Clara Lieu's Blog, page 20
June 2, 2016
Giveaway Critique Winner #2: Heidi Neff
Heidi Neff, “Untitled (Resistence)”, acrylic paint on canvas, 9″ x 16″
Visit Heidi’s website
“This painting is a part of a larger body of work which investigates the relationship between the virtual and the physical and how that relates to profoundly personal experiences such as love, sex, motherhood, loss, illness, physical injury and spiritual connections. In my work, paint acts as metaphor for that which is messy, physical and real in an increasingly detached, virtual world.”
Yves-Olivier Mandereau, Designer & Ceramic Artist
“If you’re talking about the physical and virtual world, I want to see in your work what is the relationship between two systems
Annie Irwin, Weaver, Textile Artist, Painter
“In terms of what’s happening in the background, I think you could achieve more space and depth by trying to further your experimentation with materials.”
Alex Rowe, Book Illustrator
“The really nice, subdued blue is really making all the oranges and the yellows, and the reds pop.”
Clara Lieu, Fine Artist & Adjunct Professor at RISD
“Specificity is really helpful. When people try to take on too many subjects all at once, they find they just can’t get specific enough and the audience gets lost.”
Mentioned: Frank Auerbach, Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Soutine
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming up on June 14 that you won’t want to miss.
June 1, 2016
More Crit Quickies!
Crit Quickie submissions are starting to heat up on my Instagram! Post your art w/ @art.prof , #artprof & “Crit Quickie.”
If you’re an art teacher, you’re welcome to submit on behalf of your students! You can keep your student’s name anonymous, but it’s helpful to tell me what grade the student is in.
These Crit Quickies are tiny morsels compared to the major art education project that is arriving on Tuesday, June 14. If you like Crit Quickies, our Audio Critique Giveaways, Ask the Art Prof Live, my Portfolio Video Critiques, our in person Portfolio Review events, (June 19, not too late to sign up!) then you’re in for an artistic feast of a lifetime! Don’t miss the banquet and subscribe to my email list today.
by @chun.park.7
by @slanzokke
May 31, 2016
Last Audio Critique Pack Giveaway!
We’re doing one last giveaway before our big announcement on June 14. Win audio critiques from myself, and artists Casey Roonan, Annie Irwin, and Alex Rowe on one of your artworks. Unique opportunity to get trusted advice from not one, but four professional artists!
To enter, do one of the following by Thurs., June 2, 11:59pm EST:
Subscribe to my email list
Like my Facebook page.
Retweet my tweet about this giveaway
I will message the winner with directions, the artwork and a statement is due Monday, June 6. If you win, your artwork and critiques will be posted on my blog. You can have your artwork posted either 1) anonymously, 2) with your name or 3) with your name linked to your website.
Below is a sample Audio Crit Pack:
Jeff Wrench, “Chelsea Rose”, acrylic paint on wallpaper and paint chips, 11″ x 17″
Visit Jeff’s website
“This painting is from an an ongoing series of portraits on wallpaper and paint chips, based on my snapshots or (in this case) photos provided by someone I’ve met online. I’m trying to paint intuitively and quickly. I am interested in rough, semi-abstract marks and colors that still converge into convincing and recognizable images. The found background is another source uncertainty in the process and opportunity for happy accidents. If successful, I think such an painting can ‘vibrate’ in the viewer’s mind, and maybe excite the imagination in ways that a realistic rendering would not.”
Casey Roonan, Illustrator & Cartoonist
“Stay open, and keep asking yourself questions, and try to really be conscious of all the decisions you’re making.”
Mentioned: Lucien Freud, Alice Neel
Sara Bloem, Multimedia Artist
“I want more information about how you’re choosing the subjects of these pieces.”
Mentioned: Jean Arp
Lauryn Welch, Painter & Performance Artist
“I love the idea that something can be seen both as a collection of patterns, as well as having a character to it, like an identity.”
Mentioned: Jenny Saville, Euan Uglow, Chantal Joffe, Edouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard
Clara Lieu, Fine Artist & Adjunct Professor at RISD
“I want to know more information, more specificity, for example, where did you meet this person online?”
Mentioned: Frank Auerbach, Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Oskar Kokschka
Follow up from Jeff on our audio critiques:
“Clara, this was great for someone like me — I’m not in school and I haven’t really found a way to get thoughtful input on my art. And mostly when I’ve found someone who I trust to give input, it’s been about the actual painting process — while much of the input here was about concepts. So that was new/surprising/interesting to me. Many of the critique comments highlight things I hadn’t explicitly thought about, so I am excited that pursuing these ideas may lead me to some interesting development. Thanks to all four of you!”
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming on June 14 that you won’t want to miss.
May 26, 2016
Ask the Art Prof Live # 8: Should I do the Starving Artist Phase in New York City?
01:48
NYC after art school
04:53
Instead of NYC, move to a smaller city after art school
06:33
Go to NYC later in your career
07:34
A miserable experience in NYC immediately after art school
10:08
Sit back, clear your head, and process your 4 years at art school
12:50
Consider graduate school in NYC
13:59
Artists are always re-evaluating and re-thinking
Ask the Art Prof Live is a weekly live video broadcast on my Facebook page where I provide professional advice for art students and professional artists. Ask the Art Prof began as a written column in 2013 and was featured in the Huffington Post from 2013-2015. See the full archive of columns here. Ask me your questions by commenting on the live video post as the video streams, and I’ll answer right away. I’ll discuss being an artist today, art technique & materials, work strategies for artists, career advice, teaching art, and more. Like my Facebook page and you’ll receive a notification when each live video begins.
Related Live Videos
#7: How do I Improve My Art? How do I Find My Artistic Style?
#6: Teaching High School Art, Teaching Color
#5: Starting Art School, Avoiding Cliches
#4: Oversaturation, Brainstorming, Beginning a Series
#3: Personal Themes, Never Too Late to Start Drawing
#2: Aches While Drawing, Professional Artwork vs. Student Artwork
#1: Graduate MFA Programs
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming up in mid June that you won’t want to miss.
May 25, 2016
Reddit AMA #2 (Ask Me Anything) with the Art Prof
This week I did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) in the subreddit /learnart. Below are some of the questions people asked, and you can read the entire thread with my (very long) responses here.
“What do you think is the most prevalent difference between self-taught artists and those who have gone to art school(s)? Are there any benefits of being self-taught, aside from the money issue?”
“How does an artist learn to see?”
“In the art world right now do you think that the business aspect of becomes more important due to the high competitiveness?”
“In your years teaching at RISD, what are characteristics that successful students have in common? Have you noticed similarities?”
“What is your opinion on digital art? I have noticed that digital art is sometimes disregarded as not quite being art since you have access to tools not available in traditional art.”
“Do you have any tips/websites/books/blogs on how a student can find their own voice, how to express it? And how to teach that to a student, or at least guide them in knowing how to express themselves verbally and through their work?”
“I spent most of my life drawing in pencil, and find that I have a very poor understanding of light and color. Could you recommend any exercises that I could complete in an hour every day that would best help with improving color and light comprehension?”
“I am an emerging artist. I have tried to contact commercial art galleries but there’s no interest. My press releases to art magazines and traditional media are ignored. How can I get more exposure to the right people, collectors looking for emerging artists who can judge by themselves the merit of a piece of art?”
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming up in mid June that you won’t want to miss.
Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Art Prof
This week I did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) in the subreddit /learnart. Below are some of the questions people asked, and you can read the entire thread with my (very long) responses here.
“What do you think is the most prevalent difference between self-taught artists and those who have gone to art school(s)? Are there any benefits of being self-taught, aside from the money issue?”
“How does an artist learn to see?”
“In the art world right now do you think that the business aspect of becomes more important due to the high competitiveness?”
“In your years teaching at RISD, what are characteristics that successful students have in common? Have you noticed similarities?”
“What is your opinion on digital art? I have noticed that digital art is sometimes disregarded as not quite being art since you have access to tools not available in traditional art.”
“Do you have any tips/websites/books/blogs on how a student can find their own voice, how to express it? And how to teach that to a student, or at least guide them in knowing how to express themselves verbally and through their work?”
“I spent most of my life drawing in pencil, and find that I have a very poor understanding of light and color. Could you recommend any exercises that I could complete in an hour every day that would best help with improving color and light comprehension?”
“I am an emerging artist. I have tried to contact commercial art galleries but there’s no interest. My press releases to art magazines and traditional media are ignored. How can I get more exposure to the right people, collectors looking for emerging artists who can judge by themselves the merit of a piece of art?”
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming up in mid June that you won’t want to miss.
May 23, 2016
Audio Critique Winner #1: Jeff Wrench
Jeff Wrench, “Chelsea Rose”, acrylic paint on wallpaper and paint chips, 11″ x 17″
Visit Jeff’s website
“This painting is from an an ongoing series of portraits on wallpaper and paint chips, based on my snapshots or (in this case) photos provided by someone I’ve met online. I’m trying to paint intuitively and quickly. I am interested in rough, semi-abstract marks and colors that still converge into convincing and recognizable images. The found background is another source uncertainty in the process and opportunity for happy accidents. If successful, I think such an painting can ‘vibrate’ in the viewer’s mind, and maybe excite the imagination in ways that a realistic rendering would not.”
Casey Roonan, Illustrator & Cartoonist
“Stay open, and keep asking yourself questions, and try to really be conscious of all the decisions you’re making.”
Mentioned: Lucien Freud, Alice Neel
Sara Bloem, Multimedia Artist
“I want more information about how you’re choosing the subjects of these pieces.”
Mentioned: Jean Arp
Lauryn Welch, Painter & Performance Artist
“I love the idea that something can be seen both as a collection of patterns, as well as having a character to it, like an identity.”
Mentioned: Jenny Saville, Euan Uglow, Chantal Joffe, Edouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard
Clara Lieu, Fine Artist & Adjunct Professor at RISD
“I want to know more information, more specificity, for example, where did you meet this person online?”
Mentioned: Frank Auerbach, Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Oskar Kokschka
Follow up from Jeff on our critiques:
“Clara, this was great for someone like me — I’m not in school and I haven’t really found a way to get thoughtful input on my art. And mostly when I’ve found someone who I trust to give input, it’s been about the actual painting process — while much of the input here was about concepts. So that was new/surprising/interesting to me. Many of the critique comments highlight things I hadn’t explicitly thought about, so I am excited that pursuing these ideas may lead me to some interesting development. Thanks to all four of you!”
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming up in mid June that you won’t want to miss.
Giveaway Critique Winner #1: Jeff Wrench
Giveaway #3 starts today! Win an “Audio Crit Pack,”see giveaway #1 winner’s Crit Pack below. To enter, do one of the following by Wed., May 25, 11:59pm EST:
Subscribe to my email list
Share my Ask the Art Prof page on Twitter or Facebook, w/ #artprof
Retweet my tweet about this giveaway
The winner will receive directions to submit their art which is due Mon., May 30. Winners’ art & critiques will be posted on my blog. You can be posted 1) anonymously, 2) with your name or 3) with your name & website.
Check out our first giveaway winner, Jeff Wrench:
Jeff Wrench, “Chelsea Rose”, acrylic paint on wallpaper and paint chips, 11″ x 17″
Visit Jeff’s website
“This painting is from an an ongoing series of portraits on wallpaper and paint chips, based on my snapshots or (in this case) photos provided by someone I’ve met online. I’m trying to paint intuitively and quickly. I am interested in rough, semi-abstract marks and colors that still converge into convincing and recognizable images. The found background is another source uncertainty in the process and opportunity for happy accidents. If successful, I think such an painting can ‘vibrate’ in the viewer’s mind, and maybe excite the imagination in ways that a realistic rendering would not.”
Casey Roonan, Illustrator & Cartoonist
“Stay open, and keep asking yourself questions, and try to really be conscious of all the decisions you’re making.”
Mentioned: Lucien Freud, Alice Neel
Sara Bloem, Multimedia Artist
“I want more information about how you’re choosing the subjects of these pieces.”
Mentioned: Jean Arp
Lauryn Welch, Painter & Performance Artist
“I love the idea that something can be seen both as a collection of patterns, as well as having a character to it, like an identity.”
Mentioned: Jenny Saville, Euan Uglow, Chantal Joffe, Edouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard
Clara Lieu, Fine Artist & Adjunct Professor at RISD
“I want to know more information, more specificity, for example, where did you meet this person online?”
Mentioned: Frank Auerbach, Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Oskar Kokschka,
Crit Quickies are 30 sec. art critiques on my Instagram. Submit! Post your art w/ @claralieu, #artprof, and “Crit Quickie.” Watch samples here.
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming up in mid June that you won’t want to miss.
Ask the Art Prof Live # 7: How do I Improve My Art? How do I find My Artistic Style?
0:26
Other than “keep practicing,” how do I improve my art?
01:53
Set short term and long term goals.
05:14
Recognize your automatic pilot and the plateau.
06:39
Build in periods of experimentation.
09:58
How do I find my artistic style? Related article.
Mentioned: Picasso and Cubism
11:57
Style doesn’t develop overnight. Jackson Pollock
13:34
Try everything! Be a restaurant critic and sample everything that exists.
Former New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni’s memoir “Born Round”
Mentioned: mezzotint, lithography, intaglio printmaking
15:36
Make a series
16:48
Your style will keep evolving. Alberto Giacometti
The next live video broadcast will be Thursday, May 26 at 9:30pm EST. Like my Facebook page, and you’ll get notification when the live video begins.
Ask the Art Prof Live is a weekly live video broadcast on my Facebook page where I provide professional advice for art students and professional artists. Ask the Art Prof began as a written column in 2013 and was featured in the Huffington Post from 2013-2015. See the full archive of columns here. Ask me your questions by commenting on the live video post as the video streams, and I’ll answer right away. I’ll discuss being an artist today, art technique & materials, work strategies for artists, career advice, teaching art, and more. Like my Facebook page and you’ll receive a notification when each live video begins.
Related Live Videos
#6: Teaching High School Art, Teaching Color
#5: Starting Art School, Avoiding Cliches
#4: Oversaturation, Brainstorming, Beginning a Series
#3: Personal Themes, Never Too Late to Start Drawing
#2: Aches While Drawing, Professional Artwork vs. Student Artwork
#1: Graduate MFA Programs
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming up in mid June that you won’t want to miss.
May 20, 2016
Free Art Portfolio Review Event in Concord, MA
FREE ART PORTFOLIO REVIEW EVENT
For artists of all ages!
Concord Center for the Visual Arts
37 Lexington Rd., Concord, MA, 01742
(978) 369-2578
Sunday, June 19, 12-4pm
Bring your art portfolio and get 1 or more 15 minute reviews from professional artists. Unique opportunity to receive diverse feedback from several trusted professionals all in one day! Great chance for art students and professional artists seeking support on their work, and for high school students working on a portfolio for college admission. You don’t even have to get a review to attend this event-we’ll set up the event to create an open environment where everyone can see other artist portfolios, and learn from listening to everyone else’s critiques. This event is free, but registration is required to be guaranteed a review.
Can’t make it to this event?
3 more free portfolio/critique events and a major art education project are coming in June and July!
Stay tuned by subscribing to our email list.
Still can’t come? Check out my art portfolio video critiques & Ask the Art Prof
Contact
Portfolio Requirements
Please bring 5-8 artworks created in any media for your portfolio. Neatly organize your portfolios in advance to ensure an efficient review. We strongly prefer to see actual artwork, but we are willing to view artwork on laptops/tablets. (no phones)
Registration
This event is free, but registration is required to be guaranteed a review.
If you want to only look at portfolios and listen to critiques, no registration is necessary. Please register for a maximum of 2 slots. Register here. If you sign up for more than 2 slots, we will delete the extra slots. If there are still slots open the day of the event, slots will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis at our information table. At that point, you can sign up for as many reviews as you want. You are welcome to show up the day of the event without registering in advance, however we cannot guarantee that you will receive a review. If you are not present at your slot time, your slot will be given to someone else. Feel free to RSVP on our Facebook event.
Portfolio Reviewers
Clara Lieu is an Adjunct Professor at RISD, and a fine artist who works in drawing, printmaking, and sculpture. She wrote “Ask the Art Prof,” an advice column for visual artists for the Huffington Post for 3 years, and now hosts a weekly live video broadcast of the column on her Facebook page. Watch her video critiques here.
Cynthia Katz is a photographer and has taught photography and bookbinding in the Visual Arts Department at Concord Academy for over 20 years. Her work has been exhibited widely throughout galleries in New England.
Wendy Seller is a fine artist working in digital media, painting, and photographic images. She has taught at Simmons College and RISD, and has had her work exhibited throughout galleries and museums in New England. Recently she was awarded an artist-in-residence fellowship by the Ballinglen Foundation.
Casey Roonan is a freelance illustrator and a cartoonist. Casey does editorial illustrations for the blog Narratively, and other clients. He writes and edit an anthology-format comic book called Ciambella with Mike Karpiel. Listen to one of Casey’s critiques here.
Lauryn Welch is a painter and performance artist who teaches at the Peterborough Art Academy. Her artwork was featured on the cover of Art New England, and was recently shown in “Portraits, Expanded” at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center.
Sara Bloem is a multimedia artist working in drawing and installation. She was recently an artist-in-residence at the University of Indonesia, where she worked on a series of drawings exploring multiculturalism. Listen to one of Sara’s critiques here.
Subscribe to my email list! I send announcements only a few times a year. There’s a big announcement coming up in a few weeks that you won’t want to miss.
