William E. Elston's Painter's Workshop: About
About
About William E. Elston
I received a BFA degree in painting from Fort Wright College of the Holy Names, studied briefly at California College of Arts and Crafts, and studied privately in New York and Boston. I have either lectured or taught at Marymount Manhattan College, Fort Wright College, Eastern Washington University, University of Washington, Gage Academy, The Spokane Art School, Seattle Art Museum, The Frye Art Museum and other institutions.
I also train regularly in Seido Juku Karate. I'm a member of the World Seido Karate Organization, hold sandan (3rd degree black belt) rank, and teach adult and childrens karate classes at the Northshore YMCA in Bothell WA. I also assist with classes at the Dale Turner YMCA, and am webmaster for the Seattle Branch of the World Seido Karate Organization.
About Painter's Workshop
Since Painter's Workshop has come online, I've found other blogs that take a similar approach. One of the best is the weblog of American born Italian painter Marc Dalessio. Marc is a young landscape painter, and a very good one. He's done a lot to exploit the blogging medium. There are other bloggers that have attempted to provide an ongoing commentary on a daily commitment to artistic labor, and I'd like to mention a few. Taryn Day's awake and painting is an excellent chronicle of painting practice. Duane Keiser's Process also attempts to show the evolution of paintings from their original conception through their final stages.
Another artist, and one that I have a personal connection to, is Joe Laney. His blog, Joe Laney Illustration, shows his ongoing experiments in a variety of artistic contexts. To say that I have a personal connection to Joe is a bit of an understatement. I was invited to Joe's birthing party, by his parents John and Joann Laney. Joe was just an hour old when I arrived, and I've literally known him all of his life.
I think that this personal connection, that is my lifetime friendship with Joe Laney and his family, helps to illustrate the true nature of art. It is something that we do for each other, if we are sincere about it. It's possible to do it for money, for fame and all manner of ego stroking. But in the end, the real art gets done for each other.
Heavy Snow
oil on canvas
40 x 30 inches
copyright ©2008
