Meeting Notes, May 16, 2019

Today's topic: "Rituals" do you do something (consistently) that helps you (as it pertains to painting)?

Celeste: Thomas Kitts impressed upon me the importance of getting your gear down to just one backpack. I have finally managed to do it. I have places for all supplies memorized...I know what the bag looks like when it is packed correctly. As a result I haven't forgotten anything in a long time! (knock on wood)! I am showing paintings from outdoor sessions (Flowers at Rood Bridge Park, and plein air at Sauvie Island). 

Eunice: I have been working on a series on the subject of the Willamette Falls (Oregon City).  I worked from references and I enjoyed working big! As for the topic..I always get drinking water and set it out and then I am ready to paint. 

Geri: Before I do a painting I walk around and take photos. I ruminate! I do an underpainting and then I get everything together that I need to complete the painting. I get it all set up....and by that time I ask Jeff what he is going to make me for lunch! (Laughter)! 

Vicki: I got this advice..before you paint, think about what you want to say. Write it down in a sentence..or a poem! I check out the sky and the water...those are two things that change so rapidly, so if I especially like something I try to remember and paint what I remember! I sometimes move a tree. I am showing a recent painting.

Tedd: I take a photo and I think about it! Last week I went with others to George Rogers Park. The wind was blowing and blowing! Later I revisited what I had painted and I painted this beach scene.  I painted both of these paintings with palette knife. As for the topic, I do plan! I like to have the idea firmly in mind. I am organized. I am "compulsive"!

Tim: I have no rituals! If I show up I'm lucky! (Laughter)! I have tons of ideas. I walk around looking and I often compose with the camera...but then when I do the painting, I wing it! (Laughter)!  My friend went through a terrible medical ordeal and there for awhile we wondered if he could ever be able to hike again...but his health is restored, he is hiking again and I did this painting as a gift to him, (to commemorate his return to hiking)! 
  
Diana: Before a painting I want to feel calm....but often I don't! I can have an internal dialog that is not helpful. I might think oh this is terrible, I should quit. Or I might think this is going well..I might be able to show this! (Laughter)! I do have to tell myself "shut up" sometimes. Too much thinking is can be death to my painting. So I "center" myself and focus only on the task at hand! I am showing paintings from my archives.

Chris: It depends! If I am going to do a portrait I will get out art books and look at work that I admire. I will draw ideas from paintings that I especially admire. I like light and shadow. I look for it. If I am painting outdoors I have to have coffee and a bathroom! (Laughter)! The book that I illustrated is at the printer! (Applause)!

Wendy: I pass

Mike S: I fashioned this card. It is 3x4. I put this grid on it and punched holes where the grid intersects. I use it to plan my painting. I do a pencil drawing and I follow it up by also using this (see through) planning grid from EasyL. I am showing the painting I did yesterday a Sauvie Island. I appreciate what Thomas told me once...just make one cow recognizable as a cow and the rest can be rectangles. (Laughter)!

Tom K: I have an issue with getting myself into the studio! (but, I work on it). I remind myself of a quote from Chuck Close: "Inspiration is for amateurs". The book Art and Fear has a great passage about how we tend to avoid the unknown. It is better to remain open to possibilities-- to remain "unguarded".

Nancy: I spend time in the location where I am going to paint. I want to understand the place. I take photos, but not many, because I don't want to confuse the pursuit with the art of photography. I want to define what is drawing me in. I will keep a palette from one painting and paint something with the same colors just for the experience of it. I am showing a painting I did in Cannon Beach and one of a clover field. (There is clover 47th and 6th in Banks, right off hwy 26). 

Elo:  I like to keep a clean palette. I clean it and put the "old" paint off to the side as my pile of gray. I always do a thumbnail..just a small one, but I might not even paint what I indicated in my thumbnail! The act of doing a thumbnail always does clarify something key for me). I had so much fun yesterday at the Sauvie Island paint out. I painted Raphael! (Applause)! (ok, an exception I didn't do a thumbnail of this...I went straight to it)! I am also showing a painting from George Rogers and a studio painting from Arizona. 

Annie: I am putting together an outdoor painting "checklist" and on it is an umbrella and a sun hat. I brought an image from my archives.  I have always been drawn to "paper cut" type art. Art can have tremendous power!

Raphael: I am pretty relaxed now, but when I was in business I had elaborate rituals in place. I do have a certain "spin" that I use when I am cleaning my brushes. I sometimes put my palette out before going outdoors to paint and other times I will put the paint out on location. Yesterday was my favorite paint out to date. I loved painting the "crashed" oak. The shapes looked so dynamic to me and I was pleased with how the painting came out. I am also showing a painting from Oregon City. 

Dave: I like music when I paint. I use open acrylic paints. I put them in the freezer so that they are never wasted. Also, I set a timer....I do this even outside plein air. I assign myself only a certain amount of time for block in. When the timer goes off in the field people next to me will say.."what was that???" (Laughter)!  I am showing my "winston" painting, a painting of Reed College and a watercolor pencil plein air painting.

Sharon: Pass :)

Thomas K: One time I painted outdoors with Tim Young and he had a ritual of .....making tea! I liked that and I've thought I should adopt that. (Tim interjects: I "got" the tea idea from Ward Stroud)!  I have to travel a lot and my studio is often messed up. There is intensity in being away and getting back. When I was in Mohegan I had to walk for miles (I wrote an article about plein air in Maine). Walking is a cure for everything. I am just back from Texas. I painted this from a 1907 photo reference. It is a "mockturne" because we know that there can not be this many stars showing along with a full moon. I titled it: "The stars at night are big and bright......" (Applause)!

Kimberly: Ritual-wise, I look for the sparkle! I'm not a great palette cleaner, but I am a good brush washer. I use safflower oil. I wanted to pass around this Call to Artists in case any of you are interested. (see announcements).

Yong: I just taught a workshop here. I am "known" for talking a lot about the feeling of a painting and someone in the class said "but isn't that sort of vague?"  But feelings drive me from the beginning to the end. That is what I look for. If I left feelings out...what I paint would just be a "copy" of what it is! I painted this as my demo. I showed the three values here in black and white and then I painted-- the feeling is the sun! the feeling is this juicy plum! (Applause)!

Announcements

Thanks Elo Wobig and Thomas Kitts for the great "Fallen Oak" paint out at Sauvie Island!
Check out our facebook page for photos. (Thanks for the photos), Tim Young and Dave Burbach)

(future paint outs to be announced, watch the blog and/or our facebook page)

Thomas Kitts has two upcoming workshops in Portland (Drawing for Plein Air and Plein Air) First two weeks of September 2019  (just a few spots left)!
http://www.thomaskitts.com/2019/04/remaining-2019-workshop-with-thomas.html

Yong Hong Zhong one day watercolor workshop in Hood River $75 May 23 10-4  just a couple spots left contact Cathleen Rehfeld: https://www.facebook.com/cathleen.rehfeld

Dianna Shyne introduction to acrylics 9-12 in her Portland studio on Saturdays https://diannashyne.com/contact


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

Wednesday Figure Sessions facilitated by Bhavani Krishnan Wednesdays (2:30- 5:30) email Bhavani for location (outdoors when weather permits): bhavani.krishnan@gmail.com

Friday May 10 Life Drawing 10-1 am and Figure Session 1:15-4:00 facitlitated by Joanne Radmilovich Kollman    OSA

Expressive painting Saturday/and or Plein Air Saturdays OSA Joanne Radmilovich Kollman
joradarts@gmail.com (check via email and RSVP)

Whidby Island workshops: https://www.whidbeyislandfas.com/events-calendar

Nancy Smith Klos, Ken Klos, Cannon Beach Art Gallery to June 16 Cannon Beach OR

Kimberly Kent Art Brokerage Call to Artists: http://kentartbroker.com/current-calls-rfps

Hiatus Drawing club meets after the Alla Prima Meeting at French Quarter
Next Meeting Thursday May 23 Color"schemes". Have you assigned a "scheme" to a painting? (ie: Anaologous, Monochromatic, Triadic, Complementary) What was your experience ----Let's Discuss!



No comments:

Post a Comment