| January 19th, 2001
On the sleepy lagoon there's a kind of languid flow. It's a sort of "doesn't matter" feeling that permeates everything from when you get up to how you mix your colors. This casualness is in contrast to the home studio where busyness and frequent constipation are the rule. I've noticed this laying back on the oars to a smaller degree when I've taken the motorhome down to the spit a half mile from the home studio. In the old days when the British went out into their tropical Empire they called it "going onions." Many a formerly energetic northerner ended up on the patio, under the turning fan, drinking gin. I'm interested in what the condition does for the muse. Deadlines disappear: Through some curious lapse or blockage I'm sorry to say I can't even remember when my shows are this year. Colors brighten: There's an unexpected gorgeousness and goofyness here--as if the creator has gone wild with the designing and brushwork. Your brush has permission to play. Detail's less important: I feel the general motif is enough and to do too much more would be wrong. It's just a painting. Why compete? Unfinished is okay: Yep, it's an act in progress. Unfinished work shows the process and the joy of the early stroke. Besides, isn't it a good idea to leave something for the other person's imagination? Simultaneity: Nature's so prolific here. So many species: A dozen hummingbirds, five grackles, countless new fishes on every reef. Makes an artist think he ought to be bashing his stuff out, seeing what they look like, leaving them around. May I have my gin now? Best regards, PS: "For art and joy go together, with bold openness, and high head, and ready hand--fearing naught and dreading no exposure." (James Abbot McNeill Whistler) Esoterica: A small amount of gin may actually be part of the equation. It induces a beneficial sense of well-being and relaxation. It brings order and ritual to the days and through its lens your stuff looks temporarily okay. "One should not drink much, but often." (Toulouse-Lautrec) If you would like to comment, criticize, or give your own opinion or story, please do so. Your letter will likely appear in a couple of days. If not, it will be archived for later inclusion. Include your approximate location if you wish. If your letter's not for publication please let me know. Thanks for writing: rgenn@saraphina.com. If you would like to see selected correspondence relating to the last letter, "Habits of intuition," please go to http://www.painterskeys.com/clickbacks/intuition.htm. This letter and previous ones appear in French at www.painterskeys.com/fr |
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Robert Genn is one of Canada's most accomplished painters, having gained international recognition for his genre subjects on Canada's West Coast. He has painted in most parts of Canada, and in the United States, Central America, Europe and Asia. Born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1936, he attended Victoria College, The University of British Columbia and The Art Centre School in Los Angeles, California. |
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Bob carries on the tradition of the Canadian Landscape with fresh, painterly techniques and strong design, often and especially exhibiting his devotion to painting by reducing grand themes to small panels - painted in the wilderness he loves.
Visit his official site for more information on his art and books. Robert is a contributing editor to WetCanvas! and can be reached via email at rgenn@wetcanvas.com. Robert Genn's free twice-weekly letters can also be sent to you via email every Tuesday and Friday mornings by notifying him via e-mail at rgenn@wetcanvas.com. |
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