by Nicholas Wilton | Mar 29, 2020 | Art Practice
Since this all began I am making less art. But I am cooking way more. Making a big pot of soup somehow feels reassuring. As I was chopping onions the other day, I got to thinking how actually, making art is not so different from making food. Both nourish the body,...
by Nicholas Wilton | Mar 22, 2020 | Art Practice
I am sitting at my kitchen table and I just made this video with my phone. Right now, I have very limited access to my studio. Like you, I can’t do many of the things I love right now. The hardest part is that I am mostly by myself. Everything feels uncertain. However...
by Nicholas Wilton | Mar 15, 2020 | Art Practice
In my studio there is a very large, 8’ x 8’ blank canvas. I am a little nervous about starting because it is so big. I have never made a painting this size before. So of course it is going to be a little scary. Fear always seems to come bundled with taking bigger...
by Nicholas Wilton | Mar 8, 2020 | Art Practice
Hi there, Melissa Chandon’s art is so different than mine. And that might be why it interests me so much. We got to talking about the edges in her art and I thought you might find it helpful. There are so many decisions in paintings, but possibly the most important...
by Nicholas Wilton | Mar 1, 2020 | Art Practice
Hi there, our art is only as good as we are. In other words, it is important to keep a steady stream of inspiring input coming in so what is going out, our art, is inspiring too. So how do we do that? Here is an example I couldn’t resist sharing. Aondrea Maynard, a...
by Nicholas Wilton | Feb 23, 2020 | Art Practice
If you can take the time to answer these 3 questions, very likely your art will improve. These are similar to a few of the questions we use in the Creative Visionary Program to help bring clarity to member’s art. It is so easy to fall into a routine in what and how we...
by Nicholas Wilton | Feb 16, 2020 | Art Practice
The big idea behind all my teaching is “differences.” It is the key to solving most art problems and in many ways, life problems too. We all crave feeling alive. And what gives us this sense is when we experience things we haven’t before. Things that are...
by Nicholas Wilton | Feb 9, 2020 | Art Practice
Just thinking about being creative, can feel hard. Finding the time and space to make art can even feel like a chore. But it doesn’t have to. Today I am talking about some hacks to get you back into your art without the usual pain and procrastination. Watch the video...
by Nicholas Wilton | Feb 2, 2020 | Art Practice
I am pretty sure you are art goes through the same ugly stage as mine does. I hear from so many artists how much they hate this part of the process. Today I want to talk about this dreaded stage and maybe why it is not so bad after all. Watch the video below: There...
by Nicholas Wilton | Jan 26, 2020 | Art Practice
Do you ever feel like you are trying too hard when you are making your art? I know I have felt this way. It can feel like you are crawling through the desert on your knees. But it doesn’t have to. This reason this sometimes happens is because you are trying too many...
by Nicholas Wilton | Jan 19, 2020 | Art Practice
Artists have a way of seeing things differently. It is what we do. When someone experiences your art they get a glimpse of a brand new world. Art brings wonder to our lives. It moves us. It opens us. I feel this every time I see potent art. This just happened when my...
by Nicholas Wilton | Jan 12, 2020 | Art Practice
Today I am sharing the one cool thing I learned in making this painting. It just might help you too. It has to do with my favorite subject when talking about art making. Differences. When we experience things that are different from one another, it makes us feel...
by Nicholas Wilton | Jan 5, 2020 | Art Practice
So I just thought I would share a little bit about what I am making today. The thinking might relate to something you are working on too. As many of you know, I am a big proponent of understanding value contrast. When there is big differences in value, however, it can...
by Nicholas Wilton | Dec 28, 2019 | Art Practice
Making art can be hard. But finding time to make it is harder. This is the number one challenge that stops most artists from making steady progress. I have especially been feeling this lately because of the holidays. Both my daughters are in town. There are more year...
by Nicholas Wilton | Dec 22, 2019 | Art Practice
I am going to share something different today. I only explain during our 12 week CVP program. It is an advanced concept but I will try and keep it simple. OK here it is: In order for the viewer to really see and feel your art, it is helpful for you to choose the one...
by Nicholas Wilton | Dec 15, 2019 | Art Practice
All the work I love has one thing in common. It moves me. It can even take my breath away. But why? Over the years, I have thought a lot about this. Now I know it is because of one essential ingredient. And this is what I am talking about in this week’s video....
by Nicholas Wilton | Dec 8, 2019 | Art Practice
Hi there, How can we learn to recognize and use our intuition when making art? I believe intuition is the cornerstone of all powerful, authentic art. But even so, it can be hard to not only recognize but to trust our intuition. How do we know, what we intuitively know...
by Nicholas Wilton | Dec 1, 2019 | Art Practice
Hi there, We are all familiar with the hard parts of being an artist. But today, since this is a season of gratitude, I thought I would talk about what I love about artists. First off, I am so thankful I am one. However, it is easier to recognize the characteristics I...
by Nicholas Wilton | Nov 24, 2019 | Art Practice
Making art can be hard. But sharing it with others sometimes can be even harder. I think this is because, for some reason, we feel we have to be perfect. But this notion holds us back. And it certainly can stop us from sharing. Sharing, however, is the very thing...
by Nicholas Wilton | Nov 17, 2019 | Art Practice
Last Sunday, the extraordinary landscape painter, Russell Chatham passed. He was a writer, avid fly fisherman, and naturalist. But above all else, he was a painter. He grew up in California painting the wild, untamed places of Northern California. He developed his art...
by Nicholas Wilton | Nov 10, 2019 | Art Practice
Yep. This is one of the biggest challenges most artists struggle with… Starting your art again. It is so easy to lose the rhythm of making art. Sometimes it is a big life thing that gets in the way. It can even be a vacation. What about that friend who comes, visits...
