More of the Challenge

Here’s 5 more from the June 30x30 direct watercolor challenge. I still have one to go to catch up. It’s been quite interesting, as I’m an oil painter- which is so forgiving! And direct means no drawing first, so that makes it even harder. Practice…. And sharpen those skills!

Here’s a day where I played catch up…the same set up twice. By looking longer, you really do see more!

These two were also done on the same day, down at Second Beach in Middletown, RI. The girl boogie boarding - I just kept painting her as she moved around. I’d like to try this again- figures at the beach. All of these were from direct observation- no photos!

30x30 Direct Watercolor

 I’m always up for a good art challenge and this one pushed me out of my comfort zone. Direct means no preliminary drawing, and watercolor is definitely not my medium. I missed a few days and had to play catch up, but learned quite a bit. Here’s a few of my favorites- by which I mean most successful! 

Day 1/30. View from my deck.

I also used gouache, painting only from direct observation. Not doing any drawing first help improve my drawing skills. I’ll post a few more tomorrow!

Figuring it all out.

I’m finding it so difficult to get anything going on this trip; it makes me wonder if my focus is off. On our travel days, I’m the navigator and when you’re 65ft long (motorhome plus Jeep) you gotta pay attention! So, unlike some artists who manage to paint while their partner does the driving, it doesn’t work that way for me. Maybe I just need to settle in with “what is” rather than “what I want it to be”.

Isn’t that the secret to happiness anyway?

Here’s a collage I made when I had some energy and time. The winning combination.

I did the gouache then the collage. Simplifying so much with the collage.

• I’m trying to figure it all out. While accepting things as they are.

Art School Notebook 2

Contrast of extension, where 2 colors appear to be the same color. An exercise in learning to see what color does when it is placed next to other colors. Spring semester 2004, at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts.

A little plein air study in gouache painted on a sunny day in July 2003.

Art School Notebook 1

Thought I would share some pearls from the notebooks when I was formally studying art.
All the color swatches were paper painted with gouache first and then cut into squares for the exercises.
The page heading was the 7 color contrasts: Value, Hue, Intensity, Temperature, Simultaneous contrast, Extension, and Complementary.

The exercise shown here is one color appearing to be two different colors and is based on the work of Josef Albers and his book Interaction of Color. The main teaching is that the identity depends on its situation, the amount, placement and shape of the color. The color sandwiched between the yellow appears so much darker. If you have trouble seeing that, squint!
Notebook: 3/05/04

This study in gouache was done plein air in St Augustine, FL. 2003

No Hurry, No Worry

Today is the first day of winter, and the feelings as we get closer to December 25 can become ones of being completely overwhelmed or just maybe something else. I did some early shopping before the mad rush takes over and that definitely helps.  I took Cooper for a walk and being out in nature is so good, especially as there was no wind and lots of sun this morning.  My daughter went to her Yin yoga class before work to find her center and I find inspiration in that. When I'm not rushing around, it's easier to be inspired.
I'm gallery sitting today at Spring Bull Gallery here in Newport, RI, and I'm very grateful to be in one place til 5pm. No hurry today.
Everything will get done.
Everything is as it should be. 
I wish you peace in your hearts this holiday season and thank you for all your comments and support of my art and musings this past year.
This gouache is the next step from my previous post of the cat from Castine. Thought she was the purrfect example of cool and collected!

Get Focused!

I've wanted to do something with a photo I took of Lily, the sweet house kitty I met this summer while I was at the Castine Plein Air Festival. In my studio the other day, between projects and feeling very unfocused, I got out the photo, my brushes and gouache. I wanted to have a big pop of color so I amped up the yellow of the chair. This photo hasn't been cropped so you can also see where I placed the white painters tape. 

Here is the painting cropped. I think I will pull the tape, then use a white mat with a tiny bit of white paper showing, framed in a white frame for a contemporary look. 

I love how even a short time in the studio can get me focused, even if I have no idea what will happen. 

Simplify

I wanted to incorporate some pattern into this very simplified still life, while emphasizing the strong verticals along the right side of the piece. This was done with gouache- a small study used to play with a few ideas I'm having.

Heading Home- Travel Journal

We spent a few days before heading back to New England on the Blue Ridge Parkway exploring small towns and hiking the trails with Cooper our Labradoodle who loves being in the woods exploring. 

This campground Chantilly Farm in Floyd, Virginia holds music festivals all summer long featuring bluegrass at its best in a beautiful setting surrounded by hills. In the town of Floyd is the famous Floyd Country Store with their renowned foot tapping Friday night Jamboree and Sunday bluegrass brunch.

I did a small gouache study before we left of the hills at the campground. So peaceful.

Lighten Up- Travel Journal

I wanted to show in this gouache plein air how I thought it could be improved upon after looking at it the next day. I wanted to put more light into it, so I went back in with a specific plan in mind. I am normally an oil painter and I can keep all my color mixes very clean because I have trained myself to mix with the palette knife. With the gouache I am mixing right on the palette and it is easier for the colors to get muddy, which sometimes results in lovely muted shades and other times results in mud! I went in with clean color the next time and the result made me happier, which is what I wanted with a painting of sunflowers!

Bark Beach- Travel Journal

Camping on the Delmarva Peninsula the water was still warm enough for Cooper to swim. He's the soaking wet one on the right with one of his newfound friends. I had no idea how many more people you meet when you have a dog!

I wanted to paint the beach assigned to dogs- the Bark Beach, and was able to do so before the kayaks and paddleboards were put away til next season. Just in time- they were all gone by the next day!

I love the off season- a slower and more relaxed pace for everyone except the dogs!

Fishermans Marina- Travel Journal

As I am drawn to the fishing boats at home on Aquidneck Island, I search them out when we travel. Nothing beats standing on a dock and painting these hard working vessels. I have huge respect for the men and women who choose this livelihood- not an easy life out on the ocean. One of the men came up and asked if I wanted some of the coffee he had made! So thoughtful! Meeting so many good people as we travel in our motorhome. 

On the Boardwalk- Travel Journal

I decided to work with gouache on this latest trip. My concerns are simplicity, keeping all the work in one sketchbook, minimum supplies. As primarily an oil painter, I found that I really enjoyed the quick drying aspects of this water based media. I also like the subtle matte finish. What's better than a clear blue sky, the ocean and a paint brush in your hand? Loving the life I live.

Studio

Another gouache, playing with color harmonies.

Switching Gears

Getting reading to go on the road for a few weeks and thinking about how I want to work. Fooled around with the tiny artist tiles- only a 4x4 surface- very portable to be sure. Gouache is also easily portable, quick to set up for painting and I love the way you can layer so easily in the same session. 

Over the Lagoon

I took my paints out to this gazebo like structure that sits out over the lagoon looking at the light on the bank of the opposite shore. I approached it as I have been doing, getting the drawing down in pencil first. The sun has come out after two days of clouds but the wind has also picked up. I decided to go back to the comfort of home, and use my visual memory to paint. Before I left I looked carefully at what I wanted to emphasize, what wasn't as important to me and then I packed up my things and biked home. I haven't tried that particular way of working before and I enjoyed it quite a bit!

Reflect

I want to work with the window image for a series, did this gouache in a 4x8 format. I love the reflections on the glass table in front of the window and felt I was able to keep an overall abstractness.

Lagoon

Looking out the window I was thinking about Lois Dodd and looked for shapes in the water and in the shadows. Did a quick pencil first to get the shadows, a good thing because the sun soon went behind a cloud. Note to self: Get those shadows in early!

Bridge to the Pool

Brought gouache with me to Hilton Head. I want to get as abstract as possible while retaining sense of place. That will be my objective this week. I'm working on Canson paper in a nice portable traveling book I found at Utrecht. 

Hot Tub

Another image from the evolving book. It will be entered into a juried show called "The Art of the Book". I can't wait to get it all put together. Have a great weekend everyone!