Obviously someone hacked my blog and sent some spam out to all my friends and artist friends. I'm sorry that happened, and have taken the necessary precautions to keep that from happening again.
To everyone, I'm still here!
I've had some really massive life-changes in the 18 months or so, and have taken time to focus on things that supplanted the production of art and marketing of the paintings. I ask your patience for a little while longer, while I regain my footing.
I can assure you that my creative energies are still alive and well, and I'm seeing so much beauty in the world now that I really want to capture with paint and brush as I move forward in new ways.
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The newest DVD on the Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Oct 18 - In Georgia!!
I received an email awhile ago with a request for a painting, and the story follows. I hope you'll read her words and know why I paint:
"I am interested in a small painting of a special yellow dog, that in a short time, opened the heart of a special man. During a recent trek in the mountains of Nepal, a young, friendly dog joined us. Wilson, as he became known, developed a special relationship with Ernest, the man pictured here. Over the next nine days, he stayed close to us, "protecting" us from other trekking dogs, and looking to Ernest to protect him from goats, cows, and young Nepalese men wielding bamboo sticks. Contrary to Nepalese custom, Wilson slept in the same room with Ernest and ate Nepalese bread, onion omelettes, and fried rice. In one instance, where Ernest ordered chicken momo (Nepalese potstickers) and realized that the chicken in the arms of the woman passing the table was destined for the momo, Wilson got the entire serving! Wilson would be on his way back to the United States. Unfortunately, the tea house proprietress on our last night had two dogs, who did not tolerate Wilson, and, combined with her bamboo stick, drove him into the forest. Although we heard him during the night, he could not work his past her and the dogs.
Ernest was heartbroken, although he maintained a stiff upper lip, for the rest of the trek. In fact, he carried food for Wilson, hoping that the dog would catch up with us on the trail. Such was not to be. Ernest came up to me later and asked if I would send him the photo of Wilson sleeping on his trekking shoes.
What I recall of your work is your ability to capture the essence of the human-animal relationship, while maintaining the animal's integrity. This is would remind Ernest of a special time, with a special dog, in a special time."
Ernest was heartbroken, although he maintained a stiff upper lip, for the rest of the trek. In fact, he carried food for Wilson, hoping that the dog would catch up with us on the trail. Such was not to be. Ernest came up to me later and asked if I would send him the photo of Wilson sleeping on his trekking shoes.
What I recall of your work is your ability to capture the essence of the human-animal relationship, while maintaining the animal's integrity. This is would remind Ernest of a special time, with a special dog, in a special time."
So yesteray I painted this acrylic of Wilson, and will be sending it off to Lynda to give to Ernest. I took no payment for it, because this painting HAD to be. Lynda offered to remit the price of a similar work to my local shelter in Wilson and Ernest's names. I am honored to have been a part of this event.
Last night I took the students on a quick hike around the 800 acres (well, we didn't go THAT far!) and we saw the evening light and the turning trees... GLORIOUS! What a magical time on the East Coast when the trees turn and the fall weather comes in. My favorite time of year, and my hostess is generous with her beautiful acreage. Lots of material for paintings!
I hope you'll continue on with me on this journey, and perhaps forward this on to your friends and family.
Thanks for reading,
Elin
Elin
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Leaving more behind...
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Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Packing & History, 100 years ago
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Thursday, October 06, 2011
Workshop Prep and High School Reunion
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Oct 6 - Workshop News, Evening Light
This image is from the time I spent in Idyllwild this past summer, painting the sights and landmarks in this mountain community. (one of only two places I know where they don't allow franchise business--no Starbucks, no McDonalds, no Waffle Houses).
This 8 x 6 acrylic demonstrates evening light as it falls on the icon of Lily Rock, a rock climber's Mecca. The Color System is working here in affecting the lights and shadows with the dominant influence we find in evening light. I know if you've seen my DVD on Evening Light, you'll pick out what's happening here.
This painting IS available, from me for $95 with free shipping. (email)
I plan to paint every day while I'm in Georgia, during and after the workshop days' end, so the students will see the Color System in action, including evening light! Hope you can join me. I think there's a space left in the bunkhouse! Last-minute getaways are good for the soul.
The newest DVD on the Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Georgia Color Boot Camp and Joy of Life!
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Oct 5 - Packing for the Georgia Workshops
Returning to Georgia will have me painting images like the one to the right--"Springtime Mom" lost in the boxes, yet still inside my head and hands because I have lived it. So we lose things, yet their memories and the joy of them stays with us.
When I last wrote, I was dealing with many losses, some not so joyful. The loss through suicide of Isaac, the gallery owner in Idyllwild. I saw him the morning he took his life, and said I was painting one for him up at Humber Park. While my brushes were on the canvas, he was putting a gun to his head. I was one of the last people to see him alive, and it bothers me still that I was so obtuse to not see his pain. His lasting gift to me is that life is precious, and that the string of it we are given at birth is not that long, so we need to be kinder and more gentle to those we love, and more sensitive to what's in their lives. The photo shows Isaac with his adopted rescue Gracie, and my artist friend Ron Wood.
The Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Aug 18 - The Idyllwild Adventure and Ms. Glass
I met the gallery owner, and felt an immediate connection, and provided him with 28 paintings over the next few months. He sold them for me, and it was a good friendship. He moved to Idyllwild, and adopted a young rat terrier like Sparky. I had wonderful reasons to go visit this place without franchise restaurants, and I painted this 16 x 20 oil on canvas for him. The gallery is on the right in this image, below Lily Rock--the local landmark.
Technical Tips: Reminder--edges match the "nature" of the object. Soft pine needles, soft edges. Poles and buildings, harder edges. Anything over 300 feet away gets a soft edge, because the human eye cannot see like an eagle at distance, and so to give the illusion of distance on these woefully inadequate flat surfaces called canvases, we "fuzz" the edges.
Other News: I would take the motorcycle up to Idyllwild on any excuse--to paint, to visit the gallery, to talk to Isaac. The drive is wondrous, with vistas and "twisties" where the motorcycle leans into the curves. What a rush!
In the second image you can see there's even some fringe on the rear direction signals. Recycled leather couch! The bike has a name, "Ms. Glass". Long story about that...
The newest DVD on the Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Aug 17 - Draft Horse Braids, Another AAEA Accepted Painting
Here is the second painting that was approved for showing in the American Academy of Equine Art's Fall Showcase in Kentucky.
This one is 12 x 16, and comes from an image I took many years ago at the Draft Horse Classic in Grass Valley, California. I just loved that the daughter was being taught how to do the mane braids on his huge Belgian draft horse.
The abstract structure on this one tells the story of what these folks do (wagon, semi-truck trailer for hauling it all) and this is just a slice of their life before the showing begins. Thats the "story" which matters so much to me. What I particularly enjoyed about this piece is the backlighting of the girl, mother and horse, with bits of sunshine sparkling up the braids, the back and the horse's tail.
That the woman isn't slender and beautiful is me saying "get real" than it is about idealistic painting. I think more of my work is about the truth of the moment, rather than fantasies or dreams, or what ought to "be". If there is any idealism here, it is in the rich colors that were nowhere in the source material. Thanks to the Color System, that becomes a reality.
This painting will be heading for Kentucky to the American Academy of Equine Art's Fall Show, since it was also accepted in the jurying process.
Some of you asked about the "abstract structure" thing from yesterday, so I thought I'd show it to you as it works in that painting from yesterday. I took it into Photoshop and tweaked it to show the value structure.
Even though we do not SEE the value plan as the first thing that catches our eye when we look at paintings, it is the structure that keeps us looking. With this image, it is relatively easy to see the darks, midtones and lights, and therefore the structure of the image. If your eyes still see a horse and rider on a road, then it might take some more study on your part. Try looking at it upside down.
Since this is SO important for artists to "get" as part of their painting experience, I'm bringing in the current painting to also show you its value structure. Check out the "small light, large dark in mid-tones" value plan of this current piece! Can you "experienced" Color Boot Campers tell me the value plan of yesterday's?
Using a photo editing program to SEE your value structure is a grand way to tell if your work is delivering the message you want. Not having a discernable value plan is the biggest flaw I see in student work. And it is so easy to fix, too. Just come to a Color Boot Camp! (See you all in Georgia in October. I can hardly wait!!)
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Aug 16 - Finished, and News on "Roadie"
1. The horizon line is a bit above the middle, so there is more "ground" to draw you in, and it makes for a peaceful, easy feeling to the work, unlike placing the HL too far from the midpoint of the canvas.
2. Color harmony is guaranteed by the use of the Color System and staying with the yellow-green/violet color scheme of morning light, and that is set off by the only orange in the painting on the horse's hide.
3. Angled lines of perspective (the road) are counter balanced by the horizontals and verticals of buildings, shadows and tree trunks.
4. Textural brushwork unifies the painting as all areas are handled loosely, except for select hard edges to control the viewer's path through the composition.
This painting will be heading for Kentucky to the American Academy of Equine Art's Fall Show, since it was accepted in the jurying process.
Technical Tips: I just pick a random book off my library shelf and open it to be constantly reminded of how much I really DON'T know. Here's one, digested down from pages of text from David Friend's Composition.
A painting is like a play or music--it is only as strong as its structure. Establishing a dominant two-dimensional geometric shape motif as a structure for your work can help overcome the issues that arise later when working on those pesky details. We've all seen work where the details are the message, and the structure of the painting is weak. Solve the structure issues FIRST, then play in the details.
The newest DVD on the Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Aug 2 - Horse in Oils Continues, Dog Rescue and AAEA
I just received news that two paintings of mine have been accepted into the American Academy of Equine Art's Fall Showcase. This is one of them! The second one will be showcased here in two images in the days to come. I'm very pleased that both my entries were accepted.
Now on to the process! Moving along with covering the canvas with color, I'm painting without too much consideration of the edges between shapes, unless it is near the focal point. Here's something to see: Look at the building corner in the upper right of the canvas. Note its value, how close the value is to the more distant trees? That was specifically intentional, because that roof line was going right out the corner, taking the viewer out of the picture. Squint down your eyes, and look, and see how the edges of the roof sort of disappear.
It looks like the Value System that is coming into prominence is the "Small Dark, Large Light in Midtones". Can you see it?
TECH TIPS: How you hold your brushes DOES matter. Holding a brush as if you were writing makes great details (plus) but also prevents you from being loose (minus). Holding your brush as though you are conducting an orchestra loosens up your wrist and makes for freer movement and fluidity.That's a reminder for the Color Boot Camp graduates, and perhaps news for some of my readers.
OTHER NEWS:Yesterday a friend and I took our motorcycles out for a spin, and on our return home, we were going through a rural area. Out in front of us, a small puppy came to the edge of the road. I passed her, and she darted out into the traffic, where a pickup truck barely missed her.
My friend pulled over, called her, and she came and jumped up, panting and shaking. Now the weather was almost 100 degrees and humid, so this little collar-less waif was obviously lost and scared. No sensible dog would be moving around in that heat.
So what to do? I unzipped my mesh jacket and cooler vest and put her inside. We rode to a shady, quiet location where she drank water and then snuggled back inside, happy to be with a human.
We rode back home with her (about 20 miles) with her inside my jacket, and she was an angel passenger.
This morning, Little Miss Roadside is part of the "pack", and is right now sleeping at my feet as I type.
I did put an ad for her on Craig's List, but do not believe anyone that irresponsible would want her back, so they'll have to prove to me that they can give her at least as good a home as mine. My friend would have taken her, but she already has five!
Say hello to "Little Miss Roadside" or "Roadie" for short. About six months old, she's getting crate training and basic obedience. What? A COLLAR? Yup.
More pictures in the next blog post as she adjusts to life at Two Trees.
Feel free to post comments on the blog or email me about these paintings. I enjoy teaching!
The newest DVD on the Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Jul 31 - Horse in Oils Continued
The 9 x 12 canvas is covered with more of the mid value colors, and I am keeping in mind the "inherent texture" (see sidebar) of the objects I'm painting. Bushes are fuzzy, horse's rear is not.
I'm using my Color System to get the right colors for the distant trees and bushes, and then using it again to paint the shadow side of the horse's right rear leg. That's NOT burnt sienna (a warm color for sunshine sides) but is a mix of yellow ochre and alizarin crimson. Amazing how it always reads right in actual application.
I'd like former Color Boot Camp students to look at the potential value plan for this one. Could it go to large light, small dark in mid tones? Hmmmm.
Tech Tips:
And on other news.... Vincent van Goat has been accepted into an MBA program in the hay business at the University of Riverside. Here he is with other business students for the required publicity shot. He's wearing the UCR colors and looks quite pleased with himself, don't you think? Mickey was too young to particpate, but perhaps another year.
I had a couple people ask me about the tech tips I shared yesterday, so I thought I'd clarify a bit.
When we paint, we have at hand a whole bunch of effects and methods for conveying three dimensions in two on our canvases.
One of the more powerful ways of painting objects is to think about the character of that object. Ask yourself, "Is it hard, soft, near, away, mostly moving, static, or..." In other words, what is the character of the object. Knowing the inherent character gives you the tools to paint meaningful subjects.
As an example of this, think of a field of grass in the breeze. Moving, shifting and alive with the wind! To paint static stems and leaves would not honor the inherent character of that field of grass. Does that make sense?
And on other news.... Vincent van Goat has been accepted into an MBA program in the hay business at the University of Riverside. Here he is with other business students for the required publicity shot. He's wearing the UCR colors and looks quite pleased with himself, don't you think? Mickey was too young to particpate, but perhaps another year.Thanks for reading!
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Jul 30 - New Beginnings, Horse in Oils
Here's a 9 x 12 oil, starting with a toned wet canvas, I'm working to lay in the larger, eventually unimportant shapes as I blend the design down to the details of the horse and rider in the foreground.
Technical Tip: Think as you paint about the textural "character" of the objects you're depicting. If I paint a tree, I soften the edges of the branch ends to reflect the movement of the leaves. If I paint a distant mountain, I soften the edges of that mass to reflect the atmosphere between it and me. If I paint a nearby rock or the hindquarter of a horse, I use texture and edges to convey the character of its hardness and strength. So as we paint, we need to think about the inherent characteristics of our realism. Oh no, not just the color, light and values, eek!
The newest DVD on the Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Jul 21 - What it Means
The little, scared Chihuahua is down front, looking askance at the world around him. Even with trepidation in his little feet, and alone, he moves forward, into an unknown future, yet not fearful enough to quit moving. Hopeful, his head turns toward you.
Now the other side of the painting represents the inner truth of what courage we all have--to do what needs to be done--to move forward. The strength, wildness and honesty of the shadow sharp on the wall is a constant reminder to be strong, to move forward in your intended direction, and continue on your path, no matter how much unknown there might be on it. No matter how much initial resistance you may encounter. For like all shadows, there is no substance to the opinions of others, nor is there any reason for you to quit in your forward journey because of your own fears.
"Me and My Shadow" is an oil, 12 x 24 inches on gallery wrap, and is already in an online show which will be opening August 1st with the Canine Art Guild. ( http://www.canineartguild.com ).
On other news, I'm scheduled to teach a five-day workshop in conjunction with the American Academy of Equine Art here at Two Trees Studio. The days will involve an emphasis on horse anatomy (my Raindance, even chubby, makes a willing model). And we will be covering how to capture light in paintings using the Color System.
Please use the links if you want five days of Elin-isms and Yellin' by Elin here at Two Trees August 1-5. I'll send your name off to the AAEA for registration.
In October there are the workshops in Georgia, with a couple of spaces left in this magical farm. I love going back there! Again, use the link to email me, and I'll get your interest to Judi, who sets up these live-in Color Boot Camps on the East Coast.
The newest DVD on the Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Jul 20 - Time Flies
Artists need time to reassess, reevaluate, choose new paths without pressure or outside direction. That's what I've done, and am doing, and it is ongoing. But I can't leave you, because from what I've heard, you find real value in what I'm doing as an artist, and for that I am very grateful.
Here on the cusp of my (burgledy-burg)-third birthday, I've done some changing that fills me with joy. One thing is the acquisition of my motorcycle, and spending time in California's lovely climate riding the mountains and back roads of this gorgeous state. I'm gathering visual input for future paintings, and sensing the world in a whole new and rich way with my hands on the controls and cruising on the roads. The image shows the new bike before I started customizing it (yes, it is an "art bike" now!), and shows my art gear along for the ride as I head out for an art demonstration. This is outside my studio door, with Judy Wood's mosaic mounted in the wall. I finally finished painting the door, too, and it is a wonderfully organic abstract.
Life is short. No second chances. Fill it with rich experiences and take that leap of "reckless ideas" and go for it, and stop listening to people who would push their agendas on you. That's what I'm doing, and I'm having the time of my life.
More tomorrow.
And I'm painting better than I ever have, and will share those with you, too!
The newest DVD on the Color System is HERE
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2011 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Apr 12 - One of the Two Finished Acrylics
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Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Apr 3 - Two Paintings Come Back Together
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