2 oil sketches from life painting session

This model was so pretty.... I didn't even come close to doing her justice. I liked the back lit situation... and I had a good start but in the end it all wound up looking too warm and I lost it. Well, with any luck I will get to paint her again some day ....and get a second chance.

Pear practice

All the daily painters seem to be having love affairs with pears..so I had a go at it too. My painter friend Cathleen Rehfeld made a suggestion that had to do with "economy of the brushstroke" (painting an object in as few strokes as possible). I thought about that as I painted this and I agree that it is a great thought to hold in your mind as you "put it down and leave it alone."

Tuesday..Fire and Ice Reception at Broderick Gallery

Yes! that is an Arvie Smith painting next to my Gorge painting on top row of this promotional card!
Artist Reception, January 27, Tuesday, 5:30-8:30pm

Painting live models

I have been fortunate to be able to paint models from life for two weeks running..and I am scheduled to go back again next week. The lighting is superb and the models have been first rate. How do they stay so still for such long stretches!? Sometimes things don't come together with my painting (frustrating..) and other times it does meet my vision...(hooray!) Well, either way....first hand observation is the best!

....I'm signed up for Elio Camacho's workshop...!

Elio Camacho will be back in Portland February 9 - 13 for his winter still life workshop. Mike Orwick has the highest praise for Camacho...Mike has sold many paintings after Elio's workshop during the summer. I missed that workshop so I am grateful for another opportunity and it is so great that he is here during the winter.
I am sometimes asked how I improve from one year to the next. Well...THIS is how..I sign up with good instructors!
Elio Camacho workshop
(At the spacious and familiar Kingstad Center)
Camacho was a student of master impressionist Ovanes Berberian, he is also recognized as a contemporary master in his own right. I'm not nuts about that floral that he has put up as an example...but trust me..he is a genius.
Maybe I will see you there!?

I took a photo of this sketch just before I screwed it up

It was going pretty well......
5 x 7 oil on canvas panel

January 15, Thursday..6 pm YOU are invited!

It was my great honor to be selected as one of the jurors for the current exhibit, Art Peace/Peace Art, at the Kingstad Gallery. Thursday January 15 is the awards ceremony and reception where everyone will learn the identities of the First, Second and Third Place winners ..(along with two honorable mention award recipients). I hope to see you there!

Street scene...color study

This is a very loose color study for a street scene...I'll look at it again tomorrow (with fresh eyes!) to see how I feel about it.... I might take it further or go on to do another version....or I may let it stand on it's own!
9 x 12 oil on canvas panel

Indian Yellow..to the rescue

I have this intentionally bluish/cool painting that I painted a couple of weeks ago. I am a direct painter and have not done much painting in layers. Today, as an experiment, I glazed my thoroughly dry bluish painting with Indian Yellow. I used a mixture of galkyd lite and the paint and rubbed it into the canvas. The yellow neutralized a lot of the blue/purple and warmed up the painting. Although both cool and warm versions seem adequate, Indian Yellow proved a good "secret weapon" for a painting that needed "something!" (Actually, I want to make a frisbee out of this painting).

Drawing class

It has been a long while since I have taken a drawing class. PPASP (Portland Plein Air/Studio Painters) has been afforded the rare opportunity to study directly with Kitty Wallis..so I could hardly pass that up.
The classes are based on the concepts put forth in Nicolaides book: extensive gesture studies, blind contour drawing, modeling of the form with gesture-mass studies. As I worked in class... the more presence I started to see in what I put on the paper. I'm looking forward to all the exercises in the book.

Broderick Gallery, Fire & Ice

Broderick Gallery is holding over the December show that got snowed out...and putting in a few other new pieces too. The reception is a perfect reason to visit the new Lake Oswego location. (Tuesday, January 27, 5:30-8:30pm) ...hoping to see you there!
Directions

Daily painting ..."reading in the Lounge"

9 x 12 oil on canvas panel

My one day show

Ah, the life of the artist is endlessly interesting. I took my painting in to O'Connor's today. Our group had decided to paint things that were "related" to O'Connor's. There are paintings of bar stools and patrons, doorways and such. I chose to paint one of the staff (and I had her permission to do so..indeed, she posed for me a month ago... I took photographs of her so I could do this painting). Well, my painting was on the wall for less than 5 minutes when the subject came out of the bar area to advise me that she "couldn't handle it" and that I would have to remove the painting. HMMM. You know, I was aware that she might not be crazy about my interpretation of her, but I was unprepared for being told to remove the painting altogether! Then she told me that I could leave it up for today (Jan. 1) but after that it "must go"! This is great! Controversy! It's like Duchamp's "Nude Descending the Staircase"!

Seriously, I am completely alright about taking the painting down. My intention is never to create discomfort. She did tell me that she didn't want to have to "field the many questions that there will be about it". (?) Well, that's a compliment. I'd like to think that the things I paint will be noticed. Apparently she is thinking that the painting would be "overly noticed" ... which makes me understand.....as an artist.......I did my job.