At today’s meeting Dave, Susan, Tim, Jeanie, Diane, Lisa,
Vicki, Jerry, Annie, Kathy, Mike, Jim, Tedd, Eunice, Genie, Tom D, Tom K, Ward, Dottie,
Kristina, Kristine, Elo, Kay and me Celeste.
Today’s suggested table topic: What question would you ask an artist from
the past… if you could?
Celeste: Anders Zorn did you use blue? Admit it--you did
didn’t you? The Zorn palette (“just” red, ochre, black and white) is a
lie…right? (laughter)! I think that he also used viridian or something. He may
have sometimes used a limited palette, but you know there was blue and green on
his palette at certain times....there had to be. I am showing recent paintings I did from the
Strada challenge.
Annie: I like an illustrator named Ed Young. I would ask
him-- what did you leave out of this work? Andrew Wyeth did a painting that had
a lot of elements in it –it wasn’t working so finally Wyeth removed a dog from
the painting—and then it worked! (After I learned that I always thought is of
that specific painting as “the painting with the dog removed”). (laughter)! I am showing two paintings.
Jerry: Two of my favorite artists Gauguin and van Gogh lived
together for nine weeks in Arles. They had hopes of building an artist colony
there together. But as we know that did not happen. I would like to ask both of
them—(knowing what we now know) what would you do differently? I am reading
this book called the yellow house. I am showing a painting I did that started
plein air and was finished in the Studio.
Jeanie: I have brought in a great big book to show you some
of these artist’s ideas about what is worth their time. Here is one where
there's cellophane holding some gumballs in place-- I would like to ask artists
who do this type of work ---what are you thinking??? I just don’t understand
this kind of art and I would ask these artist what is this about! (laughter)!
Tom D: I have to tell you that this is my
last meeting for a couple of months. I have to do work unrelated to art for two
and half months now. I’d ask Matisse why did he leave his wife? I’d ask
Mondigliani, why did you drink so much? Was it really necessary to be so self
destructive!? Laughter! I’d asked van Gogh are the poor the only virtuous
people? (Laughter)! I am showing a recent plein air painting.
Ward: It’s kind of backwards for me… I came to art later in
life and now I am fully immersed in it. There were many years when I did other
things (but not visual art). My Mom was an artist. She was a highly creative
person. When we were young kids she painted paintings directly on our van! Can
you imagine!? She let all of us all help with that project. We called it the
“Stroud Happy Wagon”! (Laughter)! My Mom is no longer living and she didn’t get
to see the path I took. I would ask my Mom “What can I do to make you proud”? (Applause)!
I am showing a painting I did recently.
Vicki: When I lived in Washington DC I would visit the
National Museum and I always stopped at this portrait of Rembrandt. This self
portrait was done during a time when life was very bad for Rembrandt. Terrible
things had happened to him bankruptcies and death and loss after loss. I would
like to ask him --how did you keep painting during this time? what kept you
moving forward? I am showing two paintings.
Lisa: I would ask van Gogh-- Are you seeing those colors or
what? (Laughter)! When I paint I have to have colorful color and light and dark
--good contrasts. I require that in order to paint. Maybe he was the same way,
maybe he “had to have” that strong color in order to work. It seems like
everyone might see color differently from one another.
Diane: I am interested in sculpture. I would NOT ask
Michelangelo how did you see the figure in marble (even though that fascinates
me). Instead, I would just ask him if I could just watch him! I have been
painting from life. I am showing a recent painting.
Genie: I was inspired last time by Annie. She uses colors for
a project that she likes for the project! She isn’t a slave to the “real”
colors. I chose the colors and then did these paintings from photo references. I
am also showing a New Mexico painting that I’m going to be putting into the Red
show at OSA. I would ask a question of any artist --how do you keep going??
Kristine: I would ask --how do you get this paint off off
this brush? (Laughter)! I am fairly new to oil painting. I hike and I sometimes
find myself in front of a great big huge canyon with a little square panel and
I wonder ---how do I get all of that on this little panel? (Laughter)! I am
showing a recent painting.
Dottie: I would ask van Gogh… how did you get all of that
paint on there without getting it at all muddy? So much paint and none of it
muddy! I have been doing the Strada challenge. I am showing two recent pastels.
Elo: I don't know what to ask! I did the Strada daily
painting challenge and my son would not allow me to do any more fruit, so I had
to do this onion! (Laughter!) My husband helped to choose some of the subject
matter (when I couldn’t figure out what to do)! I enjoyed painting the
ping-pong paddle and looked at it as an abstract shape. I am showing some of
the Strada challenge paintings.
Tom: I would ask Vermeer why did you only paint 35
paintings? I have always wondered about it. I painted this painting of a canal
in Dublin. I painted it twice. I sold the first version and painted it again.
It was interesting to paint the same subject twice-- I hadn’t done that before.
It was a good experience.
Tim: I’d ask Sorolla… hey have you got a minute? (Laughter)!
How did you get that light?! Where did you learn that!? I got to paint out in
the forest and I painted this. I painted this with actual red dirt that I found.
Susan: I am back from the Joe Paquet workshop. I am so glad I did it. I watched
his long demonstration and positioned myself very close to him and his palette.
I kept asking him if it was OK for me to be as close as I was and he said it
was OK…no problem. I was just intoxicated by his painting. I am showing my
workshop starts. These are with a paynes gray underpainting. These don’t look
all that good—workshop paintings seldom do -- but I wanted to share them
because I learned so much from doing these --- I really “get” what I have to do next.
As for what I would ask an artist I would ask Sorolla if I
could watch him set up his models. I would also like to understand how Norman
Rockwell got so much life and feeling in his paintings/illustrations. Norman
Rockwell was one of the reasons I wanted to be an artist..
Kristina: Well, it is three in a row for questions for
Sorolla! I would ask him for a
demonstration. I would like to understand how he decided to put the figures
where he did. Additionally, I'd like to have a conversation with Remington
about his nocturnes. When you look at the stars in a Remington night sky you
swear you can almost see them twinkling, like in a real sky. I brought in a
painting that I did in the studio from a reference from my trip to Italy.
Kay: I would ask
Picasso who is experienced in events that led up to World War II ---what can I
do as a citizen to help? I did paint this angel --sort of in an attempt to
provide an angel to watch over all of us. I have also done some small paintings
following along with the Strada challenge.
Dave: I would ask Divinci what was the deal with the Mona
Lisa? (Laughter)! Who is she what was the mystery ---tell us about her.
Eunice: I have no questions. Instead, I wanted to talk about
how when you are a knitter… if you use varigated yarn crazy things will turn up in the thing you are knitting. You might get an unexpected purple circle in a
sweater. It happens in painting too sometimes…the unexpected clash.
Well, I want to tell you what that sort of thing is called…it is called: clown
barf (Laughter! Laughter)!
Tedd: I would ask John Singer Sargent ---can I watch you paint?
Some years ago the Portland Art Museum had an exhibit of Singer Sargent’s
paintings of children and I drew the paintings at the museum. The museum will
let you do that if you are using dry media. I am showing you the drawings that
I did. I’m also showing a plein air painting that I did on paper (I prepared the paper
with shellac) and taped it down to a picnic table!
Jim: I took a watercolor class recently with Ward. It has
been 14 or 15 years since I touched watercolor. It was a great class. I would
ask Thomas Moran how did he choose and decide what to put together to paint? He
had so many scenes to choose from. When he invited to go to some of these
expeditions --well, it would be almost like Neil Armstrong going to the moon! Very few
people could get to the places he went to. Because of Ward’s class I did these
paintings. This is a painting of a Bernese dog. I also painted this otter! I
liked experiencing Brush-o --it really makes you push the boundaries.
Mike: I am someone who likes the English Tradition. So I
would invite Edward Seago for a discussion. I would offer him a cigar and then
I’d ask ---should I just quit now? (Laughter)! Well I’m joking, but it does
take someone else sometimes to look at your work and give you new perspective.
I would like to thank Elo for encouraging me encouraging me to try casein. I
have tried it and I really like it. I am venturing into opaque painting.
Kathy: I would ask my own dad about layers and depth. I do ask him things now
and I listen to him. He is no longer on this earth but I hear his advice.
I am showing a painting that I did of my tomatoes. I grow
them and I immortalize them! (Laughter)! I am also showing a cat that I did
recently.
Announcements:
Art on the boulevard "impassioned" Solo show Michael Lindstrom
first Friday, February 3 5 to 8 PM
Studio 111 Fine art
Friday at OSA painting or drawing from the life model 1 to 4 PM Fridays (next
Feb 3)
March 11 and 12
workshop with Susan Kuznitsky at OSA sponsored by UArt.
https://susankuznitsky.com/workshop/14497/uart-pastel-intensive
https://susankuznitsky.com/workshop/14497/uart-pastel-intensive
OSA demonstration February 9 in calligraphy
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/classes-and-workshops/demonstrations
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/classes-and-workshops/demonstrations
The Red Show at OSA
you must put your working today or tomorrow the reception is on Sunday
1-3
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com
1-3
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com
Ward Stroud will do a
demonstration tonight at OSA 6 PM critique followed by demonstration
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/classes-and-workshops/demonstrations
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/classes-and-workshops/demonstrations
Ward Stroud has class every
Friday / other classes
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/classes-and-workshops/classes
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/classes-and-workshops/classes
Jerry Dickason has had a
painting accepted into the permanent collection of OHSU! (Congratulations,
Jerry)
Next meeting February 8 suggested table topic: Local artists
who influence and inspire you—How they sparked something positive in you! Specifics
please.
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