HOW TO LOOK AT A PAINTING

Looking at art involves asking questions and trusting your instincts. Some people feel uncomfortable evaluating art, like somehow, they aren’t qualified. It’s especially true with abstract paintings: they say I don’t get it or what is it? I would like to demystify this so you will trust your own thoughts and opinion and how it makes you feel.  Your opinion is just as valuable as the director of an art museum.
So, give it a try with the questions below and the two paintings I have provided. Ask yourself some questions as you study these paintings. The best part is there are no right or wrong answers.

Describe it.
What words would you use to describe this painting? What other words might we use?
How would you describe the lines in this picture? The shapes? The colors?
How would you describe this painting to a person who could not see it?

Relate it.
What does this painting remind you of?
What interests you most about this work of art?
What do these two paintings have in common?

Analyze it.
Which objects seem closer to you? Further away?
What can you tell me about the colors in this painting?
What do you think is the most important part of this picture?

Interpret it.
What sounds would this painting make (if it could)?
What do you think this painting is about? How did you come up with that idea?
Pretend you are inside this painting. What does it feel like?

Evaluate it.
What do you think is good about this painting? What is not so good?
Why do you think other people should see this work of art?
What do you think is worth remembering about this painting?

The above paintings are by Helen Frankenthaler and Jackson Pollack

LOOKING AT ART IS GOOD FOR US

Artists all know about the benefits of creating art; visual acumen, sparks of joy, and emotional awareness. But simply viewing art can also be beneficial.

Art builds awareness. Take some real time to look at art. More than 15 seconds. Art is not exclusive to a museum. Also look at architecture, street art, and your surroundings. Observe and have a direct experience with whatever is in front of you. By really looking you become more aware; alert and present in the space around you.

Art sparks a curious mindset. Your brain is at work looking for color, patterns and shapes that you may or may not connect with; wondering how and why the artist created this piece. There is no right or wrong answer. 

Art can evoke an emotional response. I personally believe that a good piece of art has to evoke some type of emotion: calm or anxious, happy or sad.

I recently learned that viewing a beautiful work of art creates the same chemical (dopamine) in the brain as love, according to research conducted by Semir Zeki, Professor of Neuroesthetics at University College London.

I hope this opens up more curious thoughts, ideas and new perspectives. Please share this blog with your friends.

Last September I painted for 8 days on Fire Island. While walking the beach I would study the change in the overlapping waves on the sand and around the shells and pebbles. It made me feel calm and at one with nature. I painted this blog’s painting during that time and it is titled “Transmute”.

I hope this opens up more curious thoughts, ideas and new perspectives. Please share this blog with your friends.

UNDERSTANDING ARTISTS

Painting / Overplay 12x12

Jerry Saltz is a very well-respected senior art critic for New York Magazine and a 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner for Criticism. He visits over 20 gallery openings a week.  I have read both of his books about Art. I admire his straightforward approach and his “don’t hold anything back” writing style.

As an artist, I sometimes feel like I'm on an island, especially in my thoughts. Does anyone really understand what I’m doing, how, or why? When I read Jerry’s inspiring words of wisdom I feel understood.

Below are some recent Instagram posts that I find very affirming. All written by Jerry Saltz:

WINTERING

W I N T E R I N G

The contrasts in life help me clarify my thoughts, feelings, and direction as I move forward. For me, going from the excitement and busyness of December to the calm and tranquility of January is a good example. January forces you to slow down, with shorter days, winter weather, and typically fewer events during the month.

I have been spending this month fully embracing the power that “Wintering” offers.

In my creative practice this year I started by reviewing all the paintings I did last year and examining each for its strength. What is there to learn as I move forward? That prompted me to mix up some new colors and paint some small color studies (above) that, in turn, have led to starting bigger paintings. The slower pace of January allows time for new ideas. I often find that some of my best ideas actually come when I’m not in the studio.

Also, I love to feed my soul in a literal way by trying new recipes and preparing many of our favorite hearty dishes. I have also found that one candle lit for dinner can make any meal feel elevated. And, I don’t do dry January; I feel bourbon was specially made for the winter months.

Because of the shorter days, we find ourselves heading up to bed early with our latest stack of books. When my son was a little boy, he would be at the foot of our bed with his pile of books. All of us would read together, keeping warm with lots of extra blankets.

We had a wonderful surprise last Sunday when we woke up to a beautiful snow-covered yard. Thick snowflakes were still falling when I went out to take photos and enjoy the quietness that the blanket of snow brings.

I hope this month has given you time for some self-reflection, allowing new thoughts and ideas to germinate for the spring.

NEW YEAR - NEW START

NEW YEAR - NEW START

Time is all we have and it’s one of the rarest commodities in life. As the abstract expressionist painter Elaine de Kooning said: “The only thing that an artist must fight is time. The only thing the artist knows is time.”
 
The beginning of the year is a wonderful time for me to set my intentions, goals, and plans. Which means making lists. And I love lists. Lists can bring order to your life and keep you from getting anxious. But sometimes a big list is overwhelming. Becoming overzealous and thinking you should be able to accomplish more each day. Instead, this
week I have been trying to focus on three top items, the most important things I wish to accomplish. This blog is on the list this week.
 
A daily routine is part of the artist’s success. People sometimes think that creative genius just happens. But you have lots of ups and downs, and you have to be able to catch that big moment when you’re in the flow and ride the wave. You must make the time you have count. My routine: I start my day with meditation, writing in my journal, and then on to my creative work. It might work for you.

SPECIAL RELEASE

Over the past two months I have been working on a special release of 10 small paintings. Share the creative joy this holiday season with a one-of-a-kind abstract painting! Each creation is available until December 31. Go to the “Special Release” tab in the left navigation to see all the paintings.

Please email or text me if you wish to purchase. Shipping will be added if you’re outside the greater Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky area.

McMillen.Marcia@gmail.com 859.760.2558

ARTIST RETREAT

This past September I went for an artist retreat. Reprising an artist-in-residence experience from 2019, I met up with New York artist/friend Anne Gabriele (link to her art). We spent 8 days on Fire Island, New York.

This was my first time on a retreat with another artist. We both shared a cottage for our creative work. I worked on the bigger table and Anne worked both inside and outdoors. Anne creates abstract landscapes using the cyanotype print process. We each draw creativity from the ocean, natural elements found on the beach, and all the daily changes in the surf. Throughout the week we spent time talking about our creative art practice, inspirations, and artistic lives. Artists need to be with other artists talking about art.  I’m so grateful for our time together.

My goal for this retreat was to experiment with new color combinations and compositions. When I’m immersed in nature it makes it easy for my creativity to flow out. The agenda of each day was very simple: paint, then walk on the beach, paint, then more beach, then make dinner and paint. The breeze went through the cottage which enabled my paintings to dry quickly allowing me to get 3 layers of paint on in a day. I completed many paintings and color studies. I came away energized and ready to keep the momentum going.

SEEING THE REAL THING

Last month I wrote about traveling to see an exhibition in Baltimore as part of a grant that I was awarded. Part of that grant also allowed me to visit art museums in Washington D.C. I have been to DC many times over the years but it was always with family. This trip, I was on my own over two days. Traveling by yourself has so many wonderful benefits including being able to move at your own pace.  I visited five major art museums and navigated through hundreds of pieces of art over two days. I was able to sit at length, studying a painting or talking to the museum curator.

Each of the art museums I visited had incredible permanent collections. It was the special exhibitions that I was most excited about, discovering emerging and established artists that I had never seen before. There is no substitution for standing in front of a work of art just as the artist had done. Below, I have highlighted some of my favorite artists that I connected with.

When I look at art, I’m doing a critical review. Some things that I consider are: composition & color; the message or emotional connection; a new approach or technique; do I like this piece and why? This same process of critiquing is used as I’m creating my own paintings. Because I had seen so many pieces of art in Baltimore and DC my eye became even sharper. When I returned to my studio and looked at my current work with a broader perspective, I knew exactly what needed to be done.

ARTISTIC VISION LIKE NO OTHER

Detail of “Mud Time”, 1960 by Joan Mitchell

JOAN MITCHELL: ARTISTIC VISION LIKE NO OTHER

This past August I was awarded an artist grant to travel to the Baltimore Museum of Art to see the retrospective exhibition on Joan Mitchell, a first-generation abstract expressionist (1925-1992).

This exhibition provided me an opportunity to see works by Joan Mitchell in person for the first time. Seeing 70 important pieces by Mitchell helped me understand her subject matter, sources, and technique more clearly, as well as seeing the way her work developed and changed over time.

I gasped as I went through the show! All of it was mind-blowing, the enormous size of her paintings combined with her layered spectrum of colors, beautiful muddy hues within the harmony of white fields. The rhythm and energy in her brush strokes create a perfect balance of texture in each composition. Some of her paintings were on a single canvas, while others were diptychs, triptychs, and quadriptychs complimenting perfectly with one another. Her paintings are like no others, truly transportive drawing you in with the depths and layering of colors.

I came away energized with so many new and interesting avenues to explore. Back in my studio, I began to translate my process onto larger or multiple canvases and explore new color combinations with the beautiful effects of adding Mitchell’s “mud color”.

Paintings from the retrospective exhibition by Joan Mitchell.

IT’S NOT MAGIC, IT’S MOMENTUM

Some people think that painting is like magic and that it just happens the first time you pick up the paintbrush. It doesn’t.

I love painting. It brings me joy. If I stop painting even for a day, I start to look, question, or second guess something and that is what gets me off track.

Don’t look just at what you have accomplished today, it’s a much bigger picture. My goal is to keep the creative momentum going and give it time to come together. Each day I show up and strive for progress, not perfection. I work on four or five paintings at the same time. Some come together easier than others or one inspires the next. When they do get to a point that I think they might be done, it’s time to move them into a new context. I place them all over my home and glance at them as I walk by, seeing the colors from a distance. Most likely they will go back into my studio, one more time.

SUMMERTIME OLD AND NEW

Painting “Passage of Color” 24x24

The day is long.

The watermelon is cold.

The summer feels effortless and free.

Music: “Summer Breeze” - Seals & Crofts, takes me back, and “Down by the Water” - Abigail Lapeli, inspires a sense of calm.
Taste Good: Happiness to me is eating tomatoes and cold watermelon all summer long.
Books: Recently, Vivian Howard {PBS host, chef, and author} spoke at the Cincinnati Mercantile Library and she signed my new favorite cookbook: “This Will Make It Taste Good.” Follow her on Instagram.
Comforts of Summer: The day is long and twilight is even longer. Nothing feels more like summer than a screened-in porch. You’ll find me chilling out late into the evening as I listen to the tree frogs and crickets.
Childhood Memories: Summers in Michigan with my cousins. Summer afternoons by the lake. The night we stayed up until 3:00 am to watch the Northern lights.
Advice: Watch more sunsets and starry nights then skip Netflix.

CULTIVATE AND SHARE

Spring is in full bloom in northern Kentucky. In our yard, I have always focused on having perennial flowers or bushes that bloom at different times of the year. I especially like plants that spread or multiply so I can divide and share with other gardeners. We have some Irises that have been in our family for years. They originally came from the farm where my mother grew up in Alpine, Tennessee.
 
My mother had an amazing home economics teacher back in the late 50’s who taught her many creative skills: sewing, cooking, entertaining, and decorating including flower arranging. Mom is very still talented in all of these areas. She has shared this knowledge as I grew up. She taught me the basic principle of flower arranging and how to use flowers or plants from the yard, fields, or woods. This week I created a flower arrangement from everything in my yard and gave it to a dear friend who has a sweet toddler named (pause) Iris.

SMALL IS STILL BIG

This past weekend I viewed an exhibit of 58 paintings by Roman Bearden (1911-1988) at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. He was an outstanding abstract painter. As I walked through the show I wondered why he picked various canvas sizes for his work.

With this blog, I would like to talk about the size and shape of my painting canvases and share some recent changes.

For some time, I have been painting on 36”x36” and 24”x24” canvases. I chose those sizes because they’re have great impact on the viewer. And, frankly, my studio presents some physical restraints making it difficult to go big. During the past year I decided to work with even smaller surfaces producing a series of 12”x12” paintings

What I have learned is that the scale of my paint strokes must be adjusted to meld with the size of each composition. By working with various sizes of canvas I’ve learned what’s important with each paint stroke. You may think it’s easier to work small, but not really. Every inch counts and nothing can hide the visual story. What I like about smaller paintings is that people tend to move closer to view the layers of paint thereby creating a sense of intimacy.

In general, square shapes are magical shapes because they can change and appear different when viewed horizontally or vertically. This gives me the opportunity to react to the composition as it’s developing.

POWERFUL EXHIBITIONS

Cincinnati has two powerful exhibitions currently showing. The way I see other artists’ work, exhibitions and shows helps to advance my own thinking and work as an artist.

In this blog post I’ll share my thoughts on these exhibitions and hope that this will encourage others to view them.

Cincinnati Art Museum
David Driskell: Icons of Nature and History
February 25–May 15, 2022

David Driskell (1931–2020) was one of the most revered American artists of his generation, long recognized for his vibrant and versatile work as a painter and printmaker. His art combines keen observations of America with the imagery and aesthetic innovations of the African diaspora.

The exhibition brings together 58 pieces created during his distinguished career from oil painting to encaustic and collage to woodcut. Driskell was a distinguished professor of art at the University of Maryland; he also taught at Fisk University, Howard University and Talladega College. He spent every summer at his home and studio in Maine. He was honored by President Bill Clinton with the Presidential Medal as one of 12 recipients of the National Humanities Award (2000).

I feel his work was just as strong in his 20’s as it was before he died at 88: Strength of composition with positive and negative space; storytelling and symbolism that is both obvious and subtle, and intense color and texture surrounded by solid blacks and whites in perfect­­­ balance. I was unaware of his work prior to this show but look forward to studying about Driskell.

Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati
The Regional
December 10, 2021 – March 20, 2022

The Regional is a major multi-museum survey dedicated to contemporary artists based in the Midwest and features new and recent work by approximately 25 artists working across painting, photography, installation, and performance. This exhibition will make you reconsider what the Midwest is in terms of art and might become in the future.

Devan Shimoyama – he questions how his identity is seen in an area often described by its heteronormative whiteness. These paintings help normalize the questioning of identity and give voice to marginalized communities. The painting titled “Black Gentleman” includes: oil color pencil, collage, glitter, rhinestones, sequins, jewelry, fabric, and Flashe on canvas.

Anissa R. Lewis – she is deeply invested in the power of place with her hometown community, reconciling her memories of the past with her neighborhood’s changing social fabric which is shown in her photography.

Margo Wolowiec  - “Wandering Path” - She uses handwoven polymer, linen, dye sublimation ink, acrylic paint, deadstock organic cotton, reflective mylar from emergency preparedness kits, sterling silver leafed thread, and mounted on linen support.

Forbes Magazine wrote an excellent article about the exhibition and the Contemporary Art Center. Read or listen here.

EXPERIENCES THAT SHAPE US

The art I create is a reflection of who I am and where I came from and the beauty of nature, culture, and cuisine that I experienced as a child of a family on a never-ending exploration.

My sister and I grew up in the 60s and 70s. During that time, in large part because of the corporate culture of relocation, my father’s career grew and it provided the opportunity to move around the country. We lived in 6 different states.

Battle Creek, Michigan
Greenville and Evergreen, Alabama
Lakewood, New Jersey
Richmond, Virginia
Detroit Suburbs, Michigan
Tulsa, Oklahoma
San Jose, California

I’m grateful for a vivid visual memory, which provided me with a canvas that helped shape my creative life.

ART & ARCHITECTURE
Art museums in NYC and Washington DC; Diego Rivera Murals at DIA; Native American jewelry; fabric from the NYC garment district; exploring revolutionary and antebellum homes; sleeping on a screened-in porch; treasure hunting at estate sales and auctions. And art teachers that cultivated and nourished my love of art.

HISTORICAL MUSEUMS
Hike around revolutionary battlefields; Monticello; Colonial Williamsburg; Washington DC; Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum.

REGIONAL CUISINE
Gulf coast fried shrimp and hush puppies; delicatessens with bagel and lox; authentic Mexican food; fresh-caught bluegill, and hunting morel mushrooms. Weekend picnics that included my mom's southern fried chicken.

NATURAL WONDERS
The Great Lakes; camping on the white sand beaches of the Florida panhandle; swimming at the Jersey shore; Crabbing in the Virginia tidewaters; the Pacific Ocean and marine life; Appalachian and the Blue Ridge Mountains; the smell of magnolia; Spanish moss and sitting under weeping willow trees.

MICHIGAN – my home state
Because we lived all over the U.S., I never had a sense of belonging, perhaps because we didn’t have enough time to grow roots in each community. But every year we would head back to Michigan to spend summers with my cousins and grandparents on small Michigan lakes. I felt the comfort of being part of a clan and an understanding of who I was as a McMillen and an artist.

GRATITUDE, APPRECIATION & OPTIMISM

I’m grateful for all the creative work that I accomplished in 2021. "Dream Canyon" is shown above.

Favorite Winter Inspirations
During the calm and quietness of January I have found a few things that I would like to share.

Podcast - Simon Sinek “A Bit of Optimism”
Simon Sinek presents weekly podcasts that focus on optimistic themes. With each 30 minute episode you hear new ideas, thoughts and optimism from people who are making a difference.  A recent podcast on Gratitude with Omar Brownson was especially uplifting, please check it out.

Movie - The Power of the Dog on Netflix This movie has a deep and complex storyline with beautiful cinematography and music. The trailer does not do it justice.

PBS - Programing
I appreciate the well written and produced TV programing that PBS presents. Here are my current favorites that are airing.
Vienna Blood – murder mysteries set in 1900s Vienna, season 1 & 2
All Creatures Great and Small – heartfelt moments in the English Dales of the 30s
Around the World in 80 Days – new adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic adventure novel.

Cincinnati Museum of Art – Recent exhibitions
American Painting: The Eighties Revisited. I was especially delighted to see the painting Announce by Mark Schlesinger, below. This painting demonstrates the unique color combinations of flat colors working together in harmony.

RECENT SHOW AND EXHIBITION

ALL TOGETHER
This painting titled “All Together” is part of an underwater series in which I’m exploring depth, movement, and light. The painting was chosen for the show Art Comes Alive 2021 with the gallery ADC Fine Arts. I was thrilled that my sister Mari Beth came into town from California and we could be together and attend the opening. The show ends on January 7th.

MYRIAD
Last summer, Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear invited Kentuckians to lend their artistic talents to a new Team Kentucky Gallery, which will be located in a main hall of the Kentucky State Capitol. My painting “Myriad” was chosen to exhibit, along with others, for a six-month period in the Capitol. In December there was a reception for all the artists and an opportunity to meet the Governor and First Lady. It was an honor to meet them both and see my painting hang in the hall of the Capital. The show just ended on December 31st.

Creative Energy: October 8, 2021

UNDERWATER WORLD

I have always been intrigued by the underwater world. The way everything moves so calmly with the current. The plant life and animals are all intertwined like a secret underwater garden.

My feature painting “Looking Through” is a continuation of a series of paintings of underwater images and shapes with light filtering down and hints of bright color. From a canoe, kayak, or while swimming I spend time studying what is going on beneath the surface of the water. In northern Michigan, the water is so clear that you see down a good 6-10 feet.

Speaking of underwater worlds, my brother-in-law Bob recently recommended a visually inspired and thought-provoking film titled “My Octopus Teacher”. It is a 2020 Netflix Original film that documents a year spent by filmmaker Craig Foster forging a relationship and bond with an octopus in a South African kelp forest over 11 months. The Octopus allows him into her world to see how she sleeps, lives, and eats and teaches him lessons on the fragility of life and our connection with nature.

In 2021 this movie won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. I would highly recommend this film. A link to the trailer.

Creative Energy: September 17, 2021

Creative Energy: September 17, 2021

A SEASON FOR CHANGE & LEARNING

September habits: starting school, new projects, or switching over the clothes in your closet. I’m one of those people who loves the fall changes. I even organize photos of my finished paintings on my computer by seasons. The featured painting for fall is “Crossing Over” 36x36 Acrylic on canvas.

I enjoy learning and discovering new things. Here are a few new resources for learning that I would like to share with you.

. . . . . . .

The School of Life – based in the UK. Focuses on exploring life lessons that you did not learn in school or even from your parents. Teaching you how to lead a more fulfilled life. Lots of great books, films, articles, and online classes. Go poke around. Link here.

. . . . . . .

School of Greatness Podcast by Lewis Howes. He talks with hundreds of interesting people and is a very compelling interviewer. I listen to him and other podcasts while walking, exercising, or driving.

His August 18th podcast was with Behavior Scientist Katy Milkman’s How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want To Be. Lots of very practical lessons that can be adapted easily. One lesson is starting a new habit with the seasonal changes beginning in September. Link this episode. 

Netflix Series The Chair – The academic world of a fictional, small liberal arts college.  The viewpoints and insights of changes in the educational world: life, diversity, racism, sexism, and ageism all from the viewpoint of four different generations. Even The New Yorker did a review on this series.

. . . . . . .

The Great British Bake Off show starts its twelfth season Friday, September 24th on Netflix.  Twelve amateur bakers. Lots of interesting personalities in the bakers, judges, and two comedic sidekicks. Even if you are not a baker it’s still a joy to watch.

Creative Energy: August 20, 2021

Creative Energy: Unexpected Gems

U  N  E  X P  E  C  T  E D    L  I  T  T  L  E    G  E  M  S

In my first painting class at The University of Michigan, which was taught by Dean Bayliss, our first assignment was to do a large, detailed drawing of some fruits or vegetables. Then, we took a small 2”x 2” matt opening and moved it around the drawing to discover different abstract compositions which, in turn, provided inspiration for a painting. It was more of a lesson in how to see than how to paint.

Many years later I decided to leverage this principal. Whenever I do a painting that just doesn’t work, I cut the painted canvas out of the stretchers and save it thinking it might lead to something in the future. A few Fridays back, as I sat on my front porch listening to my favorite new musician, Cat Clyde, I started cutting little squares out of several old paintings. The result was little hidden gems waiting to be discovered. I kept cutting and cutting.

When you take something out of its original context, it changes and starts to look totally different. Maybe this is the way it was always supposed to be. This principle can be applied to life in many ways.

What’s next for those unexpected little gems? Will they inspire bigger paintings? Will I put little pieces from different paintings together into a new painting? Not sure yet. Stay tuned.