Cades Cove

This is a painting that I just finished with in my weekly art class. We work from photos and sometimes non-copywrited material. I get some photos from Wet Canvas, they have a huge reference library of free photos to work with. This took roughly 6 lessons to do. I learned a new technique on this one, we used a sponge to paint in the trees and splattered some of the small close flowerbuds in the foreground. When the picture was finished, I felt like something else was needed, so we added from imagination a little structure.

Plein Air Auburn

Today we went to Town Creek Park. It was overcast, so the sun only came out a couple of times, long enough to find the deep shadows to put into the painting. I struggled with the weeping willow. By the time I was finished, I felt like weeping, but I realize that without the struggle, I won't ever learn anything. This was my first plein air with oils. I forgot to take a pallet with me and had to use a garbage bag to squeeze out my paints on. Thankfully that worked. For the first time I realize, that each of these times I work on something new, I learn. So, I may get off on my own some as well. I hope you enjoy.

Still Life for painting class

Today I took some stuff to do a still life for my painting class. I decided that I would start painting more from life and get Cheeko's help during class to that end. I started setting up the objects I brought, and learned a lot about placement. I shot many set ups and decided to paint this arrangement. I realized after getting into the painting that I could not accurately convey that I had a vase, pitcher and apple. I think you would agree that I accurately painted the pitcher and the apple but the vase looks like a book? A purple brick? A what??? I suppose if I had chosen a view that looked down on the image more, that vase would look more vase like, but since it was tall, all I could see at eye level was the top and not inside the vase. Should I have cheated and drawn and painted the inside of the squared vase?? I don't know...it is just practice. But it was fun cause I got it done with help from Cheeko in 2 hrs.

Tomorrow I will be painting en plein air at Town Creek Park with the Plein air Auburn group. Hope I can show you what I did.

Georgia O'Keeffe Study

Another study, this time it is from a painting done by Georgia O'Keeffe. Georgia lived from 1887-1986. Georgia O'Keeffe, known for her bold and colorful still-life compositions, was inspired by nature. We see the elements all throughout her work, flowers, driftwood, animal skulls and the infinite views of the desert. Her flower prints, especially, used bright colors as seen in "Black Iris" and "Red Poppy". Her oversized flowers are what Georgia is most well known for. She often painted huge canvases of flowers, sometimes showing the entire flower and others times she would focus on just a portion and paint a close up image of it. Flowers, though, were not the only subjects she used for her giant prints. She also painted many oversized scenes of "the faraway", the affectionate name she had for the northern New Mexico desert.

Here is my study of Oriental Poppies painted in 1928. I am submitting to the blog Following the Masters:

http://followingthemasters.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Elizabeth Pruitt Workshop

I went over the weekend to a workshop with Elizabeth Pruitt this weekend and had a wonderful time painting. She is a great teacher and I learned many things. Her florals are so pretty and she makes painting look so easy. I was overcome as I watched her demo because I had never gotten so close to see the brush work she did. I was amazed at how I was able to do this myself. I know I have been painting for a while but this was where I found my confidence. I am finding myself wanting to paint more now.
We did the small crabapples first and that was such a good warmup for the more complicated peonies. We stayed at Sarah Cary's retreat in Royston, GA. As usual, Sarah provided a wonderful experience with a bed and meals each day. I want to go more. And I will. I will go to a Kathie George workshop in Sept.
Here is Elizabeth's link: http://www.elizabethpruitt.com/

Vincent van Gogh Study

As part of my art education, Cheeko had me do a study of a master painting. I had to research and find out what paints were available to that artist at the time of the painting. I had to decide on who I wanted to study and chose Vincent van Gogh. His story appealed to me on many levels, he struggled with art for many years and always thought he was not ever good enough. Added to the fact that he had mental problems made this worse for him as well. He failed in love, he barely was able to make ends meet, of course, Theo, his brother contributed to Vincent so he could buy his pigments. He spent years trying to get by only to end up in a mental institution a couple of times. Poor Vincent, if he only knew how many people would come to love his work. Mine is the one at the bottom. I hope you enjoy.

I chose The Seated Zouave to do my study. Vincent first did a study in 1888 which was different from The Seated Zouave which I chose. Read what Vincent said in a letter to his brother: "I have a model at last.. a Zouave.. a boy with a small face, a bull neck, and the eye of a tiger, and I began with one portrait, and began again with another; the half-length I did of him was horribly harsh, in a blue uniform, the blue of enamel saucepans, with braids of a faded reddish-orange, and two yellow stars on his breast, an ordinary blue, and very hard to do. That bronzed, feline head of his with a red cap, I placed it against a green door and the orange bricks of a wall. So it's a savage combination of incongruous tones, not easy to manage. The study I made of it seems to me very harsh, but all the same I'd like always to be working on vulgar, even loud portraits like this. It teaches me something, and above all that is what I want of my work. The second portrait will be full length, sitting against a white wall."

Workshop Painting

As I promised, I will share the critique with you. Here is the finished painting, but I cannot determine one of the typos offered in the critique:

I think you could be a little more varied with the edges, and a little closer with the drawing, but you did a really nice job on this. It looks completely convincing and has a nice style to it too. The pitcher is fantastic! You really did a great job jumping the values and getting a feeling of noth (what the heck is that???) volume and reflection in there. My only criticism is really just keep an eye on the drawing, check it over and over, and trust your edges to go a little softer from time to time - it really will aid in the overall feelings of roundness that you want.

Well, this workshop was a lot harder than the first one I did with her but I learned a lot more. Painting glass and ceramic, sliver and wood, transparent olive oil and solid garlic...then to add to it a foreshortened knife. So you can see she packed a lot into the workshop. I really like doing this.

So, I am off to create my Plein Air Auburn blog. I could not find any outdoor painters already painting in Auburn so with the help of a watercolor instructor I met, we started a group. Details to come...