Having said this, let me show you a short video from Scott Burdick, a fantastic artist and a great guy. Scott is one of those artists you just want to be around. I have to say that all of the artists I intend to talk about in this blog have one important practice in common. They invest in others.  Here we go.

Please consider looking at the rest of Scott’s video via YouTube

Man, where do I begin. This is a lot like starring at a blank canvas. 

Some noted artists question whether our time in history will be seen as an artistic wasteland. It is my notion that we are on the brink of something artistically significant. The creative frustration is at a shearing point. This is my effort to inspire you and myself to grab what we can and push upward.

I invite all of you to comment on my scumbling and help me along.