Celeste: I always get to be the first to talk...! It is my "perk"! (Laughter)! I have noticed in paintings that succeed there is variety. I like to think about this simple directive in this book: "Make no two intervals the same"....(because when intervals are the same, it can look boring and static). I am showing a plein air painting that I liked from last summer and also my day one painting in the January Strada daily painting challenge.
Susan: Subject matter is very important....like this! (Susan reveals a painting she did of Tim Young) (Laughter/Applause)! Tim was a great model at OSA last week. The painting seemed to just come together. All I really remember clearly during the session was Joanne K saying to me: "Stop! Stop! It's done"! (Laughter)!
Peggie: I like to be able to spend extra time sketching and thinking about my composition. The extra time doing this almost always pays off for me. I am showing two plein air paintings. This one was at the Rose Garden. I was surrounded by color and what did I paint? White roses! (Laughter)! I painted this figure from a photo taken (at an outdoor model session).
Geri: My "resolutions" are to keep going with what I have been doing ("whimsical" paintings)...but lately I have been painting some abstract. In this painting I am merging whimsical with abstract. I like letting some of the initial colors to show through. Also, I am showing you the (final) graphite drawing I did (of our neighbors dog).
Raphael: About today's subject...what makes a painting work? I'm not sure! (Laughter)! Recently I attended a poster event. (I had a long career designing posters). The event was very successful and I had a great time. I have also received a commission for a big mural (that will be painted on a building). I brought my comprehensive layout to show you. I haven't painted (a plein air or alla prima painting) in two months. The time away has put me off-kilter. I have sorely missed it. Santa did give me a Strada Easel..so I will find a way to paint some small paintings of little things (while also working on this big project)...it will be a way to keep my hand in.
Mike: Values and shape is at the top of what makes a painting work. Well, put another way, if the values and shapes aren't working, it shows. I am showing my sketchbooks. Sometimes I paint things into my sketchbook to work out problems for another (larger) version (based on the sketchbook painting). Your challenge is to find something in these sketchbooks that "works"! (Laughter)! Actually I have noticed that the painting often comes off best in the sketchbook! Perhaps we feel much more relaxed painting into a sketchbook. Yong Hong Zhong insists in his classes that we do a value sketch before painting a painting.
Dana: What I think makes it work is composition...it's got to have it. Plein Air is hard for me. This painting started out plein air and I finished it at home.
Bonny: The answer is....it's voodoo magic stuff! (Laughter)! In my experience, everything goes through the ugly stage. I've learned sometimes things "click" and sometimes no. There is "magic" involved at times. How and why did this "work"? Sometimes, pure magic! I am showing a painting I did of a barn that was built in 1885. I painted it because I learned that it would be torn down (and it was).
Linda: This is my 2nd time here. I didn't have the guts to bring anything yet! If something works? I'm really not sure...I don't know that yet. I'm learning.
Serena: (New, Welcome) I am new, this is my first time here (Applause)! I am a retired at teacher. I didn't bring anything today, but then I remembered, I do have my sketchbook with me, so I'll show you my recent self portrait. I have been a chicken when it comes to plein air.
Joanne T: I have been taking on-line classes. We have a corresponding facebook page (exclusive for students in the online class). I get instant feedback when I put my painting efforts on the page. We are always covering things like drawing, value, perspective, not having competing forms, linking things together... on and on! This painting is one I think works. I painted it from a Tim Young photo. It was chosen for the exhibit "Best and Brightest" at Scottsdale Art School. It did not sell and I wound up glad, that's ok, I'm keeping it! The other painting is from a reference of the Stormy Weather Festival on the coast.
Steven: This is my 3rd time here. This is a really important and difficult question. There are a lot of answers and no answers. The logical things are important; things like providing a place where the eye goes first. But, I agree with Bonny about magic. When I worked on this painting I moved things around, I'd stop and evaluate. I made some final moves and revisions and then I knew for sure ...it was done! How did I arrive at that decision? I "felt" it --I can't articulate it.
Becky: I decided very late last night to join the Strada Daily Challenge...so I painted this! I'm going to just paint 5x7's for all 31 days. The small size will make it manageable. I am scheduled to do a very big project. I've decided I will use these small paintings as "warm up" for the (much) larger project that is ahead. Different people will have widely different answers to this question. My friend likes color and I like design. When I see something from across the room I know it "works" (however, sometimes when I get up to the painting I might not like it as well as I did from far away). What works for me are the paintings I wish I did myself and the ones I wish I owned. The ones I'm in love with and admire.
Wendy: I have been painting watercolors at home and I would have brought them but....nothing worked! (laughter)!! I have been drawing lately.
Diana: This year marks my 34th year of painting! (Applause)! My biggest desire is to grow as a person and an artist. I think, over time our ideas change about what "works". What moves me is Russian Impressionism; there is poetry in Russian Impressionism! Value, composition, design, color are all important. But! a poet doesn't use all the words available to him. Paintings that make me laugh or cry are paintings that "work" for me. I stayed awake thinking about this question. I painted this painting years ago when my teenage daughter ran away from home. I didn't know where she was and I realize now this painting represented my (broken) heart. (Don't worry, I eventually found her, she's fine). I tell my students, write down what it is you want to convey. Have it firmly in your mind. This new painting (of clouds) represents a new hopeful chapter. This final painting is all about the sunlight. (photo to come)
Thomas: I like what I am hearing from everyone. For many years I wanted to show the viewer everything I saw in detail. I am now in a place where I understand that I do not need to make this object exactly as it is...I just need to fool you! (Laughter)! It is a matter of letting go of control and letting the paint do it. When I learned this for the first time I was painting rocks and putting my all into painting the rocks exactly so, but I put down a mark and it was the suggestion of a rock, it looked right without me rendering it.."just do that" I thought..(it"worked"). Surprise is an important element, both for you and the viewer. I brought in a painting (that I've sold via instagram). It was from a tableau model session. I am glad to see that book that went around...it has very good simple ideas in it..that book is where I picked up the expression: "same-same, bad-bad" (Laughter)!
Kathy: I think it has all been covered! I don't know if I can say anything more. I am currently working on values. I brought in a painting I did during the Washington County plein air.
Tim: I painted this from a plein air painting. I put the horizon line right in the center, cutting the canvas in half. I did this on purpose. I knew it would irritate a lot of people! (Laughter)! I don't care so much about rules. (Laughter)!
Lisa: Brushwork is something that matters a lot to me. I love it! One of the reasons I love van Gogh is...brushwork! I used to live in Wyoming and then I moved to Texas. Recently I returned to Texas for a visit and now that I paint...I had to ask myself the question... what is there to paint in Texas? (I love hills and mountains and Texas has none of that) I realized....what's great about Texas is the sunsets! I did this painting from a photo reference (of a sunset in Texas).
Chris: I tend to like color and paths that lead you in. I got "stuck" alone in Sarasota, Florida once. I took mass transit to the Ringling Museum (65 cents!) I spent a lot of time there all on my own. I saw a lot of contrast in dark paintings. Lots of heads on platters! (Laughter)! These were not happy colors...this was drama. I learned in that museum exactly why classical paintings are so favored ...they work!
Jeanie: If I do preliminary work ahead of time...my paintings work out better. Small value study and or painting first, big painting later.
Eunice: My contribution to this meeting is Yves gave me the secret to how to turn off the overhead fan! (Laughter)!!
Joanne K: While considering bringing a painting today that I could say "works" I saw a lot of my paintings that have things wrong with them! (Laughter)! I think this small plein air painting does feel lyrical (or musical). I painted it on Oak Island. It's a value driven painting and it has a foreground, middle ground and background. I made this mark here, I don't know exactly what it is...I don't know what is there (was it a house?) but I know that that mark seems to really read right..it "works".
Greg: I know if the shapes doesn't work it won't work! Design, color harmony, contrast and composition are really important!
Announcements:
Thomas Kitts has written an article for Fine Art Connoisseur (March 2020)
Serena Dinsmore at Cathedral Coffee during this month: https://www.facebook.com/cathedralcoffeeshop/
Lisa Moss Marshall solo show NE Community Center to Feb 6 https://necommunitycenter.org/
Opportunity is
knocking for you folks working in oils and/or acrylic. Deadline to apply is
January 15th.
This is our
facebook page, please list your openings, receptions news here:
The Hiatus
Drawing Club:
Friday at OSA with Joanne
Friday Jan. 3rd Carly will be our 9:30-12:30
morning life drawing model.
Destany Will be our afternoon 1-4 clothed single pose figure model.
Destany Will be our afternoon 1-4 clothed single pose figure model.
Join Joanne
Kollman and Model Destany for drink n draw 6-9 pm. Instructed figure
session, form fitted dance clothing. Materials included.
Sign up online at OSA!
Sign up online at OSA!
Susan Kuznitsky
classes Saturdays and Thursdays
Workshops at OSA:
Dianna Shyne Acrylics
classes on Sundays, Mondays Still life, Mt Vernon workshop
Strada Daily Painting
challenge results https://www.facebook.com/groups/1826493904296900/
We are very sad to report that Carrie Holst, a charter member of Portland Plein Air Painters and Alla Prima Portland, passed away on December 22, 2019. Carrie was also past President of the Watercolor Society of Oregon. She was a long time active member and volunteer at Oregon Society of Artists. Carrie was truly a "painter's painter". Her paintings were full of joy. Godspeed, Carrie (our one-in-a-million friend).
(Carrie Holst Memorial Paint out scheduled for Spring 2020 at Chinook Landing)
(Carrie Holst Memorial Paint out scheduled for Spring 2020 at Chinook Landing)
Next Art Discussion Meeting, Thursday Jan 9, 9am at French Quarter. Suggested topic: The "element of surprise, drama or exaggeration"! Have you used any of these elements in a painting? (ie: unusual color, "displaced" object, skewed perspective you get the idea) If not ...would you consider it in the future? Let's discuss!
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