Sketch Club 3 – Dougie Chowns
Dougie with his faithful companion, Leah
SEE FOR YOURSELF AND SKETCH IN MUSEUMS
By Dougie Chowns
Painting is only drawing with a brush, and there is no better way to improve your painting than getting into the habit of using a sketchbook. I talked about this in my first editorial in Issue 10, a year ago. Hopefully some of you are finding that you are building a reference of sketches to go back to, ideas and concepts that is bringing your creative thinking together as well as by thoughtful observation analysing your subjects before you launch into brush on canvas or paper.
At long distance from the great art centers of the world, New Zealand students are restricted to art books, internet reference or video programmes. Sadly seen in small format even when a video presenter is shown alongside. However, if you have never actually stood in front of a Goya, Botticelli’s Primavera, a Francis Bacon or Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’ Avignon or Guernica, you are missing out.
Sketch Club 2 – Dougie Chowns
ASTONISH ME!
By Dougie Chowns
Art is many things to many people. My ex 1950’s writer colleague, a London poet, art writer and critic in 1991, when lecture touring in NZ, said “Dougie, what you must understand is that art has nothing to do with art, it has everything to do with money”
He was talking about the art industry, that is, the big time, big money business where interestingly, the actual artists - the producers of artwork, are but a tiny percentage of those involved. They only provide the product. Their name with publicity becomes legend and like the music industry those names generate a whole enterprise that many benefit from - not always the artist, however.
