Hi James. When I'm painting plein air, I am acutely aware that for some, this will be a rare moment in their lives when they are hiking on a remote trail and come upon an artist. Rather than perform, I try to be kind (thanks again for your example!), focusing on the story they will come away with to stop myself from being impatient on my work being disrupted. I try to see it as a moment in time that won't occur again, so it can be a special conversation. The joyful energy that was shared will be added to the painting itself.
That's a good way to think of it and it's especially true when interacting with kids. We may form their whole image of what an artist is by what we say to them.
This is SO true! I was painting on a trail near the Kootenay River and a young man with special needs was so thrilled to see me at the easel. He said, "LOOK! The mountain is RIGHT THERE...and you're RIGHT HERE!!!" It was a great lesson in honouring the moment.
The toilet handle in Jeanette's lovely sketch reminds me of another show-person artist, Fox.
Onlooker, at Huntington Gardens, says to him, while he's setting up outside for painting,
"Are you an artist?"
Fox replies, "No, I'm a plumber, I'm installing a commode."
David Starrett, aka, Fox, was the son of an actor in old Western movies and even vaudeville, both of those guys Fox and the Durango Kid, were "always on".
Fox just couldn't help himself. He had to entertain, even if it was just for himself.
I loved it. Admired it as a child and as an adult.
Have as much fun as you can, artist, model, agent, collector, audience. Always.
That's great summary advice to us all: HAVE FUN— and use whatever talents you've got to make it fun for others. Now, please excuse me while I install that handle and adjust my commode..
In my earliest days as an artist in the late 70's and early 80s, I began as a theme park portrait artist, then did caricatures. Eventually, I ended up painting airbrushed t-shirts on the beach in Daytona. Performance was always a part of the product during those years. I eventually began painting two t-shirts at once with an airbrush in each hand while blasting really loud rock music on the boardwalk to pretty large crowds grouping around my window to watch the show. I left that craziness behind decades ago, but consequently I'm never bothered when people want to stand behind me and watch while I work.
P.S. Thanks for posting Jeanette's sketch! That made me laugh pretty hard! The toilet handle waiting to be attended to cracked me up!
I still go to local fairs occasionally. I have done a number of paintings recently of folks at the local state fair. I still enjoy the ambience of fairs. It's very nostalgic for me!
If being the showman is your authentic self then go for it! You might not be able resist anyway. My mentor told me once I would be wise to keep my mouth shut and leave the buyer to his own thoughts. I’m incapable.
From a marketing point of view, anything that distinguishes you is a plus, and many of them were very much aware of their clients and their likes. I think it depends on who you are selling that experience to. I can't really do that, though I can talk and paint at the same time, but I think my own mentor would tell me my paintings are better when I don't talk.
One of the great influences of my life was Mr Squiggle, a puppet show created and performed by Norman Hetherington.
As a child, I did not experience much television, as my parents did not own one. However, when we visited Grandad, we would be allowed to watch his telly. Thus, I first experienced the joy of cartoons and the immense pleasure of witnessing Mr Squiggle make a picture from an audience member's scribble.
Norman Hetherington was a bit of a genius. Hiding behind a screen, he worked Mr Squiggle with strings, causing his pencil nose to make marks on the paper.
Of course, the drawings were usually accomplished upside down, partly for the practical purpose of Hetherington, hanging over the top of the screen, as he saw everything from his perspective.
Any performance which draws kids in to the act of creating pictures (or any form of creative activity) is truly fabulous.
Hmmm showmanship. I saw you give a speech at portrait convention in Atlanta 2018 or 2019(?) on how we recognize people, what features are most important etc and I still remember (eyebrows) and have wanted to see that presentation again. I listened to another excellent artist last year but was so bored I nearly fell out of my chair and can’t remember one thing he said. If this speaks of showmanship - bring it!!! Thanks - I always enjoy you!
I think we’re at a crossroads with sharing our craft online in a performative way. Scammers are now using videos of artists and makers and splicing in AI artists to take credit. I thought something was fishy when the algorithms started pushing every creative to make videos and now I believe it was an effort to create a dataset of “anonymous hands making art” they could steal from. So maybe the solution is setup real world art “performances” (again) where we do art shows mixed with live creation. Personally, I do custom sketch cards at shows as a way to draw interest to the comics I’m selling.
Well, I never thought of that. Hopefully viewers are able to tell was authentic and what's not. But if scammers get so good that they can fake them out too, we always have a live performance angle. It sure has worked for musicians.
We seem to be on the uphill side of a mountain of online garbage. I think we are near the crest. When over 50% of all internet traffic is bots, and people are not getting much in their feeds that is personal, real, or helpful, then the showmanship that has been encouraged by algorithms starts to eventually lose its effectiveness. You noted a handful of artists - and that is about the maximum bandwidth that the marketplace can bear, over time. What we can encourage is the thoughtful ways that quiet artists can find beauty in the everyday (thanks go to your wife for the toilet handle in the drawing!!!) One of the other comments here is from a woman who does group sketching and plein air adventures. These mostly create the kind of non-showmanship that seems to carry the field of art and creativity.
What you say is so true, Susan. Art doesn't have to be performance-driven. I hope there's always room for the quiet, unadorned beauty of a well-crafted image (no hype or presentation necessary).
I think there’s a place for it. I’m a teacher, and a certain degree of showmanship is required; it’s like being a good host at a party. I was watching the new Netflix documentary about Gordon Ramsay opening five new dining spaces simultaneously at 22 Bishopsgate, London. Gordon Ramsay’s career is built around fine dining and showmanship. It could be argued that the act of opening five unique businesses at once is showmanship in itself. One space, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, already has a Michelin Star. It’s just twelve seats, and a chef. Gordon’s one bit of advice to the chef was, the food is excellent, but put a little more showmanship into it.
PS I’ve told you this before but one small act hooked me on your videos—when you feigned disgust at your subject driving off (a white panel truck). I thought it was so funny that you bothered to tape yourself doing that, and I kept watching more videos.
I often feel like I am on stage when sketching in public. We have many tourists in San Diego year round. Sketching with my friends in a tourist spot, or even a cafe seems to provide some “entertainment” or excitement for strangers. As they gather around us we mostly concentrate on our drawing until one of the curious guests will ask a question or make a nice comment.
I think the best most modern example would be Kim Jung Gi. But his was a much more spartan performance. Usually just him, in silence, inking out a wall size masterpiece.
I think its important to the culture. To see what somebody is capable of at a master level is an extremely rare experience. Performance is an art of its own after all.
Though maybe I'm trying to inception Mr. Gurney into doing a live rock opera of dinotopia while he paints. I know I'd be there is all.
I suppose the essence of good theater — and good communication more broadly — is making sure the audience is getting what you want them to get from what you say.
Hi James. When I'm painting plein air, I am acutely aware that for some, this will be a rare moment in their lives when they are hiking on a remote trail and come upon an artist. Rather than perform, I try to be kind (thanks again for your example!), focusing on the story they will come away with to stop myself from being impatient on my work being disrupted. I try to see it as a moment in time that won't occur again, so it can be a special conversation. The joyful energy that was shared will be added to the painting itself.
That's a good way to think of it and it's especially true when interacting with kids. We may form their whole image of what an artist is by what we say to them.
Hi James
This is SO true! I was painting on a trail near the Kootenay River and a young man with special needs was so thrilled to see me at the easel. He said, "LOOK! The mountain is RIGHT THERE...and you're RIGHT HERE!!!" It was a great lesson in honouring the moment.
The toilet handle in Jeanette's lovely sketch reminds me of another show-person artist, Fox.
Onlooker, at Huntington Gardens, says to him, while he's setting up outside for painting,
"Are you an artist?"
Fox replies, "No, I'm a plumber, I'm installing a commode."
David Starrett, aka, Fox, was the son of an actor in old Western movies and even vaudeville, both of those guys Fox and the Durango Kid, were "always on".
Fox just couldn't help himself. He had to entertain, even if it was just for himself.
I loved it. Admired it as a child and as an adult.
Have as much fun as you can, artist, model, agent, collector, audience. Always.
That's great summary advice to us all: HAVE FUN— and use whatever talents you've got to make it fun for others. Now, please excuse me while I install that handle and adjust my commode..
In my earliest days as an artist in the late 70's and early 80s, I began as a theme park portrait artist, then did caricatures. Eventually, I ended up painting airbrushed t-shirts on the beach in Daytona. Performance was always a part of the product during those years. I eventually began painting two t-shirts at once with an airbrush in each hand while blasting really loud rock music on the boardwalk to pretty large crowds grouping around my window to watch the show. I left that craziness behind decades ago, but consequently I'm never bothered when people want to stand behind me and watch while I work.
P.S. Thanks for posting Jeanette's sketch! That made me laugh pretty hard! The toilet handle waiting to be attended to cracked me up!
That must have been so fun! Do you still go to theme parks to paint them on occasion?
I still go to local fairs occasionally. I have done a number of paintings recently of folks at the local state fair. I still enjoy the ambience of fairs. It's very nostalgic for me!
If being the showman is your authentic self then go for it! You might not be able resist anyway. My mentor told me once I would be wise to keep my mouth shut and leave the buyer to his own thoughts. I’m incapable.
From a marketing point of view, anything that distinguishes you is a plus, and many of them were very much aware of their clients and their likes. I think it depends on who you are selling that experience to. I can't really do that, though I can talk and paint at the same time, but I think my own mentor would tell me my paintings are better when I don't talk.
One of the great influences of my life was Mr Squiggle, a puppet show created and performed by Norman Hetherington.
As a child, I did not experience much television, as my parents did not own one. However, when we visited Grandad, we would be allowed to watch his telly. Thus, I first experienced the joy of cartoons and the immense pleasure of witnessing Mr Squiggle make a picture from an audience member's scribble.
Norman Hetherington was a bit of a genius. Hiding behind a screen, he worked Mr Squiggle with strings, causing his pencil nose to make marks on the paper.
Of course, the drawings were usually accomplished upside down, partly for the practical purpose of Hetherington, hanging over the top of the screen, as he saw everything from his perspective.
Any performance which draws kids in to the act of creating pictures (or any form of creative activity) is truly fabulous.
Thanks for this wonderful article, James.
Hmmm showmanship. I saw you give a speech at portrait convention in Atlanta 2018 or 2019(?) on how we recognize people, what features are most important etc and I still remember (eyebrows) and have wanted to see that presentation again. I listened to another excellent artist last year but was so bored I nearly fell out of my chair and can’t remember one thing he said. If this speaks of showmanship - bring it!!! Thanks - I always enjoy you!
I would love to hear more about this speech, and the important features for recognizing people!
I think we’re at a crossroads with sharing our craft online in a performative way. Scammers are now using videos of artists and makers and splicing in AI artists to take credit. I thought something was fishy when the algorithms started pushing every creative to make videos and now I believe it was an effort to create a dataset of “anonymous hands making art” they could steal from. So maybe the solution is setup real world art “performances” (again) where we do art shows mixed with live creation. Personally, I do custom sketch cards at shows as a way to draw interest to the comics I’m selling.
Well, I never thought of that. Hopefully viewers are able to tell was authentic and what's not. But if scammers get so good that they can fake them out too, we always have a live performance angle. It sure has worked for musicians.
We seem to be on the uphill side of a mountain of online garbage. I think we are near the crest. When over 50% of all internet traffic is bots, and people are not getting much in their feeds that is personal, real, or helpful, then the showmanship that has been encouraged by algorithms starts to eventually lose its effectiveness. You noted a handful of artists - and that is about the maximum bandwidth that the marketplace can bear, over time. What we can encourage is the thoughtful ways that quiet artists can find beauty in the everyday (thanks go to your wife for the toilet handle in the drawing!!!) One of the other comments here is from a woman who does group sketching and plein air adventures. These mostly create the kind of non-showmanship that seems to carry the field of art and creativity.
What you say is so true, Susan. Art doesn't have to be performance-driven. I hope there's always room for the quiet, unadorned beauty of a well-crafted image (no hype or presentation necessary).
I think there’s a place for it. I’m a teacher, and a certain degree of showmanship is required; it’s like being a good host at a party. I was watching the new Netflix documentary about Gordon Ramsay opening five new dining spaces simultaneously at 22 Bishopsgate, London. Gordon Ramsay’s career is built around fine dining and showmanship. It could be argued that the act of opening five unique businesses at once is showmanship in itself. One space, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, already has a Michelin Star. It’s just twelve seats, and a chef. Gordon’s one bit of advice to the chef was, the food is excellent, but put a little more showmanship into it.
Good point Zoungy. We can always take inspiration from cooking shows which have a lot in common with painting videos.
PS I’ve told you this before but one small act hooked me on your videos—when you feigned disgust at your subject driving off (a white panel truck). I thought it was so funny that you bothered to tape yourself doing that, and I kept watching more videos.
I often feel like I am on stage when sketching in public. We have many tourists in San Diego year round. Sketching with my friends in a tourist spot, or even a cafe seems to provide some “entertainment” or excitement for strangers. As they gather around us we mostly concentrate on our drawing until one of the curious guests will ask a question or make a nice comment.
I gather that's true of workshops too. Many people attend just to watch the show.
On my gosh,I love the sketch!!. And the post, especially Rubens and Sargent:))
I think the best most modern example would be Kim Jung Gi. But his was a much more spartan performance. Usually just him, in silence, inking out a wall size masterpiece.
I think its important to the culture. To see what somebody is capable of at a master level is an extremely rare experience. Performance is an art of its own after all.
Though maybe I'm trying to inception Mr. Gurney into doing a live rock opera of dinotopia while he paints. I know I'd be there is all.
The key question after a surgical consultation given a credible presentation is " Will you be doing the surgery doctor?"
I suppose the essence of good theater — and good communication more broadly — is making sure the audience is getting what you want them to get from what you say.