Meeting Notes, April 4, 2019

At todays meeting: Peggie Loretta Ward Chris Mike Dotty Raphael Diana Donna Joanne T Annie Yong Elo Tom K Za Bhavani Greg Stephanie Kathy Tracie Tim Ken Wendy Marie Geri Jeanie Eunice and me Celesrte.

Today's topic: "Making it Strong" What constitutes a strong painting (to you)? Tell us whatever you want on the topic of "Strong" painting.

Celeste: I want to say values are so important, but so is everything else!… shape, color, contrast, variety... on and on there can’t be one answer. I am concentrating on clear and distinct values. I know it is one key to success. I am showing a couple of paintings from my archives and one new study.

Peggie: I agree with everything Celeste said. I painted these two paintings in Lake Oswego (plein air). One version was done when it was raining; the other version was done when it was sunny! I painted the words on the marquee because they are meaningful (my children performed there).  I redid this windmill. This painting of water was done during a gray day; I changed it to be more colorful.

Loretta: I think a strong painting has good composition good value, contrast and love!

Ward: I use my iPhone camera to check on whether or not my painting is strong. The truth is if it looks good on Facebook I know it's good! (Laughter)! I like a strong painting that has lot light and dark. I like the juxtaposition.
I was at Bombay Beach recently. It is a Burning Man type of place. I am so glad to be back from my travels. I was so excited to come here I forgot to bring a painting! (Laughter)!

Chris: I recently painted this painting plein air at Sauvie Island.  I really don't like green and brown, so I'm kind of sunk from the beginning! (Laughter)! I am showing other paintings that are more in keeping to what I am most drawn to…color! (Expressive color speaks to me)!

Mike: The only way to get a convincing bright white in a watercolor is to use dark! It’s a relationship thing and it's a hard lesson to learn. To have something look strong you must go for it. I like best what seems to evoke a response. I learn from all of you!

Dotty: You can see confidence in a painting. You look at a (strong) painting and say ‘they really know what they were doing’. Unlike Chris, I love green! (Laughter)! I am showing recent paintings.

Raphael: I don't consider strong better than soft. When I was an illustrator we preferred what was dynamic. but now I don't think I need to prefer “strong” as a goal. When painting outdoors I sometimes put things in a painting that might best be left out. Jim McVicker is an artist who seems to paint everything in the scene and yet his painting will still be in balance! I don’t know how he does it. I painted this blossom painting recently. Yong inspired it. Bhavani also inspired me when I painted this painting of paint tubes.

Diana: the only thing I've painted recently is demonstrations. My teacher was Del Gish. He introduced me to acrylics. He shared with me these principles that he called “VIP”. I like to review my paintings. I am sharing some of the materials I use to teach my class with you. I painted this painting recently of a toy bird. (None of the principles in these papers apply)! (Laughter)!

Donna: a painting for me that is strong evokes a feeling and tells the story. I also like a new take on something….like Dotty’s painting of driftwood! With figure I feel I want to know the person in the painting.

Joanne: Something that was said last week by Tracie stuck with me… It was this:  “I suck!” (Laughter!) I am glad Ward is back! I have been taking online classes with Matt Smith. I didn't realize how much I don't know. I have been working on perspective. He gave me specific suggestions on how to change these paintings…(but I may just remember his advice and go onto whatever is next).

Annie: I don't know what is a strong painting. I just wanted to hear what other people had to say about it today! I always like what I start out with and then I ruin it. (Laughter)! I brought in some paintings I did in Za’s class. In class someone showed us two paintings both daffodils. In the newer version I was so impressed by the glow “within” the daffodils! I swore I could feel warmth like the sun coming from the painting! They were two paintings that were strong in two different ways.

Yong: For me emotion is key. The values can be right, but if there is no mood I don't know what to tell you! (Laughter)! I don’t usually use any “special” colors..but when I visited Banff I bought a unique blue. I painted this painting recently and thought oh wait..look at that orange…I’m going to put in that (special) blue (and I did)!

Elo: I would like to be able to see the painting clearly in my mind before I start, but I am not quite there yet. You cannot inch your way to confidence you have to be bold. I am showing my sketchbook from our family vacation.

Tom: I really want to know who to talk to about the potholes behind this building! (Laughter!) A strong painting equals “red”! (Laughter)! (Editor's note: We love this space, so it's easy to put up with any potholes! :) )

Za: I like to see the artist in the painting. When I think of a strong painting of course there is van Gogh! The principles don't mean all that much if your vision and voice are missing. We sometimes rely too much on the technical. Be yourself and be bold. When I was in school Degas was an inspiration. I painted this at Wednesday's figures session with Degas in mind.

Bhavani: I like all the answers I have heard so far. For me a strong painting is built with emotion and gut reaction. If I captured something about the moment I feel happy. (but I might hate it later)! (laughter)! Color and mood resonates with me. I am showing a painting of my husband from a Wednesday figure session.

Greg: I did not bring a painting today. I was in a recent car accident! We were on our way to Whistler when we had this bad accident. We actually went to a store and got duct tape and duct taped the car together in order to keep going! (Laughter)! For me a strong painting is broken into about five shapes and how the shapes meet is important. I saw a painting once that I’ve always remembered..it broke all the rules but it was so successful anyway!

Stephanie: I would rather be strong than wimpy! I like contrast and strong color. I feel stronger about drawing that I do about painting. With drawing I like the discipline of putting it down and leaving it alone. “Fixing” a painting can sometimes screw it up completely. Often, I recognize that my painting is heading for total euthanasia. (Laughter)! I am showing some paintings from my archives.

Kathy: I am working on values. I am learning how to desaturate in Za's class. I took the Terry Muira’s workshop. Terry Miura taught about a one color driven type of painting. I am showing a painting from the workshop as well as 2 other paintings.

Tracie: The really strong painting to me is the memorable one. Sometimes in these meetings I see a very memorable painting. Za just sent one around that I am going to remember! For me it's about the feeling and how the body reacts. The stuff that is added in... like gravity, breath and movement! I am showing a painting that I did in Max Ginsburg’s workshop.

Tim: A notan can be as strong as anything. We all just keep working at it! I am showing two gouache paintings and an oil –I experimented with this in my studio using a spatula tool.

Ken: I see a painting that is so moving it floors me and I come up closer to it and I find out it's just blobs of paint! How do they do that? I paint sometimes from my dreams. I liked this painting when I did it…!  (Laughter)!

Wendy: I got nothing (Laughter)!

Marie: I just did a five-day workshop at the Gage Academy in tonal portrait. I am showing two drawings I did there. It was an intense workshop. In this one we “subtracted”  from an all charcoal field. This second one is done with diluted ink. I felt I did better in the second one maybe because I felt more connected to the model.

Geri: I like to plan a painting. If I have a good underpainting then I can paint over it and feel I have a roadmap. I am showing two paintings, one recent and one from my archives.

Jeanie: lately I have not felt strong about anything! But I am working on a 48 x 36 painting. I figure why not be big and bad! (Laughter)!

Eunice: There is nothing left to say! I like working on small paintings. This is a painting I did recently of Ecola State Park. 


Judith: I pass


Announcements

"Four Seasons" - A group show from four artists who all work in different mediums focusing on the Four Seasons; Romona Youngquist, Tracy Leagjeld, Steve Hill and Yong Hong Zhong.
Opening reception First Friday April 5th, 5-9 pm. http://artontheboulevard.org


Za Vue weekly classes continue (Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Colours in Hillsboro) email for details studioza@me.com

Wednesday Figure Session facilitated by Bhavani Krishnan Wednesdays at Colours in Hillsboro (2:30- 5:30) email Bhavani for information: bhavani.krishnan@gmail.com

Friday Figure Session facitlitated by Joanne Radmilovich Kollman  1:15-4:00  OSA
https://public.osartists.org/public/classes

Congratulations Joanne Radmilovich Kollman accepted into AIS small works show
https://americanimpressionistsociety.org/

Thomas Kitts workshops: https://thokitts.wixsite.com/pleinaireverywhere?fbclid=IwAR2lnUsUFaKS11c_lGAriGm1G1tYBU200_xnaYzbQB_Mj2zFVUoFZQz1DZo

Yong Hong Zhong one day workshop at Elizabeth Jones May 13 $75 register here:
https://www.elisabethjones.art/workshop-yong-hong-zhong.html

Ward Stroud workshopshttps://artofward.com/pages/workshops-and-more

Please like and subscribe to Ward on YouTube: it helps him!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5zw9QPvzAXnBnaUdiasxkw

Jim Syfert, Karen Doyle, Becky Land and others Hip to be Square
https://sequoiagallerystudios.org/events-upcoming/

Call to Artists: Elisabeth Jones Gallery: https://www.elisabethjones.art/call-for-artists.html

April workshop with Susan Kuznitsky (sponsored by Uart Paper) at Carrie Moore studio https://www.uartpastelpaper.com/uart-workshops-susan-kuznitsky/

OSA classes: Susan Kuznitsky and others Thursdays and Saturdays 
https://susankuznitsky.com/workshops

Willamette Valley Lavender festival is FULL, but contact them to be put on the waiting list  The judge is Cathleen Rehfeldhttps://www.wvlavenderfestival.org/oregon-lavender-paintout 

Hiatus Drawing club meets after the Alla Prima Meeting at French Quarter
https://www.facebook.com/groups/333152383542909/

Next Meeting Thursday April 11 finding your voice as an artist...who has influenced you so far? Where are you now and where are you going?  --  Let's Discuss!

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