Comments on: An Appreciation of Art and Labor http://attentiveequations.com/2009/07/15/an-appreciation-of-art-and-labor/ ...thoughts on the practice of oil painting from artist Judith Reeve Sat, 12 May 2012 18:35:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Judith Reeve http://attentiveequations.com/2009/07/15/an-appreciation-of-art-and-labor/#comment-21 Judith Reeve Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:21:36 +0000 http://attentiveequations.com/?p=322#comment-21 Alden, Thank you for your comment. Even though there are very few arts programs that speak about the wonder of life and the appreciation that we all need to foster, it is important to express it to ourselves and to others. Even though we know with our mind that we need this type of appreciation of the world, we constantly need to bring it to our consciousness- we need to be reminded. It is only with this deep love of life that change can take place in our world and within each of us. Judith. Alden, Thank you for your comment. Even though there are very few arts programs that speak about the wonder of life and the appreciation that we all need to foster, it is important to express it to ourselves and to others. Even though we know with our mind that we need this type of appreciation of the world, we constantly need to bring it to our consciousness- we need to be reminded. It is only with this deep love of life that change can take place in our world and within each of us. Judith.

]]> By: Whit Prentice http://attentiveequations.com/2009/07/15/an-appreciation-of-art-and-labor/#comment-20 Whit Prentice Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:29:23 +0000 http://attentiveequations.com/?p=322#comment-20 This has been so true for me Judith. Learning to draw and paint from nature has enabled me to appreciate beauty in the world around me in a way I never could before and opened my eyes to different kinds of beauty I did not see. Trying to draw or paint what one sees accurately is an active form of contemplation for me. Through the intense concentration on the subject being depicted that this kind of work requires nature in stages reveals herself to the artist. Before when someone would remark what a beautiful sun set or flower it was lost on me. Now I see colors I never saw before and marvelous rhythms. Learning to draw takes some practice. I hear many people say " I can`t draw " but I believe that with practice and a procedure that works almost anyone can become competent and its a process that forces us to slow down and really take in what we are looking at. Your blogs are always thought provoking and insightful Judith. This has been so true for me Judith. Learning to draw and paint from nature has enabled me to appreciate beauty in the world around me in a way I never could before and opened my eyes to different kinds of beauty I did not see. Trying to draw or paint what one sees accurately is an active form of contemplation for me. Through the intense concentration on the subject being depicted that this kind of work requires nature in stages reveals herself to the artist. Before when someone would remark what a beautiful sun set or flower it was lost on me. Now I see colors I never saw before and marvelous rhythms. Learning to draw takes some practice. I hear many people say ” I can`t draw ” but I believe that with practice and a procedure that works almost anyone can become competent and its a process that forces us to slow down and really take in what we are looking at. Your blogs are always thought provoking and insightful Judith.

]]> By: Alden Smith http://attentiveequations.com/2009/07/15/an-appreciation-of-art-and-labor/#comment-19 Alden Smith Sun, 19 Jul 2009 16:14:04 +0000 http://attentiveequations.com/?p=322#comment-19 When I was a young man, this was how people lived. We appreciated nature, observed the changings of the season with glee, and grew things of beauty. I was encouraged to write and draw not only at school but by my nuclear family as well, and these things were a bigger part of our lives sometimes than labor. Although we worked hard, it was not unusual to stop in the middle of plowing a field to watch the deer at play, or to visit nearby streams to cool our feet and watch the small fish at play. As I grew older, and entered the war, this all seemed to be left behind, although the memory of it is still strong to me. I often am troubled over living in the city, away from nature and something as simple as mowing the grass. I think that the budget cuts and elimination of many of the art and music programs we see today is a bigger loss than the three R's. I often wonder how much of what I learned in school is useful to me today. I fought for these programs when my daughter was in secondary school, and found that the narrow-mindedness of a few administration officials was much more powerful than the needs of school grade children for art appreciation and music. How sad... Peace, Charlie~ When I was a young man, this was how people lived. We appreciated nature, observed the changings of the season with glee, and grew things of beauty. I was encouraged to write and draw not only at school but by my nuclear family as well, and these things were a bigger part of our lives sometimes than labor. Although we worked hard, it was not unusual to stop in the middle of plowing a field to watch the deer at play, or to visit nearby streams to cool our feet and watch the small fish at play.

As I grew older, and entered the war, this all seemed to be left behind, although the memory of it is still strong to me. I often am troubled over living in the city, away from nature and something as simple as mowing the grass. I think that the budget cuts and elimination of many of the art and music programs we see today is a bigger loss than the three R’s. I often wonder how much of what I learned in school is useful to me today. I fought for these programs when my daughter was in secondary school, and found that the narrow-mindedness of a few administration officials was much more powerful than the needs of school grade children for art appreciation and music. How sad…

Peace,

Charlie~

]]>