The BIG re-set . . .

 

The BIG re-set . . .
 

 

Chillaxin'  9x12" oil on linen panel

 

We're rollin' into March and I'm wondering what is on your mind!  We are over the Covid-19 epidemic and signs of Spring are starting to pop.  Soon we will be warming up to Summer... and then... Fall. Honestly I'm doing my best to accept whatever happens this Fall. Now, I want to be a duck and let the stress roll off my back.  No matter how much we all might complain or disagree about "this or that", we still live on the same planet and need to eat, breathe, and sleep.  Perhaps add a bit of "exercise" and the world is just right.  Or, perhaps a little bit of dark chocolate might help too...but I digress.

How do you wash away your stress?  For me, I go to my studio to create art and experiment with ideas.  I have discovered that either a flow or flop day at the easel is still a good day.  Most of the time at the easel is spent standing on my tired feet alongside my palette, applying mixed piles of pigment onto a vertical surface.  Somedays might result in a destroyed idea, while other days birds deliver golden eggs. Even if a piece is nearly finished, it can still take an abrupt direction resulting in a fried mess.  Regardless, every day's a good day when I paint! Sounds familiar?  Y e a h.

Rest brings another day, the sun will continue to rise and set, and we are all on this earth together.  Skip polar opinions and apply the practice of asking and listening to the "why".  Understand one another by listening carefully.  We may never agree with everyone... or anyone for that matter, but we are all orbiting around the same sun together.  Perhaps we all could use an interstellar trip ...and we're not too far from that happening either!  What's on your mind?  How do you "re-set"?

An Artist's Voice Is Not Heard

 An Artist's Voice Is Not Heard

Grandpa's Barn, Creswell, OR.  Demolished c..2010

 

I'm hoping all is well with you and are getting through your summer unaffected by all the bad news out there. It's been so difficult to find positive in our world, and as an artist, I feel a deep responsibility to bring some beauty into your life.  You see, it's more of a calling and I must do what I am destined to do.  So hand over the reins for a minute and hear me out, OK? 

So over the past ten months, give or take, I have been feeling something brewing in my artwork that was not apparent to me until last week.  As the paintbrush was burning up the easel, my work began to steer towards barns and rural life.  Simple subjects. Things that I could relate to on a deeper level.  And through discussion and feedback from my collectors and artist peers, there seems to be a common thread that is felt in my most recent work:  

Nostalgia  
Fond melancholy
Calm
Hope
Resolve

and all those feelings have been sensed in paint?

WOAH!  It is more apparent to me just how my deep feelings translate over to the canvas. So it isn't COVID or riots?  Well, I know those feelings of injustice and tragedy are pouring out in oil just the same. But now more than ever I realize the apparent visual communication I have been whipping up is coming out in ways I had never imagined.  It's a SENSE of calm I get when I paint.  My main catalyst?  The sale of my family's 100-year-old farm and a deep regret that I could not take the farm onto my own to cherish, nurture, and allow to blossom.  The change of hands had to happen at some time I suppose,  and so I express my feelings through creating with pigments. 

So please take a minute to visit both my "Landscapes" and "Plein Air" pages on my website.  Please let me know what you feel when you look at my barns. Is it nostalgia? Or perhaps you might sense a resolve in my work? For me, I believe that the artists' voice is not heard, but felt... and I feel hope.

Love me some desert work

This past December, my husband and I thought we'd do something different and take our growing kids on a trip instead of stressing out on buying gifts that perhaps might not be appreciated. Experiences instead of things?  What a concept!  

Well gosh, since I'm there I might as well get some business done while I'm there.  My favorite place to paint is pretty much the California desert, so I took oodles of photos for future work, and while I'm there, I might as well pay my galleryt a visit and hand over a few pieces. So my easel was on fire because I had just given myself one of those self imposed deadlines.  So here is what came out of the deadline.  Check out Brian Marki Fine Art Gallery online to for a peek of what he has to offer. 

The Main Strip (10x24" oil on panel)

Desert Floor (10x24" oil on panel)

This one has yet to be delivered...

Defiant Heat Rising (36x48" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas)

Clip of the Crop 11x14

Clip of the Crop

(11x14" oil on linen)

Being out in the sunshine painting a beautiful scene with bold color like this makes for a fulfilling day. This piece was created with an accompanying 3-part video short in order to share with you an inside look at my process. Jane Bell Meyer of The Mission Gallery has conceptualized the idea of presenting several plein air artists painting for three days in a row.  It's quite a kick to see how each artist conveys what they see, where they are, and how they communicate it in paint. 

Here is my very attempt at trying to tape myself at the easel, not very easy and not an Oscar winning moment either, but you get the gist.  Enjoy!

Watch HERE.

Winterglow, 9x12

"Winterglow" 9x12" Oil

Winter. Well I tell you, it is either cold outside or raining. Take your pick, Oregon has some crappy weather in the winter for plein air artists. However, if you can find your way outside while the rain stops or the sun shines, then by all means take that opportunity to paint. We recently had a dumping of fresh snow up at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood and the snow reports have been nothing short of "perfect".  So my family and I went up for a snow day. They get to ski, and I get to paint, and it was my first time painting in the snow. 

Plein air setup with a sun-shield

The snow is beautiful in the sunlight, with glittering color and shifts of light, however that sunlight can really burn you up with all the reflective light.  I clipped on a car shield to my easel to protect my eyes from the glare and eye fatigue. I think next time I'll bring a black tarp too, to stand upon so that the brightness of the snow is not reflecting back up at me.

Overall, I had a great time painting in the snow and plan on more opportunities to do so again.

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

Dawn Over Day, 9x12

Dawn Over Day, 9x12" Oil

Fall is nearly hear and so I rush out to go plein air painting before the wet, chilly weather begins to unfold and keep me indoors. Some days are packed with responsibilities that I find it hard to get the time to work, especially before a big plein air event, and so I get up at the crack of dawn to paint a sunrise. This piece was painted just a mile from my home where there is a small wetland that is hidden by suburbia. I love finding spots like this. The slow moving water hosts mallards, beavers and frogs with plenty of space to live. They are challenging to paint because the little critters are in constant motion, just as the sun rises at an iridescent pace. It was a magnificent show.

Opening Nov 1st ~ The Verdant Valley

I'm having a show.

A visual journey of pastel and oil.

Plein air and studio pieces

of the Willamette's verdant valley.

~Brenda

www.brendaboylan.com

www.artelementsgallery.com/

Nautilus Know-how, 6x6

"Nautilus Know-how" 6x6" Oil

I'm continuing my fetish with the 6x6" canvases as I seem to sell them almost a quickly as I paint them, which isn't such a bad deal. This one by far is my favorite because of the complexity of colors, although all of the 6x6"s continue to hold close to my heart. This time around I payed more attention to lost and found edges of the shell. Softening edges has always been a challenge while at the easel, but when it's done right it really adds so much more interest for the viewer. Setting the shell up upon a table, it was well below eye level, so I searched around the studio to find something available that could be used for the prop. A couple of books laying around would solve the height issue and these two had just the right hints of the same colors in the shell making them an instant "plus" for this piece. Hope you enjoy.   

Opening at Attic Gallery, Feb 5 and 6th

The past month I have painted A LOT for some upcoming shows!  I will be having 2 openings of this month and am thrilled to present my newest gallery, Attic Gallery, to my growing list of venues. Here is the flyer for the Attic Gallery on Feb 5 and 6th.

I am so proud to formally unveil twelve of my urban inspired plein air works in oil at Attic Gallery for the month of February. These pieces were all completed on location as I observed the city in it's parts as the urban landscape continues to draw my attention. I will also be including 5 larger studio pieces in pastel to make this show complete.

This Preview or "soft opening" will be held on Wednesday, February 5th. Unfortunately, Portland's First Thursday Gallery Walk coincides with the opening of the Winter Olympics on February 6th. Attic Gallery will continue to hold it's formal opening date on "First Thursday" February 6th.  I will be at both openings from 6:00 to 8:30 pm.

Wednesday Feb 5th

Thursday Feb 6th

6:00-8:30 pm

So come on out to help me celebrate my hard work at the Preview night at Attic Gallery on Wednesday, February 5th, --- OR--- First Thursday February 6th.  Located at 206 SW 1st Ave, Portland, OR. 

Attic Gallery is conveniently located along the MAX line.

Carol's Cup & Alorro Gold, 6x6 & 36x36"

"Carol's Cup" 6x6" Oil (Sold)

Tea cups continue to grab my attention for subject matter for my small 6x6 series because they fit so well in a square format. I hope to have "Carol's Cup" varnished in time for Caswell Gallery's First Friday opening on Feb 7th. They have also asked me to produce a few larger pieces for them and I have worked and worked on this piece (below) and boy did it have it's challenges, but I think I'm finally done with it...

"Alloro Gold" 36x36" Oil

Because I normally work on a smaller scale, the size difference was certainly new and challenging.  Have you ever sized up and things just didn't go so well?  Yeah, I feel your pain! Figuring out brushstrokes, composition, mixing much larger piles of color were all changed up. Furthermore, I went through the painting without sketching out a composition, and that was the biggest challenge of all. Asking upon my fellow artist friends to help me see through the fog, it became apparent that it was composition. From that, I certainly realized my hard lesson to make a few compositional sketches before I put any paint down. Painted predominantly with a palette knife.

Here is a slide show of it's process by "FlipoGram", an app I found that makes a fun slide show. It was easy to use and fun to see how the painting evolved. Have a peek HERE.

Proper Pansies, 6x6

"Proper Pansies" 6x6" Oil

Over the course of several weeks I've painted a lot, but shamefully I haven't blogged about it at all. Zilch, nada, nuthin'. It seems that there is so much to do and so little time. Too bad we can't buy more time somehow like it was a commodity, but then it wouldn't be so prized.  What would you do with it?

"Proper Pansies" was painted last week at Studio 30 during the "still life" session. Officially by my own calling, I'd categorize this time at Studio 30 as a time of good friends and conversation much like a tea party, but with paint. The small black teacup with the pansy decoration and gold gilded inner lining was from my Grandma's collection. It just glows in real life and so I tried to capture that luster with some Cadmium Red Med, Indian Yellow and a tiny touch of a green mixture.  The toughest part of this still life was trying to capture that inner glow of the light streaming through the yellow china cup. I think I got it...well, kind of.  Anyway, the yellow china cup I picked up at the Goodwill, a great place to find interesting things to paint.

One of the time consuming things I did during my blogging absence was listing with DailyPaintWorks.com. Also called DPW, it was developed by blogger Carol Marine and is quick and easy to list and simple to use. The art is varied, categorized and priced with either a set price or at auction. I have signed up to DPW to find a venue to release the hoards of art that I have in the studio that I must rotate. There are some really nice pieces starting just at a low $50 each. So, do stop by often as I post new work weekly. Link to the right---->

Here are a few listings with links to each auction....

Dune Path 6x6, Pastel

Dinghies at Rest, 6x6: Pastel

Cusp of the Day, 8x10" Oil

Fanno Creek Wetlands, 16x12" Oil

Glass Implements, 9x12" Pastel

Mosier Aspens, 12x9" Pastel

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.

Scholls Homestead, 9x12

"Scholls Homestead" 9x12" Oil ©Brenda Boylan

A few weeks back I took an alla prima oil painting workshop from Thomas Jefferson Kitts so I could broaden my medium choices.   Thomas is an awesome instructor with a depth of knowledge beyond any instructor I've had.   So, now I have to go out and practice, right?  Mix a little sunshine with free time and you get a great day of plein air painting!  Well...maybe.  This was my first time out painting this year as well as with oils in the field.  It was a very chilly, windy day so I took a small warming break in the car, only to return to a fallen easel!  Aack!  I continue to feel a bit clumbsy with the oils, but with anything, it will have to take some time.  Above is my first attempt in the field with oils of a small homestead in Scholls, OR off of Hwy 210.

So, yes, I'm checkin' oils out and hoping my pastels don't get too jealous of my little affair with oils.

Here is one of my studies from Thomas' class:

Floral Study with Oils, 16x12" Oil