Meeting Notes, October 17, 2019

Today's suggested topic: Preparing to paint (in a painting session). What suggestions do you have (to increase the possibilities of a good outcome)?

Celeste: I like to put out fresh paint for each new session. (Someone I admire does that and I do it now too).  I have a glass palette and I like it to be super clean. It's just my quirk, I understand many others don't do this. I am showing two paintings from a class with Za and I'm also showing a painting Za did as a demo during the summer. She always gets the three values in!

Loretta: I sit down and cut up my paper towels before I start. It's sort of a meditative thing...it's a calming down kind of thing.

Susan: I prepare a pot of coffee and I tend to do the cleaning thing too---but not on the very day that I  paint. I'll do a cleaning type thing before I paint. I teach painting and teaching makes it so I am  organized. I'm in Portland Open Studios, so my Studio is really neat right now! (I hope you'll come see me this weekend! https://portlandopenstudios.com/artists/2019-artists/susan-kuznitsky.html)

Mike: (slurring speech) Mahhh prepparashon (produces bottle of vodka from paper bag) (Laughter)! and da reashon I know dis is mah prepparashon, wen I'ma dun paintin I loook at it an say wooevah painted dat waz DRUNK! (Laughter)! Applause! 

Chris: Pass!

Karen: I have a sketchbook..I put photo reference in it. I'll do sketches and notan in the sketchbook. I refer to it and look through my ideas for something that is interesting to paint. I am showing a landscape pastel.

Olivia (new, Welcome!) I have several paintings going on at once. The paintings tell me what they want. I work in acrylics and I do like a certain amount of order...but I also like some chaos too! I am a teacher of expressive painting and I show my work nearby at Prosperity Pie. I paint large paintings. I am showing some of my printed cards. 

Sharon: My preparation involves coffee, toast and peanut butter (Laughter)! I read an account of someone who had 12 projects going at once...I want to aspire to that! I have determined that my creative process takes place in the morning.  If it is afternoon, then I know I won't get painting done that day and I accept that. I have done these coastal paintings with palette knife --the scraping back is very satisfying. 

Dianna: If the sun is shining I will grab my bag and just get out there to capture it! It's a mad dash! And if you forget your brushes, thank goodness you have your palette knife with you, you can get something down fast before the light goes away. In my studio it is a different scene. I can take a breath there and take all the time I want. I think our generation is so lucky. We have access to the best materials and if you are a woman you can paint without others thinking that is "wrong"!  I like to remember what an honor it is to paint! Art is like a worship, it is like a prayer! (But, it does not have to be solemn or somber, it is like divine play)! I am showing a painting I did recently in my yard. 

Judith: I am an appropriation artist, which is a polite way of saying that I am an art thief. (Laughter)! Whenever I draw something (such as a master copy) it almost always winds up bigger than I intended. I drew Tim during a sketch session and the drawing turned out big. I decided he reminded me of van Gogh's mail carrier painting and added pastel (Laughter! Applause)! I also found this article about painting like Sargent in a very old magazine...I wanted to share it with Thomas.

Elo: I do have to see to it that there will be a dinner for everyone. I have practical things that must be done and I have to do them! I do a fair amount of thinking about a project ahead of time. I went painting last week with friends. This is a painting I did there. I am also showing a recent painting of Mt. Hood and I did these apples recently (trying out some new equipment).

Nancy: I struggle to prepare to paint! I read books and I come here and look at the impressionists for inspiration. I like to have my palette clean too. I like to have all my painting stuff together so that I can go. I went out with Tedd and Elo to paint, I painted this last week. I was most interested in this part...the shadow. But this shadow, it just kept moving! (Laughter)! 

Greg: One of the best things for me is to just have someone to drive me out there! I (apparently) need an "excuse" to go! But once I do get out there I quickly find my rhythm!

Joanne T: In the morning I look at instagram and facebook. I get motivated looking at other people's art! I've been taking online classes and I have to decide "am I painting for myself today"...or "am I painting for my class today"? Because they are two different things. If I am painting for myself I often paint something like a chicken or a swan. Those are simply fun with no pressure. I save my paints by putting out clove oil. If I know I won't be painting for a few days I freeze the paints until next painting session. I've been using walnut oil lately as my medium, but it seems to take forever to dry. I am showing a painting of an east coast boathouse. 

Becky: The most important thing is to make sure my dog is tired. (Laughter)! My dog likes routine and often that involves going with me to get coffee (and she knows she is going to get a treat too)! I can think about a project for eons..but when I was out with my dog I picked up this leaf and brought it home and painted it! I always clean my palette, moving paint from one palette to the other. I never go to sleep without having cleaned my brushes. I have new lighting in my studio, but I don't like it! I am going to change it. I am also thinking about setting something up like an Edge pro in my studio. I like the idea of an upright palette.

Jeanie: Yes, I too like to have a clean palette and environment. I have been doing small paintings for practice. Time flies when I get to work! I painted a "Tim"! (I used one of his photo references). This is the first bird I have ever painted. 

Tedd: I like to take my time. I will photograph a scene and crop it and look at it in the field to remind myself what I am doing! I want to remember clearly what I was focused on, why I was interested in painting what I decided to paint. I am a "neat-nik". I just work that way. Last Thursday I painted at the Arboretum with Nancy and Elo and this is the palette knife painting I did there. 

Jim: Coffee is very important! (Laughter)! My wife had a surgery last week so I had to make myself available to do anything she needed..but I found time to paint some experiments. I like Charlie Hunter's work and I know he paints with just van Dyke brown and white. I did a painting emulating his style and did another adding just one more color. I also did some oil and pencil sketches. 

Tim: I have to make sure the cats are happy before I get started. (Laughter)! In the outdoors...when I first get there I wander around with the camera. I my mental notes to remember this or that. In the studio I'll do a sketch and if I like it I'll take it to the painting stage (like I did here)! (Laughter)! I am also showing this recent gouache painting. One thing I've learned with gouache...you don't know how far is too far...without going too far! (Laughter)! We have to make the mistakes, it is the only way we'll learn. 

Ken: I like to be alone and I like quiet. No music, I like the silence. I have a cat (Oliver) and he'll stare at me until I pay attention to him. It's a requirement (Laughter)! I like everything really calm but (paradoxically) I also like coffee! (Laughter)! Maybe it provides a balance. I like the lighting I have in my studio and I spend a long time preparing my paints on the palette. I took up painting when I went into recovery years ago. Mike, I have a program for you! (Laughter)! 

Geri: I get rid of the mental clutter before I start. I keep all my supplies on the dining room table. I leave everything set out ready for me to use. I always do an underdrawing. Sometimes I give the piece I am working on a name while I am working on it. I use a paper palette and it does get dirty and messy! I am showing a painting I did of my interior. My friend Lynn is a quilter and her work is represented in the painting.

Eunice: Pass...(though I'll add that I am a "no music" while painting person)

Announcements:

Next paint out...Friday, Oct 25 9amLone Fir Cemetery with Host Tim Young 
Se 26th and SE Washington, park on the street (*suggested time, come when you want) meet near the center of the cemetery near the soldier statue and/or within sight of the McCleay masoleum. Lone Fir is the 2nd largest Arboretum in Portland.

Pittock Mansion Call to Artists Deadline Nov 30: (no fee) https://racc.org/resources/listings/call-for-art-mount-hood-contemporary-art-views-exhibit-at-pittock-mansion-2/

Dianna Shyne classes: https://diannashyne.com/workshops
(Thursday evenings at Dianna's studio, paint with Meditative music...contact Dianna dianna@diannashyne.com)

 Joanne Radmilovich Kollman Life drawing (Friday am), Figure painting (Friday pm), Expressive flower painting (Saturdays) at OSA
https://public.osartists.org/public/classes

Oct 19-20 Washington County Open Studios https://www.washcoart.org/

Nov 3 Clark County Open Studios https://www.visitvancouverusa.com/event/clark-county-open-studios-tour/18532/

Portland Open Studios (Oct 12 & 13 and 19 & 20 https://portlandopenstudios.com/

Remax art exhibit: Harley Talkington, Vicki Zimmerman, Hilarie Couture, Stephanie Cissna and others: https://www.pdxpipeline.com/events/portland-open-house-art-show-sale-remax/

NW Pastel Society Show Nov 1 https://nwps.org/events

Thomas Kitts Plein Air Sicily Workshop May 16 - 23 2020 see graphic below
www.thokitts.wixsite.com/pleinaireverywhere

Next Art Discussion Meeting Oct 24, 9am......"I can't seem to get myself to _______(fill in the blank) (as it pertains to painting). example: I can't seem to get myself to use muted colors, I can't seem to get myself to go back into a painting once the session is over,  I can't seem to paint in public etc Let's discuss!



No comments:

Post a Comment