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"The Art Spirit" by Robert Henri, A Must Read for Every Artist

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Back in the day, when I was studying painting and portraiture at the Art Students League on 57th Street in New York City, the book that was required reading in almost every class was “The Art Spirit” by Robert Henri. I refer to this book as, “The Art Bible” for artists. The content in this book is educational and highly inspirational for beginners, professionals, and everyone in between. I still have my copy, pictured here and below, which I purchased back in the 70s. (Did you catch the price I paid back then? $2.50.) I lovingly read this book over and over. As you can see, it’s been so well-read that it’s falling apart and held together with rubber bands. For me, it’s like an old friend I keep saying “hello” to, or an old pair of tattered slippers that are still so comfy. I like to underline important content in a book I’m reading. As you can see, almost every passage has been underlined. The information in this book is so deeply moving and important that whether you’ve been painting
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My Six-Step Formula for Writing the Short Story That Everyone Will Want to Read

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        Back in 2011, I introduced my 6-Step formula for writing a short story. I published it again in 2014. Here it is once again with a few changes and a much better graphic. I thought it would be a good idea to resurrect the formula for those who may have missed it. It works the same today as it did back in 2011. This formula also works for writing other short formats such as flash fiction and even a novella.         A short story usually contains 1,200 - 7,500 words. The short short or flash fiction usually contains between 100 – 1,200 words. Experienced non-fiction writers can usually spit out 1200 words before breakfast.          But, when it comes to writing a short story, an experienced fiction writer knows that short fiction can be more difficult than writing a full-length novel. The brevity of the story constricts the wordsmith, depriving him of deep development of a character, the plot, and setting as he/she could carve out in a full-length novel. Every line and paragraph
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HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL ARTIST

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  To be a successful artist, you must possess two important attributes. Number 1. Mastery of your medium , and 2. A vivid imagination . Let's first talk about Mastering Your Medium. It doesn't matter how long you've been working in art, whether you’re a newbie, or a seasoned veteran, you can't create what you want without first gaining proficiency over the tools you use to express yourself. This is true in most all forms of self-expression. How do you gain knowledge and understanding of your medium? Simple. It's like the old joke, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Practice, practice, practice. Learn the fundamentals of your medium. Learn techniques. Learn control. Don't let your medium control you. Once you have learned one technique, push this technique a step further to learn something new. Take it one step at a time. Study how other artists worked. Copy, decipher, drink the waters of knowledge. Become proficient with your tools. This is how you grow
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UPCOMING ART SHOW - I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT

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I'm excited to announce my solo painting and illustration show at the Meetinghouse Arts Gallery in Freeport, ME. Opening reception is May 27th. Please save the date. I'd love to see you there. It will be a blast! https://gerardbianco.com /
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WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ART?

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Boy, if ever I’ve wanted to go deep into the weeds, here’s my golden opportunity. There are many who will say that art has no purpose other than being art, even brushing aside aesthetics. You’ve all heard the expression, “Art for Art’s Sake,” which Wikipedia describes as “… is the usual English rendering of l’art pour l’art, a French slogan from the latter part of the 19 th century-it’s a phrase that expresses the philosophy that the intrinsic value of art, and the only ‘true’ art, is divorced from any didactic, moral, political, or utilitarian function.” In this little blog article, I am not going to argue the ‘true’ nature of art. If you believe that purposeful art is not ‘true’ art, then by all means, go right ahead. I do not follow that philosophy. I believe that to diminish and discount great works of art that were created with a purpose is to separate thought and art. With this in mind, I offer seven purposeful ways in which art has played an important role throughout histor
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CENTRAL PARK IN SUMMER (GAPSTOW BRIDGE)

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Amid the hustle, bustle, concrete, and steel that make up Manhattan Island, Central Park is a welcomed oasis. One of the park's most famous sights is the Gapstow Bridge. It has appeared in countless movies and TV shows. It is a major attraction, offering one of the best views of the NYC skyline. In my painting, Central Park in Summer, the bridge gracefully stretches across the park's lake. An enormous variety of foliage in the foreground acts as a lush foil against the cool, hard surface of the bridge. The city's skyline peeks through the trees. Watch the Central Park in Summer Watercolor Painting Video on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEOR77dimkw Thanks for looking!
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Be Like No Other

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