Working with a Companion Artist

I've been listening to my new favorite podcast, A Brush With. It's the kind of podcast that one can listen to on repeat as they work. You glean little tidbits. (Some of us write them down right on top of our drawing board!)

The episode with Jenny Saville has been on a loop the last couple of days. One of my favorite things that she suggested is that one work with, "a companion artist." In other words, look to the artists of the past and learn from them. 

Chantal Joffe mentioned Maria Lassnig in her interview. So, I pulled her book, The Pen is the Sister of the Brush, off of my shelves.

I've decided to take Saville's words to heart. Before I begin my work, I'm going to select an artist and try to read something from them before I begin as part of my practice. I'll also look at their work and try to see what I can learn from them. 

This is something that artists over the years have done. I've done it myself over the years (Van Gogh, Kahlo, Diebenkorn, O'Keeffe, Gorky, Cezanne, etc...) I just really liked how Saville worded it, "work with a companion artist." I thought you might enjoy it, too.

Lassnig and I are off to work now. More soon...