When you write every day of the week, it's a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because the more you do anything, the better you get. Let me clarify that statement, though. Practice alone doesn't guarantee you'll get better. The old saying, "Practice makes perfect" is wrong! If you continue to practice the wrong stuff, you will not improve. Practice A better … [Read more...]
Finding a master
There is so much to know and learn - and time is running out! What is the old saying? Art is long and time is short. The lack of information is not a problem anymore. Maybe five hundred years ago finding information was difficult. Then Gutenberg invented the printing press and information became accessible and plentiful. The Internet is unleashing an explosion of data. For … [Read more...]
The Master’s Apprentice
Duane began his martial arts career as a teenager. He progressed through the ranks until he became a black belt in Isshinryu Karate. The more he studied, though, the more he felt something was missing. He wanted to learn more than his instructors could teach him. Duane's father was a preacher, and his church had a mission in Taiwan. Almost all the martial arts disciplines … [Read more...]
Create beautiful art everyone will love!
The fountain and the water-jar!
He who can go to the fountain does not go to the water-jar. — Leonardo da Vinci Bill started painting when he was 14. That was his job as an apprentice to the carriage-maker in the village in which he grew up. He painted the carriages with decorative doodles and scenes of country life. Bill's interest in art began much earlier, though, when he met an itinerant painter. He … [Read more...]
“A teacher is crazy if they do it.”
We get this question a lot from beginners. Well, I guess it’s more of a statement. How do I start? I’m terrified of making a mistake! The canvas is intimidating, no doubt. We all want to do the best job we can. Even in a workshop, though, -- with lots of folks around -- especially in a workshop -- you can almost cut the tension with a knife. Instead of being a fun place, … [Read more...]