On a recent trip to Madrid, I was lucky enough to visit the former home (now museum) of one of the world’s great portrait and landscape painters—Joaquín Sorolla. His vibrant, gorgeously-human depictions of family life (as well as the various cultures and regions of Spain) reminded me how much less distraction there was for artists in the past and how this might have resulted in a greater emphasis on craft.
I’m not advocating tossing out the laptop and server for a box of paints. But I, for one, spend an awful lot of unplanned time on my computer. While the Internet, email, Facebook, etc. are wonderful research and communication tools, they can—like the old complaint about television—lead to a habitual and mechanical use of time.
As Rob pointed out in a previous post, some creative types are rebelling against this by makings things (from food to furniture) the old-fashioned way—with time and care. I hope to reduce my digital life in order to write more, socialize with loved ones, explore my city, and engage in other “unplugged” interests.
Check out Sorolla’s beach scenes (dare I say it?) online for summer inspiration.
And if you’re in New York City, The Hispanic Society of America has an incredible collection.
Image: Sorolla, Joaquín. Paseo por la Playa. 1909.