Commercial Art

​Early in my oil painting career, I took a class with Stacy Barter, a supremely talented painter of still life.  The class was divided into groups of 2 or 3 students sharing a single still life setup. My partner was a newbie like me.  We struggled with where to put apples and flowers, and getting the first paint on the canvas. There was a long period of silence as we continued painting.  Then my partner observed, “It’s really hard to paint a bad painting.." Another long silence. “Considering how difficult bad paintings are, artists ought to get paid more for them.” 


At the time, I thought this was hilariously funny. Later, as I became more mature, I recognized deeper philosophical meanings. I finally understood fear of the blank canvas. I also pondered that supporting oneself economically with art is a very brave undertaking.

​This painting below was from that class.
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          Red Variations, Oil, 11 x 14 in.