Blog/News
7/13/2019 7:35:48 AM
Does the Artist Have an Obligation to the Community?
I was just poking around your site and found, again, the scarves you did for a charity. It made me wonder whether gifted artists (like you) have an obligation to their communities?
Sidney Oliver
I don't know why a "gifted artist" would have an obligation to their community any more than someone who is not a "gifted artist." I feel we are all here to help each other along the way regardless of any obscure talent we might possess.
With that in mind, the obligation an artist has is to work as much as possible and [...]
7/9/2019 11:03:09 AM
Texture in Paintings
Lightly textured small section of a painting
Talk with us a little bit about texture. Impasto fascinates me, but then thin brushwork can be beguiling, too. Inquiring minds want to know what you think, see, and do.
Sidney Oliver
I want to emphasize the subjective quality of these discussions as we all see things differently especially when it comes to whether or not texture on a painting is appealing.
Since most viewers seem to prefer to look at a painting from afar rather than at all angles as an artist sees it, I'm peppering this post with some closeup sections of some [...]
6/18/2019 7:12:38 AM
Question & Answer Series #38
Can you pull out a few paintings and tell us which were most time-consuming and why? [...]
6/13/2019 8:25:04 PM
Question & Answer Series #37
Ruthie, as the proud owner of one of the nest series, I'd like to know everything about them. I suppose I could begin by asking how you began them. You must have run into somebody's little home and decided to capture it. Not surprising given your fascination with buildings! (I'm being only partly facetious.) I also want to know how and whether client and viewer feedback had any role in the series' evolution. And en fin, how on earth did you paint all those myriad straws and weeds? Boggling. [...]
6/12/2019 10:05:53 AM
Question & Answer Series #36
Have you ever done a series of paintings? If so, designed around what principle--subject, execution, season, species, and so on? I'm thinking of the nests. Do you agree? What else? [...]
6/8/2019 8:09:58 AM
Question & Answer Series #35
Does your happy sense of humor ever show up in your work?
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5/13/2019 5:59:28 AM
Question & Answer Series #34
Ruthie, earlier [With Limited Time, a Sketchbook Is Handy], you describe sketching as something you do when you're bored or can't get to the studio to paint. I've thought of it as a trial run for the "big guy," or as a study, in the Da Vinci sense, preparing a detail for a complex painting. Although I know that no two artists are alike, I wonder whether you, too, sometimes use it for practice or as part of the process of creating a painting.
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5/6/2019 8:58:56 AM
Question & Answer Series #34
Ruthie, do you have a working library of art books that you love, use, and recommend? I include art-making, artists, art, art technicalities, and techniques, etc.? [...]
5/2/2019 6:07:16 PM
Question & Answer Series #33
I think most people are socialized to think that ART is too sophisticated for us mere mortals to comprehend, and so are tongue-tied in the presence of a real artist. I know I am, face to face. So what can artists do to make themselves more accessible? [...]
4/30/2019 4:24:58 AM
Question & Answer Series #32
Was Turner a Romantic or an Impressionist? As a painter who acknowledges Turner as a major influence, what are you? (Please don't say you don't like "labels.") [...]
4/24/2019 5:20:28 AM
Question & Answer Series #31
Is it your experience that many people approach a painting expecting something like "authenticity," meaning "accuracy," and miss the artistry that it presents?
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4/19/2019 5:51:25 AM
Question & Answer Series #30
Ruthie, where's the line between fine art and fine craft (e.g., American Craft Council )? When an artist creates in any medium, it's no longer a function of iron, wood, leather, wool or any other guild group. Does it even matter anymore? I know that it matters to craft creators who are fiercely proud of the craft designation. Who else cares and what's the difference? [...]
4/11/2019 7:02:30 AM
Question & Answer Series #29
In a way, this question gets us back to the topic of abstract painting. Has anyone ever looked at one of yours and said, "I could have done that"? I know how I'd respond but how about you?
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4/7/2019 6:37:14 PM
Question & Answer Series #28
If you had grown up, say, in the southwest, would you be a different painter? I'm not asking whether your subjects would differ. I'm asking how your environment has influenced you. [...]
4/4/2019 7:03:21 AM
Question & Answer Series #27
What do you consider when you choose the size of a painting? I happen to have a small Ruthie painting of a red onion that I adore, but I wonder why you chose 6" x 8" or thereabouts, instead of 48" square, or thereabouts.
How did you decide what substrate to use in your paintings -- panel, canvas, paper, wood, etc.? What properties are you looking for? [...]
4/1/2019 10:37:58 AM
Question & Answer Series #26
People new to fine art often assume that art and technology and science aren't related. But we know that Leonardo was a magnificent scientist whose explorations directly influenced his art, and we know that painting en plein air couldn't have materialized until the invention of tube paint (see En Plein Air blog post). Do you know of other developments in science and technology--speaking broadly--that have influenced your painting? [...]
3/30/2019 7:38:54 AM
Question & Answer Series #25
Do you remember the evolution of any particular painting? [...]
3/27/2019 12:04:33 PM
Question & Answer Series #24
How on earth does an idea for an abstract painting occur to you? Are there any principles for how to paint a good abstract painting as contrasted with a mere amalgamation of colors on a canvas?
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3/26/2019 4:48:21 AM
Question & Answer Series #23
Galleries are a given, but apart from the exposure they afford, what do you do to market--advertise and promote--your work? [...]
3/23/2019 6:10:42 AM
Question & Answer Series #22
Anyone who has ever tried to photograph anything for the Internet knows that it's harder than it looks. So much of the content of your posts lies in the art you photograph and include. How do you do it? [...]
3/22/2019 6:22:01 AM
Question & Answer Series #21
If there's anything I've learned about you, it is that you are compelled to create. At one level, that sounds romantic, enviable even. Who doesn't wish for that focus in life! On the other hand, it sounds exhausting. How long do you work in a day? Do you take breaks or are you driven into the wee hours? Since not everyone does, I also need to ask whether you wish to have a substantive life outside the studio. If you do, how do you achieve it? What other commitments call you? Most important, what other forces nourish you?
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3/21/2019 7:48:43 AM
Question & Answer Series #20
If there's anything I've learned about you, it is that you are compelled to create. [...]
3/19/2019 7:09:41 PM
Question & Answer Series #19
Please talk to us about painting en plein air. Is this something you pursue?
Do the protocols that apply in the studio also apply outdoors? What are the antecedents of today's en plein air painting? What accounts for the fact that it developed very late in the history of painting?
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3/13/2019 6:56:41 PM
Question & Answer Series #18
How do you build a painting? It’s architecture? What do I mean? You start somewhere, and then you "block in," and then you do what? What are the stages a painting goes through?
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3/12/2019 9:38:54 AM
Question & Answer Series #17
Who are your primary influences? Can you identify what it is about each one that moved you so?
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3/10/2019 4:42:01 PM
Question & Answer Series #16
Is color mixing an art or a science?
And I don't know what that means. What science? Are colors systematized, arranged according to some set of criteria? If not, what is the science? Do you disturb your equilibrium with attention to the chemical properties of different pigments and paints, or do you go with sight and experimentation alone? Elsewhere you mention using only two pigments to do entire multi-color paintings. How on earth did you discover that? And what is the art part? Do you mean the result of years of playing around and experimenting? Do you mean that ineffable thing that distinguishes a painter from a dabbler?
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3/7/2019 11:59:00 AM
Question & Answer Series #15
I am in awe of your ability and in love with the two paintings of yours that we recently obtained -- a gold nest and a delightful red onion. Studying your works -- in person and on your website -- has made me wonder what you found most difficult about painting when you first started. Was it color, perspective, shading? I remain astounded that anyone can paint at all, let alone at the level that you do. I would love to know what aspect you find most challenging, and how you met and overcame that challenge. [...]
3/5/2019 7:21:50 PM
Question & Answer Series #14
When you're writing for a general but interested readership, it must be challenging to know how much to "wallow in the weeds," as you put delving deeply into the mechanics of painting and the reasons for its technical aspects. I, for one, would appreciate some ragweeds to play in. Have at it.
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3/3/2019 12:24:22 PM
Question & Answer Series #13
You've said that nature-where-you-are is your primary source. Once given that, how do you narrow your focus to a paintable detail? You've also said that light and dark attract you. What else? That red barn, for instance, doesn't exhibit light and dark areas so much as riotous color. Is there anything in an otherwise attractive subject that disqualifies it? [...]
2/22/2019 1:54:06 PM
Question & Answer Series #12
What do you do when a painting isn't going the way you envision? What helps you--and it--get back on track? [...]
2/20/2019 6:05:26 PM
Question & Answer Series #11
How do you build a painting? It's architecture? What do I mean? You start somewhere, and then you "block in," and then you do what? What are the stages a painting goes through? I suppose it's different for every painting, but pick one for which you have photos and which has more rather than fewer steps. This is fascinating to me and I bet others would be enthralled as well. It also gives me a whole new approach to my paintings, though I do understand the difference between watercolor and oil. [...]
2/17/2019 2:43:36 PM
Question & Answer Series #10
Tell us about using the palette knife. Are there different kinds for different purposes? What do they do that brushes can't?
Is there a trade-off? [...]
2/15/2019 6:35:55 PM
Question & Answer Series #9
What role does the camera play, or could it play, in the creation of your art? When do you use it? How do you use it? Why do you use it? Do you recommend a specific camera?
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2/13/2019 7:34:51 PM
Question & Answer Series #8
What does "playing with the paint" mean to you? How would you go about assigning that to a student beyond the information contained in the watercolor cheat sheet provided earlier? [...]
2/12/2019 8:44:32 PM
Question & Answer Series #7
Ruthie, as a full-time painter with a full-time life to live, how do you balance your time? How do you deal with distractions? [...]
2/10/2019 12:09:09 PM
Question & Answer Series #6
One thing I want to know you might not want to answer publicly: what brand(s) of paint do you use/recommend? Do different brands offer variable quality--meaning do you go to Brand X for one color, but Brand Y for others? [...]
2/9/2019 2:27:07 PM
Question & Answer Series #5
In painting, everything is about seeing. How does one train to see, because I think it doesn't come naturally for many of us. For me, it first requires getting rid of every single preconception. Every one. Shape, color, shadow, light. What else does it involve? [...]
2/7/2019 11:44:27 AM
Question & Answer Series #4
When I go to an art supply store, I am seduced by the wonderful paint colors. Now, after having spent any number of dollars, I have a box full of paints I love but never use. This makes me wonder whether you have any advice about how to choose a palette.
What's the difference between student paints and professional paints? How does one know when to step up?
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2/6/2019 6:18:41 AM
Question & Answer Series #3
Since you began in watercolor and since that is what I do, are there basic watercolor rules you follow? [...]
2/5/2019 5:47:34 AM
Question & Answer Series #2
How would you advise a would-be student to begin? Can you "step out" the stages you'd recommend for self-study or for mentored study? [...]
