Meeting Notes, Sept 5, 2019

Todays topic: "Paint shapes, not things"...do you subscribe to this? do you understand it?

Celeste: I like to share quotes with you, thanks for indulging me. I found one appropriate to this topic from artist Frank Benson: "I simply follow the light, where it comes from and where it goes to" (see full quote at the bottom of the page). I had Benson's quote in mind when I painted this study of Dave with light hitting him from a lamp. I am also showing a painting from a model session and a painting from the Labor Day Paint out.

Loretta U: I think about shapes mostly with still life. 

Peggie: I am back from a 5 day workshop with Camille Przewodek. On the first day we worked exclusively with shapes. Using a palette knife we described the warms and cools we saw using blocks (that were set out in the sunlight). The 2nd day we worked on rounds. On the final day we worked from models and the same principles applied. I bought her "painting garage" which I think will save me a lot in paint. Workshop takeaway: to see big shapes just look at color. 

Geri: I brought this book about Vuillard. You can turn to any page, you'll see that he got the gesture without detail. I didn't bring anything today. 

Raphael: In the Frank Benson quote you'll notice that he did not mention shape. When I was in art school they always talked about form. I confess, I am someone who sees a tree and paints a tree! (Laughter)! I am showing a painting that I did for PNWPA and some recent gouache paintings.

Pam: I pay attention to darks and shapes. Whether I am following the rules, I don't know. I am showing a recent painting. I thought about light and shadow. 

Loretta L: I think one of the problems is in thinking about the shape of the thing...not the light. It is a challenge! I am showing a painting I did at Howell House on Sauvie Island and one from the Labor Day paint out. (I painted it over an old painting).

Leslie: Recently, My husband and I spent 6 months in Israel writing a book together. When I went to school I went to medical school instead of art school. I worked independently to learn painting. I've had one foot in the medical world and one in the art world. The book has now been published ! Since the book is about health (and I illustrated it) I feel that my two worlds have been finally been brought into line. (Applause)! I have been working on subtractive painting and negative painting. I am showing a current painting. 

Kay: It is great to be back to painting. I painted in the Sandgren paint out and I am showing a painting from that. I also painted in the Labor Day paint out (my other painting is from that). I took the Lindstrom workshop and after everyone went home Lindstrom talked with me longer, and he talked about this very thing. He said: " paint the shape of the light and paint the shape of the shadow".

Sharman: I am going to be painting in the Black Hills in a plein air event. I am going with a friend. I am going to remember this advice!

Judith: I was at the Labor Day paint out. I found these flamingos that were displaced by Dorian. (Laughter)! (editor: she's kidding). I am also showing a 2nd landscape painting.

Dotty: I have been practicing with gouache. I liked it. We went to Bandon and I thought about this topic. I did one gouache study and from the study I did a pastel.

Joanne T: I am learning in my online class the 4 to 6 big shapes in a landscape is all you need. I am understanding to separate these shapes and to make them all different with no tangents. I reworked this painting and added a wave ...the wave just got bigger and bigger ! (Laughter)!

Becky: I recently painted spheres (oranges). I had red and orange paint out and I completely finished this painting because I didn't want it to dry up! (Laughter)!

Nancy: I painted at the Labor Day Paint Out. I just heard yesterday that I need to work on my shapes. Part of my trouble is that I need to squint and I forget to do that! I see all the detail!

Tim: Susan Kuznitsky has me doing underpaintings (which I find helpful for when I work in pastel). I won an award recently and the painting was at the Brookwood Library. They asked me to give a talk about my process so I put together this visual aid for my presentation. I am showing some recent bird paintings. I did this from Tim's photos. Watercolor is good for me, because I simplify and then go back in and add details. 

Stephanie: Paint shapes, not things should be my mantra..because I forget it a lot. I just get seduced by everything that is out there. I painted in the Labor Day Paint Out. I changed it some afterwards, because I realized that I could improve the composition. We all get in trouble when we say something like "I can't paint a bridge" ..but of course we can, because it is just a series of shapes and values. I am showing 2 other plein air paintings.

Ken: I took a cubist class! This painting is a result. Also, there was a time when I was into surreal painting. This 2nd painting was from that time.

Mike: Eric Wiegardt says keep your design simple..if your shapes are right the smaller shapes will also be right. I brought in two books that describe "not things"

Vicki: I am showing the painting I did at the Labor Day Paint out. I was inspired by van Gogh's "Pink Road".I did a thumbnail before I painted, but I veered off of it! 

Jim: I am back from a wonderful trip to Canada. I set up to paint the mountains and it was all pristine and solitary...but within minutes there were herds of people! (Laughter)! I recommend Jasper National Park. I am also showing a painting of my friend's stove and some recent landscapes from Noble Woods Park. I am participating in the Strada Daily Challenge. 

Eunice: I won't be saying anything about shape, I've heard enough! (Laughter)!...I've I take issue with the 4-6 numbers..I understand better numbers are 3-5 and 7. 

Greg: One of my teachers was Mark English. I was trying to draw the figure and having trouble. He said don't draw the figure draw the shapes. It changed everything for me. I was able to just see this shape and the one next to it and on and on until I had the figure drawn accurately! I am going to Scottsdale school for a workshop with Eric Jacobsen in October..I'd love to share accomodations if anyone else is going. 

Kathy: I don't have anything to add ! I am showing a painting from a recent life/figure session.

Thomas: "Shape based" work can be found looking at work by illustrators like Mark English and Bernie Fuchs. Never say never, 2-4-6 is fine. For example, 2 is the number for notan and 4 is a good number for how many values to use...but I don't encourage to have hard and fast rules. Quang Ho made a great DVD called Nuts and Bolts. He explains that there are 3 levels of artists. Level 1 is when you are painting things. Level 2 is when you understand and use abstraction ...and Level 3 is when you don't think of any of these things, you just paint. I first heard it from Eric Bowman.."paint the shape, not the thing". I sometimes slip back into painting things. You'll know if you are doing it when you name something. "I am painting that boat" instead of I am painting that shape. I painted in Ireland with my wife. She chose this spot and I liked it. The trouble was that these....."shapes" kept moving around! (Laughter)! But I really enjoy the challenge of painting moving objects. When I have my workshop (Plein Air Drawing) next week we are going to use a big pad and vine charcoal. I'm going to see how few shapes are needed to describe the scene.

Announcements:

The Labor Day Paint Out was fantastic! Thanks to Michael Lindstrom for the great demo..and to everyone who participated.

Mike Rangner First Friday Art on the Boulevard

Two up coming paint outs (see below)

The Portland Art Museum current show about Paris 1900 is recommended! See it before it ends on Sept 8

PurpleStride (Walking to end Pancreatic Cancer) is Saturday, 9/28/19. Walk on Mike Porter's team or donate!
http://support.pancan.org/site/TR/PurpleStride/PurpleStride?px=2797967&pg=personal&fr_id=1831

Joanne Radmilovich Kollman and others classes at OSA
https://public.osartists.org/public/classes

OSA Fall Show (Reception Sunday) https://www.osartists.org

OSA Drink and Draw  Sept 6: (scroll down on this page): https://public.osartists.org/public/adultclasses

Nancy Zhang has two paintings in the current show at Happy Valley Library

Mark your calendar...we've been asked to participate in the Sauvie Island Jubilee at Howell House on Saturday, 9/28/19. Watch the blog notes, there are specific details forthcoming. (It means just painting outdoors and being friendly while the public takes it all in).

Welcome back Thomas Kitts from your big trip to Ireland, Paris and Maine! (TJK's workshop page, some filled, check about 2020)

Sept 14 Paint Out with Carol Hansen (all day)

Carol Hansen hosts Sept 14 beginning 9am* at her property in Oregon city. From 9 to noon Artists can paint the landscape/still life outside (still life set ups will be available). Bring your lunch, at noon we will have a break. From 1-4 there will be an outdoor model session (if participating in this session, please bring a little cash for a contribution to the model fee). Stay all day if you like! The sunsets are pretty too! address is 17525 S. Ferguson Rd. Oregon City. 503-367-8568 Link to map below...please note! the driveway is on Ferguson, not Maple lane like the map shows. From town, take Redland road out about 3.5 miles, turn right on Ferguson and it is the second driveway on the right, no gate. MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/9hks7JYz5jMPdUkG8

Sept 26: Paint Out with host Jerry Mishler in Corbett 2pm-6pm

Address - 37201 NE Benfield Rd. Corbett, OR 97010

Directions - From Portland: Take I-84 East past Troutdale to EXIT 22.  At the top of the Exit ramp turn RIGHT onto Corbett Hill Road.  In about 1.5 miles, at the top of the hill turn LEFT onto the Historic Columbia River Highway.  Travel East for approximately 1/4 mile passing the Corbett Market on your left.  When you reach the Corbett Fire Station and the RV Park (on your right), angle LEFT onto Benfield Road.  Our house is about 100 yards further on the left side. It is single story, with brown cedar siding, a circular driveway, and a large, red barn on the right side of the driveway.  Look for orange traffic cones at the end of the driveway.

Painting - Our house is at the top of a circular driveway. If the weather is nice I would guess many would want to paint the view out behind the house looking out toward the Cascade foothills across the river.  We’re too far back from the edge of the gorge to see the river below us.  Our property consists of 16 acres of field and about 5 acres of woods.  There is also a large old barn next to the house and plenty of garden space - lots of choices to paint.

Parking -  Use the circular driveway to drop gear off at the house and then park along the road below the house.  Look for more red traffic cones to indicate parking areas.

Conveniences - There is a restroom and water available in a small kitchen alongside my studio - all attached to the house.

Please feel free to call if you have any questions.

Contact - Jerry Mishler & Sara Grigsby

(503) 201-0912 - Jerry’s cell

(503) 695-5678

Next Art Discussion Meeting Sept 12, 9am...materials and/or gear/equipment that you *thought* was a good idea, but later determined to be not-such-a-good-idea. (Also referred to as purchase errors) Let's discuss!










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