http://robertjsimone.com Online Gallery and Personal Blog of Florida's Gulf Coast Artist Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:13:39 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en September 25 - October 4th, 2008. I attended Scott Christensen's 10-Day Advanced landscape painting workshop in Victor, Idaho. As a prerequisite I also attended his 10-Day Intensive workshop in the fall of 2007.  This article, based on personal experience is my official review of those events. As a preface to ... http://robertjsimone.com/uncategorized/scott-christensens-10-day-workshops-worth-the-money Last weekend I participated in the Art in the Park market held every Saturday in downtown St. Petersburg's Williams Park (October - April).  It is always an intriguing way to spend a day.  Aside from the eclectic bunch of vendors and artisans, there is the usual steady stream of locals, ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-as-therapy/dark-night-of-the-painters-soul As a representational artist living and working in St. Petersburg, Florida I have been inspired by the Tampa Bay Rays magical season.  Living in the shadow of Tropicana Field for the last eight years I have witnessed their transformation from worst to first up close and personal.  I watched the ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-as-therapy/plein-air-painting-and-the-tampa-bay-rays I recently read a great comment attributed to Fred Fellows which appeared in Harley Brown's column in the August/September 2008 issue of International Artist.  I think it bears repeating especially if you missed it!  "If we live by the photograph, we die by the photograph.  We have to get out ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/sound-advice-from-artist-harley-browns-column Squinting at our subject seems rudimentary to some but it's news to others.   Nonetheless it is the most important tool we have when judging values (how relatively light or dark a specific shape is).   The failure to use this tool is often prevalent amongst students who are new to my ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/how-to-judge-values-for-painting-and-drawing Even if you are not a big sports fan you are probably aware that the name Brett Favre has dominated the airwaves in recent weeks.  News of the NFL quarterbacks retirement, quest for reinstatement and subsequent trade to the New York Jets has been way, way, way overdone.  Especially on ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/what-can-plein-air-painters-learn-from-brett-favre It has been said that the fine art of oil painting involves finding good answers to difficult questions.  In fact, the famous abstract colorist, Josef Albers said, "Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers."   Many artists, apparently seeking a shortcut to the ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/acheive-your-own-painting-style How To Succeed As An Artist The meaning of "success as an artist" is probably as varied as the number of people who consider themselves artists.  While not every artist would define success as gaining a foothold in the market I think it's safe to say that every artist's definition of ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-as-therapy/how-to-succeed-as-an-artist Whether you paint portraits, landscapes or still life it is important to have a method of proceeding that maintains a sense of purpose and direction.  Most, if not all, of the best artists do this in the context of the light which describes form.  John Singer Sargent put forth five ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/proceed-with-purpose-in-your-oil-paintings Embedded in St. Petersburg Florida's burgeoning arts culture are two seemingly divergent trends. There are those who prefer a "Contemporary" style and those who prefer a more "Representational" style. Although it is debatable just how much of either type actually qualifies as art supporters from both sides often ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-as-therapy/where-realism-and-abstraction-meet