Friday at the Literary Cafe

Pencil

Friday was my first official night of joining Tim Herron and the Pretentious Tremont Artists in their weekly portrait session. Little beats sitting in a back of a bar creating art over a glass of wine. Kristin was a great model; her three hour sitting was well paid by lots of incredible drawings - not a bad deal. This is now a must do on my calendar for Friday nights!

Portrait

This oil painting was completed in less than three hours this past summer.

Arches National Park

Plein Air, Oil 9"x12"

Mass Audience

Plein Air, Oi, 9"x12" Cathedral of the Ancient Ones

I debate adding a few birds or a couple of people (dots) in the distance. Unless you are familiar with this scene, you may not grasp the magnificent scale of this ancient rock formation. Anyone who has not visited Arches National Park, this sight, known as Park Avenue, is quite dramatic and breathtaking. In the aprx. 4 1/2 hours I painted, I'm sure thousands of people, many from bus tours, stopped by to take a look and many stood behind me to watch. It's par for the course when you paint on site, especially in areas heavily visited by tourists. Many look at a distance and several will strike up a conversation. I generally don't mind. I just keep painting and they usually have somewhere to go and only stay a few minutes.

Plein Air Moab 2012

Plein Air, Oil, 9"x12"

I'd like to go out West again to paint.  I found the landscape to be a huge relief from being overwhelmed by green. There is more opportunity to paint scenes that seem to go on for miles and miles - because they do. The challenge to this painting was the Mesas in the distance. They appeared to be flat in color which is something we midwesterners don't see. It was difficult getting over the idea that they looked fake.

Hay in Field, CVNP

PleinAir, Oil, 8" x 10"

Hayfield, CVNP

Plein Air, Oil 8"x10"

Canadaigua, NY

Plein Air, Oil, 9" x 12"

Boat Houses, Canadaigua, NY

Plein Air, Oil 9"x12", Kissing Cousins

I painted these boat houses at Canadaigua's first plein air competition. It was extremely windy that morning; my Soltek easel was sturdy and held up beautifully. Painting was difficult since the wind kept blowing my arm and I eventually had to brace my arm with my other hand. The mayor stopped by to give me a full history lesson on the houses. I could write a book on the things people say to outdoor painters. At times, it's very entertaining.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Plein Air, Oil, 8" x 8"

I was so drawn to the rusted and distressed look of these windows on a side of a barn that I did not realize my surroundings. Another painter, admiring it from a distance refused to come closer. "Why? I asked." "I don't want to come into the poison ivy, she said matter-of-factly."

Lone Tree

Plein Air, Oil, 9"x12"

It's been pointed out that I tend to paint lots of lone trees. I guess when you live in NE Ohio, painting trees comes with the territory - along with the color green, green and green. Note to myself: Consider alternative subject matter - maybe urban landscapes, the beach, houses...

Texture with a palette knife

Plein Air, Oil, 11" x 14"

I find that using a palette knife is a quick effective way of getting texture and interesting areas in a painting. Yet, I still prefer expressive brush strokes. I guess a part of me thinks there is a "fudge" factor or short cut involved using this type of tool. Part of me can't help thinking that many people who paint only with palette knives are covering up some technical shortcoming of some sort or are on par with some of those factory artists that were advertised years ago on TV as "fine art liquidation sales" at a hotel near you. Their work was always done with a palette knife. I'm bad. I know. My words may haunt me. I wanted to try it anyways. So here it is. I can personally see using a palette knife on occasion though.

Tinker's Creek

Plein Air, Oil 11"x14"

It's difficult painting running water with no restrooms nearby.

Experimentation

Plein Air, Oil, CVNP

Having a piece of cut canvas on hand, I decided to do some experimentation. For some reason, cheaper or imperfect materials somehow gives me permission from breaking away from typical approaches.  It's the same experience with drawing in a spiral bound sketch pad opposed to a hard bound sketchbook.  You can always rip out a bad sketch from a spiral pad and start over. There is a seriousness to expensive panels and permanent sketchbooks that keep me from experimentation and play. 

I like the way, the brushstrokes are more apparent and patterned in this painting.

Kendall Lake Forest, CVNP

Plein Air, Oil, 8" x 10"

Peninsula Marsh

Plein Air, Oil 8" x 10"

Szalay's Cornfield

Plein Air, Oil

Autumn Field

Plein Air, Oil 8" x 10"

Last of the Season

Plein Air, Oil, 11" x 14"

I recall this being the last painting of the season before winter. I especially enjoyed painting the grasses or weeds or whatever they were... It's fun painting thick and more impressionistic.

Quitting

10 am at the Depot, Oil 8" x 10", Peninsula Ohio's Third Annual Plein Air Competition, 2011

I started painting the depot from a different view when it started to rain. I tried to keep going by using two umbrellas - one which was given to me by a kind gallery owner. She probably felt bad for me standing in front of her shop in rain gear, water drops splashing my work. Eventually, the rain came down so heavily that it was bouncing off my palette and canvas; I couldn't see what I was painting. I gave up, and moved under the roof-covered train station.

Many other painters were already sitting dry under the shelter, far along with the progress of their work. A few commented that they were wondering when and if I would finally give up. "It's just not worth the challenge." said one woman. I painted quickly to make up lost time.

The painting won third place. Sometimes, giving up is the best thing to do.

A New Set of Eyes

Plein Air, Oil, 11" x 14"

My Nephew commented that he liked the water. (What?) I told him that it's actually a field and not a lake or pond.

Hmm... I can see how he thought it was water.  Sometimes, it's good to share your work; people don't always see things the way you do.

Stanford House Grounds, CVNP

Plein Air, Oil, 9" x 12"

Take a Chance

Having a show coming up in a couple months, I realized the experimental work that I did over the winter was still too crude to share. I layed out my old plein air paintings on the floor and was able to see my strengths and areas that needed improvement. At times, I find it difficult to share my own artwork; but I selected works worthy of showing. They are not perfect, but it's time to start putting my art out into the world. If I wait until my painting skills are on par with artists and techniques that I admire, I may run out of what time I have left in life. Waiting until circumstances are perfect can keep you in perpetual limbo. Seeing where I've been and knowing where I want to go, I can now start trying new things.