Today's suggested topic:A powerful idea that you had as it pertains to painting.What was it and what was the outcome.
Celeste: In Za's class last year she taught us some things about Disney animation.We had a project where we had to think up a building in its environment. The project was called "A cabin in the Woods". However, I elected to make my cabin a hut on an island. We also had to do an interior of the our "cabin". It was interesting to use my imagination after working almost exclusively from life. I am also showing a painting from my recent Dave/Strada project and a plein air painting.
Joanne K: I seem to like singular things.When I was painting at Umpqua someone told me a story that made me want to paint a particular scene. I like to have some sort of personal connection to what I am painting. I am showing some illustrations (that I did a long time ago) for Kitchen Caboodle. You can see that I like to simplify things. Here, once again, for the cover of a publication I used a single figure. I am also showing a recent plein air painting. (It is also a singular tree)! It's all simplified but I try to slow down and use complex and interesting color.
Loretta: I am either completely overwhelmed by everything or I have no ideas at all! (Laughter)! I am showing two paintings that I recently completed. (They are done from my imagination).
Geri: Most of the time my ideas come from me thinking "oh wow"! Example: I painted an old man and a baby. The painting was going where I wanted, but it got better when I put a mirror in it ....and then I had to paint the man's suspenders! One thing leads to another and these are the types of things that thrill me. But I can't do any of it until I start! I have done a painting of Loretta and me about 20 years ago. Here it is! Laughter! Laughter!
Chris: I have told you in the past about my brother. He lives in a community with the developmentally disabled. An idea came to me to do portraits of the people who live where he lives (as a fundraising event/exhibit). I told the director of the program there about my idea and now it is going to happen! (Applause)! This is a portrait I painted ...a little girl named Bella.
Raphael: Many years ago I spent a year chanting every day! During that time I walked through the woods and saw light hitting things, making iconic things appear in the trees! I knew I had to paint that, and yet I had no idea how to go about it. It was a powerful idea, but I never did it, I don't think I ever will (but the idea has stuck with me all these years). Close to that time I painted a butterfly onto a piece of driftwood. I gave it a shadow --it was hyper real. These days I like to allow some suggestion! I am showing paintings from the Strada 30 day challenge.
Mike: I recently decided to enter a contest. The contest is the brainchild of a British artist and the prize is one of his paintings. He is a premier artist, so I would really love to win a painting by him! Here is my reference photo. I painted several versions of the composition. Then I painted a full size version but it wasn't near as loose as I envisioned it. So then I painted these flowers. *That* is my recent powerful idea...to paint something "else" as a reminder how to paint loosely.
Tom: I was recently in the McLoughlin house in Vancouver. There is a 19th century painting of Mt. Hood there. That is my current idea..I would like to paint a painting of Mt. Hood in that old style. I always swore I would never paint the old grist mill....but here it is. (Laughter!)
Dotty: In the 90s I was about to eat some broccoli and the idea came to me to paint broccoli on a white plate. I did several paintings of things that were to be eaten but not quite ready to be eaten --all on white plates. These were in watercolor. I am showing one of those paintings that I called "Bittersweet". This was during the time my daughter was headed off for college. Of course, I was very happy for her, but it was also undeniably bittersweet (for me)!
Kay: When I visited the Barnes collection I saw the famous van Gogh postman painting. Right after that I was on a train and completely "struck" by the ticket taker on board. I knew I had to paint the ticker taker in the van Gogh way. Here it is! This is a painting I did at Umpqua of my host's house. I liked how the overall "quirky" style of the painting reminds me of the personality of the host.
Joanne T: I like a quote I heard that was: "An artist isn't messy, the just have a lot of ideas". My current idea is that I want to try gouache. I have it, I have to sit down and spend some time with it. My best idea recently is chickens! (Laughter)! I have to tell you, I can get tired of landscape! (Laughter)!
Sharmin: I had an idea to participate at the Black Hills plein air event...and I did it. I learned so much and it was fun, but hard. I'd love to do a "Starry Night" version of a particular scene in the future. As a side note, a painting of mine did sell at the Black Hills plein air event! (Applause)!
Becky: I brought 3 books. I know that this book has many followers and good reviews, but I never could connect with it. I like this book far better. I also like this drawing book a lot. I copied things out of this book and feel that it really helped me. I have been struck by certain scenes and colors, just in awe. You think you can take a photo, but no photo captures the light the was it really is! When you use photo reference you can miss all the important nuances.
Judith: When I was very young I backpacked through Europe with my boyfriend. I saw the Birth of Venus in Italy. (Venus on the half shell). It was a spiritual experience for me. My big idea was I can paint just like Botticelli! (Laughter)! Since that time until now I have been trying! (Laughter)! My "next" big idea is to ask myself...."What the hell was I thinking"? (Laughter)!
Nancy: I like to set goals, but there are always so many projects waiting for me. If I see something I can do something. That is perhaps why I like plein air painting, there is a lot to see. Often, though, I am not happy with outcomes. Recently I painted with friends. I painted this shop window and I was so happy! Now this is something I really like! (Laugher)! I am also showing a painting from Jerry Mishler's paint out. I had to adjust the foreground.
Greg: I don't have big ideas, I have little ideas! (Laughter)! I am trying just to finish my old ideas. Also, my newest idea is to paint plein air.
Mike S: I had an opportunity to paint a commission of a couple for their 60th anniversary. I did a contemporary painting that incorporated an old photo of the couple along with the couple how they look now. This project was so difficult, but it was accepted and I've never been so happy to have something leave the studio! (Laughter)! In the future I want to rely much less on photo reference. I am showing a recent painting from the coast.
Wendy: I went to a workshop in Colorado. I rented a car and I got excited looking at the beautiful landscape...but what was I thinking that I could paint THAT? I like a quote I heard: "Erasure is a creative act"! (Laughter)!
Loretta L: I like to travel and take photos. I am aware if you use a photo reference and follow the principles of art you'll have a good painting in the end. However, I generally put too much of the photo into the painting and then it's all screwed up! (Laughter)! I think that it is a timing thing. When you are outside you can spend only so much time on a plein air painting. Inside the studio, however, you can paint for days and days on end (Laughter)! I have an idea to paint a mural on my garage. I have a further idea to make it in the style of Emily Carr. Because of these ideas I have planned a trip to BC to see her paintings for real. (Applause)! I am showing a painting from Umpqua (a great experience) and a painting from Sauvie Island.
Tim: I have ideas to paint on unusual surfaces. Polypropolene is an example. I painted this recent crow, in honor of upcoming Halloween!
Jim: September was such an interesting month for me. I went to Canada and right after that spent two weeks with Thomas Kitts. First in his drawing for the plein air artist then followed by (2nd week) painting. Do you know how much fun it is to be on Sauvie Island with charcoal in the pouring rain?? (Laughter)! BUT, it was very valuable. I can't recommend it enough. It was an eye opening week for everyone. I am showing paintings from the workshop and a Strada painting.
Sandy: I go to workshops with Jim...and everyone winds up liking me because I make the treats! (Laughter)!
Donna: My big idea has to do with the fact that I wanted more space where I rent studio space. I found out there was an extra big space but it was too much for just me alone, so I went about trying to find a studio mate to share the space with. In time I realized that the space was going to get snapped up so I made a proposal to make it into a gallery...and now my idea has been realized and our opening is First Friday, Oct 4! (Applause)! Art in the Village Gallery I brought a painting that has to do with "when one door closes, another one opens".
Eunice: My most recent powerful idea was to paint the waterfall at Oregon City. I did three huge paintings of them. (All three paintings were exhibited at Lake Oswego Lakewood Center).
Yong: I don't have big ideas like you all do, I only have small ideas! (Laughter)! I challenged myself to paint every day a couple of years ago and I put each painting on social media. Instagram was especially helpful to me because I can see my paintings all at once and in sequence. I can see if I have a less than favorable pattern and I can avoid overdoing whatever (because I see trends at a glance). I facilitated a life drawing session recently. It's challenging because you can't just draw you have to pay attention to the needs of others. I did this drawing during the session I facilitated.
Thomas: I was an illustrator and as an illustrator I learned problem solving. It was very difficult though, because as illustrator you have to answer to so many people, art directors and clients. You can have what seems to you a perfect solution and it can be (and will be) shot down over and over by other people. When I was an illustrator I wanted to be a fine artist, to "paint for myself", but many times I have found myself as a fine artist in projects that involve many other people (and as in the current project I'm doing a big end user audience too). John Singer Sargent looks like he dashes things out, but in fact he spent a ton of time on his paintings. I am going to be making an instructional video about John Singer Sargent. I got two models and did these preliminary sketches that I will use for the final painting that I will do (revealing what I learned about JSS methods). My "big" idea is to revisit some of my illustrator roots for this big project. It involves being prepared and a lot of planning. The irony is not lost on me that no one can paint like John Singer Sargent (and yet painting like John Singer Sargent is the whole idea!) I'll do my best. (Applause)!
Announcements:
Next paint out...Friday, Oct 4 9am Powell Butte with Host Nancy Zhang http://allaprimaportland.blogspot.com/2019/09/paint-out-with-host-nancy-zhang-friday.html
Thomas Kitts remains # 1 best seller at Streamline: https://streamlineartvideo.com/collections/best-sellers/products/thomas-jefferson-kitts-sorolla-painting-the-color-of-light
Congratulations, Joanne Radmilovich Kollman, three awards at Umpqua Plein Air
https://www.facebook.com/umpquapleinair
Joanne Radmilovich Kollman is showing at PNCA Alumni show 735 NW 185h 5-8 First Thursday
Joanne facilitates Life drawing (Friday am), Figure painting (Friday pm), Expressive flower painting (Saturdays) at OSA
https://public.osartists.org/public/classes
Joanne Radmilovich Kollman Drink and Draw October first Friday: https://public.osartists.org/public/adultclasses
Oct 19-20 Washington County Open Studios https://www.washcoart.org/
Nov 3 Clark County Open Studios https://www.visitvancouverusa.com/event/clark-county-open-studios-tour/18532/
Portland Open Studios (Oct 12 & 13 and 19 & 20 https://portlandopenstudios.com/
Congratulations Mike Porter and Team Panky! If you missed donating, you can still do it here:
http://support.pancan.org/site/TR/PurpleStride/PurpleStride?px=2797967&pg=personal&fr_id=1831
Oct 3-6 Beaverton Art Mix: https://www.beavertonoregon.gov/1269/Beaverton-Arts-Mix
First Friday 10/4 Mike Rangner at Art on the Boulevard (Mike will do a gouache demonstration): http://artontheboulevard.org/
Chinese Garden Art: https://www.lansugarden.org/things-to-do/events/donor-art-opening2
Donna Sanson Art in the Village Oct 4 reception: https://www.oregonlive.com/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/09/e73ad428f68845/multnomah-village-gets-a-new-art-gallery-featuring-work-by-20-artists.html
Dennis Perrin workshop in Hood River (can't find a link inquire here): https://www.facebook.com/dennisperrinfineart/
Next Art Discussion Meeting Oct 10, 9am......Broken color, optical color mixing, and fall color ...let's talk about any of these things! Let's discuss!
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