Author’s Preface & Acknowledgments
Learning to Paint is Learning to See: The McCosh Exhibitions, 2005–2014 and into the spaces of a subject as he experienced its colors and complexities—sometimes searching slowly and methodically, at other times racing excitedly along. Like the Impressionists, McCosh developed detailed methods and techniques for his work. His calligraphic brush strokes and patches of carefully graduated colors moved the viewer’s eye through the painting at the same speed that McCosh’s eye moved through his subject. His point of view was always interior, personal, and focused on discovering the essential character
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MODERNISM was sweeping through American art
that a casual glance misses. And like the best painters
when David McCosh began painting in the 1920s.
among the Impressionists, McCosh had the technical
Social
Expres-
knowledge and skill to assemble all of the disparate
sionism, Minimalism and Pop Art all had their day
Realism,
Expressionism,
Abstract
information he learned from the subject into a well-
during his career. By the time McCosh retired in the
organized and visually engaging work of art. His most
early 1970s more than a few prominent artists and
vivid work is among the most important and innova-
critics were proclaiming that painting as a serious art
tive painting to have come from the Pacific Northwest.
form was dead. American art changed fundamentally
Beginning in 2005, I curated a series of exhibitions
over those years; but McCosh and his painting did not.
of works from the collection of the David John and
He was as well-trained and educated as any American
Anne Kutka McCosh Memorial Museum Endowment
painter and he was quite familiar with all the trends
of the University of Oregon Foundation, which were
and movements of his time. But the purpose of his art
presented at the Karin Clarke and the Schrager &
remained constant because for him painting was about
Clarke Galleries in Eugene. My idea was to explore
learning how to see. And his voice as a painter and
themes in David’s work and to discuss questions
the look and feel of his work always flowed from that
about his methods and purposes. Anne’s work was
simple yet profound premise.
also presented in two exhibitions that featured her
Painting has the unique ability among the arts to
insightful portraits. This publication brings together
tell a story in a single, confined space that a viewer can
images of paintings and drawings from all of the
take in as a whole. Think of all the battles, dramas,
exhibitions, the explanatory essays I wrote, and addi-
allegories, and fantastic tableaus in our museums. But
tional materials that were created for gallery talks
a painting can also recreate a personal experience.
and for this publication.
Claude Monet said that the purpose of his painting was
The help and support of many have been important
to state as accurately as he could his sensual response
to me as I’ve worked on this project over the years. In
to a scene as it appeared to him at a specific moment.
particular I am grateful for the insights and inspira-
This was the aesthetic premise of Impressionism, and
tion I gained from my many conversations with the
it led to an entirely new approach to painting.
painters and McCosh students Craig Cheshire, Mark
McCosh’s painting was also about his personal
Clarke, and Margaret Coe and also from the writ-
response to his subject. But his interest was in how
ings of the artist and philosopher John Berger. My
making a painting helped him see what was distinc-
thanks to Karin Clarke for being such a great cham-
tive and special about his subject. That’s what he
pion for McCosh and the art of painting; the staffs of
meant by “learning to paint is learning to see.” He
the University of Oregon Foundation and the Jordan
was fascinated by how his eye moved across, around,
Schnitzer Museum of Art, in particular Danielle
