Hettinger Studio

The young ladies who pose for me never know what to expect when they first walk into the studio. Some are quite nervous while other are so laid back they fall asleep while posing. A few even set boundaries as how close I can come to them. Others tell me to arrange the folds in their skirts myself. I always begin with doing a nude. If they stay through a nude session and return I know they will…

My Dad Was Smart

My dad was a very smart man. Though, at the time, I had my doubts. He wasn’t too pleased when I told him I wanted to be an artist. We didn’t talk about what might be a better profession for me, or why was it that I wanted to be an artist. My high school guidance councilor washed his hands of me. Several teachers told me without a college education I wouldn’t amount to much. Told you my dad was…

An Army of Hope on the Move

Apple season; roadside stands selling the best apple cider, fields of gold and artists looking for those hidden places to capture on canvas. Autumn is closing in, inspiring artists to get out of their messy dusty studios to create prose with color and brushes. Fingerless gloves, worn hats, paint spattered pants and smocks – an army of hope is on the move. Art exhibitions are in the making. I…

A God Creating For Our Enjoyment

Forty tubs of paint, four dozen brushes, mineral spirits, paper towels, trash bag, extra large diet coke, one 12×16 canvas, one 20×24 canvas, one umbrella, one kitchen step stool, can of Deep Woods OFF – I think I have everything I need. Oh yes, my Julian French easel and my Molly, my protector from passerby’s.  Nothing like a good barking dog hiding under my easel to keep people moving. I…

Painting is Team Work

Coffee and a bagel from Jake’s is how I start my day. Some mornings I have them at Jake’s and bug other patrons with my stare, trying to see if they will spark a possible painting. Other mornings I have my coffee in my studio at my computer checking out the art people post. Butter all over my key board, I type in comments and press the “like” button a few times, and when I really like something I…

Beauty is what most artists I know look for when looking for something to paint; beautiful women, beautiful landscapes, beautiful flowers. I’m talking and thinking about artists whose style runs along realistic, not abstract lines. Artists who paint for a living or are serious amateurs who do not need to rely on a sale. How important is beauty?  How do such artists define the concept of beauty?…