Working Large Workshop: Saturday 3 '13

Saturday was the last day of the workshop.   We each continued to work on our painting(s), while Bill walked around coaching each of us individually.    I worked on my 30x40" painting until noon then set it aside  because I wanted it to be as dry as possible when I put it in the car.  After lunch I worked on the 18" x 24 " painting and  brought it to the same stage as the first,  Neither a complete.   Both will require fine tuning of shapes, and textures and highlights, but I am quite happy with both.

Several, like me, had miles and miles to go after the workshop ended.. About three o clock we ended the painting and gathered into a group around a set of easels for a critique. One at a time each set our paintings onto the easels.  Bill keeps his comments constructive and too the point, and he was very respectful of the opinions of the others in the group .

This was a very advanced group of painters, so often the comments from the other artists in the group were really helpful.  Often their insights were as informative as those of the instructor. When they finished critiquing my work, I not only felt good about it, I had a clear idea of where I wanted to make changes.   ( I will post some new photos of the two paintings when I complete them).

   More importantly, as the workshop's title promised, I feel I can now face the prospect of  "Working Large Without Fear"

Working Large Workshop: Friday 3 '13

When we walked into the studio on Friday morning, Bill had the large canvas he had stretched the day before, toned, and set up on his easel with the reference photo below it.

He immediately began  applying blue lines for the design and blocking in large blocks of color

All the while he answered questions about materials, techniques from the artists in the workshop.  I learned a lot from the demo... like how to thin the oil paint  with Liquin and stand oil, and how long to let a layer on a large painting dry before moving onto the next layer..  That my sound simple, but it can mean all the difference between having a bright vibrant painting or having mud.

Bill coaching Patty with her painting

 After the demo,  we were instructed to work on our own painting  for the remainder of the day In the meanwhile Bill went from person to person coaching them on how to solve the issues their painting presented.

30" x 40" painting when I stopped working on it on Friday pm.

In my case, Bill encouraged me to  let the paint set up a bit on  my first painting by starting a second painting. I agreed to let the first could dry overnight..  By the time the day ended I had a good beginning on a 18" x 24" painting from a different reference photo,

and had worked up a hearty appetite for the wonderful group dinner we had at the Purple Onion in Saluda  that evening.

Working Large Workshop: Thursday 3"13

 Bill jumped right into instruction on the first morning of the workshop with a demonstration of how he  proofs his concept on a small  canvas before  working on a large one.  Above you can see how he taped  a reference photo to the side of his easel, then loosely sketched out the design in a thin blue wash onto a toned canvas.   He then filled in the design with large blocks of additional color which were build up from dark to light.  This gave him the first rough layer of the final painting.  

Stopping there, Bill asked each of us to put a thin wash of color upon the canvas supports we had brought with us, and select a reference photo  ( from his collection or one our own) to use as the basis for our first painting.

 I had already selected my reference photos and toned my canvas with red iron oxide prior to arriving at the workshop, so I set up my  workstation and began painting.  By lunch time I too had my design roughed in and was ready to start applying  the first large blocks of color.

But first things first.... a group lunch at the Saluda Grill.

After lunch, Bill gave us a demonstration of how to wrap a canvas onto a stretcher frame.

That was a learning experience for me.  Not at all difficult ( if you are 6'+ like Bill).  It gave me more confidence for  how I can work if I can't find the size canvas I need locally.

What is all that white stuff? 3"13

What is all that white stuff? I got snowed on Wed. nite in North Carolina. Big surprise... caught me totally unprepared. I was late to the workshop the next morning because I couldn't see through the ice on the windshield, and I didn't have an ice-scraper in the car, so it took me an extra twenty minutes of using the defroster on high to clear the windows enough to drive safely.

Working Large Workshop Reception 3'13

I am in Saluda, North Carolina for the  William Jameson workshop

"Working Large Without Fear"

Jeannette, Maryann, Anne, Judy, Patty

The workshop opened on Wed. evening  with a reception hosted by Ann and Bill Jameson for all of the artists and their families .

Eddie and Bill

It was a great chance to get to know one another and the spouses. 

and to learn one another's skills

Then Bill gave  us a tour of the studio space we would be working in, and gave us an overview of the next three days' agenda.

Bill, Patty, Ron, and Veronique

He also showed us samples of his work,

and what he means by working large.

I must admit... The latter revelation was more than a bit intimidating.

Oh Well, one can's progress unless one tries. Right???

Seagrove NC and surrounding areal 11 '11

As a special birthday treat Bruce took me to see the Seagrove Pottery Festival in North Carolina. But the pottery wasn't the only treat in store for me that day.   The scenery on the  trip itself was right out of an artists dream.

Now I know that with a name like Seagrove, you must be thinking ,

"this place is on the coast, right?"

Wrong! the Community of Seagrove, NC  is almost dead center of the state.

The town itself is small --- really only  a coffee shop convenience store and a post office on a single intersection surrounded by miles and miles of beautiful rolling farmland.  Every where you look there is some interesting and colorful building ( many of them are in use as pottery studios)

And then there are roads that lead off  seemingly aimlessly

which in reality are local shortcuts to other community gathering spots ..

like this general store which seems to be the entire town of "WHY NOT" .

It would definitely be worth a return trip just to be able to explore the area more thoroughly.

Kings Mountain, SC 11 '11

This weekend we are visiting King's Mountain State Park, SC

 and its sister site, Crowder Mountain SP NC

King's Mountain

It's the site of a famous Revolutionary War Battle that changed the course of the war In Oct. of 1792, the American Revolutionary war hero, Col. William Campbell  successfully led the patriots against  Lt. Gen. Charles Lord Cornwallis, commander-in-chief of the British army in the South.The Kings men had encamped on the top of the mountain, Campbell's troops used the cover of the forest to sneak up on them, but then they had to battle their way to the top while climbing up the exposed escarpment.  The patriots victory  at Kings Mountain SC was one of the most important events recorded in modern history.

Of course we too had to hike to the top of the King's Mountain

The trail is short but steep and. for the most part the trail is well shaded by the forest canopy, but the last several hundred feet are straight out rock climbing.  I kept reminding myself, that William Campbell's men had to climb the escarpment while battling Cornwallis' troops, so I had nothing to complain about.

    Eventually we both made it to the top of the peak

It was well worth the effort

The views were breathtaking in all directions

and I was really happy to find I could  still climb a mountain,
 even if it is only  1705' high!

Painting sold 10 '11

BJ's Boat

Ta Dah! Charleston Artists Gallery called me last night to tell me they had just sold one of my paintings, and would I please bring a replacement ASAP. I'd only been hanging there for 2 weeks. I knew I would be worth the drive :))

Artist Date in New Bern NC 8 '11

New Bern City Hall

BJ and I had been confined to the house far too much this week, so we decided to set aside our chores for a day and do something interesting. We set out sights on the small town of New Bern, NC. It is a four hour (one way) a road trip to this picturesque town and well worth the drive.  Whether you are an architectural painter or a  nature photographer, or just a lover of art and history, this place has it all.

Water Front

 New Bern is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse rivers in what is known as North Carolina's Inner Banks region. It was first settled by Europeans in 1710 by Swiss and German immigrants. It was named after the capital of Switzerland, Bern, meaning courageous, which is something these settlers must have been to brave the wilderness. New Bern is the second oldest town in North Carolina and served as the capital of the North Carolina colonial government and then briefly as the state capital.

County Courthouse

Today, New Bern has a population of roughly 30,000. people. Like most of America, most pf its day to day businesses and shopping have moved to newer shopping centers in the suburb. and it's inner city is struggling to find a new identity. Still for a community with such a small population, the residential and commercial historical areas are in remarkably good state of preservation. The unique architecture of those areas, along with the natural beauty of New Bern's location, has helped to make the town a bit of a mini tourist attraction.

The downtown area is very walkable, and every direction you go leads to something interesting. This path lead to a small courtyard park called "Bern Park which was filled with carved bears. (Actually the whole town has colorful statues of bears around it. I never did find out why. )

The town also has a lot of churches  And I do mean A LOT... all are beautifully maintained, with interesting facades.

New Bern's 's downtown commercial district is not only well preserved but has really interesting places to shop There are lots of eateries, art stores, and some great one of a kind places to visit.

This former bank building (c.1913), headquarters of the Craven Arts Council & Gallery, is both a cultural and architectural treat. The classical facade of Ionic columns provides a grand entrance for the two-story gallery. Changing exhibitions of various media such as painting, sculpture, photography, pottery and fiber art by artists of the southeastern United States are provided free of charge in the gallery area.  It is one of the most beautiful galleries I have ever visited. Be sure to visit the Bank of the Arts Sculpture Park on the corner of Broad and Middle Street across the street from the Cultural Council Gallery

PS I didn't get any photos of the residential neighborhoods, but if you enjoy photographing or painting architecture those are really interesting  as well.

References for Gallery hopping in Appalachia 11' 10

I  just came home from a week in the Blue Ridge Mountain area of South Western North Carolina.

The Blue Ridge Mountains are home to some of the finest artist and craftsmen in the United States. So  We spent much of my time seeking out and exploring the area's galleries. It wasn't hard to do... They were virtually everywhere. Along the smaller roads, quilters announced their presence by painting a quilt on the sides of their home, wood carvers and basket weavers sat their wares in open display stands in their front yards. Slightly larger communities might have a coop gallery representing several artists working in different media. And of course the larger towns and cities had multiple galleries pulling in art from all over the region. I visited too many to name them all, but here is the list of my favorites ( and their links):

• The Folk Art Center On the Blue Ridge Parkway had some of the finest art quilts I have ever seen, as well as wod carving, basketry, pottery, glassware, and many other local crafts. ...Folk Art Center. Milepost 382 Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville, NC or http://www.blueridgeheritage.com/attractions-destinations/folk-art-center
• 
  
•  The Blue Spiral Gallery in Asheville features Contemporary Fine Art and Craft for sale by Artists of the Southeastern United States The light-filled, 15,000 square-foot gallery spans three floors connected by an open stairway. Within the gallery are some of the finest contemporary art/craft I have ever seen anywhere! .... 8_Biltmore Avenue, Asheville NC 28801 or http://www.bluespiral1.com/gnews.htm
•  
• The Haen Gallery just down the street from the Blue Spiral is home to two of my favorite artists... Lynn Boggess and Larry Gray... See them at : 52 Biltmore Avenue Suite 101, Asheville NC 28801 or http://www.thehaengallery.com/ .
• 
  
• The SevenSisters Gallery in Black Moutain features fine arts and crafts including pottery, jewelry, sculpture,  paintings, glassware, and metal works all handcrafted by local artisans at: 117 Cherry Street, Black Mountain, NC.
• 
  
• And finally, The Silver Fox Gallery in Hendersonville was a new discovery for me and is  certainly destined for many return visits. This quietly elegant upscale gallery in Hendersonville is a delight. Color is a dominant theme with brilliantly hued ceramics by many fine regional and national artists. The glass art is equally eye catching particularly the richly hued works by Victor Chiarizia. The gallery walls are covered with fine paintings and intricate textile art and the rooms are warmly appointed with inviting hand-made furniture. It was as much of a home decorator store as a gallery, but almost everything was one of a kind,   Go to 508 N. Main Street Hendersonville, NC 28792 or http://silverfoxonline.com/index.html

Blue Ridge Mountains: Gallery Hopping 11'10

Sorta - Gallery Hopping in the Blue Ridge Mountains with pictures

The Blue Ridge Mountains may not have many name brand chain stores, but they are home to some of the finest artist and craftsmen in the United States. So in between enjoying the scenery, and the local produce, and the out of door recreational activities, I spent much of my time seeking out and exploring the area's artists. It wasn't hard to do... They were virtually everywhere. 

Towns Brevard

 Along the smaller roads, quilters announced their presence by painting a quilt on the sides of their home, wood carvers and basket weavers sat their wares in open display stands in their front yards.

Black Mountain Coop.

Slightly larger communities might have a coop gallery representing several artists working in different media. And of course, the larger towns like Hendersonville

Silver Fox Gallery in Hendersonville, NC

  Slightly larger communities might have a coop gallery representing several artists working in different media. And of course, the larger towns like Hendersonville

Blue Spiral Gallery Asheville, NC

and cities like Asheville

had multiple galleries pulling in art from all over the region.  We  saw some of the finest contemporary artwork we have ever seen anywhere in these galleries, and  I got enough gallery hopping in to satisfy me  for a good six months.

Blue Ridge Mountains: Lake Lure Surroundings 11 '10

 Lake Lure Surroundings

The low mountains around Lake Lure were ablaze with fall color when we were there

Tiny creeks have cut steep ravines throughout the entire area. 

.Homes, farms,, and entire communities, with names like Bat Cave and Chimney Rock, cling to the sides of these ravines, linked precariously by miles and miles of narrow winding roads

  a countless number of bridges, and an endless number of painting sites.  The sheer number of possibilities made my head swim.

Blue Ridge Mountains Nov '10

I spent a week in southwestern North Carolina on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Home base was a small resort town called Lake Lure, but other than a round of golf at the local course, most of the trip was spent investigating nearby areas of the Appalachia.

Lake Lure, NC in the late afternoon 

Top on my list of things to explore was the Blue Ridge Parkway. On a previous visited to the area I had traveled the Southern-most portion between Cherokee and Asheville, so this trip I  explored another hundred miles north of there on the Parkway between Asheville and Boone North Carolina.

CC on mile high Grandfather Mountain

While there was still plenty of fall foliage to see at the lower elevations, a storm the week before had stripped the upper ridges of most deciduous vegetation. The good news is that it cleared away the foliage so that one could see all the way to Charlotte NC some 90 miles to the South.  In my opinion the lack of foliage made for some much cleaner reference photos with a definite center of interest