Has the Internet hampered our chances for creativity?

First Published 25th October 2015

It has been raining for the past few days. Although it is good for the water tank and our vines, it also means bad internet reception. Bad internet reception equals no WiFi which means limited smart devices and emails. It's great at home as we get back to basics. The board games come out after dinner and a disco can spontaneously start in the lounge room. Kids laugh, the dog barks and we sit back and watch the raucous.

Landscape painting (en plein air) in the backyard.

I wonder what life was like before the Internet or even television. I imagine artists developing their skills with many evenings spent painting, drawing, sculpting, writing or playing music - practise does make perfect. Has the Internet, television and other electrical devices limited our creativity or is it simply a different type creativity?

Wine barrel art. It has been nice picking up the brushes again after some time way.

As for me, I have been painting plein air under the awning of my shed and making do with a wine barrel for an easel. Even the rain won't stop me. It simply makes more interesting paintings! The Romantic 19thC English painter Turner famously strapped himself to a ship mast to fully experience the eye of storm. Now that is commitment to the craft!

Four little 5x7 en plein air oil on panel studies from this week.
Yours in art,

Bec x