Laguna Plein Air Invitational final recap

The Gala Event and following show days...

(Sorry for the odd formatting, not sure why Blogger won't flush left.)

So it's Friday and the pressure to produce is off, making for a very low key day followed by the big artist's Gala. What does an artist do when they have time to burn? They paint some more! I headed out to Laguna's Main Beach and I spotted the iconic lifeguard tower and set up my gear, then along came participating artist Michael Obermeyer and then Jennifer showed up to paint too. It was a spontaneous, chatty time, with good laughs and sunshine

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Painting the Life Guard stand of the Main Beach
with Michael Obermeyer and Jennifer Diehl.

"Day Watch" 11x14" Pastel  (sold) ©Brenda Boylan

After a great time painting, we headed out for some lunch and then home to shower up for the Gala. We had to be there an hour early so we could chill and see the work prior the guests.

My piece "Intersection on 1", 16x16" Pastel (sold)
Honored the Edward H. Boseker Award.

What an honor! Caught off guard by the big ribbon.

The Artist's Library:  artists' extra pieces painted from the week

 s well as from their studios.

Celebrating artists Lt to Rt: Brenda Boylan, Paul Kratter, Hiu Lai Chong, Aimee Erickson, 

Mark Fehlman, and Suzie Baker

My two favorite flirts, Jean Stern and Albert Handell.

The second day of the showing, the artists had to attend the event from 9-6:00 pm, so what do artists do when there is a lull in the day? They get out their painting gear and have a impromptu paint out.

Jennifer Diehl and Colin Page painting a portrait of a willing model.

Jim McVicker and Ned Mueller painting Alber Handell's portrait

A willing subject, sunflower still life from the surrounding table tops.

"Sun Day Bouquet" 12x9" Pastel

available at Attic Gallery.

The event ended on Sunday, Oct 24th around 3 and then all the artists and organizers said their final goodbyes. What a wonderful week! I had very little time to gather my remaining art from the walls, get something to eat, share a piece of art with my gracious hosts as a "thank you" for their kind hospitality, and then pack up to catch my flight.  Whew, what a day! What a week!

Thanks for following along. I'm hoping you imagined yourself in this special place called Laguna Beach. Perhaps I will fortunate enough to be invited back to paint again next year.

Thanks for sticking with me!
~B

Laguna Day 4 Recap

It's Tuesday and I was beginning to feel more comfortable with the light of the day, the warmth of the sun, and the pace of the event, but definitely feeling pretty fatigued by now.  I headed out with Jennifer Diehl around 10:00 to a place highly recommended by Thomas Kitts. I'm so glad I got to see the beach, as I had been painting pretty much urban by this time and it was a welcomed relief to paint something organic. Thomas showed us a place called China Cove that had this wild looking rock formation with a cave like hole in it. The passing shadows moved quickly, so it was a tricky one to paint. We set up on the stairs and just painted away to the calming sound of crashing waves.  I brought a larger 16x20" for this one and I'm glad I did because it nearly painted itself!

Going large on location, this 16x20" 

The day was coming to an end, but not yet, because there was still time to paint a sundown painting.  We headed out to Heisler Park once again to paint and watch the sunset on the southern California coast.  I brought my Sennelier Plein Air Seaside set that has the perfect colors for wet and dry sand, ocean water and sandstone cliffs.  And well, I have to do a little shameless self promotion here.... my piece "Point Lobos Jetty" is blazed upon the box front...yes, I'm a Wheaties gal!

For dinner, all of the artists were treated with a buffet dinner at one of LPAPA's best supporter's.  I won't mention who they are for privacy reasons, but it certainly is a beautiful home filled with masterworks And I mean FILLED! One should even find good reason to visit the bathroom indeed. Recognized works from artist's like Quang Ho, Richard Schmid, Romel Delatorre, were displayed salon style, and gosh, I couldn't count how many beauties were enjoyed by the collectors. They had wonderful stories to share about each piece and how they acquired them that perhaps could be book bound.

Laguna Recap Day 2

(Sorry for the centered formatting, for some reason blogger won't let me fix it.)

Second day into the LPAPA event, me and Jennifer head out to the shoreline just below Heisler park in Laguna Beach. It was an overcast day with a hint of mist in the air. Unfortunately, I was not feeling very well and definitely not interested in painting an overcast day. I get enough of that in Portland. 

Looking south at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach.

So we decided to paint something on Balboa Island, an area just outside of Newport Bay where it appeared to be sunnier and more promising on the eye. I heard it was a very colorful, unique place and it sure did have plenty of subject matter for an artist to consume.  Even though there were a lot of beautiful boats and sparkly water, for some reason I wanted to paint an alley. I think just the sight of one took me back to when I lived in San Diego as a teen running up and down those long sunny alleys to pluck avocados and pomegranates from the neighbors trees.  Mostly, I was interested in the warm and cool temperature of the high key scene.  I chose a method of underpainting that I learned back in 2009 from Master pastelist Maggie Price. The technique requires 3 blue pastels and 3 yellow pastels, ranging in values from dark to light, and they should be intense hues.  

Here is my underpainting using  the 3 blues for everything cast in shadow, and 3 yellows for everything touched by light. It gave the piece a sence of bright light and cool shadow.  I haven't used this technique very much, but I think I just may.

The Backway, 14x11" Pastel ©Brenda Boylan

After I completed "The Backway", I picked up a lunch and then returned to Laguna Beach to continue work on my ambitious urban scene.

Still much to do...

I'm 2/3rds of the way through this piece on Pacific Coast Hwy 1, near a busy intersection. As I was painting this piece, my adventure gets a bit coincidental.  My aunt Linda drove by with her dear friend Mary. You see, she lives 85 miles from this spot, so it was truly a coincidence that she passed by that very spot, at that very moment I am painting. I hear and see a lot of things while painting on the streets, like people singing to the radio in their car, cigarette butts thrown by my side, homeless trying to survive, sometimes a loud roar of a Harley engine, but the joyful yell "BRENDA?"  "Hey that's Brenda!" was welcomed. I recognized those voices and so they stopped to visit.  Good times.

Headed to LPAPA and Easton!

"Urban Posts" 14x11" Oil

I just got notice (a long delayed one at that) that this piece was accepted into the LPAPA Best of Plein Air Show down in Costa Mesa! I am so thrilled and honored to be included in this show.  If you are wondering just what is LPAPA, it is the Laguna Plein Air Painter's Association and is a world class organization that is all about plein air painting.  Here is their website if you care to explore...  LPAPA

My boxes, all 5 of them, are headed to Easton, MD for the Plein Air Easton! event starting this coming July 13th.  It is supposed to be the best PA event in the US, attracting artists from across the plains and mountains to compete for 14 days in the extreme heat and humidity.  It took me a week to assemble and pack these goods, (don't ask why or I'll just bore you) and prioritize the shipment of the boxes. Inside are frames for 12x16 and 16x20 pieces...all to be adorned with pastel artwork.  I can't wait and hope I make it through this thing, as I hear it is not for the faint of heart.  Bring it on!