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.

Lovely Lithia Park

Where did the text go that was here, initially?  I will have to rewrite it--when I have time. Dang!  What happened?  For now.... this was painted from a photograph taken at Lithia Park in Ashland, and I was using only Payne's grey and a new Gamblin color called Nickel Titinate Yellow (or something like that).  And white, of course.  My "take-home" here is that black, or any version thereof, should not be used in plein air!  BAH!  Oh well, I like the figures.

Painting done 6/25/13

Yaquina (plein air)

Another lovely stay at the Sylvia Beach Hotel.  Mmmmm... I'm smelling the sea air now, recalling the beautiful view from my window, the sunsets, and the tranquility of this beach visit.  I couldn't decide what to paint--everywhere I looked, nothing but beauty!  So I went up to the coffee shop to ponder over a latte, and there saw a newspaper article about the Yaquina bridge--it being in the worst state of disrepair of any bridge in the country--and that it would likely be torn down and rebuilt.  That does it!  Off I dashed to paint my subject on this perfect sunny day.
Painting done 6/16/13

Hipbone long pose

Jeff at Hipbone conducts a "long pose" session every month, which means we have three 3-hour sessions to paint the same figure in the same position, and stand in the same place to do so.  The first week I did a few horrible sketches.  The second week I did a very small "study" but then never moved on to the big painting.  So week three, I did the whole painting (above) in one session.  I can definitely see the value of the long pose--it was much easier to paint the pose with speed and fluidity.  I would not have been able to do this painting during the first session.
Painting done 6/18/13

Retro Girl

I was invited to paint at Hilarie's new studio space today. Drat--I need to post more frequently, instead of batches like this.  I can't remember this model's name.  I'll call her Retro Girl!  I'm mulling over what kind of background to give this painting, and how to render the draped chair she's sitting in.  This is a work-in-progress.
Painting done 6/12/13

Za Vue Workshop

These three are from the outstanding Za Vue workshop. We are so fortunate to have such a talented and generous painter in our little PDX community. Za used her Memorial Day holiday to share her gifts with us for two days... she is an awesome painter and an inspiring teacher.
Paintings done 5/25-26/13