Thoughts to share, ideas to ponder

A once-in-a-lifetime, seven soulful days in Paris! As an artist! CLICK HERE!

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I enjoyed immensely the conversation Laura Arango Baier and I shared through the Boldbrush show.  It was an honor to be interviewed and on my birthday too.  What a gift!

 

Mary Aslin on the Boldbrush show

 

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Oh the progression of this painting...

 

One day while on a walk, I came around the corner and was met with the most amazing red rose bush I have ever seen.  

 

Now I am not one to anthropomorphize things...and that includes teddy bears and other stuffed animals.  

 

But I was "greeted" by this rose....this old soul.

 

That Old Soul needed to be painted, and so I began....and yet, I soon learned that it required another Old Soul...my wonderful model Madison.  

 

And now they are here together...two Old Souls.

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I tripped and came down hard on my right hand a few weeks ago and managed to break a bone. Undeterred (and setting my ego aside), I did three plein air floral pastel paintings using my left hand.  Details were more difficult but I didn’t find the process as daunting as I expected and the outcome was okay, under the circumstances.

 

I welcome your thoughts and knowledge to enlighten me on the workings of the brain because I am generally SO right handed that I can’t even brush my teeth with my left hand.

 

 

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The rapidity of the influence of artificial intelligence in the realm of visual information (not to mention in other domains) is overwhelming. Many artists are calling it a game changer for the creation of their art. 

 

At the risk of getting left in the dust like a person who suggests that there will never be a better invention than a horse and wagon for transportation, I am putting a stake in the ground and declaring that I will create art that is based upon my own direct sensory experience with light and objects in the natural world...which I hope will foster my own deeper education and wisdom.

Let me give you some visuals to explain. The Midjourney AI interface, with this prompt--white roses cascading down a mountain stretching down a river ending in a waterfall--yielded, in seconds, four different visual interpretations:

Truly breathtaking in the rapidity of the output and the unbelievable sophistication of the images. But, I ask, where are the errant petals and the branches? Where are the dried buds?

Arguably, my language prompt was not descriptive enough and it didn't offer any indication of light quality, so I reprompted with this: white roses with new and old buds, stems, and petals cascading down a mountain stretching down a river ending in a waterfall in warm sunlight. Here is what I received:

The petals are present but I'm not seeing old buds. I did receive some water drips and splashes that I did not ask for. The atmospheric diffusion of light and even the design of the elements in the space is fairly sound. So overall, quite a “perfect” set of images, huh?

However, let's consider this: John O'Donohue, the Irish mysitc, quotes the Irish proverb, "Níl saoi gan locht"…there is no craftsman without a flaw.  (In fact, my pianist mother told me that as she listens to some of the master pianists of the world she invariably will hear a flaw....which, she implores, adds to the texture of the sound.)

In the above plein air study, holes in leaves and faded blossoms are yang of the magnificent red rose yin. My initial design was off and I had to experiment by painting over the tape onto the backing board! Tsk tsk! Flaws and imperfections runing rife!

Now let's compare my painting experience with the AI generated image using this prompt: Giant red rose bush in full bloom with old blossoms arcing over path in morning diffuse light.

Quite beautiful and any one of these images is compelling and paintable. They even include some variations in the leaves...no holes but a least a little color variation.

To paint one of these images and then present it as my work of art feels false. BUT, if the descriptive language prompts originated with an idea of mine, perhaps even coming from my experience in the natural world, isn't that authentic enough? In fact, doesn't every creative idea/enterprise have a conceptual component where the mind of the creator is the actual thing with the process or output of that creation just a mechanical exercise?

Indeed, if I wanted to paint images of imagined possibilities as a fantasy or surrealist artist, then AI generated images will probably often yield results more fantastical and exciting than what the mind can contrive. So certainly there is a surprise element evoking wonder, something that the natural world does quite well.  

But for me, the "surprise" that comes by way of an amalgamation of adjectives is less interesting than what I might stumble upon in the natural world like that magnificent rose bush. 

(I believe the actual fear of artificial intelligence comes from that “surprise” factor...an amalgamation of input that potentially and more and more has the potential to return something more complex than our minds can behold.  And if our minds can't behold it, who and what does?….a topic for another essay…) 

I intend to take in, naturally and not artificially, via my visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile and even gustatory receptors, this imperfect but beautiful world and celebrate it, in paint.

And from that, I hope that wisdom, even more than intelligence, is my reward.

 

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I was solving a crytogram quote last week and one of the words had this pattern: NMXXW.

 

And the quote was attributed to:  MIIY TBMIE.

The word with the NMXXW pattern could be: sorry, worry, funny, carry and initially I tried those.  But the minute I knew that MIIY TBMIE was Anne Frank, I knew that the word NMXXW was “happy”.  

How did I come to associate Anne Frank with the word "happy"?

 

When I read “The Diary of a Young Girl” as a 10 year old, my stomach ached with worry, sorrow and grief.  But I also knew that I would want this happy person to be my friend.

 

What does ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer), the artificial intelligence algorithm, say about Anne Frank?

Was Anne Frank worried or happy?

 

This is an interesting and accurate informational summary...essentially a string of nicely organized words.  But it doesn't do much to help me feel her worry, happiness, sadness, hope, frustration or joy.  We truly come to “know” Anne Frank by experiencing the emotions with her through reading her diary.

 

Let's try another perspective on the information ChatGPT can give:

Write a positioning statement for Mary Aslin Fine Art business:

"For art enthusiasts seeking one-of-a-kind paintings that capture the essence of the natural world, Mary Aslin's fine art offers a unique blend of realism and impressionism that celebrates the beauty of nature. With a deep understanding of light, color, and composition, Mary's paintings evoke a sense of wonder and tranquility, inviting viewers to connect with the natural world in a meaningful way. Each painting is a true masterpiece, crafted with meticulous attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to quality. For collectors and art lovers who value originality, authenticity, and exceptional craftsmanship, Mary Aslin's fine art is a must-have addition to any collection.”

 

Of course, this is all very exciting, but then this:

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What a wonderful time was had by all in the long awaited show, cancelled twice, was finally held in the wonderful town of Montluçon, France!  This event, organized by Les Amis Des Arts, Pastels du monde au feminin, featuring us Americans  but which also included women artists from all over the world, was characterized by pure joy and inspiration, as the red-carpet was rolled out for the four of 14 of us American women who were able to attend in person.

 

These signs announcing the event were all over town.  And I am here with my wonderful fellow artists Sandra Burshell, Tobi Clement, and Melissa Hefferlin.

 

 

We enjoyed a lovely welcome reception in the lobby of the theater the evening of our arrival!

 

 

 

The following day, we were able to view the exhibition of the American women, set in the Orangerie and when I walked in, it took my breath away!

 

 

After a lovely lunch, we were treated a tour of this beautiful city.

 

 

 

 

And then it was time to enjoy the much-anticipated Vernissage, offering an opportunity to meet other artists from around the world. 

 

 

It was a thrill to see Michelina Amore and Brigitte Charles, two artists I met in Balaruc-les-Bains in 2014 and also once again see Didier of Artisan Pastillier, who I met in Villepinte in 2014 and at his shop in Albi in 2017 when I brought my workshop students to meet him.

 

The Vernissage began at the community center (as the castle was being renovated) for the international exhibition, and continued at the Orangerie for the featured American women artists.

 

 

 

The evening was capped by a return to the community center to enjoy a dinner prepared by the culinary school as part of their final exam!

 

I think they passed with flying colors!

 

Saturday, I was to give a demonstration in the afternoon and luckily, the peonies I had purchased the prior day were opening nicely!

 

 

So the morning was spent enjoying the architecture and ambience of Montluçon.  We were fortunate that it was market day!

 

 

After lunch, it was time to prepare for and do the demonstration. As the day was so lovely, I opted to do my favorite thing: paint the floral still life from life in the sunlight! And how fortunate for the viewers and I to be able to enjoy the shade!

 

 

Inside, Sandra Burshell and Michelina Amore were demonstrating their techniques. I was able to enjoy some of this after my demo ended. What a treat!

 

 

Sunday was workshop day, and I greatly enjoyed working with one enthusiastic and talented student in the beautiful lobby of that theater!

 

 

On the other side of the room, Tobi Clement was teaching her group how to paint those wonderful skies she creates.

 

 

It was so fulfilling to enjoy the students, the ambience and the sheer delight of being there!

 

 

That afternoon, after the workshop ended, I made my way to the community center park where I enjoyed Melissa Hefferlin and Tobi Clement doing their demonstrations. Wonderful to watch!

 

 

After a dinner that was prepared by members of Les Amis Des Arts, it was time to offer our deepest gratitude for the hard work and the long wait for this most marvelous event.

 

Au revoir and merci beaucoup, all of you, our friends at Amis des Arts!

 

 

 

And here we are with our most WONDERFUL organizers!  We love you!

 

This is a fantastic video that was prepared and shared by a member of the organization.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I love you art

One day while visiting from out of town, my seven year old granddaughter sat at my desk, completely absorbed in drawing and writing. She carefully taped all of her creations to the wall. One picture showed the Eiffel Tower (she has never been to France) and a hand reaching in to grab a paint brush. Hearts, tubes of paint and a palette and some sentences completed her creative collage.

 

She wrote "I love art" but also "I love you art".

 

I pondered this and considered that I too love you art.

 

...I love you art for the way you make me feel when I make you.
...I love you art for the way you make me feel when I enjoy others' expressions of you.

...I love you art for being a mechanism that allows us explore and express our humanity.
...I love you art for the ways you allow creativity to flourish.

...I love you art for offering a path for manifesting and sharing beauty, truth, life, joy, peace, happiness, love.

...I love you art for the way you bring people together.

I was brought together with a beautiful soul at the Festival of Arts a few weeks ago. That Which She Seeks spoke to her.   Delivering the painting to her home and placing it in a space that seemed to be waiting for it was deeply gratifying.

That Which She Seeks

Years earlier, she had suffered a profound personal tragedy. After a few days of viewing the painting in her beautiful home, she wrote her thoughts about it and shared them with me, leaving me stunned and greatly moved, both by her sentiments and the beauty of her writing. She ended her poetic essay with this:

...a short beautiful moment can last a long time.
...that life is better when soft, and fragile is powerful.
...that being vulnerable, to have patience and faith always radiate beauty and life!
...that light and truth are our ultimate protection.
...and that life is beautiful.

 

What can I possibly say to that except, "I love you art...indeed, I love you very much".

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I had been working at my art since 1988, as time would allow, while in the midst of raising my family, taking care of a home, and working part time.  And now it was 2004.  Fridays were my designated painting days, and I would seal myself off into my small detached studio (what had at one time been a utility shed) and would paint.  Finally getting around to reading the August 2004 issue of the Pastel Journal on a September Friday morning, I turned the last page of that wonderful magazine, and the sight of a pastel painting of roses took my breath away. 

 

 

 

The painting and accompanying article were by an artist I had followed for years: Judith Carducci.  I was familiar with her beautiful pastel portraits but this particular painting, Titian's Venus, grabbed hold of my heart.  So, with bated breath and a trembling heart I grabbed some dahlias that had been growing in my garden, thrust them in a vase, and began painting.

 

Much to my surprise the painting turned out okay.

 

And my life has never been the same since.   I painted roses, hydrangeas, peonies, rhododendrons.  A new world was opening up to me.  I had been focusing on portraits and figures but like other artists, finding models was logistical and expensive. And I needed to paint and to paint from life!  Having beautiful flowers around meant I always had models available.

 

I painted and painted, all the while, toting that magazine clipping around taping it close to my easel to remind me of it's inspiration, eventually sharing its impact with my own students.

 

I did become a full time artist in 2007 and since then, my art has been featured numerous times in the Pastel Journal with Pastel 100 honors and in a feature article on my floral paintings, in which I was able to publicly acknowledge Judith Carducci's influence on my art life. (You can view Judith's beautiful art HERE at http://judithcarducci.com/)

 

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And now we are in the year 2019.  A few weeks ago, I read Judith Carducci's excellent editorial on the Cecilia Beaux Forum's page of the Portrait Society of America's publication, and, on a whim, pulled up her website, saw the beautiful Titian's Venus there, and decided to contact her to thank her for the article.

 

Of course, in this email, I told her of Titian's Venus influence on my life, sharing the page in the October 2014 issue of the Pastel Journal where I acknowledge this. 

 

 

I also asked her if by chance the painting was still available. She indicated that indeed it was!  It had been admired by many over the years but had not any takers. 

 

In an instant, I knew that Titian's Venus was meant for me.  

 

 

 

And now the beautiful Titian's Venus hangs in my home.  And when the phone rings, the lovely, talented Judith Carducci, says, "Hi! It's Judy!" 

 

I now have two wonderful inspirational friends who have changed my life! 

 

 

 

 

 

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In contrast, painting Nina under the controlled spotlight in the comfort of my studio as a reference for the vase and painting Rose Red was more relaxing.

Or, when painting the still life under the same type of spotlight for a workshop demonstration, the variables were more manageable.

So, given the option of painting under controlled light in the comfort of my studio, why, pray tell, would I not make this my modus operandi and skip plein air painting?

The answer to that is simple: while all types of painting under all light conditions will always be challenging and never easy, plein air painting offers the most extreme variation in nuances of light and color with the added variables of moving sun, blowing wind, and changing shadows. All of that contributes to a great level of uncertainty as I work.

And why is uncertainty a good thing? I think about the fact that wonder and awe and inspiration are all rooted in a recognition of something much larger than myself, reinforcing the fact that I never will be certain...and I never want to be. Nature is way too big and variable and grand to "capture" with paint pigments. Turns out to be a strange contradiction that throwing myself into uncertainty with my paint tools ready is the place where I grow as an artist. Most artists will say that rather than "arriving", constant growth and learning--predicated on working through uncertainty--is the best place to be.

When beginning this large painting which turned out to be the study for the final painting "Danse Lumiére Èternelle", the complexity of the subject and the plein air variables were formidable. I had to hang onto my painting board to keep it from blowing my everything over. The fluttering light was changing, but my goodness: the glow behind those roses and the way the planes of those pink satin toe shoes shone blue when facing the brilliant sky!

I felt very small against the magnitude of nature, revealing all that was beautiful and wonderful, the rock of uncertainty in my stomach anchoring me as I picked up the pastel stick and began.

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