tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post363089684323854615..comments2024-03-29T06:46:10.487-04:00Comments on Studio and Garden: The Burden of ContentAltoon Sultanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16743040814034732581noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-27780547754123160622014-02-19T18:16:10.469-05:002014-02-19T18:16:10.469-05:00Wonderful to read about your evolution - thanks, A...Wonderful to read about your evolution - thanks, Altoon!Diane McGregorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02909595687636606365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-33995136803377639392014-02-02T17:39:32.336-05:002014-02-02T17:39:32.336-05:00Judith, until I saw photographs of an area of Chin...Judith, until I saw photographs of an area of China with strange mountains, I thought the Chinese painters were making them up. <br />and oh, yes you are correct, I am still involved with agriculture, and yes, the medium and the size of the work are part of its content. I wanted to keep the post clear about just one issue; it's always more complex than that. Altoon Sultanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16743040814034732581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-21017982535380867112014-02-02T10:44:28.673-05:002014-02-02T10:44:28.673-05:00This subject has alwasy interested me. Thanks for ...This subject has alwasy interested me. Thanks for sharing your engagement with it. Two unrelated observations: 1) Until I moved to SW Pennsylvania I thought Grant Wood was creating abstract landscapes and was fascinated by his vision to draw those rounded, shaded forms from nature. 2) You are still painting agriculture, using egg tempera on calfskin. Is the medium (part of) the message?<br />--JudithAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-86310741394776365452014-02-01T14:56:09.753-05:002014-02-01T14:56:09.753-05:00You are very welcome, thanks for the comment. I ag...You are very welcome, thanks for the comment. I agree that each of us has an essential style, and continuing concerns, that are part of our art no matter how much it changes. Altoon Sultanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16743040814034732581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-12244816916092018202014-02-01T12:47:25.896-05:002014-02-01T12:47:25.896-05:00Thank you Alton for sharing your artistic journey....Thank you Alton for sharing your artistic journey. It is interesting the arc that painters and artists find themselves on, it was nice seeing your process to date. Thank you for sharing your images over the years, and hearing the story behind them. I have been creating work for about 25 years now and am struck with how the images have developed or changed with time, and yet still hold quality and language that is the same. I also find myself coming back to old themes like old friends. It seems we as artists need to simply serve the work and where it is at in each moment, and trust where it was yesterday, where is now, and where it may be tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-65671207699359065142014-02-01T10:59:15.677-05:002014-02-01T10:59:15.677-05:00Thank you Altoon, yes the strive for likeness is a...Thank you Altoon, yes the strive for likeness is a completely different process that in a way distracts from painting. I understand the journey to abstractions, the abstract bits are often the satisfactory ones in a "figurative" painting. It's a brave step to make!Ilariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06881396758041492772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-66655400691727063582014-01-31T13:11:22.317-05:002014-01-31T13:11:22.317-05:00Thanks, Ilaria, for your kind comment. For me ther...Thanks, Ilaria, for your kind comment. For me there is just as much "huffing and puffing" as in a more complex work; it seems less because for me the work is smaller. When I worked on a big landscape painting, a lot of it was dull repetitive work that had to be done: all those hundreds of small brushstrokes for leaves, for instance. I have to take just as much care with my current works with correct color and form. I never did portraits, so I didn't have to worry about likeness, which is maybe all you're talking about. Altoon Sultanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16743040814034732581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-52765175218224777182014-01-31T13:07:21.975-05:002014-01-31T13:07:21.975-05:00thank you, rappel. Your iceberg comment is true; t...thank you, rappel. Your iceberg comment is true; there's so much more to speak of, but being concise is sometimes what's called for.Altoon Sultanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16743040814034732581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-41968660165727752092014-01-31T13:06:25.464-05:002014-01-31T13:06:25.464-05:00Thanks so much, Maggie. Thanks so much, Maggie. Altoon Sultanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16743040814034732581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-18459238630232959812014-01-31T12:07:28.634-05:002014-01-31T12:07:28.634-05:00loved reading this, Altoon, so concise, like the t...loved reading this, Altoon, so concise, like the tip of an ice-berg indicates much beneath the surface....rappelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03569445602513667186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-70392083329324733982014-01-31T10:13:50.612-05:002014-01-31T10:13:50.612-05:00Altoon, I am an admirer and a recent follower of y...Altoon, I am an admirer and a recent follower of your work from UK/Italy. Thank you for this blog post that is inspirational and very relevant to what is happening in my own workright now: a simplification or reduction ( can't find better words) of forms in my still life. One thing that worries me though is the lack of execution difficulty. I'll explain: although simplified forms require a careful composition and some sort of subtle attuning ( listening until it feels right) while planning the painting, as I work on the canvas things proceed suspiciously smoothly, without the huffing and puffing that, say, a portrait takes. Do you have any thoughts on this ?Ilariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06881396758041492772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-84979311844401865762014-01-31T09:48:16.913-05:002014-01-31T09:48:16.913-05:00Altoon, I can so appreciate your comment about the...Altoon, I can so appreciate your comment about the burden of content. Your large complex paintings were social commentary, environmental statements of the day and yesterday. Your paintings now are personal explorations with gentle quiet solitude. We all have many chapters in our book and it is important to be lead by the heart. You are an inspiration to many.Maggie Nealehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06793869416867166254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-85219558734090136522014-01-31T08:45:13.591-05:002014-01-31T08:45:13.591-05:00Thank you for the comments, Ravenna and Tamar. I a...Thank you for the comments, Ravenna and Tamar. I am a little wary of showing old work now because many people respond strongly to it, but you both understand my journey. Altoon Sultanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16743040814034732581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-89982109391107565612014-01-31T08:36:00.960-05:002014-01-31T08:36:00.960-05:00Wonderful post, Altoon. You convey the intention b...Wonderful post, Altoon. You convey the intention behind the path of your work with great clarity. It should be required reading for those people who say, but, but, but why don't ya paint like you used to....... Tamarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15820235952600662107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7658518583188826551.post-43783124750878385662014-01-31T08:22:48.514-05:002014-01-31T08:22:48.514-05:00Thanks, Altoon, I enjoyed this story of your devel...Thanks, Altoon, I enjoyed this story of your development in the work!Ravenna Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11870831212657666842noreply@blogger.com