Meeting Notes Jan 3, 2019

At todays meeting: Loretta, Chris, Pam, Wendy, Jeanie, Lisa, Diane, Kathy, Phil, (New) Tom, Susan, Tedd, Jerry, Geri, Annie, Thomas and me, Celeste

Today's suggested topic: When something "clicked" describe a time when you understood something that you had not previously understood--(as it pertains to painting).

Celeste: I was painting at the coast and while I was painting the rocks I totally "got" how warm and cool created the form. I leaned over to get something out of my gear and I cracked my head open on the guard rail! A nurse came over to help me because I was bleeding. "You're going to have to go to the ER, she said, You need stitches". I replied: "But, Can I finish my painting?" (Laughter)! I brought in other paintings from times when I seemed to "get" something significant.

Loretta: The day it "clicked" for me was when that I saw and understood that everything is a play of light and dark (even when it is subtle)! I am showing a recent painting "Winter Solstice"

Chris: I paint a lot of portraits and to me capturing the eyes is something I can relate to. When I get the eyes just right...it is satisfying. I painted on New Year's Day with the Emergency Response Team. (In an organized effort to save a particular tree from development downtown) It was so cold....but, the passersby were so nice. They would ask us if we needed anything. I got so into painting I forgot about the cold! I'm showing the painting I did. I loved how the light caught the very top of the tree. It looked so colorful.

Pam: I also paint portraits and when I get the light in the eyes--that often makes the entire painting work! One time I was painting plein air and the trees I was painting didn't seem to be working at all, but I kept on and suddenly I realized, wait a minute this looks right, that's it!

Wendy: I don't know how to answer this question. I came to hear your answers! I also painted the downtown tree (the tree in jeopardy because of development). It was so cold! I am showing my painting. There is a hearing downtown today about this tree and about what the developers plan to do.

Jeanie: I have been invited into an exhibit that has to do with fantasy.  I have not come up with my "fantasy" concepts yet.

Lisa: I took a workshop with Jef Gunn. He mixed a warm white. Until then I had not realized there was a "warm white" and "cool white"! There is also this thing called "letting the brush do the work".  Jef took my brush and put in a stroke...he flipped his wrist and the stroke went down exactly right...it was a revelation!  I am showing two recent tea themed paintings. 

Diane: Many of my "aha" moments have been here! We have many of the same issues. It's just heartening to have other people to discuss these things with.

Kathy: I took a workshop with Mitch Baird. I put in a bank of spruce trees and they didn't work...so Mitch put his thumb right into the painted trees and dragged it horizontally across the canvas (in one motion)! There! Incredibly the trees looked exactly right! I'm showing a plein air painting that I reworked a little. I want to get myself to put down more paint!

Phil (New. Welcome!): I'm the new guy! (Applause)! I just thought it would be a good idea to come here and learn from all of you. (Good to meet you, Phil)!

Tom D: I've had something "click" and I've thought to myself "I get this, I know how to paint now"!) and then the very next time I go to paint I might be saying "I don't know what I am doing at all"! (Laughter)! I do feel that overall that I've made mostly gains. I brought in two recent paintings  A still life (with recent Goodwill acquisitions) and a painting of smudging articles (my wife conducted a Native American smudging ceremony at our house for the New Year.

Susan: You can have click moments and then you can un-click! (Laughter) In time, however, the clicking moments add up and they become a part of you. For me, as a teacher, some of my very best times have been when I've helped a student understand something. It is a great moment (for me) when it "clicks" (for them)!

Tedd: Up until the time I had cataract surgery I saw everything leaning toward yellow. After the surgery I saw things how *really* are! The other thing that helped me was that I took burnt sienna off my palette. As soon as I did that I had no more mud. I painted this painting recently at Unger Farms. I learned that it takes the same amount of time to paint this smaller size than to paint any of the (much) larger sizes! 

Jerry: My revelation is about "paint what you see and not what you know". I had heard that many times and never really "got it". Then one time I painted "first light" (plein air) --I had my palette all laid out and the light was laser bright so I had to paint fast. There was no time for detail and I just put in what I saw...bam, bam, bam. When I looked at the painting later I was so surprised! I didn't recognize it as anything that *I* would have done...but it was exactly right. I am also showing my painting of the endangered tree downtown. 

Geri: When I learned about lost and found edges I was very excited...so much so I may have overdone lost and found! Everything was heavily lost and found! (Laughter)! I am showing a drawing I did at the endangered tree paint out on New Year's Day. I also went to the model session at OSA last Friday and I drew this of fellow painter, Quin Sweetman.

Annie: I've discovered a Taiwanese urban sketcher. She is remarkable and gives the advice to get out of your comfort zone. If you remain in your comfort zone you'll remain just where you are. This isn't too "brave" but I went into my sketchbook and added color to existing black and white drawings. I also had to dog sit recently and I did these two drawings/watercolor sketches of a whippet dog...easiest to do when the dog was asleep! I'm showing a book that I've read about Practice. It is a book for musicians, but it all applies to us as well.

Thomas: I'm all about observation and I really enjoy looking at Annie's drawings that are so poetic and lyrical. With simple line she captures life!  It may seem pat to say, but that expression "Every time I sit down to paint I learn something new" but it is patently true. 
I'm a former illustrator, so I used to render everything out. I made sure everything was resolved. I went to the same plein air site many times. I may have been there 5 times before but during my 6th painting session there I put down a mark that really worked and very simply! I left it alone and I realized uh..that looks right and I didn't "render" it!  The 2nd big thing for me is understanding abstraction. Everything is abstraction. Shape, color, edges, value, thickness all of it *is* abstraction. Lastly warm and cool...Just any warm or cool won't do! It depends on the overall light. I'm showing a painting from Borrego Springs. 

Announcements:

Fine Art Friday Figure Session... Friday Jan 4 Model Tony at OSA
20 drop in fee
1:15-4:15 pm
Joanne Radmilovich Kollman joradarts@gmail.com

Fresh Flower Saturdays begins again this Saturday January 5 2019
OSA/ Joanne Radmilovich Kollman joradarts@gmail.com

Joanne Radmilovich Kollman January 10 Thursday 11am Portrait DEMO at OSA (she will share things she has learned from Max Ginsburg, also in preparation of Max Ginsburg Workshop, February 2019 at OSA)

OSA classes: Susan Kuznitsky Wednesdays and Saturdays https://public.osartists.org/public/classes

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

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

Thomas Kitts DVD https://streamlineartvideo.com/collections/new-releases/products/thomas-jefferson-kitts-sorolla-painting-the-color-of-light (Number one Streamline Video Best Seller 2018)

Thomas has workshops and classes coming up, He'll announce on his blog http://www.thomaskitts.com

Submit new questions (for our "topics" leave on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/222304114527014/ or email celesteobergin@gmail.com

Sign up to be a plein air host for 2019 on our Facebook page (We're hoping to get hosts and dates and places up on our 2019 calendar).
https://www.facebook.com/groups/222304114527014/

Next Meeting Thursday Jan 8 Topic ...An artist's day---describe yours...how do you decide what to paint and when do you paint it? How and why do you structure your day the way you do? 

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