Today's topic: Describe an "above average" painting session that you have had. What made it special?
Celeste: I think all my painting experiences have been above average, even the ones that resulted in a bad painting. I like painting outdoors best! I love the sounds and the wind, the strong light, the overcast, well, all of it. One session that stands out was an indoor life session where the model was lit from below (to emulate a "campfire"). I enjoyed painting the planes of the face with the glow coming from the floor. I am showing other current paintings.
Loretta U: Any time I get to paint is great. I am showing a recent painting. I used a photo reference from Joanne Kollman. (Thanks, Joanne)!
Geri: Any painting session is good. About 10 years ago I had a drawing teacher who brought a baby to the class as a model. It was such a challenge to paint a baby that was constant motion! Another time the teacher had us draw a dalmation dog from life. We all got some neat drawings out of those sessions. I am showing a recent drawing.
Dana: I did a watercolor "sketch" of a sailboat. I also did another version. I liked the energy and spontaneity of the sketch the best. Currently I am taking watercolor classes with a great teacher. I especially like the emphasis he places on good materials.
Bonny: I found a word that applies. Autotellic. When we describe being in the zone, we are talking about an Autotellic experience. The Autotellic experience is when the world melts away. When I paint outdoors I am transported, but once inside I see that I might have painted mostly in the middle values. I've learned that I can add the contrast in the studio. When I add the contrast it is instantly improved and it's "there"!
Tim: I am showing you my new acquisition, a folding table/chair that I got from Amazon. It is actually from China (and apparently it's used in their military). When you are out painting sometimes you slip from yourself into your true self. Those are the times when you're done with the painting and you think "I did that"?? or even "who did that"?? When we hear someone say "there is something wrong with your painting"...My philosophy is that there is nothing "wrong" with it! You did it...own it! I did this gouache painting outdoors (using the chair/desk) and I did this painting from one of my photos.
Stephanie: To my way of thinking, everything is better outside. Food and music are better outside! All your senses are involved. A few months ago I went to the coast. Everyone was happy. Everything was changing every moment. I was giddy trying to keep up with all the changes, it was exhilarating. I painted this near Yachats. I like being in the studio too. This is a studio painting of Mt. Hood. I appreciate not having to rush.
Renita: I am still painting from all my photos that I took during a recent hike. I painted this with the soundtrack "Pirate Radio" playing. I was dancing and painting at the same time.
Kathy: I love painting with friends..but I have discovered that I am happiest when I am painting all by myself! I'm in Za's class and she has us painting from photo reference. During a trip to Latvia I took a photo of this boat between two trees. I used it for the class assignment and painted this.
Wendy: One of the first paintings I did was in Dorothy Fitzgerald's class at OSA. I brought in a photo from Sauvie Island to paint from. I got the painting to here and Dorothy said: "Stop! it's done"! I was in disbelief. I said..."Really"? (It was not how I envisioned the final result.) In time, I understood and appreciated why she stopped me here..it has a look of a German Expressionist painting.
Loretta L: I like painting for the experience. You become lost in yourself. It hardly matters if the painting is "good" or "bad". Later I will look at a painting (that may be even mediocre), but then I am back to where I painted it. In Umqua I painted this at a rest stop. No one else was there... and this is a studio painting that I did based on experiences I had of Vancouver Island. I wanted to paint how I felt in the forest.
Tom K: I'm trying to remember when I was happy painting. (Laughter)! Artists choose to put things in or ignore things. For example, you might wonder how anyone is going to get into this structure, (there is no door)! (Laughter). This started out as a plein air barn...but I changed it all together. (Tom added later a Chuck Close quote: "Inspiration is for Amateurs").
Tracie: I am often unhappy, but I will spend days and hours on it and then "it" happens. I am grateful that I can devote the time to it. At this time in my life I can spend a lot of time on a painting. It wasn't always so. I can fall asleep and wake up to my painting. It will be right there when I open my eyes. I did this painting from a black and white reference (a vintage photo from the Caribbean). If I can fall in love with my subject, then things will go alright.
Judith: The way I paint is to be simply overtaken by it. Then when I awake there is Donald Trump's head in a swamp. Then your teacher says something like "you should take that out"! (Laughter)!
Tom D: I've had a few times when I picked the right colors and put them down in the right order. Other times, it's like "Whack-a -mole" (Laughter)! I'm grateful for the reasonably nice weather. I think of outdoor painting as the equivalent to public speaking. You have to prepare, and mentally prepare, face the challenges. There are similarities. I am showing two recent plein air paintings.
Tedd: I was painting outdoors in California. It was a majestic scene. A Japanese boy came running down the hill straight to me. The Father said, "I'll be here tomorrow, is it ok for him to watch you tomorrow"? I agreed. So he did watch me for the whole session and when his Father picked him up the first thing the boy said was: "I'm going to be a Painter"! (collective aww)!
Jim: Sometimes the painting does not turn out, but despite that, I haven't had any bad painting days. I loved living in Southern California....but nothing compares to Italy. I went with Thomas Kitts to Italy, (to Tuscany). The light! You know you are there, but you have to pinch yourself. Another time I took a class with Susan Kuznitsky. It was "just" in a person's yard...but it was a magical time. I liked the camaraderie. I have the painting I did there hung up in my studio. Lately I have been using minimal strokes. These are two recent studio paintings.
Becky: I was sick, so I wasn't able to paint for a long time. A good session for me is when I am not too tired. I need a high level of concentration without "trying". If you aren't on "auto pilot" you're not in the zone. In order to break my long streak of painting nothing, I painted this fish!
Sheila (new, wecome!) I have "moments"..painting to me it is often a war. Then you have a moment, an AHA moment. I paint fairies. It is difficult plein air, because they don't stay still. (Laughter)! I have been inspired by an artist named Erin Hanson. She has inspired me to switch to Impressionism.
Jeanie: Lately I have been taking a class with someone who paints differently than I do. So I am trying to paint with this different approach. It's hard, but I will improve. I won't give up. I am donating this painter's box to anyone who might have a use for it.
Chris: When I was young my family and I used to draw with John Nagy (who had a television show). We would all do the lessons together! It was really wonderful. Many of us painted at an event at Villa Catalana. It was like a night in Heaven. It's an elegant place. I wore a dress! (Laughter)! I was there with Lisa Moss Marshall and other Alla Prima Portland artists. I drank wine and my painting wasn't any good...but I didn't care! (Laughter)! If all that weren't enough, a man happened by and told us how upset he was, he had lost his money. It was cash and he explained that it was his earnings from an entire week of work. He was distraught. Something made me look in a particular place and there it was...all his money! I called out: "I found your money"!!! It was just the most perfect evening (even though my painting was no good).
Susan: On Thanksgiving this year my two sons signed up to work overtime, so I only had them for a short time for the holiday dinner. They were really happy to be making extra money, and it might have ben a drag for me. ..except! I made a firm decision. I'd decided I'd paint something! It was a way for me to "get away" and I painted this. Sunflowers are reliable for making me feel happy. As a side note, I have a new student, a young girl who has been taking classes at a place that has a weighty name (something like "Masters" of Art). I looked up their website and I have to be completely honest... I think she is going to do better with me. (Laughter)!
Thomas K: Why I paint, it is cheaper than taking drugs. (Laughter)! I painted this Sunday afternoon from a reference. I painted it for a friend. I am making it a gift to him, because this place is a very special place to him. It's 95% done.
Greg: The session I remember most is when I painted in the Gorge near Stonehenge. I was painting on this ridge and it was so pleasant..just the best time I've ever had. So, I am painting there and a guy climbed up the rocks from below precisely to where I was! (He just "appeared") Laughter! Memorable! I am showing paintings I did at workshops at Scottsdale Art School. This is from Camille Pryzewodek's workshop and this is from Eric Jacobsen's workshop. I also brought in a painting I acquired from Eric Jacobsen. I thought you would like to see it.
Yong: If I had to "wait" for a moment of inspiration I'd never get to paint. At Disney they didn't care if you were in the "mood"! (Laughter)! You had to get your work done. Then I became a stay-at-home Dad and I had to squeeze in painting sessions around my children's schedules. I just observe! I can paint anywhere! I go for the feeling. Here is an example. I was asked if I could paint a water tower. Sure! I said, I know I can. But then when I got to the water tower it was not the type of water tower I envisioned. I painted it anyway, despite the fact that it was so different from what I thought it would be. I always go for the feeling!
Announcements:
Art on The Boulevard First Friday Reception 5-9 Yer Za Vue (and Elo Wobig, Congratulations, Elo!)
http://artontheboulevard.org/
Elisabeth Jones Gallery, First Thursday Dec 5 https://www.elisabethjones.art/artistic-sketchbook.html
Jeanie Bates, reception Sunday Dec 8 Rock Creek Corner 3-5 https://www.rockcreekcorner.com/
Thanks Bonny Wagoner for organizing the sketch session at IKEA. (Bonny says she will arrange another IKEA Urban Sketchers session in January, stay tuned). See photos on our facebook page.
Bonny recommends you search "writing a press release". Write (using the correct format) and send to the appropriate places. (Get coverage from media)!
NW Marine Arts Holiday Market (across the street, railway exhibit) https://www.facebook.com/nwmarineartworks/
Oregon Historical Society Dec 8 12-4 https://www.ohs.org/events/holiday-cheer.cfm
Art is for all: http://www.jordanschnitzer.org/current-exhibitions-events/art-for-all
http://www.jordanschnitzer.org/ Printmaking show? (couldn't find the actual event)
Falcon Art Dec 7 Jerry Dickason https://www.facebook.com/events/3022383577791326/
Hillsboro First Tuesday Artwalk Dec 3: https://tualatinvalley.org/events-festivals/hillsboro-first-tuesday-art-walk/
McMinnville First Tuesday Art Walk, Dec 3 https://visitmcminnville.com/about/articles/mcminnville-art-walk/
First Tuesday, Dec 3, Joanne Thorpe will be at Crystal Heart Boutique in Hillsboro http://www.crystalheartbooks.com/home/
Classes at OSA (Susan Kuznitisky, Joanne Kollman, Michael Orwick and others):
https://public.osartists.org/public/classes
Thomas Kitts Silicy 2020 workshop May 16-23
thomas@thomaskitts.com
Workshops at OSA: https://public.osartists.org/public/workshops
Figure drawing, painting, expressive painting Classes at OSA with Joanne Radmilovich Kollman (Friday)
https://public.osartists.org/public/classes
Arts Council Lake Oswego Call to Artists for Zines: deadline Jan 6, https://racc.org/resources/listings/call-for-zines/
Call to Artists: Art in the Park: Deadline Feb 23 https://www.lakewood-center.org/pages/Art-in-the-Park-2020-Call-for-Entry
Call to Artists: Walters Cultural show submissions: https://waltersgallery.submittable.com/submit
Dianna Shyne classes: https://diannashyne.com/workshop
Put any announcements about your shows directly on our facebook page. Please include date time and address. https://www.facebook.com/groups/222304114527014/
Hiatus Drawing Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333152383542909/
(Please remember to support the French Quarter food carts)
Next Art Discussion Meeting Dec 12, 9am The magic of three colors (plus white)! Have you painted any paintings using just three colors (plus white)? (AND/OR what about a Triad color scheme) What has been your experience? (and if you have no experience with it, are you willing to try it)?......Let's discuss!
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