My Top Blog Posts for the Year

As we approach the end of 2017, it seems that everywhere you go on the Internet someone is offering the "top" somethings from the past year.  I thought I'd jump on that bus before it leaves.  With that in mind, here are my ten most popular posts out of the 77 written in 2017.  And, keeping in mind that the custom is to start with the least first, I start with No. 10.

(If you don't already know, you can see an index of posts from all time in the right column on my blog, and you can also search the blog through the search field in the upper left corner.  If you're getting this post via e-mail, you will need to go to the actual blog site to see these.  By the way, it's all well and good to just go back and read my blog posts, but I have so much more that I offer in my workshops.)

No. 10:  "The Selfishness of Art"How can an artist work without guilt in today's hurting world?
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-selfishness-of-art.html

No. 9:  "Pochade Boxes I Have Known"I unload my closet to share some of my vast collection of paint boxes.
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/12/pochade-boxes-i-have-known.html 

No. 8:  "My Favorite Books"Books every painter should read--and then some.
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/11/my-favorite-books.html 

No. 7:  "What Makes You Happy?"How can the artist achieve happiness?
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/08/what-makes-you-happy.html 

No. 6:  "A Walk in the Woods: Texture Too Beautiful to Paint"Not everything can be--or is meant to be--painted.
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/08/a-walk-in-woods-texture-too-beautiful.html 

No. 5: "New Online Self-Study Course-Study to Studio"Lots of outdoor painters are realizing they aren't doing their best work in the field.

http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/03/new-online-painting-course-outdoor.html

No. 4: "Goodbye to Our Dearest Friend"Saba was not just family but also my painting pal.

http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/04/goodbye-to-our-dearest-friend.html

No. 3: "Smartphone Apps and Painting"Moving into the 21st century with social media and painting.
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/09/smartphone-apps-and-painting.html 

No. 2:  "To Blend or Not to Blend--That is the Question"I answer the generations-old question, and without causing fistfights.
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/10/to-blend-or-not-to-blend-that-is.html 

No. 1:  "Etiquette for Plein Air Painting Groups"Politeness is an esssential tool for the outdoor painter.
http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/08/etiquette-for-plein-air-painting-groups.html

You'll note that product reviews aren't included in the list.  I filtered them out, as I was more interested in presenting something other than reviews.  However, three product reviews were in my top posts:

No. 3:  "Product Review:  PanelPak 

http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/08/plein-air-painting-products-panelpak.html 

No. 2:  "Product Review:  Travel Painter Art Box" 

http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/11/product-review-travel-painter-art-box.html 

No. 1: "Product Review:  Gamblin's Gamvar Matte Varnish" 

http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com/2017/08/product-review-gamvar-matte-varnish.html

That's it!  Please remember there's plenty more on my blog site to read, and don't forget my books at Amazon and videos at North Light and my plein air painting workshops!