Thank you for your defense as they mirror what I tell others. After 23 years of marketing and competing with my larger paintings (because that’s what you do if you’re serious they say) I just plain burnt out! Art became about the “sale”, “award”, posting etc, and I lost my passion for it. I began to learn to PLAY AGAIN by just working in my sketchbooks. I’d always told students your books were just for you if you wanted. It’s funny taking your own advice later….. I say I’m retired from marketing art but not creating. Now I travel in my campervan sketching just for me, I play with mixed media in my studio and a little on the road. Yayyyy for small works!!!!
Thank you for your realistic post. Unless you are a commercial artist, which to some people sounds like selling out, have an agent or are part of some collective, you do burn out. Too many NON ARTIST hats to wear. The reason you do your art becomes obscured, and you need places like sketchbooks. Small ones for all reasons mentioned, where those judgements, both from yourself and others doesn't matter.
Hi James. Thank you from my heart for vindicating me in my decision (over 20 years ago!) to paint small. I have only had ONE other artist/mentor support this decision and I'm grateful to him as well.
On my website, the first page has my statement, "Every corner of a home is Sacred. My paintings fit the smaller spaces; a window of escape before facing the world."
I began collecting art in my teens, so wanted to make my art affordable for those who were walking the same path; loving art desperately, but having limited resources. My little paintings have been featured at the entrance to the main gallery where folks sign the visitor book at a couple of venues. Fantastic exposure and great comments.
It's my belief that we have many artists doing "sofa sized" paintings, but my International collection, in each "Sacred corner" of my home, remind me that art is from someone's SOUL. They inspire my practice in hopes that my art will bring peace to someone in this frantic world.
I saw this refreshing exhibition of small landscapes in oil: https://ocma.art/exhibitions/cynthia-daignault-light-atlas/ It reminded me we all have to find our own way, and art has no right or wrong answers. To quote my Art Center small business management teacher: "If you want to make money as an artist, go work for someone until you really learn what end is up."
Thank you so much for this post on working small. I’m just starting to experiment with watercolor painting as a leisure activity in my retirement. And space is very limited. So I chose to work with 8.5 x 5.5 sketch books that store nicely on a book shelf. And they fit nicely in a small travel bag. So far, so good.
Thankyou for this post. I am new to watercolour and am planning to travel in the near future as part of retiring. Having all my tools in one small bag is part of the plan, and small projects hopefully mean they will be completed. Long term 5 year plans are history for me. 😊Thankyou again
I feel this. I've been making tiny gel prints lately in a mixed media notebook and it's great. It's also a nice learning step before I move on to larger prints, so that I can get the kinks figured out for cheap and with less pressure.
Wonderfully refreshing to read so many positive reasons for painting small. Thank you! As a self taught artist, I find the thought of large (or even medium) sized canvasses terrifying! A small blank page, piece of paper or mini canvas is so much less intimidating…especially when imposter syndrome creeps in. There’s a kind of elation being able to hold a finished miniature painting between finger and thumb; or to be able to have the tiny world created by brushstrokes nestled in the palm of one’s hand…literally like keeping a memory close 🌿
Such an excellent post. I think these lifestyle considerations are so important to the sustainability of our creative practices, and we have the freedom to let go of what's not necessary, given our goals. I recently switched from academic drawing & painting to a more lifestyle-suitable sketchbook practice, and I am excited to wake up every day because of it. Thanks as always for sharing your wisdom, Jim! We are lucky to have you.
I enjoyed reading your article very much, and agree wholeheartedly with what you said. I also watched the video again with the sketchbook that you shared and I loved it all over again! I would love to see every one of your sketchbooks! You are so clever, and so inspiring! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and joyful paintings with us.
Thanks for this, so good to read you championing sketchbooks. They are a wonderful thing for keeping creativity regular. Turner and Whistler used the tiniest of sketchbooks for drawing from life and little marvels they are.
Great defense of working small. Working small for me allows me to be more mobile. Less to carry, but still I get the experience of working Plein Air. Thanks, Mr. G.
Thank you for your defense as they mirror what I tell others. After 23 years of marketing and competing with my larger paintings (because that’s what you do if you’re serious they say) I just plain burnt out! Art became about the “sale”, “award”, posting etc, and I lost my passion for it. I began to learn to PLAY AGAIN by just working in my sketchbooks. I’d always told students your books were just for you if you wanted. It’s funny taking your own advice later….. I say I’m retired from marketing art but not creating. Now I travel in my campervan sketching just for me, I play with mixed media in my studio and a little on the road. Yayyyy for small works!!!!
Thank you for your realistic post. Unless you are a commercial artist, which to some people sounds like selling out, have an agent or are part of some collective, you do burn out. Too many NON ARTIST hats to wear. The reason you do your art becomes obscured, and you need places like sketchbooks. Small ones for all reasons mentioned, where those judgements, both from yourself and others doesn't matter.
Hi James. Thank you from my heart for vindicating me in my decision (over 20 years ago!) to paint small. I have only had ONE other artist/mentor support this decision and I'm grateful to him as well.
On my website, the first page has my statement, "Every corner of a home is Sacred. My paintings fit the smaller spaces; a window of escape before facing the world."
I began collecting art in my teens, so wanted to make my art affordable for those who were walking the same path; loving art desperately, but having limited resources. My little paintings have been featured at the entrance to the main gallery where folks sign the visitor book at a couple of venues. Fantastic exposure and great comments.
It's my belief that we have many artists doing "sofa sized" paintings, but my International collection, in each "Sacred corner" of my home, remind me that art is from someone's SOUL. They inspire my practice in hopes that my art will bring peace to someone in this frantic world.
I saw this refreshing exhibition of small landscapes in oil: https://ocma.art/exhibitions/cynthia-daignault-light-atlas/ It reminded me we all have to find our own way, and art has no right or wrong answers. To quote my Art Center small business management teacher: "If you want to make money as an artist, go work for someone until you really learn what end is up."
Yes! I saw this exhibit when it was at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art here in Arkansas a few years ago!
Thank you so much for this post on working small. I’m just starting to experiment with watercolor painting as a leisure activity in my retirement. And space is very limited. So I chose to work with 8.5 x 5.5 sketch books that store nicely on a book shelf. And they fit nicely in a small travel bag. So far, so good.
Thankyou for this post. I am new to watercolour and am planning to travel in the near future as part of retiring. Having all my tools in one small bag is part of the plan, and small projects hopefully mean they will be completed. Long term 5 year plans are history for me. 😊Thankyou again
I feel this. I've been making tiny gel prints lately in a mixed media notebook and it's great. It's also a nice learning step before I move on to larger prints, so that I can get the kinks figured out for cheap and with less pressure.
Wonderfully refreshing to read so many positive reasons for painting small. Thank you! As a self taught artist, I find the thought of large (or even medium) sized canvasses terrifying! A small blank page, piece of paper or mini canvas is so much less intimidating…especially when imposter syndrome creeps in. There’s a kind of elation being able to hold a finished miniature painting between finger and thumb; or to be able to have the tiny world created by brushstrokes nestled in the palm of one’s hand…literally like keeping a memory close 🌿
Well put. I'd say if a painting is bigger than my eye or my heart, it's big enough.
Such an excellent post. I think these lifestyle considerations are so important to the sustainability of our creative practices, and we have the freedom to let go of what's not necessary, given our goals. I recently switched from academic drawing & painting to a more lifestyle-suitable sketchbook practice, and I am excited to wake up every day because of it. Thanks as always for sharing your wisdom, Jim! We are lucky to have you.
I enjoyed reading your article very much, and agree wholeheartedly with what you said. I also watched the video again with the sketchbook that you shared and I loved it all over again! I would love to see every one of your sketchbooks! You are so clever, and so inspiring! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and joyful paintings with us.
This is a wonderful post. Thank you! So many great reasons to work small.
Love your work. You are a wonderful communicator! and so encouraging with your generosity in sharing your experience and insight.
Thanks, Pamela.
I second this post !! Thank you James 🙏🏼
I'm curious: how many of those small sketchbooks have you filled with paintings by now? It has to be quite a few!
Thanks for this, so good to read you championing sketchbooks. They are a wonderful thing for keeping creativity regular. Turner and Whistler used the tiniest of sketchbooks for drawing from life and little marvels they are.
What a privilege to see inside your sketchbook. Phenomenal. I can’t believe you can paint those scenes in under two hours! Mind officially blown!
Thanks for this article! It begs one question…. What sketchbooks do you like that can handle the paint?
Why are you keeping 11 from us?
Oh, whoops. I must have counted wrong. I'll fix.
It’s was a small mistake
Great defense of working small. Working small for me allows me to be more mobile. Less to carry, but still I get the experience of working Plein Air. Thanks, Mr. G.