Meeting Notes, October 25, 2018

At today's meeting: Loretta, Mike, Tedd, Karen, Jim, Dave, Sharon, Tim,  Kristina, Lisa, Nancy, Diane, Paula, Wendy(new),  Kay,  Judy, Annie, Dotty, Ken, Jeanie, Eunice and me, Celeste

Today's suggested topic: Confidence, how does it figure into painting, tell us anything that you would like about self assurance and painting.

Celeste: Recently I listened to a book on Audible. The author wrote that if you have a few negative thoughts, that's not such a big deal, but remember that old sign: "Don't feed the Animals" (don't permit yourself to wallow in negative thoughts, it just feeds them and they'll become persistent). I am showing some value pens that I got from Joshua Been. I've been doing value studies. I'm also showing some recent plein air paintings.

Loretta:"I have a quote: "The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize" ---(Robert Hughes) (Laughter)!

Mike: How many of you have read this book..."Art & Fear"? I highly recommend it! I like this quote from the book: "In large measure becoming an artist consists of learning to accept yourself, which makes your work personal, and in following your own voice, which makes your work distinctive." and this one also:  “Basically, those who continue to make art are those who have learned how to continue – or more precisely, have learned how to not quit". (Laughter)!  I personally feel more confident when I follow a plan (as I learned in the workshop with Ian Stewart). I am showing recent watercolors.

Tedd: I made a box for a painting that I did recently...the box was 18x18.....trouble was, the painting was 20x20! (Laughter)! I'm sure I'll find a use for it. (Laughter)! When I first painted, I painted so thinly..but now I am putting paint on confidently. I am using palette knife. I'll bring in an example next time.

Karen: I participated in Washington County Open Studios. Now that it is over, it is like a weight was lifted! In fact, I feel more confident, because I signed up and went through all that. It was a challenge and I'm glad I did it. I got a boost from people who admired my work and, of course, it is encouraging when a stranger buys your work! I am showing some paintings that I did in my back yard. I did a painting a day for the Strada Challenge...but I confess....I "quit" before it was over (Laughter)! I still got a lot out of the experience.

Jim: Well, according to Loretta's quote I am a great artist...becaue I have a lot of doubt! (Laughter)! This is a recent painting I did at Cooper Mountain.

Sharon: thanks, everyone for letting me be here! (Editor's note: and thanks for being here, Sharon!)

Dave: I always relate painting to golf. There are so many parallels. As a golfer when you hit the ball well several times in a row you'll think "I am a golfer" then the next shot you'll shank it and then you say "I hate golf" (Laughter)! The difference is with painting you can fix your mistakes, but in golf, if you score a 9 you have to take a 9. (Laughter)! I have enjoyed lately beginning a painting in acrylic and then "correcting" it with oil.

Tim: My big thing is having fun. Having fun is my *requirement*. I painted this watercolor with Ward. I painted this painting at the Dog Park. This painting is at Cathedral Park and this painting is from a road trip that I took to Boardman, OR. Long drive, but worth it.

Kristina: I took a one day workshop with Randy Sexton.  The workshop was painting the figure in the landscape and we had a model outdoors. He paints in a loose and gestural style, He spent time with each student and when he came up to me I knew I had been tightening up and I said so. He said "whenever that happens to me I do this"....and he took my brush and went like this (indicating that he scrubbed the figure out)! It didn't upset me, as a matter of fact "I got it"...he regularly wipes out and starts again, it's no big deal because he has the confidence to do it, he knows that he can destroy something because he can just put it back in again! That's exactly how I want to be! I am showing a painting that I did plein air at Umqua.

 Lisa: I am not lacking in confidence in putting down paint..but I am not as keen in showing my work.  I gave myself a challenge recently. I decided to paint without line! I decided to use mass only and I painted this panting of the Gorge.

 Nancy: I am glad I can be here because my children are back in school now. I will be able to be around more! What gives me confidence is if I practice and I get better at something! I make it a point. I am using more paint and I like this (recent) painting that I am showing you, because I used thick paint and texture!

Diane: I pass

Paula: I remember Aimee Erickson explaining to us once that if she made a hesitant mark...it looked hesitant and if she made a confident mark...it looked confident! Your energy, whatever it is at the time will reveal itself in the mark. I am showing my pastel painting from Clackamette Park.

Wendy: (new---welcome)! It is my first time here! (applause)! Most of the time I simply want to just work on what I am working on without a lot of thought!...But of course, I'll "notice" thoughts... and then I'll think: Should I hang onto that thought..or should I let it go? I decide if the thought serves me well or not.

Kay: Thinking about confidence gets me into trouble. I too prefer to just notice thoughts and the less thought the better! I took a bunch of time off from painting and I don't regret it --I'm glad I had the time off and painting seems pure fun once again! I am showing a figure painting I did at an OSA Friday session.

Judy: I am a studio artist...but I have an interest in painting outdoors. It was uncharted territory but, I have now painted twice outdoors...and I didn't die! (Laughter)!

Annie: I agree with what Nancy said about how confidence is built through practice. If you draw or paint all day the painting in the afternoon may be better than the first one you did it the morning! When I learned drawing in school, we were taught to use charcoal and to "restate" the line if it was wrong. So when we were working with life models that meant you could wind up with 3 breasts on the drawing (Laughter)! What that taught us was "confident line".

Dotty: My confidence can go up and down. One of my goals is to produce more confident strokes. I am showing a painting I did of Smith Rock.

Ken: If I don't think at all...I'm better off! (Laughter)!

Jeanie: I'm somewhere between confident and crazy...because I am working on a very large painting. I'm using big brushes...that should help me.

Eunice: My advice...if you really want to have fun, go buy a single big flower and paint it using a palette knife only. It is guaranteed fun.

Announcement:

Single Pose "Fine Art Friday" Figure session with model
7.50 introductory fee 
Fridays: 1 -4pm
Sept 7 - Dec 2
Join this “Fine Arts Friday” group.  Enjoy the company fellow artists, share art ideas.  Work in the drawing or painting medium of your choice. Clothed models with an occasional partial nude.


registration: contact instructor: joradart@comcast.net, 503-752-3708 or OSA: 503-228-0706

Fresh Flower Saturday: $25 drop-in fee per day
Saturdays: 1:30 - 4:30pm
Sept 8 - Dec 22
Paint a new, colorful, fresh flower still life every week.  Instructor specialized in expressive alla-prima florals. Work on your oil painting skills and expressive mark making.  Classes include instruction, demonstrations, and individual help.
registration: contact instructor: joradart@comcast.net, 503-752-3708 or OSA: 503-228-0706

OSA classes: https://www.osartists.org/classes-and-workshops/classes

Karen Doyle now has space and is represented at Sequoia Gallery. The Plein Air show is still up, until Nov 2

Ken Mazzochi solo show continues at Prosperity Pie, Multnomah Village

Jeanie Bates Nov 9, 5-7 At Johnstone, 334 3rd  Lake Oswego, see invitation below (Please come)!

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

David McBride will have 44 paintings at Lajola beginning Nov 1 (reception to be announced)

Judy Wise at Siren Nation November 1 http://sirennation.org/event/siren-nations-12th-annual-visual-arts-show-transform/

Judy Wise and others at Portland Rental Sales Gallery October 26 https://rentalsalesgallery.com

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

Next Paint out October 31 (Wed) 9am at Lone Fir Cemetery (rain or shine) with co-hosts Celeste Bergin and JoRad Joanne Radmilovich Kollman Meet us at 9am for a paint out at Lone Fir Cemetery. 2115 SE Morrison St, 97214 Portland. You can park on the street and walk into the cemetery from SE Morrison Street. Lone Fir Cemetery is also a City Park and Portland's 2nd largest Arboretum.  You'll find us initially in the center of the Cemetery near the soldier's statue and/or the McLeary Mausoleum (Building). We'll reconvene near the statue for the art discussion at noon. It may rain...so bring your umbrella There are no public restrooms, but there are businesses on Stark St. If anyone is up for the idea...we'll round out the day by grabbing a bite at Baby Doll Pizza (nearby Stark Street) after the noon discussion. All mediums and all levels welcome.

Future paint outs will be announced in this blog and on Facebook

Do you want to host a paint out?---it is super fun to do! contact Celeste with proposed date (no Thursdays): celesteobergin@gmail.com

Next Thursday Meeting: French Quarter Thursday 9am November 1 "I'm over it"--tell us something you used to consistently do, but now you are "over" as it pertains to art and/or painting (i.e.: I used to subscribe to "Art in America" but now..... "I'm over it"! i.e.: I used to love bright brushes, but now...I'm over it"!) Bonus points for why!

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