“Art, after all, rarely emerges from committees.” This bit of wisdom comes from the opening paragraph of the section, “Fears About Others” in Bayles & Orland’s always spot-on book for artists, Art & Fear. In a discussion about artists and “others” who include the critics, the public, family, friends, teachers, the lady down the street, and too often ourselves, Bayles & Orland go on to … Continue reading Art and Risk – the Dynamic Duo
Today, serendipity and a sidestep from jazz. Serendipity was finding a wonderful image of this lily, a cobra lily, and recognizing that I wanted to use it right away. This is how art happens. Consider the Lilies is a one-off. I am not planning a series about flowers. But it was the right thing at the right moment and tells the right story, so who … Continue reading Considering the Lilies
“The Midnight Sun”copyright 2021, Molly Larson Cook30 x 24, Acrylic and ink $720 We are in-between with the pandemic now. Many of us have our vaccinations and life is beginning to take on the aspect of the familiar. But not quite. Galleries are re-opening and we may soon be able to invite people to our studios. But not quite. I currently have no shows scheduled, … Continue reading Betting on the Come
“Know you could tumble any second…” ©2019, Molly Larson Cook Acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 30″ Several years ago a nonartist friend held a business seminar in a classroom at the art school in my city. When I arrived, she was busy “saging” the room. I asked why and she said, “Because they do art critiques here and there’s so much bad energy.” I suggested that she … Continue reading Playing Small May Be for Some People, But Not for the Artists of the World
In my last post, I wrote about a change in the artistic weather for me as I left behind my Colors of Jazz collection and headed down an entirely new track. Oh, how we kid ourselves. After finishing the first two paintings (posted here earlier), I believed I was headed down the wrong new track and gave this a lot of thought. I longed for … Continue reading Constancy and Choice – The Tools an Artist Needs Most
A couple of weeks ago I made a small jump, which I’ll just call a segue, from my Frank Lloyd Wright series. I used essentially the same format – vertical colors with the circle near the bottom – but this time I had no reference in mind for the colors and I ditched the horizontal panel on which the circle rested in the previous paintings. … Continue reading A Small Jump and then a Big Leap
Art and Tulips 