About the Defense of Colored Pencils and Public Drawing

Artist Marie Brozova answers your most frequent questions…

• Why is your project called The Defense of Colored Pencils? Do you think that colored pencils need an attorney?

  Colored pencils are my favourite art medium, but they are unjustly viewed as a mere children´s toy, and it is said that you cannot create an accomplished piece of art with them. Even the children in elementary schools are often not allowed to use them, because of the misconception that colored pencils can negatively impact their handwriting and drawing skills. I came up against the opinion that colored pencils are a "non-creative medium" at every stop along my artistic path.

  Once my planned exhibition was cancelled because the owner of the gallery found out that I created my drawings (which she had admired very much) with her self-imposed taboo associated with colored pencils. I don´t know what horrible crime colored pencils have commited, but I decided to do something to improve their reputation, not only in artistic circles, but by producing drawings in public venues, where everybody may judge what can be created with humble colored pencils.

• What does the Defense of Coloured Pencils look like in real life?

  In the city or town where I am invited, I work on my drawings in A0 format (1189 by 841 mm – the biggest format paper available) over a period of seven to twelve days in a public place. I start with a blank sheet and work until the drawing is completed. In warmer periods of the year I prefer drawing outdoors, because this way I can attract people who are just passing by. During winter I usually draw in such places as libraries, bookshops or shopping passages that are protected from cold.

• Why have you decided to draw in public?

  When I only exhibited my work, people didn´t believe that I used only colored pencils to create them. Now that they see me in the process of creation, they can peep into my atelier and ask questions. Furthemore, the public drawing brings me affirmation – I can share the overwhelming joy of creation with other people. The reaction of passers-by is so welcoming and enthusiastic, that my effort is rewarded a hundred times.

• Don´t you think you degrade your art by drawing in public places? Wouldn´t a gallery be a more suitable place for your art?

  Modern visual art seems to be detached from the common people, who came to think that real art must be difficult to understand, that one must study art to be able to value it. Most ordinary people would never step into a gallery, because gallery art may not please their eye. That’s why visitors to my projects are pleasantly surprised, that art can be comprehensible, in vivid colors, positive and eloquent, without the need to be educated in art theory. My projects try to meet them half way.

• Don´t you mind that we watch you while you work?

  Not at all. I’ve been used to it since elementary school. There was always a group of admirers around, whenever I started to draw something with coloured pencils. Drawing is as natural as breathing or eating for me.

• Can we talk to you when you are drawing? We don´t want to disturb you.

  You won’t disturb me, don’t hesitate to ask me about anything you want to know. The drawing I’m working on, is already finished in my mind in every detail. That’s why we can talk without problem.

• Your hand must hurt when you draw for so many hours every day…

  I´ve been drawing since my early childhood, so I think I may have developed some special muscles. But the truth is that my hand must be absolutely relaxed while drawing, no convulsive movements. The grip mustn´t be tight. Nevertheless, I am standing for most of the time during public drawing and sometimes I get pain in my shoulders and neck. But these problems can be remedied by regular excercise.

• How do you manage to cope with this hard physical strain? How do you relax?

  I´m not very athletic, but I like to go for long walks in the country. After the end of every public drawing, I go with my husband to the mountains, preferably to the Sumava mountains in the south of Bohemia,. We hike all day to ease the physical and mental strain.

• What aspects of public drawing do you like the best?

  Definitely the direct contact with people. Being a painter is a lonely job, on the opening day of your exhibition you meet mostly your friends and invited guests and you have only a very small chance to learn the opinions of casual observers and visitors. I´m very lucky that people like my drawings and their praise and appreciation of my work is greatly encouraging to me. The most memorable associations are with children, who often recognize the same colored pencils they use, and their enthusiasm and zeal is the best certificate for me.

• What have you learnt during public drawing?

  I have learned to appreciate simple people, who are absolutely honest in their reactions. They don´t repeat other’s thoughts and they know well what they like and don´t like. When they praise my work, I know it comes from their hearts and it is because of them I want to overcome all the obstacles and difficulties connected with arranging and carrying out the project.

• And is there anything you don´t like about public drawing?

  It makes me very sad to hear parents telling their children:

  Look, you will never draw this well, you will never be good enough.

  I don´t have a right to intervene, but it´s absolutely absurd to compare the mature work of an adult painter, who dedicated all their life to art, with the first timid attempts of a child. Feelings of inadequacy have their root in early childhood. Even the door to great talent can easily be slammed at an early age.

• Can children draw with you during the public drawing?

  They can try out the technical charms as I reveal them.

• What nationalities are most interested in your drawings?

  I am very glad that my art speaks a generally comprehensible language. The most visitors to my projects come from Holland, Japan, the United States, Slovakia and Russia. All of them say:

  You should come to our country – only there you will you be appropriately rewardered for your talents.

  It’s very charming.

• Don’t you think that you have already defended colored pencils as the art medium after the years of your project?

  It is still necessary to defend colored pencils! It is easy to persuade sensitive open-minded people who are honestly surprised what can be created with humble colored pencils. But biased people, often burdened with art education, are very stubborn and determined to undervalue colored pencils. Nothing can change their opinion. It is sad that these very people have the biggest chance to influence public opinion in media. Not before long I experienced a shocking disappointment, when I wanted to donate one of my large format drawings to a very renowned foundation that carries out charitable auctions of art. I was told that it is not possible to set the price of my drawing, in other words, that my drawing has no value, because it was created by colored pencils and therefore it was only a children’s doodle. No matter that I had spent more than hundred hours to complete it, which was hardly comparable with the other obviously clapped up paintings created by highly respected techniques.

Read more frequently asked questions in the sections:

About My Colored Pencils Technique | About the Art Subjects | About Life, Universe and All…