Monday, October 29, 2012

advice for pastelists plein air festivals


I have been asked questions from fellow pastelists about traveling and plein air festivals. Rather than answer each inquiry individually I will share with all on my blog. If you are a pastelist and would like to add more of your knowledge, please comment.
 I have learned:
1. packing frames, glass and paintings for show is a challenge. Sedona wanted at least 6 paintings for show while we painted. During the week these paintings were to be replaced with new work. I reused my frames (on display) and took out the old image.
What I would do next time for cost efficiency when packing, is to take the pastels (that would be for show) out of their frames, under glassine, wrapped neatly and protected by boards. The frames I would pack separately- either all the same size, stacked or different sizes nested. The glass would be packed separately with gator board and mat board cushioning between the sheets. This method would cut down on  the costs that skyrocket when shipping numerous paintings under glass. Driving to the festival is definitely the preferred method...if you can. For Sedona, that was a time impossibility for me.
2. Make certain to bring marketing materials. Most painters carry larger postcards, booklets, books, etc. Be prepared to talk.
3. Bring at least two surfaces for each frame. For me that meant I brought 3 Uart mounted boards for each. That allowed me to pick my strongest work for the show.
4. Many painters now have at least one large work at the festival. Some will even create triptych on location. The unusual format demands notice.There was a talented pastelist at the Quick Draw who painted and framed her piece in the time allowed. She won (and deserved) the award.
5. Make certain to take at least a small break during the day. Painting with this kind of pressure needs a release. Each day I would return "home" and go for a run in the canyon. I felt refreshed and ready to take on the afternoon/evening shift.
5. The people of the  West appreciate pastels.
6. Host families are a wonderful way to connect with people. Each time I have been blessed with amazing families and created new relationships. This time my host family had a casita in which they housed both Cindy (from Rhode Island) and me. We each had our own bedroom and bathroom, plus a living room and kitchenette.  Their lovely home was right to the National Park/Cathedral Rocks. WOW! Thank you Jeanette and David for taking such good care of us. I was fortunate to have my casita-mate Cindy. Each evening we would tell stories of the day and share a bit of dinner. Painting for me requires solitude and so we would go off in our separate directions during the day. The pictures taken below were from the Jerome Paint out. This time we shared a quieter location a mile outside of town.
my new friend Cindy Baron

me- making my notans
That's what comes to mind now. While oils are easier to work with at a plein air event, my plein air medium of choice will always be pastel. Why you wonder??? I think it is because of the sensitivity that is unique to the pastel medium.

I want to send a big thank you to all the warm, hard-working people of the Sedona Plein Air Festival. A special thank you goes to Debbie and Vince who patiently supported all of us. Sedona is a class act...not because of the location, but because of the people.
P.S. If you have a moment check out Cindy's website. Link here.
One other amazing pastelist I had the pleasure of meeting  is Bruce Gomez. His work won two awards, including the collector's choice! Here is his website as well. Link here.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

sedona 4

15x15 pastel
I have painted this field numerous times in the past week and if I lived here I would continue to do so. The grasses have a sensitivity that is rare and beautiful.
20x20 pastel
If you are in the vicinity, this afternoon is the live auction from 4:00-5:30, at the Arts Center. Maybe I will see you there.
Now I have to pack to depart quickly tonight, after the auction. The  "Frankenstorm" is headed East and I hope to get home before it arrives.

Friday, October 26, 2012

sedona 3

sunrise over sedona
Last night I couldn't sleep just thinking of this view from Starbucks. It's especially sweet before and as the sun rises. There really are so few street lights so the houses that are lighted twinkle like stars.
sedona twilight


Today all paintings need to be framed and hung in the gallery. Then I can finally exhale.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

sedona 2

 Finally I visited the red rocks of Sedona. They were so foriegn at first (still are actually.) It really makes me realize how a painter's choice of subject matter is like a relationship. You wouldn't kiss someone right away...you have to get to know them. Understand a little about them. Know what makes them tick. It's the same with painting... or writing...or probably any creative endeavor. That relationship (painter to subject) is an intimate bond. You have to really feel passionate about your subject. That said, I LOVE a good field.
Today all 30 painters will be at the Quick Draw from 10-12. If you are in town drop by and visit. We will be at the Sedona Heritage Museum.
One last note... yesterday I was down at the cathedral rocks and happened upon this friend... a rattlesnake on the rocks.

Monday, October 22, 2012

sedona

The landscape of Sedona is absolutely beautiful. The Sedona Arts Center folks run a great event- the Sedona Plein Air Festival. Right now there is a show of all the artists' work on display. As we finish work it too will go to the gallery. Drop by if you can. I am honored to be invited to be part of this group of amazing painters!
Here are couple from today's work. I will write more when I have time.



Thursday, October 18, 2012

sedona plein air schedule

Here is another western sky.


I am in Sedona checking out the scene before the event.
Here is the schedule of the week's events.
Please drop by if you can.

October 20 1:00 Main Street Paint Out –Sales area will be one block from the Sedona Arts Center on 89A.
5:30 – 7:30 Reception in the SEG.
There will be a plein air show of  the artists' work throughout the week.

October 21, 22, 23, 24 Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday -  painting freely in the landscape.
Wednesday 7:00 pm Keynote presentation Kathryn Stats – “Its Only Paint”
Wine reception following.

October 25, Thursday   9:00 – 1:00pm Historic ‘Quick Paint’ at Sedona Heritage Museum – Arizona is celebrating its Centennial this year so the theme and location of this Paint Out on Jordan Road will include period Still-Life, Models in period costume, Horse and Buggy and Old Barn. Artists will engage in a quick draw event at the location from 10 – 12, sale following immediately! 
This is a scary one for me!

October 26, Friday – paintings to SEG 4 – 6 pm

October 27, Saturday – 10 – 4pm Galleries Open
Noon – 4 pm Wine Tasting provided by local wineries.
4 – 5:30 Live Auction -
5:30 – 7:30 Exclusive Patrons and Artists After-Party

Here is a link where you can get more info.

Monday, October 15, 2012

luminosity study

As I continue my work on luminosity I will share a few things I have observed:
1.luminosity does not need a dark
2.luminosity needs grays and in the luminous area pure chroma
3.the luminous area must be small and the grayed down area large

I have found that working on the watercolor on site and then in the studio creating the full concept in the studio allows for more focus on the concept of luminosity. I will rub and erase the pastel and use fixative in numerous layers.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

sunrise on the east coast

Down at the Kensington train station this morning the show was beautiful. I tried a different, more dynamic composition. It's a type of Z formation.

Friday, October 12, 2012

the western sky

Here are two plein air paintings from my last trip to Sante Fe. With a few adjustments to tie in the color harmony, they finally work. I am getting my mind set for Sedona.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Thomas Moran

Green Cliffs Wyoming at National Gallery of Art

It's rare to be able to see the turning point in an artist's career so easily. For Thomas Moran it was his trip to Yellowstone, but wait I am getting ahead of myself. Let me start over.

First there was Albert Bierstadt, who 12 years prior traveled to Yosemite. With the sketches created on the trip, Bierstadt enticed the people with his huge masterpieces the grandeur in California. They made people want to travel to the West.

Next came Thomas Moran, who, prompted by a magazine job where he simply reworked another artist's amateurish illustrations of the far-off lands, found his destiny. Thomas Moran had vision. He decided that he would be the first artist to document the beauty of these new found lands in the Wyoming, the place called "Yellowstone."  With a short time he had borrowed money to pay his own way to be part of this westward expansion. See Yellowstone. The money paid for him to join F V Hayden's survey expedition to Yellowstone. Before even reaching Yellowstone he was in awe when he saw the remarkable Green Cliffs in Wyoming.
This is the first sketch he
 created on the trip. Not surprisingly, it's of the green cliffs.




Moran's watercolors  that were one of the key reasons the US government decided to begin to take care of our precious Western riches. They created Yellowstone National Park.
field sketch
Amazingly, Moran worked from these sketches (and more) for the rest of his life.  In his studio, equipped with his memory and the sketches he created the many masterpieces we know.

When thinking about my upcoming trip to the Sedona Plein Air Festival I decided it was time to do and in depth study of Moran's work, in particular, his use of color. Downtown, at the National Gallery of Art, we are fortunate to have the beautiful Moran painting, Green Cliffs, Wyoming (top of post). It was gifted to the museum just last year. He painted this one ten years after his trip out West- Talk about a remarkable memory!

Now, onto the hows. Moran's drama and use of nuetrals to create that drama is key to this painting.  Only the main event has high chroma. What strikes me most is the grays. Why does that red cliff glow? It is embraced by a variety of gorgeous grays that's why. Nothing in the painting meets the intensity of the cliff, everything simply supports it. There is only one diva and it is truly obvious. Even though Moran was a Luminist (second half of the Hudson River School time period) his work was not the typical smooth, strokeless surface. In this painting he seemed to use both a very wet brush and even a palette knife at times.

The best way to study a painting is to paint it.  So this is my version- in pastel. I didn't feel the need to copy it. Instead I wanted to understand his use of layering to create his color vibration. I also chose to keep marks in the pastel rather than smoothing them. I only needed about 15 pastels, mostly it was repeated color, tinted or shaded.

Special note: Thomas Moran later became to be known as the Father of the National Parks. Thank you Thomas! There is a link to a gallery of his works.
my version, pastel

Here are my boxes of paintings(for the pre-show)  and frames ready for Sedona.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

5 years blogging and mistake making

Opening yourself up to mistakes can lead to better things. Last week, when going to location, I forgot my pastels I painted only the watercolor underpainting and memorized the rest. Now I found a new way to paint that I love.  It combines my love of plein air and memory painting.

On another note, today I celebrate 5 years of blogging and 1195 posts. As I enter my 6th year I confess that I have learned more from my 4 years of daily plein air painting, than I learned in my entire art school education- BFA and MFA. Year five was more about using that experience and transferring it to memory painting. What will come next???? Come on back for year 6 to find out.
If I could give one bit of advice to anyone wanting to improve and find themselves it would be to, without fail, paint outdoors everyday. Don't wait for that silly thing called inspiration. She rarely comes knocking. When you ALWAYS create she WILL find you. Time and time again.
Onward.

Monday, October 1, 2012

risk taking and reworking

finished pastel #1
If you want to find a specialness in your work you have to search and be willing to take risks. Just doing what you know will never take you down that new exciting road.   Reworking failed works is a great way to open up the world of risk-taking.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

When reworking, you know it didn't work so all feelings of "preciousness" are gone and you are free to experiment. In addition the painting scene is no longer there to haunt you and make demands...you are free!
plein air piece to be reworked #1

The first thing I noticed when remaking this painting is that beastly green did not work at all. Yes, it is what I thought I saw (unlikely-not enough influence from the sky), but in the painting it fought the colors of the sky. That was the first thing to go. Next, although the sky colors were accurate they did not make a good design. And while I love that little pond and it's small line of shrubbery, it too did not work.
To rework a pastel you must first remove some on the pastel. (Use a brush, a vacumm or a piece of masking tape- depending on how much pastel you want to remove.)
Next, analyze your composition and color scheme. In the top painting I added a middle ground, rather than just two layers of space. And made a kind of envelope of the sky to create a feeling of "safety in the world."

finished pastel, #2
plein air piece to be reworked#2
Here is the second rework. Sometimes a plein air piece is just a study of sky and weather, as this one was. I don't know what I was thinking when I made the strip of land to be straight across. Sometimes I become fascinated with the sky and forget all sense. (Obviously you can see I skipped the notan.)
Here, I first altered the land mass and that was soothing. Next I just played with the upper sky to see what would happen if I darkened it. It was simply an experiment.


Art is about taking risks and experimenting. Why do the same thing over and over again just because you can? There is no excitement in copying a photo,  it's only technical skill and when was technical skill exciting? Push yourself, make mistakes, take risks. Only then will you find something new.

PS On Thursday there will be a special post...see you then!