As I wrote in the premiere February issue UP FRONT…some things may be changed or added
as time goes by. This April issue marks several such changes.
First of all, we've removed the ARTISTS ROSTER and RESOURCE CENTER pages because
there wasn't the participation necessary to keep them going. Perhaps these potentially beneficial
pages for artists and art organizations will return once the journal becomes more established.
If you would like to see them return, let us know.
I also decided to drop the LAST CALL. I was getting a bit tired of chewing some of my cabbage
twice. Combining what I wanted to say in LAST CALL (including my Schwartz Shirts artist
observation) could easily be accomplished in a slightly expanded UP FRONT.
Secondly, the ARTIST SPOTLIGHT has been renamed as simply the SPOTLIGHT. The SPOTLIGHT will continue to be an
opportunity for artists to have their story and artwork featured. The SPOTLIGHT will also be an opportunity for yours truly to share
some of my own experiences as an artist which, in fact, I will do in this month's issue.
We hope to feature guest artists in the SPOTLIGHT in upcoming issues. Shining a spotlight on various artists working in all artistic
disciplines was the original primary purpose for Artists Are Always Right and we will continue to strive towards this ultimate goal.
Finally, the FEEDBACK page remains as part of the journal as an opportunity for artists and non-artists alike to express their
thoughts about past issues and the Artists Are Always Right journal in general.
The SUBMISSIONS link above will provide you with all the details on sending submissions for both the SPOTLIGHT feature as well
as the FEEDBACK page. We hope to hear from you soon!
I am pleased to announce that sales of the Artists Are Always Right T-SHIRT and SWEATSHIRT are going well. Don't be surprised
if you see one at your next art league meeting. Or, perhaps you will be the first! If you would like to order a shirt…or two (they make
great gifts)…you can do so on the ORDER page by clicking the link above.
It takes time to get a journal such as Artists Are Always Right in gear. I knew this going in. I may be an idealistic artist, but I'm not a
naïve human being. Nothing good is easy and nothing lasting comes fast; these are truisms that cannot be challenged.
As a result of these facts of life, we do not have a featured artist for this month's SPOTLIGHT. In other words…some very talented
artist is missing out on a golden opportunity!
And so, for this month's SPOTLIGHT, instead of spotlighting an artist, I am going to spotlight a place that artists have journeyed to
for many years…specifically, Lower Yellowstone Falls in Yellowstone National Park.
Why this location? Very simple. About a million people a day visit this place. I may be exaggerating a bit on that number, but when
I last visited this visually magical location, it sure seemed like it to me!
Most of the people who go there arrive not with brush and canvas or sophisticated camera in hand. Most are tourists. You know…
those sorts of people that artists hope to eventually sell their work to. Several hundred thousand of these tourists, or so it seemed,
arrived at the falls at exactly the same time I did!
Was I disgruntled by the turnout? Was I concerned that the tourists would get in my way? Did I court the notion, at least for a fleeting millisecond or two, of pushing a few hundred of the tourists down into the depths below? Yes, to all of the above.
If you would like to find out how things transpired for me that day, I invite you to read this issue's SPOTLIGHT.
I have a ton of experiences as an artist that I've gathered over the years. Some are humorous. Some are not so humorous. All are
glimpses into the travels, externally and inward, that this artist has acquired. I am willing to share more of them with you, but I would
much rather showcase other artists and their stories in this journal.
If you would like to have your artistry showcased in the May issue of Artists Are Always Right, your submission must be received
by April 22nd. So mark your calendar and get your creative juices flowing! The featured artist in the next SPOTLIGHT might very
well be you!
I received several favorable comments about the March issue UP FRONT editorial regarding the MGM musical from people who
apparently feel as I do about great films. It's nice to be in such good company! Classic movies are a passion of mine. I hope the
films that I create will one day be regarded as such.
Some of you asked about my favorite films. I have many. Some are musicals, some are comedies, and many are dramas. To me,
it doesn't matter what genre they are. Only that they be good.
If I was forced to divulge my "top ten" list of perennial "must watch" cinematic classics (as well as the classic novels that two are
based on), my list would certainly include (in random order):
Citizen Kane (a must, of course!)
The Best Years of Our Lives (a "best" film, by far!)
To Kill a Mockingbird (if you don't get emotional watching this film, you have no emotion!)
On Golden Pond ( two "golden" performances by two great actors)
2001: A Space Odyssey (what can I say)
True Grit (John Wayne at his best!)
The Nutty Professor (the original, of course!)
The Grapes of Wrath (if I'm not depressed enough already and need some help getting there)
Vertigo (a fantastic lesson in the art of cinematic hypnosis)
and…drum roll, please…
The Birds (another Hitchcock film, I know…but who's counting? Oh, and I don't care that the film doesn't explain why the birds
are attacking. I don't need an explanation. I prefer it that way. It allows the viewer to use their mind and come up with a reason
of their own.)
I have many favorite films, but no "number one." What I feel like watching depends on the mood I'm in.
That's one of the best things about art in general, whether we're speaking of films, paintings, novels, or whatever. Artistic
expressions can fit your mood and they can change your mood. Art can make you happy when you feel sad and, unlike many
television programs these days, art can make you think. In doing so, art touches your soul. What more could you ask for from
a few reels of film, some stretched canvas, a block of paper, or any artistic medium?
Well…that's all for now. I hope to hear from you soon and that you are artistically enlightened by this month's Artist Are
Always Right.
I will close with observation number 890 from the schwartzshirts.com website:
"All true artists are united in that they are all enlightened by the same force."
Until we connect again...keep on creating!
Douglas Schwartz, Publisher and Editor