Abstract Painter.Art Educator.
David M. Kessler Fine Art
I have been asked recently by several folks if I could talk about the time management strategies I use to get so much accomplished. I don't really have any strategies per say, but I do have a really simple system to get things done.
Read MoreWhen I began my painting life I had no idea what it meant to paint in a series, and it took many years before I was introduced to the idea. Once I began to embrace the concept, my painting skills quickly began to improve. What does it mean to paint a series? Painting a series is simply painting multiple paintings, one after another, around a common theme. The theme could be color related, composition related, subject matter related, approach related or location related.
Read MoreToday I'm providing some "Tough Love" for those that continually overwork their paintings - you know who you are!
Read MoreThe concept of Structure and Spontaneity is something I have talked about before: other posts in this blog, in talks to art groups, and in my abstract painting workshops. It is one of three main concepts that inform how I paint. The other two concepts being Bigger, Faster, Fresher, Looser and Paint First, Then Think.
Read MorePainting from photographs is a very bad habit that many amateur painters and students consistently utilize to make paintings. Photographs can be used effectively as reference material for paintings, however what I see and hear from most of my painting students is that they replicate the photograph completely without first organizing a separate painting composition or value study.
Read MoreI like to be fearless in the studio. I think we can all benefit from being fearless when we approach a blank canvas. After all, what is there really to fear? In a previous post I talked about painting fears and how to overcome them. When you realize what they are, it is easy to recognize and then remove them.
Read MoreWhen I teach workshops across the country I often see students paralyzed by fear - so fearful they find it difficult to paint. I am not talking about all workshop students, just a small percentage. I believe all have some degree of fear when beginning a workshop, there are only a small group that let the fear overtake them. I also hear it from other artists (not workshop students), particularly in online forums or discussions about painting.
Read MoreAbstract Painting Academy is an online version of David's wildly popular Bigger, Faster, Fresher, Looser Abstract Painting Workshops. This online workshop is specifically designed for those who, for whatever reason, cannot attend one of David's live workshop events. The in-depth content is the same that he teaches to hundreds of students in live workshop events all across the country each year.
Read MoreThe most common question asked of any artist is: What is your inspiration? I believe that lots of people use this as an icebreaker to begin a conversation about the art. My typical answer to this question is that I am inspired by many things around me: the landscape, nature, the seasons, the ocean, the energy of a big city and color. Although I am inspired many by things, I DO NOT RELY ON INSPIRATION to paint. I believe that the myth of artist's requiring inspiration has come from the media and those that don't paint.
Read MoreI never intended to become a professional artist; I never intended to travel the country teaching others how to create abstract paintings in a loose, free manner; I never intended to be an abstract painter; I never intended to write a book or a blog; I never intended to be an expert in my field contacted by people all over the world for advice on painting. I am always amazed at what has happened in my life, regardless of what my intentions may have been. For those that may not know, just a few years ago I was an architect and a watercolor painter painting mostly landscapes.
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