Following the Thread

Following the Thread

The Way It Is There is a thread you follow. It goes among things that change. But it doesn’t change. People wonder what you are pursuing. You have to explain about the thread. But it is hard for others to see. While you hold it you can’t get lost. Tragedies happen; people get hurt or [...]
How to Make a Cardboard Tripod Easel

How to Make a Cardboard Tripod Easel

Many painters and teachers ask us about the construction of The Painting Experience's cardboard tripod easels. These big, sturdy tripods have many advantages: They're easy to set up; they collapse for easy storage; and when their lives are over, they can be recycled. We have cardboard stored all over the country -- thanks to the [...]
Process and Presence

Process and Presence

To express spontaneously -- that is, without a goal -- is to practice presence, bringing our full selves to the painting with curiosity and interest. Artists are often considered to be the delicate barometers of civilization, sensing the deeper pulse of tides less visible to the unaccustomed eye. They can also be chroniclers of a [...]
At Ease: Reflections on Moloka’i

At Ease: Reflections on Moloka’i

I’ve just returned from my annual retreat at Hui Ho’olana Retreat Center on the Island of Moloka’i. The ten days we spend painting at the Hui mark my longest painting retreat each year, and they always yield fresh insights and new realizations. This year, one of the recurring themes was safety. As we settled into [...]
Be Fierce: The Way Out Is In!

Be Fierce: The Way Out Is In!

When “what is” is what is, “what is” is no longer what is. ~ J. Krishnamurti I was once teaching a workshop at a retreat center when I arrived to find the room far from ready. There’s much work to prepare the studio for a week-long painting course -- lights, protective coverings for the floors [...]