No Permit Required

Sometimes the best views are in unexpected places

Is there a view that you long to paint but it seemingly is in a precarious place, out of reach or just plain dangerous?  We artists all have seen them and long to paint those elusive views never to be caught on canvas or paper. This past week I went out with a painting friend Anton Pavenko to paint the Sellwood District of Portland.  We love to paint urban stuff: grungy, grey with spots of color, busy and sometimes chaotic.  Yeah, that's what I have been really turning more and more towards this past year.  We set out to paint this particular neighborhood that is known for it's antique shops and pedestrian friendly traffic.  As we searched out our first post, this spot seemed part illegal and perhaps a bit dangerous, but hey, why not?  I rationalized that if we were asked to leave this dividing platform, then well, at least we tried... right?  Well funny enough, a squad car did pass us by with no citations, so we checked out just fine. Here is one of two pieces that I created...

"Pause on Sellwood"  8 x 10" Oil

If you have photos of you painting in dangerous or unexpected places, I'd love to share them here next week on this blog.  Please email your pictures to me through this blog and be sure to indicate your name and the location for credit.  Thanks!

Caught cheatin' again with oils!

"Dahlia Repose" 12x12" Oil

"Old Sellwood" 9x12" Oil

Painted in Craig Srebnik's Street Scenes' workshop

"Slope and Line" 6x8" Oil

"The Gates of ESCO" 12x9" Oil

It's official! I've fallen in love with oil painting all over again! I am wholeheartedly enjoying the challenge of learning as much as I can in what time I have available to devote to my art. My all time favorite is still soft pastel, so if you are wondering if I have abandoned them, the answer is no, I haven't.  There is currently a pastel commission on the easel and many more works to be created in pastel that rest impatiently in my mind. I am finding that working with each medium offers different methods and results, and that my pastel work has definitely influenced my work with oils. I believe this will be reciprocal as I move along in my painting journey.  As for now, I am going to post a few of my more recent pieces that I have created in oils.

Starting on Friday Aug 31st, I will be participating in the Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2012 event in Hood River.  Thirty five juried artists will be painting the region over the course of 4 days.  Non-stop painting in this great location is one of my favorite events of the year.  Come join us at the reception this Sept 7th at the Columbia Arts Center in Hood River at 5pm.  Hope to see you there....

So I'll see you next week at the same bat time, same bat channel for another round of artwork.