Blog

The Precise Moment Impressionism Began

I know, the title is crazy, but someone out there decided to try to find the precise moment impressionism began. Astrophysicist Donald Olson from Texas State University actually took a crack at finding that exact moment using the angle of the sun, the position of the boats, and the wind / weather conditions noted in the painting. The result: Impressionism began on November 13, 1872 at 7:35 AM.This is crazy stuff, but fascinating none the less. First the sleuth poured over hundreds of photos to find the exact location, which was a balcony of a hotel in La Havre. He

August 31, 2014

Oil Over Acrylic

The more I paint the more I realize that not only is oil the right medium for me, but it’s superior to acrylic. I have a few paintings that would have been much easier to create with acrylic, mostly because of acrylic’s fast-drying quality. And believe me, there have been moments, such as the one I’m experiencing now, when I wish I would just relent and use acrylic just to get the waiting done and over with – especially since I need to have a particular painting finished before the photographer comes over late next week to take pics. But

August 23, 2014

Art and Productivity

This has been something on my mind for some time. I wouldn’t call it a rant, or really anything new, but it is a reality and I believe an important point to share: that artists are as productive as corporate workers in spite of not being able to show anything at the end of a particular day. Thinking is Working Look, I get what you’re thinking – how is it possible that an artist is working when sitting in a café watching the world go by? There’s no way to put this on paper, but it’s true. Not only that

July 23, 2014

rEvolution: An Exhibit at Museu Guido Viaro

The exhibit ended at the Museu Guido Viaro on May 10, 2014, and it was a success for a couple of reasons. One is that I now have two paintings no longer in my possession. Barcelona Rooftops sold to a private collector and Cidade à Noite became a part of the museum’s permanent collection. The owner of the museum, Guido Viaro (the grandson of the Brazilian painter of the same name for whom the museum is dedicated to), has been gracious enough with his time to introduce me to various galleries across Curitiba, as well. My exposure was good and I’m

May 21, 2014

rEvolution: My First Museum Exhibit

These past few years have been a real struggle. I guess I knew what I was getting into when I left my comfy job in the healthcare finance world, but I didn’t know just how challenging the early years would be. In fact, I’m not out of the water yet, but next week marks the beginning of the next step forward. Of course, I hope there are many more steps like this in the years to come. From healthcare finance to a museum exhibit in just a couple of years, that’s what I call progress. I will be exhibiting at

April 15, 2014

Behind the Painting: Iglesia en La Serena

I started working with watercolors a few weeks ago, and today I finished my 11th painting, of which only two are worth presenting. The learning curve has proven to be steep but not tiresome. This painting is the 11th attempt and one of the two that I believe is worthy of satisfaction. It is called Iglesia en La Serena and it’s based on a photo I took while visiting La Serena, Chile a few years ago. I took this photo knowing that I would someday paint it. This was when I was a full time writer and yet to begin

March 19, 2014

Greg Mason Burns