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Such a pleasure to see and hear Scott Christensen, one of the most precious creative creatures on the planet !

I lived across from that museum for 6 months and loved the Levitan especially. The enormity of some of the paintings was even hard to take in- honestly the hugeness was unpleasant to me. I think in those days huge was an aspect of public competition- to me that enormity doesn’t add anything.

Very good podcast, lots of great information and only a few "silly" questions from Eric at the end for poor Scott to try to answer!! Art is a tough business today, and it is getting tougher, glad I did not try it full time, went into a science career instead, my other passion when entering college, decades go. But you can still learn an interesting craft, then and now, while doing other things in order to eat daily, and have some fun and meet nice people, like Scott and Eric, while doing it. One thing, among so many others, that Scott said was very important and that is that painting is mostly thinking about solving problems, big ones and little ones. That needs/requires intense focus, so I think these group events like the conventions and plein air events/competitions are actually counterproductive for someone who is "serious" about learning to paint. There are far too many distractions, best to just keep painting and trying new things/media to get better. Constant study and practice are the answers to getting competent, just like playing a musical instrument, you must do it almost daily, and with few interruptions. Being a "loner" helps, as Scott says. If you do find that your own self is your "best company", then you may have a chance at this art thing. However, the Conventions are a good place to maybe "hook up" with someone who shares your interests anyway. Probably that's the best value for your money to go to these things. :D And Lake Tahoe should be fun, for 2025. I'm in AZ now, but lived near the Lake, for many years, and painted all around the area, and other nearby Sierran locations, during the 90's to early 2000's, and I know all the "good spots". I have painted at scores of them, mostly alone, and will sell you a long list, complete with maps, Eric, if you want some "secret" plein air venues that no one else will know about at the Convention!! LOL ;D. Now, here is one "freebie" for you: Hope Valley, particularly in the west fork of the Kit Carson River area. Perhaps you already know of it, many folks in northern CA go there to photograph "fall colors", along Hwy 88. And for Scott, the east fork of that same river would be the best place to fly fish, just out of the tiny village of Markleeville!! Been there, done that, too! Once had a 53 catch and release day there!! LOL ;D

Thank you for the interview!

Good interview!

I would love to see all these peace’s of art

Great tips on the artist's bio - thanks! Now I'll have to review mine and see how I can improve it.

Have you ever had a pod cast with Jane Hunt?

Been reading the Plein Air Mag for years and finally found out about these Podcasts! Thanks Eric!😀

Thank-you, Eric. Such useful information, (even though I'm not yet at that point).

Thank you Eric 👍

Hi from Canada 🇨🇦 Ontario 👋

Thank you Eric🙂

A life changer listening to Joe at the Plein Air Convention years ago! Then I had the privilege of studying with him for a time and sadly, I have not done the hard thing and put in the time and work. I resonate with him at about the 1:05 mark. Concepts don't come easily to me and I don't learn quickly and for sure less quickly now. I would love to take his pre-convention class. Ahhh, to understand this: The key is to simultaneously bring together both unity and variety, as well as rhythmic connectivity and a clear visual hierarchy.

LOVE IT! So many take aways. One that stands out "Give in to the hill". Great stuff guys. So wish I could make the 1 day work shop and convention. Cheers fellas.

Thank you!

Love it. The depth of thinking mixed with the anecdotes.

Thank you for the marketing tips, Eric 😊👍

Brilliant! Joe is the most honest, knowledgeable & principled teacher today, IMO. So grateful to be able to study with him. 🙏🏼

Great interview! I love the abstract quality of Douglas’s paintings. So beautiful.

Just come across David Curtis paintings - gobsmacked by them! look like 'loose realism' - just so captivating and unique. Wonderful talent.

that is why I need weeks sitting at the oceans edge. It is a different experience day 3 or 4 than day 1.

AMAZING as usual fellas. What a great conversation. So wish I could attend the workshop and convention, instead I'll be spending my time outside "where no one will notice me" painting locally in honor of the event. "THERE ARE NO TRICKS" Cheers - @garynix2

Loved his truth and humility!

Congratulations 🎉

😅 *promosm*

😂❤

Part 2?

Very good advise. My point of view is that an unframed watercolor, with a mat and put in a clear sleeve, looks like a print. To me a watercolor framed looks better and is easier to hang by the buyer. Shipping glass is always a wait and see event. Plexi glass is an option but seems cheap. Will the buyer change the frame?

Very helpful 😊

Fate or God? Amazing that Herman, Joseph and Alvaro were in Melbourne painting together in the 1980's, each coming from different parts of the world. Sometimes things are meant to be - right?

Organizations invite Plein air artists to come paint at their events…not for pay but for our own “ publicity” and truthfully as entertainment for their guests. It’s worth it if it gets you a scene you can’t get otherwise, and especially if a guest buys your piece(s).

Great interview. I needed this🙂feeling inspired!

Great interview! Very illuminating 🌞

Fun fact: During pastel painting, Albert Handell cleans his hands with his beard.

I really appreciate the discussion about God. All creativity and good gifts come from God.

I love to listen to this podcast when painting as a reminder to myself that perfectionism doesn’t have a place for me in my paintings. Time to relax, learn and have fun and who knows where it will bring me. Thank you!!!!

Such a good interview! Thank you!

Omg I really appreciate the points he is making. I am currently putting together a body of work the point of which is to encourage fellow (local) artists to explore, try different mediums, push out into the deep water of being creative.

Welcome back Eric! I’d love to see you interview Steve Mitchell. As for Guest Hosts, that’s hard to say because you do such an amazing job at it. If I had to suggest an alternative I would say Johanne Mangi

Fantastic interview. My background is also print and web design (retired now) and I also do lots of thumbnails. Going through design college it was required to do no less than 50 pencil thumbnails for each project. If you didn't do at least 50 it went against the grade for that project. These days I don't do 50 thumbnails for my art but I still do multiple thumbnails for each piece before I create it. I'm a lot like Larry where my attention is short and I'm working on several things simultaneously. I mainly work in watercolor so it's easy for me to move from one piece to another while the previous pieces naturally dries. I usually have 3 to 5 pieces I'm working on at one time. I also don't care what other people think about my art. I'm doing it for me. I love painting things that bring me happiness which is mainly landscapes. And it's true, people seemed to be attracted to my art because I'm doing my own thing my way. And them liking it is a bonus (not a requirement). I always enjoy your interviews Eric. You share so many different folks who have so many different interests, mediums, and methods. One thing they all have in common is that you have to put in the work upfront in order to be free to be creative.

I Love watching these video's But this Months went So fast that my TV Screen didn't even get fully focused before it went to the next one! Please Slow down! I like to actually look at the Painting before it goes to the next one! Great work this month!

Great knowledge! Thanks for sharing I really enjoyed listening.

No one could paint like Alvaro without a degree of talent😊

Congratulations ! Nice presentation. We had plenty of time to get a close look at each entry. Music was nice too.