Dennis Hollingsworth

Alberto's Visit

So there I was, staring at blank linen. The door bell buzzes.

It was Alberto: "Do you have a minute?"

He wanted to show me his first painting done since he ordered paint from Schlieper's, the place I order my supplies online from in Brussels. So he busted over on his bike, panel in hand.

Kinda excitable.

Here's Alberto's first painting.

He wanted a hard crit, "Be honest, I can take it."

I said "You're doing good, keep on going. There are fine and inspiring qualities of what you've done here and you should make another." This wasn't the time to get into a grinder of a critique. I was his first painting after all (technically, he's an art student, ending a haitus).

He was worried that I would think he was copping my moves. I reassured him. I have an open source policy (as you, my blogaudience will see soon in a blogpost coming soon about the tools of my trade), I don't believe in hoarding ideas, especially technique. I think character is the final arbiter between the merely excellent and the exceptional. The issue is not that of following a recipie but of paying attention when you are painting. And I think he is paying attention.

"Think in terms of ten." I think that spooked him, his eyes got wide. "Ok, five then." Better. "Just do it again, do another one. Movement."

This was not the time to take out the tool kit for the full crit.

He rode home to paint the next one.

Me too.

Remarkable, no?