Time to think About Goals

My BIG 2018 goal was to "paint more!" 

Me & Marilyn, Art Inst. Chicago

2018 Art Goals that were completed:

• Paint more! 
• Update my blog 2x per month
• Update my website 2x per month
• Stay on top of my art inventory

Paint More!
This was achieved through  painting quick studies each day for a month (started in Jan), painting Richard Schmid's color charts, continuing to paint portraits each week (2x) at the studio plus attending extra sessions. Plus painting en plein air and painting in 4 plein air paint outs. I tried to paint more at home when I could but I definitely fought distractions, I totally see the value of an out of home studio<<<A Girl can dream!

Lessons Learned
So what have I learned this year?

Paint outs are quite a lot of work, much time and much attention is required and all are organized differently. I enjoy the paint outs that are closer to home, it is easier to be organized when you get to sleep in your own bed at night. Many works don't sell, but the experience is important.

Richard Schmid's color charts are a time consuming value add. Each chart that I created took a time consuming three plus hours to paint. The color mixing really helped me, I am a faster color mixer and I learned more about what I can do with my palette. I am an 11 color palette artist now. Week to week I only need these 11 colors.

Researching and joining a national organization for your art is valuable and beneficial. I joined the The AIS (American Impressionist Society). I really like the organization, the way the organization is run, the AIS artists and the member benefits.

As always, I want to be more organized and have a better painting schedule. I am terrible at having a daily art schedule, I am an organized person but I struggle with this--so tracking my art continues to be a goal. I did get a great suggestion from a mentor on this one, she said to keep a journal at my easel and track my time, yep this is going on 2019 goals.

Wanting to Get Outside

What a bummer! This fall the weather is not cooperating with outdoor painting!

Right now the weather is blustery and chilly and the temperatures have dropped to frost alert, it is full on fall. There was/is no happy transition from the hot to the 70s/60s, the temps just fell to the 50s with blustery 20 mph winds! No fair! Probably I could deal with the cool, but winds are a challenge to even the best painter.

Frida 2018, a work completed at home from photos

I have been thinking a lot about my recent art workshops and I have been back to painting portraits from life with my art group. At home, I also have been working on a portrait from a photograph which has taken me many many hours! I think and hope that I have finally finished the at home portrait, it took forever! Frida is the work that I have been working on at home. I got wonderful expressive eyes and I think the skin tone is good. I had trouble with the flowers, the bright big lovely fake flowers, so hard to paint! The flowers started too bright and with too much the same light color (no depth) I had to go back in and add the darks. I ended up changing the background from green to a blue purple with a touch of pink and orange on top. I wanted the dark hair to merge with the background. I also had a darker burgundy lip, but lightened it a bit as it was harsh with her light skin. The light top is not white but is white-ish in color, very light. And the shadow on the top has a touch of pink and orange as those are the flower shadows on her shoulder. Definitely I like this beauty, she is done.

Having done so much portrait painting, I do wish I could change it up and go outside to paint. I will look through my photo references to see if anything strikes my fancy for a landscape I can paint in studio..

Post Workshop Blues and Reds and Yellows

Small quick color study, plein air

For JK-- feel better, you are a good friend, let's chat soon!


Whew! I have just finished 2 weeks of art workshops! Sounds like a dream right? It was great, but it was also exhausting! Help, I am buried under a pile of laundry --woe to be back to household chores!

How did I manage to get myself into a 3 workshops in 2 weeks quagmire? Well, a workshop that I really really really wanted to do was cancelled this year and my heart was a little broken about that. I researched other workshops and found one in Wisconsin and one in Ohio. I was unsure what to do and which to take when my husband suggested signing up for both. His logic was that since every workshop I signed up for (all 3) in the last 3 years had been cancelled at least one of these would be cancelled. No such luck this time around, both workshops were a GO! Oh yeah and a figure workshop that I have been waiting to take finally announced its dates, and--of course, started the day after workshop #2. Ack!

Larger painting, unfinished

My first workshop was held in Wisconsin, Door County (Monday through Weds). It was very professional and really really good for me as an artist. It gave me homework and quite a bit to think about in regards to taking my work to the next level. This workshop forced me to focus on what I believe is my great weakness--this was tough to identify. I think I understand it, but still need to figure out how to address it and be more thoughtful about it in my artwork. The personal aspects of this workshop was important and valuable to me. I need to get back to work this week, to really paint and move forward to be the better art me. I enjoyed this class very much and loved making new art friends. I flew home Thursday, started laundry and packed my art supplies again, leaving Sunday for my next art workshop.

Small quick plein air study

My second workshop was in Ohio and it focused on taking plein air references and color studies and then making paintings in the studio. Good instruction, great ideas and I think this will really help my plein air work moving forward. This was about thumbnails but also multiple thumbnails (as many references as you need) and color studies, it was great to see in action.  I enjoyed it and made new art friends. Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop but I felt my work was not as strong as I would have liked. I paint in the park, lots of trees and water typically but for this workshop we painted neighborhoods (houses and lawns). So, I was perhaps less inspired by the subject matter or maybe the lack of perspective training got to me.  I had hoped to be more proud of my work especially since I was one of the more experienced artists in the workshop--I got frustrated. I was confident in my equipment set up and color mixing skills, but my compositions drove me a little crazy.

Larger painting

The third art workshop, thank goodness was back in the studio I go to near my house. The timing of this workshop was not my favorite, but I love the Instructor and subject matter and had to take advantage of the opportunity. So, workshop #2 started Monday ended Wednesday, workshop #3 started Thursday ended Saturday--6 straight days of workshop mania. Yes, I was a zombie Saturday night.

The third workshop was Expressive Anatomy. It used up the most juice by far in that I was constantly drawing and painting from a live model! But it was so good, I actually felt that much of my work was fairly strong in this workshop! WOW since I have not taken figure drawing in a while! Also, I brought in my worksheets from the first workshop (what I need to work on) and discussed that with this instructor. She totally got it, and really helped me see, using my work as example, what to do to get it to the next level. I think for me the awareness helps, and now I will work with my instructors and mentors on how to apply it to my work!

So much done, so far to go but at least I am confident that I will have clean clothes for art tomorrow!
Here is hoping I can paint tomorrow and make sense of it all, wish me luck!

Sometimes You Just Gotta

Fight the tired and get outside

My painting, my view, close to parking.

 The other day, I knew the weather would be sunny and nice. I woke up tired and it was one of those days - I wasn't feeling like I could get out and paint and I knew my friends were working. I emailed a few people asking if they wanted to meet me at nearby parks, but this was last minute I did not get responses. I always try to invite others to paint with me as that forces me  to show up!

I put on my painting clothes, and sunscreen on my face, tossed my hair in a pony tail and gathered up my plein air gear. The more you do it, the easier it gets -- the plein air gear packing. But, it still takes a bit of time, brushes have to be cleaned and packed, clean turp or gamsol must be put in a container. Paints and canvases must go into the backpack. The pochode has to have a new sheet of palette paper. And, the painter has to have a water and a snack packed.

I put all my gear in the car and headed out, I ended up at a park just a few miles away. There was a great long view shot with lots of yellows and greens that I found in the park. However, the spot was a little walk from the car and I would have felt more comfortable there if I had a friend with me. Needless to say I ended up in a more populated spot.

The end result, I like it!

Right near my parking spot I found some nice shade from a tree and set up. It was afternoon already, yes I am that slow and tired! I decided that I would not spend too much time on this painting (in hindsight I think that helped me concentrate).

I set up and got to work. What I liked about this scene was the red and green - I love my complimentary colors! I also liked how the sunlight hit the barn side and the green grass. Additionally, I really liked the tree branch shadows on the roof and side of the barn. This painting is all about complimentary colors and afternoon light. I was also pleased that I completed this work in 1.5 hours. That is about all I had in me and I am happy with the result.

Five To Aspire To

I Admire so many Artists!

I am really excited about my upcoming art workshop and already I have homework (which I am totally fine with). One of the early assignments is finding 5 works of art and thereby an artist (or 5) to which I aspire. I love art and artists and have bookmarked way too many artist websites and works. How do I narrow it down?

What would your narrow down criteria be when you love them all?

There are so many amazing artists out there, but I am not a super realist, so perhaps not the artists whose images are more realistic. And perhaps not the tonalists because while I appreciate those low color qualities, I really love color.

Questions:

• Do I want scenes like what I currently paint?
  Lots of green park trees, lots of portraits but some of my favorite artists paint beachy/boaty scenes...
• Should my aspire to photos be similar to the landscape photos that I have?
  I love a good sailboat painting but I don't live too near many sailboats.
• What about structures in scenes?
  I do not currently paint many scenes that have structures in them but I love a barn view, house view etc.

What I need:

• Color
• Painterly brushwork
• Gesture or study portraits (unfinished in appearance)
• Painterly landscape (with not too many greens)
• Landscapes with light and shadow

And still, I had such a hard time choosing artists. For my approach, I reviewed all of my bookmarked art websites AND my saved Pinterest Portraits and Landscapes. And you know that while I have a plethora of artists saved there, it was still a challenge to narrow those down to my aspirations! Gosh darn it, there are so many good artists out there.

Last night, I finally narrowed down my final 20 images to my final 5! I chose two portraits (studies) and 3 landscapes -- one house and flowers, one trees and land, one long view of field and farm. The house and flowers was my first choice, I really love that particular artists modern impressionists work!

Start thinking, what five artists, what five works would you choose as your admire and aspire to? While it sounds like an easy task, it is tough to choose! My husband said it best, "This is a good challenge for you". Yes, so tough! I am relieved and glad to have turned in my homework!

Try Something New

 A great view.

We have some wonderful parks near where I live and I think I have painted them all. My "Go To" Parks have many trees which is a lot of green (and much sameness). I feel a little bad in that I wish they had more structures (more shapes more colors) to paint. For inspiration I am going to try someplace new!

I am not an adventurer and travelling far to paint is not for me, but I think I need to look around more and find some new great places or scenes, perhaps with more structures.

A goat on a walkway

my painting

Today I ventured someplace new--to a farm with a barn and animals. It was a lovely day if a bit warm in the sun. A few of us set up by the playground as that area had the best farm views. We heard constant chatter of kids playing and running. A few boys in bright tees even chased after the goats by the pond. 

It was a good day and I was happy with my red barn colors. Red against the green grass and green trees (complements) is so much fun. This photo of my painting on the right is as far as I got. My friend Candace suggested that I add a little tree before the small red barn, it was a good choice. I also didn't add all the fencing around the front and side of the barn. My whites were mixing with my reds, so I decided to let the painting dry and will go back and add the whites of the barn later.

Making the Best of It

My Plein Air Workshop in Traverse City was cancelled but we had reservations and vacation time!

Clinch Park Painting

For the third year in a row an Art workshop that I have signed up for has been cancelled.Each art workshop was at a different venue and featured a different art instructor, it leaves me wondering, 'Is it me?' #Seriously?

A cancelled workshop, well that may not be a big deal you say, but this was a destination workshop; we planned to travel--rented a place, husband took vacation days--we were impacted. We decided to keep our rental and my husband's much needed vacation, but now instead of me attending a workshop we had to figure out what to do.

I need to preface all of this with the fact that I am thankful for my patient husband.

Shelter From The Storm

We packed the car and headed up to Traverse City, I included all of my plein air gear. On the way my husband and I discussed where we wanted to go, what we wanted to see during the week.

Day 1: OPA Show & Plein Air Painting
One of my first choices was seeing the Oil Painters of America (OPA) show at the Crooked Tree Gallery in Traverse City, I found some new artists who inspire me. What a lovely venue.

The day was overcast and we feared it might rain. We found a great spot in the park by the bay and I painted for a few hours. Of course, less than a half hour after I started painting, the boat I was painting drove off... a real plein air experience. I saw people board the boat and I painted like a madwoman!

Pierce Stocking View

Day2: Pierce Stocking Drive & Glen Arbor & Fishtown

Bright Light White

Pierce Stocking Drive is gorgeous, I got many reference photos for future paintings (pack a picnic on this scenic drive). North of Glen Arbor was nice, again I got some great reference pics here and in Fishtown. This was a reference photo kind of day. That evening I painted from a photo that I took as we were on the road most of the day.

Day 3: Breakfast at our favorite place, Betsie Bay Lighthouse, Frankfort
I got some great pics of the Betsie Lighthouse and spent a few minutes looking in the rocks at the shore for Petoskey stones. Then we went to downtown Frankfort park and I set up in the shade and painted the Betsie Bay (boats). After painting, I promised my husband an early dinner at a new restaurant in town. Follwed by a search for barn reference photos (future studio paintings).

Frankfort Painting

Bay Beauties

Day 4: Suttons Bay plein air then Grand Traverse Lighthouse then Mawby & Shady Lane Wineries
Earlier in the week we drove by this farm and I knew I had to go back and paint there. We went back, parked on the side of the road and I painted! It was warm so I only painted a few hours, then I packed up and we went to the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. After that we stopped in to two of my favorite wineries -delicious! We were hungry so we stopped off at a great restaurant in TC, nice view and great food! #tiredlongday

Pull Over to Paint

Day 5: Traverse City then Old Mission Point
My husband had an emergency work call so I had breakfast at our favorite cafe (while he sat in the hot car on a call). Then I walked downtown taking photo references and of course I ended up in a bookstore. Finally at noon, the emergency calls were over and we drove out to Old Mission Point. We found a nice beach spot near the water, and had our picnic and read...relaxing and beautiful.

Day 6: Traverse City Beach Day
We took our umbrellas, books and chairs to the beach, another nice day just reading and relaxing. I intentionally left the paints at home so we could just enjoy and relax together.

4 paintings +2 wineries+ 4 lighthouses = 1 great vacation.

I was happy that I got time with my husband & time painting--the weather was lovely...
Yes, I think we did make the best of it.