More Georgia O'Keeffe wisdom. 

From an Artsy.com article on O'Keeffe:

"O’Keeffe worked in an era when many competitive artists considered terms like “beautiful” or “pretty” an insult to their work. But O’Keeffe didn’t agree—she wanted to depict the beauty of nature and use sumptuous colors, despite an opposing trend among the circle of artists she moved in. “I’m one of the few artists, maybe the only one today, who is willing to talk about my work as pretty,” she once said. “I don’t mind it being pretty.”'

I find it rather baffling that anyone would object to art being pretty.  Yes, pretty is often not profound.  Yes, pretty doesn't always scream "social commentary".  But people often pick art because it is pretty.  And because it matches the couch.  

And the problem with that is ... what?  

Personally, I want folk to like my art.  I want folks, particularly buyers, to think my art is "pretty" for often I think it is pretty too.  Maybe this makes me an unserious artist.  Maybe this makes my art lack social context, commentary or relevance.  I really don't know what pretty does to my art in general.  I do know, however, that the pieces of mine that I think are pretty other people think are pretty too and often they buy those pieces.

And I'm ok with that.  I'm ok with doing my own thing, just as Georgia was ok with doing hers.

Georgia O'Keeffe is one of my favorite artists.  I just simply love her work, as so many people do.  She also was one smart cookie and had some pertinent and important things to say about art.  Here is one of them.

“The painting of this morning is no good,” she wrote to Stieglitz in 1929. “But I was much excited over it—and know that something will come.”

Failure is an intrinsic part of art.  Best of all, success comes, often rather directly, from failure.  All of us artists wish we had a dollar for every art "failure" that we've created.  I too suffer from FOF - fear of failure as, I am told, we all do.  Some pieces of my work are fabulous, beautiful, original and interesting.  I know that they are good from the moment I've finished them.  I'm proud of those pieces and generally they sell asap for others recognize their beauty as well.  But gosh, I have created a stunning number works that are just flat awful.  They are awful even though I can't always describe exactly WHY they are awful.  I just know they are.  As the Supreme Court said about pornography, I know it when I see it.   I know bad when I see it, especially in my own work.

Some of these failures I've even had photographed and put on my website as I wasn't sure if it was a failure or if the problem was that I was being overly critical of my work.   Sometimes it is actually the latter.  Usually, however, I'm being realistic and objective about the awfulness of the piece.

Failure is an intrinsic part of success as an artist.  It just is hard to take sometimes.   Go fail.  Fail early.  Fail often.  Those are the steps to success.

I know this isn't a me writing a blog exactly , but you've just GOTTA look at the cool art stuff goin' on. 

Does it go without saying that I'm very proud to be a Walker Fine Art artist?

Check out what our artists are doing nationally! View this email in your browser YOU'RE INVITED: C O L L E C T O R   B R U N C H Closing Reception Saturday, March 10th | 11 AM - 1 PM Artist tours begin at 11:30 AM Enjoy mimosas and continental breakfast as we take you on a tour of UNCANNY during it's last day on view. E-mail [email protected] to RSVP! Upcoming Exhibit VANTAGE POINTS Featuring Brian Comber Elaine Coombs Norman Epp Lee Heekin Katie Kalkstein Aaron Morgan-Brown Kevin Hoth Opening Reception March 16, 2018, 5-9pm On View Through: May 5, 2018                                     Don Quade's painting, "Tango Nights", as well as his studio chair, is featured in the Arvada Center's current show, In SITu: from the Artist's Perspective. In this exhibition, artwork by twenty-nine artists can be viewed while sitting in the artist’s studio chair, which is situated in front of their work. While viewing artwork from the artist’s own studio chair, visitors can ponder each piece and hopefully gain a glimpse of the artist’s vision. The exhibition ends March 31st.    In addition, Don Quade’s painting, "Silence Calling" graces the cover of the Santa Fean Now magazine this month, promoting the 2018 Home tour.                                          Katie Kalkstein’s work was recently included in a public art installation called THE FENCE in Denver. THE FENCE is a large-scale traveling photography exhibition that is exhibited in 7 cities around the country including Brooklyn, Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Santa Fe, and Durham. Dedicated to increasing access to the art of photography, it is part of a collaboration with Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC), LoDo District, and United Photo Industries, a New York-based organization. You can see the installation of THE FENCE at the 1600 -1700 block of Market Street and Blake, and some of the original art at the opening at WFA on 3/16 5-9:00 p.m. This exhibit runs through May 5th                           Heather Patterson’s work was recently installed in two great public locations, one at the new UCSD medical center in La Jolla by Susan Street Fine Art, and the other in Greenwood Village, Colorado by Lewis Art Consulting and Walker Fine Art.                                                                         Lindsy Halleckson has been busy in Minnesota! Nine of her paintings are featured in the Sustainable 9 Design + Build Dream Home in the upcoming Parade of Homes.  The home is located at 4937 Beard Ave S in Minneapolis, MN, and the parade runs February 24-March 25.   In addition, Halleckson is one of this year’s recipients of the Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grants.  Over the next year, she will create large scale paintings based on the air composition in Minnesota.  We will share progress of these paintings as they develop!   Ana Zanic is showing at Governors State University in a four-artist exhibit titled Vistaswhich "explores human observation of nature, represented through destruction and renewal, as we yield to our origins and memories".  The exhbition opens March 9, and runs through April 6, 2018. Find out more about the exhibit here. Allison Svoboda was commissioned by the city of Chicago to create a sculpture for the North Center Plaza.  Created of stainless steel, the sculpture, entitled “Helical Om” is meant to be a gathering spot for the future bandshell which will be installed 2020.    To cap off 2017, Barbara Sorensen installed a large-scale commission of her most recent "Ripples" series in the Florida Brightline Light Rail corporate office in Miami, Florida. The piece features 12 panels, each measuring 36 inches square and 10 inches deep, and is made of aluminum that has been cut and sculpted to reference the shifting, undulating rhythmic patterns created by water. Hanging in the main lobby of the corporate office, this latest installation adds to Sorensen's impressive resume of public art.                                                                            Melanie Grein donated one of her paintings, "Quirky", this February to Artma, a biennial art auction to benefit the Morgan Adams Foundation.  Bonny Lhotka is exploring shaped images using moldable resin to give dimension to wall installations and low profile sculpture.  Arranged in groups these offer an opportunity to install art in a unique form that is uncommon.   Come visit us! Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm Street parking is available during gallery hours. Additional parking is available for special events.    Event Hosting Walker Fine Art hosts events of any occasion. This 3800-square-foot raw loft style interior promotes a sophisticated collection of contemporary art, and serves as a spectacular event space with a unique social atmosphere. Contact WFA for more information: 303.355.8955 or events@walkerfineart.com If you found this content interesting, please forward our monthly newsletters! To receive e-newsletter & exhibit invitations, please email: [email protected]

Color: our stock in trade.

Have some fun with color!  If you don't want to paint your walls crazy colors (mine in my living room are Behr "Sterling" which is just what it sounds like, a sterling silver), express yourself through your art!  You can always swap your art out for your latest and greatest piece or rearrange it.  No wall painting required!  Have some fun with it! Be daring.  Be bold!  Rock on with your art.