Margo Burian Fine Art & Illustration

Finally.....

2012-02-03T20:04:00.001-08:00

margoburian.net

More Paper

2012-01-23T07:11:00.001-08:00

Along the Grand River. Oil on paper - small. Color from memory.

More paper, from memory

2011-12-16T07:20:00.001-08:00

Small Works on Paper

2011-12-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

One Month, Three Shows!

2011-08-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

To say that the last month has been busy would be an understatement. I might have mentioned this in a previous post, but back in December when the plans were being laid for this year's show season, it seemed so very far away. But time has a way of slipping by so quickly and before I knew it the craziness of my best laid plan was upon me. Three openings within a month's time is an ambitious plan and literally the culmination of the last nine month's work in the studio. Its all but a distant memory now. Thanks to everyone who attended the openings and a double thank you to those of you who purchased a painting (or two, Diane!). The studio looks a little forlorn and empty without all the work hanging around. All the more reason to get back to work.

Solo Show - Tvedten Fine Art, Harbor Springs MI, July 21st, 2011

Solo Show - Center Gallery, Glen Arbor MI, July 28, 2011

Viewpoints Group Landscape Show- Waterstreet Gallery, Douglas MI, Aug 13, 2011

Dockside

2011-07-17T19:02:00.001-07:00

"In the Middle of Things"

2011-07-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

I can't believe its the middle of July. Time certainly seems to be moving at an accelerated pace. It seemed like I had all the time in the world back in December when the July show details were being hammered out. But its the middle of July and the show at Tvedten Fine Art in Harbor Springs opens this Thursday (July 21) and the show in Glen Arbor at the Center Gallery opens the 29th. And it seems like its been forever since I've made any paintings! O.k., well its been probably a week. But framing, naming, cataloging, packing and transportation all have to be done too. The two paintings I am posting tonight are part of the 27 new works I'll be showing at Tvedten.

The first painting is 36x36, titled "If Only".

The second is 48x24, titled "In the Middle of Things".

Plein Aire Workshop in Cross Village

2011-07-12T04:19:00.000-07:00

There are a few spots left for this workshop at Three Pines Studio in Cross Village Michigan.
See the full list of events/workshops at

http://www.threepinesstudio.com

Intro to Plein Air Painting with Margo Burian (2-Day)
When the great outdoors is your studio, the possibilities are endless. This
class is designed to be an introduction to plein air painting for beginning
and intermediate oil painters. We will be working in and around Cross
Village. (In case of rain, class to be held at Three Pines.)
The Art of Observation: Discussion on setting up your “mobile studio”.
Discussions about what constitutes good composition in landscape painting.
Discussion/Demo on light/shadow/temperature. Practical exercises in the
field to help the student quickly identify strong compositions for painting,
as well as define light and shadow.
Capturing the Essence: We’ll be working on the “quick start”. Timed mass
painting exercises. Discussion/practical application on how mass shapes the
foundation of a painting.
Friday, August 12 & Saturday, August 13, 9 am-4 pm
Brown Bag Lunches
Workshop Fee: $195 Materials list available with registration.
Artist/Instructor: Margo Burian, fine artist

Summer - Full Steam Ahead

2011-05-28T05:26:00.001-07:00

Memorial Day weekend - hard to believe we are at the "gateway to summer" already. In some ways I feel like spring just got going, though as I look back over the last few months they were incredibly full. Thought I'd do a little updating on what's been happening before the "gateway to fall" sneaks up on me.

In March I got the good news that I have been selected for one of the Artist-In-Residencies at the Forest Hills Fine Art Center for the 2012-2013 season. As of this posting the dates haven't been determined yet, but am really excited to be part of this program. My work will be on display at the Fine Art Center for about a month and as part of the program I will be doing a teaching component for the Forest Hills Public Schools.
www.fhfineartscenter.com/ArtsEducation.html

At the end of April, I was invited to be part of the Art In Bloom Event at the Grand Rapids Art Museum for an afternoon of plein aire painting in the museum, along with three other artists. At the end of the afternoon our paintings were donated to the museum for a silent auction benefitting the GRAM's education department. This was the first time the GRAM had hosted the event with artists working within the museum and it was fabulous to be painting just around the corner from my favorite painting in the GRAM - Diebenkorn's Ingleside.

Continuing with the theme - literally and figuratively. After the Art in Bloom Event, I went back to the Studio and made a couple of paintings based on the Floral arrangement I used at the GRAM. One of the paintings was submitted to the Festival Regional Arts Competition, where it won the Van Maarseveen/Timermanis Award.

The middle of the month of May brought with it a trip to Cross Village for a workshop with Abstract Painter Ken Kewley. Ken is an amazingly rare and gifted individual. Spending time with him is a bit like spending time with a zen master of color and abstraction. Fortunately for me, right after the workshop I was able to head directly for Glen Arbor for a week where I could assimilate some of the information/ideas Ken presented. Not much time was spent making finished art this trip, but lots of drawing and color notes. It was a beautiful time to be up north. The orchards, forsythias and the trillium were just waking up so the landscape was full on with color.

Enough catching up for now - the Farmer's Market and the studio are calling....

The 30/30 Project

2011-03-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

Am posting just a few images from a project I am working on right now called the 30/30 Project. My friend Jason and I were emailing some images back and forth and discussing the work of some painters who do a painting daily and then post the work. As, (more appropriately IF) anyone who reads this blog knows I am a pretty sporadic poster, so that would be pretty much setting myself up for failure. But I am pretty much a daily painter. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to commit to do 30 paintings in 30 days related to a singular theme and size. Somehow I managed to talk my friend Jason into this little project as well. So we are two weeks into it - I have 14 10x10 floral still life paintings completed. We are half way through and I've even managed to post something! It's a miracle.

Oil Painting Classes at the Studio

2011-01-27T13:13:00.000-08:00

The January session of Oil painting class at my Studio wraps up next Tuesday night. My current group, for the most part are all aspiring oil painters and every time we get together I am reminded of why I started painting in the first place. Its just...FUN! Its been my intention to not only share my enthusiasm for the process of painting but also to share the knowledge thats been shared with me. I've had the good fortune to have some really great teachers myself - first and foremost Stuart Shils. There have been others; Stephen Duren, Melanie Parke, and Richard Kooyman. Each one of these people have helped shaped my artistic vision in one fashion or another and enthused, ignited my desire to not only make art, but to teach as well.
The next session starts February 8th and runs for 4 consecutive Tuesday nights from 6:30-9:30. The March session will begin on the 8th as well and run through March 29. Classes are structured so that they may be taken as a continuum or single session.
I may have a spot or two open so if you'd like further detail, post in the comments section and I will respond promptly.

Why, Hello World

2011-01-24T05:44:00.000-08:00

The love affair with having a studio space downtown continues. Having the space to create work without distraction from creatures/phones/internet has been glorious. It also has initiated a couple of exciting, but unanticipated changes to my nature and the work at hand. I have become more organized. O.k., not so much so that I dusted off my Franklin planner. That thing hasn't seen the light of day in years. But, there is something to be said for actually having to leave the house every day. And having to have your act together to do so. Long gone now are the "working in my pajama days". After 10 years of having the studio at home, being back out in the world has really re-inspired me and facilitated a shift in some of the imagery that I am interested in making.

2010-12-09T04:49:00.000-08:00

2010-12-09T04:44:00.000-08:00

Before & After, the New Digs

2010-09-03T18:37:00.001-07:00

Before: Chaos
Current: Room to breathe

Happening Now or Wrangled into Artprize

2010-09-01T16:32:00.001-07:00

August 31, 2010 - Beginning the 7'x5" painting

August 31, 2010 - End of the Day

Sept 1, 2010 End of a LONG day

At the beginning of May 2010, I really had no intention of entering into the Artprize fray. But at my nephew's graduation party, fueled along by a couple of glasses of wine served with a tiny bit of arm twisting, I somehow heard the words "yeah sure I'll do it, but I'm going to do a big canvas -7'x 5'. What? Did I truly just commit to doing the event, let alone a 7'x5' painting? Yep, thats what drinking can get you into. Seriously after 40, nothing good happens after 10 p.m.

So I've had this desire to make some bigger paintings for quite some time. Pretty much most of my illustration career has been small format, under 16x20". Its really not feasible to make art much bigger than that when you need to consider that it generally needs to be reproduced and usually you have tight deadlines, small is just more efficient when you work for hire. But painting......thats a whole 'notha thing.

But this big canvas, it opened up a whole new set of problems - like getting them. Cheaper in the long run to buy 2 - 7'x5' canvases rather than one, but more expensive to have it shipped to a residence. Had to ship them to a business address and strap them to the top of the car to get them home. Once home, I realized that the canvas was almost bigger than the space I had to paint them in. Hello new studio space downtown, sweet location!!! Canvases back on to the top of the car to go to their new space. Once at the studio I realized that my easel was not up to the job and Craig came up with this great 2x4 rack system for holding large canvases, that can double as a drying rack. Meanwhile, the pressure of the big white canvas vs the clock has started to set in. The thing needs to be dry, (well mostly) and installed by September 21.

August, Already?

2010-08-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

Back in December when the summer schedule was confirmed, I remember thinking "I've got all the time in the world." But once May rolled around it seemed like the continuum of time started to contract at an increasingly accelerated pace. First there was the 11 day painting trip to Glen Arbor, followed by 5 days in Cross Village/Harbor Springs partly spent with my painting mentor Stuart Shils. (See stuartshils.com) The 4th of July came and went with a quick trip to Harbor Springs Tvedten Fine Art for painting delivery. And the middle of the month was consumed by framing/photographing/cataloging work for my solo exhibition at the Center Gallery in Glen Arbor. The week long show was capped with another quick trip to Cross Village where I taught a Gouache Workshop at Three Pines Studio. Then immediately back to Grand Rapids for delivery of new works to the Water Street Gallery in Douglas for a Group exhibition which opened last night. Throw a move of the painting studio into the mix and suddenly I find its the middle of August. Wow. Times flies when you are having FUN! No sarcasm intended. To paraphrase Professor Douglas Brooks, scholar of tantric philosophy "I got the lucky" right now. In all seriousness I find myself very grateful to be able to follow this path. Even while all the stress of pulling work together for 3 separate shows within about a 2 week time span seemed a little daunting and chaotic, in retrospect I wouldn't have it any other way. Perhaps my husband, family and friends see it differently, but you'd really have to take that up with them.

So now am ready to settle back into the space of making the work. Have painted for 2 days now in the new space. And even though its downtown, its quiet. Interestingly enough, while the city is buzzing and vibrant around me, its calm and even somewhat serene within the context of the new space. No distraction from the phone, the email, the laundry, the furry beings and all the other little things that disturb the flow of concentration.

Small Works

2010-06-23T06:06:00.001-07:00

Where the County Road Ends

Northport

Platte River
Ice Shanties

Its been some time since I've posted anything. A thundery morning seems like a good time to do a little blogging before I get into the space of the studio. It was my intention to be a much better blogger but.....well life gets busy you know?

Over the winter I started teaching Yoga at Expressions of Grace Yoga Studio. Its been such a great experience - I love our students and we have a really great community of teachers. The practice of Yoga is such a complement to making art. For me, it helps to get me "out of my head" so to speak and move past any judgement of the work while its in progress. The whole negative self-talk, second-guessing, doubt thing really puts a damper on things when you trying to make any kind of art (yoga or painting for that matter!).

Have also been spending time out in the world painting. Eleven days in Glen Arbor in May without TV, radio and Craig yielded
21 small studies, 1 med painting, a small painting, a novel read, and the entire back of a sweater knitted. Thanks to my friend Cre for getting me right with that sweater. I now know that just because something has a lot of holes in it, that it won't be a fast or easy knit.

Last but not least, just returned from 6 days in Harbor Springs/Cross Village where I spent 3 days with the man who I've really come to regard as my painting teacher/mentor, Stuart Shils. The best way to describe a workshop with Stuart is that its a boot camp for painters. Its full-on. Its really an immersion in making art, looking at art, talking about art. Long days that begin around 8ish for breakfast/discussion of the day ahead, paintings, demo, more discussion, dinner and slide lectures. I come back exhausted, head spinning, but somehow recharged. More on the workshop later.

The works I'm posting this morning are all little plein aire pieces. All were completed in a half an hour or less. Just little studies that help to develop visual musculature, color sensibility, and accurate drawing. All foundation work for larger paintings.

Inland Jewel

2010-05-11T14:25:00.001-07:00

West of Shore

2010-05-11T14:20:00.001-07:00

Arrival

2010-05-11T14:17:00.001-07:00

Thornswift Nature Preserve

2009-12-11T06:49:00.001-08:00

A couple of recent ones. In August I participated at a paintout in Harbor Springs sponsored by Tvedten Fine Art. Like much of this past summer the conditions that day were less than ideal. O.k., the truth is they were horrendous. Driving rain, cold. The first part of the morning was spent "car"painting at Angell Farm, trying not to get paint all over the inside of Craig's car.

There was a bit of a break in the clouds right after lunch so I headed down to Thornswift Nature Preserve. About 30 minutes into the painting I could see the rain moving across the lake towards me. Fortunately I had enough time to make a few sketches and some color notes as well as a smallish painting. These two 5x7 paintings were completed last week as a synthesis of that experience.

Another Day at the End of the Road

2009-10-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

This image was painted on site the day after Fall came to Glen Arbor. It's not a large image, something like 6x12 or in that neighborhood. I have the tendency to work small when I'm working on site. Part of it may be a hangover from illustration where size does matter. (too big, takes too long) But also when you work on site everything around you is so rapidly changing. A lot happens that is completely out of the painter's control. The wind might come up, the cloud patterns change, the direction of the sun is continually moving, someone might decide to park their car directly in front of your vista. Working small has its advantage pyschologically as well. The work doesn't become "too precious". When the work becomes precious or the painter becomes too attached to outcome vs. process the work begins to suffer. Its a hard thing to practice detachment in painting. I think it boils down to being able to strike a fine balance between being able to see whats working and what needs more attention.

What a Difference an Hour Can Make

2009-10-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

Am back in Grand Rapids again after being gone for the last ten days painting at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. I can't believe how quickly the time flew by. And its amazing how much painting & foundational work one can get done when there are no distractions, unless you count knitting as a distraction. Though in defense of the knitting, I did manage to knit a hat and 3/4 of a sock. The two paintings I am posting were completed on Sunday, September 27, before and during the shift from summer-like weather to more appropriate fall weather.

The wind was starting to pick up a bit and the black flies were starting to become a bit fierce as I was completing the painting shown here with the pine trunk. By then, friends & fellow painters Joe and Carol Spaulding had called it a day and headed for home. I started to pack everything up and head in that direction as well, but decided to take a detour to where the-county-road-ends-at-edge-of-the-water. (yes, the sign says that) The atmosphere was so juicy with the approaching cold front I couldn't resist popping the hatch open and standing under the lift gate and knocking off a little painting. As an aside, I wasn't the only one to take refuge in my car. While I was painting, apparently a swarm of black flies decided that my car was a great refuge from the wind and the rain as well. By the time I packed it all in, there were at least 100 flies, who took me days of swatting and driving with the windows down really fast to rid my car of.

Drawing in the Dunes

2009-09-23T07:17:00.001-07:00

These 2 drawings are mixed media on toned paper. Sometimes painting on site can be a little prohibitive - especially if you're hiking your gear up to the top of Sleeping Bear Point (or any distance for that matter) without the benefit of a Sherpa. So in my quest to make things easier, i.e. Lighter, I stripped my painting kit down to the following items: half pans portable watercolor kit, 2 prismacolor pencils, Holbein oil pastels, 1 stiff brush, sm. jar Gamsol, water, birch drawing board, a couple of paper towels, and tape. The two drawings are a combination of everything in my kit. It's my intention to use these drawings as the basis for larger paintings done in the studio.

Rain at the Shoreline in August

2009-09-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

Sun On Sand and Snow - 48x24

2009-08-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

Lilacs in the Rain

2009-06-05T04:56:00.000-07:00

I am recently returned from 10 days in Glen Arbor. A few highlights - A Black Bear, the first one I've ever seen in the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore and most fortunate for both of us that I didn't hit him with my car! Zucchini pancakes with feta, garlic, butter and a liberal helping of creative inspiration dished up by renaissance woman Cre Woodard. Painting and more inspiration in the form of a plein air session and studio visit with artist Carol Spaulding. Painting in the rain. Painting in the cold and painting in the wind.

2009 Festival of the Arts Regional Competition

2009-05-19T07:33:00.001-07:00

Mantra I was accepted into Festival of the Arts Regional Competition. This plein aire painting was completed on location at the top of Sleeping Bear Point one year ago this week! This particular painting venture was orchestrated by friends and fellow painters Richard Kooyman & Melanie Parke. Rounding out the group was Beth Bricker, Margaret Tvedten and myself. Style points go to Margaret who carried a card table to the top of the point. Honestly I think she had no idea we were in for a hike!

81st Muskegon Museum Of Art Regional Exhibition

2009-05-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Am happy to announce that this plein aire painting was recently accepted into the 81st Muskegon Museum of Art Regional Exhibition. This particular piece was painted last August on location at Kelderhouse Farm in the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore.

Alla Prima 5/7/09

2009-05-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

River Pines

2009-05-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

Bossing the Paint Around

2009-04-14T05:43:00.000-07:00

Recently I posted a status on my FB account where I stated, "I'm gonna show that paint whose the boss." One of my friends commented back that he thought it was really the non-dual nature of painter/paint working together to co-create a painting. After much contemplation of his comment, I still stand by my original statement. "I am the boss of the paint." Anything less in my mind would say that the act of creating a painting is more about chance & luck. I do agree that there is an alchemy that takes place between the inspiration of the painter and the application/attitude of the paint, but to say unilaterally that the painter and the medium need to be one in my opinion, gives far too much power to the paint.

Case in point. I am teaching a class at Kendall College of Art & Design and one of my students remarked that she was frustrated by not being able to "make the paint" do what she wanted it to. The frustration comes from a lack of "knowledge". Knowledge of the paint = time spent moving the paint around, observing what happens with different brushes, how the paint reacts in varying stages of drying (watercolor). I remember, especially when I was a less experienced painter, how often times the the materials would frustrate me as well. But painting is like anything else, in order to florish, it needs attention, it needs to be practiced. My advice to her may sound a little counter intuitive to my point, but in order to gain the "knowledge" of the paint she needed to let go and let the paint do what it wanted to do. Then, through the acts of observation, experimentation, & practice she gains the knowledge to "be the boss of the paint".

Every Picture Has It's Own Story

2009-04-04T15:50:00.000-07:00

So as the saying goes, every picture tells a story but sometimes the story is about the picture. Check this out. Copy and paste into your browser.
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/paid/302451206813239.bsp
Thanks to Becky Vargo of The Grand Haven Tribune for such a lovely story and pictures.

Spring - Old Mission

2009-03-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

Crazy Studio Games

2009-03-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of quick gouache studies from Margo Burian's Home Studio Gouache Game. The game goes like this....when you have no time to paint, throw all your reference photos in a box. With eyes closed, grab a photo - any photo. What you get is what you get. No do overs. Start your countdown. Fifteen minutes, 2 brushes, 4 pencil lines and one blank piece of watercolor paper.

Reeds Lake Reclaimed Canvas

2009-03-26T10:44:00.001-07:00

Yet another reclaimed canvas. 1/2 hour study - 6x12 canvas. Odd pleasure in making a painting that I wasn't fond of go away. Am way too pragmatic to throw the process pcs away - as evidenced in an earlier post.

Plein Aire Class on Reed's Lake

2009-03-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

When the great outdoors is your studio, the possibilities are endless!

I am excited to announce that two sessions of Plein Aire Painting for beginner to intermediate oil painters have been scheduled through the East Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department taught by yours truly! Session A begins Thursday, May 7th at 6:30 p.m., Session B will start on Friday, June 5 at 9:00 a.m.. Each session runs for 4 weeks in 3 hour blocks at sites on/near Reed's Lake. Cost per session is 99.00 for EGR Residents and 109.00 for non residents. In case of rain we'll be using the EGR Community Center's Painting Room located on the lake. Enrolled students will receive a discount on their supplies at T-Square Art Supply.

Topics covered include how to set up a "mobile" studio, the art of observation, capturing the essence of the landscape, as well as foundation techniques for oil painting.

Please contact East Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation to sign-up @ 616.949.1750.

The 10 Minute Oil

2009-02-11T06:39:00.000-08:00

This little series of postcard oil paintings were done on Wallis sanded paper. And they are little - 4x6 to be exact. For me there is a beauty in working small sometimes, especially if I am under a time constraint and want to get into the studio. There's always a little wet paint on the palette and even with limited time there's something to be learned while painting. These small timed studies force the painter into quickly deciding what the "essence" is of the subject. There is no time to waver on color/mass or composition - you just put it down and go.

2009-02-11T06:38:00.000-08:00

2009-02-11T06:37:00.000-08:00

Like Crazy People, Only Saner

2009-01-03T15:05:00.000-08:00

Seriously, you really do have to be a crazy person to stand out in 26 degree weather with a wind chill of 14 for 2 hours painting. Fortunately I have a friend who is exactly this kind of crazy person. Otherwise I'd be questioning my own sanity. The thing about Plein Aire painting in Michigan in January is that it's FUN. Seriously. Try dressing like the Michelin Man and then wielding fragile sticks of pastel with double-gloved hands trying to coax an image out of the frozen numbness of your frontal lobes! It would be so much easier to hang out in the relative comfort of the studio, but where is the living on the edge in that? Anyway, while the work produced in these cold alla prima sessions isn't likely to win any awards, its really the essence of the experience that matters here. Thats the icing (literally!) on the cake.

Sun on Sand and Snow - North Bar

2008-12-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

Finally, the illustration projects are wrapped up for now and have had some time to get back in the studio. Am posting another 6x12 image in the canvas reclamation project. This is a study done for a larger painting (24x48) that I'll eventually be posting as well.

Three Small Gouache

2008-11-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

alla-la-la-la-la prima. 5 minutes x 3 = 15 min.; mix, decide, apply, finish. breathe.

God Helps Those....

2008-11-10T18:13:00.001-08:00

who help themselves. After all, dog is God spelled backwards. In a weird way I'm sort of proud of him. I guess all those agility classes paid off.

Big Red Barn

2008-11-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

Eight Days to Dry

2008-11-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

Old Mission Peninsula, a little different format. Must remember to bump up the drier in the medium as its been 8 days and still not completely dry. Oil on a reclaimed panel.

Watching Paint Dry

2008-11-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

Finally dry. I have a number of new paintings kicking about the studio as part of my "Save the Canvas" campaign, but in the category of nothing ever goes as planned, this group of work is being a bit temperamental about drying. Apparently I must of not added enough galkyd to this last batch of medium.

Bad Paintings of the World.....

2008-10-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

Unite! There is hope for life after bad art. Presenting painting number 2 in the canvas reclamation project; The End of Old Mission in October. The painting that is now securely entombed forever (hopefully) under this new offering was an abomination, an affront to my own artistic ego, i.e., it was a painting that for various reasons DIDN'T WORK OUT. Paintings that don't work out can be problematic. After all, just what do you do with them? I mean I really don't want them hanging around my studio bumming me out, providing me with tangible proof of that day's particular artistic ineptitude, nor do I want to lavish them on friends & family who will gasp at the magnitude of such an extravagant offering and then promptly stash them in a closet or worse yet become garage sale fodder. So just what becomes of those "process" pieces? I have it on good authority that one nationally known (who here will remain unknown) painter was cavalierly just throwing his "process pieces" in the trash, only to one day find the garbage man rifling through the best of the worst paintings! Hello EBAY. Said painter has found one more reason to love his table saw. Other painters archive and store the stuff, I choose to reuse, much to the horror of my husband. SO that conversation went kind of like this...Me -"blah, blah, blah canvas reclamation project." Husband - "You are DOING WHAT to finished paintings???" In his ever optimistic way he suggested that a mythical someone, somewhere, just might want to buy one of those process pieces. To which I suggested to him that he sign HIS name on them. And I see he has yet to take me up on that! :)

The 15 Minute Oil

2008-10-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

This painting is part of what I am now referring to as the "Canvas Reclamation Project". Canvases, that for one reason or another, don't really like the painting they've been presented with. Underneath this study was a painting of the lake Michigan shore line. While the actual scene doesn't include any lake view or tree line to the right, I liked the way these parts of the underpainting came through and decided to let these sections stand as they were.

The People You Meet at Lunch

2008-10-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

Just another day in the life. We headed out today for lunch to Ada Bike and the Schnitz Deli. On the drive out we started noticing a huge police presence down the entire route. Annoyed by all the road closures we took the back road into Ada and pulled into the bike shop. Where we were met by....more-better-serious police, bomb sniffing dogs, metal detectors and my personal favorite, a handbag search. After the Secret Service liberated a wine opener from my bag we were allowed into the Great Hall of Bikedom. As it turns out, we weren't the only ones in Ada for lunch, as evidenced by the Presidential Motorcade's arrival some 10 minutes later. And sure enough there is the Leader of the Free World heading up to the Schnitz Deli for lunch. So I see where my lunch is heading and it no longer involves dining at the Schnitz. I'd like to take this time to thank Ada Bike for the Bag of Starbursts I had for lunch. But I digress. Anyway, after his lunch GW made his way down to the bike shop where he shook hands & chatted us all up. Note on meeting the President: my biggest regret was that I wasn't wearing my "Hot Chicks for Obama Pin". It was on my other coat. Damn it.

The 15 Minute Gouache

2008-10-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

Time to post something from the art category. This is a 15 minute gouache study from yesterday. I actually did two paintings - the gouache and a small oil, of this image. Will post the oil once its dry enough to move. My focus right now is - the bravado of the start & knowing when to stop.

Podium Girls-A New Twist!

2008-10-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to be a Podium Girl! I did, I did, I did. I got my chance a little belatedly Friday night at the "Welcome Home & Medal Viewing" party for our friend Mackenzie Woodring. Mackenzie was the eyes for fellow cyclist Kara Whitsall at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. How cool is that??? Even better, look what they brought home:
Gold - Women's Individual Time Trial B&VI 1-3
Silver - Women's Individual Road Race B&VI 1-3
Bronze - Women's Ind. Pursuit (B&VI 1-3)

Making Special

2008-10-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Its hard to believe its been a week now since the Parke-Kooyman Painting Retreat (a.k.a. Painting Camp) has ended. Painting Camp was held in the form of a 3 day/4 night plein aire workshop in at Camp Tosebo in Onekema, MI hosted by Painters Melanie Parke and Richard Kooyman. See link for their website.

This was definitely the gold standard of workshops. First of all, Camp Tosebo was a perfect place to hold an art intensive. The main lodge, outbuildings and and the grounds are absolutely charming and meticulously maintained. There were 11 of us in attendance and I would have to say that the team of Parke-Kooyman, Cre Woodard, and Carol Spaulding didn't miss a thing when it came down to even the smallest details. We were all greeted by fresh flowers, not only in the public rooms of the lodge, but in our separate accommodations as well. Meals were an art unto themselves with Chef Cre and Woman-of-Many-Hats Carol (Assistant to the Chef, Wine Pourer, Bottle Washer & most importantly Art Camper) manning the kitchen. The food was fresh, local, and non-stop. Got to LOVE a woman who serves cake for breakfast - a cardamon cake to be precise. This was some seriously good slow food. Fresh Corn Chowder, Rustic Goat Cheese & Squash Pizza, A Creamy Cauliflower Fettuccine, Key Lime Pie, Brownies, Gallettes, Sesame Cookies and blueberry pancakes! And wine, lots of wine! Who cares if we ever even painted!

Paint we did though. Three solid days from 9:00 to 5:00 with a short lunch break. We filled what seemed like miles of surface! We worked quickly through several small studies. We worked even more quickly trying to capture the essence of the essential on larger surfaces. Under the guidance of Melanie and Richard it was if we were all learning a new language. Part of my language is learning to speak with a bigger brush in broader volumes. On day two, my dear Melanie, who I now refer to as the "queen of all painting evil" walked up to where I was painting and handed me this monstrous brush ( think blush brush for an elephant). Of course, I am working on a little canvas and was like, "just where do you expect me to use this?" She just smiled and walked away. However, I am now having a big brush love affair!

Both Melanie and Richard are extremely talented painters. In addition, they both have the gift of being natural teachers. Being able to support and enhance the positive aspects of their student's work seems to come very easily to them as a team. In addition to freely sharing their wealth of personal knowledge, they shared a library of catalogs, books, dvds and spirited discussions during our daily evening fireside "wrap ups".

One of the highlights of camp was the Wine & Cheese Field Trip to Parke-Kooyman Studios. Richard and Melanie graciously opened their studios and home to us for hors'd ouvres and wine. Yes, this is how a field trip should be. I have some serious studio envy. Both studios are light and airy, plenty of space. Melanie's is in a beautifully updated old store front and Richard's space is literally a stone's throw away in a restored barn. Both spaces held many framed and "in progress pieces". It was interesting to see the progression from the unfinished to the framed. I think its pretty safe to say we all came away from the outing visually enriched.

This workshop brought together a patchwork of strangers and by the time we were all packed up and bound for home it was obvious that we were all connected by the same sutra. I made many dear friends here and the inspirations that this group generated will be resonating in my work for months to come. To steal a line from Ellen Dissanayake, "Making Special" is an art form in itself and what Parke-Kooyman did exceptionally well at this retreat.

2008-09-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

The sketchbook

2008-09-14T17:46:00.001-07:00

Am in a sketchbook kind of mood lately and its never a bad thing to keep your drawing skills sharp. One of the great things about when I did the Artist-In-Residency (see way back posts) last year, I got back into the habit of keeping a sketchbook. Almost all of the sketching that I do for commercial work is done on tissue overlays, so while I have piles of sketches they're mostly just that....piles of sketches. The sketchbook however feels like a personal record, a diary of drawing so to speak. This little sketch of Bodhi I am posting was done just a couple of days ago. Bodhi, out of all the living, breathing creatures that reside here is always the most agreeable model. Unlike those felines who care not to suffer for art by being imposed upon to model, as they will undoubtedly move when they realize that they are being observed. Ingrates.

Lately a lot of my sketches have been in mixed media - mostly a combination of 30% grayscale markers and a 90% prisma pencil. I like the saturation of the marker as its a bit like painting, plus its about having to get shapes down accurately the first time.

Joe's Farm

2008-09-10T09:31:00.001-07:00

And just how do I know that this is Joe's farm?
In my quest to connect to the landscape around here, I've been heading east towards Lowell. The attitude of the land is beautiful,
rolling hills peppered with barns. There is a little site that I've been painting at recently in this little non-dot-on-the-map Parnell. Parnell consists of three major landmarks; a church, a convenience store and a cemetery. (Like a weird Bermuda Triangle of sorts!) Anyone who thinks a cemetery is a quiet/lonely place ought to head out to Parnell. So much for painting uninterrupted.
Fellow artist Holli Sturges and I met a number of people while painting in the cemetery. One of which was Joe's brother who promptly called Joe to tell him that I was painting his farm, who then said we were welcome to come on over to the farm and paint sometime. Definitely am planning on taking him up on that.

2008-09-02T08:41:00.001-07:00

Behind the house at Kelderhouse

2008-08-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

What a Month!

2008-08-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

Am finally back in the studio after being gone for almost 3 weeks. I spent a week in Glen Arbor for the opening and the show - which went really well; paintings were sold, people were met! The day I took the show down it was off to Harbor Springs for 5 days for a paint-out & opening at Tvedten. Then home for 4 days, which was just long enough to swap for clean clothes and repack to go to Niagra Falls for 3 days. I know its hard to believe but I think I talked more in those 3 weeks than I would normally talk in a year! Now for less talking and more painting.

Also I want to say mucho gracias to those of you who were able to come up for the opening and or purchased a painting. That support simply cannot be measured in words, but know that it is deeply appreciated.

And to my good friend Chuck - are you sure that painting is unsigned????? :)

The Countdown has begun

2008-08-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Just a moment for a little pre-show preview. The opening is in 2 days; exactly 48 hours from now. Everything is framed, my artist statement written and pretty much all I need to do know is pack and drive!

Tick, Tick, Tick

2008-07-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

Thorson Farm Road

2008-07-27T12:21:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe that July is almost over. And that the opening at Center Gallery in Glen Arbor is in 12 days. In the spirit of NOT putting off everything off until the last minute I actually have a head start on the framing. I think I have 11 pcs framed out of the 27 or 28 I am taking up for the show. While it may not sound like 11 pcs is a solid head start, in "artist time" it actually is. I have all the frames except for 6 and one that I keep changing my mind about!

I did it AGAIN. Will I ever learn?

2008-07-25T19:43:00.001-07:00

I am on my 3rd palette in 5 days. The first one which I used for over a year met its demise somewhere on the East Beltline last week. My last conscious memory of that palette was putting it on top of my car as I was loading up from painting at Meijer Gardens. I replaced it on Monday just before heading up north for 4 days of painting. Long story short, palette number 2 took a flyer at 55 mph on M22 between Glen Haven and Glen Arbor. At least I saw its spectacular connection with the pavement from my rearview mirror, and fortunately for once, no one from Chicago or Detroit was tailgating me. Am now fully committed to not putting anything further on top of my car as I pack up.

Watercolor Waterlilies

2008-07-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

Headed over to Meijer Gardens this afternoon for an hour of sketchbook work. They have kind of a cool thing going right now called "Monet the Gardener". While they didn't try to reproduce his garden, they basically drew inspiration from his use of color, texture and plant combinations. Really what Monet themed garden wouldn't have at least a few waterlilies? These lilies were up in the waterfall section of the garden. This all prima sketch was done with minimal drawing; just a few pencil lines to get the lilies in generally the right location.

One Hour Challenge Result Show

2008-07-07T05:31:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd post the result of the One Hour Challenge. Even though I lightened the painting up with photoshop in the previous post, the image seemed dark in contrast with the field. Anyway here is the finished 9x12 painting.

The One Hour Challenge

2008-07-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

Happy 5th of July. I am happy to report we've survived another summer Holiday without the neighbors accidently torching our house through their use of alcohol and fireworks.

Headed out for a little plein aire today with fellow painter Frank Speyers. In an effort to spend more time painting, less time driving we headed over to Lowell and settled in a farm field along the Grand River for the afternoon. The second painting of the day was a One Hour Challenge. For you foodies, think Iron Chef with paint and no cheesy chairman. The beauty of the one hour format as far as I am concerned is that it takes the pressure to produce a masterpiece off. Seriously, if it ends up being a disaster you can totally wiggle out of it by saying to yourself, "well, I only had an hour." By setting a time limit you force yourself to work quickly and you begin to build a confidence with the brushes and paint, after all you have to cover the whole surface with paint or its a disqualification. I haven't really got the whole self DQ thing figured out yet, like what my penalty should be. Maybe knocking 5 minutes off the next attempt. Anyway the painting shown here in the field was completed in 55 minutes, including talk-time with the farmer who came out to turn the hay over to dry.

The Trouble with June

2008-07-02T05:52:00.001-07:00

is everywhere you look its green, green green! But with my newly honed sense of the careful observation (remember I just did the Shils Guerilla Bootcamp for painters) its not JUST a green field, but a problem to be solved. This particular problem presented itself Sunday June 28th when a group of plein aire peeps headed out to the Saul Lake Bog Preserve. As this was my first trip out there I wasn't sure what to expect. What I didn't expect was all the GREEN. It was everywhere with not a structure in sight. Not even a fence post! My first clue should have been the word Preserve. Duh. Don't get me wrong this is a beautiful site and I've already been back, but I'd just come off of a pretty intense workshop where I was looking pretty carefully at structures in the landscape. My response to all of this green was to make this an accurate paint mixing experience. Once I had the plan in my head as how to solve the problem of all that green, the painting became more about the poetry of paint vs. the image.

I've been meaning to update about the workshop and just haven't had the time. Came back to a mountain of freelance and have been trying to dig my way out ever since. Three Pines Studio in Cross Village hosted the workshop. They arranged housing for those of us who needed it; the place I stayed was amazing. It was a lovingly restored farm on Division Road. The property owners have turned some of the outbuildings into vacation rentals. The building that I stayed in was an old grain mill. Joanne and Gene of Three Pines really outdid themselves as far as hospitality goes. We were greeted on Sunday night with a fabulous dinner of poached salmon, pork tenderloin, a rustic bean salad and my favorite; little red peppers stuffed with blue cheese, and wine. Throughout the course of the workshop, the Condino/Recks made sure we never went hungry or thirsty for that matter.

The nuts and bolts of the workshop started on Sunday night at dinner with intros all around. Right after dinner the Stuart Shils experience began in earnest with a 2 hour slide lecture comparing and contrasting painters throughout history. Monday morning began with breakfast promptly at 8:15. By 9:30 we were in in the field. A short break for lunch and then back at it. Dinner, and then another slide lecture. Shils really "shows up" for these workshops. He is incredibly well-versed in the history of art and art-making and armed with an arsenal of slides/presentations. I would have to say that he sets a high bar for those who step forward. After three days of painting, on the last day at 4:15, he looked at the painting I was working on and said, "You've got a nice painting going there". I wanted to get that in writing. Shils isn't one to give praise arbitrarily, in fact I definitely wouldn't say that he coddles the sensitive ego. But, when he does critique, its always with a fair and objective eye. It is my opinion that he really is looking to help develop the skill of the careful observation and that by being fair in his assessment of the work, he does his participants the biggest favor of all. In short, I would have to say that that workshop was invaluable to me and am ready to sign up for next years offering.

And one last thing, it was really inspiring to be in the company of all these talented people who came together for this workshop. Hi to Lori, Patricia, Kate, and Jim. You know who you are.........

The Calm Before the Storm

2008-06-20T05:24:00.001-07:00

Talk about foreshadowing. This was one hour plein aire study was done this past Sunday, right before the Stuart Shils painting workshop was to begin. The workshop or more accurately guerilla bootcamp for painters was a three day affair in Cross Village, MI, wonderfully hosted by Joanne Condino and Gene Reck of Three Pines Studios. More on that later. When I say bootcamp, I mean bootcamp. They were very long, full days. The day started promptly at 8:15 with art theory and dialog. By 9:30 or so we were generally on location to paint. Lunch, then painting until 5. A short break to clean up, dinner and back for slide lectures, discussion and thankfully wine!

In My Own Backyard, Sort Of

2008-06-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well, not literally in my own backyard but within 4 blocks. I have been on the lookout for places around here to paint and on a route I frequently travel I just happened to catch a glimpse of a few red flowers. I pulled in to investigate a little further; beyond a curve and a hill was this expanse of wild flowers probably about 2 acres+ in full bloom. Pink and red poppies, cornflowers, daisies. It is absolutely breathtaking. Fellow artist Holly Sturges and I spent a couple hours Sunday morning painting at this site .

Burfiend Farm Revisited

2008-05-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

The last time I painted at this site was in September. What a difference a few months makes. I painted here at least three times last fall and never saw another soul. I was probably here less than 2 hours on Saturday 5/24 and saw at least a dozen people and assorted dogs. Speaking of dogs, this was the first time I'd taken Bodhi out with me solo on a painting expedition. (Craig has been officially banned from further painting expeditions am sad to report, see earlier post!) I am happy to say that the Beaster is actually the perfect painting companion. He doesn't complain about the site and never really offers criticism on any of the work. He's pretty much happy to just hang out and take it all in. Now if I can just get him to carry some of the gear.

Photos From the Vortex

2008-05-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

I'm Baaaccckkk

2008-05-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

From 10 days painting in Glen Arbor! Overall it was a really good trip. The weather was definitely on the cold side though....one of the days I was out the temperature never got over 44 degrees, coupled with 20mph+ winds. The saving grace that day was that the sun was absolutely brilliant and tucked up into the dunes it felt like it might have been 46 degrees, really. Good thing I brought the swix XC ski gloves which are now residing in my paint kit. Over the course of the week, I managed 17 paintings, 13 which were done on site.

One of the highlights of this particular trip was that on one of the days, I painted with a group of other artists; Melanie Parke, Richard Kooyman, Margaret Tvedten and Beth Bricker. ( See links) I never get to paint with anyone else, so it was really fun to just be in the company of all this great talent for the day. We hiked up to the top of Sleeping Bear Point, which Richard swears is the Vortex of all creativity! I think I'd have to agree with him. The first painting here is from that morning. The hike was probably a mile and a quarter...up, carrying all our gear. Style points go to Margaret who carried a card table up to the top as she was doing a very long watercolor. Melanie worked in gouche, Beth in pastel, Richard and I both worked in oils. We spent the morning into early afternoon there, heading into Art's Tavern for Burgers and deep fried Tator tots. (o.k. don't knock the Tator tots until you've had them deep fried.) After lunch, we headed up to Bohemian Road for the afternoon session.

Craig and Bodhi joined me almost a week into the trip.Let's say three is a crowd when you're out painting and 2 of that crowd is not painting! Craig had the BRILLIANT idea that he and Bodhi would join me for a morning session. On paper it looked good, really. Bodhi and Craig would sit on the beach, play fetch, etc. while I painted. Right. Lets see....we got there, I started to set up while Craig walked the Beaster to the beach. But no, in true dog fashion the Beaster likes all of us to be together in a pack, so he spent most of his time running between me and Craig, stopping for an occasional swim, then coming up and shaking all over me and my gear. In summary, that morning's painting is not one I'll be showing anytime soon.

Manitou Music Festival Poster

2008-04-16T06:14:00.001-07:00

The Manitou Music Festival is at the printer! I talked to Peg at GAAA and she said that they will be delivered by the end of the month. Am very excited to see the printed piece. The original painting is of the Kelderhouse farm in Port Oneida, between Glen Arbor and Leland just off of M-22. The painting was completed during my AIR and donated to the Art Association as a token of appreciation.

The Kelderhouse farm is located in the Port Oneida Historic District in Sleeping Bear National Park. One of my earliest memories as a kid is spending time at Sleeping Bear with my family. We did all the typical family things; the dune ride (o.k, now that dates me!), the dune climb, and beach time at Glen Haven. As a kid I was fascinated with all the farmsteads that were seemingly abandoned. At the time, I didn't realize that they were part of a large scale preservation project. Even today, I still find all of those farms hauntingly beautiful. The title of the painting "In Between", signifies the emotional space those farms still occupy.

Shoreline Study

2008-04-08T13:02:00.001-07:00

North Bar-September

2008-04-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

2008-04-02T06:26:00.001-07:00

No Escape

2008-03-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

I've been painting alot lately. In the last month I think I've completed something like 25 paintings. Varying sizes, varying degrees of success IMO. I've come to one conclusion through it. There is simply no escaping who you are artistically. In my 15+ years as a professional illustrator/artist I've looked at alot of art. In fact recently I decided to stop looking at everyone elses art so I could get a clearer vision of what it was that I had to offer. Its so easy to get caught up in the idea of what the completed painting "should be", rather than what is. I think that for me one of the major distinctions between creating fine art and illustration is freedom. The freedom to choose not only subject matter and content, but the freedom to rest (or not, as is the case sometimes)with the result. In work for hire, the client almost always dictates the subject, the style and to some degree the final art.

2008-03-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

Nature Boy Goes Happy.

2008-03-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

I swear he is the happiest dog ever, especially when the day includes a trip to water. Any water. Big lake, little lake, muddy pond, swimming pool, yes even semi frozen water. The whining in the car started once we got to Spring Lake. By the time we got out of the car at Grand Haven, we were being dragged down the boardwalk full tilt towards the lake. When 4 paws and 80 pounds is determined there is not much that stops him, except the promise of a T-R-E-A-T.

Flower to the People

2008-03-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

Have been working on a new series of paintings. Small floral studies. Motivated in part I think, by not being able to get outside and paint. So just to juice things up, decided to do some observational studies. Small, quick, not too fussy. I have probably 15 of these completed.

Snow be Gone for Good

2008-03-19T09:04:00.001-07:00

Happy Spring, almost. Since tomorrow is the official changeover of the seasons! Am feeling like a broken record here but I am really ready for some warmer temperatures. At least warm enough to get outdoors and paint. I need another 10 degrees or so on top of the mid 30's we've been currently having. The two images I am posting today are what I call "do-overs". Both of these canvases had prior lives that I wasn't real fond of - so I painted directly over them. It was kind of fun to let some of the underpainting influence the new paintings. Both images are of Reed's Lake and done from digital reference, because it was too cold out.

Am working on a new series of paintings right now, that I hope to post if they ever dry!

Red Barns

2008-03-11T06:47:00.000-07:00

There is something about barns in the landscape that has always fascinated me. Perhaps its the sense of connection, of being grounded to nature that the barn represents for me. Interestingly enough, the barn becomes part of the landscape, rather than an intrusion. (think McMansion planted squarely in a field and I think you'll know what I mean)

On another note; Bring on the spring! Am sick of painting indoors. Craig and I headed down to Saugatuck last weekend and spent a beautiful afternoon hiking through the State Park. Even though the sun was absolutely brilliant, it was about 24 degrees and with the wind off the lake, the wind chill was brutal! We spent about an hour and a half on the beach and hiking, but it took me about two days to warm up. Seriously.

Hurrah! The Benefits of Yoga

2008-02-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday.....I did 2 handstands, a backbend AND I got carded! Yes, its all true. Ask my husband, he was there. At least for the carding! All I'm gonna say about the carding is double 21, add a couple years and you'll see why I am celebrating being carded.

So in reality, am actually celebrating more than that. Yesterday was the culmination of my first five day Anusara Teacher Training. To borrow a line from my teacher, "it was the right time, the right place and the right people." It was a beautiful 5 days and incredible to see the evolution of how we all came together to "own the seat" of the Teacher, under the guidance of our Teachers; Behnje and Rick.

So in Yogic fashion, I offer my sincere thanks to Rebecca, Aaron, Susan, Lisa, and Jaala for all the love, support and humor.
And to Behnje and Rick......you know.

All to the Good

2008-02-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Lots of recent developments for a cold and snowy February. First of all, one of the paintings from my AIR has been selected for the GAAA 2008 Manitou Music Festival Poster. The painting is of the Kelder house farm and was donated to the GAAA as a token of my deep appreciation for the support of the Art Association during my AIR. I was completely surprised and honored to find that it will be joining a great lineage of previous Music Festival Posters. Will post the image when it is available.

Also on tap, the date of August 8-14, 2008 has been finalized for a one person show (me!) at the Center Gallery in Glen Arbor MI. Much thanks to Beth, Allison and Cherie for the opportunity.

In other show news, a show is in the works this summer also at Tvedten Fine Art in Harbor Springs, MI. This is a wonderful gallery that I've been affiliated with for many years now.

Last, but not least. Next week I continue with the Yoga as I am moving into the first part of the Anusara Yoga Teacher training with my teacher, Behnje at From the Heart. If the 108 hour Immersion was any indicator, the Teacher training will be amazing.

Lots to look forward to and be thankful for - even if it is only 10 degrees out!

To my good friend Sue

2008-01-28T18:48:00.000-08:00

Yes its true. I have a hard time resisting a good cat picture. Who doesn't enjoy a cat picture every once in a while? Just as long as it doesn't become a problem.

Just for the record......I do not do pet portraits.

Art & Yoga

2008-01-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

I just spent the majority of the weekend at a yoga workshop with Anusara teacher Moses Brown. It was a great workshop, we laughed, we cried (o.k so we didn't really cry) but we did do ALOT of yoga. And it was FUN! That Moses, he is a funny guy. A real yogic comedian. There were times when we were laughing so hard that I could barely stay upright. That tends to be a problem when you run the risk of taking your entire row out if you take a header.

Moses Brown on yoga......"Its simple, but not easy". So true. Really, I can't tell you how many times that someone new to yoga thinks its going to be just a "little stretch" and they come up to me afterward and remark how hard it was. It really doesn't get easier, though it might get more easeful, because there's always more. Painting can be alot like that.

Sand and Surface

2008-01-23T06:54:00.001-08:00

Canvas vs. Board......Board. At least right now.

Early on

2008-01-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

This particular painting was generated early on during my residency. As I look back over the body of work from this time, its interesting to see the shift that started to happen. I think it can be best said in two words; Clarity and Conviction. Having the luxury of time to devote solely to one purpose really helped me to refine and define what Painting means to me. It gave me the space to step out of Professional-Illustrator-Head where creating art is about the finish/outcome, rather than process. I mean why does anyone create art for the first time anyway? Because its FUN. Sometimes though when you draw for hire, the deadlines, the desire to give the client what they want, and the next project looming (or lack of!) can get in the way of the FUN.

Out of the 15 or so canvases I completed, only 5 or 6 are what I would consider successful. But the true measure of that time and space I feel is only just now starting to manifest. In the words of Patanjali's Yoga sutras, "No effort in Yoga is ever wasted." I think that applies to painting as well.

Way Back When

2008-01-10T07:01:00.001-08:00

About a year ago when I started this blog, I posted the underpainting of this piece under "I am Jinxed." It really didn't take me a year to complete, only a year to post. This one is a pastel, done on a Wallis sanded paper. Am considering tackling this in oils, just to see if I can loosen it up some. The finish on this ended up being a little fussy.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

O.k., so I'm not big on making resolutions, but setting an intention is a whole 'nother thing. So with that said, it's my intention to get outside and paint more this year. I already have a couple of painting trips planned, as well as attending a workshop or two. A couple of workshops worth checking out.....Stuart Shils at Three Pines Studios in Cross Village and the Parke-Kooyman Workshop at Camp Tosebo in September. Workshops are really valuable for not only the exchange of information, but for the immersion experience as well.

He's a Fabu-Lab!

2007-12-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

From Wilco Road

2007-12-10T12:33:00.001-08:00

Just a quick sketch in oils. This was done from a photo earlier this year.

Prior to my Artist in Residency, I'd been primarily a studio artist. For me, illustration pretty much happens alone in my studio. Its a pretty solitary gig, unless you count the four-legged supervisors. So I had sort of naturally gravitated towards working in the studio when doing fine art as well. The temperature, the lighting, music, its all consistent. But having the opportunity to spend a large chunk of time outdoors working in nature is well, amazing. It really makes you focus on the essence of the subject, as your subject matter is constantly in a state of change. It becomes very apparent that nothing remains the same, unlike working from a photograph.

Kelderhouse

2007-12-04T09:35:00.001-08:00

Kelderhouse

2007-12-04T06:06:00.001-08:00

North Bar-Another view

2007-10-12T13:25:00.001-07:00

What's in a name anyway?

2007-10-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

A good portion of my Residency was spent sketching and painting in the Port Oneida Historic District. This little oil, I do mean little (5x7) is a portion of the farmhouse and one of the outbuildings. For about the first week I was there I thought the name of this particular farm was Burfield, but as it turns out its Burfiend.

Empire Beach

2007-10-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

This particular sketch and subsequent painting were done on the same day on location at the public beach in Empire. One of the things I "rediscovered" during my AIR was the importance of keeping a sketchbook. My sketchbook became one of my greatest assets during my time away. I love working in a sketchbook form: its easily portable when hiking, it's more lively than a photograph, and the time investment is much less than dragging all your painting gear out. I hate to admit it but its been years since I've kept a sketchbook of any consequence. Am not really sure how I got out of the habit, but I suspect that it was more of a time issue than anything else. (Too much time devoted to other things.) Anyway, with this particular scene I used the sketch book to block out my composition and to solidify my knowledge of correct value.

And then it rained

2007-10-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

During the 2 weeks of my Artist in Residency, I spent a significant amount of time at North Bar Lake, just a shade north of Empire. Its a beautiful area; dunes, shoreline, and a small lake that connects to Lake Michigan. Usually. Not this year. In the many years that I've been going up to North Bar this is the first year that I've ever seen the lake levels so low that that the Big Lake and the "little" lake are separate.

The day this particular peice was painted was one of the very few cloudy/rainy days of my Residency. I love a moody day, so I was excited by this development, especially after days on end of sunny, 85 degree, windy, and bitey-fly days. (There's nothing like standing on a beach in hot windy weather with jeans on, plus a towel around your legs to keep from being biten! And thats after you've hiked carrying all your gear to just the right spot.) Anyway, this day was ideal for painting. I schlepped my gear to the spot, got set up, started painting and it started to rain. Then it started to rain a little harder. The water was beading up pretty good on the canvas. I quickly packed it all in and marched back up to my car, only to have it quit raining. So I did what any painter worth their muster would do.....I marched back down to the lakeside and resumed painting. Quickly, as I could see yet another wall of rain heading across the lake straight for me. Between migrating my gear between the lake and the car, I managed to complete this painting in about 45 minutes.

Its been a long, long time

2007-10-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

Since I've posted anything. Since January to be exact. Its not that nothing happened between now and January, its more like much has happened. Life got in the way of all my good intentions. Since January I have: embarked on a 108 Anuasara Yoga Immersion which is now leading to a 100 hour teacher training, taken a painting workshop with Richard Kooyman, spent a week on Beaver Island with Craig and the Beastie, spent a weekend in Port Onieda doing plein air painting, got approved to draw Dora the Explorer thru Nickelodeon, and the coup de gras.....a two week artist in residency in Glen Arbor through the Glen Arbor Arts Association. During this time somehow I still managed to maintain a fairly full illustration schedule. Whew, it makes me tired just reviewing it.

Posting here a couple of pcs. from my Residency, which I'll go into with a little more detail later this week. Promise.