Meeting notes, August 7, 2014


At today's meeting Loretta, Thomas, Tim, Kathy, Susan, Diane, Jeanne, Renita, Joanne, Nancy, Barb, Peggy, Jeannie, Tedd, Eunice, Kristina, Kay and me, Celeste.

Today's suggested table topic: things you find easy to paint and things you find more challenging or difficult to paint (what accounts for it?)

 (Comments below are anonymous):

I don't like lavender. I have tried painting lavender and not enjoyed myself. Maybe it is because I painted it poorly, and I am “haunted” by that. I am not sure. I know I have seen plenty of beautiful paintings of lavender, but I don’t have an interest in it. I do like figures.

I find painting rocks very challenging. I am not interested in rocks. They always look gray to me, and yet I know they are more than gray. I do like painting sky and water.

Dégas said “The more I know about painting the harder it is.” I find eggs easy to paint... simple shapes are easy enough to paint. I do give myself challenges, so that I will increase my skils.  Everything is actually quite hard to paint! My job is to simplify as I go. Paint the shape not the thing.

I do not like to paint buildings! I do like painting nature.

I do not like to paint faces.

My back yard is “just” a green forest. I have often looked at it and thought I’d like to paint it, but I put it off. I have seen successful paintings of “just” green forests, but I haven’t tried it yet. It is daunting.

I like painting figures but I do not like painting little faces. In other words, if I am only to “suggest” a small face, I have a difficult time doing that!

 When I first started painting I thought I was a good enough painter but I discovered later that I really don't know a lot! I have been drawing a lot recently and I love to paint everything.

At first beach grass and sand was challenging, but now I find it easier. This is because of a lot of practice. I have had discomfort with the figure but I made it a goal to paint more figures and I have done that. Painting figures is not as bad as it was before.

Whenever I think things are “easy”, I get a slice of humble pie!

I am learning what I don't know.

I have not like painting flowers, but lately I’ve painted a lot of flowers and I’ve changed my mind. I do like flowers now. Faces have seemed easy, but it is still challenging, even with the skills I have acquired.  I told a student recently “you cannot paint what you cannot see”. In my own work I often like to put in things that I cannot see. (I have skills she has not yet gotten).

I am having a hard time with light and shadow. I have just started painting,  so I know it will get easier.

I find people easy. Using gray is hard for me.

I have had challenges with commissioned portraits! For example, someone came back time and time again to me having me to make small adjustments to the portrait. Then later, even though I warned them to not remove the protective glycene, it was damaged and I had to fix it. I guessl the biggest challenge for me is the interference of people!

I haven't been painting long enough to know exactly what's hard and what's easy.

I love to paint most anything, but when I first started painting if it didn't have any “juice” I didn't want to paint it. I had to be excited about it or I couldn't paint it. Since then, I have learned to find things to paint even in ordinary looking places.

I have been in Idaho and it was too hot to paint. Everything can be hard sometimes. Then again everything can go well and be relatively easy!

Announcements:

The Portland Art Museum event starts on Saturday and goes through Sunday. Find out more information here:

Tedd Chilless has a reception tonight (First Thursday) at the US Bank in the pearl. It is at 11th and Lovejoy. Tedd has 20 paintings there. Congratulations, Tedd!

Dave McBride and Peggie Moje’ will be painting Friday night at the Portland Art Museum. This is a private event.

Muse is having a Portland Open Studio preview 6 to 830 on Friday, August 8. (Joanne Kollman and others):

Thomas Kitts will have an article about him published an Outdoor Painter magazine this coming Wednesday. It is on the subject of his is trip to Italy:

Last call for Thomas Kitts Essential Alla Prima Plein Air workshop:

Thank you all for coming and sharing your ideas and paintings.

Next meeting, Thursday, August 14,

Suggested table topic: THALO--love it, hate it? Tell us what you know about thalo. 

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