Hi Subscriber,
We've been posting blogs for a while now over on our BoldBrush Studio
blog page. It's mostly art, art history, and some artist interviews.
Our goal with this blog is to publish content that serves as a place
for artists to learn their craft.
As such, we wanted to make it a little easier for you to get access to
the best of this content, so we'll be sending a newsletter about once a
week straight to your inbox so you don't miss out.
There will be a button at the bottom of each newsletter directing you
back to the blog page itself so you can select other articles to read
at your leisure.
We hope you enjoy today's selection,
BoldBrush Studio Team
_____
To Him be the Glory
To Him be the Glory
Visual Inspiration:
An Interview with Dan Gerhartz
Daniel Gerhartz is an award-winning figurative painter located in
Wisconsin. He studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and
mentored with renowned American artist Richard Schmid. Since then he
has been featured in solo and group shows across the country and has
won numerous awards at prominent national invitational exhibitions, and
his work has been collected both nationally and internationally. He has
taught, both workshops and one-on-one mentoring, for over 25 years.
To Bring Joy, oil on canvas.
To Bring Joy, oil on canvas.
What are you working on right now? What is occupying you in your
paintings lately?
Well, I just finished a series of small ballet pieces exploring the
harmonies and designs created by ballet dancers. A lot of what I do is
so visually driven, that even though the subject matter is a ballet
dancer, for me it's as much about the abstract concepts as it is about
the dancer. Any of the subject matters that I choose is really just a
vehicle to get to what I find the most interesting: studying all the
beauty that the creation holds. And when I'm honest about my response
to the beauty that I take in and simply try to record that, that's when
I'm most effective as a visual communicator.
When you say that you're inspired by the design of the dancers, how
does that relate to the way you react with light, because light is also
very important in your paintings. How do design and light interact for
you?
That's a great question. We're talking about two different aspects of
what we're seeing. Light highlights the forms in the lines. There are
many different types of light: soft light, hard light, warm light, cool
light, and all of these different aspects of light play into the mood
that the piece carries. When I think of the creation, it's so amazingly
complex. I just did a dried rose still life last week, and even with
this simple dead rose, there's lines and proportions between each of
these elements that are just staggering. As you move it, it's a
sculpture. Look at the color of this violet on the cool light, and then
the warmth of the light on this side, and combined with the beauty of
the line it's just stunning. I believe it was created with the
intention to arouse a response and my response, my first guttural
response to seeing that, is to praise. Who did this? And what am I
supposed to do about that? My reaction is Oh, my God, literally, oh,
what have you done? This is staggering. This beauty is so wonderful, I
have to share it. When we experience something wonderful, whether it be
a sunset or a delicious meal or a fine wine, after the first delight of
sensation, the next reaction we have is to want to share it. We don't
just sit on it. I want to say, Hey, come look at this, doesn't this
move you? That's what art is for me: putting myself in a position to be
inspired. But that doesn't take much effort, because all you have to do
is open your eyes. Beauty is everywhere. Of course there are days when
it's cloudy, it's dreary, life is hard. Some days, it's hard to see the
beauty, myself included. But when I do see it, if I can just take it in
and push it back out, that's my job as a visual communicator.
Return to me, oil on canvas
Return to me, oil on canvas
To go back to the example of the rose, when you're painting a simple
object like this, are you focusing on just one aspect of what you see?
Or are you focusing on the whole thing?
That's a good question. It can be any aspect of what I see. Yesterday
it may have been the color of the rose. Tomorrow, it might be the line
of the stem against the background; different things hit you at
different times. Sometimes I go into a painting with a plan such as "I
really want to explore harmony today." But sometimes I just go into a
painting completely open and just plop the subject down and paint. And
then try to develop the painting out of it. For me, a painting often
starts with harmony in line. I'll think about how I want to break up
the picture plane; maybe today that's all I want to say in terms of
line. And then what value pattern do I want that to fit into? Maybe I
want it mostly dark with just a ribbon of light. For me, it starts that
simply. And then I build off of that.
In in both your own work and that of the artists you admire - Sorolla,
Fechin, and Sargent, to name a few, I can see that your taste sits
right in between Impressionism and Classical Realism. How much was your
style influenced by these artists?
I also need to add one more name to that, Alphonse Mucha. I am a huge
Mucha fan: I just love his design work, and his harmony in line is out
of this world. But to answer your question, I love it all. Two years
ago there was a huge Bouguereau show that came to Milwaukee. I love his
work. It's staggering in its subtlety and draftsmanship and design. I
mean, the guy was fantastic and incredibly prolific. I can't believe
the number of massive works the guy put out. I also love the work of
the Russian impressionists, Repin and Levitan and Fechin and Serov.
There was another guy, Carl Marr, who was a German academic who lived
at the same time that Sergeant did. He taught in the Munich Academy,
and was a fantastic draftsman. He was as good a painter as Sargent. And
Sorolla, he did the whole realm from tight classical realism to just
gorgeous impressionistic work. Sargent and Dennis Miller Bunker and
Jules Bastien-Lepage were also fluent in both impressionist and
classical styles. There are so many great artists, and I like different
aspects of all of their art. I'm moved to do work that's inspired by
all of it, but I try not to too much think about technique. When I
first started art school I studied illustration for a while, and in
illustration school technique was a huge deal. That's what they taught
you to focus on. It was certainly good training. But as I was
struggling to find my voice through it all, I came across a quote by C
S Lewis. He was talking about originality in general; he said, if
you're trying to be original, chances are you won't be. But if you
simply try to tell the truth, ninety-nine times out of a hundred,
you'll be original without really noticing it. So that's what I've
tried to do with my art: to simply tell the truth, to stand in front of
a subject and be moved by it. And then trust that all of the
inspiration and study that I've done of other artists will work its way
out. And it does. But when I sit there and try to fabricate a technique
on a painting - for example, try to paint like Fechin - well, it just
comes off as false. I've seen other artists do that, and it never comes
off as true. So in my own work, I try to abandon, to a degree, what I
know about technique and simply work. I ask myself, How am I inspired?
What inspires me about the subject right now? And then what do I need
to do to get that down as effectively as I can to communicate what
inspired me?
The Storyteller, oil on canvas
The Storyteller, oil on canvas
That's a good answer. Jumping off of that, do you have advice on how to
study other painters without consciously or subconsciously copying them?
Certainly. I've done lots of copies of artists, and I encourage my
students to do it regularly. Because can you imagine studying piano and
never playing Chopin? I mean, that's all you do. That's all piano
lessons are, playing someone else's music. And it makes sense we would
do the same thing when learning to paint. So when it comes to copying,
the big thing is, what is it about their work that you like? Try to
focus on that nuance. You don't have to do, and I don't really
encourage, a corner-to-corner copy of the piece; that doesn't really
help you. But maybe it was the subtlety with which Mucha could handle
the transition between light and shadow that interested you; you could
do a small study of a corner of a painting that shows that aspect
really well, just to figure out how he did it. That's all I'll do in a
copy. I'm not trying to figure out his entire technique, but see what
can I learn from his work that's going to increase my own ability to
see accurately.
Another thing I notice in your work is strong value contrast. What is
it about the contrast between light and dark that draws you in a
subject?
I just love the power that it brings. Viewer engagement is what you're
after in a painting, and contrast is one of the first things that draws
a viewer in. It doesn't have to be everywhere in the piece, it can be
just in a small section, but it's very effective. You don't need color
to evoke emotion; you need to convey a sense of light. I don't want my
paintings to look like paint; I want them to feel like air and light.
When I go to a museum and am moved by works of art, it's usually the
ones that convey a sense of light that touch me. It's stunning when you
can almost enter the environment, when you can feel the air. I love
juicy, gutsy brushwork too, but more often than not, an emotional
reaction comes from the visceral quality that has to do with mood and
emotion evoked by a quality of light. Richard Schmid, one of my
mentors, said one thing that I always remember: the world doesn't need
just another painting. The world needs another great painting. So I try
to think about how, with every painting, I can make this the most
powerful image I can. And that begs the question, what is a powerful
image and how do I make one? Strong graphic shapes is a big part of
that equation. The reason we need to learn how to use color effectively
is because it enables us to keep the value masses flat. We can change
the form of a flat mass with color, giving it form while keeping the
shapes graphic and simple, creating strong, powerful images. So that's
at the forefront of my mind: what am I thinking? What am I wanting to
do? What am I trying to say? What am I painting these days? Well,
hopefully strong, powerful images. Really, that's where I start. That
can encompass a lot of different design possibilities.
Remembering Vincent, oil on canvas
Remembering Vincent, oil on canvas
It can be hard to talk about painting because there's so many elements
that go into it. But I know you teach, so I'm sure you are used to the
process of breaking it down into bite-sized pieces. Is it still
challenging, after even after teaching for so many years?
Teaching is one thing that comes fairly naturally to me. And I think
it's because the way I think is really quite simple. Painting isn't
that difficult. It takes a lot of practice, but the principles are
fairly simple. Comparing everything to everything else, and doing your
best to get them in the right relationships, basically, is what we're
talking about. And then working in proportion, in color and value. All
those things, if we just set up some sort of a hierarchical system and
know where our boundaries are, allow us to make sense of what we're
painting. You'll have painting down if you can get your mind all the
way around that! And it's important to forget about what you think
you're seeing, and pay attention to what you're actually seeing. I've
taught for many years and it always comes down to two or three things -
value control and edge control. And drawing. But accurate values and
edges really separate the best from the good-to-mediocre. The artists
we love are the ones that have impeccable value control and edge work.
It's something that's not often taught in art school, but attention to
edges is essential; there aren't any laws other than squinting down at
the subject, and if the edge doesn't disappear, put it in! Comparing
which transition is sharper than the other. It's very simple really.
Students want to put in all the edges and forget to squint and look for
the lost edges.
Who are some of your favorite current artists working today?
Michael Klein. HIs work reminds me of Fantin-Latour; he does beautiful
work. And then T. Allen Lawson's landscapes are stunning. Richard
Schmid's work certainly; he was an important mentor to me and a big
inspiration in my career. David Leffel and Sherri McGraw and Dan
Sprick. Then there are California painters doing some amazing work,
like Daniel Keys. Rose Franzen. Nancy Guzick. There are so many really
talented artists working today!
Is there one thing in all of this work that is a common thread that
draws you in?
For one, they're good designers. Two, they paint air and light
authentically. They have good value control. Those are the main things.
Storytelling to a degree.
How important do you think storytelling is for a fine artist?
I think it can be very important. I've done some pieces that are more
story-oriented than others, and I want to do more - I love the
inspiration from stories and songs. But sometimes when I try to paint a
story, it can become too literal and I over-tell it. I have to remember
to leave some mystery and room for interpretation. I've done pieces
that were explicitly Christian in theme, and when I finished them I
thought they were moving, but in a gallery people will walk right past
them and be more drawn to a painting I did of a bush of cranberries
with no narrative at all.
Why do you think that is?
Maybe because I left the true inspiration and it became about what I
wanted to say rather than what the Lord was inspiring me to paint.
There can be a humility and honesty in a carefully observed still life
that will resonate more with me than the most elaborately worked-out
story. There's a fine line there. Am I trying to brag or am I trying to
glorify God? I think that attitude will show in your work. Inspiration:
what is it? what are we trying to fabricate, how do we discern true
inspiration from false, and how do we paint it?
Great question! How do you discern true inspiration?
The answer is given by the quality of the work. If the painting is
successful, then I know I'm on the right course, provided it's sending
a good message. That's what I base it on; I have nothing else to go on.
You know John Waterhouse's Lady of Shalott or Bastien-Lepage's Joan of
Arc? Those have strong narratives AND they're stunning works of art. I
think often paintings have two narratives - one is a visual narrative,
and one is a 'written' or story narrative. Throughout my career I've
been primarily inspired by the visual narrative. But I've done a few
paintings that have been inspired by story narrative.
Every Leaf Speaks Bliss to Me
Every Leaf Speaks Bliss to Me
Right, a painting doesn't need to have a verbal narrative. It can be a
visual response to something you see in the world.
Yes, but's often a visual response to the verbal narrative of your
life. There's something that absolutely staggers me and I'm not sure if
I need to just keep painting it, or put it into words: the fact that
God is such a big part of the equation in our creativity. As artists,
isn't there someone we need to thank here? Are we going to experience
all of this creativity and not praise God for it? It just seems so
obvious. You read the Psalms and they're so much about acknowledging
God for being present in all of our being. What does that look like as
an artist? For me, I praise God by painting beautiful things, but
sometimes I want to say more with words. My wife tells me not to
overthink it but to just respond as best I know how and God will put me
where I need to be. Oswald Chambers, a fantastic thinker and
theologian, said this: "Whenever you say 'I'm going to do something for
God', you're missing the whole point." I fall into that a lot. It
becomes a pride issue. God doesn't need me for anything, but he might
choose to use me for something. I just have to use my talents for the
best and trust him with the rest of it. So that's what I try to do with
all of it. Stay in His word, listen to Him, and respond.
Beginning with Promise
Beginning with Promise
And that comes back to art, because in art you also have to come humbly
to your subject and not impose your preconceptions on it.
Perfectly said! And that's what I try to do, listen to my subject and
respond it to the best of my ability. That's what being an artist is
all about.
Many thanks to Daniel Gerhartz for this interview! You can view his
work on his website or stay updated
with his latest projects on Instagram. To watch his instructional
videos featured on BoldBrush Studio, you can go here
.
_____
Eager to Learn More?
The BoldBrush Studio Blog is a great way to learn more about art and
art history. If you'd like to read other interviews and posts showing
great artists and their stories, please click the button below.
Read More Posts Like This One
_____
BoldBrush Videos are available for unlimited streaming. This is a
DIGITAL CONTENT ONLY product. You will not receive a DVD.
Browse Our Video Library
Image 4255412
{{FASO_DOMAIN_VISIBLE}}
{{AM_COMPANY_NAME}}
{{AM_COMPANY_ADDRESS}}
{{AM_CSZ}}
{{AM_COUNTRY}}
Unsubscribe
Sent with ArtfulMail