Rick Janson Art Studio

Here we go again. As part of my path towards a formal self-portrait, here is my second study. I’m still debating whether or not it is done. Depending on the light in which I view it, it either looks exactly like me, or like me in about another twenty years.

In this study I wanted a close look at all the details on my face, including my happy crow’s feet and some of my age spots. However, as much as I have tried to apply a light touch to these, they tend to look — at least in photos of the canvas — like they are way too pronounced. That’s why I may go back.

However, as a painter, I love working through all those wrinkles and bulges and other signs of life my face exhibits to the world. As a painting, I rather like it, as it seems do others. I just wish it was making someone else look old!

Among the comments thus far: it really looks like you, but it’s not exactly flattering. That I can handle. When i’m in the midst of a work jag in the studio, I don’t always look my best. It’s amazing I don’t have any paint on my face. I’m happy to look like an old dog.

The next study I will go a bit bigger and incorporate more of my body. Perhaps I will be a little kinder on the third try. Or maybe I will find other elements to exaggerate and play with. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, this morning I had the chutzpah to apply for a solo exhibition in a local gallery. The gallery is booking a year to 18 months in advance, which suits me, although it means that a lot of my work will be tied up at least until then (assuming my proposal is accepted). Luckily I’m in no hurry to sell anything right now, although it means I’m also absorbing a lot of related costs, including framing, artist association memberships, gallery memberships, entry fees, on-line costs, studio maintenance not to mention the cost of paint and canvas. Thus the life of an artist. Thank heavens for my work pension. Behind every great artist is usually another source of income.

It is interesting to view the application process galleries are requiring on-line. Galleries often want sample files sent in a certain way — in this morning’s case, the file had to be named with the title of the art then the artists first and last name. The file was also limited in how big it could be, although it was a bit confusing given they posted the maximum file size as 256 MB when they likely mean 250 KB. They also talk about the need for larger files for printing purposes. Then when you resize the images and upload them, they often appear larger than the size you initially set them too. Sigh. While it was supposed to accept a JPEG format, it repeatedly rejected one image which required me to send it again as a HEIC, which is usually more efficient anyway and offers better quality. Note to self– no more JPEGs.

It was the first time I had come across a requirement to make the artist’s statement in “first person.” I’m so used to putting out material in the third person it took me by surprise. I was half way through writing it when I noticed the requirement. Galleries seldom give you a lot of space for your blah blah blah. I am beavering away on a book that I had initially thought of printing this summer, but I may postpone it until next year, hopefully closer to the date of a show. Given my proposal is for a show about all the issues around travel, I also want to do postcards of several of the works.

As difficult as it is to often follow all the detailed instructions galleries post, participants were warned on a recent webinar hosted by the Artists Network (Toronto) to pay attention to those details. If you paid $45 to enter a painting into a competition, the last thing you want is to be disqualified over a small technical issue. The presenter noted that it is easy for juries to simply take you out of consideration if you haven’t labelled your digital files correctly.

If my bid for a show is accepted, then there will be additional fees and requirements, including signing a contract and presenting them with an inventory of the artworks for the show in advance.

If I am successful I will post the dates/location on the Recent Exhibitions page. I also have some other planned group shows I’ll be applying for in the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, if you read yesterday’s post, you’ll notice that I discovered a small tweak was needed to the painting that I was using to show the process of how I make my work. The tweak is done, and the painting now in the gallery section (click here).