When art touches lives, Boy's Night Out, 14x14

"Boy's Night Out" 14x14" Plein air Oil on panel

You never know when your art touches lives. Let me tell you a story that happened a few days ago that I must share.

As I was painting a nocturne with 3 other artists in downtown Hillsboro, several people were walking about after dining out on the town. As pedestrians gathered on the street corner, across from where I was painting, I quickly suggested one of the figures in the scene to bring much needed life to the painting. The pedestrians crossed and stopped to look at our work in progress. I asked the gentleman,  whom I began to sketch into my painting, if he would care to stand just a little longer for me to finish painting him standing on the corner. He was happy to do so, along with his young son, which made the painting come alive.

The following day, I emailed to thank him and he shared a sweet story of this scene.  He writes,

"Thanks for letting us watch you.  Also that's one of our favorite street corners because for years I used to go to Hillsboro Hobbies with my Dad and now it's my son's favorite place to go with me. We always park on that side of the street and would cross over to the hobby shop. When I was little, I remember jumping up and down with anticipation, waiting for the light to change.  Now my son does the exact same thing!  Also, the corner you were painting from is the spot where we watch the forth of July parade.  Thanks for letting me purchase it. It captured a lifetime of memories."

How could you not feel good about bringing such fond memories to life?  When I paint a piece, I sometimes forget to find the meaning behind my subject because I am out just for the process of painting, but then there are other more obvious times when an emotional connection can be made. Those are golden times! It's kind of like fishing for a needle in a haystack. but when your painting can connect emotionally with another, you have touched someone's life...including your own.

How has your work connected with others? Please share.

~ Brenda

HIllsboro Plein Air 2012 event recap

"The Venetian", 12x16" Oil

This past weekend I worked along with 40 or so artists in Hillsboro's non-juried plein air event. It was a much more relaxed event than the juried ones I've been in this past season, and so it's safe to say that we kept a more leisurely pace. Hosted by the Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center, we had specific locations to paint. My first out of the gate was "The Venetian" (above) early in the morning. Then at noon, lunch was provided by Gamblin Oils with a demo on mediums, and then we went back out to paint some more. 

'Big Open Sky" 10x8" Oil

This one was painted at Jackson Bottom Wildlife Reserve in the baking hot sun with artists Anton Pavlenko, Yer Za Vue, and Thomas J. Kitts.  We stopped around 5:30 in the afternoon and then headed out to dinner.  With a little gas left in my bones, I headed back out to paint a nocturne with Za Vue and Quin Sweetman in the downtown area.  This is a street scene of part shoe store and part Thai restaurant. Again, as in my previous post, I worked this nocturne with no direct light working entirely by values. I am finding this to be an exciting way to work, with no regard to color...although, I do know where my paints are laid on my palette. Pulled it off the easel and walked it over to the light and BAM! Knock out intensities again! I called it good by 10:45 pm, then I hit my pillow by 11:30, wiped out from a long day in the sun.

 "Shoes 'N Thai'd" 10x8" Oil

Then the next morning the event conducted a 2-hour timed quick draw at the Walter's Center with Tableau Vivants dressed in Victorian period dress. I started one piece and half way through the session I became frustrated with my composition so I wiped it down and started again. This piece, "Victoria" was my one hour challenge, although I could add a few more marks to resolve it.

"Victoria" 8x6", Oil

The Hillsboro Plein Air was a well run event with helpful volunteers and support from the community. What I loved is that they made the artists feel special by providing us with goodies at check-in, canopies to protect us from the hot sun, a lunch provided by Gamblin, and awards.  All these things take organization and time to prepare.  So thank you Hillsboro Plein Air!

Seating for Plenty, 6x6"

"Seating for Plenty" 6x6" Pastel on sanded paper

What a busy week I had that I'm going to say it for my first time ever that I'm glad it's Monday!

Being a parent of young kids and also conducting life as an artist is kind of like spinning plates in a circus show. Every night this past week we had some sort of event: daughter and her 2 flute recitals, an art reception, baseball tryouts, my Dad coming to visit, and teaching after school art to grade school kids...there's more, but I won't bore you with that. Suffice it to say it's Monday and I'm back in the studio posting to my weekly blog. This blog is probably the only real consistent thing in my life, everything else is, well, just a busy life!

Here is a small painting that was painted from a visit to the Cruise-In Country Diner in Hillsboro. I painted the small country intersection of this greasy spoon restaurant a while back called The Cruise In Crossroad and then took my Dad out there to eat one day. I was really surprised to find that they serve up organically raised food, from the beef to the lettuce on the bun. The service was fabulous, a very 'homey' diner indeed. I love 50's retro and here is my way of remembering it. And no, it was not painted by memory, but by photo reference this time around.

This past week I also was accepted into a gallery in Tacoma, WA called The American Art Company. Yeahoo!

Enjoy your Monday!

Fall Forte' 10x8

Fall Forte' 10x8" Pastel on sanded paper

Making good use of my time gave me just one more opportunity to go out and plein air paint this week before the Portland rain chased me away. This was painted at Dawson Creek, a highly manicured pedestrian park that can be a bit too "perfect" to paint, but I did find these white barked trees very colorful and well placed. On my return back home, I discovered that I lost my cell phone, and I clearly remember having it as I was packing up my pastels. So I made a trip back to the park and thankfully found the dang thing sitting there, face up looking at me right where I was painting! Whew!

Now that the rain is here I'm back in my studio for a solid set of months, unless the clouds will part for some of that golden sunshine. It's only Portland, and yes, it rains here!

The Cruise In Crossroad, Farmington

The Cruise In Crossroad, 8x6" Pastel on sanded paper

I did get a chance to get out yesterday to paint in the great weather we have been enjoying here in the Northwest. I whipped up a few pieces, this being the stronger of the two in a matter of 2 hours. Painted at the crossroads of SW Farmington Rd and SW River Road in an area called Farmington. I really like painting these little blips of mankind because it's just so boringly mundane, it could even be in your neighborhood. I'm able to get out one more day, tomorrow, making that 3 times this week! I'm telling you, the weather out here has been unseasonably warm and sunny and I'm just lovin' it!