Workshop #2 with Scott Gellatly

My first effort in the morning (top) was a hot mess... I bit off more than I could chew, everything was so beautiful at the Blue Heron Herbary where Scott's workshop was held. I couldn't decide where to focus, so I put everything but the kitchen sink in that first painting! (In spite of his admonishment that "you get one thing"!!) Next two paintings were progressively simpler, and hence more successful. I was pretty well spent by painting #4, but I can see potential in that one. I think I'll paint it again, freshly, and on a larger panel. I thought I'd work further on this one, but now that I look at it--the following day--I think I'll leave it as is, just for the record of learning experience.

There's no place like home (she said, clicking her heels together)....

A fabulous day today, right here in my own back yard. Several artist friends each brought a few paintings and had a crit session (thank you Za!) in the morning. Off to a yummy Thai lunch, and then back here for an afternoon of painting from a model out in the glorious, perfectly temperate sunshine. A good time was had by all. I did not get too far with my painting, but it sure was fun and, with a bit more time, I think I will feel better about my effort.

Worked on this one quite a lot today (bottom image). Not done yet, but yes--better!  8/6/13

"Jen in the Shade", painted 7/27/13

Schminke Mussini, resin-based oils

This tiny panel was done after a downtown lunch-time visit with a new artist friend. I had gotten a small set of Mussini resin-based oil paints and created a travel kit, and wanted to test drive it. The kit will remain in my car, at the ready for a quick fix if my day doesn't have much painting time in it. This came about (the tiny painting kit) because of something I'd read about Fechin's basic palette colors, which included a Mussini color that is no longer made, as far as I can tell. Oh well... I like the little set anyway! Have paints, will travel... maybe even by Max!
"Max Lunch", painted 7/23/13

Plein Air Model, Betsy

A rare treat--and challenge!--today. Christopher arranged for an extraordinary model, Betsy, to sit for us outdoors in the dappled changing light. Loved it--now I want to do more. The top one is the lengthier pose, which was truncated at the long break. That's as far as I had gotten--roughly two hours in--having spent way too much time on the drawing/underpainting. That's OK, I've got pics and can finish it. It's about 11" x 14", on toned mdf.

The second one is a small (8"x10") quickie, done with no underpainting. I may tweak a few things, but will probably leave it basically as is. It's on a plain white Ampersand gessoboard.

Update 7/16/13 - I did work on the first painting, and have uploaded a fresh image showing progress.

Texting in Kyoto

Yeaaa! So proud of myself. I got the giant Torin rolling table (made for car mechanics!) assembled today for use as a palette table, and so was able to begin painting in the "big studio" again. And, as if that weren't accomplishment enough, I got underway with a new painting... one that will continue in the "Texting in...." series, which is scheduled to go up at the NECC in December this year. I've decided to paint them all at 16"x20", but have not received the shipment of canvases yet. So this one is on a 2-in. depth 16x20 I had on hand. Uh-huh... this'll work. Exciting!

P.S. Credit where credit's due: This is from a photo that my world-traveling niece took; she has given me permission to use her pics, all of which are superb. It's so fun to "arm-chair travel" with her.

Beautiful Anne Amie Winery

A fantabulous day yesterday! We drove out to the Lavender Festival, and then decided to paint at a winery instead of another lavender field. I recalled the beautiful views from Anne Amie, and we managed to find it. Oh boy! I so love this place--the owners were gracious in letting me set up under one of their giant patio umbrellas where I painted happily for a few hours. (Note to self:  add plein air umbrella to the wish list.) After breaking down the easels, we headed back to the Festival to see that a handful of painter friends had won ribbons--Kat, Kristina and Joanne among them. On to the reception at Mel's Frame Shop in downtown PDX... and then home.  Whew!  A 12-hour day, and worth every minute of it!
Painting done 7/12/13

Smelling the lavender

The Lavender Festival is next weekend, and painters galore are out capturing the fragrance on canvas before the big art show. (I have not entered it, yet; probably won't.) Val was happy to go out into the fields with me, even tho' she's not a painter, she's quite a good model, and is incorporated into painting #1, which I started on Saturday. The long drive to HIllsboro is worth it, it's such a lovely, peaceful location, and lots of shade under which to set up and enjoy the day. The owners of Jackson School Lavender are wonderful people, to open up their property to us--thank you to both of you kind souls!

So I wanted to go back out Sunday and continue the painting, and didn't have to twist Joanne's arm to much to get her to go! I worked on the Saturday painting for a while, and then felt it was getting too labored, and started painting #2. That one was done in about 40 min., and is much more successful. Simplicity of composition is key, methinks. By painting #3, I was working very hastily--I was tired and result shows it. The "guerilla card" paper is not as nice a surface as the Ampersand panels, so I was fighting that too. Oh well... A+ for effort, I say!

Gellatly Plein Air Workshop at Cooper Mountain Nature Park

It was even hotter today, I'm shocked I got through the day.  But OH! was it worth it. I learned a lot about color during the day.  Scott is able to give a whole new dimension to the color wheel, which I was able to grasp in a way that I am hopeful I might be able to apply in future plein air efforts. We were all spared from passing out by the Nature Center's overhang, which provided shade all day, and a slight breeze in the afternoon. A lot of beautiful work was done by all. What a terrific instructor, and group, and an inspiring day.

Annual HPSO Garden Tour - paintout

Three locations on the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Garden Tour were open to us this year, and six of our hardy (pun intended) band of plein air painters braved the heatwave to paint in several gardens. I was in the Tuttle Garden, and after being totally bowled over by the grounds--what?, one and a half acres I think!, fully planted with every blooming thing you can imagine--I got to work in the semi-shade of a plum tree and painted Richard, who was watering the cabbages when I first arrived. (The figure is painted from the photograph on my phone taken in the morning, before he vanished for the day.)  Basically, I got it blocked in when Thomas Kitts wandered over and--wowzah!--gave me some pointers.  Thank you Thomas!

Being a total weather wimp--especially when it comes to heat--I had to take my tomato-shade-of-red face home to the A/C.  (Note to self: DRINK MORE WATER on these paintouts.) So I hope to take those pointers into the studio and bring this to a level of completion which might warrant being called a "painting". Right now, it's pretty much just an idea of a painting.