Rick Janson Art Studio

There were a few things that happened within the last year that made a big difference to my art making.

The first was about commitment. When I first retired from my day job, I seemed to have gone madly off in all directions. I wanted to travel more. I wanted to improve my guitar and singing skills. I wanted to learn another language. I wanted to read more. I wanted to write more. I wanted to exercise more. I wanted to watch more movies from my collection. And I wanted to paint more. But there was no set order for any of this.

Ever since I was a kid I made drawings. There has always been something to compel me to make pictures even though my eyes were always wide open that this was a way of life and not a viable career option. I have to say I’m allergic to poverty. Hence the day job.

One of the complaints about art schools I have frequently heard is they never prepare students for what happens next. The answer is likely that the faculty themselves likely don’t know. I don’t know if that has changed at all in the decades since I graduated, and with more and more graduates, it begs the question how will all these people succeed, or is the policy to educate artists much like spaghetti — throw it at a wall and see if some of it sticks.

Somewhere along the line I decided that I would really give it a go, but if I failed, that was okay too. I planned out my week so I would spend three to four hours most days in the studio, knowing there are days when life interferes.

The second thing that changed everything was a light. Previously I had worked on canvases in my shed-studio (I’m thinking of calling it the “art hut”), taken them outside, and realized they needed a lot more work when seen in the daylight. With LED technology one can purchase a light that will better illuminate the work and give one the option of seeing it in a number of variants of white light. That was huge for me. Now I can see. Thank you Canadian Tire. I am no longer profoundly disappointed when I carry a canvas outside.

The third is how I chose to paint. I used to work on one painting at a time until it was completed. I don’t do that anymore. I found, especially on larger paintings that required more time, that I often tired of looking at the same image, and would often lose perspective on the work itself. Problems seemed intractable.

Now I like to work on four or five canvases, rotating them each day. That means my eyes are refreshed when I come back to one of the four or five paintings I have on the go. This also allows me to think about how those paintings respond to my various interests.

Before I would work on the piece and think of it as the beginning of a series, then have a totally different idea by the time I got to the next painting. So much for the series. I bounced around like I had an attention deficit.

I can now see themes emerging from my work, including perspectives on travel, a love of painting bicycles (thank you perhaps to the late Greg Curnoe) and even some experimentation with portraiture, likely from watching too many episodes of Portrait Artist of the Year. I also frequently paint cafes as they seem to be the last bastion of humanity in a world where we’re increasingly becoming isolated from one another by our dastardly phones.

At present the four paintings I have on the go are:

1. A commentary on Peggy’s Cove (Nova Scotia) and the impact of tourism. By the way, I love talking to tourists. When I finally post this one I’ll get into my long relationship with that place. Likely the commentary is not what you think.
2. A painting of a group of tourists who are using their phones to mediate their view (in this case, of Koblenz, Germany) while seeming oblivious to the magnificent tree they are under (see above in the photo of me in my studio, um, art hut).
3. A view from the town of Lunenburg (Nova Scotia) towards its harbour. I have to say that I was drawn by the sense of depth in the image as well as the late afternoon light. This is another location I have had a long relationship with. Its part of my history.
4. A self portrait. Haven’t done one of these in many years. This is at the earliest stage right now — just roughed in with the ground showing through — and presently I look quite mad.

By rotating them it keeps my eye fresh but also gives me time to reflect on what these paintings are really about. What is the story?

The fourth thing I have really made a concerted effort on is to look at the work of others, both historic and contemporary. Sometimes this has the effect of making we want to give up altogether — I’ll never be able to paint that well. Other times it makes me think further about how I’m approaching these images and makes me want to work harder.

A new focus on my work, a brand new work light, rotation on my easel, and looking at the work of others. That’s what has been driving me for the past year. There is a fifth thing, which I will talk about soon.

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