Quotes
Words of wisdom
The study of art is a lifetime matter. The best any artist can do is to accumulate all the knowledge possible of art and its principles, study nature often and then practice continually. Edgar Payne
A Nobel Peace Prize winner once said that in devoting ten minutes of diligent study a day, a person, after a certain amount of time, will be considered an expert in this area and will know a considerable amount more of the subject or craft studied. Scott Christensen
It is a curious fact that out-of-door nature is to the beginner an enormously overloaded ”property room.” He sees, for instance the myriad of leaves upon the tree long before he sees the tree at all. John Carlson
One cannot simply take nature as she is. The task of composing a surface and arranging the material before you requires a feeling for balance and visual weight. There must be a certainty in the placement of objects, as well as an ability to edit. Scott Christensen
The great paintings are the ones with the most subtle value relationships. The closer you could bring your values and still distinguish between them, the stronger you were as a painter. John Carlson
Reserve is strength; overstatement is weakness. No one cares to hear the singer’s topmost notes when the voice is “nigh onto breaking.” This art of conservation is strength, and makes the masterpiece a masterpiece. Otherwise, the man who simply brought all the different colors obtainable, and squeezed them out upon the canvas to give it “full force,” would be the greatest master, instead of being merely extravagant. John Carlson
If you finish like a photograph, on the other hand, the picture has as much personality as a photograph. Emile Gruppe
In painting as in life, you can get away with a great deal as long as you have your values right. Harley Brown
The work of most occupations goes up in smoke. A fine work of art will please for several lifetimes. Frank Webb