Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Playing with Materials

Summer is my favorite time
 to play with simple materials and subjects.
Playing with my new gouache
plein air gear.



"Surf Casters"
10 x 10 gouache sketch on 
watercolor paper 

NOTE:
I think this may be inspired by
the white line woodcuts I've been looking at
since my friend Joan gave me a card
 with this image on it a while ago!


Cascades (The Waves) 1917
American, 1873 -1937


Just another medium to explore! 






Thursday, June 22, 2017

Plein Air Painting

My first plein air outing of the season this week
with my friend Sally Dean 
didn't work out so well.
(see note below)   
I've come to realize that using oils outside is
not for me anymore.
When I got home, I did this small gouache study
from the image taken on location. 

"Tidal" 
9 x 9 gouache on paper


Think I'll pack up small gouache kit for 
spontaneous plein air outings this summer. 

NOTE: 

I was battling the usual obstacles;
wind, forgotten equipment,
 and a bit of distraction. 
Our son and his wife had just had a baby girl that morning! 
 (Their #2. My 3rd Grandchild and only girl)



Welcome Phoebe Esther Colella!







Monday, June 19, 2017

Checking In



We've moved back to our beach community for the summer 
where the light is extremely intense.   


"Checking In"
9 x 12 

I exaggerated the colors and values here
to express that feeling.  

Summer has arrived! 










Friday, June 16, 2017

Procreate App



"Close Quarters"
9 x 9 oil on panel 

I've been teaching myself to use Procreate,
a painting app on my I Pad Pro. 
I start with an image like this. 


In the app, I can "paint over" the details in order to 
break it down into big broad shapes.


Then I use that image to paint from.
It's a great tool for re-arranging 
 colors, shapes, and compositions
before committing anything to canvas and paint. 
Just another great tool to get you where you want to go! 


Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Initial Block In


I took the reference for this
 on the Garden Club trip to Maine last week,
and did this initial block-in today.


"Spring Garden Tour"
14 x 18 


I loosely filled in the big shapes with a small brush and thin paint, 
letting some of the under painting show.  
Then STOPPED. 
Not sure where this will go from here,
but I hope it's not too far! 








Friday, June 9, 2017

Beach Weather is Coming

We are finally going to get some real beach weather
and I'm looking forward to new reference material
showing up.
I'm in the mood for some color!
I finished this one up today 
(From a reference taken last summer)  


"Summer School"
12 x 12 
oil

I also started this one. 


Untitled as yet 
8 x 16 


NOTE:

I went to Maine with my Garden Club this week 
where we met Mark Brandhorst  at 
in South Paris, ME

He creates these amazing "landscapes" 
in an old stone foundation with succulents.




WOW! 


Then, when I arrived home,
 I got to spend time with this little peanut. 



Homer at 8 weeks


Life is full. 

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Blogging


 I have not given up blogging and look forward to posting again,
when I paint something worth talking about!

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying doing everything else
life offers this time of year;
spring cleaning, organizing, moving,
reading, researching, and playing.


Meanwhile, at the Matisse exhibit at the MFA a few weeks ago
I was impressed by his cut paper collages.  

Matisse achieved a new level of concentrated formal expression with his cut-outs.
 With scissors, he carved shapes from brightly colored paper, 
which he then arranged into compositions 
that meld color, line and the movement of the artist’s hand. 
He condensed elements to become, in his words, 
“The briefest possible indication of the character of a thing. 
A sign. “



Talk about inspiration!  

Stay tuned.