Meeting Notes, Sept 1, 2016

At today’s meeting Judith, Nancy, Tracie, Marty D, Michele, Kay, Thomas, Susan, Joanne K, Joanne M, Tim, Diane, Carrie, Bill, David, Jeanie, Giorgio, Annie, Tedd, Eunice, Genie, Peggie, Jim, Stephanie, Kristina, Jean, Tom, Teresa, Joanne T, Loretta L, Dotty, Elo, and me Celeste.

Today’s suggested table topic: Online competitions and/or in-person competitions or contests ---have you participated? what are the pros and cons? tell us what you know about it.

Today's meeting began with a big round of applause for Thomas Kitts who won first place at the Pacific Northwest Plein air Competition 2016 at Maryhill Museum. His painting was also purchased by Maryhill Museum. Additionally, Susan Kuznitsky has just returned from Paint the Peninsula where she won third place. Applause applause)! Normally these announcements are made at the end of the meeting but today was an exception.

Peggie: Yes, I have been in competitions. Look beyond the competition -- If you get rejected or don't win anything stay committed to your personal goals. Continue on don't get “knocked down” in your mind. Think about your own goals and make sure that you don’t deviate from your plan. You’ll gain experience and also possible future sales. You may not sell in the event and may not win a ribbon, but you will have that paining to sell later. I painted at Villa Catalana in the hot weather, I am showing three paintings from there.

Stephanie: I agree with everything Peggie just said. I like competitions because of the time limit aspect of it. Time limits are good for us. I have been in the Hillsboro events and the lavender events. I also did the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge which was online. There was no reward for that except for having done it. I would also add that judges are human and their choices are all subjective. We all have opinions and the judge was chosen to do the job. Whether you agree with him or not is of little consequence. Don’t take it personally. I am showing two plein air paintings.

Tom: I have not been in a competition. I think I will give it a shot some day. I was accepted into the Clark County studio tour. I will let you know when that is. I am showing two plein air paintings that I did recently.

Jeanne: I don’t have anything to add about the subject. I am showing a recent plein air painting.

Jim: I entered the Hood River plein air event twice. I have to be honest here, I did not have fun. I spent the week alone wandering around trying to find out where I should paint. The whole thing didn't work out economically either. I do think that landscapes should be done from life. Plein-air is so valuable to the artist. I’d say it’s almost a requirement. As an aside, when Joanne and I went on a trip to a workshop in Widby Island we carpooled. I was driving and I missed my exit  because Joanne was talking too much (laughter)!

Elo: My experience with contests goes back to six grade (laughter)! I entered into a contest for a poster about conservation. I am showing another in my series of birds painted directly over a map. The bird is indigenous to the place on the map). I get my references from the US forest service. (Copyright free for creative use).

Thomas: I have been in a lot of competitions beginning in 2008. I made a conscious decision to become serious about it. I wanted to gain exposure and get experience. Contests and competitions have done good things for me. It has provided a focus for me that I would not have otherwise. Sometime ago nocturnes were added to these competitions and then it became a situation where there was even less sleep than before.. It’s very important to try to have fun at these things. When people are more accomplished than you you “play up” and it is a good thing.. If you are not having fun --at least look like you’re having fun (laughter)! Choose any online competitions wisely because they can get to be very expensive. I brought in a large plein air that I did in several sessions.

Bill: I am not in the competitive world. I think that it is very important to always just think of the joy of painting. Competition and painting are somewhat conflicted ideas. I donated a commissioned painting to the first Unitarian church auction. The winning bidder asked me to paint a portrait of their dog. I am showing that painting.

Kristina: I will tell you a universal truth. You only agree with the judge if you get chosen. (Laughter)! I am showing a painting that I painted for the Pacific Northwest plein air competition that I didn’t put in ---maybe I should’ve put it in!

Tracie: I have waxing ambition when it comes to painting. When I was younger I played basketball competitively. For practice I used to play with male basketball players. I thought if I can keep up with the worst guy here I will really be doing something. Competition can be such a good thing. I painted the Sauvie Island bridge twice. I am showing both paintings.

Joanne T: I entered the lavender paint out on a whim. I joined up late. I did well in it and I was so surprised. I was interested in the online art Muse contest. I did everything right with Photoshop, but then I realized I didn't have a PayPal account (laughter)! I am making headway and maybe I will be ready for the next opportunity. I am interested in the Strada challenge that starts today. I want to know more about it. I went to the Maryhill Museum show and it was beautiful. I am showing three paintings.

Marty: I am just happy to get anything on the wall. I am taking classes with Joanne Kollman. I will see what the future brings!

Teresa: I was encouraged to participate in a three state competition. I was accepted. I didn't win but it was a good experience. I have not been in any competition since then. I may get involved as time goes on. I am showing a recent painting --a painting from my archives.

Judith: I would have to say that competition it is a double edged sword. I am showing two plein air paintings.

Tim: I just really paint for fun. I painted this painting from a Saturday market bouquet.  I am also showing a pear painting (I painted this from one of the pears that Annie gave us.

Joanne M: Competitions are a numbers game. It is like a job interview. You have to decide if you want to invest in travel and all that sort of thing. A lot depends on your personality type. I don't thrive on public situations. I like to be alone. It's funny when I was listening to Jim talk about how he was alone in Hood River at the competition I was thinking to myself I’d like to have Jim’s experience! (Laughter)! I’m not comfortable unless I am very prepared. Maybe I’ll get involved later when I feel more prepared. I have just rediscovered Phtalo green. I didn’t like it in school but I used it in these two plein air paintings.

Loretta L: I went out with Tedd and Brenda plein air painting. They had me in stitches the whole time. I am very new to plein air painting. I have been painting Sauvie island and I am showing a painting from there. I really like being outside.

 Nancy: I feel I need to practice every day and to try to do my best. I will get involved in competitions in the future. I painted at Villa Catalana recently and I am showing two paintings from there.

Michelle: I would like to enter contests, but they seem to take advantage of artists! I think that sometimes the fees are just too much. I think that everyone should be very careful about companies that appear to be taking advantage of artists. I like to go out with others. During a class I love critique --it pushes me into a great direction. I am showing a palette knife painting that I did during a workshop. I am showing also some plein air paintings.

Dotty: I enjoy occasionally the pressure of competing. I am new to Oregon and I find the Gorge to be fabulous. The experience of painting during the Pacific Northwest plein air event was wonderful. I am showing a pastel painting that I did –I was asked to leave because I was on Native American land. I got kicked out! I finished it later. I am also showing a pastel of the mountain.

Joanne K: Hilarie  and I did an event “together” for the first time. We used the same car. It was her birthday on that day and she wanted to try a different location and I wanted to stay where we were. I compromised because it was her birthday and we went to the other location. That is what it is like if you have a partner in the car. I have done the Hillsboro event ever since. I won second place that first year. I like all of this business of plein air competitions -- you will form some lasting friendships! I would caution you against entering some contest where you have to ship a big painting. That happened with me when I entered the Richeson competition --I won, but the shipping costs were high! And also frames for competitions are an issue. I have gone back to a simple design frame. I am showing a recent life painting and a recent plein air painting.

Susan: I have a love hate relationship with competition. I love it and yet I felt very insecure-- I got into "Paint the Peninsula". I was so happy to be in it but then I realized I had to perform and I thought oh my god what am I doing here! I brought lots and lots of supplies. I learned a lot from all the other painters. Ramona Youngquist has become a friend. When they called out my name for third-place winner amongst all these legends of painting I thought I might faint! I feel validated for the recognition, but I also felt like a wreck (Laughter)! I spent the whole week laughing so much. In particular I have some advice --don’t send a text without proofreading it. Ramona Youngquist and I got a lot of mileage out of my funny text. I am showing my winning painting. 

Kay: I have entered three competitions and I want to acquire more confidence. There is a social part of me and a loner part of me. I am showing a painting I did at Villa Catalana. I really enjoy the looks of an unfinished painting sometimes.

Celeste: I would agree with what Tracie said about sports. When I played tennis we were always taught to try to seek out the better players and to play with them. You may feel discouraged when they beat you, but also it will elevate your game. Art competitions are the same. I took the one-day workshop with Terry Miura. He impressed upon us how simple designs are often the best. I am showing three paintings.

 Eunice: When I lived in California I was involved in a project of “field paintings”. There were six of us. These were paintings that were shown together. Three of my paintings sold. I am not involved in competitions currently but I have an eye on possibly doing something in the future.

 Tedd: I love paint outs but I absolutely hate the lavender festival! (laughter! Laughter)! I am not kidding! I hate lavender, it is just not my thing. My wife bought some lavender and I made her get rid of it (laughter)! I painted at the Villa Catalna when it was 100°. Brenda and I laughed and laughed. I brought in an oil sketch that I did Monday.

Annie: As an illustrator I have exhibited in illustration conferences. These are competitions too. It was heartening to me when I saw people looking at my illustrations. It’s validating. They really liked them. These were art directors who were savvy. Deborah Butterfield loves deadlines --she puts it off until the last minute and she does beautiful work. I wish I was like that. I am showing a painting of some rocks. I have been studying rocks and I am finding the time spent valuable.

Genie: I entered an online competition and I won third place. It was a shock to me. When I first came here I remember someone saying it is not just not good enough just to show your work to your aunt and your family (laughter!) As competitions go I enjoy them, but I won’t do too many. Workshops are really hard. I keep wondering why doesn’t my work look as good as his?? why why? (laughter)! I am showing two recent paintings from the Colley Whisson workshop.

David: I am just visiting but I wanted to say I really love this group. I think it’s great that you are also nonjudgmental and that you all learn from each other.

 Jeanie: I have raced cars! I have raced cars in California and I will race when it is raining and they will have trouble with rain, but not me,  I’m from here !laughter! I like competition and I have competed in the past.

Giorgio (Annie’s son): I am an Potter. I have only had one instructor. I learned pottery at Laney College in California. Pottery is just so different. When you make pottery you want people to use it. One of the worst things that can happen is if someone puts it up only to look at and doesn’t use it. I’m happy to be here and glad I got to listen to all of you.


Announcements:

Winning paintings Pacific NW Plein Air: http://pleinairhoodriver.blogspot.com/2016/08/awards-paintings.html

 Susan Kuznitsky is selling tour guides to the Portland open studios they are $15 apiece. She has classes that are beginning on 21 September at OSA

Also, Happy Birthday, Susan Kuznitsky! (Today)

 Oleg Ulitskiy at Art on the boulevard for first Friday. http://www.artontheboulevard.org

 Tonight September 1 at the First Presbyterian Church at Southwest 12th and Alder dog art 5 to 7 PM.

 Tomorrow Friday, September 2 and ongoing Fridays 1 to 4 PM Joanne Radmilovich Kollman has drop in painting classes at OSA. Bring a piece for critique and cradled supports are still for sale for the show at OSA

 Sundays are Peaceful painting at Sauvie Island 9 AM meet at the cracker barrel store. The Cracker Barrel Store – 15005 N. W. Sauvie Island Road

 Stephanie Cissna and Vicki Zimmerman are at Medley Tea. Their reception will be in October.

 Joanne Mehl has introduction to figure painting at OSA September 19 Monday 930 to 12:30 PM


Thank you all for coming today and sharing your ideas and your paintings next meeting September 8 suggested table topic “Workshop Gems” Tell us one thing you learned in a workshop that you still recall today ---something that stuck with you. If you have not attended a workshop just tell us some good art advice you have received.

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