Plein Air Today ~ The Art's Big Glass Of Wine

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Tuesday, November 15th, 2022

10 Ways to Take New Risks

By Jed Dorsey

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"Illumination" by Jed Dorsey, author of "The Confident Artist"

Why is taking risks so important for our growth? Jed Dorsey explains in this excerpt from "The Confident Artist."

We all take risks, don't we? You risked when you started reading this. Will it be worth your time? Some risks seem small. Some seem big. It's not too big a risk to sing in the shower, but to audition for a lead role in a musical would terrify most of us. But why is taking risks so important for our growth as artists, especially when it comes to confidence?

We must take risks and grow, or we are choosing to let our fears control us and stop us from becoming who we are made to be.

For each of us, taking a risk might look different. For some of us, it might feel risky to follow a teacher's advice (or my advice, for that matter!). For others, it might be a risk to not follow a teacher's advice. Maybe you will experiment with a painting exercise rather than doing it exactly like your instructor did it or prescribed. It will usually mean trying something new. Or maybe trying something again that you failed at before. But now, you are ready to risk again because failure is a marker on the path to success. Here are some ideas of new things you might venture out and try:

1. Paint in public or invite friends to a demonstration.
It takes confidence to set up your easel and begin painting with all the world watching. Don't worry if your painting isn't a masterpiece. People enjoy watching your process and talking about technique.

2. Teach a class to beginners.
People will be amazed at your talent, and you'll realize how much you really do know. Invite friends for a sip-and-paint or sign up to teach at your local community center.

3. Try a medium you've always wanted to try.
If you've always used oil or acrylic paint, try watercolor, egg tempera, or gouache. Don't be afraid to experiment. You might discover a new love.

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4. Take a drawing class focusing on the human figure.
Good drawing skills are crucial to painting, and figure drawing is a wonderful way to grow in that.

5. Join an art community and make new friends.
You'll be surprised how many forms of art you didn't even know existed. Get to know other artists and learn their techniques.

6. Enter your artwork in a group show.
See how it feels to have your work on display and soak up the positive feedback.

7. If you've never tried plein air painting, get out into the world and give it a whirl.
Hike out to a beach and set up on the sand. Or if physical limitations hinder you, set up a table or small space on your back deck. Painting outdoors is exhilarating.

8. Sign up for a painting class in your local community or an online painting course.
Don't keep doing the same thing over and over; learn something new and see how other people are doing it.

9. Try new subject matter.
Maybe you've always painted landscapes or still life. Try doing a portrait. Consider how the techniques you use for one style might be infused into your new subject matter. You will add breadth to your artistic experience that will impact all you do.

10. Reinvent yourself as an artist.
If you're a potter, try painting. If you're a painter, try sculpture. Every experience shapes you and builds on who you already are.

Your life will also change as you take risks. You will grow and flourish as a confident, courageous artist — but better still — as a confident and courageous person.

How do you take risks as an artist and develop your confidence?

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A Painter's Paradise

By John Hughes

Plein air painting competitions are not something that I spend a lot of time doing. Mostly I just prefer to create and let the muse take me wherever the wind blows. On occasion though, I will indulge myself if it happens to be in a place that I want to spend some time in, using the deadline factor as a way to motivate myself to produce more work in a single day than I usually do.

Such was the case this fall when I was told about a unique opportunity to paint for a few days in one of my favorite locations – Star Valley, Wyoming. Star Valley is a rural painter's paradise, with rich farmland decked out in tractors and barns in every direction. There are also waterways that are very appealing, such as the Salt and the Greys rivers with their many spots to paint and fish to your heart's content. Continue reading >

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