At today’s meeting Loretta L, Loretta U, Susan, Tim, Diane, Tim,
Karen, Stephanie, Jeanie, Annie, Kristina, Jim, Diane, Eunice, Ward,
Nathalie, Thomas, Joanne T, Joanne K, Nathalie, Mike Sowers (new), and me Celeste
Today’s suggested table topic: Improvement ---how can you judge
if your skills are on an increase or not? Is it measurable somehow and how can
you keep track?
Celeste: I can measure my progress by how much or how little
fear I feel. Not too long ago because of the strada easel challenge I painted
my muddy backyard --it was a subject that I would have avoided in the past. I am showing some recent daily paintings. I
don’t know how you can measure progress except to just look at your older work
and your newer work and evaluate.
Jeanie: I have learned a lot since I got out of school. It’s
just got to get better with time, doesn’t it? (Laughter)! Recently my work has
been leaning toward more representational.
Mike: (New! welcome Mike). I live in Northeast Portland and
also Tennessee part of the year. I’m in a plein air group there. I have a iPad
Pro. I have been learning the app “Procreate”.. It is vast! As far as
improvement..it seems easy enough to discern the difference between paintings that are successful and those that are not, but it takes awhile to gain perspective. I am showing two recent paintings.
Loretta L: Since I began painting I am better with
perspective and values. I have been taking classes at PCC. I am showing you
some new paintings where I mixed oil paint and cold wax together. I painted
over some old paintings. In this one I used the actual netting from onion
packages you buy at the grocery. I’m also showing a large painting that I did
from a previous painting that I did in class.
Joanne K: In the
beginning it is hard to grasp that you have the freedom to move things around
in your plein air paintings. It takes a while to believe that you
are “allowed” to do that. I’m showing
you a painting that I painted at the AIS paint out where I “comfortably” moved
things around. At the start just hauling your stuff outside seems daunting
enough, but you’ll find that if you stay with it you will get more and more
familiar with what works and what doesn’t.
I’m also showing a figure painting that I did largely from
imagination. It is important to know why
you were putting down certain marks. Put down marks/strokes with intention.
Joanne T: I judge my improvement by Facebook! (Laughter)! I
know that Celeste in particular is very encouraging. In fact, I do judge by
feedback. I get feedback here in these meetings and also from others. I will
ask people I respect what they think. Some people have told me that some of my
paintings were good and those are the paintings I put into juried competitions (and I was rewarded). I think feedback is really important. I listen. This
year I have been improving palette knife skills and in painting thick and thin.
I am showing two recent paintings.
Ward: It is so interesting to hear
other people's stories. When I first began playing the flute I just played
and played and people thought I was going out of my mind. I had my flutes
everywhere and I just played and played (laughter)! But, I didn’t care if I looked ridiculous and I wasn’t afraid to fail. I think that maybe that might be my
strength.. that I don’t mind looking stupid for a while! I may have appeared "out there" while I was learning the flute but sometime later I got a music contract and
all the sudden the people who had laughed at me were congratulating me!
(Laughter) I’m an overachiever. I set higher and higher levels and higher and
harder and harder goals for myself. I am showing a recent wildlife painting.
Annie: I attended the
Monotype party at Oregon Society of artists. I like doing the Monotype… but
best of all I liked cutting them up. I am showing you things I’ve cut up
(cropped) as well as a charcoal self portrait and the color version self
portrait (Editor's Note: Annie brought bookmarks from some of her paintings for us….thanks,
Annie!)
Jim: I try not to paint with perfection in mind! If I see
that something is not going exactly right I at least try to get emotion into
it. For me, when I make a make a step forward I realize that there is something
else that I need to learn too (besides what I just learned)! I am showing a
recent painting.
Dave: What I have learned is that you have to "use it or lose
it". I was painting a lot some years ago but then life got in the way and I have
not painting as much as I used to. But, I am painting when I can now and in a
relaxed manner. I am showing recent paintings.
Eunice: I have not been painting lately. I have been knitting
and watching Hallmark Christmas movies! Laughter! (Editor's Note: Eunice knitted some things for
us… thank you Eunice!)
Loretta U: Progress will depend on the day! I can see in
retrospect whether or not I’ve done the job that I set out to do. I am showing
a copy I did from the Ted Goerscher workshop book.
Nathalie: I haven’t
been painting recently --I am here for inspiration!
Susan: I am a teacher
of young students and I have these two best friends who are girls. I told them the other day they’re not allowed to use anymore photo reference --we are going
to paint from life! I showed how to set up a still life…I set out these
ornaments for them and I painted them myself. I don’t generally paint this sort
of thing, but I enjoyed it!
I’m also showing you my Richard Schmid charcoal portrait. I
have talked about it so often here at these meetings. I took classes with
Richard Schmid at the Pallette and Chisel in Chicago. This is many years ago
and back then Richard Schmid asked me to sit for him in a demonstration….then he gave the drawing to me! I just wanted you all to see it --it means so much to me! (Applause)!
For me, teaching is what pushes me forward. Every few years
also I take a workshop. I’m going to take a plein air workshop next year.
Tim: My judgment is drawn from how many paintings I like out
of how many paintings I do. So, if I do 10 paintings I might like only four and
if so-- that is a bad week! (Laughter)!
Every year I want to say thank you to everyone in this group
so here are my miniature paintings that I’m passing around for everyone. (Editor's note: Thank
you Tim!) I'm showing recent paintings. I was inspired to paint a frog...by Ward!
Diane: I learned about keeping track from my drawing
teacher. He saved our first drawing and then produced it at the end of the
semester and we could all easily see how we had grown. So I remembered to do that and I
kept my first painting from studio 30 -- I could see later how much I improved
over my time there.
(Editor's Note: Kristina pointed out that she thinks Diane may have improved most of all of us)! Applause!
(Editor's Note: Kristina pointed out that she thinks Diane may have improved most of all of us)! Applause!
Tom: I relate to the fear factor regarding progress. My fear
has gone down a several notches. I just don’t feel as fearful when I go out to plein
air paint. I painted this painting from Mount Tabor.
Karen: I volunteered
to help on an art project with young people. I never would’ve volunteered to do
this with them prior to learning to paint. There is that expression about you
don’t know what you don’t know! Everything builds on what you’ve learned
before.
Stephanie: In general I don’t like to think thoughts like “this
is bad” and “this is better”-- but certainly I do evaluate my work. I switched from acrylics to oil and I discovered all sorts of new ways of doing things. I
think that these meetings (here) are better than a college course! When I look
back at some of my paintings I think "this one is fine—this one is hopeless" (laughter)! I am showing older and newer paintings.
Thomas: I’m getting better when I hate something less! (Laughter)! If you overthink it will
compromise you. The best work seems to come from when you are "in the flow". I
recently did a live demonstration on Facebook and it was a real challenge
because of technical difficulties. Talk about having to be right-brained and
left-brained at the same time! Despite all the trouble, it was another valuable
experience for me! (Editor's Note: thanks, Thomas, we all appreciate your demonstrations and generous advice)
Announcements:
Ward Stroud has put together a trailer for Brusho and Beyond. Video editing is quite the task and he wants you to
please look at his trailer!
https://youtu.be/8fchXRCMiM0
https://youtu.be/8fchXRCMiM0
Ward Stroud Friday drop in class at OSA
Fine art Friday at OSA clothed model session (no instruction) the model is Tony Dec 23, 1-4pm (and it is Tony's birthday---have a cupcake!) http://oregonsocietyofartists.blogspot.com/2016/12/come-draw-or-paint-with-us.html
Kristina Sellers paintings at ACena
Susan Kuznitsky has paintings
at Medley Tea
Susan Kuznitsky Pastel classes
two spots left and a two day workshop coming up in March
Richard Schmid new portrait download:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLv3pczLewE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLv3pczLewE
Karen Doyle has a show at new seasons in progress January 5
reception 30% of sales will go to the Oregon food bank
Max Ginsburg February 20 two spots left
Thanks, all! Happy Holidays ---!
Next Meeting: Dec 29th
Suggested table topic: Taking risks! “If I go down, I’m going down in Flames”!
describe a time where you "went for it" when you took a big risk (in painting, but in anything else if
you think it applies). Were you disappointed? Rewarded? What happened? Let’s
discuss
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