Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Z'Art

I have a rule. When I don't like a picture I do, I usually don't tell you. This stems from my days in Toastmasters.

Toastmasters are a fine group of people. They remind me of the Everyday Matters group. This is because they are optimistic folks, all working towards the same goal, and encouraging and teaching one another other in a positive way. Only their goal, rather than perfecting their art, is to improve public speaking skills.

One day, just before I was to give a speech, I realized that in my rush to come to the meeting, I had put on one brown sock, and one blue. Never one to waste a laugh especially when it is at my own expense, I showed the group my feet and made some kind of a joke or another and got my laugh. It was great fun.

But the experienced Toastmaster that evaluated me (everyone is evaluated when they participate - that is how you improve) told me something I've never forgotten:

Don't tell us, and we will never know. Don't point it out, and we may never notice.

And that stuck with me.

I am my own worse critic. I am hard on myself, and see the smallest defects in my art. We are all like this.

The viewer of our art, though, sees what we do differently. It we put it out there, maybe they will like it, maybe they will hate it, but I'd place bets that if they hate it, its not because of the blotch in the corner that is driving us mad. It's probably some other reason altogether.

And if they like it - if they like what we have done - they probably don't notice the blotch at all.

And this is why I don't point it out.

But today I have the opposite problem. I am excited. I actually like this one. So do I tell you?

I sketched this one on a beautiful day in sunny Hollywood, Florida, at restaurant called La Piazza Pasta. It was February 7th, the last day of the magnificent Norman Rockwell exhibition at the Fort Lauderdale Museum. That was where we went next. (If it comes to your city - go!)

For a change, I wasn't alone when I did this sketch. I was with my wife and my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. But it was such a beautiful scene that I had to pull out the pen and the Moleskine.

I tried to follow the conversation, I really did. I even tried to participate. And I only made them wait a short while until I finished when they were ready to go. When we left I snapped a quick photo with my cell phone so I would remember the colors.

Yesterday and today I painted it. I wanted to capture the outdoor light and the shadows. I wanted to be a bit playful with color. And I think I did it. And I'm thrilled.

So there's probably a "tooting your horn" rule too, one that I was never told (except by my mom). But I don't care. I'm feelin' good. To me, today, it feels like z'art!

Today my socks match!

What might tomorrow bring?

36 comments:

  1. I can understand why you are pleased with this one--I would be too! It's a wonderful sketch.

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  2. You have good reason to be happy with this. It is definitely z'art--celebrate!

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  3. Wow! This knocks my socks off! You've got some great detail on this. It also looks a lot looser than your other sketches--especially your depiction of the other diners.

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  4. Gorgeously done Dan :) Thanks again for your comments!

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  5. Wow Dan, it is great! Hey, I think that the ones who are highly critical of themselves (me, me, me!) deserve to toot their horns when they finally do something they really like! And thanks for your encouragement; I've not been in a slump this bad in a long, long time!

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  6. Bellisima! Molto buono, signore! I might have made up part of that but you get my meaning. This is excellent! It has a robust flavor and a sunny bouquet...delicious!! Seriously, this piece is wonderful and I hope you go to more places like this place. I love it!

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  7. What a good post! I too attended Toastmasters. I didn't get super far--I think I did about 4 speeches--but I always credit Toastmasters with helping me a thousand percent. I used to be ridiculously shy (hard to believe, I know). But I chose advertising as a profession--how was I going to get anywhere if I was afraid to present ideas to people??? Toastmasters. Everyone should be involved in Toastmasters! I agree with your evaluator. What a perfect evaluation that person gave. I do find in blogging--if EVER I write about anything slightly negative people will come out of the woodwork to tell me what I did wrong. lol. Or how to "fix" it. Well..that seems to be the nature of the American artist--it is a steady stream of critique. It's the nature of showing our work--we put it out there and there will be all manner of opinion leveled at us. This is the price of putting it out there. I think it is GREAT that you have told us that you like this one. You are right to like it. It is fun to blog, isn't it??!! I often break what I think are blogging rules, but I will say to myself--oh what the hell--it's *my* blog (and as such, I will run it however I feel at the moment!) I hope you'll do the same. But AGREED about not telling us too many insecurities...If you do, just know that you are going to get 10 "remedies".
    Looking forward to seeing more sketches. This one is first rate.

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  8. Atmosphere and light well captured !- of course you can tell us if you like it! People think I'm hard on myself because I am quite critical (though I don't always share my criticisms on my blog either!)but I always celebrate the things I like about my drawings and paintings as well. I think we need to celebrate our successes more.

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  9. I think that this is one of your better sketches, Dan (at least among those that you've posted here). I love it! Great composition, good execution, pleasing subject. I don't know how you managed to sketch it while participating in a conversation! Do they still have the "Wizard of Ah's" in Toastmasters??

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  10. I had to laugh at your sock story. I am much the same and would have pointed it out myself for the laugh. (I recently had a similar experience with a shirt being on backwards; unfortunately someone else noticed it before I did. I couldn't figure out why it felt so bothersome around my neck!) This is an exquisite little painting, truly. I can see why you are excited about it!!

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  11. Thanks for sharing your experiences so that we can learn. Thanks for sharing this sketch. Wow!! The detail in the sketch is wonderful. What patient family members to allow you to sketch during lunch and waited for you to finish. What a lovely place to sketch too. I am envious- in a good way. Keep sharing. You encourage us all.

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  12. Yeah! You 'toot your horn' as much as you like Dan - no wonder you are pleased with this!

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  13. One thing I admire in your work, Dan, is that you are not intimidated, like I am, by lots of detail. Your perspective here is excellent, and your depiction of the scene is very "readable". I enjoyed this one very much! (And the sock incident, too!)

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  14. Dan! You created z'art!!!

    You did a great job on this one. I love the detail and the colors and I think you did an excellent job capturing the play of light.

    Wonderful!!!

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  15. Great sketch and a great post as well. This is my first time here (stumbled over from the EDM blog, where I mostly lurk) and I'm glad I did.

    In looking at your sketch and the previous comments it's interesting how many people love "the detail" as well as "the looseness", it almost seems like an oxymoron! But I think that balance is why the sketch is so appealing. Awesome job!

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  16. I just wrote a long comment and then it got erased for some stupid reason and now my son is screaming at the top of his chicken pox ridden lungs, so no time to redo it.

    Suffice to say - nicely done, both the sketch and the story (as usual).

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  17. Toot, toot! Isn't it nice to feel good about a painting? You put in so much detail. Did you bother to eat or just sketch the whole time?! A really nice piece.

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  18. Great sketch! And great comment. My husband has the same problem pointing out the problems with making repairs to our 120 yr. old woppy-jawed house! I tell him, no one will notice if he doesn't point it out! The entire house is crooked. What can you do! Just do your best. Love the sketch!
    Revelle

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  19. I love your drawing! The atmosphere is wonderfully rendered - looking at it I can feel the air, hear the conversations... Actually I'd love to be there for real!

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  20. Before I read your post, I looked at the enlarged view of your painting. I loved it immediately. And then I thought- what do I like so much? It's the line work. And then I pulled out a card I keep on my desk by Edward Sorel http://www.edwardsorel.com/index.htm
    I keep his card there because I like his line work and his signature style.
    I like your line work and your signature style too Dzan! I mean Dan.
    Once I stopped apologizing for my art- others liked it better, I liked it better and I became a better artist. On the other hand- the story about the socks is just darned charming and so Dan!

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  21. Brilliant sketch! Great post too.

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  22. Great sketch Dan, I want to be there drinking coffee!

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  23. You deserve to toot your trumpet with this one Dan, it's gorgeous!!!

    Thanks for being so honest about editing what you post. Since blogging my art I've tried not to, but have noticed the odd sketch not getting posted. After reading this I will try to be less critical and post them all.

    keep posting Dan, you area wonderful artist.

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  24. Bravo Zartisto!
    It is a great sketche and it is great you are telling every one you like it.
    You have a way to write and a way to draw that are...great!

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  25. It is a wonderful feeling to be proud of your work. It seems we spend so much time looking at what isn't right. Way to go,

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  26. Beautiful sketch. You should be proud of it!
    Joan Smith
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/joangillmansmith/

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  27. nice sketch and what wonderful sound advice ! I'm going to start doing exactly that.

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  28. Dan, agreed, this is a fantastic sketch… and if you aren't going to toot your own horn who will!?

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  29. Absolutely wonderful sketch and post. Great advice for all of us about our art. You definitely have every right to be proud of this piece. It is awesome. Wonderfully complex and fresh at the same time. Toot your horn and pat yourself on the back!!!

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  30. Great sketch and sound advice, Dan!

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  31. I see why you are so pleased with this... it is excellent. Now about those socks... very funny story Dan.. sage advise about not pointing to your warts... I'll have to give that a try...
    I worked with a very critical boss early in my career... he drove me crazy for a while, finally, I couldn't take it anymore... and when he criticized something I did... I stood up to him and said... ok... if you can't think of something GOOD to say about me, I'm packing up my things and quitting!... From then on, he knew that if he had a criticism... he'd have to have a complement ready too... and we had a great working relationship from then on.

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  32. Oh go ahaed blow your horn as if it is the Renaissance and the royal family is arriving. ( i love that sound) This is gorgeous and inspiring.I look forward to watching you. The sock toasmater inner critic comments make it all that much better I love to share in the thought processes that make you feel a part of the artist & piece. Imagine if the famous artists ( dead of course) had share their thoughts with us. Would we love or hate them more if we knew..
    Thank you

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  33. Gosh, Dan. I relate to this so much.
    I rarely tell when I've put on two different socks - actually it's usually shoes with me!

    But there are odd occasions when I do actually post drawings that I really don't like - and wierdly some of those pictures have recieved some of the best responses I've ver got.

    Still, I usually don't tell.

    THIS is a very lovely drawing.

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  34. I think it's wonderful. I love how you didn't make them wait too long and you tried to join in the conversation. I mean sheesh, what do they expect an artist to do really! I think you should toot your horn. If we are our own worst critics we should also get to be our own best cheerleaders! Like you, I would have quickly pointed out my mis-matched socks and gotten the laugh at my expense. I always think that helps put strangers at ease but maybe I am wrong and need to change my ways too. (I'll double check my socks from now on).

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  35. I've only read 2 posts and already I am REALLY enjoying your blog, posts and art. I've done the mis-match thing (only with SHOES, no less) in college. Nobody noticed. I got to Bronze, (I think -- it's been a while) in Toastmasters. What I learned is that I AM competitive. What an odd thing NOT to know for almost 40 years!!
    Happy living and best wishes.

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