Old Warrior, 8x10 and more...

Old Warrior, 8x10" Pastel

Me in Monterey on the pier painting "Old Warror" with 

Thomas J. Kitts and Hai-Ou Hou (not shown)

So much time has passed since my return from the Plein Air Convention in April. Loads of super good things are brewing here in the studio as well as with my family. Juggling more bowling balls this past May and I can feel the pressure building into June and beyond. I am loving my productive life, the joys of being an artist are plentiful and I am ever so grateful for each day.

On the home front, my daughter of 18 is going to graduate from High school this Saturday and I am proud to say she has earned herself a substantial amount of scholarship money to Pacific University.  Can you say happy parents? Yup. The only thing that still needs to happen is for her to get her drivers license. I can't figure out why kids these days aren't hungry to drive?

In the studio, I have been finalizing contracts for 4 events. This means paperwork and organization are first over painting.  One in particular is the Umpqua Plein Air  event in September and I am pleased and honored to be this year's juror.  Held in Roseburg, OR, a painter's paradise, this show is well organized and supported by many volunteers. If you would like to try your hand at plein air or have never participated in a plein air event, then let me encourage you to consider this one as it is not juried, and you will have a great time painting along with many talented artists.

Another event that I am really "stoked" about is a Plein Air group show in August/September with Northwest artists Michael Orwick, Don Bishop and Ramona Youngquist and myself at ART Elements Gallery.  We have been busy securing advertising as well as an article in the popular art magazine Southwest Art, as well as planning outings to paint for this show. There will be vineyard painting demos and a few other great ideas that are still in the works.

I am also preparing for 3 workshops:

1-day workshop on Painting Water, Sunday June 30th

Click HERE for info

3-day Pastel Inside & Out workshop, Sept 21-23

Click HERE for info

3- day Pastel Punch! workshop, March 21-23, 2014

Click HERE for info

(info may not be posted yet as this contract was just signed)

There is so much more to share but it's getting late and I'm tired eyed. I hope to post more as I go along, even if it's just three words. Over and out.

Painting Water (ponds, lakes and streams) 1-Day workshop June 30, 2013

"Quiet On the Lake" 11x14  Oil

Painting this elusive and liquid element can be an artist's biggest challenge, but can also give you wonderful results. Learn the qualities of light on water, depth, transparency, reflections and all considerations when painting water. I will teach you how to see water, what to look for in water, and simple effects you can use with your chosen medium to make the water read as water. Student artists must have a full understanding of their chosen medium.

Any medium welcomed. (Demo will be in Pastel)

June 29, 2013

9:00-4:30

$95.00

Location: Sequoia Gallery

136 SW 3rd

Hillsboro Oregon 97123

United States

Supplies?

Bring your painting supplies and a drop cloth.

Extra panels would be helpful 

Sketchbook for notes and sketches

Portable easel

Water bottle or something to drink for hydration.

A sack lunch or lunch money. (great restaurants in walking distance too)

Bring a selection of photos of water. (No photos from published works please, due to copyright issues.)

I will also have an extensive collection of water photos to choose from.

Class limited to 10 students

Register by calling Claudia at (503) 750-6453

Scooter Stop, 10x8

"Scooter Stop" 10x8" Oil

Life has been non stop for me so please pardon my lack of posting activity. Honestly, I can't tell you how much busier life has been for me since March, and I don't see it stopping until I get my daughter off to college and all settled in. The distractions are plentiful and too much to list lest I bore you. Just suffice it to say I have been brewing up a lot of pastel dust and oil.  Here is a piece I did today that I am pretty happy with from an outing in the low down area of Union Station (the famous Go By Train station in downtown Portland). There have been many other paintings that I have worked on but not many that I am satisfied with or have completed.

There are many new events I've listed on the right. A Plein Air Showcase at Art Elements Gallery, a 1 day workshop on painting water, and a few plein air events that I will be participating in and jurying are listed. Please take a moment and check these venues out, all worthy of a few blinks.  

Planning out my schedule has been most difficult with the onset of drier painting weather and also the Plein Air Conference had taken up the bulk of my absence. Also, I do have to blame my lack of blog posts on Facebook for it's immediacy of posting. It seems that my blog has taken a back seat as life gets busier and it seems that if I can get snippets in at a fraction of the time. Oh, but I miss the diary of sorts that a blog offers, hoping not to bore anyone at the same time keeping time with my artist career.

I do hope to post a few new pieces here in the next few days, so please drop by and I'd love your feedback.

Fast forward to "Shoreline Shadows", 24x24"

Here is a little painting video of "Shoreline Shadows". Recorded and then processed on my iMac, then fast forwarded 800% to encapsulate the process. I don't know what I'd do with out this technology...probably paint more I suppose. My daughter Nikki, flutist, accompanies the piece. Enjoy!

Sometimes Quiet, 6x9

"Sometimes Quiet" 6x9" Pastel on sanded paper

Gosh, I'm finally sitting down to post this piece! I've been out and about running so many errands for my family; kids need costumes sewn, picking up family at the airport, flute lessons, soccer practice and teaching Art Lit...etc. When is there time to paint? Well, last week I did get out to Sauvie's Island again with my painting buddy Gretha. It was really quite beautiful out there, with the mist and cool colors. Finished this one quickly, a 20 min session, after working on a prior one that wasn't so successful. ouch!

I have been revisiting the idea and am getting itchy to paint more of the farm series again. I was down at the farm this past weekend and the autumn makes me feel so sad when I see the trees dropping all their leaves. It's quite barren and there is definitely a lack of color all around. There were some wild turkeys nibbling bugs in the fields... a very Thanksgiving feeling!

Green Scene, 6x6

"Green Scene"  6x6"  Pastel on sanded paper

Here is a small study that I did just for fun.  I was thinking 'green' here, and so it is!  I kind of like what's happening between the trees and sky.  Like the last bit of light of the day coming through, without the warmth of a sunset.

Break with Color, 12x9

"Break with Color" 12x9" Pastel on sanded paper Sold

This past week was Spring Break for my family, so we took a much needed trip to the coast. Traveling about 500 miles south of Portland we found a State Park in Sunset Bay, Oregon. We stayed in a Yurt, as described by my kids as, "a sort of hut with a silly name." As funny as it sounds, a Yurt is actually pretty cool to stay in. As much as I love Spring in Oregon, is a bit moist, or drippy to say the least. One day out of the whole time spent was actually incredible, and it worked out that that was the one day I got out to paint at Shore Acres gardens. This is my first plein air of the year. Rusty doesn't even come close to the feeling I had after setting up my easel! This is the pond at Shore Acres park. On the other side of the pond beyond the trees is a beautiful cliff, beyond and below is the ocean and I could hear the waves crashing while painting. Oooh, the outdoors!

April Waterway, 6x6

"April Waterway (study)"  6x6  Pastel on sanded paper

It seems like it's been months since I last painted anything and posted.  Being an artist and having a family is like juggling 5 plates on those long sticks you'd see in the circus.  My excuses come from every aspect of my life, making me feel like Sillyputty.  Those of you who have or had children would know what I'm talking about.  I Googled the word "excuses" and I found many explanations and thoughts for this verb.  Every definition makes me feel worse, like: excuses negate responsibility, are harmful because they prevent one from succeeding, or worse yet, they become believable!   So, am I saying my family should be 2nd to my art?   Nope!  They are the reason I paint!  If it weren't for this outlet, this way of communicating without words, I'd probably go nuts!  What are your excuses or reasons for not painting?

Here is another study from the Reference Image Library on WetCanvas.  I wanted to call it "March Waterway" because I painted it in the month of March, but "April" sounds better.