Meeting Notes, February 12, 2015

At today's meeting Loretta, Susan, Tim, Thomas, Stephanie, Charlie, Kristina, Jeanie, Leslie, Scott, Betsy (New), John M (New) Dave, Eunice, Erin, Diane and me Celeste. 

Today's suggested table topic: Texture-- what do you know about it?

Celeste:  I tend to be a "smoother outer". It's been a challenge for me to put texture in my paintings. I've come to understand that perhaps some of this smoothing out is timidity. Sometimes my paintings can be thin. I took a workshop with Michael Lindstrom who worked with me about using very thick paint as an experiment. I have been incorporating these ideas into my recent paintings. I brought in two paintings and a panel that was prepared by Mitch Baird. I want to also work on texturing my panels. 

Eunice: if I do any texturing it is generally in the foreground. Sometimes I will use texture in a still life, but normally it's all smooth in the background. I once did a copy of Rembrandt's soldier. I used modeling paste. I still remember how satisfactory that painting was! 

Dave: The easiest way to get texture is to paint over an old painting. I do this quite often. I experiment over "screwed up" paintings. If it doesn't work...that's ok! Sometimes it does work very well. I use a palette knife to put down a lot of paint. I brought in a painting that I did last week. 

John M. (New! Welcome!) (Editor's note: Sorry! I did not get John's last name).  I think that texture can overpower a piece. This piece that I've brought in is painted on Gator board. Five years ago I went back to oils. 

Betsy (New! Welcome!): This is my first time here. I painted this from Terwilliger Plaza. It is a watercolor. 

Scott: I think that texture is important in painting. I did not bring a painting today... I have one that's nearly ready. 

Leslie: I brought in a portrait. You generally don't think about putting too much texture into a portrait, however I know it is sometimes done (i.e.: David Leffel). The painting I brought in today is very wet. 

Jeanie: When it comes to texture "I try"! I brought in three paintings that are small for me. I am more fond of painting on larger surfaces.

Kristina: I like expressionist work. I do find it a challenge, however, to put down a great deal of paint. Recently I have started using up all my old paint (on my palette) by painting with it! It is fun to do. I brought in two paintings. 

Erin: I brought in the Turner book because we recently saw the movie. I am working on using more paint in all of my paintings. 

Diane: I love textural work. I like experimenting with all different types of applications. I know that I am a "smoother outer" too. I really do appreciate, however, a painting that has a lot of brushwork. 

Charlie: I brought in a painting that I did that is a copy of a Bierstadt. It is important when using colored pencils to have consistency. You laugh, but that can mean using the same brand of pencils to complete the piece! I was looking to accomplish an "intimate depth" with this effort.

Stephanie: The process of Alla Prima painting seems to smooth things out. It's not easy to get a very textural result when you're painting in just one pass.  I have let things dry to add texture the next day. I like painting over old paintings.  There are different ways to imply texture and not just with thick paint. Lighter colors are more opaque and are thicker. I brought in two paintings.

Thomas: Lots of beginning artists really want the work to look very clear and in precise focus. But the natural progression is to want to play with with paint and to make it different than a photograph. Rembrandt would build up his paint with lead paint. Valesquez liked coarse linen.  Artists are always looking for ways to provide texture. I like to think of it as looking through a scrim in a theater. You know... how you look through a curtain to see something behind it. Premier coup painting refers to a method where the artist applies one stroke of paint with the intention of letting it stand as a final statement..but some painters will build something up and then "strike it off" and paint on top of that.  There is no other way to get that kind of a look. I like to use Fastmatte (by Gamblin) if I want to build up paint.  I brought in a painting that is two colors plus white ...(it is painted with burnt sienna and gamblin cerulean hue and white). 

Tim: I have always liked painting with a lot of texture. I use a palette knife. I have recently been playing with a lot of texture. This is a painting that I painted on cardboard in the studio.... and here also is a miniature painting that I painted recently. 

Susan:  For me there has to be a reason for texture. I brought in a painting that I did of an antique sewing machine. I recently purchased my very first painting online. I can't tell you why I've never done this before ..I purchased this painting by Elena Katsurya. She is from Russia. I wanted to bring it in here and show it to you because I when I opened it up and look at it I felt all fluttery inside!  It does has beautiful texture and I hope that sometime when somebody buys one of my paintings they might have that same feeling of excitement when they open it up like I felt when I opened this! It makes me want to buy more paintings (from my fellow artists) in the future. 

Loretta: When I first started painting I liked an impasto look. Then for some reason I have slipped away from it. I still like impasto, so I may go back to it. I brought in a painting from my archive that have a very textural quality.

 Announcements (and other):

We had a great time at the recent field trip to Cinema 21! thanks to all involved.

Pacific NW Plein Air 2015..accepting submissions soon! http://pleinairhoodriver.blogspot.com/2015/02/accepting-applications-soon-2015-plein.html

Studio 30 all day session Friday the 13th (tomorrow) (with Potluck) contact Kat kat@katsowa.com

Umpqua  Juried Show: http://www.racc.org/resources/juried-art-exhibit-artworks-northwest

Studio Direct seeks submissions: https://studioartdirect.wordpress.com

Lake Oswego Festival of Arts: https://www.lakewood-center.org/pages/Artists-Vision-call-for-entry-2015

Opportunities in Gresham: http://art4gresham.tripod.com

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The Thursday Drawing Club went to the new French Quarter building (which is on Multnomah Street directly behind O'Connors). It was a great session for us because we met the owner and the managers of the space. They were all very welcoming to us because the idea of this new marketplace is that it be a "French" marketplace and our presence there pleased them.  We are welcome to come back and so we will go back next week. There is a lot of imagery to choose from!
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Next Meeting: Thursday, Feb 19, 2015 Suggested Table Topic: Painting from photographs ("interpreting" photographs)

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