Lori Putnam

Travel, Paint, Travel, Paint, Travel, Paint

2011-11-02T16:44:00.002-05:00

Just a quick post here (between suitcase stuffing and unstuffing) to share a few pieces from recent travels. With winter just around the corner, I'll be creating large pieces from many of these small plein air works... in the comfort of my warm studio.

(Yes, I do plan to paint outdoors this winter too. Bring on the snow!)

August in Ireland

"View from the Castle"

September in Italy


"Parking in Venice"

October in Florida

"Scattered and Smothered"

Also October in Carmel

"You Rock!"

Thanks for looking. View more works from these trips by visiting my website at

www.loriputnam.com

Cotton, linen, board, and other painting supports and surfaces

2011-09-04T11:37:00.000-05:00

The Surface Itself

"What do you paint on?" I am asked this question quite regularly, and I am afraid my response usually sounds a bit vague. The truth is that I used to be very close-minded about my painting surface. Over time I have become excited about a variety of experiments on many surfaces. This is due in part to discovering Gamblin Oil Painting Ground.
This "yum in a can" is how I re-coat old panels and canvas so they can be reused. Applied very thinly with either a palette knife, brush, or old credit card, it provides an interesting surface that I really like.

image courtesy www.gamblincolors.com

"Arched Angel" 8x6

It is slightly slick, but not absorbent as the slick surface marble-dust boards. (Yes, I use those sometimes too.) On either surface, I can lay on thinned paint in an almost "scratchy" manner, and leave those underneath layers peeping through in spots. It provides a lot of dimension in the work. Plus, I have recovered probably thousands of dollars worth of old panels. It has become a running joke that these are "magic panels" and when I having a painting that 'fails' I get excited that it will become a re-coat! If the panel or canvas has some texture from an old painting, all the better.

(detail)

So why, you ask, don't I just coat everything with this stuff and build up a nice texture to begin with? That brings me to my next painting surface that I enjoy... linen.

image courtesy www.utrecht.com

Woven from flax, linen weave can show throughout many layers of paint, and there are times when I just want the feel and look that linen will provide. For me, it is strictly a personal thing and I really cannot put my finger on why I choose this sometimes and not others. It has to do with some aesthetic – some finished picture I have in my mind of the painting before I ever even start it. Linen, as well as cotton, yarka, and a handful of other types, come with different types of gesso applied. Mine is a single-primed-alkyd, but you may also want to try double-primed surfaces, oil primed or lead primed surfaces. Until you personally feel the difference, it is hard to know what you might enjoy. Many artists apply their own priming to achieve a personalized surface.

image courtesy www.utrecht.com

For several years, I only used a single-primed-alkyd cotton canvas. I still use it sometimes. All I can say here is that it gives a different finished look. One that is a bit softer than the linen where I can achieve nice crisp edges more easily.

Being one who loves to experiment, I also enjoy painting on prepared boards. I'll not go into great detail here, but will provide you this link to an article on preventing warping and surfacing boards for oil paint. Because of a recent request from a museum exhibition, I am also working with oil on paper right now. It's all quite exciting and fun!

When I have painted a study en plein air using one type of surface and then get to the studio and decide to paint a larger painting on a different surface, I need to consider what problems, if any, this will cause in the final product. Sometimes there are none, but sometimes I may need to go the extra length to make certain I have the proper surface to say what I want to say. Taking a few days or weeks to prepare the right support is always worth the time and effort.

What is the difference between Sizing and Priming?

Size is a glue barrier that prohibits the ground and paint from contact with and penetration into the fabric. In the case of rabbit skin glue sizing, it adheres all the fibers to each other so that they expand and contract together and react to environmental changes as one unit rather than each thread acting independently. When different areas of the painting react separately to the environment, you would get cracking of the paint film, and similar problems.

Priming, also known as the 'ground' or 'gesso' is an absorbent coating which provides the paint a porous, reflective surface to adhere itself to. The gesso is not a size and will not seal or create a barrier: just the opposite, it is absorbent. (link to this article)

Panels vs Stretched Canvas

image courtesy www.windriverarts.com

When I paint en plein air, I always use a "panel" of some sort. These are typically cotton or linen that has been mounted with archival glue on an acid-free backing such as gatorboard or Sintra. I have also used panels with dibond, birch, or multimedia board as the mounting surface. I truly love painting on panels, and the fact that they are so thin and lightweight means I can pack dozens of them in my suitcase. There is nothing at all "less impressive" about having a painting that is on a panel as opposed to having a painting on stretched canvas. Some of the most highly paid artists I know use ONLY panels, even for their large studio work. Just be certain they are prepared properly with non-acid glue and backing. There are many panels that are commercially made, and you will find dozens of links to companies online. A few popular places to order online include RayMar, SourceTek, or Windriver Arts. Or, you can make panels yourself. Follow this link to see how to make your own panels.

In the studio I usually work on stretched canvas. Its response to my brush is very different than working on panels. This is something I don't think about much anymore, but I remember when it was an obstacle for me. I find large canvases are easier than large panels for me to handle in the studio. That probably has more to do with the cumbersome nature of something over 36 or 48 inches than anything else. Follow this link to see how to stretch your own canvas.

So much more could be said here. I have literally just "scratched the surface" LOL. Hopefully this will give you some incentive to do a little research and experiment on your own. There is no better way than discovering for yourself!

Reflecting on Italy and some older works

2011-08-31T10:44:00.000-05:00

2008 piece, View from La Rondanai, plein air. Learned some difficult things on this one.


2008 piece, Taking Leave, plein air with Dawn's encouragement.


2008 piece, Paolo's Bano, plein air with Toni Hooper while Paolo skinny dipped (some of you know this story.)

2008 piece, Umbrian Greens, plein air following our move to the tiny borgo of Eggi near Spoleto.

Three years ago today, Mark and I began our 8-month stay in Italy . (Follow this link to stories about our trip.) We started by spending 2 months in a little town on the Adriatic coast called Peschici. It is right on the spur before you head down into the heel of the boot, and our lovely home, La Rondinaia, sat on cliff's edge with views of both sunrise and sunset over the sea. Sometimes we still cannot believe we did it. I've been thinking a lot about Peschici lately and missing the wonderful people we met there. We never dreamed we would go so many years without returning.

As most of you probably know by now, we sold our house in Tennessee and all of our belongings to make the trip. It was to be a trip of a life-time, with the sole intention of my painting purely for artistic growth (as opposed to producing works for exhibits and galleries). It was a lot of pressure to put on myself, knowing that we were investing everything we had in "me." But in such economic times, it seemed as good a thing to invest in as any.

Taking this work very seriously, I painted day after day in the Puglian sun... experimenting, failing, and falling flat on every piece. It was terribly frustrating. We had given so much and come so far and I was constantly disappointing myself at every turn. Looking back on it, of course, I can see that it was difficult artistic growth (the very thing I had come for) that was making my life so difficult in this paradise.

About this time, my friend Dawn Whitelaw came over for a visit. Any of you who have ever met her know that giving up is simply not an option. Her encouragement and determination was exactly the fuel I needed.

Dawn's visit along with other visits from artist friends Toni Hooper and, once we moved to Umbria, Cynthia Vowell, inspired me beyond expression. So, was it the location and setting of Italy that prompted growth? Was it the fact that I had less pressure to "produce a specific product?" Or was it the help and advice of great friends? Probably a combination of all of these things (plus some really great food and wine)! I am still growing from that experience and the hundreds of others that have happened since. That's the thing about this job. As long as we are open to challenges and willing to work hard, we will never grow tired or bored or complacent.

Set yourself a goal. Do what it takes to reach it!

Looking to visit Peschici? I am currently planning a workshop there for 2013! Let me know if you are interested.

Art in the Open, Wexford Ireland Plein Air

2011-08-04T12:34:00.005-05:00

Wexford Harbour

The festival, a touch of important history, and a taste of local hospitality

Billed as the largest plein air festival in Europe, the County Wexford Ireland welcomed 120+ painters to their beautiful fishing villages along the south eastern coast along the Irish Sea. Artists from France, Spain, Finland, the U.S., and, of course, Ireland turned out for the event which included 10 days of paint outs, scheduled guest demonstrations, a free art critique, 3 days of competition, a Quick Draw, and plenty of local socializing and culture.

A welcome relief to the overwhelming U.S. heat, I enjoyed the cooler temps and occasional light drizzle in the lovely part of the world. As a painter, my personal approach is to capture the character of a place by interpreting the light of the day and general mood of my surroundings. My work is an expressive response to interpret my visual intention. Many painters with whom I paint at home do this as well. The media may differ, but the general "plein air" movement in the U.S. holds a relatively tight range of painting styles, most closely-connected to realism. One of the most fascinating things to me about the artists represented in Art in the Open, was the diversity of work produced. There were representational artists, surely, a few of whom such as myself who were impressionistic in style and a handful of others seemingly more illustrative in nature. But there were also abstract artists, abstract expressionist artists, and experimental mixed/media artists as well, many of whom received awards for their bold works. I have to say, that it was an interesting adventure for me, after being part of so many events where most of the art looks very much the same.

It's true! Guinness is much better in Ireland.

I cannot say enough great things about the organizers of the festival. Tony and Trish Robinson and their crew of volunteers thought of everything from parking passes to pints. Upon my arrival to Wexford on Wednesday July 27th, I was directed to the White's Hotel for check-in, invited for a Guinness, and scheduled a 'lift' to the paint out arranged for the following day at Kilmore Quay.

Marsha Savage, Georgia, paints at Kilmore Quay

Kilmore Quay

Kilmore is a quaint harbor filled with colorful fishing boats, shiny mud-flats at low-tide, and fresh-caught fish and chips for mid-day lunch. While not a part of the official competition period, this 'casual paint out' drew dozens and dozens of painters to the little town. Following our afternoon of painting and our lift back to the hotel, we were invited to meet-up for a pint, and to make arrangements for the next day's trip to Enniscorthy. During my trip to Enniscorthy, a tour of Wexford's new Opera House had been scheduled for Mark. Mind you, I had only mentioned briefly that he was a classical musician in an email months ago. The house manager even offered a space in which Mark could practice for several hours. The opera, now in its 60th season, has been in this new modern structure for the past two years.

The town of Enniscorthy, complete with medieval castle, was our first official day of competition.

Enniscorthy Castel

Scones, coffee, and excited locals there to greet the 87 of us who made the trip to this lovely town. Arrangements had been made for anyone who wished to paint from atop the battlements of the castle, overlooking the town, the River Slaney, and Vinegar Hill. an engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 when over 15,000 British soldiers launched an attack outside Enniscorthy. The largest camp and headquarters of the Wexford United Irish rebels, it marked a turning point in the Irish Rebellion as it was the last attempt by the rebels to hold and defend ground against the British military. I could have enjoyed painting here for several days! There was so much more to see than I had time. So many people stopping, talking, excited about the festival, and hoping to catch an glimpse of an artist's view of their life. A local gentleman who chatted extensively about art and the interesting impressionist way in which I paint, left for a few moments only to return with a box of hard candies for me. After so much talking, he thought I might need them to keep my mouth moist through the day.

Paul Strahm, California, painting his winning painting in Enniscorthy

Local musicians at T. Morris Pub

Mussel Boat Pier

The evening's social sponsored by T. Morris pub back in Wexford included three main food groups… burgers and sausages, and beer. Local musicians provided even more flavor to our evening.

Taking a look toward Crescent Quay

On Saturday morning, artists painted the town of Wexford from its quiet little back streets to Kaat's Strand. Many artists worked along Mussel Boat pier, painted one of the twin churches, or near Selskar Abbey. In a picturesque park along the west side of Crescent Quay, stands a statue of Commodore John Barry. Presented by America to the town, this Wexfordman is deemed as "the true father of the American Navy." Fitting considering that Annapolis, Maryland is Wexford's "twinned city."

The Quay, 9x16

Fife and Drum Corp at the Bullring

Saturday afternoon's festivities included a Quick Draw competition downtown beside the Pikeman, a statue commemorating County Wexford as the center of the rebellion against English rule in 1798. The streets were literally packed with painters and townsfolk. A Fife and Drum corp played in the bull ring (named from the medieval sport of Bull-baitin), and many of the local businesses sponsored the Quick Draw by offering a prize for the best painting of their establishment. Additionally, there were three top awards given, two of which went to U.S. painters Don Maier, First Place and myself, Runner Up. I have to say it is a lot of fun to be handed a wad of euro for your painting!

Quick Draw Runner-Up. See my cute blue ribbon? In the foreground is the painting's happy new owner.

On Saturday evening, I had the great pleasure serving as one of three clinicians leading an informal critique and discussion. Artists were invited to bring in works painted outside of AITO competition for professional appraisal and assessment. Again, I was so impressed with the range of styles of work presented for during the two-hour session.

The final day of competition was also spent in Wexford. The morning started rainy but cleared to a beautiful afternoon for painting. Works were submitted early evening to the contemporary glass building of Green Acres which includes a lovely restaurant downstairs, spacious Pigyard Gallery on the second floor, and more gallery and class room space above.

More than 300 guests at the opening at Pigyard Gallery

On Monday Marsha Savage and I took a walk out to paint what is known as "Yankee Harbour," where an American Airbase was established at Wexford. American airmen from the base patrolled St. Georges Channel to search out enemy U-boats. While painting the distant rolling hillside, the harbor, Wexford Bridge, and other spectacular views, hundreds of people were coming into that same are to attend the finals of a huge tennis tournament. One of them stopped by with chocolate-covered 'rice crispy' treats for us.

I would estimate that there were between 200 and 250 paintings hung and ready for sale by opening and awards time on Monday at 4 p.m. The U.S. made proud again with Paul Strahm taking one of the dozen or so awards of the evening. The gallery was packed with people, probably 300 or more in attendance, with not a drop of wine or crumb of cheese in sight. How amazing that so many people came just to view the art!

Following the opening, many of us gathered for an after-party at Thomas Moore's Tavern where once again the giving, sharing, and generosity of these lovely people was overwhelming.

When can I eat what where???

Laws governing who can serve beer, where you can consume it, and who can serve food and at what time of evening, and were never quite clear to me. At around 9:30 (or, as they say 'half of nine') we tried to order an order of "chips" and were told we could not order any food after 9:00. Although the drinking of beer could go on for hours more. Mark and I left the pub around 10:00 searching for something to eat, only to end up back at our hotel a few minutes later having found none. There, waiting for us at the front door, were two of our new Irish friends, Jane Meyler and Louise Treacy, who had gone to their favorite local "chips" place and picked up a fresh, hot order for us. The fish and chips places boast that they only use new potatoes, making their 'fries' short and stubby rather than long and skinny, and much, much more potato-flavored. Included our the order was something called a "rissole." It is much like our southern, Thanksgiving dressing, with the added ingredient of potatoes, patted like small burgers and fried. YUM.

Michael Drury, California, on Rosslare Strand

Elaine Hurst, Virginia, with toes in the Irish Sea

Painters at Rosslare Strand


David Diez, California

On Tuesday, another open paint out in Rosslare was attended by around 60 or so painters, painting the pebble and sand beach, palm trees (who knew?), and cliffs along the strand in beautiful sunshine. Mid-day our hosts invited everyone to their home on the bluff overlooking the Irish Sea for a barbecue followed by more painting in the afternoon. When we arrived for lunch at Jane's lovely yellow cottage, we were greeted with an American flag flying from one of the utility poles. Such extra touches of hospitality these people think of. This same host had gone the extra mile to welcome us by learning "Tennessee Waltz" on her guitar.

Jane's delightful cottage high above the strand

Welcome U.S.A.!

Neil O'Keefe, Michael Drury, Barry Lynch and Tony Robinson on the cliff's edge

One of our other new friends, Neil O'Keeffe, generously offered to give us a lift to the Dublin airport the next morning, which made leaving this beautiful place a bit more tolerable for us. With hugs all around, and more than a few tears in my eyes, I left this place from where my roots most certainly stood firm generations ago.

For more information on the event, to be included in next year's communication, or to see more photos, visit one of these sites:

http://www.artintheopen.org/
http://pleineire.ning.com/
https://www.facebook.com/artintheopen

Keeping Motivated

2011-07-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

Shady Azaleas, (studio) 30x40

A few months ago, I asked you to submit ideas for the blog. Slowly, but surely, I am working toward addressing those. It is great to have so many wonderful ideas for you! Since my blog is so sporadic in nature, seems only fitting that the topics bounce all over the place. This week I have chosen a short post on keeping motivated.

Often times I am asked, "How do you keep motivated?" The first and most apparent answer is, that I have a lot of work to do so I have no option but to stay motivated. After all, this is my JOB... not some pass time. If I still worked in graphic design, I'd be putting in 60 hours or more a week. If I was still in the administrative position I had prior to that, I'd be working at least 40 hours a week. So why should this career be thought of as less important?

In a "normal" working environment, employees are required to be at work, complete the work, and be committed to whatever it takes to make money for the company. Employees are often asked to attend professional development seminars, go on company retreats, join professional associations, and become a part of the larger, company-network. Why then is it that as artists, these are the things that often take a back seat?

Here are some ideas to keep you motivated as a better "employee" at YOUR own company--Sally Sue's Art Career (SSAC):

Discover for yourself if you are a "full-time," or a "part-time" employee of SSAC. If you are full-time, plan to spend no fewer than 40 hours a week; if you are part-time, set yourself a goal that is reasonable so you can stick to it (10 hours, 15 hours???)
Invest in your professional development. If you need more help with the art-making part of your career, attend a workshop for that. If you need organizing help, find someone who seems a good role model and ask for private consultation (paid, of course).
Get outta town. Make your own retreat to paint on location, sketch, get new photos in your resource pile. Sometimes just going some place inspiring can really get you going!
Join a local art group. It's like instant motivation and peer pressure all wrapped up into one. Really become a part of it; volunteer; set up paint-dates.
Start actually saying, "I'm an artist." When someone asks you what you do, admit that you are an artist. That sort of self-pressure can get you back at it if you've been away for a while.

So this is all well and good, but more often people want an answer that has less to do with the business of motivation, and more to do with the psychological side. Artists get burned out just like everybody else. Sometimes you just cannot imagine what in the world you want to paint or even IF you want to paint. Here are a few things that can get your motor running:

Look through photos from a vacation you took years ago. You may not have known how to tackle some of those images from a painting standpoint back then, but chances are you do now!
Go to a museum, a few galleries, or artists' books (the kind with images of an artist's work rather than the instructional kind) and look at art for the pure joy of it.
Ask a friend to let you come watch them paint for a couple of hours. Remember to be respectful of their time; do not come in and chat for half an hour, sit and be very quiet; offer to pay them for the "demo" you are getting.
Look back at some very old paintings and compare them to some of your newer pieces. You may not realize how much better you have become at your craft. Seeing growth is exciting.
Put on some tunes. Just getting a high energy song playing can dramatically change your mood.
If you're still stuck, at least get out the paint, squeeze it on your palette, and mix some colors. Color mixing and making color charts is very educational. And, because you've squeezed out paint, you're likely to want to start spreading it on a canvas. If you still do not know WHAT to paint, then just play with paint. New techniques come out of exploration with the medium.
Whatever you do, you must first stop making excuses and stay away from things that eat up your day like too much social media, BLOGGING, and chatting on the phone. If there are activities that distract you, like checking email, remove them. Get off the web; turn off the phone; whatever it takes. If you're trying to stay on a diet, you do not fill your house with cookies (as I just did... preaching to myself here.) So if you're trying to get on a painting schedule, do not fill your painting area with things that tempt you to stop painting.

Hope this helps. If you have ideas that help YOU stay motivated, I hope you'll share them here.

Shady Azalea, (plein air) 8x10

As always, I have posted a painting at the top of the blog. This is a studio piece recently completed using ONLY my plein air sketch as a reference. Here is the sketch, and a video showing the process. Enjoy!

More on Color Charts: Neutrals

2011-06-09T13:38:00.001-05:00

Neutrals Color Chart

My good friend Dawn Whitelaw helped me realize that the world we live in is mostly neutral. That is (and sorry Dawn if I misquote you) colors are generally either a neutral that is bent toward a color, or a color that has been slightly neutralized.

Some of you have requested more information on how to make the "neutrals" color chart. (For information on the brights colors chart, see previous post.) Below is a diagram showing what I mixed to get what result. Your results will be slightly different, of course, because the neutrals you mix from which you begin the process will no doubt be different than mine were. Actually, if I did this chart today, my colors would be slightly different based on what I have right now that is "leftover" on my palette and how it might serve as one of the neutrals I mention.

Hopefully the chart is readable here. I had to make it a little small so that it would fit properly.

So, to begin, on the SECOND row from the top, place your colors as they transition around the color wheel. Position 1 is yellow plus green; position 2 is yellow; position 3 is yellow plus orange and so on.

On the FIRST row, tint each of those original color piles to a mid-value using white.

Now, mix 3 piles of "neutral." Each pile should "lean" a little differently from the other. For instance, one neutral might be really called something like "battleship gray," or "Payne's Grey," maybe it leans toward blue a little. One pile could be associated more closely to "brown slacks," or "Raw Umber," and have a little greenish or yellowish tint. The last pile might be kinda of "russet brown," or "Burnt Umber," leaning toward some deeper red tone. These neutrals are shown as "Neutral 1, 2, and 3" on the chart. (You could mix many more neutrals, but we will start here.) After you mix these 3 neutrals, tint each one out slightly with white to mid-range and place a little of that color where it says "Mid-value" under each of the neutral colors on the left.

Next, you will mix a little of the full strength neutral with each of the colors in the second row and place them alongside the neutral (i.e. row 3 is a mixture that contains Neutral 1 and each of the colors from row 2.) The next row is each of the colors in the second row mixed with the Neutral that has been tinted to mid-value.

Follow this for each of the neutrals you pre-mixed and their mid-values.

On this chart, you see some miscellaneous neutrals at the bottom. I was just playing here and using up space and paint by mixing ALL of the used color on my palette together to come up with an additional neutral (see in the bottom right hand corner and tinted out to a 10-value scale). I then started mixing with some of my colors in the second row just to see the sensitive variations this pile of "mud" might make.

The key is to experiment and to keep records of what you do so that you can refer back to the charts. The longer you mix with these basic colors, the faster it becomes until you develop such habits that you no longer think about how you mixed a color... you just do it like breathing in and out.

For additional posts on color charts, start here.

Good luck!

Rain in California -- Happy Painting Time!

2011-06-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

Morning at Garrod's, 12x16 p lein air, private collection, Artists' Choice Award Los Gatos, CA

I just returned from the Los Gatos Plein Air Festival where the rain and cold were totally unexpected for this time of year. Being no stranger to rain, I loved it. Although I felt for the organizers who had to work so much harder to provide tents and lights during the outdoor sale on Saturday.

Every morning it was beautiful! Being on central time in my brain, I was up WAY before dawn on the West Coast, and that worked to my advantage. In "Morning at Garrod's" I worked very quickly to capture the light pattern as sun came streaming from the east at about 6:00 a.m. By 6:45, it was getting overcast and threatening rain. My feet were freezing and my teeth chattering. I had not prepared for this weather and had only a couple of layers and a sweater on. I really needed gloves and a coat! But this painting was so much fun that nothing would stop me from completing it.

Here is a close-up of the detail. See how much fun I had!!!!

(detail)

Afternoon at Buxton's, 9x12, plein air

Another quick "grab of sunshine," was this late afternoon piece looking out off the front deck of my host's home. Afternoon light moves fairly quickly anyway (with or without fickle weather). Just more proof that having a plan and sticking to it is the key to success.


Slight Chance of Sunshine, 9x12, plein air

So here is what it looked like the rest of the time we were there. Still... loads of fun to paint! Water dripping all over my palette, my hat soaked through, fingers frozen. Aahhh. This is the life.

One interior scene in the Los Gatos Brewing Company is shown with close-up detail here.

Between Lunch and Dinner (detail), 9x12

To see more pieces in their entirety, visit www.loriputnam.comwww.loriputnam.com

Gear Up: The Sequel

2011-06-07T16:56:00.000-05:00

This is the second part of a post on plein air gear. The first was about choosing the right easel for you.

Many of you asked how I actually pack my paint gear when heading out into the field for plein air work. Sorry it has taken so long. Here goes...

This pic shows everything I pack with the exception of a small digital camera which I am using to take this photo. : ) All of this will pack in my backpack except for the tripod. (Actually, I have two different sized Open Box M palettes. IF I use the smaller one, the tripod will fit as well.) For 99% of my painting excursions, this is exactly what I pack. There may be a slight difference in size of Panelroo, but you get the idea. I can either get one-8"x10" and one-6"x8" Panelroo inside the backpack together, OR one-9"x12" Panelroo by itself. (If I decide to take other sizes that are larger, I put them in a canvas tote-type bag and hang it over my shoulder.) Each Panelroo holds two panels safely without touching.

Here I have started packing the backpack. No kidding... I bought this Eddie Bauer backpack at a Marshall's or something for about $12. It's pretty worn out, but I just cannot bring myself to pay full price for a new one.

See how everything all stacks neatly? On the other side of the brush roll is a roll of paper towels. The backpack itself measures 18" tall by 11" wide and is approximately 7" deep with several smaller pockets and mesh pockets on either side.

I have used an interior pocket to hold the utility knife and some business cards and the mesh water-bottle pockets to hold the OMS can, sunscreen, metal brush holder, etc. on one side...

Bottled water, paint tubes (which I sometimes put in a paint roll), and bug spray are on the other side, and my sketchpad and viewfinder and a small pack of baby wipes are in the front pouches.

It certainly helps that I use a limited palette of only 3 colors and white. Usually I load fairly big piles of paint onto my palette from large tubes kept in the car, and pack the small tubes in my backpack for replenishing if needed.

Now it is all zipped up and ready to go except for the tripod.

Notice that I am a huge fan of cariabiner (clips)? I use them for everything I can think of. Below I show how I clip the tripod to a loop on the backpack on either the side that hangs off my back, or the strap that my arm goes through placing the tripod on the front. It just depends on the situation which I choose to do.

Sometimes I take along a plein air umbrella. I have a small one that will do in a pinch, and I can either cram it in the bag or in the canvas tote bag with the larger Panelroos I might carry. On occasion I also stick in a rain poncho there as well.

Well, that's it. Hope it was helpful.

America's Great Paint Out, Florida!

2011-05-30T18:51:00.000-05:00

"Beach Life," Quick Draw Mexico Beach, Honorable Mention, 9x14. Sold.

I have just returned from the Florida's Forgotten Coast Invitational Plein Air event located between Mexico Beach and Aligator Point. The towns and areas of Port St. Joe, Carrabelle, St. George Island, Summer Camp, Cape San Blas, Indian Pass, Eastpoint, Mexico Beach, and Windmark were hosts to some of the best painters I've ever had the privilege of knowing. It is a 10-day event, and the subject matter is so vast that I always wish I had longer.

photo by Sandie Yarbrough

"In for a Tune-up," Port St. Joe, 14x18. Sold

The town of Port St. Joe was this year's location for the "wetroom," Patron's Party, and all the big "to do." I wish I had a final headcount for the opening. It was packed, and the organizers had done a tremendous job of renovating the building with pristine walls and great lighting. The volunteers were really on top of things, making sales, and offering wonderful food and wine. Jim Richards took the one and only award given each year which is determined by vote from the artists. Truly an honor to win an artists' vote!

"Busy Day," 16x20 Apalachicola, FL

Apalachicola hosted the T.G.I.F. party, the full-moon paintout complete with bon fire. A few of the large shrimp boats captains were kind enough to leave their lights on which added even more choice for our late-night painting party. Apalach, as the locals call it, also exhibited works that artists brought with them from previous years' trips, or studio works derived from those pieces. If you've never visited historic Apalachicola, you really must go some time. It's an extraordinary, old Florida town with just something extra.

The Quick Draw was held at Mexico Beach (as the image at the top shows). We awoke to gale force winds and thunderstorms. But Mexico Beach must have some great connection upstairs because about an hour before the competition, the clouds parted and we had the most beautiful sunshine. We could literally watch the thunderstorms avoid us off in the distance. Ken Dewaard painted Toucan's restaurant and took first place. I was extremely happy to receive Honorable Mention.

Every year we are given the chance to sign up for a couple of specific locations to paint at predetermined times so that we can be "found" by people wanting to watch artists. There are usually 1 or 2 demos every day. The organizers print an Event Guide which includes all the major happenings and lists these demonstrations. Click here to see images of these demos and other event photos. This year I participated in the moonlight paint and in the demo at Eastpoint. I love painting Eastpoint. It is slowly coming back to life after Hurricane Dennis in 2005, but the beauty of the abandoned buildings along with the oyster boats makes it a favorite for me.


"Fixer Upper," Eastpoint, 12x16

There is so much more to share, but you get the general idea. I love this place. From the bay waters to the marshlands, to the powder white sand... I'm at home when I am there, eating my weight in shrimp. That's likely why I'm very excited to be offering a workshop there in October and there are a few spots remaining. Maybe you will decide to come along. To see more paintings from my trip, visit this direct link.

Be sure to save the date for next year's event, May 3-13.

Rules or Just Common Decency

2011-04-27T15:14:00.000-05:00

The sidewalks were surrounded by perfectly round azalea clumps and long cast shadows made by tall trees. I was drawn to these sprawling pink and white scrubby ones in the shade instead. "Shady Azaleas," 8x10, plein air.

We learn lots of rules throughout our formative years. We learn not to bite the other kids on the playground; to close the refrigerator door; and on which side of the road to drive. We also learn common decency. My mama would've said, "Learn to mind your manners." These are things like it's nice to hold the door when someone is coming through behind you; it isn't polite to talk with your mouth full; and to say 'please,' and 'thank you.' It stands to reason then, that as beginning artists the first things we want to learn are the rules for making a good painting. But later, even after we have a good understanding of these rules, we feel we have to remind ourselves of them in every painting we do.

A friend whose work I am totally ga-ga for said recently, "The only rules you need to know, are the ones that you don't have to remember." That is so true. Perhaps we need to consider moving beyond "the rules," and practice plain 'ol "common decency."

I believe that sometimes knowing all these rules can inhibit our growth and creativity. I remember a time when every painting I made had a focal point in that sweet 2/3 spot (modified golden mean); my landscape planes followed the same set of value rules we all learn (sun, ground, slants, uprights from lightest to darkest in that order); there was a nice curving "s" shape in the foreground; my distant hills were painted violet and everything in the foreground was warmer by comparison. My husband calls it my, "tree on left" phase. So, what did I do??? I switched to still life. And, you guessed it, every still life I set up and painted all looked the same too.

Exploring the rules many times over, and understanding the value in knowing them in the first place, now leads me to challenge them as much as possible. The more I look at paintings that I find truly amazing, the fewer rules I see. These are the works of artists such as T. Allen Lawson, Quang Ho, and others who are blazing the trail for the rest of us "rebels" to follow. It is as if these artists just have the common decency to do what is right. They have outgrown the elementary stage of their careers and moved on to the enjoyment part of it. I don't know about you, but I am ready for that! After all, I have pretty good manners for the most part. And honestly, when was the last time you actually had to remind yourself not to bite your friends?

It's Plein Air Season! Looking for an Easel?

2011-03-23T17:11:00.000-05:00

Recently I have received many questions regarding supplies and gear for painting en plein air. Your first big investment will be a portable easel. I'm not talking about one of those little three-legged jobs that can barely hold a display poster. I mean a "big girl (or big boy)" easel or "pochade" panel/palette box with tripod that can withstand at least a little wind and many years of use.

The difference between an easel and a pochade box or panel/palette box is basically this... an easel is a stand-alone thing based similar to equipment you might find in your studio but typically smaller, collapsible, and portable. A pochade is a panel holder and palette in one that needs some sort of additional support for its "legs" (such as a tripod with camera quick-release plate). The top "lid" portion holds your panel while the hinged lower section is used as your palette.

Rather than show images of all of these here, I am including some links to a few examples. If for any reason these links do not work, just do a search online and I'm sure you will find them. The standard French easel and it's little sister the smaller half-French easel; Soltek; Anderson Swivel easel; Guerilla Box; Artwork Essential's EasyL; Open BoxM; Coulter Plein Air System; Beauport Large Format Easel; The Stonefield Easel; the Alla Prima Pochade; and many, many more! There are even websites with building plans so that you can make your own. With so many choices, it can be totally overwhelming.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when considering which easel to purchase:

Will I be walking more than a few feet with my easel and plein air gear?
This is important to know because the weight of all of your supplies adds up really quickly. Think about carrying a big wooded box (like the French easel), paints, mineral spirits, brushes, sun screen, water, painting panels, extra mediums, your camera, a sketch pad, snacks... you get the idea. Unless you plan on painting within a few yards of your car, pay particular attention to the overall weight of the easel or pochade box.
(Note: As long as I'm talking about French easels here, if you DO prefer this style, consider a Soltek instead. Wooden easels are sometimes prone to swell in humid environments making them difficult to close when you break down at the end of the day.)
Will I be traveling by air to painting destinations?
If so, everything will need to fit into a suit case for air travel. That is different than just throwing it into your back seat and trunk! Think about the outside dimensions and consider how many other things you may need to do without in order to pack a large easel. If you choose a pochade, you will also want to make sure that the tripod collapses short enough to fit as well.
Will I paint larger than a 9x12 or 12x16?
This one is super important because there are painting size limitations to each of these easels. If you are pretty sure you will never paint large, however, there is no reason to super size your order. If you see yourself tackling enough canvas to sail a boat, take a look at the Beauport.
Are you a backpack person or a roll-cart person?
Keep in mind that you cannot roll everywhere. Think of your roll-cart the same way you do a piece of luggage. While it may be easier on your back, you will find some painting locations will not work for you. But if backpacks or satchels are not your style, you may want to look into a Fold Away Cart, Rolling Plein air Packer, or even this combo roll-cart-chair called the ArtComber.
What is your budget?
Notice this is not the first question because, although cost has to be considered, it is not the most important answer. A good easel will cost a good penny. The great news it it should last you a life time. So rather than buying several cheap versions that fall apart quickly, go ahead and bite the bullet and put a little extra money into your easel.

What do I use and why?

Although I have tried many of these or friends of mine have them, it seems I always come back to my Open Box M. I have two different sizes. The smaller one works well if I know I am flying with limited packing space. I can still paint up to 16" wide on it so really, I'm not sure why I have a larger one except that I bought the larger one first. The larger one is called a 10x12 and will accommodate panels up to 18" wide. The palette/mixing area is 10"x12" (hence the name). Just for the luxury of the extra mixing space, I use the 10x12 most of the time.

The Open BoxM is light weight and it fits into my back pack with all of my other gear stuffed around it. After I attach the palette/panel holder to my camera quick release plate on my tripod, I can tilt the palette at an angle (see image below). Also see that the palette (bottom portion) is not very deep. I much prefer both of these attributes as opposed to paining on a horizontal surface or into a deep-lipped lid like some other brands have. Tilting the palette helps me keep the sun off of my mixing area (which tends to mess up the accuracy of my values). Unlike the Soltek, Anderson, Beauport, Coulter Plein Air or Stonefield, there is no open space between the panel holder and the palette so no extraneous light seeps through (again... messing with my values and color mixing ability).

So, that's a lot to chew on and you need to know that for every product out there you will find an artist who loves it and and one who hates it. I realize that isn't much help, but my opinion is all I can offer.

If I could add an additional easel to my collection, it would be one that would allow me to paint slightly larger. Maybe I'll get one of those when I grow up.

Painting the Still Life in Modern Impressionism

2011-03-08T16:10:00.000-06:00

Urning for You, 14"x11" demonstration

Last week I taught a three-day workshop on Painting the Still Life in Modern Impressionism. The participants painted four simple set-ups the first day in order to learn to see masses of value and color and large shapes that hold together. The second day they painted four slightly more difficult ones incorporating different types of lighting ideas. Day three we worked together to design and set up larger, more complex still lifes and everyone created a final, large masterpiece.

Learning to ignore labels like "vase," "apple," "doughnut," "rose," and instead seeing connected shapes is a huge step in painting this way. Even once you can see it, there is a huge temptation to start painting "things" way too early in the process. For long periods of time, the painting basically looks like little of nothing. You are painting "through" objects rather than outlining them and filling them in. Slowly and methodically these large shapes can be broken down into slightly smaller shapes until, in the final 10% of the process, just the right amount of information is divided into the smallest pieces and, wah-lah, the image appears.

I remember one of the first demonstrations I saw painted this way. It was a little like magic. It was a portrait demonstration and I could not imagine that this artist was actually going to pull a person's face out of that abstract, juicy, paint mess. Last week, as I painted the opening demonstration for this workshop, the students looked eager but totally lost at what I was painting. In the end, the image did, indeed, appear, and I had them hooked!

(detail)

Viewing the painting close up, the painting still looks like random pieces of paint. But as you step back, it pops into focus. Similarly, images on my website tend to look more tightly rendered than the same painting when you view it in person. Here is detail from the painting shown above. See what I mean?

Cleaning Brushes

2011-03-01T21:17:00.000-06:00

Easy Commute, 30"x36"

People often ask me about when I first became interested in art. All I can say is, as a little girl, I remember not liking dolls very much; I remember playing with Hot Wheels -- the same track I gave to my son to play with some 25 years later, and drawing the little cartoons in the back of magazines in the classified section. You remember, you sketched the pirate or the puppy or whatever, mailed it in, and you might get to take lessons at a "real art school" to see if you could be a "real artist."

Another very vivid memory that I have which does involve playing with dolls, is one where I set my Mrs. Beasley doll and my Barbie doll side by side (Barbie must have thought Mrs. Beasley was a giant) and taught them how to clean paint brushes. I remember distinctly showing them how to "work the bristles gently in your hands, and clean the bathroom sink very well when finished."

Today, I still actually enjoy cleaning brushes; although, I admit, I rarely do so. There is no sink in my studio, so it means taking them home when I feel they are just desperately calling to be cleaned. There are many ways my artist friends take care of their brushes that are extraordinarily elaborate. (NOTE: Most of these friends have assistants to do the work for them every day.) However, if I had a sink in the studio, I would certainly clean mine more often. Personally, I find that using the same brushes day in and day out, they really do not need much attention. Maybe that is because I am pretty hard on them on the canvas so when they wear out, they wear out, and it has less to do with my cleaning process and more to do with my painting process.

Here is my process for taking care of my brushes --

First of all, before I ever dip my brush in my odorless mineral spirits, I thoroughly pull all of the paint that I possibly can out of the brush with a paper towel or cloth. I do this between paint color mixtures to keep my color fresh. By pulling so much of the paint out before cleaning the brush, my OMS stays fairly fresh for weeks. At the end of the day, I make sure each of the brushes I have used is really swished well in the OMS. If I am going to be painting again the very next day, that's about it. If I am going to be out of the studio for several days, I go to the next step as well.

I have a second can of OMS which is kept very, very clean. Actually, it is Turpenoid Natural. (I do not use this as my regular OMS because it is a little too oily for my preference). I swish my brushes around in this a final time to make certain there is no paint at all left in the bristles.

Every few weeks or so, my brushes get a great cleaning. It is therapeutic for me and really conditions them. For this I use Ugly Dog Brush Soap found at www.naturalpigments.com. It is all natural and not only cleans well but leaves the brushes feeling nice. Another great thing is that it comes in a little tub. You just put a little water in the tub and run your brushes back and forth similar to the way you might do it in the palm of your hand, except by using the tub, you are not scrubbing pigment into the palm of your hand!

Once the brushes are very clean, I pull all of the water out of them with an absorbent cloth. Finally, I reshape the bristles and tame any loose hairs by applying either walnut oil or vaseline. While living in Italy, I used olive oil (although I am not suggesting that you do that). It seemed to do just fine.

So the image at the top basically has nothing to do with this post. I just wanted to share what is on my easel this week. Apparently I am still in St. Lucia in the quaint little village of Choisel.

Happy brush cleaning!

Rose Bud Challenge

2011-02-24T15:13:00.002-06:00

This challenge was for a single rose bud. Roses are harder than you think... they have to have body yet look soft all at the same time. Here's my 7x5, "This Bud's for You."

Zippo Challenge

2011-02-24T12:39:00.002-06:00

So I decided, just for the fun of it, to do the Daily Paintworks Challenge today. The challenge was to paint this lighter using only burnt sienna, ultramarine, and white. Here is my fun little 6x6 painting called "Zippo-di-do-da."

Beauty is in the Eye of ... the Artist

2011-02-21T16:41:00.000-06:00

Living in Paradise, 28x36

It seems that recently I have been in the middle of many conversations about "finding beauty;" what makes something "beautiful;" can a painting with a subject that is too "beautiful" still be good art? Having just come back from the gorgeous island of St. Lucia, I think I can talk pretty honestly about this topic. There is certainly no lack of beauty to paint there. It is, for the most part, like a postcard with its phthalo colored water, magenta clouds, and tropical green foliage.

Balenbouche Beach, 8x10 field sketch

Because I was teaching a workshop while in St. Lucia, I did not take the time to complete any plein air paintings while I was there. I did, however, make a half-dozen or so quick plein air field sketches -- the kind that take about 30 minutes between walking around and helping my students. These are great to do. It usually means I only get down value and color notes, little or no detail, and the compositions may be less than perfect, but the information is so valuable when I get back to the studio to paint a larger painting. What I found myself doing was reigning in the use of the strong colors around me. Because everything was just SO intense I could not make it all work in what I considered to be a "tasteful" way. I sensed I was also having difficulty seeing the colors and their proper values (probably because of the strength of the sunlight and also because of their intense saturation). After all, I had flown from an otherwise gray setting in Tennessee, to this place that was so lush my eyes and brain just did not seem to want to adjust. It was a difficult painting week, but oh, did I mention, I was in a tropical PARADISE!!?? No worries.

Waiting for the Tide, 8x10, field sketch

By the end of the week I just could not take the beauty any longer. (You feel sorry for me don't you.) While holding class on the beach in Soufriere, I was drawn to sketch something less obvious than the Gros Piton. I sketched these old boats. Aaaahhhh... now that's more like it! Why had I been painting the quintessential postcard all week? That is not what I am usually attracted to paint, so why was I doing it?

I was doing it, perhaps, because somewhere in my life I have been brainwashed into believing that certain things have beauty and certain things do not. Or perhaps I was doing it because I thought that these subjects would be what my students would want to paint, and I needed to be able to help them do so. Yet, when I take a look at my last few years' inventory of work, more than half of my paintings are of seemingly ordinary things like alley ways, dying fish, old shrimp boats, dead trees, or rainy days. All of these subjects became beautiful to me because of their shapes, the light play, the shadows, the color harmony, or some other abstract idea or deeper artistic pull. I'd also like to think that when I do choose a "pretty" subject, it is not because of the subject itself, but is for all of these same reasons.

Day Off, 11x14, field sketch

These trips hosted by Toscana Americana are typically six-day workshops. (Really, I think, five days might be much more sensible because the travel has added to an otherwise intense time of learning, and everyone is really exhausted by this time.) We list in our itinerary an "optional" day, meaning students can choose to paint on their own, take in the local culture, go snorkeling or horseback riding, enjoy a little rest, or paint along side me. I wait to see what the students choose to do before making any plans of my own. Sometimes this means it may just be one student and myself; sometimes it means I have the entire class.

This last sketch is of a small beach situated between the two Piton. We all rode in the back of a pick-up truck driven by the husband of one of the students, down a steep "almost" road to spend an afternoon. Most of the students chose to enjoy a little relaxation on a beach towel. For me, that meant, I had an afternoon off! At first I tried the resting on a beach towel thing. Soon I was lured by my paint box and so began to sketch this little piece. It was drizzling so the colors in the water were a little grayer and the palm trees sat together like a big mass against the sky. I simply liked the shapes and muted colors -- that is all it took to get me up off my towel and romance me interpret to this scene. As I painted this (as opposed to painting one of the Piton again or the beautiful sail boats) many of the local families gathered around. Parents explained to their children what I was painting, commented on how it was so beautiful, and what a lovely day they were having. This, is what the locals see as beautiful... a drizzly day on a small beach... their "every day" life.

I have read and heard many times over, that when John Singer Sargent went out in the field with his pals to paint, he would do many quick field sketches of the most ordinary things. All the while, his peers were still walking around looking for some beautiful thing to paint. This time of study from nature surely played a role in why he became so accomplished. It makes one think. How many miles have I driven, looking for the perfect spot to paint? How many times I have missed an opportunity, because I had to see what was around the next curve?

So here is my big advice. Seek the beauty in any and every thing. There are already plenty of lovely postcards on the racks out there. So stop some place or find some thing that screams ordinary and examine it more fully. Paint the unexpected beauty around you. It is there, if only you will look.

Wild, Wild, West: Developing a Painting

2011-01-30T10:32:00.000-06:00


Wild, Wild, West, 48x30

It always helps if I have actually painted on location and done a few plein air sketches before I start a work in the studio from a photo. That is the case here. This image is from a trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming two years ago. The photo is fine, but I remember so much more about this scene because I painted there all day.

I remember standing there in the flowing wild flowers on crisp gray day and thinking how beautiful the colors were. That happens a lot. Colors in nature look so much more colorful on a gray day. The sun is not washing out the color. This is proof positive that painting subjects with strong light patterns is not the ONLY way to go! It also tells me that if I use grays in my painting, the passages of color will appear more vibrant. Two lessons in one.

Because I wanted to add more distance to the piece, I worked to develop a thumbnail sketch using several images until I discovered that painting in a vertical format would be best. That is certainly not what first comes to mind when we think large, vast, landscape now is it?

After the thumbnail sketch is made, I lightly sketch the same design onto a stained canvas. Because there was so much lavender in the field, I stained the canvas in pale violet. Next, I added calligraphic style brush work with very thin paint. The color, in this case, was what you might describe as burnt sienna although I mixed the color myself using orange plus a little more red and violet.

I need to double check to be certain that the design matches my original thumbnail, is true to the intent of my idea, and that no divisions of space are exactly equal. Two of the spaces on the lower right are very close to the same size, so I will adjust those a bit as I move along. By sketching this in, I have placed my darkest accents first! This is key. Make them a bit larger than you need so that you can carve the lighter masses around them and only leave tiny bits showing.

Moving to fill with large masses, I start with the mid-darks (oddly enough, those are in the background... not what you might have expected) and paint in the distant hillside.

Continuing to build the big masses here, but because the canvas is a little larger, I do this a bit less deliberately than you might think. Here you see what appears to be drippy, sketchy, stuff. But really, I'm just getting it covered with the something close to the local color.

I need to block in the mass for the sky. You can do one of two things here... fill it with one single color and then model it with a second; or go ahead and mix two colors that are the same value (side by side on your palette to double check the value relationship) and paint a gradation of color into the mass.

Now I'll do the same with the remaining mass on the ground plane. On my palette, side by side, I mixed two different colors of green that are in the same value range. NOTE: I would like to explain the reason I put the sky in BEFORE I painted in this land mass. I wanted to double check that I had left the correct number of steps in value between the top, lighted surface of the ground and the sky. Many times I paint the sky mass last.

Here I have starting painting my greens, alternating and mixing a little on the canvas as I go. Just like with the sky, I am skipping a step that, if you are just beginning, you should be extraordinarily careful about doing. That is, if you have a tendency to make your masses too contrasty (they feel jumpy and busy), fill in the entire shape with one color of green and then go back and model with the second. With some practice, you will be able to do it this way instead.

See how the ground plane is starting to develop? The darker mass in front is still mostly serving as the darkest parts of the grass and wild flowers. Watch now what happens when I apply the top grasses and foremost wildflowers.

The last of the foreground is painted in with the beautiful lavender that was growing there. The original stain of lavender also shows through in many places. I carve AROUND those large patches of yellow primrose and make them a little smaller... more individual looking as they come forward.

The final piece (see the first image at top) is taken under corrected-lighting conditions. The images from the demonstration were taken as I painted on my easel.

Watch the entire painting develop in this video.

Blog post about blog posts

2011-01-09T12:29:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year everyone!
Have you made resolutions? Are you getting organized? Do you still have that positive, "This year will be better, I just know it." attitude you felt at the stroke of midnight on December 31st?

Typically, I make no huge promises on December 31st or January 1st that will set me up for more pressure than I already feel on a daily basis. I resolve every day to do better than the day before, and that is just about all I can handle. Sure. I would love to lose 20 pounds, exercise more often, keep in touch with my friends better, and blog twice a much. I'm trying to do all of that and continue to paint and grow as a painter, increase my marketing and business strategies, and volunteer in organizations. But really, aren't all of us trying to do similar things and millions more? So what's so special about any of that?

I have decided that I need your help. As I drive from home to the studio, I brainstorm on ideas for blogging. Sometimes they are worthy of the few minutes it takes for me to write them, but how often are they worthy of the time it takes for you to read them? So please, send me questions, your ideas, things that would make good use of your time. I'll start a running list and, whenever possible, pull from the and use them. For instance, are you interested in instructional blogs? Organizational skills for artists? Historical figures? Resources and reading? Or what???

Thank you in advance for your ideas and help. Let's get the ball rolling!

I'm Trying to Learn Here!

2010-12-20T11:35:00.000-06:00

Snowballs and Oranges, 12x16: SOLD

It's true. Many of you have heard me repeat it over and over again. I always set myself up for a challenge in an attempt to learn... not just produce. Of course that means a lot of not so successful paintings come off my easel, get resurfaced with Gamblin Oil Painting Ground, and re-used. Actually, I grown to like the surface that creates... but that's another topic.

As busy as I typically stay, I have actually some room on my calendar lately which means big challenge time! New brush types, new canvas types, new colors, new approaches, new visual statements. All so challenging, exciting, and exhausting. I love it! It reminds me of my time in Italy when nothing had to work except working itself. Here, I am sharing the results of a few experiments. (If you're on facebook with me, you've already seen most of these and are probably tired of them already.)

The lessons may seem small when I try to explain them, but they are huge for my little pee-wee brain and continue to spark thoughts flashing about like a big storm in my head.

The first experiment was Forsythia and Roses. I spent about 2 hours setting up the still life. Trying to paint that "out of the darkness" feeling on a visually textured canvas. By visually textured, I mean, I used paint in dark and medium-dark tones and a rag to wipe around the paint on the background using acrylic. Once dry, I applied a medium, in this case Gamblin Galkyd Gel, to do a similar layer only this time in oil until I like the design of the background. Then, because the medium was nice and thick, I had an opportunity to work into it for quite a while, varying the amount of paint and its transparency. I thought this technique might work well with roses since they need to have substance, but appear soft, not hard edged, and have very sensitive shifts of hue and value.


Forsythia and Roses 14x18, $1125

I attend a portrait open studio most Monday evenings. I pull off a canvas that has been re-coated with Gamblin Oil Painting ground. (I think reusing an old canvas gives me the freedom to make mistakes more easily.) Typically, since I'm fairly new to this portrait thing, I try to set up where I see a strong light/shadow pattern. Since this is the way I see landscapes and still lifes, I knew it would help my drawing skills to see the face in the same way... just big shapes. But where's the challenge there? So, I set up to try to paint a fully lighted profile. It's much more of a local tone approach now, with modeling only within the features as opposed to because of the light source.


Profile, Study in Local Tone 16x20

In the meantime, I was asked to submit an image for consideration to January's American Art Collector Magazine for their still life issue. So, I set up the still life you see at the very top of this post, Snowballs and Oranges. This experiment is different from the first still life of roses in that I used no medium or pre-painted visual texture. Instead, I wanted to see if I could get the same general feel but use my own "editing" powers to tell the "out of the darkness" story, rather than using a technique with mediums, etc. However, I also wanted to try some new brushes, soft sables, and added two colors to my palette: cadmium orange and napthol red. Hey, I've got all these old tubes from various workshops of the past, so why not use them?

I drove an hour and a half to stand out in the 38º weather for 2 1/2 hours to paint a model in the landscape. She isn't finished, but I enjoyed the chance to do it. The day was very gray and overcast, so more local tone painting here. This little session prompted me to pull out some images in Sargen'ts Painting Out of doors book to study how simply he painted the faces of people in the landscape. I MUST do more of this!

On the way back to the studio from the model outdoors session, I took a couple of pics of the beautiful red violets and end of fall colors along country roads. I knew I needed to find something to experiment with here as well so...


November Where I Live, 20x24, $1550

(detail)

The day, the road, the glare all felt so bright now. I needed to remember that and make an otherwise dark, less than perfect color picture translate into what grabbed me as I was driving down the road. Painting in a higher key filled the painting with exactly the feeling I needed and I was able to put in a good deal of red violet because every other color I neutralized drastically. Look how colorful the painting is when I do that! Remembering to make good notes about how to "key" the painting and stick to it is so important. I'm going to write that on my wall! I also dug into the brush bin and used mostly Isabey "Isacryl" synthetic flats rather than my usual bristle filberts. The brushwork got very exciting and expressive... my favorite kind! I hope you can see in the "detail" what I mean. See how little color and how much paint I used? Now I'm back over at my bookshelf pulling off Gruppe's Guide to Expressive Brushwork.

By now, you're getting the idea of how my November went. The works shown here (plus the outside model mentioned above) were experiments carried out over a 3-day period. If you want to see more, I've uploaded a few more recent images on my website including a portrait of Mark in his chef's coat and a sitting full-length figure of a model in Cherokee regalia.

By the way, while you on my website, I hope you will hit the "like" button in the top right-hand corner of the home page.

So, what to do now? Oh so many more challenges ahead. That's why I LOVE this job.

More on the Color Charts: The Brights

2010-11-19T12:41:00.002-06:00


The Brights

KEY to The Brights Color Chart

Many of you have asked for the "KEY" to my color charts. First of all, know that this is by no means a complete color chart, nor is it the only way to put one together.

This only serves as a starting place for the colors I mix using my limited palette. This particular chart I refer to as "The Brights." The other charts will be described in a future post.

If you click on the "KEY" image, it should open in another window for easier viewing.

I'm sure you can come up with a better plan than I for doing this. Have fun mixing!

KEY:
1. Mixtures that are shown with a color dividing each section
Primaries and Secondaries are indicated in BOLD. Notice that the secondaries are equal parts of the primaries of which they are made.

Each primary and secondary has been mixed with the colors immediately on either side of it. For instance, in the first block of yellow, yellow has green on one side and orange on the other. Each is mixed using the main color mostly dominant followed by two steps of tinting out with white. (Note: The main color is listed first in each mixture. Each time I started with the main color and add only a touch of the other. This is called "bending" the color. If you saw someone in the mall with a shirt on, you would still describe the color as this main color... i.e. yellow, not orange, and certainly not as a neutral like gold, khaki, tan, etc.). All of this is illustrated in columns directly on either side of the main color.

The last, and fourth column is the most confusing. In the case of a primary, this column is used to mix the main colors adjacent colors together and tint each out with white. Again, using yellow as the example, green and orange are mixed together then tinted out with white. In the case of a secondary color, however, this column is used to mix the main color with the only remaining color on the chart with which it has not previously been mixed. Take a look at the section of orange for example. The fourth column mixed orange with violet, the only color on the chart which has not otherwise been used.

If I had really huge place to have done this, the chart would not have, for example, the section blocked off in red continued below. Instead, I would run the all of the colored sections in a straight line. But, space being as it was, this is how I worked it out.

2. Mixtures that are shown with a gray background
These are just a few examples showing the difference between mixing each of the main colors with a neutral gray and white verses mixing the main colors with their respective complements and white.

Again, basically, I'm frugal, so although these make little sense in this particular layout, I was just using left over space on my canvas panel. In a perfect world, all of these sections would all be next to each other in a straight line.

3. Finally, the same neutral gray as just mentioned was placed inside a square of each of the main colors showing how differently each one looks in comparison. This demonstrates value and temperature and how all of this is relative. Notice, for example, how much darker and cooler the internal gray square appears when wrapped with yellow verses when the exact same gray square is wrapped with green, etc.

So I hope this helps. It's a difficult thing to describe in words when really I was just experimenting to begin with. Just trust that as long as YOU understand the way you put together a color chart, that is all that really matters.

If you are interested in some color exploration exercises, email me about how to order my booklet on "Exploring Color."

Thanks for playing!

How to Take a Workshop

2010-11-12T11:26:00.000-06:00

Make Like a Tree, plein air, 11x14. Available.

This sounds like a silly subject, I know, but as a workshop instructor who takes her job very seriously (and with a great amount of humility), it is important to me that everyone who comes to one of my workshops gets the most out of it that he or she possibly can. With so many workshops coming in 2011, I thought it might be good to post a little primer here on how to make the one that you choose really count for you. After all, you are spending not only your money, but your time away from other work and family to spend time with an instructor. Whether it is one of my workshops or someone else's, you are gambling A., that this wonderful painter whom you admire so much is actually also a good teacher; B., that you won't come to the end of the workshop wondering why you wasted your time; and C., that you will actually have information that continues to stimulate your mind for months or years to come.

My role as instructor (and indeed I think the role of any instructor) is to be fully prepared for class. We've all been to workshops where we felt the instructor gave little thought to what he or she would actually say, having prepared for teaching only in the brief, few minutes it took them to drive over to meet the students. Or, we sense that this instructor has repeated this same monologue so many times it has become boring. For me to prepare for a one-week workshop means 2 to 3 weeks of preparation time, even if I have already taught the same workshop several times in the past. I want every workshop to be new and exciting in the event that previous students register. And, since I am a continuing learner myself, I want to make sure that any new epiphanies I may have had are translated well.

I can only do so much to make your workshop experience a great one. While I only have a handful of rules (see final note below) for workshop attendants, I want to share here some ideas of what YOUR role as a student might be.

Read the intended audience, and sign up for workshops that pertain to you at your current level of development. If you are a BEGINNER, and the workshop is directed at intermediate to advanced students, you should contact the instructor, give them some idea of where you feel you are currently, and ask if there are things you could do for several months to prepare for this higher-level workshop. Be honest with the instructor, and if advised not to attend, do not take it personally. While even beginners can get something out of an advanced level workshop, it can be distracting to other students in the class if you require extra hand-holding. You want an instructor who will be honest with you. It means he or she is thinking about the good of the class as a whole, so any workshop you do attend with this person will have your best interest in mind as well. If the intended audience says "all levels," as many of mine do, it is still wise to inform the instructor of you are just starting out. This is especially true if the workshop is only a couple of days long. Personally, it helps me to prepare some specific information just for beginners if I know there are a handful in my group. The same is true for the opposite scenario. If you are an ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL attending my workshop, I want to know that. There are advanced ideas that can be introduced to the group as a whole, and then prepared in a more specific way for individuals ready to hear them.
Communicate with the instructor prior to the workshop if you have specific goals in mind. While not all instructors may not like this idea, I prefer knowing my class before I meet them face to face. So communicate with me. A few things you might include by way of introductory email are:
What your weaknesses are
What your goals are
With whom you have studied
Where I can view samples of your work online
What you specifically hope to learn from me
Be "in" class and ready to go. If you are working with new equipment (such as a new plein air easel, etc.) take it for several test drives before the first day of class. Note: Mostly I do not mind helping you figure out this stuff on location, but it has been known to seriously cut into your painting time since I will likely make certain all of the other students have been assisted and are well on their way before helping you. Also, give the instructor your total attention once you arrive until the very end. If you know the workshop is only 3 days and you have to miss a full day of it, consider not taking the class. Chances are this instructor will offer it at another time that works better with your schedule. Arrive on time, rested, and ready to work every day.
Take from people who can teach. Do not let foolish pride stand in the way of taking a workshop. I know a lot of people who will only study with someone with a "big name." Or, here it comes..., men who will not study with women. While studying with really great suggests that logically you will become a really great artist, consider this:
Is this person a good instructor, or simply a good artist? Not all master painters are great instructors. Learning from someone you consider a peer or similar in ability can actually stimulate growth more quickly because you are intellectual equals. This means dialogue during your one-on-one time with the instructor doesn't have to spent learning a whole new language. Instead, you speak in similar terms, but need only mentally process a different approach or theory. Often times an instructor who is nearer your development level can spot weaknesses in your work because they have only just walked that tightrope recently themselves.
A little story: I remember the first time one of my workshop participants was someone I considered a better painter than I. Naturally, I studied this person's work very closely online to try to determine what I could bring to the table in order to give her a successful workshop experience. By the way, it was clear on the first day that she felt the same as I about her abilities. Probably, she came to this workshop because she had always wanted to paint Italy with a group, and thought maybe it would be fun. At the end of the week, she actually said, "Wow, I learned so much." It shocked her. Trying not to be prideful myself, I knew that every student at the critique could clearly see she did in fact paint much better than I did at the time. However, what they could also see was how her work had grown amazingly quickly in just 6 days.
Give it a try. Okay, so that sounds really dumb. But do not go to a workshop in the hopes of somehow being "tapped" by the instructor as the golden child. You've come all this way, paid good money, to impress me? Flattered perhaps, but I'm not impressed. Try what I ask of you. Recently I had a workshop attendee who has been painting for a good number of years throw all caution to the wind and really let go off some things to try what I suggested. It amazed me to see this new work coming from her. It amazed her too. Now that... impressed me.
Respect the design of the class. I build my workshops to have an arch, building day two's task based on where we began on day one, and so on. That's not to say that sometimes, like most "performers," I read my audience and adjust my dance to suite your response. But it is bad form to make added demands on the teacher that are not outlined in the workshop description. For instance, if you want a portfolio review, and that is not part of the scheduled workshop time, email the instructor in advance to see if you can make an appointment to do that outside of class. If you have a topic you'd like addressed that does not fit the general flow of the topic, ask me about it after class. I may suggest that we discuss it in class, as a group, or I may ask for additional time to prepare a thorough answer and email you later.

Final note: I mentioned earlier that I have a few rules for workshop attendees. They are simple:

No whining. Give me something I can constructively work with in order to help you. We all feel frustrated and sometimes we just have to let that frustration out. That's fine in my class, and I honestly hope you feel safe enough with me to do that. But trying to put your frustration into something you can describe with meaningful words helps us both work better toward the common goal... success! (Oh, and if it's your room you are unhappy about or your coffee is cold, perhaps there is someone who can help with that, but it probably isn't going to be me.)
Have fun. It is going to be hard work and you are going to be very tired at the end of each day, but if you are not having some fun too, neither of us will be very happy by the end of the week. It's like this, I work very hard spending long hours doing something I love. It's still work. I'm just blessed that I happen to love my job. There is nothing wrong with enjoying what you are doing, so loosen up a bit and have some fun.
Bring your sense of humor. I take my charge as an instructor very seriously, but I also use comic relief to make all of us feel more at ease. You can relax in knowing that I respect you and your time just as hopefully you respect me and mine. Our moments spent laughing, perhaps sharing a glass of wine with dinner, and general camaraderie with other students in the class is a good thing.

Here is a list of workshops currently scheduled for 2011. There are a few more that are in the development stage, so I hope you will check my website often for updates. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way.

Painting the Colors of St. Lucia, Feb. 2-9
Painting the Still Life in Modern Impressionism, March 3-5
Painting the Dingle Peninsula, Ireland, Aug. 13-20
Painting the Tuscan Sun, Italy, Sept. 17-24

P.S. Recently received this book. Love it!

Why We Don't Succeed--Top 5 Reasons

2010-09-26T11:39:00.000-05:00

Tranquility, 24x30

With all the positive blogging out there about "how to succeed," "you can succeed," "steps to succeed," etc., I thought I would mention reasons we don't. Let's stop procrastinating and face this head on, shall we? You know you've been avoiding the questions rattling around in your mind. I'm inviting you to step up and answer them boldly.

1. Fear. Sounds silly, but it is perhaps the number one reason we do not succeed. We have a fear of getting out of our comfort zone and trying something new; being laughed at for even trying; and fear of failing. A couple of weeks ago, the students at my workshop in Tuscany faced their fears. Every single person got out of a comfort zone and tried something new. Every single person realized that no one was laughing. And every single person felt failure just before accomplishment. So, my new bumper sticker... "Better to have painted and lost, than never to have painted at all." Are you afraid? Of what? Write that down. Answer that question. It can be anything from, "I'm afraid I'll be rejected by galleries." to "I'm afraid my spouse will think I'm stupid." Doesn't matter. It's fear. And it's keeping you from succeeding.

2. Excuses. You've heard plenty and made plenty. Learn to recognize when you are making excuses for not painting. I hear it all the time, especially from students, but from my peers as well. Truth is, we are all at different places in our lives and have different priorities. Those priorities, when looked at honestly, are not excuses. But when used to keep us from moving forward they go from being something important in our lives to being obstacles. Anything worth achieving is hard and requires dedication and time. Maybe you don't have a good place to work because of lack of space in your home. The whole outdoors is your studio. Maybe you have grandchildren to attend to; congratulations! That doesn't mean you attend to them 24/7. Maybe you just need to admit that there are things you would rather do than paint. No problem. As long as you are honest about it, you are succeeding. Ask yourself what excuse you use for not painting. Recognize when you use that excuse. Stop it.

3. Social Networking. It's all the rage and a necessary evil at times. But does it consume you? When I began blogging, my very first welcoming blog warned readers that I would not be doing this very often. And, if you are regular reader, you know that I have kept that promise. Facebook is a great tool as are the other half-dozen other facebook wanna be types. How many minutes a day do you spend there? Are you really just keeping touch or are you living on the web? If you are prone to addictive behavior, give yourself 5 minutes and get off! You could be at the easel (or attending to those grandchildren mentioned above). We all love keeping up with each other. I enjoy knowing about your life, your work, your child graduating, your painting selling. But if I miss a post or a hundred posts, the world does not turn on its axis. I'll catch up with you again at another great momentous occasion and you will do the same with me. I think there needs to be a 12-step program for social networking. If your virtual life is interfering with your REAL life, it can't be all good. How many minutes a day do you spend on facebook (or other)? If you're afraid to answer this question, take a good, close look.

4. Goals. Why don't we set goals? Do we not know what we want, or do we not know how to get it? Goals and success go hand in hand because to each of us "success" is something different. To some it may mean being at the top of the ladder, well-known, selling paintings for $50,000 each, and being the most sought after instructor on the planet. For others, it may mean getting in a couple of galleries and selling enough work to support painting habit. Still others may only feel success if they learn something new every day and see growth in their work. The point is, if you don't know what your personal goal is, how can you succeed at it? What would you like to accomplish this year? Next year? For life? Again, write these goals down. Then go for it. There are many ways to accomplish your specific set of goals, but no way to do so if you don't even know what they are.

5. Knowledge. With knowledge comes wisdom. With wisdom comes success. You can't expect this success to come over night. You are not a pop star. The artists you see rising to the top have been working at it. They have put in their dues learning the craft, knowing the market, and creating the work--piles and piles and piles of work. And, like we have all heard before, "The more you know, the more you know you need to know." Understanding that brings wisdom. Once you begin to experience wisdom, you may very well be able to acknowledge that you ARE succeeding in ways you never thought imaginable. It's all relative you know. It's relative to where you were 5 years ago, 5 months ago, and 5 peers ago. And if you can understand that there is no end to the success ahead of you, you will also need to start all over on this blog post often. Re-evaluate and answer the questions.

There are tons more reasons, but these are the ones that bump all over my little world every day. I hope you find some use here and create your own list of reasons as well.

Now let's all get off this inter-webby thing and get on to something more creative!

It's a Painting, Not a Photograph

2010-08-19T11:41:00.001-05:00

Hull of a Lineup, 30x40

This post is about thinking outside the box. Many times I talk about editing your scene by repositioning a mountain peak, trimming a tree, or redirecting a stream. Those are all things we do for good composition. After all, it's not that God put that tree in the wrong place; it's that we are standing in the wrong place for the best composition. But do you ever completely rearrange the values to make your scene say something more than is presented?

If you have ever studied John F. Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting (and I hope you have), he teaches the 4 planes/values of the landscape. Beginning with the top of your canvas/scene and moving downward, they are 1. Source of light (sky) lightest; 2. Slanting planes (mountains) next to darkest; 3) Upright Plane (trees) darkest; and 4) Flat Plan (ground) next to lightest. Please refer to his popular diagrams and read the full explanation if you have not. Mr. Carlson's book is one of my very favorites, and every time I read it I learn even more than the time before. These photographs are prime examples of how these principles can be applied.

However, these rules are meant to be learned so that as we observe when they work perfectly, we can also observe when to take liberties for, what I like to call our "visual statement." (I'll post more on making visual statements another time.) Looking at these two images, gives us some ideas on how other value plans readily present themselves in nature:

But I'm not just talking about specific times of day or weather conditions that suggest different plane/values. So let's take this a step further. What if we take our existing scene, with its ordinary value plan, and "think outside the box" to make a totally different visual statement? I have adjusted the photo of the boats above to demonstrate.

Starting at the top left you see the original image; next to it that image turned grayscale. On the next row I have adjusted the sky to make the boats more prominent; next to that I have adjusted the sky to give more weight to the lower portion of the piece. What do these options mean to you if you were going to paint this? What visual statement would each plan suggest in its final stage?

Of course, on site, I do all of this using small thumbnail sketches rather than a computer. I will make half a dozen pencil sketches sometimes cropping the scene, removing elements around or changing their size, and adjusting values, until I get just what I want to say. This is tricky, however, if you do not understand Mr. Carlson's suggestion for "seeing simply" and why these fundamentals work in the first place, or if you do not know what you want to say. Please hear this... I am not suggesting you start jumping all over the place without full comprehension of what he means. No more than I am suggesting changing the size of the elements without understanding perspective in drawing. In the end, all of this planning helps me enjoy the actual painting process more. My decisions have been made allowing me to paint without fear!

By the way, I chose one of the adjustments above for the painting at the top of this post. See if you can identify which one. Clue. I really wanted the painting to be about the boats.

What is an Artist?

2010-08-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

Roman Sunset, 22x28

Most of you know that I am a professional, full-time, working artist who uses oil as my primary medium. That's a long title to put on a business card. I remember the first time I got up the guts to actually call myself an artist. It felt so strange. I had been a graphic artist for years, but just "artist" with no other explanation seemed arrogant. Did I need to say, "visual artist," "professional artist," "working artist," or maybe skip that word altogether and say "painter?" After all, everyone calls themselves artists these days. Sculptors, decorative artists, potters, glassblowers, jewelry makers, anything with aesthetic value, certainly have that right. Musicians and entertainers all over Nashville claim to be artists. Additionally, does it matter whether you make art as a hobbyist, an amateur, or a professional? So many of us spend time apologizing for being an artist in the first place. Do we also need to explain to what extent we make our livings at it?

As an artist, sometimes I am called upon to play other, less comfortable, roles as well. At an art reception, I must also be a "people" person and chat merrily about my work without ever once allowing my expression to read "buy my art." At public demonstrations I am an entertainer, juggling paint and brush and talking and answering questions and teaching and everything all at once. (By the way, I actually enjoy this for some sick reason.) When I used to do fundraiser "booth-style" shows, I always felt like a clown. (That dawned on me once as I actually caught myself humming "Send in the Clowns" as I was setting up a display. Maybe what I needed to make those work for me was someone standing just outside my booth announcing, "Step right up. See the bearded lady who paints lovely little pictures.") During plein air festival Quick Draw (those timed events where you start, finish, and frame in a specified time period), they sound the start horn and I swear, I hear, "And they're off." What has this to do with being an artist or making art? I don't enjoy making a spectacle of myself. If I did, I would have continued chasing a music career. As a friend once said about our work, "This is not a team sport."

Nevertheless, I still make art solely because I have a passion for it. Yes, it is the only way I make my living; but that is not my point. It is why I am living. God gave me a gift and I am to be a good steward of it, learning and growing and sharing every day, for as long as I am allowed on this earth. So, I suppose, if anyone feels the same about what he or she does every day, they have the right to be called an artist. It is the passion (and burden) of the gift, the living for it, that makes it so.

Suggested Reading for this post:

Putting on the Show: Paintings from Life

2010-08-08T20:33:00.000-05:00

WOW! It's almost time to get the big show delivered. It made me want to share a little of the process of gathering an inventory of nearly 60 works for display with you. In case I haven't already bugged you about it (via email or snail mail or both), it is an exhibit that will open on August 22nd at the Marnie Sheridan Gallery at Harpeth Hall. I hope you will come if you can.

Needless to say, when the gallery director called and asked me to do the exhibit, I felt so incredibly lucky to have been asked. They only have 4 exhibits a year, and many times they include more than one artist. To have been given this opportunity to have a solo exhibition is very exciting. I have been familiar with the space for years, and have attended many shows there. There are really large walls, giving an artist a great opportunity to paint any size work!

Many of you probably participate in group exhibits (in our area they are lovingly labeled "School Shows") where you gather your 40-60 pieces together and take them to a venue for a weekend sale/fundraiser type of thing. If so, you already know how much work it can be just to get that much inventory together. (I did a few of those show myself a few years ago. I have great friends who are great artists who do them regularly and enjoy doing so.) The main difference in inventory preparation for this space is, indeed, just that... the space! It's really large, and I have had taken great pleasure in being able to paint any size I really felt appropriate for a particular piece. Therefore, the works available range in size from 3 inches to 4 feet.

So "big deal," you say. "You stretched the canvases, painted them, varnished them, and framed them. Lots of people do that all the time. What else did you do in your spare time?" you ask. Well, since I am a self-proclaimed overly organized artist with a bent toward marketing, I organize myself until I'm crazy. Each piece is photographed, and entered into my computer database. The database contains everything there is to know about the painting, including title; size; date; inventory number; when it was varnished; where it is to show (or has already shown); frame cost; shipping costs (when going out of town); subject; where it was painted; an image of the work; any additional notes on the piece; PLUS, once sold, to whom; when; where; for how much; through which source; and what my final net is on the sale. Additionally, this inventory database is connected to my list of contacts database and my list of venues database so that when one change gets made, they all work together for those who love to organize. Out of this miraculous database, I can select works, select a format for printing, and print title cards, labels, CD-trays, inventory sheets, and a half-dozen other things with what ever information I want printed. So, of course, I do all of this and prepare whatever is necessary for the exhibit. In this case, I am doing my own title cards. Having my database up to date makes that easy.

After I have everything on the computer, I need to also update my website with the new works. Since the photos are already made, I upload the image and add the information on size, etc. there too. Sometimes I also share some of the images on facebook or other online galleries with which I am listed.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this, I choose an image for the postcard (and for this show I design it), update my contacts email and snail mailing lists, and prepare a fresh bio for printing. Next it is time to list the exhibit on my website and in my newsletter and prepare an e-blast on iContact to remind every one about it. Oh, but I forgot to mention that American Art Collector magazine had been asking for the past year when I would be having a solo exhibition because they would like to do an article about it. So I contact them and they send a list of interview questions and want 8 high resolutions images sent via ftp so I do that too.

(I will not go astray here and tell you all of the other events that have taken me away from the studio during this time... you've heard about most of them already and realize how little actual time in the studio I have had).

Now I'm sure I've left out something here, (rest assured there is a list and I will check it WAY more than twice), but the point is that being in this business means you do a whole of of stuff that has nothing whatsoever to do with painting. I'm really sorry to have to break that news to you. It is necessary stuff, however, and in the long run pays off big and makes things easier to keep track of. So if you have not yet set up a database or do not have a way to inventory your work, I am including a link to a free site at artist-inventory.com that will help you do it. If you do not have a website (one that is easy to maintain with the click of a mouse), send Mark an email and get one started.

Last but not least, I need to remember to invite my blog followers to come to the exhibit, subscribe to my newsletter and e-blast list, and send me your thoughts on processes you find helpful in your art business.

Appropriate books for this post: