A conversation with John Plishka: Part 2

How did you get started?

As long as I can remember I was always drawing . I had a chance at an art scholarship out of high school but opted for an academic scholarship instead. From that point on, I rarely drew until I got my career underway. I've only been serious about my art for about the last 3-4 years. Now I try to take classes when I can and paint as much as my free time allows.

Photo credit: "The Angry Barn Swallow Chick", pastel on paper

Giclee prints available; please contact Cow Art and More

October's featured artist is veterinarian John Plishka

Dr. John Plishka is the featured artist for October on Cow Art and More. Dr. Plishka's art has been featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. He enjoys both painting and drawing with pastels portraits of the animals he sees on a regular basis, whether they are patients or not.

Enjoy his question and answer session all month on the Cow Art and More blog. John's art will have free shipping for the entire month. See the complete collection of John's art on the Cow Art and More specials page.

Picture credit: Dr. John Plishka enjoys a moment with a couple of Holstein heifers.

A conversation with Lynn Bishop: Part 7

How long does it take you to get an average painting?

I've completed a 3' x 4' painting in 4 days while some 16" x 20" paintings have taken a month or more, so there is no "average" time. The length of time it takes depends a lot on the complexity of the subject, how well I'm focusing on the process, what else is going on in my life, and, sometimes, a lot of luck in having fallen in love with a subject that just has all the right elements in it that make a good painting.

A conversation with Lynn Bishop: Part 5

Where did you learn your technique?

Well, I'm not so sure I have a consistent technique. It seems I never approach two paintings in a row in exactly the same way. I've learned a lot by taking classes and workshops in university and art school settings and by studying books about art. The single most important influence, however, was a six-week stint with Charles Cecil at his academy in Florence, Italy, where he teaches classical techniques of drawing and painting. He taught me the sight-size method of working - positioning the drawing surface such that the image observed is the same size as the drawn image - and that helped me solve some major problems I'd had with my drawing. All that aside, it's the innumerable hours at the easel that have taught me the most.

Picture credit: "We Three Sheep", oil on canvas

Click here to go to Cow Art and More to learn more about this sheep painting