Markleeville Plein-air event over

This past week, the 19th to the 24th, 19 plein air artists painted in Alpine County for the Markleeville Gallery that is right on the main street, hwy 89.    The gallery owner, Evelyn Yonkers does an amazing job setting this up, and this year was better than ever. We all met at the gallery on Tuesday morn--then off to paint.  Wedesnday, she met all in Hope Valley with a wonderful lunch and a break.  It was great visiting with all the artists that morning and I hope you check the galleries web-site for more information on the other artists.  I found the whole event to be so chock full of learning, and also difficult.  The week was a very windy one, but with planning you could get to some nice spots.  The late afternoons were worst.  The high lite was the on site Demo, right in Markleeville on the sidewalk, an oil painter did of a local resident.  It was amazing to watch her paint, and talk about it at the same time..   Her works are above, and her name is Debbie Gaulco, from Orangevale Ca.      Please goolge her for more information, she is amazing and her landscapes are to die for.  


       The week went both quickly and slowly for some reason, but the reception was very nice.  Early on Saturday morning a friend from Dayton, Nv met me in town and we painted the library.   I also met that day an Artist I had met before, years ago from Nevada City, Jane Welles.  She has painted with PAPAs for many years and does both oils and pastels.  A very nice lady.   I have 4 paintings hanging in the gallery, and I must say I hope I do better next year!     I did get smart finally, tho, and  got some nice plein-air frames 9 x 12, and had my framer fix then with spacers and glass for pastels so I could just drop my paintings in and get them to the gallery.  That worked very well.   I did do one that was a 11 x 14, that I didn't take to the gallery as it needed to be framed larger , and so I still have it.    I tried to do the ranch where I live in the evening , with the sun about  gone behind the mt. to the west of us.  This little ranch is in a valley, surrounded by sage hills and larger mts.    Here is my attempt.          So so ends another Plein air week for the Gallery in Alpine County.    I do have many plans for next year!    Happy painting.
     

Markleeville Plein-air week-2012

Starting Tuesday of next week is the Markleeville Gallery's Plein-air week .  Its a full week of artists painting in and around the town of Markleeville , Ca and the county of Alpine in Calif.     Most of the artists involved are professional and do earn their living by artwork.    I am for the second year going to partisipate and am very excited.   I am so new at all of this, but some of my artwork has been enjoyed by folks, and I guess I can only improve by working hard at it!!!   I am very apprecative that I can join them, although I still don't feel ready!!!       So I will try  to post my daily paintings for that week,   thanks so much for checking in from time to time!!!!  And Happy Painting!

most recent late PM Plein-air

This is  a scene I see and study every day of the year, as its right here where I am fixing dinner, or doing ranch chores.  This road runs right past the old house that My significant other grew up in, his father before him, and his grandfather before that and so on.  Its above the Carson Valley, on the south end and as the sun goes west, huge shadows run down the face of the Mountains -  -in the summer, this can start early it seems.   The light can be just wonderful - --   -then its all shadow, reaching way across the valley toward the east.  Nice on summer days when its hot, but I also live in Dutch Valley, another smaller portion of the ranch, about 6 miles to the east of this location and much more Nevada-looking, and the sun goes down much slower. .   This is the Southern Range (end) of the Carson-Tahoe Range of the Sierra Nevada's.   I used White Wallis, 9 x 12, mounted to foam cor, and a watercolor under painting to help cover all that white and set the L/S  pattern.   Then finished with the pastel, trying to catch the color of the light I was seeing.  I am not sure I made it,  and I see things I would do differently next time.  Still, I feel its close, and I love doing this, and so will again!

Plein-air work is work

I have still been working on my plein-air work., and today a great painter friend from Carson City joined me.  He said he was rusty, so we needed to get out there and get warmed up for the event in June.,as he is  a part of that.  We walked this a.m. out in the field to the north of the house, and found a scene. Here is my tri-pod easel I am experimenting with, and Ray is setting up out ahead of me.  He likes to paint the house at the ranch, and I just like the mountains.  Dealing with the very green foreground is always difficult and as its Early summer, late spring, there is a lot of bright greens!!!    Dealing with that is a talent learned over many years of painting I fear!!








This one is mine, in about 2 hours time, size  9 x 12, on a dark blue support by Colorfix.  I thought the dark blue would be hard, but I hardly noticed.  That is Raymond Peak with the snow, and the little irrigation stream leads you into the  painting.   The foreground needs more work, and some green color adjustments thru-out.   It was a good lesson and I am not sure what I think yet. I won't show Ray's work, as its his and he wanted to Finnish at home later.  We did another at the other end of the ranch, and boy, its just too hot for this early in the year!!   I need to re-do mine, but it was a good place to paint.   Here's  a shot of 2 I did a few mornings ago on the hilltop to the west of us.  I have been trying to do a least one a day, compositions are so hard to learn!!

Plein- air painting is not always easy!

Today I am going to post what I have been doing for the last weekend, along with  a couple of friends who also love plein-air.     One of the ladies I know is a well-known, wonderful plein-air artist.  She recently told me about the Tahoe Group that likes to have plein-air Sundays, then a small critique  with an artist who teaches at the college up there. That is David Russo, a very nice gentleman who is very encouraging. So I phoned my friend Carole, from Dayton Nevada and we met the group down in the Carson Valley. Trouble is, we were a day early!!  No matter, her and I went ahead and painted, and Carole did a very nice painting this first day- - - -I rather struggled, trying to get all I could it seems onto the paper!!   The next day, the correct day, we were again there to paint with these PA folks, and Thaleia  Georgiades also was there.  She is a pastel artist from California, belongs to the Sierra pastel society and is also the lady who has brought very famous artists to our area for workshops in the past.  A real pleasure to paint with her!  Again, I didn't do so well, but want to show you the work my friend Carole did:

This one just seemed to glow in the shadows!


                                                                                                                                                                   
And this next one is the one Thaleia just whipped out in moments.  We were in the valley , but rimmed by the Carson range of the Sierra Nevadas', which are really high.

 I was so amazed by how she drew this , making the mountains appear very large, as they are, and to show scale, the trees below so much smaller.  A great lesson to be sure.   The critique session was fun, and I went home with a lot on my mind.  Did some more reading , looking and studying.  I read Carlson's and Paynes' books a lot- - - -and also now the new Plein-air mag, which is wonderful.   This morning, I ran out from my home and from 8:30 to 10 am, I painted this one. I believe I am very slow in learning all I want to learn!  But , its a great thing to be doing.  We are all so different in our response's to nature and our world.  Each day I will be painting something, or at least doing the Thumbnails in my sketch book.

Plein Air again

This is a Spring time  Plein-air , size 9 x 12  , I recently did trying to get going again on My plein-air work .  Its something I love to do and it requires commitment . Now, this one isn't so bad, the valley floor was still colorless sorta, and the elevation is high and things hadn't begun growing yet - - -but warm enough most the snow was gone.  We did not have much snow this year, and it is getting hot now even.    This next group of rocks are on a sage brush hillside at a lower elevation, and different terrain altogether.  I hope that difference shows.

This grouping of rocks is above the fields  at the ranch in Dutch Valley and were in direct sunlight.  I hope the painting doesn't seem odd without the sky showing---we are looking down a hillside!

Happy Easter and spring is here

This isn't right!!  Geese don't lay eggs this high up, in a nest in a tree!!!  When the eggs hatch, the little goselings don't have feathers for a long time, yet they walk around and even swimm!!  This dumb goose is really high in this tree, I used a lot of zoom to take this picture.  I was out with my cow, taking pictures and heard a  noise., I looked up and saw one goose fly away, the other still sitting on the nest.  We had been seeing this, but couldn't believe it was a for sure thing-- - - but it looks as if it is!!  So the little geese are going fall from this tree, and it will be upsetting!   I will be watching this daily!!  I really do find this upsetting!

And its storming again today, too!

I have been working on this snow-y fog scene from photo's taken about 2 weeks ago.  We had snow, but also heavy fog coming down the mountain behind the ranch house on Foothill.  I shot a few pictures, then ran inside to start a fire, but keep thinking how could I actually paint the fog effects, and have them look believable?    I choose a 18 x 24 inch Amber-sand pastelbord in grey and drew out the composition and then slowly worked on this.  At one point, I placed a photo of it on Wet Canvas and asked for feedback.  Many good artists did come online and offer suggestions to help solve the issues I was having.  I really appreciated the feedback and tried to use many of the suggestions.   My main problem seemed to be values, and in this type of painting, where you have to work with close-values it can be diffeicult.  But this is where it is now, and I will leave it on the easel for awhile and see if anything jumps out at me to fix.

I believe Quits are art, too

This beautiful quil was made by sister,  Ardy Schacht, who lives in Yerington, Nevada.  She works so hard on these, and putting together the patterns and the colors are an art form all its own.  This is a sampler quilt, which means it has a sample of various blocks instead of a pattern using one block.   It has a very home-spun feel to it.  I just love it!!   Here is a picture of Simba checking it out.

He seems to think its swell, but he isn't laying on it for a very  long time, if ever!  Now I feel I need to work hard and make a quilt, also.  So many projects, and idea's and so little time!

finnished----for now

Well,  Now its all done----unless I decide to change something!   I will let this sit awhile, on a bookcase or someplace where it catches my eye as I go about my daily routines, just to see if anything stands out for changing.   I found out its true that if you place Nupastles in your freezer for a short while, then sharpen them with a hand pencil sharpener you can create a wonderful point for detail---if you need it.   I also learned that Nupastel is really GOOD on the Suede Mat Board surface, coming of as smooth as butter.    If I were a more detail person, this would really be good info!!!!   I wonder if I am?   There is still so much to learn, not just about pastels, but also Art, and finding your niche or style.  So far, I seem to love it all. 

Value, Contrast, and color---on Suede Matboard

I have been wanting to do something different than landscape, and since the weather has finally decided to do something itself I stayed in and practised my drawing.  I love to draw with just pencil - - -but do get in a hurry and don't make wonderful finished pictures this way - - --I love color to much!!!   It seems I can't wait to put them into color so this is a value map and helps get the color so much easier.   I decided to use a different type of surface which does not allow for underpainting.  This is suede matboard, in a reddish brown violet color.  I used a white Seral paper to get my drawing onto the board.

I then began to block in with colors and values.

It did seem to take a while for me to feel comfortable and get going on this.  Judging the colors on this color of support was not easy it seems.  Maybe as it was close to the colors in the cat itself.     And here is the little nosey cat watching to see what is going on!

I thought I would let things  simmer day a day or so, and think about how to get where I wanted to be a little.   How much in dtail, how about the darkness in the background---??

Plein -air this mid-morning

Using a new board by Canson,(  New to me)  in the twlight tone,  I planned to try this spot in plein-air today.  Its the mountain stream that always runs down the mountain, and its one of my favorite places because of the big tree.   My thought was to try and improve on my forground work, and while you can't paint every grass, you need to try at at least show the feeling of it - -- the light hitting it maybe - - - -  I struggled, but feel I did take away someting to learn from.   This paper is mounted, but they put the textured side out to paint on - - -I have grown use to painting on the smooth side and this took  some getting use to.    I bought a lot of it, so I will have to practise a lot more!!!!  Its going to be an early spring - -and maybe a hot summer so I need to get going!!!

Little dirt road of memeories---Pastel

Just finnished this today,  its a road about a mile from the house and its where I have both road, and walked alot.  Its nice in the Spring, even tho its mostly sagebrush and pinon pines.   October tho, you can pick those nuts for a wonderful treat!!    This is on Pastelcard by Senniler - -and is 11 x 15, with a turpinod underpainting of sunlight and shadows.   Great Fun!

Pastel 18 x 20 on very agressive surface

I  Had made a homemade surface last fall for winter-time indoor work.  You know, on those days when you aren't up to really creating, you can experiment with products for making surfaces to paint on.  I used a heavy archival piece of foamcor, measured out my size, then taped the edges.  I thin brushed acrylic gesso inside the taped off shape, let that dry, and gave it a second coat.   Then I mixed  some gesso , water, and dry pumice together and painted that on with a foam roller.  I let that dry, and spent all winter contemplating what to use it for!!   It did turn out to be highly sanded, so to speak.   This week I decided to try a full scene of this years fall color looking up Hope valley, west to east.   First I gave it a watercolor underpainting----I think I should of gone darker at this stage.    Then I began my first blocking in with the harder pastels.

It was about 3 hours of getting the block in done - - -I think I was having trouble with getting the blues and greens in to make the forest recede.  The sky was painted in with yellow which I think worked.   The time I was trying to paint was 11 am to about 1 pm - - -the light is very cool at this time, but since it was late fall, the sun was far into the south.   I am not sure of this very rough surface.   Some times I do like it, but not sure today.

This is where I stopped - - - I will need to think about it to see if for me its really done.     And now to think up another project!!!

Done for now - -

I  will stop here with my oil painting - - - - I finished by myself, and maybe there will be changes to make.  For now, I will let it dry  in site, while I think it over - - - -how I could do this better - - and many things about oils - - -they are different for sure.   Its magic when I watch Ray put down a brush stroke on one  of his paintings.  And last year, in June, I watched Charles Muench paint a beautiful small plein-air of a blue house here locally.   It was just beautiful work.    You have to applaud those who have gone all the way, doing all the work and studying in Oils all  they possibly can and then finding the time to PAINT, and paint steady so they can grow in their art.  Amazing dedication, and a true love for art.    I do enjoy art, but seem to go a  lot slower!   I will be out will my pastels, plein-air again soon.  I spotted a great painting that needs to happen just today as I was on my bike!!!    I do enjoy plein-air!!

Another morning painting on my own.......

Can  you tell I have been painting on this again?  sometime the underpainting of Burnt Sienna looks like the painting itself.    Today I was brave enough to have another go at it, studying it carefully for a place to begin I tried to continue.  After having Ray;s wonderful help, and seeing that I had so much to correct last time I was a lot more hesitant.  I do understand that this is my first studio painting in Oil, and that it will be a huge learning curve even to be able to mix my paint - - - -but I don't think I really understood the actual feel of working on this with no answers except to try this and that, in a way!  Ray has been wonderful in his help, and the way he helps.  He lets me do my thing---study that, then find ways to correct it.  That way I can really see what I am doing or thinking wrong.   I really appreicate his help.

I have a lot in the saddle area to do, and his rope to finnish, and most likly a lot of corrections - -  -but this is where I am today.

Another morning in Oil paint

Well, today I began painting again----=my last day on this I had begun to feel that I did not have some of it drawn right, which made the body of the mare feel too cramped in - - -so I did send an S O S  out to my friend who is so very good teaching painting in Oils, as well as painting pretty amazing himself.   Ray Freeman came back out to help me figure out where I went wrong.   Yes, it was in the drawing mostly.   Measure---Measure- -  -measure!!!    we must learn to measure, and compare relationships.  I had drawn this imagine using a grid method, which works - - -but I do need to pay  more attention to spatial relationships and to learn to use this method more effectively.   As a result, I needed to lose those hind legs - - -- I had wanted to retain a little of them, feeling it would look odd without them - - -but hey - -  -you really don't feel that way when the corrections were made.    I also was struggling with my background-----So, after Ray left, I thought about it again---and this is where I am now.    I may yet change it.   In taking the photo today I see I cut the dogs legs off-----I will do better next photo as her legs are still there!    I also did a small dog this week in Pastel.   He belongs to my elder 1/2 brother, and is very cute.  Am still working on this background, too.

But here he is - - -I may add some softer violets and a bit of yellow to this background.   Hope you are all painting!!

corrections!!

This is the second  layer on this painting, with value and color corrections!   I spend the first days on my own as I painted  and decided I needed some help from a very good oil painter that I know, who does a lot of western-type scenes as well.  So I called him, and he came over to see what he could do to help.   Its Ray Freeman, and he is not only a wonderful artist - - he is a very patient teacher, and very invested in the whole effort.  We go Plein-air painting together sometimes, and I have painted on site in oils with him - - but not very well.   He also does pastels.   So, with his help, we worked this over and brought those values closer in some areas, and he talked a lot about mixing warm and cool  value for each color mix we had going.  We talked about color harmony, and he really gave me a lot to think about.   I haven't touched it since he was by, but I have plenty to work out on my own!   Oil color is the same in therory, but you do need to learn the properties of each color,  and mixing with the white and black is a lot different.  I am not using black per se' in this painting, tho.

finally, a new post!

Today I want to quickly post my newest efforts in Oil.  I have my poor camera back, so I took a few pictures today to show you what I have been up to this month.   Its been cold, sunny each day, and no storms, but cold.  So I began an oil painting to do indoors so I can learn to paint in oils, and mix colors easily.     This is one I have already done in Pastel, so I am a bit familiar with it.  This time, I wanted an abstract background, but showing light and shadow.   So far I have this.

Painting the dog was fun, and seemed to flow for me----the rest, not so much!  Sure am wondering where I am going with this!  I did choose a limited palette, to make mixing easier.  I left this for about 2 days, then tried again today with the horses head and got this far.

                                           

This picture seems to have gotten a lot of shine reflected back into my camera--I did shut off  the flash.  I am painting in my home by the bay window that faces to the North.  Really nice to be at home, but I have to say----Plein-air painting is still my favorite!!!     So, as I paint more I will post and let you know how this experience is going for me!

Have wonderful Holidays everyone!

I am sorry to say I have broken my camera again!  So, until it returns to me fixed, I won't be able to post any pictures.  One nice thing that arrived today by mail was my copy of the new Plein-air magazine.  Its really worth the subscription and I hope you also seen it.

So, until I am again camera ready---I bid you adieu.
And Hope all of you have wonderful Holidays, keep painting and see you in 2012!!!!   It shouldn't be long, its at Nikion now