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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=patchapin@mindspring.com
href="mailto:patchapin@mindspring.com">patchapin@mindspring.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=springhillsites@earthlink.net
href="mailto:springhillsites@earthlink.net">springhillsites@earthlink.net</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, September 07, 2008 11:50 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Aquanet] September critique</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>My thanks to all who have thus far participated in the September critique,
Liz so kindly having used my painting.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And, of course, a few remarks -- while I <STRONG><EM>always</EM></STRONG>
appreciate good comments, the ones that do me more good are of the critical
nature. I was reminded of the quality of this group when I realize
that the very comments made in that vein are ones with which I wrestled.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Just about snorted my drink over Pat and Jack's commentary, I'd love to say
that the tension Barry mentioned was the reason for the position of the subject
-- the actual one was, however my tenuous grasp of perspective, particularly on
curved surfaces. I created as much tension as I could, therefore, in the
fond hope that nobody would notice the thing was a bulls-eye and I could get
away with it despite poor drafting skills. Three times I went to brush
clear water and soften those deadly dark firs, and three times I couldn't
make myself brave enough to risk it. I hardly ever paint still life nor
landscapes (perhaps every ten or fifteen years?), so this painting was a
challenge in all directions, but by chickening out I weakened the image.
The textures took me forever, as I glazed, drybrushed and 'pounced' for what
seemed to be an interminable period. I like to finish a painting in a day or
two, and this thing lingered on the board for almost a month.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And my thanks too, someone noticed the title -- they are sometimes tough to
come up with, aren't they? Years ago I decided I had a hate on
for images of still life set ups, say, a white pitcher and three oranges
named "Still Life of White Pitcher and Three Oranges". I think it is okay
to name a painting of a particular street or mountain "Looking East on 42nd
Street" or "Mt. Whatsit in the Fall", if you want to, because you
are portraying a particular piece of earth with which the viewer may not be
familiar and want to know. If that same viewer cannot tell it is a
white pitcher and 3 oranges, however, you screwed up badly and cannot fix it
with a title anyway. That said, I admit to having painted some things so
badly I was tempted in that direction.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>On the other hand, I'm equally irritated by the same thing titled
"Rejuvenation #487" or even worse, "Untitled", both of which strike me as either
"Look Ma, I'm painting!" or "You Peon Viewers Cannot Hope to Know My
Lofty Thoughts". My titles usually arrive whole with the idea
for the picture, or arrive in the third stage of painting, when I can see light
at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes, they come from a line of text I
really like. This one being an ancient stone planter looking at mountains
it was never meant to see, I suddenly realized I wasn't sure how I was going to
do here, either. Neither one of us knew the ground rules for living in the
desert. So, it was either New Horizons, or Far From Familiar. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Anyway, thanks and anyone else out there on the list will, I hope, join
in? This is how we get better for sure!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>pat chapin</DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.patchapin.com">www.patchapin.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message -----
<DIV>From: "Liz" <<A
href="mailto:springhillsites@earthlink.net">springhillsites@earthlink.net</A>></DIV>
<DIV>To: "aquanetArt" <<A
href="mailto:Aquanet@cleverwhiz.com">Aquanet@cleverwhiz.com</A>></DIV>
<DIV>Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 5:21 AM</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: [Aquanet] September critique</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>> Pat Chapin is our September critique artist. A very
appropriate subject <BR>> because of Pat's experiences with past
hurricanes. So glad you are in <BR>> a safe place, Pat.<BR>>
<BR>> Liz<BR>> Aquanet mailing list<BR>> <A
href="mailto:Aquanet@thedigitalbraintrust.net">Aquanet@thedigitalbraintrust.net</A><BR>>
<A
href="http://lists.thedigitalbraintrust.net/mailman/listinfo/aquanet">http://lists.thedigitalbraintrust.net/mailman/listinfo/aquanet</A><BR>>
<BR>> Check out the Aquanet web site:<BR>> <A
href="http://www.aquanetart.com">http://www.aquanetart.com</A> </BODY></HTML>