May 13 - Backlit River Scene with Egret

In Florida, I demonstrated a backlit scene so the Boot Campers can understand the way the Color System works with this often difficult subject. On this 12 x 16 canvas, I toned the canvas with a warm orange, and then used the complete Co0l Box colors to lay in the large shapes in this spiral design. I'm pointing to the future focal point with the end of my brush, explaining that this area will be done in Warm Box mid tones, to set off the contrast of the cool backlit bird.

The lids of the pill boxes I use are seen at the bottom of the image, with the cool family on the left, and the warm family on the right. With this plein air setup, I have them velcro'ed together on the end and bottoms, to keep them in place on the easel.

This photo and others are courtesy of Maggie whose blog is a great record of the Florida workshop experience. Thanks, Maggie!

On the Georgia workshop, we're winding down to the final day, and tonight will be the famous "BYOF" BBQ on the grass. Ah... so sad to know my East Coast trip is ending. I hope you've enjoyed the journey! Sparky and I fly home on Saturday.
Another image....

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My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
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May 10 - More East Coast Wildlife in Acrylics

While enjoying the Art Walk in Florida, I started this painting of the local wildlife (NOT alligators!) from an image I took while it was still light on the Silver River. I so enjoy the painted turtles, as they remind me of my childhood on Lake Barcroft in Virginia.
This is an acrylic, measuring 9 x 12, and I started it with an underpainting of thalo blue (!). Now the Cool Box colors are going over it as I pull it to life, shaping the natural environment in which it is enjoying it's afternoon sunbath. I hope you'll enjoy how it develops.

Here in Georgia after the first day, I'm tired but assured that the "newbies" are caroming into the Color System. Lots of good paintings! We lost one Boot Camper who went to town after class, but several phone calls later and she is safely on her way back to the farm. It is a remote location, but with the natural beauty of the area, it is ever so easy to miss the road signs. Sparky has settled into the routine of my teaching, and he enjoyed a wonderful morning walk with the students, where we captured lovely lighting situations such as the one below. May in Georgia is beautiful!
I'll be using this one for a future demonstration in the blog of that elusive overcast light!

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

May 9 - Greeting the New Boot Camp Recruits

As I sit and await the arrival of the seven newest Color Boot Camp recruits in gorgeous North Georgia, I'll share with you one of the two six by eight inch canvases I did during the other workshop.

Although there is glare on the upper right, you can see the Color System working in the gentler light of the Florida evening. Note the repetition with variety in the trio of duplicate shapes--clouds, palms and shrubs. One might think that it is a no-no to repeat in twos, but in this case it works, as the dark cloud on the left middle balances the weight of the duos on the right. And each of the dual objects is similar but not equal. Design is such a strong aspect of painting; one I'm always considering!

Georgia is cool and lovely this time of year, and holding a sumptuous spring feel, and no better place to enjoy it than Fay's farm. Her generosity in allowing us to descend upon her for a five days is not to be taken lightly, and I'm honored to be considered her friend. Here's an image of the barn apartment upstairs with the balcony where the workshop will be held, across from the main house.

After this workshop, the only one remaining will be in Maine. I do hope to meet some more East Coast artist friends there! Color Boot Camp is special. Here's Maggie's most recent post.

You can see earlier posts from my blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

May 8 - Back in Georgia, New Boot Camp Coming!

One of the demonstrations I did for the Florida CBCer's was this 6 x 8 oil of evening light, Florida Style. It starts with bland colors and some mid and low values, yet progressed rather quickly to the image you see below. It was quickly purchased by Peggy in the workshop and she says she'll be enjoying it in her studio. I enjoyed the juicy thick paint!

And what fun! The Florida Workshop finished up on Friday evening with Ocala's Art Walk, and afterward I settled in with two good friends, a bottle of wine and lots of good art conversations.

This morning I left and drove up here to North Georgia, where I was again greeted by two good friends, and we settled in for a good dinner and grand conversation before turning in for the night. I love the connections artists have. It is truly special.

One more photo from Florida before close down the computer--this one from the memory of Silver River, and the headwaters flowing around Jackie in her kayak, before we headed back downstream. You can see the sun leaving the tops of the trees here. It was dark before we regained the launch area, yet this was truly a moment in paradise.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

September 26 - Amicalola River Rock, this time in oil

Now, if you check back a couple days in my blog, you'll see that I painted this image once before--in acrylics! This is an oil version, done to demonstrate morning light as it falls on an area of the Amicalola River in Georgia, and those of you "Color Boot Campers" will recognize why it is so obviously morning light!

The subject lent itself to instructing on how to convey time of day when one doesn't have the sky to help out. And of course, it also validates why one's source material should not be the determination of which color to use! Notice the difference in handling the rock face in sunlight between the two paintings. This 12 x 16 oil is now in the hands of Mary Pless, of Dunwoody, Georgia.

And also here's an image of the wonderful facility at Fay's for workshops! We're all working away at our easels, and there are halogen spotlights above each table! That's Sue (retired art teacher from Florida) on the left, painting moonlight in her inimitable style. The reproductions on the walls are Richard Stone Reeves' work. And all above the horse stalls below! No "roughing it" here!

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September 9 - Georgia on my Mind, Workshop!

Life is wonderfully good right now.

Imagine if you will, an early morning in September, in the piney woods of North Georgia, on the back of a good, 17-hand horse headed out for an early morning ride. All of that is what happened for me this morning, and here's a photograph of me on "Sister" --now I hope you can see that she is a white mare, because the flash of my grin may blind you a bit!
I'm in Georgia, on the Sunday beginning a week-long Color Boot Camp tomorrow, along with my hostess Fay, doing a welcome this evening for 12 attendees. I'll be posting my demonstration paintings for all the Color Boot Campers out there who want to see more examples of how the Color System works in this light.

In this photograph, you can see the Georgia mist rising--it was a glorious morning!

Again, thank you for allowing me to come into your life a bit. As I close, here's an image of the some the trail we traversed... beautiful.


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