Meeting Notes, April 16, 2015

At today's meeting: Loretta, Tim, Betsy, Charlie, John, Annie, Jeanne, Dave, Nancy, Jeanie, Mike, Eunice, Marty, Kay, Ying (new), and me Celeste. 

Today's suggested table topic: Artist choice.. speak on any subject that you care to and/or tell us your summer plans. 

Celeste: I read in two books recently that "no man can teach another how to paint" (painting comes from within). But, I'm not sure where I would be without the great in-person instruction I've had. I do understand that the expressive part of painting is unique to each person. Also, attitude is everything. I think that you need to have courage to paint. In effect, you need to have a certain amount of audacity. It is important not to feel "less than" and to forge ahead with solid confidence. I brought in a painting that I did recently. 

Eunice: I brought in two paintings!

Mike: I wanted to talk about how we learn... I have been purchasing DVDs and I want to encourage you to do the same. If you can find the right DVDs that resonate with you they are invaluable. You can watch them over and over again. You can stop them and repeat certain segments. I brought in four favorites to show you. (They are all about watercolor). I think they range in price from about $35 and up. It's a great way to learn!

Jeanie: I have not been painting lately, but in the past I have been inspired by coming here (and that sometimes helps me to paint again)! I brought in two recent paintings. 

David: This summer I'm going to be splitting my time in the studio and outdoors, plein air. I also want to start playing more golf. I would like to echo the sentiments about feeling confident and doing your best. When I first started out I felt somewhat competitive. That's not wise! Now when I paint (especially plein air painting) I just simply do my own personal best and pay attention to having my own response to the scene.  I brought in a painting that I did recently.

Jeanne: This summer I intend to join the Erik Sandgren Coast paint out as much as I can. It's for two weeks. This year they are going to be painting all of the Oregon light houses up and down the coast. I am going to join in from the South.  Erik's coastal paint out is a wonderful opportunity to meet other painters. They are very welcoming. You can just "throw in" with them and paint wherever they are painting (even though Erik's workshop is full). I might take a workshop at Sitka. I brought in a plein air painting that I did at the coast. 
http://www.eriksandgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/paintout-2015.pdf

Annie: My summer plans include Eric Jacobsen's plein air workshop the 25th and 26th in Hillsboro. This will be the first time that I will be plein air painting! I painted recently at studio 30... I worked a little bit more on it when I got home; here are the results. 

Nancy: I also will be taking the workshop with Eric Jacobsen this summer. I did a copy recently of a Dégas painting. I think copying painting is wonderful for learning. I brought in some paintings that I did plein air, also at studio 30, and finally this is a painting of my children (from a photograph). 

Marty: I would agree that copying a masterwork is invaluable. I just love painting so much! I have taken a lot of workshops but I think the most fun for me is copying a painting (by a master) and immersing myself in that artist. I will do research about that artist... I don't "just" paint the painting...I'll read about them and if I'm painting something (for example) from Spain I will put on Spanish music while I am painting. I don't intend to sell these things is all just for fun for me. I brought in a painting that I did recently of children in the water. 

Kay: Apologies..I was incorrect last week. There was no drawing at the Portland Art Museum on Saturday. (Additionally, I also checked about if an artist can ever copy a painting inside the museum and the answer is no---However, they do allow sketching inside with a pencil). On Saturday I did get to go to the docent tour. What we did was we looked at the paintings "slowly". This was really fun and informative! I brought in a painting that I've been working on recently. I have been wondering if painting over pencil graphite on gessoed board is wrong or right. I found out by reading this book (by Dan McCaw) that  it's perfectly all right! I am going to be taking a workshop with Jennifer Diehl in May and also another workshop with Tim Horn. 

Ying (new...Welcome, Ying!): I just started painting plein air. I will be taking the Jennifer Diehl workshop. I have been taking Michael Orwick's class. I know that is important to be around other painters and instructors ...it is a good push otherwise I will become lazy. (Laughter)! I saw a film about Thom Thompson and the Group of Seven. I am showing a painting I painted ....a scene from the movie that was in Algonquin Park. 

John: I brought in a large painting that I did that I worked on and worked on! I sanded it a great deal and I added things to it later. It is acrylic. I see that the dark tree is possibly a problem...But hindsight is 20/20! I was satisfied when I finished it before. I have been working on a mural where I live. It's a big deal and it's a lot of work. I first started doing it one way, but I experienced problems and have landed on another (better) method. It is a very engaging project. I would like to add that is important when you're copying others work to try not to emulate them too closely. There is a danger of losing your own unique way. I want to invite you to have a meeting at Willamette View in the future. You'll see the progress on the mural...and we could all have a paint out there (with a view of the river).

Charlie: My personal goals for the summer are to work more on my art, to create more depth, to have a piece be energetic and to work faster. I really enjoy the sketching we've been doing and I'll do more this summer.

Betsy: I used to go on vacations to Maui. During that time I did these two paintings in water soluble oil. I plan to paint more this summer!

Tim: I I like painting onto my sketch book covers. I got this idea from James Gurney. I just recently painted a self portrait onto my sketchbook cover. I also did this portrait of my granddaughter. 

Loretta: For the summer I plan to do these things: eat, sleep, paint and be with friends!

Announcements: 

David McBride and Peggie Moje' reception Friday April 17,  at Portland Art Museum Gallery 5-7pm
http://portlandartmuseum.org/events-programs/rental-sales-gallery/

Dave is doing the Lake Oswego paint out this summer and has donated pieces to CAP and the Alzheimer's Association.

There are some great workshops lining up for this summer:

Jennifer Diehl: May 15- 17, 2015 -- Plein Air workshop: learning to paint the city from life!  at Oregon Society of Artists www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/workshops.htm 
Amiee Erickson: 
LANDSCAPE PAINTING: PLEIN AIR TO STUDIO June 11-12-13. at the Oregon Society of Artists (Portland). Includes a super-informative lecture plus time outside for studies and time in the studio to work up a larger painting. Call the OSA to register, (503) 228-0706
PLEIN AIR WORKSHOP IN HOOD RIVER, Oregon  July 11-12, 2014, 9:30-4:00Join award-winning plein air artist Aimee Erickson for two days in the field as we turn our eyes to the beauty of nature. Learn to capture qualities of light and atmosphere. Practice composing with intention. In the mornings we'll work outside, with a short demo on the first morning. Be prepared to do several small studies; afternoons will be spent in the classroom where we will work with our small studies to make successful pictures. Contact the Columbia Center for the Arts to register, (541) 387-8877

Eric Jacobsen: 
April, June and July:
http://jacobsenstudio.com/workshops

Brenda Boylan:
June:
http://brendaboylan.com/workshops 

Studio 30 with Joanne Mehl:


Join professional portraitist Joanne Mehl and discover why strong drawing skills are essential to successful painting, especially with the figure. From the first simple lines of the pose on your canvas, to reestablishing your drawing while you paint, strong drawing skills will help you use line and brush stroke to draw back into your painting, creating monumental structure and form.
Joanne will focus on drawing, structure and proportion as preparation for successfully painting the figure. She will also cover how to design the pose onto your canvas using lines of axis, angles and gesture; sighting proportion and relative distances, positive and negative shapes, values and value pattern, color fundamentals and skin tones, and basic painting techniques. After participants create a strong and well proportioned drawing on their canvas, Joanne will offer individualized instruction.
$150 for 2 days
Please register in advance. For more information and to register, contact Joanne at:
503-720-8248 / joannemehl@comcast.net

Thomas Kitts wrote a downloadable book about advice from John Singer Sargent:
http://www.thomaskitts.com/2015/04/advice-on-painting-from-john-singer.html

The plein air convention is underway and we have been watching all of the great photographs from our Portland contingent in Monterey.

Lavender festival is coming up:

http://www.oregonlavenderdestinations.com/events.php

People met today at the rhododendron garden (Please put photos on our Facebook page)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/222304114527014/

Kay suggests next rainy day check out the Crumpacker library: 
http://portlandartmuseum.org/exhibits/crumpacker-family-library/

Eunice brought in magazines to give away Tim brought in some paint to give away.. Celeste Brian some pens to give away. Thanks everyone for all the donations. 

The Thursday Drawing Club met at the Medley Tea again today-- see the results on the front page. 

Thank you everyone for coming today and sharing your ideas and paintings. 

Next week Thursday, April 23, Suggested table topic: laying your paints out on your palette ("Palette Management")! We've discussed it before...but it is time to discuss it again. Tell us about your colors and arrangement...and anything else you think we might find helpful. 
(If you aren't an oil painter...tell us about your supplies and how your arrange them for use)
See you next time. :)

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