ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DUMB DESIGN IDEAS, THE DOWN TRIP

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DUMB DESIGN IDEAS

THE DOWN TRIP

Here is another painting by the Nevelson master, Dirk Van Assaerts. Painted shortly after the artists marriage. The painting as usual has a problem, called THE DOWN TRIP! The lines of the painting have a sinking leftward depressing slant that causes the viewer to slump and rethink whether their lives are really that good. The painting is a drag at best and tragic when you are having a bad day.

It is OK to have one or maybe two of these in a grouping of paintings for a show or presentation (although having none would be my first choice) but too many gives a bummed out look. People feel things when they look at paintings, at least I want them to. I don't want to afflict the purchaser of my art (who will have to live with the picture) with a bad trip. Oh, no siree.

I'd like to be more positive, more UPLIFTING! I want to use rising lines that lift up the viewers gaze to the upper right of the painting in an ascending and affirming glide. Most of the time, paintings with lines that rise to the upper right are more pleasing, and cheerier. There are however, lots of paintings out there that are WAY too happy. They have spots of sunlight, and playing children, bright flowers and spotty backlit clouds and maybe a happy puppy playing with a satin ribbon. You can get really cheesy in a big hurry. There is a difference between making a painting positive and turning it into a fricking petting zoo.

A few more quick biographical notes on the Nevelson master. After graduating art school Van Assaerts married the daughter of a highly regarded officer in the shoe bureaucracy. His numerous connections in the other ministries gave him access to many goods. Dirk and his young wife, Sepsis, received bushels and bushels of potatoes through her father. Never would the little family know hunger, even in hard times Sepsis family provided more potatoes than they could ever eat. Often Dirk would barter with other subjects for tobacco or lottery tickets. Dirks young wife, accustomed to privilege and the prestige that officers are due, yearned for more than the young artist could really provide for her. Shopping made her comfortable, and eating helped too. As her body began to grow and extend protuberances of various sorts, Dirk knew he had a problem.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Writing these Encyclopedia is extremely time con suming and I am trying to get my Texas art finished and out the door. The art has to come first and today for example, I had to get a whole days painting in before I could write the blog. If I am a little more random in my postings presently I apologize. All I do is work.
I have two open spots in my workshop, below is the broadside from the sponsors of the workshop.

JCAS presents Stapleton Kearns Plein Air Painting Workshop

prior to the Cranford Plein Air Event “Paint the Town”.

June 4,5,6^th

^{The cost of the workshop is $300.00 for three intense days.}

^{To find out more or to register visit www.jcas.org}

^{visit us on Facebook}