Meeting Notes Feb 9, 2017

At today’s meeting Loretta, Dave, Tim, Jerry, Joanne, Lisa, Diane, Susan, Jim, Eunice, Laura, Dottie, Kristina, Annie, Tom K, Kristina, Paula, and me, Celeste.

Today’s suggested table topic: local artists who have inspired or influenced you positively 

Celeste: I'm sure that we have had this topic once before because I remember telling this same story. When I first started painting I took a workshop with Eric Jacobsen. I had become very discouraged about not painting very well. But then Eric held up one of my paintings from the day and said “Celeste this is beautiful”! That day I had really felt like quitting painting... but Eric's positive words turned me around 100%. I hope all teachers will compliment their students from time to time---because you just don’t know how important that compliment may be. I’m showing recent paintings from the daily challenge.

Laura: My answer is my teacher Marla Bagetta She is just wonderful in every way.  I haven’t painted recently,  but I am showing a watercolor from my archives.

Annie: I love coming here because everyone is so generous with information and so helpful in all ways. Scott Gellatly came to a meeting here. I liked his work very much.  I especially like his brushwork ..it often has these wonderful grooves in the paint. I asked him, how did you achieve that? He answered: “I used a stiff brush”! (Laughter)! I read about how seeing and simplifying uses a different part of the brain than the part of the brain sees a lot of detail. The author said that he wanted to see less detail because that’s also the place he wants to reach (in other people). I am showing a painting that I did at OSA.

Diane: Sometime back I met an artist named Shannon Playford. I went to her open studio. I was struck by how her entire environment was one of creativity. Every room was filled with unusual paintings. She is experimental. I am still in a place where I want to try to paint what I see….but I admired her “wackiness”. I am showing a recent painting that I did based on a china plate from Medley tea.

Lisa: Scott Gellatly influenced me most in a plein air workshop. Then I also discovered Carol Marine for still life. I am showing my latest still life.

Joanne:  I finished my  BFA at Marylhurst College in 2012. I did my thesis with Marlene Bauer. I did large scale paintings of people caught in casual offguard moments. More recently Celeste inspired me to go outside and paint the snow.  Studio 30 really helped me to connect with other people. I am showing a painting I did at the life session at OSA.
http://www.russoleegallery.com/artists/marlene-bauer/featured-works?view=slider

Jerry: I still meet with 8 people I met during a Jef Gunn class many years ago! We still get together to discuss and critique our paintings.  When I was first taking classes I approached Jef Gunn and asked if I could just come paint with him at his studio…I could just pay him directly instead of the the school. He agreed. This was a great time because sometimes I would come in and there would be a note taped to my easel from Jef.  “Jerry look at this lower left section in your painting it requires attention”  and I would step back and see what he meant.  Here is something else that he taped to my easel… it’s "10 points of painting by Diebenkorn". (I made copies of this for you). Something I’ve learned  is that it is important to be able to just scrape all the paint off and start again. An illustration is something that has all the information given to you at once. A painting unfolds. I’m showing a painting that I did of Jef Gunn’s studio.

Kristina: I am grateful to both Eric Jacobsen and Jennifer Diehl. They have been my teachers. I am also very appreciative of this group. For example Tedd just told me recently about Peter Brown and now I am a huge Peter Brown fan. And I wish that Peggy Moje’ was here today because I would point to her as my great “art buddy”. We have a fun friendship –we paint together and talk about art. I am showing a painting that I did from reference from my trip to Italy.

Tom: Just to be different I'll talk about something negative. I went to the Art Students League of New York in 1961. The teacher had a habit of correcting the painting by painting on it. This may have been the accepted way….but I found it to be unacceptable. Once, when he went to correct my work, I literally swatted him. (Laughter)!  The thing is ---I don’t really want instruction. This is how my system works. I am better off finding my own way, in my own time. I am showing a painting that I did in Scotland. I’m also showing the very painting that I did so many years ago (at Art Student’s League) on my iPhone.

Tim: This group inspires me and daily painters make me feel guilty ! (Laughter)! I just know that if they are painting ---I should be too. My very first workshop was with Thomas Kitts. He showed me a painting and I thought OK that’s good ---but then I backed up from it and it was outrageously good! I made up my mind --I want to learn how to do that! It made me want to go outside to paint. I am showing a painting that I did in Fairview.

Dave: Scott Gellatly came to my garage studio years ago and he directed me to this group. I worked with an artist named Craig Srebnik and he was very helpful to me. Actually everyone positively influences me -- I am showing two paintings.

Loretta: Thanks to all of you for making me get up on Thursday mornings! (Laughter)! It's true, I find all of you inspiring. In particular, I remember what Za Vue said “Just have fun”!  I like Diane Holland ---I like her because she writes poetry as well as paints paintings.

Tedd: I have been going back to drawing lately. This is something that I did with charcoal and I applied paint to it. I am concentrating also on composition.

Jim: I met Thomas Kitts through Gregg Larock. Thomas invited me to come to this group.  I was going to go to Scottsdale to do Thomas Kitts' workshop, but I was unable to. I did this painting from reference as if I was there. I also did this practice painting of a wolf.

Susan: I was painting with Talya Johnson when she yelled “STOP”! really loud --I thought maybe something disastrous had happened. But she was yelling at me "stop don’t touch it –your painting is finished"! (Laughter)! She and I have become good friends. I enjoy coming here and being able to share with everyone and hear what everybody has to say. I’m grateful to Celeste---thanks for making it happen!  I’m showing two recent pastel demonstrations.

 Jeanie: I am showing this book that has a painting by an artist on the cover who I admire. He lives in the Kirkland area.

Kristine: I have been following this group for years. I have always read the blog, so understand that people (out there) besides all of you read it! (Laughter)! In about 2008 I took a class with Ken O’Connell. He taught a class on sketchbooks. I know that sounds like a strange class to take but I haven’t been very good at keeping a sketchbook and his class helped me. It took place in Italy and heightened my travel experience. For one thing in a sketchbook ---when you turn the page to a fresh new page you feel that there is hope again! (Laughter)! I took classes with Joanne Licardo. She is classically trained, but she has a relaxed style of teaching. When things don't work out, she wants you to simply paint over it! I have been inspired to work alla prima and I’m showing my “pickle jar” studies. I sketched it in my sketchbook before going to paint.

Dottie: I moved here fairly recently…this group has been great for me. The grocery store is a great place to get some of the things that you might use for still life. I did that recently.  I am showing the results.

Paula: I have been positively influenced by Marla Baguette  She has been very successful every step of the way --when she was in commercial art as well as when she moved into fine art. I like how well she communicates and how she brings joy to everything she does.


Announcements 

Art on the Boulevard with Michael Lindstrom

"Fine Art Friday" Open Life sessions (With Joanne Radmilovich Kollman/ model Sean ) at OSA on Friday 1-4

 Aimee Erickson workshop February 22-24 at OSA

 Max Ginsburg Workshop April 23-28 2017 OSA

Joanne Kollman won a  Strada easel in the Strada easel challenge congratulations Joanne!

Susan Kuznitsky workshop March 11 & 12


Portland Art Museum Constructing Identity and Rodin

Next meeting February 16: Suggested table topic: Showing your work---Successes and Bombs. Have you had both good and not-so-good experiences? Favorite and not-so-favorite venues? What have you learned so far? Let’s discuss!

1 comment:

  1. I really wanted to attend the meeting today because I wanted to share two local artists who always inspire me. First is Celeste - she is the backbone of this group which is a wonderful opportunity for artists to share their work and experiences as well as knowledge, support, and passion for art. She sets a great example by painting every day, always stretching her talent with new challenges, constantly learning and sharing what she learns with others, laughing at herself in a gentle humble way but with a well-earned sense of accomplishment. I admire her commitment, her generosity, her encouragement, her knowledge, her sense of humor, her level of organization, and her kindness.

    My other local artist inspiration is Annie Salness, who overcame a stroke about six years ago which paralyzed her entire right side. Annie painted with her right hand. Through determination, faith, love, and commitment she now paints with her left hand and paints with all the skill she exhibited prior to her stroke. She gets up at 5 a.m., descends the stairway to her basement studio and paints every day. She now teaches others to do what she does so well - and always with a smile.

    Two wonderful people and two artists I very much admire. Just wanted to share something on today's topic despite my absent. Donna

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