Trees at the Learning Garden

This was started in the late morning, after the sun had scorched my back side while painting the pond--when I couldn't take it any more, I moved to this nice shady locale. I think I might have three short sessions in on this one. Incomplete, as are all of these paintings. I do plan to resolve this one... later, after I return from my east coast trip.

August 19-27, 2015

Garden Vineyard, oh my!

Thursday of the first week, we went out to Garden Vineyard in Hillsboro for a gorgeous painting day and picnic. I started this painting (top pic),but had to stop and do a study of how the leaves hang down in my face with the forest in the middle-ground, and the mountains in the distance--how to push that relationship. And the graciousness of owners did not stop there... we got to return the following Tuesday! I resumed the same painting, and then at the end, realized it should include the trunk of the vine in the foreground, so I dashed that in. Now I'm thinking to add the big dark square pot that the vine is growing out of?  haha - right! It would have to be a diptych then. Never mind.

Another one that may be addressed further, after my trip. If I do continue with it, I will want to take a LOT from the little study and apply those notes.

Top:  18" x 24" stretched canvas
Bottom:  10" x 5" gessoed panel

August 20 & 25, 2015

The Pond

Day 3 - I had to stand in full-on sun blazing on the back of my legs to see the pond at this angle. So I could only work an hour or so on three separate occasions... and then on the fourth day it was cooler and I could work a bit longer. Four mini-sessions on the painting, I think--maybe only three.

I know I need to knock in more light areas, but didn't have any more juice for it--so on the last day I resumed a collage of the scene, hoping to work out the values... or something that could guide me to possibilities.

8/19 - 8/28/15

A Walk in the Woods

Day 2 of workshop - this is a lovely hike through the forest in back of the art bldg. at PCC. Like the first, I did not resume this one. I thought the colors were very unnatural, back in the studio, but as time goes on, I like the effect. Pretty sure this will stay as is, too.

7/18/15

Marathon painting at PCC Rock Creek!

I signed up for a painting intensive with Phyllis Trowbridge out at PCC Rock Creek, and whew-boy, they don't call them intensives for nothing! All day M-F, for two solid weeks. I got a ton of painting done. Well, not done as in finished--but worked on. Or played on, as the case may be. I'll get more of the images p'shopped as able--here is the first.

This is the view of the wide open spaces out in back of the art bldg. It was started on the first day, and never resumed. I think I'll leave it like this and title it "Dumb Luck"!!  I really like it, and ask myself--would painting the un-addressed areas make it a better painting? Hm. Leaning toward no, at the moment.
8/17/15

St. Josep Market in Barcelona

This is from a photo taken 2-3 years ago. I wanted to see how far I could take it using just the three new Old Holland colors I recently splurged on: Schevenings Rose Deep, Gamboge Lake Extra and Indigo Extra. (What the heck--color wheel att. here too.)

The yellow is very harsh--I think I even toned the linen surface with that yellow! I'll have to work extra hard now to tone this whole thing down. Whoopsie! Posting it anyway, for the chronological record--it may be some time before I can cycle back to it. And it will work perfectly well as an under-painting.

July 2015

Whitaker Ponds

I went painting with friend & excellent artist, Diane Holland, and started the top painting, got frustrated with it and put it aside, and then did the little graphic color study (middle), which didn't help much at the time. But now that I look at it, I'm beginning to see a way forward. The problem is getting the algae field--which is brilliant chartreuse in the sun, and sorta murky teal where trees cast shadow on it--to read as the same mass on the same plane.  I used it as a guinea pig later, in lieu of pcc homework, to knife on some new color notes over it. (That's the 3rd pic.)

July 28, 2015