Sandpiper Trail 11 '15

Jef Sturm is a well established regional oil painter, who is known for his loos brushwork and vibrantly colored landscapes.  When a member of my local guild told me that Jef was mentoring open workshop sessions, I jumped at the chance to get some tips on how I could loosen up. 

A reference photo of Sand piper Trail in Huntington Beach State Park, SC

The first session Jef had me bring one of my reference photos and try to paint it within  three hour period,  I  chose a photo I had taken of a hiking train through toe maritime forest in Huntington beach State Park, SC,  I used a palette knife and got most of the painting completed within the three hours.  It is worth noting that the restricted time allowed to paint the scene forced me to put in less detail and use looser strokes. 



Completed 8"w x 10" h oil painting of Sandpiper Train in HBSP

Jef's objective for this session was to learn how I paint and take note of my strengths and weaknesses.  He watched how I, set out my palette, the media I used, how  approached the subject, and the way I applied the paint. This time he didn't make many comments, but the next session he wants me to paint a scene from one of his reference photos.

PS You can see Jef Sturm's work at:
http://jefsturmpaintings.org/

Lake Thurmond Hickory Knob State Park 11 '15

 My 12" x 12" painting of Lake Thurmond at Hickory Knob State Park 

This is third week  of mentoring from Jef Sturm, He had originally suggested we paint the same scene together this week, but when I didn't receive a  source photo from him I thought he had changed his mind. Earlier this week I had started a painting of Hickory Knob State Park from one of my reference photos .  I had finished painting all the landscape portions of the scene and was really anxious to  complete the  painting while the vision was still in my head.

Reference photo for Lake Thurmond at Hickory Knob State Park.

The day the reference photo was taken it  was raining.   All the landscape colors were vibrant, but the sky and the lake were just a dull boring gray. I was hoping that Jeff would give me some tips on making the sky more dynamic. He did  look at the colors I was mixing, but  I guess he like the direction I was taking it as he didn't offer any direction so I finished it off on my own.  ( see the final painting above).

Meanwhile Jef  and another artist  started painting from a photo of a woodland and stream that he was projecting onto the wall.  It was very  informative watching how Jef paints.  The traditional way most of us learn to paint with oils is from dark to light. We start by putting down the darkest shape in some sort of dark blue, then the next darkest in the next  coolest color, and layering lighter shades atop the darker.  

Jef  uses a medium he mixes himself to thin his paint:   5 part gamsol, 1 part stand oil, one part  Damar Varnish (shake together until completely mixed) .  He dilutes his oil paints with this mix down to the consistency of water.  Then he paints large transparent shapes of every major value using various hues to cover all but the lightest part of  the white canvas.He uses a very large brush to do this.  The medium dries fairly quickly so by the time he has finished covering an 11 x 14 canvas, the first hue is dry enough to start adding another layer of transparent color atop of it.  When he is finished it is almost like looking at a watercolor, except that because he is layering atop dry paint, there is no mud. and the colors really sparkle.

I tried mixing some of this formula myself and playing with it at home.  It is wonderful for water with reflections, skies and other areas you want the light to show through (like leaves back-lit against a sky), but is less helpful for creating the heavy texture I love so much in oil paints.  In the next session,  Jef and I are each going to paint from one of my source paintings.  This will help me to better understand his technique for working with such thin layers.  I am pretty sure I will use  his approach in some parts of my paintings an continue to apply impasto like texture with a palette knife  in other sections.  Every new technique I learn has the potential to reshape my style into something even more exciting. So I am really looking forward to the next session.

Sedona Series' Cathedral Rock: 10 ' 15

Cathedral Rock Reflections 11'w x 14" h Oil Painting

This painting presented some interesting challenges.  The classic view of this landmark is usually viewed with the red spires reflected in Oak Creek's still waters.  To get this perspective photographers stand in the middle of the creek when the water level is low and there weather is cold enough that no one is in the  water. 

Unfortunately, on the day we were there, temperatures had reached 105 F, and  every inch  of water was occupied by somebody trying to cool off.    even upstream, in the areas where there was large areas of exposed rock and little water to splash in, there were families spread out everywhere ,picnicking and enjoying the view. I was finally able to snap a few  small puddles  in the rocks with good reflections, .  I had to crop the people out of the scene then  concentrate on painting a more interesting foreground.

A Nice reminder of 'Summertime' from FB" 10 '15

FaceBook just reminded me that I had posted this photo  two years ago today.  

These oil paintings were what remained from my featured artist exhibit, titled 'Summertime' which held at Charleston Artist Guild in 2013. Many of the paintings from that series sold at that exhibit. After the Charleston exhibit closed, I moved the remaining paintings to the Applewood Gallery.   This  was a pleasant reminder of how the series captured the sense of summertime playfulness of summer in the low country.

Finished?? TBD 10 '15

I think I have just about finished my painting of Slide Rock State Park in Oak Creek Canyon, AZ . ( I am still trying to decide whether I want to modify the sky color). 

In the meanwhile, I am going to start working on a new painting of Cathedral Rock at Red Rock Crossing. This is one of the most photographed places in the world, so it will be challenging to see if I can create an interesting perspective.

Sedona Series ' Airport Mesa Overview 9 '15

'Airport Mesa Overlook' 12" w x 9" h Oil Painting

We  visited the Airport Meas four times during our recent trip to Sedona, and I came away  with a gazillion reference photos  from  taken  almost every vantage point on the Airport Mesa Overlook Trail.  It was hard to decide from that  set, which scene I wanted to paint, but I finally settled on this one because it included the wonderful this  twisted juniper in the foreground, with West Sedona and Thunder Mountain in the background. 

Sedona Series' Kachina Vortex: 9 "15

Kachina Vortex  8"w x 10" h Oil Painting

We drove by the Kachina Vortex  several times on this latest trip, and got several shots of this formation at a distance  but unfortunately  we did not have time to hike  to this famous landmark on this trip. 

My  reference Photos from this trip did not give me the angle of view I wanted.

So I relied on photos I had taken on a previous trip,  combined with the sky from this trip, to paint the great lady of the valley.

Bell Rock Meadow: 7 '15

Bell Rock Meadow painting
I just finished my latest masterpiece. It was painted in oils with a palette knife from a photo I took of the meadows adjoining the Bell Rock parking lot. I've attached both the photo and a photo of the painting so you can compare the two. ( PS I will sign it once the painting has dried).

Photo of the actual Bell Rock meadow

Painting the Town:6 '15

Devil's Arch  (in Boynton Canyon)

Much of our time for the past month has been spent working the house for us being gone during the week we are tin Sedona. You know, all the usual preparation: clearing out all the leftovers in the fridge, deep watering the plants, arranging for a cat sitter, rearranging the garage so we could get the car in it ... work work work ... It's not the way to get excited about an upcoming trip.

Where's the Bear?

I decided to build some enthusiasm by looking through some of the photos I took on several different Sierra Club trips to the area. It worked! I started remembering all of the wonderful hikes we had taken in the area, and getting excited about revisiting those places, and finding new ones.

Moon Watcher

Looking at the photos I realized many of them would make great paintings, but I have never painted scenes from Sedona, or any of the Southwestern desert. Painting this landscape would require, me to explore a whole new color palette. In all probability. I won't have time to do any painting next week while we are in Sedona, so any landscapes I paint of the Sedona area are likely to be based on my reference photos. I decided to try painting a few landscapes from my favorite Sierra Club trip photos. That way I will be familiar with the color scheme, and set to go when I returned home with a new set of photos.

Bell Rock Trail

Above are some pics of the Sedona Series that I have been working on since the end of May. Unfortunately I don't have time to do a proper photo shoot, so the color is off, and they look a bit cartoonish due to the low resolution. They are much nicer in person.

For the paintings I have completed so far, I am using the old photos I took of the Sedona area landmarks prior to 1995. It will be interesting to see what has changed in that time. I will add more paintings to the series from the new photos I take on this trip. Once the series is complete, I  will properly photograph both these and the new paintings and repost them.

'Buy Local' series now on exhibit at CAG 6 '14

Here's a peek at some of my new " Buy Local" Series Paintings

"Creekside Beauties" 14" x 11" Oil

June 1st was the designated day for all the exhibitors at the Charleston Artists Gallery to refresh their  exhibit areas with new artwork.

"Got the Blues"  14" x 11 " Oil

I  had all the art work ready to go up, but was scheduled to be in California that day.

"Seeing Double" 14" x 11" Oil

My friend, Steve Jacobs offered to hang my new paintings for me.

"Take Home Sushi" 7" x 5" Oil

Thanks for the help hand,  Steve.

Preparing the ' Buy Local' Series for Display 5 "14

Test layout using tiles to measure

My new 'Buy Local Series' paintings are signed, sealed, and ready to deliver to the Charleston Artists Gallery on Saturday.  Now I need to find the best  way to arrange them together before they get hung on the gallery walls..  The best way, I have found,  to do that is to measure off  areas. on my floor  that are the same dimensions as my wall-space(s).  (If you are unfamiliar with where you are going to be hanging, it is a good idea to visit or at least call the gallery ahead to verify the dimensions of where you will be and ask about any potential obstacles within that space  e.g. I once found myself working  around some light switches) Sometimes I use  blue painters tape, and sometimes I use the tiles themselves to mark the edges).  I  then start arranging the paintings  within that space until I come up with a pleasing combination.  Once I am satisfied with the layout, I take a quick reference photo, and mark down on a piece of paper the number of inches between each painting, and the number of inches the top and bottom paintings are  from the ceiling and floor.  Together the photo and layout measurements give me a quick way to start hanging once I arrive at the gallery.  If I have multiple columns of paintings I start hanging from the lower right and work up.  If I am only hanging a single column, I work from the top down. 

It may seem like a lot of extra work, but taking the time to do this one extra step is worth it. It's amazing how much smoother the art goes up with a little advance planning.

CAG sells another of my paintings 4 '14

Great White Hunter 8" x  12" Oil

Thank you ,  Charleston Artists Guild  Gallery for finding a good home for my painting of the

 "Great White Hunter"

What are those pink flowers? 4 '14

  "What are those pink flowers?" a friend from the West coast wrote.  "They're azaleas",  I wrote back... but wait I thought... I don't know if she will believe that answer.   It's a good question to keep in mind when one is attempting to paint a scene the viewer might never have experienced. I grew up in the wide open ( but arid) spaces of the west coast myself.  A large azalea on the west coast might reach two foot tall and three foot wide.  Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I might have suspected that  the profusion of vegetation was a bit overstated  if not outright fabricated.  Let me assure you, it is neither. 

Small Part of Brookgreen Gardens' Pine forest in Spring

The sheer size of the flowering plants  in Spring can be overwhelming.  In the older established gardens, the azaleas can reach twenty feet, and the flowering trees are taller.

The photo below will give you some sense of the heights...  They dwarf me.

CC  with azaleas at Magnolia  Gardens

And they are everywhere

 Magnolia Gardens path

There are acres and acres of woodland paths and walks like these at at Magnolia Gardens and Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens walkway

Even personal gardens are a mass of blooms.

Azaleas and Dogwood  at Pawleys

 It can all be a bit overwhelming.  The sheer profusion makes it hard to  know what to focus upon, much less even get a clean photo of it.. Painting the scene becomes an exercise in deciding on what is the center of interest, and trying to remove anything in the scene that  might distract the viewers' focus.

Brookgreen Garden's Gate

The photo  above shows the garden gate where I painted the scene below.  ( en plein air not from the reference photo).  Far from being overstated, I actually had to subdue a lot of color and edit out  many shapes to keep the painting  from seeming cluttered and even garish.

My painting of "The Garden Gate"

 Maybe that is why so few artists tackle full blown flower filled  Spring landscapes.  They require hard mental work and  are very tricky to pull off well.

Forsythia 4 '14

The forsythia bush at the edge of the Pawleys Plantation putting green is in full bloom. It is so beautiful when it is back lit. I couldn't resist trying to capture it on canvas.

On my Easel 4'14

It's been a cold wet winter, made even more depressing by the passing of several loved ones..  As always, I  have turned to painting the beauty of nature for comfort.

At first I had to look for it... At the End of January the skies were gray, the ground wet, and the grasses and most trees still dormant, but here and there a shrub would burst into bloom reminding me that life does goes on.

  By the end of February  the grasses were greening , the  Flowering Pears were starting to bloom and spring bulbs were starting to appear.

 

 These were followed by the more colorful peach and cherry trees.

And now everywhere I look there are massive displays of  joy in being alive.

While my heart is still heavy with loss, but  the act of documenting all this youthful exuberance has been teaching me a good lesson.  Life is a process,  not a single event, and  one should appreciate each and every moment with the  people and the beauty they bring into our lives.

Oconee State Park just Sold 2 '14

Thank you Seacoast Artists Guild for selling my painting "Oconee State Park" to a good home. It was one of my favorites.

In support of Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 2 '14

The February 14 – 16, 2014 Southeastern Wildlife Exposition is a major event in the South Carolina and Charleston calendar.  I am helping to support the event by exhibiting  a wall of my paintings of South eastern birds at the Charleston Artist Guild.

PAP-SE Wet Paint Show Opening 11"13

And the PAP-SE paints Charleston Marathon continues:

All week long we've been watching the nationally, and internationally known artist members of PAP-SE painting in on the streets  and surrounding marshes of  Charleston.

 

   This evening we got to see three  of the paintings produced by each of the artists at  the

Wet Paint Show Opening - Nov. 8 

While I had enjoyed watching the  artist's work in progress,  it was even better to get to talk with them without fear of interrupting their  concentration,

 and to see their beautiful artwork finished and framed.

 Their work will continue to be on display  until Nov 16th 

  at three adjacent  Charleston galleries:

Coco Vivo - 25 Broad Street,

 Galerie on Broad - 29 Broad Street

and Edward Dare - 31 Broad Street

Plein Air Painters of the South East Paint Shem Creek 11'13

Usually, I am the one in control of  a paintings progress, but at last Saturday's  paint out in Washington Square  I got a taste of what it is like to be on the other side of the easel watching someone  else develop the subject.  I have to admit I was  feeling very frustrated by  having to leave before I could  see the artwork through to completion.

I was delighted to learn that the fine artists of Plein Air Painters of the South East  were planning on painting  painting together again at Shem Creek.  

My friend Annette Goings and I left very early so we could insure getting to the Shem Creek Shrimp Docks  while the light was ideal and the artists were still in the early stages of the composition .  Even so, there were still  several early birds who  had nearly finished  one painting  before we arrived , and were about to begin another.

Frank May

Frank May and Diane Cruickshanks May were bundled up against the cold
 on an exposed boardwalk

Diane Cruickshanks May

  painting the "Sea Horse" upstream from where they were set up.

"The Seahorse"

Jim Richards

James Richards and Lori Putnam had set up inside a sheltered gazebo to paint the

 "His and Hers" and the "Capt. Tang"

Lori Putnam

 This is how the shrimp boats " looked from  their field of vision.  They had nearly finished their paintings and were about to begin another when I arrived 

His and Hers and Capt Tang

Jim and Lori  and had nearly finished their paintings, 

Frank May  and Diane Cruickshanks May( Foreground)

when Frank May and Diane  Cruickshanks May showed up to begin working on their  second paintings of the morning .

Mrs Judy Too and Winds of Fortune

 Within a half hour of our arrival, a dozen or more painters  had arrived and set up along the boardwalk.

Dee Beard Dean and Annette Goings

Dee Beard Dean  was one of the first to arrive.

Hodges Soileau and Dee Beard Dean

Hodges Soileau set up next to her 

Sea Horse from Hodges and Dee's viewpoint

Both artists had a similar line of sight of the  "Sea Horse", but each painting was unique

Sea Horse from Shannon's vantage

Shannon Smith had slightly different angle of view 

And an entirely different approach to the subject

One thing all of the painters had in common was that they each elected  to paint the shrimp boats as opposed to the marsh.   I am not sure if that is beacause it was a unique opportunity to do so for the many landlocked artists in the group, or if it is just because they felt that boats well better.  But it was interesting to not that almost everyone painted a shrimp boat as opposed to a marsh scene.

For More about the Plein Air Painters of the South East

Check out their website at: http://pap-se.com/

 or their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/papsoutheast