Tuesday, July 30, 2013

retro fave: Richard McKinley -part four


One last plein air story from Richard:
Richard, "You have to know a little back history about me to understand this story. My Mom was always seeking. When I was about 7 years old she joined the Jehova Witnesses. Of course, she took me with her, to all the meetings. Until one day when I was about 13, I refused to go. I had my own ideas. Albert Handell knew this.


Now to the story,  I was painting  in Carmel, California with 4 other painters. Albert Handell and his ex-wife Anita West were two of them. California is a busy place. People everywhere. Albert wanted to paint at the mouth of the Carmel River. Huge beach, busy, drop dead beautiful. I had my full french easel with me. (Everyone knows those are heavy.) Still, you know me, I like it quiet.  I decided I would go way down, far away, to the  sand bar in the distance.  I walk down, set up my easel. I have my back to the ocean and I was looking up at a body of water. Alone. Quiet.  In the distance I could see Albert and Anita. I think to myself, "This is great...I'm out here all by myself."      Relief.
So I begin painting. Things are going well. Two teenagers, a boy and a girl, who seem sweet, come with their blanket. They set it down right next to me. I think, "I can do this, I will just ignore them." 
Paint more.  
They are down on the ground sitting on their blanket.  The boy looks up and says, "Excuse me. I just wanted to let you know that we are going to be doing a baptism -right here- 200 people. I can see that you are really into your painting. It's OK if you want to stay and keep working on your painting."
hmmmmmmm. I keep working.
People start showing up. First 10, then 20 and the number keeps growing. 100 plus and it keep growing. Now it's about 200 and a man starts to play a guitar. A minister comes. The minister walks right in front of me and into the water. He proceeds to baptize the 200 followers at the baptist-right there.
I continue to be tenacious...refusing to give up. The painting is absolutely awful. I try to ignore it.  I refuse to give up.  Finally the music ends. People stop eating and celebrating. Everyone is saved. One and a half hours went by.  Finally I stand there before my horrible painting and I shift my gaze. I look over and there stands Albert and Anita roaring with laughter.
 Albert says,"Don't tell Richard he can't do it."

And anyone who knows Richard knows he can do anything he sets his mind to, with care and thoughtfulness. Rare, rare, rare. On September 26 Richard will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Pastel Society of America The ceremony will be held at the Salmagundi Club  in NYC. What an honor! And he deserves it !

More Richard goodness see:
Pastel Pointers Blog
his website

You can  also see the other parts of the interview:
part one
part two
part three


A giant thank you to Richard for granting me this interview. It is always a pleasure to speak with him.
If you have a chance take his workshop. You will never regret it. If you can't or if you just want more ,  go to Amazon and pre-order his book. I did!

Thursday, July 25, 2013

retro fave: Richard Mckinley interview, part three- plein air tales

Richard's two most used plein air pastel boxes (top, heilman, bottom, dakota)

Plein air painters just love to share their "war stories." part of the fun of painting outdoors is the unexpected...you NEVER know what will happen. You can be tickled with delighted, frightened, or just left wondering. Here is one of Richard's stories.

It happened in Bend, Oregon, one of my favorite places to paint. Birds fascinate me. And you do know about me and my pastel box. Some people call it anal. (Richard keeps an ultra neat and organized box. See above. I totally envy it.) Well it was a day with flat light, wonderful for a painter, as there is no rush. The light doesn't change much.   I was out in the wilderness painting. It was a little strange when I looked down at my box and noticed a couple of "holes" in the order. (a few sticks missing) Hmmm. Where did I put those? I kept working. I stepped back from the easel to view the painting and each time I did this I thought  another stick seemed to be missing. Strange. How? 
Pretty soon I am missing some of my favorite sticks (probably violets) and NOW I know I am not imagining it. I KNOW those pastels were there. I move back and stand in the trees quietly watching my easel. In moments I see a raven dive down to my box and grab another "treasure."


My first thought was, uh, oh, I hope it wasn't the cadmiums (toxic.) Then I think of the raven, his nest lined with his purloined treasure, bartering with his friends.
It's funny we go through so much effort to make out easels level and in good light.  And here is this bird, stealing pastels.
  I guess you never know.

If you want a treat check out Richard's website and his Pastel Pointers Blog. You will be amazed!
Also view part one and part two of his interview.

Monday, July 22, 2013

retro fave: Richard McKinley's Interview, part two

part two

This is a continuation of Richard's interview. You may see part one in Monday's post. I left off with Richard talking about "the hunt"- the search for the indefinable thing that an artist has to communicate.

R- A painter is always reaching. It keeps you vital. Once you have the sense, "oh god, I've got it," then you are done for. There is nothing left to say.

Think about Winslow Homer, he was a very driven man. Every single day he painted. His palette was in daily use. Well, on the day he died they found his palette hung on the nail above the door. He had never hung it there before. The inference was- he had finished.  He had said what he needed to say.

When you don't get it, you are always hungry, always hunting for it and that is a good thing.

I am a very analytical person, explaining is easier when I use stories. I love comparisons because it is all about relationships. My biggest demon when producing work for myself (vs. a demo  in class)is to get out of being analytical.  When I am teaching I am analytical. In teaching my torment humanizes me. People know that my interest is to be helpful.
Be careful that you learn too much that it will get in the way. My battle when painting is to erase that state.  When painting in the studio, at home, I have the TV on so that it will occupy my analytical brain.  Although when I am away from teaching for a long time I no longer need the TV. My analytical brain is off.  Then when I return to teaching there are these pregnant pauses as I organize that analytical brain.
I have to force relaxation.

L- I have been told by other painters that the real painting is studio painting and plein air painting simply isn't as elevated, as valid. Would you speak to that?

R-I am surprised to hear that. The emails I receive from the Pastel Pointers Blog indicate just the opposite. It seems that some painters are intimidated by plein air painting, they find it very difficult.
But think, what is the difference between the two, plein air and studio?
You use the same materials and the same eyes. the big difference is en plain air you are not in a controlled, sterile environment. There is reality. There is no reality in the studio. Method and process painters are studio painters.  En plein air you you have to create the concept with all the constant changes and make the reality...even though it is in front of you.
Keep in mind that some comments you may hear are more about ego and defending one's position.
Another thing about plein air painting you need to keep in mind-at first you are a hunter-gatherer. You are figuring out which place. Then you need to get to know it better. It is important to form a history.
Richard McKinley-Pacific Silver, Mendocino Gold -one of Richard's favorite places to paint...a place where he has history.

More interview on another post. I hope you are enjoying the interview. I sure loved doing it!
Meanwhile check out his fabulous website.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Wolf Kahn "aiming is wrong"


22x29 pastel
It has taken me awhile to wrap my mind around this thought from Wolf Kahn:
"Aiming is wrong. If you know ahead of time what you are doing it won't be good. You need to surprise yourself. "
He went on to share a story about a pitcher from the Astros baseball team who had bought a painting of his. "We got to talking and he had questions about my painting process. He said it was just like his process. He said that he trains, but can't plan his game ahead of time. He can't aim too much or the batter will know what he is going to do. He just has to have a general idea about where he wants the ball to go. Then he uses his full strength and lets go."


All the pitcher/artist's training and practice pays off, but he/she lets go. Trust.

This a retro fave post with a new painting. It is the Potomac river, early morning, overcast. it was done in the studio with this (below) painting for reference.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

another retro fave: the importance of sky color

10x10 pastel on watercolor
"The sky is the soul of all scenery. It makes the earth lovely at sunrise and splendid at sunset. In the one it breathes over the earth a crystal-like ether, in the other a liquid gold." Thomas Cole
Doesn't that just say it all? Here is an autumn sunrise. The glory of sunrise is thrilling!

Studio update:
most recent photo
Here are my 3 awesome guys at work: Daddio, Paul (my hubby) and Joel (brother-in-law)
Daddio



Paul and Joel

Sunday, July 14, 2013

retro fave: 9 memory paintings from friends

christine troyer
catherine delorimier, memory sunrise

lisa la quelenec, la rocco
caroline simmil, little earth
lorenzo chavez, march wind


nika zakharov, memory sunset
brenda boylan, memory painting

sam hannaway, when color first comes
maggie latham
Here is another beautiful re-post.
Look at these beautiful paintings! Cheers to all who tried.  Most attempted to work completely from memory, following the tradition of Whistler. Many said that their work is not a full memory painting and that they felt they needed to sketch or use a photo to help. Regardless, the work is beautitful and from the heart..
What struck me was how each painter's distinct personality was so easy to see when working from memory. The other "stuff" is stripped away. The maker becomes exposed.
These were the guidelines I gave all last week.
The memory painting guidelines, adapted from Whistler.
*watch a scene, then turn your back and in words describe in detail. If you have someone with you have them correct if you are wrong. Do this till it is secure in your head. No photos or sketches.
* Wait 12 hours, allow the scene to be created in your head
* Paint, using only that memory. Your knowledge and understanding of light will stream in and guide you.
* I will be happy to post a jpeg of your painting on my site, with credit to you, of course.

 Each first time memory painter talked about their fear and their release at trying. Of course after showing all these moments of memory I have to post words from John Carlson.


"The memory exaggerates the essential; the trifles of incidents tend to become blurred.  Protracted painting of what one sees before him (or her) dulls the initial expressive shock. In painting from memory, the whole stress is laid on expressive agents. In direct-from-nature painting, much useless lumber insinuates itself,interesting for its own sake, but derogatory to the whole. The eye is greedy. There is always too much material seen, with not enough synthesis."

Please, in your leisure, take a little time to look at the blogs and websites of the fellow memory painters:

Christine Troyer
Maggie Latham

I'll end with words from Lorenzo Chavez. He told me a little bit about the creation of his painting "March Wind."
 I love to spend my day in the field working from life and sometimes just sitting or walking and really looking at the landscape. I find it very meditative. In fact I now practice a form of meditation called Mindful Meditation. It is a practice of staying focused on a thought or an object and really paying attention .
I am amazed at how well my recall is when practicing this.

"March Wind" is an attempt to get the feeling of fading light and the gentle pulse of the earth through the filter of a remembered landscape.
  

If by chance you submitted a painting and I did not post it, let me know. I posted all I received.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

retro fave-importance of value paintings/studies

9x12 pastel on BFK
As you know I have been creating many value paintings recently. I started doing these works as grisailles for pastel and oil glazing. Next, I began to really like doing it. The value paintings are different than the notans, which are small  studies with only 3 or 4 blocks of value. These I do before beginning bigger works to determine value patterns and dominant values.
Now add the idea of a full value painting.And after creating many I have came to the belief that it is imperative to do these before beginning big works. It really helps me work out the main issues before heading to the juicy stuff-color.
Most artists know that normally the sky is the lightest value, followed by the  horizontal planes reflecting the sky, next the slanted planes and the darkest are the vertical planes. Doing the value paintings allows me to work out the other nuances and hopefully some of the obvious mistakes. Mistakes like making the sky too dark in value or nuances like how the movement works, or how the shapes work together.....are they interesting or redundant? The value paintings also stress how you, the artist are the conductor of the painting. Like a symphony you decide how you want the musicians to play together...darken one...lighten another? You choose. When it is in black and white it is so easy to see.
It's also good to do these value paintings if you are stuck in you painting. What you can't see in color you can see in black and white. It's funny how we (I) can overlook things we KNOW inside when caught in the frenzy of painting.
Have I convinced you to try one?

Monday, July 8, 2013

retro fave post- underpaintings, the wisdom of Richard McKinley

 9x18 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
I am home. Back to the wonderful heat and humidity of the DC area. I am not being sarcastic. I do love the heat and humidity. I did miss the way it makes me feel loose all over, relaxed.
This is a painting I did at my fave field on Whidbey Island. I never did post it when I was away. I have so many from my  wonderful trip. Some I like, some I don't like. Some that can use a little space and maybe a little work. This is one that I decided I like. With it I post some of Richard's wisdom about underpainting.
Just for your information, Richard usually works on white Wallis paper. It takes the watercolor splendidly. Keep in mind that sometimes Wallis paper is a little irregular and repels watercolor in an orange-peely way. It's important to mount it and museum grade is best for watercolor.  (You can buy it mounted at Dakota Pastels) Instead I usually paint on Uart paper. There is no need to mount, I just tape it down. The effects are slightly different and I find I have to use Chinese White (a watercolorist's nightmare) if I want bright white on the dark Uart. It is a wonderful, predictable paper. I love it! Another aside note- this is a link to my post about my watercolor palette. Just in case you missed it.

Underpainting Wisdom from Richard:
"In an underpainting you need to be disciplined. With it you place you "meat and potatoes" (odd to say for a life-long veg). You do this so that you can put the dessert on top. Think about what marks you want to place on top.
Paint from the shoulders. Make gesture. 
Don't get edges in an underpainting. Instead choose later where they will be (focal point.) Have just a few colors dominate your underpainting. Save the other color for later."

 Below is Richard's underpainting done at Rosario. WOW! It was even better in person!
Richard says,"Nudge it."
"When you begin your pastels start incrementally. Let your underpainting shine through...you can always put more on later."
finished jewel

Now that I am back I will make time to visit every one's blogs and see what I have missed. I really did appreciate all your comments during my long trip. It was really nice to quickly check in and read what everyone was thinking. In addition, I loved meeting two of my blogger friends: Lisa and Casey. In fact the day before I left Washington I was in Edison viewing an exhibit that my blogger friend Lisa was part of.  Birds. She had two beautiful oils, done in a jewel like way. She glazes and makes beautiful translucency.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

why do we blog?

finished oil, 18x36
Fellow bloggers tell us your story. 
We bloggers always question our motivation for blogging. I have blogged since October 2007 and now I ponder how much the blog shapes my work and my time. Therefore I am taking a hiatus. During this time I will re-post some of the top posts during this time, some new and old interviews, but no new work. I want to see what happens if I take away the pressure of exposure. I think have enough work for the galleries for the next few months.... so my work will go undercover.
Maybe "my genius" will visit me more often and illuminate the path. maybe.


Monday, July 1, 2013

onerous task and release

James McNeil Whistler realized that working from memory inevitably led to simplification and released him from the onerous task of being true to life.
Here is another Chincoteague beach, as I continue to enjoy the release.