Gratitude For Art Friends

 

Abstract limited Palette

The artistic journey often requires solitude. Most of my creative work happens in the studio, a space that can sometimes feel isolating. In these moments—whether celebrating a success, working through a frustration, or developing a new idea—I need connection. My artistic fulfillment would be greatly lessened without the support of my art community.

My art friends are truly the best people I know: kind, generous, and supportive. They form a unique circle that offers encouragement without jealousy. They are the kindred spirits who uniquely understand that my career is "Artist" and that making art is my central purpose.

I am deeply thankful for their guidance and expertise. They are an essential resource, offering invaluable advice and critiques on every aspect of my practice: from selecting the right supplies, recommending books, and finding workshops, to indulging deep conversations about color mixing, theory, and brush types.

This network of support is vital:

• I rely on my monthly critique group for thoughtful corrections that help me break through creative blocks.

• I have a friend I can call for immediate assistance and a fresh perspective when I am stuck.

• I am inspired by the friend whose studio focus motivates me during our chats.

• I have companions I can count on for shared plein air painting adventures.

• I cherish my weekly painting group, a space to gather, share ideas, and simply escape into paint.

To every artist in this circle, I offer my sincere gratitude. Knowing I can reach out to them when I feel lost or stuck is the greatest gift to my creative practice.

Absence of Expectation

One painting from the Midnight Series

Getting to sleep has, lately, become a nightly struggle. I lie in the quiet dark, a captive audience to my racing mind, where thoughts churn, refusing to let me sleep. Exhaustion settles deep, yet rest remains elusive, leading to hours spent reading, writing, and watching time pass.

One restless evening, as I performed a late tidying of my studio, a defiant thought took root: If midnight finds me still awake, I will return and paint. It was a spontaneous plan to reclaim the lost hours through creative action.

Now, I perform a small ritual before bed. I prep a canvas for an abstract painting, laying down the initial marks with Payne’s Grey and Gamsol. With a thin brush, I trace dark, searching lines, loops, and marks—a form of night drawing—allowing this foundation to dry overnight, ready for the infusion of color. I ensure a few clean brushes are waiting, ready to meet the fresh, residual paint often still waiting on my palette from the day before.

When the clock hand sweeps past the witching hour and the familiar restlessness persists, I rise. The walk to the studio is quiet and deliberate. Under the electric light, I begin to layer the color—a feverish, half-awake burst of action using oil sticks, drawing oils, or the waiting brushes. This intense, midnight session of creation rarely lasts longer than thirty minutes.

The profound benefit of these nocturnal sessions is the absence of expectation. In the deep silence, there is no pressure to achieve ‘greatness,’ no need for cognitive engagement in perfect design or calculated color theory. It is a pure, unburdened process of instinctive mark-making, allowing the materials themselves to guide the hand.

The following morning, I return to the studio, seeing the night’s impulsive gestures in the clarity of day. The chaotic foundation is transformed into the deliberate starting point for a finished work, turning a cycle of lost sleep into the beginning of an unexpected new series which I call The Midnight Series.

Questions and The Artist's Mind

 My Mind is a constant engine of questions about art. I am always exploring color, paint application, and the critical step of what to do next. The act of painting is driven by a strong internal dialogue. The core questions are persistent:

• Does this work? Do these elements connect and hold together?
• Will these colors harmonize?
• Does it need more or less? 

• Is it finished?

Watermelon Song 102725

There is a common misconception that art is effortless or carefree. I have found the opposite to be true. Art is demanding and deeply fulfilling work. As Artists, we don't just paint; we research, write, explore, and ask questions. 

Ultimately, the physical act of painting is my vital outlet; it is the concrete and rewarding work that finally addresses my mind's endless churning. 

Finding Motivation

All Artists go through slumps where they lose their motivation. These last few weeks between the grey weather and my last few painting failures, I have struggled with finding motivation.  I took the quest to find motivation to my Art Critique group.

Motivation Advice:

1. Be Kind to yourself
2. Don't Compare Yourself to Others.
3. Explore Another Medium (since I am an Oil Painter it was suggested that I try Watercolor or Acrylics).
4. Attend your Art Critique and/or talk other Artists.
5. Pre-plan/Pack Art Supplies the Night before. Put supplies in order and in the car. Get your studio ready the night before (set up, brushes washes, canvas out). Be ready to go the next morning.
6. Just Show Up-get into the studio.
7. Set a timer and paint for 30 minutes (start and show up).
8. Get a huge canvas 30x40 and paint (play with paint/no plan), just be expressive.
9. Start with works that need touch ups/small fixes to loosen up before starting a new painting.
10. Get outside (no canvas no paint) just look around and identify the colors and how you would paint them.
11. Set up and paint a still life with items from home (shells, toys etc).
12. Challenge yourself to paint with a limited palette.

Books Recommended:

The War of Art

Art & Fear

Daily Painting

Honestly,  it was wonderful to talk to artists about motivation and to hear their thoughts about it. The discussion alone made me feel more positive and motivated. Thank You Art Friends. 

 

Other People's Palettes

A Van Gogh work that used THAT green!

To know me is to know that I LOVE COLOR! And yet, I remain true to my basic color painting palette which I have written about in the past, I don't have 30 colors on my palette, I have 9. My color palette for portrait and landscape is: Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Yellow Light, Permanent Red, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Permanent Rose, Viridian, Pthalo Green and Titanium White. That is my basic GO-TO palette that I take with me each week.

As I reviewed my 2022 art notes in my personal art notebook, I realized that I had focused on gleaning colors from other artist palettes. This led to me then wanting to incorporate a few special colors from their palettes into mine. At the PSA (Portrait Society of America) Conference, I listened and noted many modern artist palettes. I am especially enamored with Adrienne Stein and her portrait work so I noted her current palette which she graciously shared with us attendees. Her palette included a lovely purple called Amethyst by Michael Harding. It also included a spectacular vibrant pink called Brilliant Pink. Once I returned home from the conference I purchased those two colors online and have been using them in my portrait from life painting sessions. I am still determining if they are necessary but they sure are fun--the purple creates nice shadows and the pink is great for skin tones.

Next, last fall I simply had to follow up with another painter as to what colors she used in her sky. I attend Art Critique fairly often (once a month) and this artist had a colorful believable impressionist sky filled with yellows pinks and greens. I could not stop thinking about that sky and later emailed her to ask what green she used, it was just gorgeous. I have not yet purchased this color, but it is on my "to try" list-- the color is Yellow Green Pale.

A Van Gogh work that used THAT green!

Lastly, in December of last year, I was able to attend the Van Gogh in America Exhibit at the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts). Wow! The exhibit was just incredible. I really looked closely at the paint application and the colors! While the exhibit did not speak directly to Van Gogh's palette (I wish it had), I did notice that he used quite a bit of green. Hard to say in writing, but visually the works of Van Gogh are so much more vibrant that what you see in a photo, they are amazing! What green did he use? Not Viridian I don't think. So I got home from the exhibit all curious, and yep I Googled "Van Gogh's Palette". The next "to try" color for me will be Emerald Green. 

As you can tell, I very much look forward to trying and incorporating new colors into my palette this year! Color palettes were not my intention at the start of 2022, that is simply where curiosity led me. Let's hope it all leads to art success!

Sara

 

Post Paint Out Thoughts

Last weekend I participated in a local plein air paint out and even though I was prepared, it was still challenging! Does it ever get easier?

I paint outside often in summer and I have had the same palette of colors for many years (this creates easy prep). Additionally, I know my equipment and can set up my pochode quickly. Along with my paint gear, my backpack has:bug spray, sunscreen, water and snacks. Another timesaver is scouting locations before the paint out--important so that I could head to my painting location the first day right away.

The first major issue that I faced was heat and thunderstorms - plein air pros know that weather will always challenge a paint out.  Since I am not a big fan of the heat, I decided I would paint quick and small paintings, focusing mainly on 8x10s ( my gameplan). I have been practicing completing an 8x10 plein air painting in an hour for a few years now and the less time in the heat, the better.

My second challenge was painting storefronts and structures as I typically paint nature scenes. I have love little storefront vignettes but I don't paint them often and this paint-out was limited to a small downtown area. Since heat and storms were expected I started my first day early, in downtown painting a pretty storefront (painting shown above). The storefront seemed simple but was complex to paint, including the chairs and table set up out front. I decided to exclude half of the table legs and chair legs as they were a complex mass of x's.  I am an expressive painter but I struggled to determine how to simplify the storefront structure. What goes in and what should be left out to keep it expressive and loose?

After the morning storefront painting, I met up with art friends at a park, where there were a few historic structures. Many of the artists in the paint out were at this location painting images of buildings, so I chose to paint the pond and trees and sky. I loved the stormy grey sky. This is what I am more comfortable painting, water and trees. In the afternoon it got warm so after 2 paintings, I headed home to rest and recover- I was hot, tired and achy. And, I had some brushes to wash and prep to do for the next day!

The next morning was stormy and rainy; however, by 930 the storms had moved on so out I went to paint. Again the skies were interesting and blue and grey with clouds. So I tried to find a place near downtown where I could get a sky view. I found a great back parking lot--it takes an artist to see the beauty from the parking lot. I loved the vista from the parking lot, I saw many painting possibilities. As I looked around I saw a great white construction trailer under some trees--this would be a fun structure to paint. So I painted the trailer in the morning and then turned a bit to paint the sky and trees in the afternoon (painting shown here). Since it was getting hot I rushed through the sky and tree painting, and it turned out the fourth and fastest painting ended up being my favorite! 

Emergence

 Emerging from a pandemic world

Clouds Move In 8x10

For two years I isolated myself in my house - creating and making art alone. I painted mostly landscapes (from photos in winter and en plein air in Summer). What do I have to say about my thoughts from these last two years? And how will artists emerge?

First, I am thankful that I was able to continue working as an artist these last 2 years. This time alone at home forced me to organize my studio and to finally take a class with a National Artist (online). For years I resisted taking online classes--the pandemic changed that! Online was a way to connect socially with other artists across the US. And honestly, classes went better than I would have expected, this was a fun, less costly way for me to meet with a National Artist (no hotel, no flight, only the upfront cost of class).

My first thoughts as the world shut down, early pandemic, were, "What can I do on my own?". The answer is that which I always do - PAINT!  Not having my weekly painting group and live models was a hard as my social life came to an abrupt halt. Initially motivation to get into the studio was a struggle. I very much missed my artist friends and our art conversations. Taking online classes helped as they forced me to paint. I was strongly encouraged to focus on painting and not on the "business aspects of art" --blogging, tracking art on spreadsheets, updating website, blog, FaceBook and Instagram.  Letting go of the business side ended up being easier than I could have imagined as I got tired of my computer and wanted to spend less time on it. 

Over these last two years my skills as an artist have grown, as have my art collection (available for purchase). I continue to focus on painting but I do believe that now is the time to get back to the business side of art to include tracking organizing and categorizing my paintings. While it’s still cold here, I soon will be ready to emerge from the snow into spring and plein air painting.