The two NOT framed from the plein-air week.......

Today I was thinking about the two scenes I did not want to frame from the plein-air week.   I had them up , side by side , on my easal and each time I passed them I would see someting different - - -  -that was good, to change, to finnishe, or to darken or to lighten - - -  -calling the shots while on the location isn't always the best or the conclusion of your work.  These had been sitting for 3 days now, and today I went ahead and made those changes that seemed needed.   I still will not frame these, but they have been more than useful to my continueing education in plein-air painting.   I used a Sienna pastelmat for both, mounted on foamcor, in size 9 x 11.   Judging the values at first was hard againt the orangy-ness of the support. . . .  .but the idea was that it would also help tame the greens  THAT WERE EVERYWHERE! And green is my fav color!  

               This first one in all the sagebrush was the first day - - - The painter I painted with didn't want to paint all the big evergreens, and snowcapped mountains and such that were in our area to paint, go figure!!!  So we went and found Sagebrush!!  Really not to hard where we live.  I just went ahead and gave it a try.

                                  

                                             Thsi second one is more about the area we were in, that was everywhere in Hope valley . and right now its soooo green!!  A few weeks ago, it was all white!     This was also on the Sienna pastelmat, and I guess it helped the greens?  Its also a comp. that Lorenzo Chavez did from his workshop 2 years ago in the fall!!  I think its easier with the fall colors, and his painting was beauriful.   We were standing right near the West Carson River, which was rushing so full!!   This will not be framed, either.  But posting these helps me think the last thoughts about them, and put them to rest.

                                                                

How my plein-air week went - -

With much excitement and trepidation, I went and painted this past week with the plein-air artists in the first Markleeville Gallery Plein-air paint-out.  There was a reception on the last day, Saturday June 25th - -and the gallery owner worked very  hard to make this all come together during the week. She really spoils the artists with coffee and sweets each day at the gallery, and she also prepared a full meal for all in her spacious home. She put her all into this event, for which I give her much credit.
                                     I had a great time , and fully intended to paint each day, my plans, however, were a bit waylaid by events that were to difficult to control.  Such is life,  but boy am I happy that my next big thing will be miles away from home , and no one can cause me any concern.  The week was beautiful weather -wise and I felt prepared.  Only 3 artists worked in pastel, and what wonderful work they did, too.   You really need to take a look at Bonita Paulis's blog , just google her name then choose the one with her blogspot  featured and treat yourself to wonderful sites she has painted in pastel.  Also the 2nd pastel lady is Thaleia Georgiades, from the Placerville area in Calif, and her work is also something to aspire to!!  Both there artists are also  represented by  The Lone Tree Gallery in Minden Nevada. Check it out, also!!

           So, feeling like the beginningist of beginners, I will show you 2 of the 5 I did get done this past week.  I also must say, the Oil painters did a marvelous job creating some very fine paintings.  Markleeville Gallery is on Hwy 89 from Tahoe, and runs to Hwy 4 which goes over the Sierra's and back into Calif.  Beautiful county and not far from the Gold Rush county on hwy 49. If you can, stop into the gallery there.

              This one I did the second day of the event, in the am.  I was trying to capture all the atmosphere in the morning sun and going thru those canyons.
I painted here this a.m. with an oil painter and we had a fine time. Not sure I got what I was after tho - - -This is 14  x  11 on a white  Richeson Premium pastel surface which was with tooth, and white.  So I used my watercolors for an underpainting which worked and helped me.  Not sure I like the surface, tho.

And this was the last one I tried.  We all were to paint in the Town of Markleeville on Saturday and be done by 1 pm - -the reception began at 2 pm.  I had agreat time painting and planning this one which is 9 x 11, and on Uart.  I drew it in, then used alcohol to melt down the pastle and gave myself a notan - type underpainting to start on and thus keeping my shadow patterns in place.  I am surprized I included that car, and as I began at 7 am, it was the only car at the time.  This is a restruante, Called the J Marklee Toll station Resturante. 

I felt very insecure this past week, and hope it gave me some experiance to move forward on.  I really was the artist with the least experiance any way you say it at this event, but it was great to even be here.   Have you seen recently in the Southwest Art Magazine, and artist by the name of Charles Meunch?? Well, he was here as he used to live in Markleeville and has painted here for a long time, in Oil.  He has recently won some very pretigious awards.  Its amazing how he can get so much light in a painting, and its looks so natural and very pleasing.  Another one for you to look up!!  I watched him paint on Satureday, a small one of a blue house framed by flowers and it was wonderful.

 This is the end of my report about my recent week of plein-air painting.  I was very pleased with my outf it which worked very well, and was very easy to use in all ways.  So I am on the right track there.  I will continue to work at this - - one day I will be whom I want to be!!!

                                                           
                                                        
            

Plein-air week with Markleeville Markleeville Gallery, new event - -

Today's post will be short, and I hope informative.  Beginning tomorrow, I and 14 other artists will converge on alpine County, Ca and begin a week of plein-air art.  Its so exciting, and the gallery owner, Evelyn Yonkers has been working very hard to put this on. With input from famed Artist, Charles Muench, I think she has a good plan and has done a good job- -  -and she plans to prepare a dinner herself, at her home one of the the evenings during the week. Very nice indeed.  Alpine County is very beautiful, and while not on the main Gold Rush route, hwy 49, for example, it still was a big part of that era.  Hwy 4 runs thru it, and then connects to Hwy 89 and 88, if you are going west, and north on 89 it seems.  While it has warmed up nicely, we will have mountains that are white with snow, and the rivers and stream are rushing very full right now, with white caps themselves.  The night time temps. have warmed at the lower elevations, but high, its still cool.  Hope Valley, I believe it at around 7ooo ft. or near there, and its cool in the am and evenings.  We should have quite a bit of material to try and present, with an Artist reception at the new near-the-gallery restaurant, Stone Fly from 2 pm to 4 pm---So much to think about for a first timer like myself.  Each of us will have a recent plein-air painting framed and hanging at the Gallery during this event to set the public know who the artists are.  I think there are three who work in pastel, including me.  The other two are ladies also, and do wonderful work.  I can't wait to see how they paint this area!  Check the linc I have here on my Best Linc's for more information on the artists.    So, until I have new plein-air work from this week this is all for awhile!!

A nice plein-air outing with a friend!!

One morning a few days ago, I mangaed to stop at this location and do this small plein-air.  This  is a lava rock cliff about in the middle of the 3 ranches I live on - -- it was 10 am to about noon when I did this one, no shadows to speak of, and very diiicult to paint but I do feel I needed to try that.   I made the clouds smaller to help the cliff appear as large as it is.  This is 10 x 10 inches, a square format also helps to make things large.





These next  two were done by myself , above, and by my friend Carole from Dayton Nevada, whom came out to have a plein-air day.   We both painted at this pond, but from different sides of it, also at mid-morning until noonish.  she was at the darker side, while I was on the west side in more sun.  We had a great time!!  Here is hers:

Her's was a lot like a Monet, to me - - -very nice, lots of light, but also those dark shadows on the bank.   Her foreground was beautiful.  She used  pastelmat, in white, and I think an underpainting.    We next  stopped in the little town of Markleeville , picked up some subs and with our dogs went out of town to paint again and picnic.  We did a mountain range, but  I think our pond paintings turned out better!

Where is Spring and summer?? worked inside for this - - - -

This is the result of a drawing I had done a while ago, of 4 calves in our corrall during a branding session.  They watched, and tried not to get separated, but eventually all calves were branded and given their shots.   This is large,  on a full sheet of blue canson.  I could almost envision this one before I even began - - -still, I found I had some trouble with the values, this  may have been because of the blue ground.   I chose it because it compliments the red-oranges in the calves, yet helping also the one black calf with his sunlight and shadows.     I placed them high on the horizon, sorta on their own in a big world.     I feel I learned quite a bit from this painting, and have so much more to try!