On Chefs, Artist and making a half decent plate of food.

Reading next to a pink sky.

I’m reading this evening as is my fashion. I’m reading a few books at once.

I might tell you about the books later.

But first, I stopped reading because for a moment the evening sky went pink and stopped to look. I made a quick drawing that I’d like to turn into a painting.

I’ve had this reading room for 4 years but only very recently have I been doing any reading. I’m not quite sure what has stopped me, other than everything was not quite right yet.

And I mean everything.

Lighting, schedules, arrangement, the right type of coffee, the right combination of books, the right reasons to read,and on and on.

But now everything is right.

The pink outside has turned a warm gray against a backdrop of black trees.

And so I’m reading.

Here are the recent additions to my library.

I’ve recently started thinking of my Substack as me giving myself

the job of reading and writing. I don’t know why it’s so hard to do anything in this life without some hope of monetary return. I mean, I say I would do this if no one paid me.

But in reality, people paying me is what allows me to buy books and spend hours reading them and taking notes and drawing views from my window.

Here’s what I’m reading:

• Drawing Is

• What It Is

• How to Art

• Art Rules

I’m reading for vocabulary.

To develop ways of talking about things that come second nature to me & making me blind to them. And I’m reading to hang out with art and art people.

I read slowly and stop to appreciate distinctions.

Like when KATE BRYAN says,

“I reassure myself that a great food critic can’t cook like the supreme chefs she reviews, yet she can still enjoy trying to make herself a half-decent plate of food every now and again.”

Some of you might be the art-world version of a supreme chef. For the rest of us, it still feels great to make a plate of food. (Or art)

If you’re not already doing it, I encourage you to try it. The sky is now completely black and I’m going back to reading.