'Imaginary Reality'

Art which is not portrayed with total 100% accuracy... a camera normally does that and does it well. What I render is reality with a touch of improvement. Reality shows a scene which would have been so much better if the tree had been ten feet to the left; the scraggly bush removed completely; the dead leaves brought back to full vibrant life; the dull sky just a little bluer; the animal or person who is no longer present, now back where they were before; etc, etc... but the artist is not restricted to any of these limitations of reality! Yes, artistic license is not a bad thing when you take what is there and improve upon it so it looks more dynamic when viewed... or hanging on a wall.

I am an artist of imaginary reality.

 

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If one's art only brings glory to self, the artist has basically failed. The past century was filled with well-acclaimed artists who would be considered failures in the overall scheme of things, though they received praise and recognition in their lifetime.

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Classical music composer and fine artist of classical art...

among other things!

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Either proficient in, or a dabbler in:

Oil paint,

Watercolor,

Acrylic,

Tempera,

Gauche,

Pencil,

Ink,

Clay,

Stone,

Film,

Video,

Digital,

Pixels,

Photography,

Woodwork,

Words,

Music,

and Varnish.

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A good counterfeit can easily fool.

 

It is only through careful study, inspection, scrutinizing, and comparison that the true nature of the beast can be seen. The more familiar you are with the authentic, the better equipped you become at recognizing the counterfeit when it comes your way.

 

Remember, the original has great value but the imitation is worthless rubbish.

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Somewhat revelation...

 

Though I adore art per se, I abhor the established art scene in general.

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Personal definition of swearing/cursing/profanity...

 

(1) Language spoken in movies and occasionally on television. Very often overused. Utilized by screenwriters when more appropriate adjectives are overlooked.

(2) Language seldom heard in the home; workplace; or social circles, but frequently spoken in film and on TV.

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Politically I'm a Demopublican

(but not a loyal one)

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"He's a fairly smart person, and I somewhat respect his opinion."

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I'm not impressed by BIG egos...

mine - yours - or...

anyone elses, no matter how famous,

well-known, accomplished, or admired

they might be.

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We appreciate open-minded people when their viewpoints and opinions reflect our own. It's not so easy to support those who's open-mindedness flies in contrast to our own views.

 

And, if you view yourself as being open-minded, just be sure you're not simply being rebellious and contentious… that's not the same thing. And ...remember, open-mindedness is often a disguise for foolishness. Be sure you know the difference.

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One reason we don't learn from history is because we have a nasty habit of rewriting it with current sociological perspectives... no matter how far off-base they may be.

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Know your comfort zone.

Ponder, evaluate, and understand it. Is it holding you back; protecting you; or providing new opportunities? Decide on what areas need to be stretched and what areas should be reduced. Is this world actually your home... or are you merely passing through?

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If you don't enjoy creating art...

and derive satisfaction from pursuing it,

then why the heck are you an artist?

 

There are many other platforms you could

stand-upon to better spread your banter.

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I am NOT a camera!!

I have no desire to compete with a camera.

Stinkin' camera is naturally going to

capture visuals more accurately than

myself (or anyone else i know), possibly

can. Dat's a fact! Case closed.

 

But...

I'm also NOT the wind blowin' paint on

a sheet of canvas either.

I possess thought process and

intentions behind what i choose to

portray in a visual way.

Give me some credit for that, please.

 

Sound impressive???

Nawww.... my dang eyesight is getting

worse, and my hands shake more than

they once did.

Some might say my mind is not what

is used to be (it never was all

that incredible to begin with).

 

But, I'll do the best i can with what

I've got to work with.

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The true joy of art creation increases when you expand your subject matter to include those areas which you might previously paid little attention to. You see things anew and your world view increases proportionately.

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Any artist is a continual student... no matter if we're a beginner or a master. The day we quit learning is the day our art becomes stagnated eye candy.

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Technically, all art is abstract by nature. What constitutes realism or abstraction (within art), are either the intentions of the artist and/or their personal skills.

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Why?

 

This organized 'art world' with our

museums, galleries, critics, benefactors,

patrons, elitists, snobs, wannabes,

super-uber-egotistical artists, etc...

really doesn't (does NOT) need to be the

big con-job which we so often are. (CON)

In order to set ourselves apart from the

every-day-world-at-large, we become

much grander HYPOCRITES than the one's

whom we rebel against.

Are we only CONNING our SELF?

WHY?!

 

oh yeah.... have a nice day!

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Art is in the eye of the beholder. But whether an artist starves or feasts depends on how many 'eyes' consider his/her art worth investing in.

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If the medical profession were taught with the same foundation/groundwork as modern art often is, we might all die on the operating table.

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If my art only brings glory or praise to myself, then I have failed somewhat. But, if the Creator Who has provided me with artistic skills and abilities receives the glory (or is acknowledged or thought-of), then I have succeeded and actually accomplished something worthwhile... something beyond myself.

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My boundaries are pushed to think in the abstract instead of realistically. But, that is only the mental preparation... not the application and execution.

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Why is it a greater challenge to paint realistically than abstractly? Because every person has a reference to reality... and knows whether you've succeeded or failed in depicting it. Abstraction's freedom doesn't necessarily follow guidelines which proclaim whether it has succeeded or failed in it's communication... often delving into extremes which allow the viewer to create their own meaning. The viewer's interpretation can easily over-rule the artist's intent.

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Do you enjoy nudity in art for the art or for the nude?

'Both' is not necessarily a valid answer.

And... why didn't I ask 'landscape' or 'still life' or 'portrait' instead of what I did?

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A painting which doesn't communicate to you is much like a song which when you hear it, you quickly change the radio's station to another.

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Everyone has a story to tell.

 

Our culture, family, fears, faith,

joys, beliefs, education, exposures, and

life experiences make us who we are.

As creative individuals, all these things

color our art and the work of our hands.

 

Our creations,

(whether we want them to or not),

become an extension of our self and

reflect who we are, where we have been,

and where we might want to go.

 

We receive joy, approval and satisfaction

when others view our art and derive some

degree of positive understanding,

because we realize they are seeing

and feeling a piece of our self.

 

.llet ot yrots a sah enoyrevE

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Ahhhh, the sun IS shining today

(though my sky is gray, drab, and dreary)!

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It's not the size of the mountains... but what they're covered with that's important. Are they rocky heights and cold, or are they forests and vegetation and life? What are you covered with?

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Art is NOT derived from...

vanity;

narcissism;

egotism...

 

What?

Oh!

It is??!

My apologies.

I guess I should only speak for myself and not for others.

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I often hear artists state, "I can't paint this, I won't paint that." Why not? There's really no reason not to excel at your craft. The purist might say to study, learn, practice and hewn your skills so you can tackle anything… no matter the difficulty. The impurist would say that various technologies are at our disposal which can assist and help us venture-out beyond our self-imposed limitations. I say... the whole world's at your fingertips, go welcome it into your art!

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'Being happy' is not the measuring stick we should use for our fulfillment, success, contentment, motivation, or other areas which define our mental and emotional state. Happiness can often be the greatest self-deceiver of them all. It can lead us into areas of personal debasement and/or harm to self as well as to others. Set your sites on a higher level than 'just be happy'.

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Don't tell us about your lifestyle or sexuality.

It really means nothing and we don't need to know about it.

Keep it to yourself.

 

But, feel free to tell us all about your art. If you uploaded

it on here then it's public and worth paying attention to.

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University degrees are not offered for wisdom.

Perhaps one might have to search elsewhere in order to find it.

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It is far easier to pollute a mind than to overflow our landfills with rubbish and our rivers with waste.

 

(We are so polluted...

purity is impossible to find anywhere.)

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"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls."

- Pablo Picasso

 

What?

Pablo!!

Really???

No!

I can't agree with your wine-induced statement.

But I can make a little alteration which

allows it to be more valid.

 

Here, this should do it:

"ONE purpose of art is to wash...."

Now it's broadened to where it should be.

 

Pablo, now tell me again...

What color does the sky look to you?

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So, can you hear the angel's voices?

If so, then you know what their

message is.

It hasn't changed.

Never has.

Never will.

Still the same as always.

(just listen)

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An artistic/creative person without a fondness for spirituality

is much like a television without a signal.

It might be the best television produced,

but it still lacks the element which would make it great!

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So...

Where is your trust and confidence?

Is it in your self?

Why?

When the plane hits turbulence, wouldn't you rather it be flown by a skilled pilot than by your self?

When cancer spreads, wouldn't you rather it be removed by a skilled surgeon than by your self?

So...

Where do you place your trust and confidence?

Surely not in your self!!?

 

In important matters,

The wise seek out the skilled; the trained; the prepared.

They know some things are far too important than to rely on less than the best.

In matters of life and death, they look to the top.

In both the temporary and the eternal,

Their eyes focus beyond their own limitations,

They peer as close to the source as they can get.

It is no time to have 'self' on one's pedestal!

 

It is the child who cries, "I, me, mine, gimme!"

The child's growth only happens on dependence.

The child's survival fully depends on someone greater than him/herself.

 

So...

Where is your trust and confidence?

Look as high as your eyes can see,

...and don't stop there.

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If you can remember one thing, it will

greatly help you as you go through life.

Here it is (try to remember):

"Life is not fair."

 

That's it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Life is not fair.

Fact! Not even remotely debatable.

 

And if you or anybody try to make it fair, guess what!?

(this is the circular 'catch 22' part)...

You have to make some things UNfair

in order to make them fair.

By being fair, some unfair might happen.

 

So remember...

Life is not fair.

 

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Unfortunately, so many modern-era art schools and university art programs are lacking in providing the most basic fundamentals of art. They rank amongst the grandest educational failures in the world today. There are few other university degrees which offer so little foundation or important groundwork.

 

My hat goes off to those schools which actually do offer important fundamentals in art-related fields.

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We've made an art form out of superficiality.

 

We heavily invest our time; our finances;

and our passions in the pursuit of

things superficial.

 

Though the harmful effects are not always

immediately seen, they surface in times of

duress and want, when our weakened

character battles to decipher

what is important and what isn't.

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The pull of a society and the standards it adheres to permeates our mind and our being. It forms our opinions, our values, and our behavior. And, if we have no other stronger and more influential counter-standard in our life, we naturally fall-in and follow the pull of this world... no matter how beneficial or harmful it might be to our mind, our body, and to our spirit. No amount of denial can negate a society's affects since it is based upon the actions and approval of the majority... which collectively influences us more than any other subconscious developmental area.

 

A fairly easy way to determine if we are in-sync with our culture is to evaluate our reaction to current events; the daily news; media offerings from television, radio, film, internet, and other entertainment venues. Acceptance and enjoyment from these sources indicates commonality with the values they proclaim. Feeling alienated and appalled at their offerings are a good indication we hold values not shared by them... we have something in our life which has moved us away from the society in which we live. We might be in this world, but we are not owned or consumed by it.

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Are we more like Job... or like his wife and friends?

Do we have a solid, unshakable faith which can get us through the tough times?

Or do we point a finger of blame which leads to unfounded conclusions?

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It's not fully possible to live 'pure in thought' when we reside in an environment which doesn't allow that option. Mind pollution is rampant.

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(((--I'm not convinced many people actually read this info. But I do know two people have... because they mentioned it. I appreciate their response, and it prompts me to keep updating it.

At least for a while.--)))

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You greatly increase your odds of predicting* future trends if you unbiasedly study: (1) historical patterns; (2) human nature; (3) current events; and (4) geographical conditions. With a little simple research and/or observation your rate of accuracy increases dramatically and familiarity replaces shock as societal changes occur.

 

But don't expect to take it to the bank... scoffing, ridicule, and scorn are more often the normal responses to shared predictions and/or warnings than praise or acceptance.

 

*Do not confuse predictions with prophecies. Not the same thing.

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