Take a Breath

Show Info Board at Studio

Arranging a Group Show

Setting up a group show is quite a bit of work! Two months before the show I set up a show information board for  sharing at the studio. Then I had to manage the calendar (reminders), emails and deadlines! So much work, so much management for the creative mind!

There is so much paperwork for a group show. I had to collect from EACH artist:

• Artist Bio
• Art JPEG (image)
• Art Inventory-Signed
• Art Waiver-Signed

Every Artist should have a Bio, you can find great samples online and on websites of artists you follow. Also every Artist should have business cards, these days there are no excuses. Go to VistaPrint or online--it's easy: insert an art image (yours), type in your name and your email, and your type of art--Oil Painter and there you have it. We have a stand at the venue with our business cards in it, you never know who will call you post show to inquire about your work.

Aside from Artist PR on our Social Media and Facebook pages, we also create postcards for each show. Here I used Vistaprint and I think the postcard looks fantastic-it is not ideal to have 15 images; however, I am a peer and could not choose just one (in fairness I added an image from each artist). Again, I had to solicit for images from artists and solicit for money to pay for the postcard.

You'd think that once all of our artwork was dropped off at the venue that I could rest. No... the work had to be curated (this venue did that for us and I am grateful for it). I also had to ensure that Artists were early to the art reception and that we had money for wine and volunteers to bring refreshments.

Fantastic venue & amazing show-so vibrant!

The Reward/The Reception:

I was still fretting by the time of the reception. The art was framed and hung with care and yet I fret? Well, I knew I still had to make a speech, in front of people at the reception! Oh my! I had outlined my thank yous, a few words about our work and history and a thank you to all attending the reception. Now that the reception and speech are over---now I can relax.

The PRIDE:

The show looks amazing, my favorite thing about the show is how vibrant it is, I love the colors!  I am proud to be among these fourteen talented artists - they are my art community, my art mentors and kindred spirits. The show is in Canton at The Village Theater for all of August. Be sure to check the venue hours, I encourage you to go!

Upcoming Shows & The Pressure to Finish Work

2 shows, much work to do

My Inspired By Day--look at all of the art being made! LOVE IT!

My art group has two upcoming shows and I definitely hear the lyrics "Under Pressure" as a weight upon us all. Our first show in August will consist of 3 completed framed works for each of us. Many are still working to finish these works, and most I would say have still to frame their works.

For the September show, there is even more pressure. We each have chosen an "Inspired By" pose and a model to be our "inspiration". We had to sign up for a date, show up early and set up the model and set the stage for our pose. I strongly feel that it is a good experience for the artist to have to work to set up the model, to choose the background colors, pose the model, select the clothing--it is much more difficult than you would imagine particularly with the addition of pattern and color. Once you set up your Inspired By, the other artists gather around and paint with you--each of us will have our own versions of each other's Inspired By! I've found these Inspired By poses to inspire all artists not just the artist setting up the pose.

This has been a motivating and rewarding experience. I find that artists are more likely to show up on Inspired By days and artists are working hard to finish their Inspired By works. Yes, there is stress to make a good painting and to finish a painting but there is also somehow a motivation to do so.

Many artists had successful lovely paintings of my Inspired By, and yet I struggled! Ack! I repainted my painting 4 times. The first three were terrible, the final fourth painting is good ---painting this over and over is not something I typically would do, but since it was my Inspired By I felt I had to get a good painting for the show.

I'd say that most artists are on board with the Inspired By show (there are some who are disliking the pressure to create). I would love to see this continue into an Inspired By 2, for us to continue to create Inspired By works from now through 2018. Here's what I am noticing--even artists who struggle to complete works have been pushed into blocking out more time to make art, into committing to have finished works done for the show. While not all artworks are coming out, we are dedicating and allotting more time to make art and I think that is a good thing. We artists should work more at our art, commit more to our art.  While some may not want to continue, I am preemptively voting for an Inspired By 2 and I am already thinking about my next model set up for Inspired By 2...


Here is a link to the Novi News Article about our Sept Show:
http://www.hometownlife.com/story/life/2017/07/19/group-art-exhibit-takes-shape-novi-painters-basement/469986001/

Oh Trees! A Quick Afternoon Tree Workshop

Green Trees & Grey Skies

Artists at work, painting trees! (Impressionistic image).

 I've been plein air painting once a week for most of the spring and summer. And, none of that plein air painting has been instructor led. While it is wonderful and meditative to get out and paint on my own, I do believe that artists should search for new ideas and seek instruction. This particular afternoon workshop was appealing because it was "how to paint trees"--ok I think I need to learn that!

When a friend mentioned that she thought she could get an artist to teach a plein air "how to paint trees" workshop, I said, "Sign me up." As an artist, you have to be open to new opportunities! For example today at the painting tree workshop there were several of us who consider ourselves newer to plein air, some total newbies and some experienced painters. It was an amalgam of painting knowledge and yet I believe that we all enjoyed the workshop. I loved the demo. The demo was painted with a size 12 brush which seemed so large to me, but which worked so well for the Instructor. I love seeing how others approach a painting, what colors they use and how they use their brushes. The Instructor made it look so very easy, I loved his trees but mine were not as successful as his.

The newer artists were really interested in color mixing. I was interested in sky-holes and edges. The more experienced artists were interested in color palette --especially the instructor's use of Portland grey which he used in his sky and to create his dark greens (Portland grey with Ultramarine Blue and Yellow Ocher).

My painting, it looks a little dark here, it was a grey day!

Tree Notes:

• Know the trees you are painting, it helps to know the features (I need to learn the trees here).
• No symmetry, nothing parallel to the frame
• Establish big shapes, then darks and shadows. 
• Think of a jigsaw puzzle, simplified.
• After block in, refine shapes saving details and keyholes for last. 
• Define a few strokes at a time, cutting into the sky . For sky-holes be selective, use a clean brush and paint should be toothpaste thick.
• Painting is a series of corrections.

First Paint Out - Lessons Learned

Paint Out Day Three

On small glimpse of the show, my work in top right gold

On the third morning we had to take in our wet paintings (framed and ready for show). As I drove into downtown Milford I saw plein air painters everywhere! They were all painting for the Quick Paint (3 hours), it was awesome! I turned in my 2 wet paintings, viewed the amazing work on the gallery walls and then walked through town looking at all the painters. I am guessing the secret to a Quick Paint is to paint super close to the venue. I loved seeing all of the Quick Paint Artists painting their works, a town filled with artists!

In the afternoon there was an art sale and artist reception at the SHAC. WOW!
I have to say I was so impressed with the quality of work produced at this event. There is so much talent on the wall, you must go see the show and ask yourself how did one artist accomplish this work in 3 hours, or even how did this artist complete this work in a day? To me there were several gallery worthy artists and paintings at the final art show, I was in awe!

SHAC (Suzanne Haskew Art Center) is located at 125 S. Main Street in Milford. The show runs now through August 22, I encourage all to go view the show!


Lastly, as my first paint out weekend came to an end, I wanted to share my lessons learned...

Lessons learned:

1. Scouting locations before the paint out is a must. You don't want to spend time looking for a place to paint, you want to get to a location and set up and paint away.
2. Painting one hour small paintings helped my confidence & decision making (I try to do this twice a week)
3. Plein air painting once a week before the paint out ensured that I knew my equipment and could set up quickly
4. Paint with a friend or friends! Not only do you have someone to watch your equipment when you have to use the restroom, you also can solicit a quick critique.
5. Review the schedule, allot time to get your canvases stamped and note the wet paint turn in deadlines
6. Watch the weather and plan accordingly --rain coat, trash bag for tarp (rain)
7. Don't get too ambitious - Keep it simple (this should really be #1)
8. Don't forget your lunch and your waters - stay hydrated

One last note about a Paint out, and that is Go with Confidence! I have heard several artists state that they do not have the confidence to participate in a Paint Out! That surprises me! Sign up and go for it, make it a goal, find a local event and do it! You can paint alone or with a friend, and since there are two days (or more) there are opportunities to create several paintings. And you should put at least one in the show! You never know until you try! Go for it! PS- My friend who also was a first time paint out person, reluctantly put one of her works into the show. Her jaw hit the floor when she won an award! That is why you have to try and to go with confidence.

First Paint Out - Welcome To Plein Air

Day One

Hello, it's me  8x10, first painting

The first day of the paint out we awoke to stormy weather. My paint out partner and I texted with each other deciding to meet post-rain shower! So we started a little later than usual and with overcast mostly cloudy skies we were in for light change challenges! We did get rained on a little bit, but you know what? I had packed a garbage bag and used that as a "tarp" over my equipment wagon, it worked!

The changing light was the greatest challenge for us as it was dark grey skies  & fully overcast when we started painting, then flitted into pure sunlight, then rain clouds, then on and off clouds the rest of the afternoon -- Welcome to Plein Air.

Landscape Layer Cake 5x7

That first morning, I felt confident getting my composition down on the canvas (I did do a preliminary thumbnail sketch first which helped). However my first painting took me much longer than I expected for an 8x10 sized painting. I struggled to get to a completion point even though I am typically a fast painter. There was an abundance of green and I struggled with the aforementioned light changes. After thinking about it, I suffered from TMI syndrome. Too Much Information (visually) and I did not keep it simple. In hindsight I feel that I should have narrowed in my focus to a smaller or less complex scene.

Since my AM painting took me well into the afternoon, I did a small second painting in the afternoon. And since I labored so hard in the morning, I wanted to keep this one simpler. A smaller canvas helped with that and my afternoon 5x7 painting was completed in a little over an hour. I was happy with it, this little gem would go in the Wet Paint Sale on Sunday.

Day 2

Ah! The light was better, it was mostly sunny and blue skies--yes! This day I had planned to paint in a house  & garden in downtown Milford. I was painting alone as my art companions did not want to paint a house or flowers.

Sunlit Sanctuary, 8x10 AM painting

I had wanted to paint the entire front of the house ---from across the street (in order to get the house onto the canvas I would have to stand that far back). However, I was not able to park across the street (no parking on that side). And, I would have had to stand practically in the front yard of the house across the street! I had made arrangements to paint the one house but did not have permission from house across street occupants to paint on their lawn. Bummer as my initial plan just went awry. So, into the garden I went in search of a subject.

Right away I was drawn to an elaborately decorated pergola structure, it was truly amazing. I loved the light bright sunlight and the dappled shadows falling on this white structure. I decided to setup there and get the light pattern down.  And once again I fell into TMI Syndrome--there was so much information. There were stain glass windows, lattices, topiaries, vines, flowers, flower baskets and statues. Once again, I think I should have tried to keep it simple. I got the initial layout in just fine, but struggled to get this 8x10 completed. I am happy with the results, but I did struggle to achieve them.

Summer's Gate 8x10, my favorite

Again, the afternoon painting session was better, despite me starting late again. I bravely pulled out another 8x10 canvas and decided to paint a simpler subject (note the lesson learned here). Personally, of the four paintings, this is my favorite. The strokes are laid in and left alone. I made decisions and stuck with them. And while the gate isn't perfect, I like that it has that painterly quality--which is what I wanted. Note that I did not even attempt to paint details in the greenery behind the gate--the gate is the focus! I have not painted many works like this--of gate and garden but I definitely want to do more. This painting being an 8x10 took me half the time of the morning painting.

In conclusion, I am happy that I participated in this paint out so close to home. The advantage of being able to go home at night was wonderful. My fellow artist painters were amazing. Go and see the show at the SHAC in Milford NOW through August 22. I personally believe that 35 of the over 100 works are gallery worthy paintings--and I am serious. There is some amazing local talent! Two of my works for sale in this show include Sunlit Sanctuary and Landscape Layer Cake--you MUST see them in person--photos just cannot tell you the whole story! My other 2 works will be for sale on my website later this week!

Constructing a Portrait

Start at Mouth

AKA  The Post Workshop Recovery

I am still recovering from my portrait and gesture workshop last week. I call it the "Ow! My brain" workshop. I  would go home after the workshop at night, walk the dogs and then settle in for an hour of HGTV, just to decompress!

For Artists the best workshops force you to concentrate & focus, learning new thoughts and ideas and starts. How many people start the portrait with the mouth (not eyes, not nose)? That was such a challenge to start the portrait with the mouth line, oh my! And yet, from mouth to nose to eye, I think I captured a likeness in my drawing--yes this drawing on the right was started at the mouth and then nose then left eye!

Here are some "warm up" drawings. We did eye, mouth and nose each from right side, front , and left side. I know it is hard to see the words written there, but one of my favorite exercises was to write the shape descriptions of the feature that you see. As a Visual artist, writing the words to describe the shape of the mouth instead of drawing is a tremendous brain challenge! I did the written descriptor challenge for each face section (mouth, eye, nose)--hence the "Ow My Brain." And here I challenge you to take a workshop that will challenge you!

Warrior Maiden, painted pre-workshop

As you know, lately I have been flirting with unfinished paintings. I go to live portrait sessions (uninstructed) each week and we always have such limited time, about 2.5 hours. I paint fairly quickly and I am learning when to stop so I do not overwork my subject.

Typically pre-workshop I started a portrait with a vertical-ish line for head tilt and then I add horizontal lines for eyes, bottom of nose, and mouth and top of head. Then I add vertical lines for long and short side of face. While I filled in most of my lines with paint, I did leave a few out in this unfinished work. I can and will overwork a painting.

In person the skin tone and mouth of this portrait have a bright luminosity which I love. This particular portrait does not accurately reflect the model, her eyes are slightly smaller, but I still like how this came out. Although I have to state that after my portrait workshop I will look more closely and concentrate more strongly on features. I named this Warrior Maiden as she has an Athena quality and look to her doesn't she?

The good things I see include the warm coral lip colors, the bright greens in the headpiece and the leaf shadows on her forehead. While she was in a white flowy top, I left the white canvas there to represent the top  strap and I feel that what I left out is really nice, this unfinished one is done!

Scouting Locations for Plein Air

My first Paint Out is just a few weeks away!

My Usual Spot--way across the lake!

"...In Summerrrr"--channeling Olaf of Frozen!  Summer is the busy season here in Michigan and I have a lot going on. I have an art workshop later this week and in a few weeks I have my first paint out! Ack! So much going on, so much to do! I have placed my art order, ensuring that I have enough paint, brushes and canvas for the paint out. My friend and I also decided to 'scout' our favorite park for new painting locations.

Like many, I have a default painting spot. I find that with the changing light or with hazy days or with seasons changing, my spot has endless painting possibilities. My friend wanted to scope out some new locations in our large park -which meant we had some ground to cover! Requirements only included being near a restroom and not having to walk too far (lugging all that painting equipment).

We met up at the usual place and with a park map. Then we proceeded to drive and walk the park from entrance to entrance, this took us a little over 2 hours. We drove from location to location and then walked the paths looking for vistas all around. The picture posted here was taken from a peninsula in the middle of the lake--I was shocked that there was a path that went the whole way out to the tip of the peninsula. While I probably wouldn't chose that spot to paint, it was interesting to see my "usual spot" from the middle lake view--so far away (my usual spot is where the red arrow is pointing).

Now, it is noted, that we went in the evening so painting in the morning these spots the light will be very different. We found about 6 new locations, two we thought would be really special for the plein air paint out. Our hope is that knowing the area in advance and having spots selected will be beneficial to us for the paint out.