Diebenkorn was a distinguished American painter, draftsman, and printmaker
“Notes to myself on beginning a painting” by Richard Diebenkorn
Richard Diebenkorn was an introspective man who remained skeptical of
his success as an artist throughout his life. Over the years he spent
countless hours sitting in a favorite chair in his studio, contemplating
and looking. Perhaps it was there that he wrote thoughts that came to
mind on nearby pieces of paper, some torn from other uses.
The Diebenkorn Foundation
These notes were found on paper in his studio after his death.They’re listed BELOW.
You can also see a digitised version of the handwritten notes in the link
above.
-
Attempt what is not certain. Certainty may or may not come later. It may
then be a valuable delusion. -
The pretty, initial position which falls short of completeness is not to
be valued – except as a stimulus for further moves. - DO search.
-
Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities but consider them
absolutely expendable. - Don’t “discover” a subject – of any kind.
-
Somehow don’t be bored but if you must, use it in action. Use its
destructive potential. - Mistakes can’t be erased but they move you from your present position.
- Keep thinking about Pollyanna.
- Tolerate chaos.
- Be careful only in a perverse way.
They’re not the conventional dictums which appear again and again in many
instruction books about painting. Some are impenetrable to people who are
not Americans or not of a certain age
For example “Keep thinking about Pollyanna” only becomes clear when
you understand that Pollyanna is a character in a 1913 novel by Eleanor
H. Porter AND that she is an orphan with an unjustifiably optimistic
attitude.
To me they’re indicative of the characteristics of right brain thinking and an aversion to the factual, structured, linear, systematic approach associated with left brain thinking.
In fact they’re the complete antithesis of “step by step” instruction. It’s about an attitude of mind which seeks to be open to possibilities rather than learning systems for creating a painting.
Richard Diebenkorn: The Catalogue Raisonné
Richard Diebenkorn: The Catalogue Raisonné was published in four volumes by the Yale University Press in 2016. This
2,000 page reference contains more than 5,000 of the artist’s unique works,
including sketches; drawings; paintings on paper, board, canvas; and
sculptural objects
A two-volume catalogue raisonné of prints will be published by the Yale
University Press in 2024.
Exclusive
@TheArtNewspaper: “The Richard Diebenkorn Foundation has launched an encyclopedic digital
platform…and in 2024, plans to release a new catalogue raisonné
documenting Diebenkorn’s printmaking.” Photo by Leo Holub © Richard
Diebenkorn Foundation
— Richard Diebenkorn Foundation (@Diebenkorn_fnd)
October 7, 2021
More Stories
Understanding Children’s Anxiety Counseling: A Pathway to Emotional Well-Being
9 Ways Dissertation Editing Can Improve Your Research Quality
Ten ways to market your Halloween flash sale