vanVlietArt

Nice to meet you here Linda. I have enjoyed your gallery for many years. I often recommend people visit your excellent site.

I have long regarded Robert Tracy as one of the best and easiest to admire artists. His excellent technical skills are coupled with wonderful insight and value. From one of his sites: "Robert Tracy is a self-taught romantic-realist artist. At the time he began his art career, non-objective art held a near monopoly to the claim of serious art. The art schools were among the staunchest supporters of that monopoly. The choice was to get on board or go your own way. Robert Tracy went his own way." Some links to his work: http://hank1.deviantart.com/ Some work for sale: http://stores.ebay.com/The-Art-of-Robert-T...3QQftidZ2QQtZkm "...Tracy’s art is not fashionable. It does not seek to shock, affront, distort, deconstruct, or dissolve. It seeks only to invite you in to share his world..." An art review: http://www.tracyfineart.com/art_review.htm Perhaps the finest portrait of Ayn Rand in existence. http://hank1.deviantart.com/art/Portrait-o...n-Rand-50279940 It is being offered and demands to be placed in the home of an ardent admirer. Take a close look at the work and descriptions. I think you will enjoy the experience. Gordon.

An interesting speech was given by Fred Ross on Academic art to the Oil Painters of America. I think it is worthy of note and highlights many objectivist values. What do you think? Link: Fred Ross Speech to OPA

The last image shown has a great sense of life and movement. Thank you for showing this piece.

Well that is perplexing. The link doesn't work when I tried it either. I'll try posting a link to the larger article where the picture is included. Here it is: http://vanvlietart.blogspot.com/2006_01_01...rt_archive.html I that doesn't work, try clicking on the vanVlietArt link contained in my signature below. Or email me.

Again thank you for your comment. With this I agree and it does spur me to improvement. While doing this assignment, I became intrigued with the concept and its further possibilities in my work.

I thank you for your current reply. In some respects I agree with you. Regarding my work, it is in development and improving all the time. After retiring from business from age 20-46 I decided to paint full time, along with maintaining other interests. My goal at this time is to hone my painting skills through a variety of assignments and learn what works well for me. Through critique as you and others have given, I see what is weak and what is done well. If I am thoughtful, I can address these issues and improve. Most critique is encouragingly given, some is not. Nevertheless, all can be instructive if approached by me with intent to improve. I did do this painting as an after thought. While cleaning up from another painting I decided not to "waste" the left over paint, but rather try a new technique, applying paint with a palette knife. So I looked at the colors available and "decided" to see if I could paint this little cityscape. While painting it thinking about what it could represent and have thought more about the metaphor it suggested since then. To me this is natural in the thought process. We develop our thoughts over time. If I painted this today it would be different and if it were a serious work and not "trying a new technique" it would be more "finished". I do not believe all construction is as precise as you claim. Certainly at the lowest level it is not as well planned and executed as when accomplished by the masters of architecture and the trades. That is what I am trying to convey here. The lower portion of the painting is a jumbled, confusing mass, very red with the surge of humanity. The towers (built by men of distinction) are more refined and catch the sun. They are an improvement and a greater triumph compared with the average that they rise above. By implication will improve further with new, perhaps higher and better towers. I hope my art work will do the same. Perhaps one day I will paint with distinction. Perhaps one day some men will admire the results of my attempts. Perhaps on that day you will look again. In the mean time I will pursue my goal.

Jenni, thank you for the reply. Any comments on my writing style or ways to improve it are most welcome. This appears to be one of your strong points. Does it? What may that be? Perhaps you could state more clearly and I might comprehend.

Yes, very crude. My self portrait has been likened to van Gogh quite a bit. There are strengths and weaknesses, but I like it. "Blood City" was created with paint going to the trash and palette knife in about 15 minutes. I like the description and I like the tower illuminated against the sky. Unfortunately I must have done something wrong in uploading it so here is the link for those who wish to cut and paste. http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/759/219...0/bloodcity.jpg

Tell me what you want and I will create it for you. Use your imagination. I use my skills.

26 years after I had begun in business I was rereading the Fountainhead and thought about Roarks reply to the college folk about why he wouldn't compromise and work for the big elite architects firm. He had but 40 or so good years to do his work and couldn't waste them to half measures and false starts. Well maybe I paraphrased what was meant a little but... I looked at the calendar on the wall behind me, a big calendar. The wall was maybe 100 feet long and I sat in the middle. I was born at the corner and had spend the last 18 years in that very room building corporate office furniture (my business) and glancing the other way thought, I may not make it to yonder corner. I have so many other interests to pursue. I'm going to run out of time, life. So 18 months later the business is SOLD, the income gone (I'll be alright folks) and now I am a painter. Watch me paint the town. Intent: hone skills while building audience, then paint my souls delight with passion! Example of ideas from Blood City Blood City, by Gordon van Vliet coyright November 2005 all rights reserved This piece was displayed in an art show during the spring of 2006. It is signed, dated and titled at the bottom. The work measures 5"w x 14"H inches oil on 1/4" hardboard. Blood is a metaphor of life flowing through our veins. Likewise, the life blood of the city are the individuals who inhabit it and are the city's motive force. First works are for survival, when secured, time and energy are spent on larger , more complex ideas. These ideas are represented as buildings and towers, finally a pinnacle soaring upward. As the towers are illuminated in the sun so too may an Individual reach great heights. All people are benefited from the such success. Also represent here is the idea of the city as the center or natural result of separate individuals need of fellowship, society. This is a mix from those just surviving to those able to achieve further goals. I have always viewed the tower as an inspiration of what can be accomplished through productive thought and work. More on this theme in future posts.