Randall Tillery and Gems

I stopped by the Crescent Harbor Gallery to pick up a few paintings and found out that Randall Tillery had a  workshop the next day. I signed up immediately to take advantage of this well known painter's knowledge. He set up a still life and demonstrated what we should do. We then could select our still life arrangements to paint.

His instruction was excellent. The class had several skill levels and Randall professionally instructed each of us one on one.  I was able to finish two pieces and his critique was  very helpful on how to improve my work.
Here are my two complete pieces. I would recommend him to any beginning and advanced student. He has gems. Those pieces of art knowledge that takes years to learn on your own.
Here is Randall Tillery's website. http://www.artbytillery.com/

Winchuck River Outside Of Brookings, OR

I looked at this painting this morning with a fresher eye and saw where I needed to key up the foreground, put some sky holes in the trees and  push the mountain back.
Done.

"Winchuck River" 6x12 Oil Painting

A Little At A Time

I painted two paintings today and I was happy with both. Namely because I am starting to think I know what to do .. well, sort of.   Learning art is a little at a time.
Here is one of today's paintings. Same subject as a few days ago. 

The problem I still have are the values are too similar but I am understanding pushing and pulling when this happens. I need to look at it for awhile and see what changes it might need.

A Picture Paints A Thousand Words

We have all heard the phrase "A picture paints a thousand words".  I took this picture at a new favorite plein air spot. This is the look of a frustrated artist.

Bridge Over Winchuck Oil on Canvas
SOLD

I returned the next day and painted a few paintings I was pretty happy with but I know tomorrow is a new day.

Too Much Light

I worked on several variation of studies from one photo. Each one, I changed slightly. Larger mountain, smaller mountain, and no mountain. I asked an instructor what the problem was with them in general. The answer was obvious... too much light. Everything in the photo was in the light and not enough dark.
Makes sense. I hear it all the time to ensure I have at least 60 percent in dark and yet, I have made the mistake, again.
On the bright side, it gave me some practice.

That is One Big Door

I finished the 3 day workshop with Terry Miura. It was fantastic. He taught how to simplify and organize a cityscape. Now, I am always looking for what I think might be the easy way out. I thought this door would be easy enough. It was easier with Terry's method but it sure wore me out as I worked to concentrate, see and be confident with each paint stroke. Basically we were learning to say more with fewer brush strokes. I struggled to simplify throughout the studies. When I returned home and showed my work to my husband, he said "That is one big door". I responded "In more ways than one".

Learning My Darker Side

Black and White

Moved the sign to the dark to make it a focal point.

I completed the 2nd day of a 3 day workshop with Terry Miura. He is taking us all to the dark side. The enthusiastic students painted four, yes... four studies today using black and a white only. We painted a black and white  scene and then repainted it adding gray. Two studies were completed in the morning and  two different studies in the afternoon.  I looked around was was in awe at how beautiful everyone's work was. Mine not so much but I sure learned a lot more than what I thought. Terry helped out quite a bit with everyone including me. Excellent instruction.
Here are my morning attempts.
Tomorrow we will repaint them with color.

Here Is My Completed Homework

We have all heard the excuse that the dog ate my homework. I don't have any excuse not to do my homework since I don't own a dog. Moving on... here are my two attempts at the unknown mountain sent as a class assignment. For extra credit, I needed to figure out which mountain it is  and what famous painter painted it. I am guessing Edgar Payne and California Hills. Which painting do you like? 

12X12 Oil On Canvas - Color Pushed

SOLD 9x12 Oil on Canvas - Subtle Color

Homework is Due Soon

I found an email with a homework assignment from Terry Miura's landscape class. I did a few sketches and made my first pass at it. I will do another tomorrow and pick the best before turning it in. Art homework is hard. There are too many things you can forget to do.

9x12 Oil on Linen Canvas

More On My Garden Markers

I went into full production on these garden markers. I think they are functional and funky.  My two favorite f-words.  I will have them for sale with their locations very soon.
Here is my square foot herb garden with my Wild Hair Woman Garden Markers to show you how they can be used.  

Pottery Garden Markers

5 Days 5 Rivers Plein Air Event in Brookings OR

Attention all you plein air artists. Coming August 13th through 17th is the first 5 Days 5 Rivers Plein Air event in Brookings, Oregon. Paint Pistol River, Rogue River, Chetco River, Winchuck River
& Smith River
Meet as a group and paint one or all of the rivers. (Bring a sack lunch/water)
Want to learn more? Contact Violet or Len Burton for maps and paint out times. Call (541) 469-9522 or email burtonique@gmail.com
You will want to stay to attend the Renaissance by the Sea on August 18th through 19th and enter the Quick Draw contest.

http://www.renaissancebythesea.blogspot.com/

Wild Hair Woman Pottery Returns

Garden Markers In Kiln After Second Firing

I Used A Sharpie To Label My Square Foot Garden

Peas Marked The Spot

I was inspired by artist and friend Audi Stanton's incredible inedible baked goods to make  garden markers.  How did I make such a jump?  She made pies and they had pie crust.  I rolled out clay that looked like the beginning of a pie crust and cut them into slices like a pie. I then baked them in the kiln twice and got out my sharpie to make my own labels for my garden. Makes sense now, doesn't it?  Any how... here are my new Wild Hair Woman Pottery Garden  Markers. Just take a sharpie or ceramic pen and write your own label or saying.  Easy as pie.

The Sun Finally Came Out

After four weeks of rain, the sun came out with no pending storms.  See how happy I am to finally get to paint and cast a shadow. Hurray for the sun!
On a sad note, it is suppose to start raining on Tuesday. I can hear the cat screaming already. I am with her.

Husband To The Rescue

My husband came to my rescue... he is entertaining our unhappy cat so I have time to paint. And, yes. It is still raining.
Here are paintings that I worked on since my husband arrived.

5X7 Oil on Board

9X12 Oil on Canvas

6x6 Oil on Canvas

Man Plans. God Laughs.

I can't believe I haven't posted in almost 20 days as the old saying goes, " Man plans. God Laughs".
There has been a series of storms here on the coast including 60 mph winds and  torrential downpours.  They don't bother me but the noise scares my 17 year old cat and she insists on being held. This makes it difficult to draw and paint as she screams and screams until I comfort her. 
Basically, with the severe storms for that last three weeks , I haven't done much art.  Instead, I have read a few books, including some art books,  with my cat curled up on my lap.
I did manage to paint one day at the port with fellow painter, Kathy Huxley, but that was it for plein air painting this trip so far.
During a short break in the storm yesterday, my husband  and I walked to the ocean.  It was an usually low tide so we explored the tide pools and wrote in the sand. But we both swore, we could hear the cat screaming even from the beach. Poor kitty. 

Meringue if you do. Meringue if you don't.

I bought an  art creation from a well known Brookings, Oregon artist, Audi Stanton  It is from her  new Incredible In-edible series.   She sculpted, painted and photographed desserts and has them for sale at the Brian Scott's Gallery, also, located in Brookings. When I saw her show, I fell in love with her wonderful, sculpted, lemon meringue pie on a pedestal.  In addition, she has her watercolors showing at the local library. Can you tell she is a hard working artist?
 When I saw the lemon meringue pie, I had to have it so I could paint it. So in between the screaming cat, spring cleaning, preparing for a garage sale, pulling weeds, and walking to the beach, I started this piece.  It needs a few adjustments.

Oh and I thought it was best to post it unfinished so my husband won't think I am on vacation.

Tomorrow is Finally Here

You can see the transparent rose through the tablecloth where I didn't overwork it.

You can still see the transparent red oxide in the leaves and the Indian yellow under the orange wedge.

I struggled with the shadow being too dark so I lost the transparency in the table cloth. I had to correct a drawing issue, too. It is important to have an accurate drawing with this technique.

Keep it simple.

Here is my finished pieces from the Advanced Techniques class with Susan Sarback. I am still exhausted from learning so much. What a wonderful opportunity.

Advanced Techniques

I am taking a four day workshop at the  School of Light and Color with Susan Sarback called Advanced Techniques. I  truly believe I have witnessed art history in the making with her new painting method.  Here is a  piece I am working on at the beginning stages.  Interesting approach. I am finding it challenging and enjoying every minute.   I will post the completed work tomorrow.

More Color

9x12 Oil with Palette Knife on Board

The camera will never be able to capture the color in this completed still life study.  While finishing the last stage, I was reminded to look at the cast and form shadows to successfully paint the shell. It was a good lesson.

Slight Adjustment

I know I said I limited the previous cityscape to 60 minutes but I noticed the car in front was too small. So, here is just a slight adjustment.

Clearing The Road For a Challenge

I told myself I would do Terry Miura's cityscape challenge. The deadline was today so I waited until the last minute to start painting.  I kept the composition simple, kept my paint time to 60 minutes and used a 5X7 canvas. It was fun piece to paint.

5x7 Oil on Canvas - Cityscape Challenge

Keeping My Brushes Wet

I worked on this piece from Thursday's landscape class. I am still struggling with the values.  Before I over work it, I put it in the refrigerator and  will wait until Thursday to get some much needed instruction to complete it.

Landscape Study 9x12 Oil on Linen

To Paris and Back In 3 Hours

Today's open studio model wore a costume reminiscent of Paris. It was a fun study. I kept it very simple. This meant little or no detail. I focused on moving from blocking in the shadow and light to adding two more values to the light and not doing much to the dark.

9x12 Oi on Canvas Board with Brush

I can see  now that I need to fix the arm of the shirt. It might need some more adjusts. 

Ah - Pearadise

I got up this morning and worked on a few value studies, put on Susan Sarback's dvd on landscapes and did laundry. I then put on her still life dvd and painted a pear in the sun.

"Ah, Pearadise" - 5x7 on board with palette knife

Figuring It Out

Painting live models has been fun. Most of the time, though,  I just can't figure out what shape I am seeing.  I stand with a confused look on my face for what seems like several minutes.  You know the look. Mouth open, eyes squinting, brush in one hand trying to mime the strokes. I usually mumble to myself  while I am doing this and shake my head in disgust.  At the end, I either  ignore that part of the painting,  make it up or I get an "aha" moment. These studies were a little bit of both.
In the top piece, the model was sitting with his knee tucked under him. It was foreshortened. I left it alone. I, also, didn't do much to describe  his hands.
The other piece, I got too indecisive about small things.  I wouldn't commit myself to my drawing nor to the shadow and light.
Still a great paint day.

Caught Up In the Paint Color

I wanted to try a new color, manganese,  on a piece in class. I used it in the shadow side of a terracotta urn.  It turned out to be the compliment to the light side of the urn. It was a fight from the beginning trying to keep the shadow  from going to a dull, unforgiving grey. The instructor helped me by suggesting a few colors to mix on top of it.

9x12 oil with palette knife on gessoboard - Class piece

It certainly taught me not use that color for this subject, again. But without thinking, I got caught up in the pretty paint color and not with what I was actually seeing.
If I were to paint this, again, I would use magenta on the urn's shadow.

Self Critique

I worked this piece several times on inexpensive paper canvas.  I think I have the values correct and have worked out most of the problems.
I realized that I spaced the light on the shore at the same distance and I need to fix that. 
I need to warm the sky with yellow. 
I might have put too much light on the dominant tree in the foreground. This means I need to analyze the light and shadow in that tree.
I am, also, thinking I need to put some sky holes the back ground trees. It looks like a bird would knock itself out trying to fly through them.

Changes

I made changes to the portrait study from last week. The models head was tilted down and leaned slightly to the left.  I decided to straighten the eyes and reduce the skull size. It is a fix but it means I didn't resolve how to paint her in her current pose.

Living For the Painting

I worked on a  painting from a live model today and then came home to block out and simplify a landscape.
Here are both. I need to take a small break and see what needs to be done to fix them. 
My mind is racing over trying to simplify rock formations and still make them look like rocks. I need to re-read a blog I read this morning for the answer. My memory has failed me.

Why Can't Everything Just Be Black and White?

I have always had problem with gray areas - ask my husband. I am a black and white person. Trying to simplify a landscape  with shadow and lights just makes wish I had a reboot button for my brain.  All I want to do it put down pretty brush strokes and that isn't going to happen until I learn to group the shadows and light. Else, I will just move paint around....
Here is a quick  study. One black and white and then a limited palette.