website update

Many thanks to Kay Dewar of Dewar Design for my yearly website update.

The painting on my homepage is "Shades of Summer," a pastel I barely knew. Soon after it was completed, it went to the Northwest Pastel Society Signature Invitational Show at Scott Milo Gallery, Anacortes, Washington and on to a new home. Sometimes that happens and those paintings remain in my memory longer than the ones I have around for years. Kay added selected paintings for a 2013 Archive as well as fashion sketches from 1964. When I look at my work as a retrospective, I'm always a little surprised.

shiny

More studio cleaning: this is a small colored pencil drawing done with a French Gray grisaille (tonal foundation). I taught this technique for years...how to build color upon a neutral base. Available for purchase through my Studio Sales.

looking back (far, far back)

 

Look what I found in a bottom drawer in the studio. This was the kind of art I was doing 50 years ago. Holy Moly I'm old! Fashion sketches on tracing paper from around the time that I worked as a fashion illustrator for The Bon Marché department store in Seattle.

windmist

A misty ridge of dancing tree forms, "Windmist" is the final painting from the summer of 2013 series. It is available for purchase through my Daily Paintworks Gallery.

2013 collage

A painting sabbatical doesn't stop the need for the business of art. It is time to have my website updated with the archive of 2013 paintings. I selected 21 from this year and, in the process of sending small images to my web designer, I was struck by the collage effect they made when placed randomly all together.

making progress

I loved the wildness of the neglected property but to make this place our home we had to clean it up. After the old smelly cabin was gone, we hauled away seven dumpsters of brush, stumps, tires, pipes, concrete, ant hills, bee nests and general garbage.

The lake is in the distance, beyond our car. The line of yellow is straw where the cabin used to be and where the house and studio will be in the future. There is a maple grove, and fruit trees will be planted where I stood to take the bottom photo (a spot that was impassable before the excavator). We're making progress.

Painting Note: the top photo is the reference for my painting Long Time Passing.

bye bye old smelly

Our new lake property came with a rotting 1928 cabin. We had it demolished a few days ago. Now, on to new house plans and a new studio. Yay!

from the heart

This summer I painted a dozen small pastel paintings 'from the heart.' No reference photos, just me and my pastel sticks working and playing together to set a mood and tell a story. This is "Afternoon Passage," my first offering from the series, for purchase through Daily Paintworks. Pastel on sanded surface, 7.5 x 7.5 inches, unframed.

looking inward

Two months ago I completed a painting titled "Long Time Passing" and mentioned at that time that I'd share the backstory in the future. The future is now so here is the link to that post as well as a link to the process and below is the backstory.

My husband and I recently purchased lake property. I painted this scene of it when the previous owner first allowed us to walk the land. At that time, the sale was uncertain and turned out to be months away. Overgrown and wild, we looked at it for years as we drove by; to finally own it is a dream come true. I want to make the property and the building of a house and studio there my priority even though that will mean painting less or not at all for awhile.

This new project comes at a time when I was questioning why I paint what I do. I lost interest in painting scenes from reference photos so I threw all my photos out. I began painting what I called "mind's-eye" scenes. They might be from my memory though I don't remember having been in these places. Maybe they are from my heart?

As part of my break from painting,  I rarely log into Facebook these days and I cancelled most of my blog subscriptions because these are sources of painting motivation for me.

Two subscriptions I didn't want to give up are Tom Weinkle and Loriann Signori because these artists provide thought provoking words of wisdom. I may not be painting but I am certainly thinking about painting. Specifically what/how/why I will paint in the future.  I am looking inward.

attention pastel artists

This is my Pastel Journal magazine collection, 2001 through 2012, complete except for the February 2011 issue (where is it? I have looked everywhere!). There are 69 magazines and 4 guides. It is time for me to pass this collection on to someone else. If you are interested, please email me.

NOTE: I FOUND FEBRUARY 2011! Now there are 70 issues, a complete set!

step 9 - complete with details

Step 9 - Complete with Details

The last step of my work is to add details. I believe that a good painting should be 95% complete before adding details (see above).  Details can never save a mediocre painting.

Before beginning detail work ask yourself if you have a strong composition. Do you have the range of values that is appropriate to the story you want to tell? Once you have a pleasing composition and good value placement, you can review your color. It has been said that value does the work and color gets the glory. It matters less what exact color you use than the value of that color. Any number of colors in the same value range will do the job but some will do it with more vigor than others.

The marks you make for your detail work are very important because these are the strokes the viewer will look at first. For that reason, put detail only in strategic areas to do a job: to lead the eye around the painting or to tell the story. Your detail marks must be confident. Tentative marks of detail have a labored and tense look.

 Follow Your Heart  |  pastel  | 10.5 x 12 inches

step 8 - add transparency

Step 8 - Add Transparency

To achieve the look of translucency, I hold my pastel stick so the side of the pastel, not the tip, touches the paper. In a fluid movement, I touch the pastel to the paper and drag. This gives a light layer or veil of color and when used over another color the result can be magical. In this painting, I used two complementary colors, one as the base and one as the veil. Because complementary colors intensify each other and vibrate, the yellow green veil placed over the complementary violet background seems to lift and float, adding depth to the tree foliage. 

Complete the details tomorrow... 

step 7 - enchancing the atmosphere

Step 7-Enhancing the Atmosphere

Adding a lavender purple will soften and unify the other colors. I apply pastel veils of color. My marks are strong and direct. I add lavender notes on the ground, and I take a little pigment throughout the stage to create an atmosphere. I reused my light yellow to provide more saturation to the sky.  I use the ridge of a pastel stick to emphasize the presence of trees on the left.

Step 8 tomorrow...

step 6 - play with color

Step 6-Play with Your Colors
I have not planned the color scheme of this painting in advance because I do not want to transform the process of creation into a method of production. The relationship between colors is critical knowledge for an artist.  We have to ask: is the purple under the shade of green trees too bright, too extinguished and dull?  Does it deserve adjustment? It is gratifying to find the right color immediately. When in doubt, I test on the margins of my paper.

Step 7 tomorrow...

step 5 - create atmosphere

Step 5-Create an Atmosphere
The mood of a painting is set by composition, color, color temperature and pastel technique. Here, the horizon is slightly above the center of the paper, which balances the composition.  The path must go a certain way.  Surrounding trees emphasize the private aspect of this trip.  If you think about the mood, and if you know your subject and you have a clear vision of the story you want to tell, you will naturally gravitate to the right colors.  I want a calm and serene atmosphere. My first choice of color is a blue-violet.  I apply it generously, as it will have to bear the overlays.

Next step will be posted tomorrow...

Step 4 - bring dynamism

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Step 4-Bring dynamism to the painting
A complete set of values ​​will bring force to your tableau. The lightest value lies in the sky, unless you are painting bright snow or sand.  The second value is the flat ground. Upright rees and shade will be a darker value. I apply my darkest value (dark green brown). I use a gloved finger to blend the pigment. I love working the material with a glove, I have the feeling of coming into the image to work transparency and depth.  I merge the ghost color along the edge of the forest. To establish and confirm the setting, I use a Colour Shaper:  this tool is ideal to draw the foliage, stems and grass. 

Step 5 tomorrow...

step 3 - define the big shapes

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Step 3-Define Volume
I live in an area where the sky is often overcast.  I love these neutral and gray skies, which are made up of many colors.  For this sky, I will push the color toward a light yellow. I apply the pastel quite firmly to cover the colorful area of ​​the ghost picture.  Later, I will return to the sky with the same color, but the color values are strengthened.  With yellow ocher, I place the path, the road, which gives movement to the image.  It is also the narrative element of this tableau, since the story I want to tell will reflect the path I choose to follow. 

See step 4 tomorrow... 

step 2 - simplify the subject

Step 2-Simplify the Subject
My landscapes are my impressions of a place, not a copy of it.  I do not want to paint every leaf and every blade of grass.  I am more concerned with the emotion of a place than into the realism.  I allow myself to move a tree, create a path. The observation is a starting point, and you have to play on interesting elements of the design to tell a story.  From the moment when my values ​​are defined, I use a flat brush (size 10) that I soaked in a solution of 91% Isopropanol (which dries faster and alters the paper less) to establish large shapes of the composition. I always use old brushes, because the sandpaper tends to damage them.

See step 3 tomorrow...

if you don't read french...

 Follow Your Heart  |  pastel  |  10.5 x 12 inches

 This is a reference photo of the scene at Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, Washington.

My painting, Follow Your Heart, was the subject of a recent article for Pratique des Arts magazine. A huge thank you to my nephew Hunter for translating the article into English so I could read it. Over the next few days, I will be posting the painting steps here for you. 

 

Step 1-Working from a Ghost Image
To reuse the paper from a previous pastel panting, I remove the pastel from its frame and brush the pastel off, or if it is a paper that tolerates water such as Wallis, I wash the pastel off. This cleaning will leave a ghost image that is trace color for the foundation of my future painting.  Inspiration can come from stains that remain after washing the surface.

See step 2 tomorrow...

life changes

It's official. My husband and I finally own property on the lake where we have been looking for many years. With this dream coming into reality, I'll be stepping back a little from my art commitments for awhile. It was so long coming that I want to give it priority for my time and energy. 

if you read french...

I am honored to be included in the No. 111 edition of the French magazine, Pratique des Arts! Of course, I don't speak or read French but I love the way the article looks. If you read French, enjoy.

nine

All together now...the nine small pastels from this summer. They are for review first by a collector of my work then some or all will be posted on my Daily Paintworks Gallery in the fall.

week end

I'm ending the week with "Windmist," pastel,  7.5 x 7 inches. I think that will be the last of these small paintings for a while. The vegetable garden has turned into a jungle and is calling me to weed it.

lush life

This little painting took a lot of work, trial and error, patience and perseverance - a metaphor for life. For my lush life, I am enjoying a can of Coca Cola - I gave up buying it years ago but may start again for my golden years.  "Lush Life," pastel, 7.5x7.5 inches

spinning my wheels

Every once in a while I have a day of "spinning my wheels."

To me, a good day is a productive day. That's a problem. I know that a day of paint on, wipe off is a lesson day and one I won't have to repeat if I pay attention. But chasing the illusive vision for a painting then losing it time and time again is frustrating. The "believe in yourself" advice I give to students is not useful at this point. I finally walk away singing my painting theme song, The Gambler, (a song written by Don Schlitz and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers)

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away, know when to run.

Above are the three "wheel-spinners" from yesterday. Before I begin, I'll have a talk with myself about each one. What (if anything) do I like about it as well as what has to go? Is there a story worth telling in this scene? What is the mood? Today, I'll try to listen carefully to each painting and be thoughtful in my response.

the same but different

Same colors but in different combinations and amounts. This is Afternoon Passage, pastel, 7.5 x 7.5 inches.

backlit, tree-lined memories

To continue my post of yesterday, a backlit tree-lined hilltop has emerged. Apparently there are many backlit scenes in my memory.

"Fond Memories," pastel, 7.5 x 7.5 inches

mind's eye painting

You may know that I have a habit of washing off pastel paintings and reworking them from the ghost-image up. This time, I cut up an old painting to make four small paintings.

I love the color palette of the original painting but to use those colors, I have to find the actual pastel sticks again. It's trial and error by sampling color on a piece of white paper. When I have a color match, the pastel stick goes into a small container. The next step is to brush off as much of the color as possible from the original painting. This leaves a ghost-image.

I have no idea where the reference photo is for this scene of our driveway but I am spending these weeks painting from memory so I don't need it. The scene that I paint from my mind's eye may look quite different from the driveway or the ghost-image.

I have blogged a little about memory or mind's eye painting and will continue to do so but my friend Tom Weinkle saved me a lot of typing with his clearly written post today (August 4) about planning a painting. The way I am painting now is one step further away from planning. It is more about discovery.




http://tomweinkleartist.blogspot.com/

my new pal?

Here's a shot of my new plein air pal...the Pastel Porter. It arrived yesterday (an award from the recent PSWC show). I had a chance to chat with the creator at the IAPS Convention about his entire product line. This Jumbo Junior size looks like a great way to transport pastels for plein air work. I look forward to trying it!

one fine day

The days following my Landscape Impressions workshop were spent with my two grandsons (ages 11 and 13) to make a busy, fun summer week. I have finally had some time to reflect on the workshop and on each student and what I hope I contributed to their art journey. This morning I received a very nice email.

'I loved the workshop.  I finally figured out what your paintings remind me of: haiku poetry.  They are a fleeting, perfect moment that was experienced held forever in mind's eye!!' 

What a nice thought. I will keep that in mind when I am in the middle of a painting challenge.

One of the most important things I took away from the workshop is the need to believe.  Believe in yourself; believe your work is evolving at exactly the right pace for you. Of course, it is difficult for your work to evolve if you don't paint. Paint every day.

Wishing each of you One Fine Day. (above, pastel, 7.5 x 7.5 inches)

two days of fun

Five artists joined me for my two-day plein air pastel workshop, Landscape Impressions 2013. We had gorgeous weather for what might become an annual event - it was fun to teach again. Click on the above image to see two students hard at work. Below is my demo from the first day, tweaked extensively that night back in the studio.

All Things Good and True  |  pastel  |  7 x 7.5 inches

summer morning plein air

Warming up for my Landscape Impressions workshop next week. The first step is an acrylic underpainting.

Pastel painting of our little pond...the IMPRESSION of our pond.

"Summer Morning," pastel, 7 x 7.5 inches

bye bye reference photos

My last post was about painting from memory. The painting above left is a memory painting; the one on the right was painted from a reference photo. Is one method of working more valid than the other? I'm excited about what happens to a scene that has been processed through my memory. This morning, I found an appropriate quote (funny how that happens).

"I never succeed in painting scenes, however beautiful, immediately upon returning from them. I must wait for time to draw a veil over the common details." 
-Thomas Cole

one happy week

This week I painted from memory. No reference photos, no plein air painting. It was freeing and exciting and was reminiscent of the year or so I spent on abstracted work. Very fun.  I focused on the nuance of a memory-scene and stopped before my usual addition of details. The photo above will give you an idea of the paintings (sorry about the reflections, especially on the center one).

I found a way to trick myself into stopping before the urge to add detail takes over: I selected four older paintings, and each day I took one of them out of its frame, repainted a scene from memory, stopped BEFORE I felt I was done and put it back in the frame. My thought was that I'd just look at them for a while then unframe them, paint a little more and photograph them. However, once one was framed and I went on to the next, I began to forget what I was going to "fix" and now I'm happy with them just the way they are. Certainly happier than I would be if I had overworked them.

Today's painting, "Bejeweled," was a different story. I painted it once yesterday, wiped it off. Painted it again this morning, began to photograph it, then fixed one little thing...then another...wiped the whole thing off and painted it again this afternoon. Now it is sitting in the frame while I think about it.  If it survives, I'll post it soon. I've had a happy painting week.

shades of summer

Good days in the studio! I think I have a "nuance" series going on here in pastel. Minimum detail - loving it.

play day

More playing in the studio. Another 7.5 x 7.5 pastel in cool colors on a warm day.  Soft focus, loose, interpretive with minimum detail.

Journey By Heart

To fill requests of the galleries who kindly represent me, the first half of the year has been spent painting more of the kind of work they have been selling for me.

But these days, I'm painting for myself in preparation for a two day workshop here in my Studio July 22 and 23. By the way...a recent cancellation has made room for one more student. If anyone is interested, just email me. We'll be painting in pastel, plein air I hope, depending upon the weather.

For the rest of the summer, I'll be painting the more impressionistic work I love - more fluidity, less detail. Several years ago, I loosened all the way up to abstracted landscapes and that was fun! For now, small pastel studies (and an occasional oil) so I am prepared to give students my best advice for lively work of their own.

Journey by Heart is from memory...no reference photo to tighten me up and nail me down to specifics.

long time passing

After early-morning watering of the flower gardens and blueberries, I closed the windows and doors against the heat and spent the rest of the day in the studio.

The colors of this painting kept me cool all day. There is a backstory here that I hope to share in a future post. An overgrown driveway not used for years and still lush from pre-summer rains; the tentative title of this one has been replaced with "Long Time Passing," pastel on Wallis paper, 20 x 16 inches.