Rockport Red, 12x14

 

Rockport Harbor.

There must be at least two boats in Maine for everyone that lives there.  They are all over the place, in all kinds of shapes, colors and purposes....and with all sorts of personalities.  They would make a good Pixar movie.

It's hard to pass up painting a red one sitting against the intense blues of a Fall sky reflected in the water.....all those color possibilities....all those excuses to push and pull the hues and find color vibrancy and pattern.  Working boats are a pleasure just to watch bob around in the water.

My classes begin later this month at the Winslow Art Center.  While I frequently revamp what I teach, this year it is a total makeover and I'm going to try to move into areas of instruction I haven't tried before, but I think will help those in the course move more quickly into their own expression and style.  It will be pretty much all day on Tuesdays for seven weeks and will be four (yes, four) hours of instruction followed by open studio.  Come if you can.  We always have a good time.

Find out more about it HERE.  Scroll down until you find "Painting To Your Next Level" and read all about it. 

Drummer, 24x30

Liz Wiltzen.  If you are an artist and don't know the name....you should.  Liz lives near Calgary and, among other things, is a wonderful painter.  Even better, the blog she writes always has something pithy and important to say.  Every time I visit it or see one of her new posts she is talking about something I was just thinking and puzzling about....and putting it into terms that make me rethink.  She has another blog and occupation which is equally interesting....but you can find that on your own once you visit her art blog.

This is one of those three hour portraits done by a whirling dervish....at least that's what I presume I look like when doing one this size in that amount of time.  I love painting this guy because he is such a great model and a nice person.  Here is a closeup if you care to see the brushwork:

 

My drawing class begins this Thursday and is open to anyone who has spent their life thinking they can't draw.  Sign up for this Thursday evening class and I'll spend five weeks proving to you that you are wrong....absolutely.  Contact the Winslow Art Center for details.

Fred left. Didn't come back., 12x12

Sun and snow and lots to paint....what a great day!  Is there anything like intense light and color to improve a mood...and mine certainly needed this.

Help me.  This is a junkyard.  Why are used beaten up things so appealing to artists?  If this had been a new truck sitting in the snow I might have painted it....but I would have looked for something else first.  Is it the fact that so many stories are wrapped up in old things?  I mean, I'd rather paint a house from the 1890's than one built yesterday.  Of course, this theory doesn't work for fish.

Painting class begins this Thursday and I hear there are only a couple spots left.  We will be concentrating on painting from photos, exploring the pitfalls and solutions necessary to keep work fresh.  This will include several 'tricks' from the instructor....who has learned them the hard way.  Find out more at the Winslow Art Center.

Blue on Blue, 20x20

Blue on Blue, Demo, 20x20

Noelle seems to like this but she thinks it would have worked better if the plums were bacon.

I did this for my morning class.  For some reason they like demonstration paintings.  I have to admit that I like doing them....and I like watching artists do them.  It's mesmerizing to see a blank white surface explode into something that seems real.

Here is the quick marker sketch I did before the painting to explore composition and values before committing it to canvas.

It is about 7 inches square and what you see here is the part I framed after doing a more inclusive sketch....you can see the drawing continuing on from the black line.  Just enough information to guide me into the painting.

Season of Giving
Colin Page (wonderful painter) has an 18 month old nephew who can't walk.  His mother is trying to raise enough money to give him the therapy he needs.  She is doing this by selling Christmas ornaments.  Even if you can't help her out please visit her site HERE and read the story of Jakob.  His smile will melt you.

Thanks. 

Cool Red Nose 2, 6x6

These clowns spend their free time....when they aren't clowning around....visiting the kid's wards at hospitals, boosting immune systems with laughter, a la Patch Adams.   I think I could be good at this.  Wonder where I can get an application.....like I need one more project.

This guy had 'glow in the sun' pink hair but he looks better with it toned down a bit.  All of these small paintings were done with a 3/8  inch and 5/8 inch soft bright brush, sometimes held on its side for small places.

Have you ever wanted to be a clown?

Artwalk Demo, 16x18

Fifteen feet away a five piece band was playing.  People swirled around me meeting and greeting.  Occasionally I had to shoo folks away from standing in front of the still life setup so I could see it.  A little kid kept running up to share his latest drawing.....'see....this is where the bad guys blow up the sun'...  A few wanted to talk to me about painting, and a few others wanted to know how I could paint in a maelstrom.  (Beats me.)

All in all, last Friday's Artwalk was a lot of fun.  The music was good, the people were nice and the energy was positive....except for that sun destruction thing.

When I look at this piece I'm reminded of a comment by Bill Reese who said, while showing us around the artwork in his home, 'There is only one work I've done that I wouldn't change if I did it over', and Bill must have done thousands.  No matter how well we do things we could make them better.   It must be what keeps us trying with whatever we attempt....

Plein Air Workshop

Just a few pics from last weekend's Plein Air Workshop.  A small group of dedicated painters played with paint on a beautiful day at the spacious Fecher-Gramstad estate.  While the group was small in number, they were intense with desire to paint....and they wore me out!  What a nice group of people to be around on a great day.  Thanks to Debbie for the pictures....  (Don't you wish you had been there?)

White Roses in Two Versions

 

First Version:  3.5 x 4.5 inches, palette knife on paper.  A palette knife painting usually ends up with lots of pure vibrant color as once the paint has been placed it's simply there....no fudging the color with a brush.  It's just mix and place, mix and place.

Second Version:  16x20, demo with a brush on gessoed board.  These paintings were done a week apart.  While the forms are more easily recognizable and the color ended up pretty similar, it loses some of the abstract quality.  I like them both as different expressions of the same still life.  Someday I'd like to do a palette knife painting in a larger size but I'll have to save for some paint as they use a lot.  A bit more like sculpting clay...but with thirty dollar tubes of paint.

Tomorrow will be the announcement of the winner in the painting give-away.  There will also be a surprise coming with it.  I can't wait.