Why A Blog?

     When I decided to listen to God and embark on this path called Art, I made a commitment to myself that I would embrace the journey and all it entails. So that means not only mastering the skills to become the best artist I can be, it includes studying the “business of art” and above all else, enjoying the process of being an artist.

     After conducting numerous workshops, and talking to customers, collectors and friends, I decided that writing a blog would be a good venue to have a dialogue with collectors and other artists about painting. A lot of people ask me my theories about art or what I like, so this is an avenue and a place to go to talk about all this. Plus I have good stories to tell!

     So, let me start at the beginning for those who might not be familiar with my work or me. I’ve been a full-time artist for the past 15 years, but art has always been a part of my life. My grandfather was an untrained artist, and he started me drawing at a young age. I think it’s safe to say that I was a lousy student, pretty much all the way through high school. But art saved me from being a complete academic failure.

     I went to Southwest Texas Art School and got a pretty good foundation in drawing (you’ll see me expound on this subject later). I realize now, that if I had to do it all over again an atelier-based school would be the way to go (more on that later, too).

     Flash forward to the beginning of my professional career and the genre I decided to pursue. I was really drawn to representational art and the figure. A lot of my friends were cowboys or involved in ranching, and I naturally gravitated towards portraying their stories. Western Art may not be your cup of tea, but it’s my opinion that a good painting will move people, regardless of the subject.
     I’m really looking forward to this, and sharing my thoughts on the creation of art, along with the intimate stories of the amazing people I’ve met. And there will be times I will just blog a train of thought I’d like to pass along. My plan is to communicate with you every day, but there may be times I'm traveling or up against a tight deadline. Then I might miss an occasional day, but it won't be often.  

     The one thing I can promise you is this: I am passionate about everything concerning my craft and my subjects. And I will try to answer questions you have about Art, my work, and the unique lifestyle of the men and women of the West. So I hope you enjoy what stirs my soul. Let’s begin a dialogue!
All content © J. Mark Kohler Studio.