Phil Starke Art Talk

I just finished a 5 day, outdoor workshop here in Tucson, AZ for the Scottsdale Artist School.  We had artists from all over the map — northern Canada, New Jersey, Colorado, California and a couple from Tucson and Phoenix.

My goal was to get across the idea of small, timed studies that took about an hour to an hour and a half, and with in that time have the four planes blocked in and the right relationships of value and temperature.  Each day we covered a different location with a different type of subject matter.

I believe everyone came away with ideas on how to practice and have goals on where to take their painting.  

If you get a chance to get out, try visiting an art exhibition.  There are several exhibitions going on or coming up that will provide the opportunity for a little culture.  If you’re going to be in the Tulsa, OK area before March 23, 2008, you should visit the Alberto Zalce (1908 - 2003) exhibition going on at the Gilcrease Museum.  This is a rare chance to see a good body of work by this important Mexican artist.

The Settlers West Gallery will be opening it’s American Miniatures Show on February 9, 2008, featuring new small works by 200 of today’s finest artists.  Many of these artists will be attending.

Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale will be opening a one-man show for Dan Gerhartz on March 6, 2008.

As new events come to my attention, I’ll try to pass them on to you.  It’s always good to get out and see other artists and their work. 

As an artist I have a lot of deadlines, shows and galleries wanting work and wanting it tomorrow.  So it is real easy for me to put off little things that keep my eye sharp like sketching from life, either a model or outside.

I recently went to an indoor ceremony where cameras were not allowed and sketched for a few hours, forcing myself to see only the action and simple shapes.  The mall or a restaurant is a good place for that.

Doing thumbnail drawings outside for design and composition is also important, simplifying large masses and values helps to see the overall design which is what holds a painting together.

That’s where the dog comes in.  My kids have a dog and since they don’t walk him anymore, that chore has fallen to me.  A 45 minute walk that I don’t have time for.  I finally realized it is a great opportunity to do thumbnail composition sketches with a 5 x 7 sketchbook and conte crayon or 6B graphite pencil.  The dog doesn’t let me stay in one place for more than a few minutes so I don’t get too detailed.