(A letter to a student)

Helen,

Some later thoughts;

When realistic painters begin their career, their foremost thoughts are concerned with ‘how to paint it’, how to make a representational image of the subject of choice. This is proper because that is their craft, and without craft there is no realism.

Later, as they progress, they should and do begin to think more of ‘what to paint’ - what images - what elements to include in a given picture, and ‘how to present them’ - how to light them, turn them, position them, etc.

The reason for this second phase is that they are now finally concerned with ‘what am I trying to say?’. What mood, feeling, expression or story line do I wish to impart to my viewers above and beyond the mere realistic image mentioned in the first paragraph above.

This is where you are in your career now.

Your craft allows you now to concern yourself with and to release your personal expressions and to focus on their implementation. If without craft there is no realism, then without this further expression,
there is no art.

There is no charge for this additional bit of philosophy.