Jan 22 - "The Dog Walker" Lesson Continues

I'm doing what I always do--cover the canvas with the abstract structure by massing in the largest shapes and values. And of course, completely out of the "Cool Box" from the Color System. Not much concern with anatomy at this phase, nor with faces or calligraphic lines. I've found that the big masses draw in the viewer, and then they'll spend a pleasurable amount of time wandering through the variances and nuances of the lines and subtle value and hue changes, once entranced by the big structure. That's no mystery--the great illustrators of the last century made a point of doing this, too. Look into the work of Howard Pyle--and his students N. C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, Violet Oakley, and Elisabeth Shippen Green, among others--to see how powerful the establishment of the big masses is to the overall impact of a painting.

Now that I've sent you on a joy-urney into American Illusatration, I'll just add that my demonstration in Hemet is scheduled for February 10 at 1:30 at the Simpson Center. And the workshops in Georgia are almost full--both weeks! There are still spaces in Florida (pdf file download, application info) at the Carriage Museum grounds (first week in May), and Mt. Desert Island in Maine at the end of August (plein air and Color System week!).

And the weather here has finally turned to rain and wet, yet the mountains are green as an Irish morning. The wildflower show at Two Trees will be spectacular in mid April! Here's a photo of Two Trees taken in June, mostly after the wildflowers, but still showing some of the green of winter rains. It is an idyllic place for an arteest...

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.

Jan 21 - Starting an Acrylic entered into Art Show at the Dog Show

Even while working on the oil of the backlit Labrador, I also had the easel occupied with this acrylic, destined for jurying for the Art Show at the Dog Show. It is a 12 x 16 board, and the source material was a dog walker spotted outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

You can see my source material printed and set to the left of the canvas. The lighting is overcast, so of course the first layin and the majority of colors will come from the "Cool Box" (Color System).

I was utterly fascinated by the seemingly indifference of the dog walker and the rambunctious Lab pup on the left side just SO wanting to get away and "do something". The white standard poodles, the Golden Retriever, the Catahoula Leopard Dog--yes, there is one in there--and the Newfoundland. My goodness, which category can it be submitted for jurying?

Ah well, I hope you'll enjoy how it unfolds. I'll finish up the oil this week as well and post the finished canvas for you.

Still a few spots in the Color Boot Camp in February--and a demo coming up for the Hemet Valley Art Association, too!

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
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Jan 19 - Working through the "Uglies"

MANY changes from the last posting of this "turkey", and now I no longer call it that... HA! Taking a long, hard look at what came back home with me from the demonstration, I could see easily that I'd lost both the value relationships and the color punch of backlit evening light. So I put myself to and spent a good amount of time working on those aspects of this oil.

It is now to a stage where I'm comfortable signing it, however, I still need to work on the dog's head. It doesn't read "Labrador" to me yet.

What I really do like about this piece is the colorful water int he foreground and the spash. Everything but red is in there and it is so joyful, like the dog, who is painted in muted hues of those same yellows and purples.

So don't give up on the ones that are giving you problems. They can be pulled through to become good paintings. Asking for some advice can provide an independent source of input as well. AS long as the core structure is in place, and the values are moving forward, most paintings can be brought to a finished state without too much work. I hope you enjoyed this one. I'll publish on my other web sites it when I finish the head details.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
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Jan 14 - Oh dear... Problems!!! (All Fixable)

Ten more minutes and I'm making a bad problem worse. If I were in the studio, I would have taken a break, had a cuppa coffy and taken one huge step backward to see what was going on and what was going wrong with this painting.

The "essense" is there, but the values and colors are off in many places. I'm thinkin' (wrong) the dog's shadow side needs to be lighter because after all, it's a yellow lab and yellow is light, right? Not always, and making that shadow side as light as I have loses the "pizazz". The buzz and zap of color excitement is eluding me and I'm at a loss as to how to pull it back and fix it as I'm painting it. I'm talking and entertaining the group, so my focus isn't on the deep introspection of a quiet plein air location or standing in front of my easel in the studio, in company only with myself. Hey, it happens....

I had a doubt about sharing this painting at this "uglies" stage with y'all, but realize that perhaps the benefits outweigh the chaos in that someone can learn that artists "of a certain level" still can make major mistakes.

Tomorrow it will get better. (Didn't Annie say that?) Ha!

The weather here has been in teh 70s and sunny, and I've enjoyed the winter pruning of the roses and other garden plants, and also the lemon harvest. My freezer is already full of squeezed lemons, so the bumper crop will be donated. It's good to give back the excess. And I've been working on editing the Misty Light DVD, too. Hours of work, but all good footage.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
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Jan 12 - Continuing to Cover the Demonstration Canvas

I skipped through a couple of ten minutes sessions to get you to this point because I want you to see the bigger picture of what happened. I'll add one of the earlier ones below for clarity. The Warm Box is open now, and I'm putting in the cadmiums that are int he sky on the left, and also in the water reflections.

The splash under the dog is WAY too green, and the blue is too strong--got carried away there, and didn't even see it until much later. That's the down side of painting for a demonstration, talking, and changing the time of day on source material! I'll pull it through and modify it later, but wanted you to see it now. That's because no matter what, everyone makes mistakes as they work through the process of painting. It's knowing where those mistakes are, and how to correct them, that may separate the less experienced painters from the pros. I can also see that the values aren't dramatic enough to convey the backlit evening time, so there is another major "fix" that will have to occur before I can call it done.

That's like life, though. We go forward, thinking we're doing what's right and "proper", only to be caught up short with new knowledge that radically changes our behavior and our outlook on things, as we formerly perceived them. In art, we can stretch our wings into new directions, as long as we are not shackled to the expectations of galleries and collectors. In life, the restrictions are more insidious--sometimes coming from within ourselves, even! So I'm leaning into my ARTIST mindset, and making some fun and exciting choices about how I'm going to spend the rest of my life. Conventional wisdom can go pound sand--I'm having FUN!!! The art is reflecting that outlook--more free, more interesting subjects and truly exciting to create. Life is GOOD.

Oh, yeah, good except for the cortizone shot they poked in my hip today. Seems I have a touch of bursitus from the motorcycle accident and the doc thinks that this shot will fix me up right 'n' proper. I'm not to do anything but WALK for three friggin' days, so she says. That is SO not fair. I want to chase my horses, fall all over the mats in aikido and dance the night away! OK, so I'll find a bucket of patience somewhere.... Friday cannot come too soon for this lady.

Still have one or two spaces in the February Color Boot Camp coming up Feb 12-15. Best value for your artistic money, in that this will not change your style or method, but will profoundly affect your color choices and color harmony in your work! Email me for the information. It promises to be an intimate and enlightening opportunity for you, right here in my studio.

Here's the one prior to the covered canvas image, and I can easily see I lost my concentration in that splash area, and the dog doesn't have much detail...

You can see my entire blog HERE.
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Jan 10 - Continuing the Labrador Oil Painting, 20 minutes in

Blinga-bling! Twenty minutes into the demonstration at the Canyon Lake Art Association, and more of the canvas is covered--this time with the grays and sky areas made with the three Big Ones--Alizarin, Yellow Ochre and Ultramarine Blue (with white) to create these harmonious grays.

If you put your hand over the left side, and just show the right side, you can see that even at this early stage, the colors are beautifully harmonious--all coming from the Color System's Cool Box!

Other news, with our mid-70s weather, I've been working with the mustang and bonding with him in the corral. It is a lot of fun to have a young horse again--he's stout as a tank, still growing at 15.2 and even in winter woolies, he is a beautiful buckskin. I leaned all over his back today, and worked on reining left and right. And today (Sunday) I played water volleyball for almost three hours, so my shoulders are sore. Great exercise!
Here's a picture of him still in slick clothes. BIG mustang feet, too.

So even though it gets hot in the summer, there are certainly good reasons to enjoy California in the winter (what winter?). I know much of the country is in a deep freeze right now, and I hope all are doing well in coping with the ice and slush.

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.

Jan 9 - First ten minutes on the Labrador demonstration

I'm changing the source material from a late morning time to a backlit sunset, so the challenges to work the Color System are at hand. Looking at an image that can only guide the anatomy and then mentally rearranging the lighting and colors while talking to a group in a live demonstration has to be either very courageous, or totally nuts.

So I start with what is for me caution, only laying in the areas that are not going to be profoundly altered nor need major revisions later. Hey, play it safe! These are all cool box mixes, most notably the yellow ochre/burnt umbers in the dog and distant trees, with the counter point to these "oranges" being the blue and blue violet water reflections of the evening sky.

Last night I painted another dog painting, and captured it in stages as well--deadline to send off the submissions for the Art Show at the Dog Show is today, so this one, entitled "Entangled Relationships" will be my blog posting later this week. Late night in the studio, whew!

Now I can get back to painting the second (acrylic) for the Misty Light DVD this week. Cameras rolling?

I'm hearing positive feedback from the workshop folks on the East Coast--still a few slots at the Georgia Farm, the Carriage Museum in central Florida, and the Maine workshop at Mt. Desert Island/Acadia National Park. Looks like all will be filled, in spite of the economy. Why not take a restful mini-vacation and learn the Color System or plein air? Just email me and I'll put you in touch with the organizers for one of the few remaining spaces.

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.

Jan 8 - Starting One for the Art Show at the Dog Show

I did a demonstration of oil painting for the Canyon Lake Art Association last night, and painted this 16 x 20 oil for their pleasure. I am doing this painting for the Art Show at the Dog Show, and it is a yellow Labrador getting that spring into the water on a retrieve. The source material is from collector Dick's son, who raises these great dogs. And the body of water is Lake Elsinore, near where I lived for many years.

I've prepped the canvas with a base color of what looks like a cool yellow, but is Australian Red Gold--a burnt orange. The lights in the room weren't conducive for good color, which will play out in the other images coming. Sigh. I had one of the members stop me every ten minutes as I painted it, so there will be some nice progression.

If you look at the design of this drawing, you'll see that the splashy water and the dog's head occupy the Golden Mean of this surface. Intentional. The source material wasn't like this, and I've also moved the horizon line down into the canvas to create more distance for the viewer to enjoy. It's good to be back in oils!

Signups continue for the February three day Color Boot Camp here in Riverside! I'm looking forward to the new "recruits" to the Color System. You can go here for full information.

And on ebay is one of my book/kits for painting horses--Walter Foster had a run of these, and they are now sold out. I'm not selling this one, but find it interesting to see them come up occasionally.

My roots go way back with the CLAA, being a life member, so it was fun to visit with them again. Tomorrow you'll see what it looks like (and how I think, in the text) after ten minutes of painting.

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.

Jan 1 - Happy 2010, the Acrylic is Finished...

The 12 x 9 acrylic of the Saddle River is finished now, and the changes from the non-detailed image from yesterday's blog are really noticeable. The calligraphic lines and patches of slightly different value are the added ingredients to take this painting to this stage. I added the shrubbery branches and leaves on the lower left as the last element of the design, which brings the painting into balance.

In looking at the painting I find that the brushwork (textural marks) and complementary color change are the strongest design elements holding this one together. I find it good to be able to analyze my work using design principles--and if the work is good, several will be easily noted. Do you know your design elements and principles? There are good sources online to review them. This link is Wikipedia's, and although the terminology my shift from source to source, the concepts are valid for every artist.

Now off into a new year, full of possibilities and opportunities! Happy New Year to all of you!

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.

Dec 31 - Landscape in Acrylics Continue, New Year's Eve

The end of the year, and I'm still working on this 12 x 9 acrylic landscape of the Saddle River. From yesterday's image, you can see that I've moved into the phase of making larger shapes more interesting with variations of hue and value across them. Going from big to little makes for an interesting transition, and one that many masters practice in executing their work.

The feeling of the sun's light on the left is coming through, done by reducing the value of the other areas with washes of burnt umber mixes over the right sides. Again the dominate hues are ultramarine blue and burnt umber, yet I've used some of the warms in the lighter areas--mixed well to disguise them!

Other news:
On this New Year's Eve, I sit here at home having a party of one (not counting the dogs and cats) with a wood fire going, a glass (or more) of Menage a Trois wine, some black-eyed peas cooking on the stove, and the fixin's for S'mores at the ready over on the mantle. There's a container of peppermint stick ice cream in the freezer (holiday tradition), to offset the heat of those marshmallows. Rolling Stones' Shine a Light CD playing, and I plan to enjoy a decadent, delicious exit to this year in a "thumb my nose" gesture to my successful dieting. And the black-eyed peas at 12:01 a.m. in my stomach for good luck all through the next--another family tradition. So here's to you as I raise my glass; I wish each and every one of you a joyous evening, a morning without hangovers, and a brush in your hand to memorialize those special moments in your lives. That's my plan anyway!

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
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Dec 30 - Day Off to Recooperate...

The canvas (12 x 9 acrylic) is covered now with the basic hues that will dominate the finished painting, and I'm stepping back to let it dry so I can continue to lay in the layers of detail to follow. If this were done in oils, I'd continue to proceed, yet handle my brush at a different angle to keep from lifting up the under layer into the new hues and values going on top. With acrylics, that's not an issue (more non-thinking painting!). This painting is going to hold to the complementary blue/orange grays in the final stages, so no surprises coming there. Where you will find surprises, is in edges, value changes and shapes!

I'm back in California now, over my jet lag, and it is cloudy and cool. Much warmer than New Jersey, but I still have had a fire going for most of the day while sorting out mail, shipping DVD orders and planning my work on the finish of the "Misty, Overcast and Difficult Light Subjects" DVD. Not much more to go, and then the final editing on that one. Good thing I didn't have "real" deadline for it--I'd never have made it. Deadlines only control those who need them.

The New Year is approaching, and I have several ways I can celebrate it, one of which is to stay centered in my path and gather strength from my friends while staying home by the fire. Or I could go get a tattoo and go out and make a fool of myself in several social situations....Hmmmm, well I am an artist!

Interesting, though... I don't have any resolutions to make and break, because I am greeting each day with my own honest living, in the choices I make (didn't gain any pounds over the holiday!), and in where I want to spend my money and time. I value my family and friends over all, and will continue to let them know how important they are--YOU are--to me. Let's hope for a bright 2010 full of opportunities and good choices. Even if we have to realign our paths, I hope that the new path will be just as exciting.

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.

Dec 28 - Starting the Saddle River View in Acrylics

After yesterday's dog walk along the edge of the Saddle River (in Bergen County, New Jersey), I came back with a need to paint the "feel" of what I experienced. So here's the start of a 12 x 9 acrylic (I will take larger canvases in the future!) and the complementary colors of blue and orange are already in place. "Orange?" you ask. Yes, burnt umber is a dark orange, and that's why the autumn and winter woods are so delightful in color when combined with any water that reflects the sky. The grayed oranges of the leaves and forest floor is a complement to the blues.

The day was gorgeous and sunny, and the light was coming through the leafless woods creating traceries of shadow, so I went off the path into the browns and grays to take this source material of the river in the afternoon light (below). I chose the vertical format for the painting, because as with pastoral views being so calming, I wanted the longer plane of the canvas' vertical to offset and balance that tranquility with some strength and power. (Besides, these verticals have more opportunities for placement on the walls of collectors' homes.)

Here's the source material:
Tomorrow the painting continues! But first, this afternoon I get on a plane with my sister and Sparky, and we fly for over six hours back to California, where instead of the high 30s, it is in the high 60s. I do enjoy this cold weather, though, having been raised on the East Coast. Yet my garden is calling to me, and coming back as a first class passenger for this long flight will be a nice cap to a wonderful vacation.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
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Dec 27 - Finished the Three Pears

Here they are, the trio of pears in acrylic finished, 6 x 12 inches. I've finished putting the rest of the warms on them and cleaned up and detailed out the stems, background and surfaces.
After seeing the work of Gustav Klimt in the Met, I'm really realizing that loosening up is a good thing, and so the paintings are starting to come across with the strength of energized brushwork instead of tight details. I'm pleased with the new direction.

Available, $295, and scheduled for the Women Artists of the West online show this January, when I get a better photograph of it.

Off and running today--I took the dogs on a long walk along the Saddle River watershed, and came home with visual experiences that are going to come to light in the days ahead. I have already blocked in a new work from today's visuals, which I'll share tomorrow. Ah, tomorrow! I pack and fly back to California, coming in late, and will see the sunrise on Tuesday in the hills of Two Trees. Back to the dogs, cats, goats and horses who have been idle and well fed while I've been here. Back to routines and yardwork, the big studio and painting with my friends.

This trip has been wonderful, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to revisit the eastern hardwood forests, extended and near family and New York City. I hope I can return someday, and without too much time in between. Nice news is that Sparky and I are flying back first class. Nice!

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.

Dec 26 - The Pears in Acrylics Continued...

Check out how the color is developing on this 6 x 12 canvas now! I've started to add the warms over the underlayment of colors (look at yesterday's to see the initial layers) and it really is coming along.

By putting layers of more subtle colors UNDER the final layers, the painting develops a depth that is not possible any other way. Each one of the pears is starting to have a character now, and their shapes are interesting and hold the viewer's eye--even at this early stage. I have found that I don't need Yellow Ochre, but can mix a decent one from the cool burnt umber and the cadmium yellow--OK, it BREAKS THE RULES. But by careful manipulation, it still remains in the cool family.

So a limited palette can work with my Color System, yet it is not for the faint of heart. One must have a good deal of experience in mixing colors, and have an "eye" for the temperature inherent in the mix before moving out of the System for new expression. My visit to the MET museum really toasted my eyes for this, and I'm more than ready to stretch my wings!

Ah, only two more days here in New Jersey, then I head back to California with Sparky. My eyes are filled with the lovely greys of the winter here, and I'm sure that will enhance my paintings in the future. Today I walked in the rain over to the central part of Ridgewood, Sparky in his rain gear, and me without an umbrella, and took in all the wondrous sights of value and muted colros on this rainy, gray day. I think I may have to travel more!

The February three-day Color Boot Camp is OPEN now! Did you get a Christmas surprise that you'd like to use on that workshop? For a link straight to that page, click HERE.

And in other news, I'm enjoying my visit with my family, and had a wonderful Christmas with a whole bunch of them! Here's that Vermeer, "A Maid Asleep" that I didn't know existed before my visit to the MET....

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.

Dec 25 - Next Step in the Still Life, Happy Holidays!

Now I'm starting to add color to the 6 x 12 acrylic painting--noting the basic structure of the pears with my brushwork. Knowing these pear-boys are going to be warm in the lights, I've added some cadmium red and burnt sienna to the sides away from the shadows, because on the next "go-pass" I'll be putting many thicker layers of color. Having an underlayment of the basic color helps me to unify the finished work in those areas. Note I've also put a warm wash over the horizontal surface, and the relationship to the pears' coloration is obvious. This will bind and unify the painting as it progresses.

On other news, the Christmas Day was wonderful with family and laughter here on the East Coast. One of the laughs came when Sparky decided to sit on my host's five-month Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, Hero, and his look of surprise. He's adorable, and has been going on long walks with Sparky and me using the tandem leash. Much like driving a team of ponies, albeit small versions. They are staying warm by the wood fire! I wish all of you a very peaceful and happy rest of 2009 and a year full of wishes met and dreams realized in 2010 and beyond.
Peace.


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.

Dec 24 - Still inside and painting!

The guidelines from yesterday are driving the values as I push the design further into the darks. I elected to put a strip of dark under the edge to push the pears back from the viewer. Although not a relatively good design choice, I believe that linking the middle shadow to it will create the visual path that we need to "get into" the composition. Let's see how it develops.

No color yet, just the grays of the ultramarine blue, burnt umber and some thalo green whispered in to create that backdrop. (You can refer back to yesterday's post to see the source.)

Now later today, family will be emerging from all quadrants of the compass to bring holiday cheer and laughter to my nephew's here in Northern New Jersey. The snow is still on the ground, but the roads are clear. The tree is surrounded by presents, firewood is laid in, and the food is being prepared as I type this.

Aren't the shadows and the blues of this scene out the front door just wonderful? In California, we're dominated by browns, grays and gray-greens. Here it is all about the complementary hues of blue and grayed oranges! More paintings coming from this trip, "you betcha"! Getting my eyeballs filled with snow patterns and shadows!

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.

Dec 23 - New Still Life for the WAOW Show (Acrylic)

I've started another painting while I'm here near New York City... this time a still life of those luscious pears. I set the trio up under a single light in the basement, and am having fun painting this 6 x 12 acrylic.

Here's the first pass across the white canvas, blocking in the large darks (gee, I do that a LOT), with the ultramarine blue and burnt umber. Who cares about edges? I found that the paintings in the Met that caught my eye from across the room had a strong value structure--especially the Rembrandts and paintings from the 1800s. Oh, well, there were many paintings that were about value structure--not until I got into the Impressionists did I see that change. I learned and reinforced so much from that visit.

Here's the source material for this painting--I took a photograph, but am painting the pears from life, not from this image. I share it with you to show that simple subjects can come from your local grocers. These pears cost a small amount--the painting will hopefully transcend their temporary existence on my nephew's shelf.

The Met still comes to my mind and here is an image of a detail of the HUGE canvas by Rosa Bonheur. This image, even only part of the huge canvas, would represent about seven FEET of her master work in oil! Look at the values and how they reverse from the backs of the horses to the legs. Light backs, dark legs. midvalue surrounds the backs, mid-values surround the legs! Amazing.... The pears do the same thing!!

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.

Dec 22 - The Snow Scene Finished (Acrylic) and the MET

What a day... I finished up the 12 x 9 acrylic (shown here) of the snow scene on the dog walk day. It didn't take too much to bring it to a finished state from yesterday's phase--just more layers of filmy color and caligraphic lines.

I then went to the most magnificent museum I have ever experienced! The Metropolitan Musuem of Art in New York City rocked my socks off--with hundreds of paintings and sculptures, it was as if I were visiting some very old friends from my art history courses.

First I headed straight for Rosa Bonheur's "The Horse Fair", because seeing it in the flesh is an incomparable experience. This painting is huge, and one of the unsung main attractions of the museum in my opinion. And I saw four Vermeers, one I hadn't known about, several Van Gogh's, and Monet's paintings of Rouen cathedral, haystacks and water lilies. I was overwhelmed after three hours, and had to leave... I wonder if I can return before I depart and see more of the other exhibits? I don't know. I'm just reeling from the visual input.

There were two more exhibits, one on Samurai weaponry, and the second one on American genre paintings, which included several Winslow Homer pieces. I was in Heaven!

I encourage anyone who has time to visit their local museums and see real art "up close and personal". It can change your life! Here's a closeup of Monet's haystack--check out the subtle colors in the entire area, especially the shadows! Wow!

Speaking of that, my workshop schedule is updated with the FOUR new workshops scheduled for 2010. Please check THAT out!

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.

Dec 21 - Acrylic Snow Scene, Second View

I've covered the canvas, which all you seasoned followers recognize as a characteristic of how I work. Turns out I don't even need that cool red in this one, since the coloration is lending itself to the palette of colors I brought along (see yesterday's post for those). Still have a lot of loose brushwork, and will tighten it down on the next "go round".

Today I took the train into New York City to the Museum of Modern Art, and saw many of the original paintings and sculptures that are in the text of the online Art Appreciation courses I teach. I learned a lot while there, mostly that Chagall's "I and the Village" is a LOT larger than I imagined! I'm not smiling because the guard just came up and told me to move--I was too close!

And I saw Van Gogh's "Starry Night" and was astonished to see raw canvas showing in it--and here I thought he used tons of paint....The image below shows the left side and part of the framing. Can we forgive our own mistakes when we see the masters of art history doing the same? I think so.

I've attached both images to this posting because I think you'll enjoy the visuals.

Tomorrow I hope to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, although I may take a day off and enjoy the local sights here. Who knows? This is a fun trip and I'm enjoying myself immensely.


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.

Dec 20 - Snow Scene in Acrylics, Part I

My "neighborhood" here in New Jersey got up to a foot of snow yesterday, so this morning I took the dogs out for a snowy walk. I realize as an artist it is essential for us to have sensory input to put the "real" in our work. (Unless of course, you are not a realistic painter!) So after the walk, I set up my traveling "light" supplies (see below) and began this 12 x 9 acrylic. I'm using the traditional acrylics, and did NOT tone the canvas. With acrylics, especially the traditionals, one of the great features is the luminosity that is possible with glazing and layering the colors.

This is the stream that runs through Ridgewood, New Jersey, and is near the swimming pond--now covered in a sheet of ice and snow!

My supplies... on the dining room table, as the rest of the relatives went into the city for storefronts and Rockefeller trees. Me, I loved my walk and afternoon painting. The wind is up now, and I imagine the chill factor is HUGE. Glad to be indoors with the doggies!

When we went for a walk, here's the scenery that greeted my snow-starved eyes. That's Sparky on the left and Hiroo ("hero") on the right, the family dog, also a Teddy Roosevelt Terrier. He's just five months and quite a bundle of energy!

My supplies for the painting are a Bob Ross easel (packs flat, holds all sizes of canvases), about seven brushes, a glass pie plate on which is folded a wet paper towel, on which I have placed a limited palette of burnt sienna, cad red light, cad yellow, titanium white, thalo green, ultramarine blue and burnt umber. Perfect for snow scenes, except I think I might miss my cool red, and a spray bottle of water.... hmmm, holiday shopping anyone? I brought gloss medium/varnish for glazing. Newspapers and the plastic drink cup for water finish out the scene. Yup, it can be done!

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

Dec 19 - New Card for Collectors

So much has happened in the last two months that it is hard to put it all into words. Suffice to say that I am going into the 2009 holiday season with a renewed spirit and being more upbeat and happier than I have been in many years! Right now I'm typing to you from (drum roll!) northern New Jersey (Ridgewood) where I'm spending the Christmas week with family and friends--at the opposite end from the 85 degree California weather! It is wonderful! Snow tonight--and I haven't had that for many a moon, and I'm looking forward to the pleasure of the cold, crisp crunch (reminding me of the skiing I used to do!) and comfortable with the knowledge that I don't have to live with it, nor shovel it.

Here's the new design for the postcards that I'll be using for the winter and early spring business cards. Those of you who have DVDs from me have the earlier, lighter green ones. These are all new paintings from 2009, and feature the first painting from the fourth, new DVD "Misty Light and Twilight". I'll have them when I return--amazing Internet!

I did bring my acrylics for this ten-day trip, and will be painting some still life works (the pears in the market here were SO beautiful!) and perhaps some SNOW scenes. Plein air is not an option because outside it is in the high 20s--and I don't have the gear for keeping them thawed. I've painted snow scenes plein air before, however I don't think Sparky would enjoy sitting around with his short little legs in a snowbank. Yes, he is with me, flying under the seat on the 747.

There are plans afoot for a three-day Color Boot Camp over President's Day Weekend (February 13-15) in 2010. Interested? Email me...

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas/Holiday time with people who care about you, and that you'll keep going with me as I stretch new wings into 2010.

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

Nov 30 - Finished the DVD Misty Light Painting!

I've missed you ALL, and am back! Life has settled down and I'm painting again, and I so appreciate your emails asking how things were going. Here is the finished painting for the DVD on Misty Light and Rainy Days (title still up in the air). I'll be starting the seond painting this week, and will continue to fill your email with its progress. Then the editing and master disk to the duplication service, and this one will be finished--the FOURTH in the Color System DVDs.

I never even opened the warm box for this painting, and I believe that the time of day is effectively conveyed by just the subtle use of the lovely grays--green, red, orange, purple and the earth tones to accent. Misty morning light with NO distinct light source, nor strong shadows. I'm pleased wiht it, and can hardly wait to start the next one!

The workshop in November was a rousing success (I'll post some of the demos and images from that one in the week ahead) and I'm scheduling another three day Color Boot Camp in February of next year. Lots of good art and learning comes from these sessions, so if you can make the time (three and a half days), you'll definitely be a beneficiary of the "CS". HA!

Now it is back to the easel to get the digital tapes and set up for the next painting. Yippee! I'm Baaaaaack!

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

Oct 26 - Misty Light on the New DVD

The DVD painting is coming along well, and now the second layer of color has been added over the stronger hued first pass.

No details at this point, and still more to do to reduce the color intensities in various areas (can we say "purple"?), but the basic time of day is now coming across clearly.

The filming is going quite well, although my painting has been slowed down by "life events" of late. I'm hangin' in there, and can see the light at the end of the tunnel--and it isn't a train coming! One good thing is the loss of weight--I'm down over 25 pounds and with exercise and good nutrition, continue to find curves and places I forgot I had.

And here's Onslow sound asleep yet again--ah, to have that ability to just leave all worries behind and go "toes up" for a good night! He's actually curved around my hip as I sit in my office chair--those are my jeans, and that's the black arm of the office chair going off the top edge. Comfy, Onnie? Yeah, me too. Fur kids. Gotta love 'em.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2009 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Oct 17 - The New DVD's First Painting - In Process

I have been working on the first painting for the newest DVD, and it is really fun! The canvas is an 18 x 24 inch panel, and is being done in oils. I'm focusing on how to compose a painting, how to paint using the Color System, and in this case, how to specifically create a misty light situation across distance in a landscape.

At this stage, I usually call it "being in the Uglies", but even now, you can easily see the harmonious colors and related shapes, although the edges and details are long ahead and yet to be found. I've done about 40 minutes of filming at this phase, and will be editing for content and quality when I go into the "cave" to work on the master movie files.

However, for this DVD I'm actually doing the editing as I shoot each sequence, which seems to keep me more focused on what I need to convey to you, the watcher. Below is the painting at an earlier stage, showing how I cover the canvas. Of course, the vocal commentary while I paint is continuous. And yup. There are definitely outtakes--such as when the canvas fell off the easel!

So, come with me on the journey as I complete this painting and the next one for this new adventure! I am quite sure that the second painting will be done in acrylics, so both media will be well represented. And the Color System crosses all media, so that's not going to be an issue, is it?

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2009 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Oct 14 - The Finished Tennessee Walker Painting and the New DVD Painting Started

Here's the finished 11 x 14 oil commission of the Tennessee Walker done and ready to ship. Yes, the Odie boy is a light champagne instead of palomino, so most of the finish work to the signature was done on his coloration. The new owner is very pleased, and so am I that I can present this to her sister. This rescue horse has helped her in many ways--just like my animals around me offer support and unconditional love as I meander through my waking moments.

But meandering is not on the agenda for the next few days as I work on filming the paintings for the next DVD--"Misty Light and Twilight Paintings" (or something like that). Titles come later. Below is the first image for the first of two paintings--the 18 x 24 oil that will be misty light. I won't share all the details (Because that will be in the DVD as I never hush up while filming!) but will let you peek at the progress on this one and the next one as the filming goes forward. Then there will be 16-hour days in the cave with the Mac G5 and the editing software to put all the pieces together into the master DVD for the duplication service. Yes, I do it alone...sigh.

And then there's the cover, the DVD label, the packaging and getting the DVDs ready to ship when they come back from the duplication service. Can you say "where's the wine?"

To all the incredible people who have read this far, please know that I had leaky-face moments as I read your yesterday replies with offerings of solace, peace and hope. You are wonderful, and I treasure you. You give me strength and fill my heart, which has sorely been in need of that lately.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2009 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Oct 13 - Riverside National Cemetery, Evening

Last weekend I painted on location at the Riverside National Cemetery near my studio. A 12 x 12 evening light oil came off my brushes, and I left the site both satisfied and sad. Satisfied, because the painting was done to this stage so easily, with my brushes flying across the surface. The nuances of color reflecting the evening light of the Color System are readily apparent as one gazes across the hundreds of grave stones.

And sad, because just before my Dad died in 1998, I asked him, when I needed some love and support, if he could come to me in this specific place. He replied, "If there is any way possible, I will be there for you," and I am sure he was. Before I painted, I walked through the grave stones, and was stopped short on one with part of his name inscribed. I knelt down and cried, so much so that just remembering it brings me to tears again. He was there with and for me, in so many ways I needed just that support at that time.

You see, sometimes bad things happen to good people, and I'm dealing with something particularly difficult right now. It is taking all my strength and support from family and close friends to deal with it. Yet I continue to do my art, continue to be who I am, and I cannot change what is or what will unfold. I so appreciate your continuing to be with me while I go forward and onward, and please know I gather strength from your presence.

Like my Dad, I can be there for you, too, in all things about art and painting.

I am continuing to work on the newest DVD. The cameras are rolling, and after I share the final painting of the Tennessee Walker commission, I'll be sharing snippets of the first and second paintings with you. They are going to be really corkers! The first one is an 18 x 20 oil of misty light across a pasture, from material gathered in Florida this year.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2009 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Oct 10 - The Commission Continues

I'm working on the TWH commission today, and have brought it further along, making the larger shapes in the background more interesting. It isn't finished yet, (no buyer approval at this stage) so I will be adding more grasses and details to the focal areas.
And having the horse's head this way is due to the source material--tough all the way, with a winter/no sun/furry head shot and the other being inside an arena in summer coat. Verrrry tough!
My question is whether the horse is a palomino or champagne color. I've painted it more as a palomino, but may have to rework it if I am told it isn't. Thus goes some issues with commissions.

I'm filming the video for the next DVD now, and loving every moment! I must be part actress, because the cameras are like old friends. I had a moment when I thought that there might be some consternation with hitting the "record" buttons, but nope! Action! After the filming comes the hours of editing... and then forming the results into a DVD master. If you don't hear from me for a few days, that'll be why.

In other news, fall is finally here with cool nights, and the garden boxes are full of the winter crops coming up--Swiss chard, beets, lettuces and lots of spinach!
You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2009 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Oct 7 - Fun with the Model, Drawing and Painting

Last night a great group of artists came to the studio and painted/drew this model. I'm enjoying sharing with you the three (worthy!) images that came off my Conte crayons and acrylics last night. I'm seriously rusty on the 3-minute poses (the drawings) but didn't do too badly on the 15 minutes acrylic. In these drawings, I used black and sepia Conte and allowed the white of the paper to be the lights.

It was quite enjoyable to have a man smile and laugh with me, as I know this fellow from another "lifetime". And I'll be seeing other good friends this week, too. My art is so connected to what's going on in my life, and sometimes I have to realize that what I am is not determined by others, but only by my own self--and continue to do what I know best--make art that speaks both to me, and hopefully to others.

Here's the second three-minute pose. Looser, less shapes and more line. I do like that my drawing ability is still available to me when I need it.

And the third, the acrylic, was done with little regard to temperature (the Color System) as it was done in less than 15 minutes.


“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Character is everything.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The wonderful, enriching friendships I have with so many people across the globe reinforces this quote, and I am honored to have you enjoy my art and musings.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My November workshop schedule for 2009 (some spaces still left) is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Oct 5 - Getting the Masses in on the Commission

Those interested in the upcoming DVD on misty/twilight paintings will enjoy how this one is unfolding. I have a misty background working against a patch of sunlight which will illuminate the light palomino Tennessee Walking Horse in the composition. At this stage I'm only concerned with the separate areas of warm vs. cool and not at all with the anatomy or look of the big gelding. The sky will go in, and the bigger shapes in the background before I tackle the details. It is coming along.

On the home front, tomorrow night I open my studio for some artist friends to come and draw and paint from a live model. It's been in the works for a while, and I'm just tickled that they are coming over and it is all working out for us. It will be a great social evening with peers (I've missed those!) and camaraderie.

And renewing a friendship from years ago will be joyful as well--an artist of extraordinary talent, we have let too much time go by between laughter and art. His site is here. The scope of his work and the phenominal art glass he designs are awe inspiring and may take my own art in new directions.

The music rolls on, both on my piano and my head. I think I've played my piano more in the past few months than in all the last half decade! Gutsy ... joyful, poignant.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2009 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Oct 3 - Organizing the House and a New Commission

I've started on the 11 x 14 oil of the Tennessee Walker commission here. Just the quick layin of the placement of the horse, and the division of space to show you that design begins from the first brush mark. The gift giver wants the full body and a relaxed pose in a pasture, so I am working from the long history of equine portraiture and moving it into a contemporary setting. Unfortunately, the source material isn't the greatest, and many artists would not have taken this one on. But the back-story on this horse and its relationship with its owner moved me so much... I'll unfold the story in the days to come.

This one will also have the changing values to focus your eyes on the horse, with the landscape being secondary. I've toned the canvas with the warm value to contrast nicely with the cool box colors that will make up the majority of the background.

On the home front, I'm having a bit of a "spring cleaning" time, moving things about and changing the uses of various parts of the house. It has been most enlightening, with new discovery of things unknown and finding things long forgotten. Now that the proverbial "dust" is settling, the new feeling in these rooms is very satisfying, and the two cats have found new places to sun themselves. Not exactly fung shui, but the results give me a "wicked good" grin. I guess spring cleaning doesn't have to happen in spring, eh?

The November workshop is shaping up to be the best one yet, with new lectures in the theater, and I'm looking forward to meeting new people interested in working with the Color System. And the cameras are pointing at the easel, with the painting after this one being featured in the first half of the new DVD on "Misty Light and Twilight" paintings. Camera, ACTION!!

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2009 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.