Spring is here and the outdoor art shows begin in the
northern states. We have a very good show coming up May 18-19, the East
Lansing Art Show. I always remember asking an artist at the show how long he
had been painting. The day was hot and near the end of the two day event so his
remark was rather terse and had a bite to it. Not looking at me, he said,
“acres and acres of canvas.” I thought I got the message, but year’s later
after reading, Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, the art fair comment made
more sense, acres and acres, that’s a lot painting.
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| Summer Sunset 12x16 acrylic, mixed media |
Gladwell gives examples of people who have mastered their
chosen endeavor and are recognized for their accomplishments. The one common
element they all have going to reach the top in their field is 10,000 hours of
practice, think of it 10,000 hours. That is a lot of time at the piano or at an
easel. Even Mozart was very good at a young age but the more he composed the
better he became until he reached his 10,000 hours later in his life.
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| Summer Fusion 20x24 acrylic on canvas |
The Beatles, too, had to perform eight hours straight on
stage for weeks at a time perfecting that special Beatles sound. We see the
practice/ achievement connection as a baby starts to walk. It takes a lot of
tumbles to get the skills worked out. We
marvel at the major events in our lives as we too put in those 10,000 hours to
reach the goals we set for ourselves.
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| Coffee at the Beach 11x14 oil on linen board |
When we go to the outdoor art shows this summer, remember
the artists are hot, tired and wanting to get back to their studio to put more time
on the art, valued time toward 10,000 hours to mastery. Enjoy the outdoor art
scene and remember to support the arts as we enjoy this beautiful summer.
Joel
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