A Passion for Looking

                                                                 

 Stuart Shils gave a wonderful, insightful lecture which I had the good fortune to hear this past Thursday night at the Truro Center for the Arts. One of the things he spoke about was how before we make paintings, we need to develop a passion for looking at things. He uses his iPhone extensively to take pictures of what he calls "accessible images," that are found everywhere.When I wandered out later to the area we had been in for the reception, I noticed the chairs  had been all grouped together, then I  noticed the pattern and shapes and colours of that grouping. He spoke not about using these images to paint from, but more about " spending conscious time to enhance appreciation of what's in front of you."