Meeting Notes, Jan 29, 2105

At today's meeting Loretta, Mike, Tim, Marty D, Renita, Thomas K, Claudia, Jerry, Lisa, Diane, Tedd, Charlie,Dave, Eunice, Jeanie, Michele, Stephanie, Kay, Leslie Elder (new), Erin, Kristina, Donna, Thom C, and me Celeste. 

Today's table topic: fill in the blank: "When I go painting I always take my trusty ________". (A favorite piece of gear material or supply that is indispensable to you …..why is it?)

Celeste: I find if I go out to paint plein air painting and I forget my bag of clamps I'm sunk! I use these clamps for all sorts of things. I learned this from Thomas Kitts and Za. I brought a painting in today that I painted on a black ground. Not sure that I will do it again.

Stephanie: This was a hard question. There are so many things that I have to have with me. I would have to say that perhaps my favorite thing is my camera. It helps me to get started. I have been working on the 30 days challenge. I have been working from photographs. I brought in two paintings.  The desert has a lot of color in it. I never noticed that until recently. Now I see all of the colors that I didn't see before. 

Kay: An indispensable thing is water. You must remember to drink water when you're out in the field. One time I was sort of slumping and a person said to me: “dehydration!" I was surprised, but I do feel that that is correct. We have to stay hydrated. I brought in a book about Ripken. I am so interested lately about shifting colors. I brought in a painting that I did Friday at Studio 30.

Marty D: I have gone to a summer concert and taken my watercolors. I replace the cheaper pigments with better pigments in my watercolor kit. I brought in the painting that I did that is a Kenneth Callahan copy. 

Michele: I think the most important thing for me is my camera and my sketchbook. I am never without them. I also like good pencils. I do value study and then when I go back into the studio I feel prepared. I brought in a painting that I did at Studio 30.

Jerry:  I have a pliers with me to open any tubes of paint that may not be able to be opened with bare hands. (Laughter)! I also like to have a mirror with me. If you look at your work in a mirror you will see things that you don't see when you look at it straight on. I brought in a urbanscape that I painted from a photo. 

Lisa: I have to have my folding chair. I stand to work,  but I like to take breaks. I don't like to sit on the ground. So the folding chair is indispensable to me. I've been working on the 30 day challenge. I brought in three paintings.

Diane: I have a plastic box that latches and it contains everything that I need. I have a box that fits my palette. Not that I paint outside very often ….but I'm ready if I do! (Laughter)! I have been taking workshops and taking classes and synthesizing what I have learned. I recently painted at studio 30. 

Jeanie: I work mostly in the studio. I haven’t tried to haul my gear around yet! I didn’t bring in a painting today. 

Tedd: My necessary item is a level. I use to check my horizon becauseI have a tendency to dip the horizon on one side.  I brought in a painting that I did recently from life. 

David: This painting that I'm showing you is from 2012. My favorite item that I like is my palette knife. 

Eunice: I have a van that is filled with all of my gear. I have panels in all sizes that I need. I like the Raymar boxes. (The wet canvas carriers). I have been working on a painting of a sunflower. 

Loretta: I also feel sunk without my palette knife. I MUST have it. I brought in a painting (a seascape)  that I did recently. 

Mike:  Well, I am a compulsive drawer. I need my “personalized” kit with me. I have worked on this kit to refine it to be perfect for me. I learned a lot about how to do this from James Gurney. I am showing you a painting that shows my style. 

Tim: My favorite item is this modified pal knife. I took a grinder to it. It is now exactly how I want. I brought in two paintings. 

Marty T: My favorite items to have with me are an iPhone and a flask (Laughter)! On the iPhone I have some photo apps that I find to be very valuable. One is called value finder.  Our house has been being remodeled. I brought in a painting that I did that is a copy of Fechin. I learn so much from doing these copies. How abstract this is! He worked with oil and lead prime and also he used cottage cheese (to make his paintings really textured). 

Thomas:  I was with the Mountain Rescue some years back...and I learned then to have my gear ready to go at all times. Is the same with painting. I think that the very worst thing that you can forget is rags or paper towels. I had an artist friend who told me that he was out in the field without his paper towels and so he took off his socks and used them! (Laughter)!  Yes, I thought it was funny too—then it happened to me and I did the same! My favorite item is my palette knife. I have modified it and made it sharp. I sharpened it into a bevel. You can knock off a section of paint with this in a very specific way. I brought in a painting that I have done for a new group show at Brian Marki in Palm Springs (in March). 

Charlie: Everyone has taken what I was going to say (Laughter)!  so I will say this…. you have to have something to transport your rags away. Like a plastic bag. Very important.  I like to have color wheels with me.  I brought in a painting that is multimedia. 

Erin: I do not use a level. (Laughter)! I have been doing the 30 day challenge. I've been working from photos. I am showing you four recent paintings.

Donna: I have not been a very good plein painter because of my personality. I am sort of a scattered person. You have to be organized to be a plein air painter. I brought in two paintings, one is about LOVE. I used circles in it..because a circle is a great symbol for love. I also brought a mixed media piece about Paris.

Renita:  Getting organized is a challenge. I have a busy life. I have a job and a horse! I often work in my studio. I brought in a painting of some goats. 

Thom: I brought in my homemade pochade box. I made this myself. It has a space below it for a flask. (Laughter)! I got so into this project (designing/producing the pochade box) my wife said that she didn't want to become a “pochade widow...(like a golf widow).  So I am not going into production to make these things. (Laughter)! I brought in a painting from Pebble Beach. 

Mark: Well…What I really need when I paint is desire. I have to feel the love connection for whatever it is I'm going to paint otherwise I just can't paint it. I brought in these two paintings from Hillsboro. I learned about an artist in England who is blind and yet he still paints because he measures somehow between the model and his canvas. It is remarkable!  It makes me realize that I am being silly if I complain about things.

Claudia: You know those carboard wine carriers at the grocery store that are divided?  I use one of those to transport my some of my gear… It is very light -- very handy. I brought in a painting I did at Studio 30.

Leslie (New—Welcome!):  I have been stalking all of you for a long time online!  (Laughter)! I have worked in watercolor and acrylics in college was a big thing. But I have wanted to try oil.  I like my palette knife. I think a bungee cord is a very good thing. I brought in two paintings, monochrome portraits.

Kristina: I think the most important things to have when you're painting are a friend and coffee. (Laughter)!  Because... you want the friend in case you have forgotten something then you can borrow it from them! (Laughter)! I bought a painting that I did with water-soluble paints. 

Announcements:

Studio 30 will have in Indian theme tomorrow. Long pose will be offered Feb 13 Nine to Noon and 1 to 3. kat@katsowa.com

Pittock Mansion has the reception tomorrow Friday 1/29/15  6 PM to 8 PM for the show was about rivers. There are several painters  from Alla Prima Portland in the show. 

Paintings by Joanne Kollman, Jan and Feb Beaverton City Hall 4th ad 5th Floor 8-6pm 12725 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton.

Art on Broadway has a call out for their 8 x 8 show:  "Love is in the air". Contact Art on Broadway for application form and further information. 
http://www.artonbroadway.net

Art on the on Broadway offers information on framing February 22, 1 to 3pm. 

Sarah Sedgwick will be giving a demonstration at Sequoia Gallery Monday the 23rd a demonstration about the Zorn palette: 

Mark Larsen and his wife Wendy Westervelle had an article about them in the Oregonian (both print and online) Congratulations! (Editor's note...I couldn't find the specific link)

The Turner movie is coming up-- this is a field trip where will go to the movie as a matinee in the afternoon and then convene at Elephant’s Deli for discussion and a bite to eat. This is February 10 meet at 3:45 at Cinema 21.

Today we went to Medley Tea for the Thursday Drawing Club. See the sketches that were done on our Facebook page or in the slideshow on the front page of this blog. Next week we are meeting at Nectar Yogurt across the street from O’Connors.

Thank you everyone for coming today and putting up with the noisy atmosphere and for standing and speaking clearly and loudly! Thanks for sharing your ideas and paintings!

Next meeting next Thursday suggested table topic: “What makes this painting work”? Describe to us (using a painting) specifically why you think it is successful. The painting can be yours…or someone else’s.

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