Choose the oil painting knife in your hand, this shallow sea, as your lifelong ambition.

Objectively, Boggs lost a lot of opportunities.

In his lifetime, his high-quality paintings could only be sold for about 50,000 dollars, and the most important award he won was only the "Best Painting Creativity Award" at the Seattle Biennial in '06.

Professor Boggs has had the privilege of attending two art fairs in New York.

The sales add up to the price of a low-spec Porsche 911.

Collectors are a little unsure of the future appreciation potential of this non-mainstream painting method, and the response is relatively lukewarm.

Not to mention Jane Arnold, the million-dollar illustrator.

Her personal achievements are much inferior to that of the younger Ms. Anya.

But it also allowed Professor Boggs to gain many benefits that were difficult for mainstream oil painters to obtain.

Oil brushes are so delicate and complex that the title of "the first person to use oil brushes" is simply unimaginable for all mainstream painters.

Not even Leonardo da Vinci or Picasso would have dared to call it that way.

Boggs, however, is widely regarded as "the first person to use an oil painting knife".

No one thinks this title is too arrogant.

When the shareholders of Oil Painting magazine thought of anyone in the field of knife painting who could use authority to deny the artistic attainments of the detective cat, the name that came to mind was this old professor.

He kept sinking, and kept swimming to the bottom of the sea.

Art is a game of big fish eating small fish, and experience and age competition are all the resources for a painter to constantly devour and grow.

Half a century is enough for a small shrimp to grow into a giant blue whale.

After the first birth turned white, he gradually saw the ultimate in this technique.

He compares in detail the works of Titian, Edward Jones, and James Whistler, who skillfully used oil painting knives to shape their works, and these predecessors were the teaching materials and ladders for the old man in the process of learning to draw with a knife.

In terms of oil painting knife techniques alone, they are also slightly inferior to themselves.

Professor Boggs thought he had already reached a new level where no one in history had ever set foot before.

The unseen scenery in the depths of the abyss is the reward of his efforts.

Unexpectedly.

has been invincible for almost twenty years, and he actually saw another figure beside him who was on par with him, and even ...... She's gone even further.

"Interesting."

Professor Boggs put down his paintbrush.

The thousands of thoughts in his mind did not disturb his painting, and after a while, the works on the canvas in front of him were all formed.

It was a "Lake View" depicting the scenery outside the window.

The prismatic trajectory pressed by the blade cleverly turns into ripples on the surface of the water, which is extremely exquisite.

If only someone could be watching Professor Boggs and Gu Weijing, who was far away in Yangon, at the same time, painting the process.

You will find that ignoring the age difference, there is a strong similarity between the techniques and processes of the two.

Even the action of applying the oil painting knife has the same rhythmic sense.

Again, without thinking.

It's the same thing, it's ripe and flowing.

Professor Boggs snorted softly.

The old man examined the work in hand for a few seconds, then picked up the knife again, making a bold gesture that would startle the jaws of the students in the studio who knew him well.

He gently scrapes the paint at the junction of the Emerald Lake and the sky with the side of the blade, allowing the paint to be pushed by external pressure and blend with each other as it seeps into the texture of the linen canvas.

This is a new technique that Professor Boggs has just learned...... It's the detective cat.

A good painter is always like the fruit on the vine, bunched by bunch.

Outstanding literary and artistic workers in history often spontaneously formed one small group after another, small gangs, and appeared in groups.

Just like Schiller and Goethe, Manet and Monet, Boya and Zhongzi.

The philosophers' war of scolding each other in the same way as eating and drinking also deeply binds their destinies to each other in another form.

This is not only because interesting souls will spontaneously attract each other, but also because the healthy competition between masters will stimulate each other's creativity and achieve each other.

The improvement of the painting techniques of ordinary painters depends on diligent study and hard practice, and strict standardized art training.

The improvement of the painting master's technique relies on epiphany and self-breakthrough in the face of bottlenecks again and again.

There are many liars who draw knives and draw half a bottle of water, and there are only three or two big cats and kittens who can be named.

The disadvantage of being the best at a certain technique is that there are very few artists in the same field who are qualified to inspire him.

After the age of 50, he is more looking forward to trying to touch other art forms.

Until the advent of the detective cat.

Not only did it put pressure on Professor Boggs, but it also opened the door to a new world for him.

The newly published "The Little Prince" is something that Professor Boggs loves very much.

After careful study, he laughed heartily in the professor's lounge of the Brooklyn Academy of Fine Arts, as if he had been dotted with a layer of window paper.

It turns out that you can still draw like this!

It turns out that oil painting knives can still be used like this!

Professor Boggs has been trapped outside the door of the ultimate realm of knife painting for more than a decade, and "The Little Prince" has quietly opened this door through a crack.

He easily relied on his majestic painting skills to knock open the door and saw the starry sky.

The professor raised his hand.

The cream-like pigments mingle with each other obediently under the control of Burgess.

The end of the emerald green lake melted into the emerald blue sky, and the sky was stained with moisture.

Even the clouds were swept up in the mist and stained with a deep glow.

"That's it, that's great."

The professor nodded triumphantly.

The old man picked up the cat next to him, teasing its chin with his fingers, while shaking his head arrogantly: "That detective cat is very good at drawing and has aura, but if you have mastered the technique, an old professor like me is better, right!" ”

The unintentional paint on Professor Boggs' fingers stained the cat's snow-white fluff.

If he was holding Ngawang, he might have already bitten it.

However, the Scottish Fold cat, a pet cat specially bred and cultivated in the mid-to-late 20th century, is much softer and more cute than the native cat that catches mice.

The white kitten opened its eyes in confusion, not knowing what kind of madness this strange old man had suddenly made.

"Kitten, kitten, you don't know...... I'm looking forward to seeing her work, and I'm sure I'll win. ”

Professor Boggs held the cat and circled around the room.

He is indeed conceited enough.

Because if Gu Weijing put a calligraphy and painting appraisal technique on the work that the old professor had just painted.

He will see a prompt on the system panel like this-

[Title: "Twilight of the Emerald Lake"]

[Painting Technique: Knife Painting: Legendary]

——

"Queenstown's docks are home to the only old-fashioned coal-fired cruise ship in New Zealand still in operation, and it's very local, and the whining soot always gives visitors the illusion of a Victorian era. Local environmental groups have been protesting that its stoves pollute the air quality of the entire Emerald Lake, leaving residents across the area smoking 'second-hand smoke from cruise lines', and may not continue to operate for more than a few years. ”

The illustrator's dining table is not fundamentally different from the furnishings in an ordinary restaurant.

Televisions hanging from the walls play local evening news at low volume, and tables display Thai food from nearby restaurants.

At dinner, both artists came to treat his son.

But Jane Arnold, the father, was still well educated, and was not in a hurry, and asked his guest casually.

"Uh-huh."

Ms. Anya buried her head in dealing with the plate of Thai fried tofu in front of her, thought for a while, and raised her hand: "I saw a horse in the ranch before, can I ride it?" ”

"Of course, you can do whatever you want, and I'll arrange for an experienced cowboy to take you."

Jane Arnold had just found a random introduction to the topic, and he had more important things to say.

"By the way, I'm an old friend of the European art director of Art Sydney. I had a separate large illustration unit at the Carriageworks Art Community in September this year, but I didn't have that many booths, there were probably three or four vacant booths. Ms. Anya, wouldn't you mind doing me a little more favor and bringing me some interesting works? ”

Sydney Art Fair?

Anya almost choked on tofu.

It's certainly not a help, but a valuable gift.

Female artists have never participated in an art fair in Oceania, but as long as it is a serious large-scale art fair, there is basically no concept of booth vacancies.

Every position on display is highly sought-after.

Many painters have struggled all their lives and are not qualified to have their own small place to display a painting at an art fair.

Jane Arnaud casually promised three or four full booths.

Art resources worth thousands of dollars were easily gifted to Anya in the name of "doing a favor".

That's what the top art giants do.

"I'm very honored."

Ms. Anya lowered her fork and her tone was full of surprise.

She knew before she came.

The real art bigwigs are reluctant to owe favors to the younger generation.

As long as you are willing to help, you must gain more than you give.

If it is close to the core area of the art fair, the booth fee alone is worth more than her "Pet Love", and it is basically a VIP booth booked by the big gallery.

You can't rent it with money.

And how can the booth allocated to an artist of Jane Arnault's magnitude not be core enough?

"Tony's thing, I'm sorry I couldn't have done better." She shook her head apologetically.

Master Jane Arnold already knew that she could not do anything about Tony's condition, but she did not expect to give such a precious gift in return.

The illustrator waved his hand to indicate that it was okay.

"Excuse me, can I participate in the art fair in the name of Zaohe Space Gallery? I signed a couple of interesting painters who needed the opportunity to show themselves. ”

"I'll just mention it, if it's not suitable, forget it."

Anya asked tentatively, her tone nervous.

Whether it is three booths or four booths, there are a lot of paintings that can be placed.

If it can be turned into a special exhibition of the Jujube Core Space Gallery, and open up its popularity among the wealthy in Oceania, all kinds of long-term benefits and benefits are unimaginable.

The average unit price of a work at a major art fair may be above $100,000.

A good art fair marketing can bring in millions of dollars in revenue and directly build an entire gallery in the long run.

"That's right."

Jane Arnold groaned slightly.

"Hmm...... I'll need to give the organizer a few phone calls, and I can't guarantee it, but I don't think it's a big deal. ”

The old gentleman nodded and looked at his assistant: "When the matter has a result, I will ask him to contact you again, okay?" ”

"No problem. I'll just dock. You go horseback riding in the ranch, and I can teach you too. The assistant immediately volunteered.

Jane Arnold turned to look at Professor Boggs, "What about you?" ”

"No, forget it. The smell of soot is very choking, the smell of horse manure is very smelly, just like this box of Thai food that is neither sour nor sweet, I don't like it. ”

Professor Boggs shook his head, deaf to the exchange of interests that had just begun.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was eerily quiet for a moment.

The assistant on the side and Dr. Kim, who came over today to give Tony a psychological evaluation and stayed for dinner by the way, looked at each other and smiled helplessly.

In the minds of many people, artists are a group of people with low emotional intelligence and an atmosphere that cannot read and speak.

In fact, this is one of the most typical stereotypes of the art industry.

Artists are emotionally polarized, and it is more common for eccentrics like Van Gogh and Gauguin to be very smart and good at dealing with collectors and media.

The latter is often more likely to be successful, and the artistic workplace is also a workplace, and there are people in the workplace.

The former is like a filter.

Small-tempered and weird painters generally don't survive long in the art market, and gallerists are not shaking, and they don't want to sign painters one by one.

But if you break through and become famous, the weird temper will become a part of the personality, be tolerated by the market, and even become a part of the personal "brand".

No one cares that Picasso is a scumbag, misogynistic.

The master of knife painting and the status of a tenured professor make Boggs qualified not to read the world in most scenes of society.

"Then we can order Kung Pao Chicken tomorrow, or we can roast it ourselves with beef from the pasture."

Jane Arnold smiled, not angry.

There is also arrogance in his character, but he belongs to the more patient category among the great painters.

After all, people who have been grinding by an autistic son for forty years, and whose temper explodes again, have to be tempered with patience.

"Mr. Boggs, I thank you so much for being here, but with all due respect, what really made you make this trip...... If I'm not mistaken, it's the detective cat lady, right? ”

Jane Arnold pondered for a moment, then simply spoke.

He is a master illustrator and has many friends in the serious art world, but after all, there are differences in fields, and if Boggs has some interests in demand, Jane Arnaud can certainly make it easier.

But he had a hunch.

Professor Boggs, unlike female artists, is not here for this.

(End of chapter)