Tom Hudson

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Tom Hudson

Ah, the Internets!

I don’t prowl youTube often; I’m a reader, not a watcher. But sometimes I do watch vids, of course. Two weeks ago I watched some videos about repairing stone steps and fixing my lawn tractor’s carburetor. They were good; I learned things.

Recently I tired watching videos by so called art experts.  Holy mackerel–what a waste of time! Aren’t ‘experts’ supposed to, you know, know something? I’m pretty jaded but I’m still amazed by how easily some people are impressed by themselves. Some people actually believe that all they have to do is assume an air of authority and–voila!–they’re expert enough to instruct others.

I’m not going to post links because I’m a live and let live type, but seriously, what are they thinking?

aesthetics, Culture, Movies, Reviews, Uncategorized

Movie review: Nightcrawler

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For an artist, Nightcrawler is a fascinating movie. Nightcrawler, released in 2014 and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, is about a bottom feeder, Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal), who discovers the world of crime scene photo-journalism. Bloom, armed with an internet account and google, is an autodidact who envisions himself an entrepreneur. As the movie opens, Bloom uses his…

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David Hockney at 77 is still in the game.

In a long, sympathetic article in The Guardian,  Hockney maintains that he is and has always been a workaholic. I have no idea if that’s true, of course, but it seems unlikely. Although I like some of his paintings, his work seems really uneven and strikes me as exhausted. I do like his Rousseau-like landscapes. I also enjoyed his book, Secret Knowledge, and never understood the hoopla surrounding it.

Paintings, Studio Corner

In the studio 5/10/15

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This morning’s painting session was my 15th on The News. I finished the painting and took a short break, celebrating with a cup of coffee. Returning to the studio, I immediately realized the last thing I painted was too strong and needed healing.  I worked another 45 minutes and set the brush down and went upstairs for a…

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Books, Culture, Reviews, Uncategorized

Book review: the War of Art

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Steven Pressfield’s the War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles  offers pop psychology advice to struggling writers and artists. Pressfield is most known for his novel and film  The Legend of Bagger Vance. Before reading this book on my Kindle, I’d read nothing by the author. Mimicking Sun Tzu’s classic The…

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Julian Barnes writes about his love for art and art museums in The Guardian. One point he makes, one which I agree with, is that you can go your own way but you must come to terms with modern art.  Although I do not share his passion for some of his favorite artists (Gustave Moreau, for example), his journey as a youthful art lover mirrors mine in many respects.

Recommended.