Painting the sea

Recently I had the good fortune to be asked by a beach gallery to show my paintings...mostly marine related. It gave me the opportunity to paint the sea on a more regular basis. This became part of my daily painting rotation if you will. The sea is a genre which has incredible range for an artist. It's important for a working artist, because as an artist I need a reason to paint the sea other than the inspirational aspect, which is surely important to the creative process. However, the occasional genre painting won't elicit the growth and knowledge of a subject like painting it on a regular basis will.

The sea evokes extreme emotions. From the romantic peaceful sublime as a sunrise in “Dawn Seas”, to the raw power of “Breaking Thunder”. And, it does this with hypnotic rhythm.  Humans migrate towards her, sailors cross her and surfers can’t resist her. They try endlessly to tame her and if not tame her, merge as one – if only for seconds.

"As a painter I want to capture the essence of those moments in my paintings." 

642 Dawn Seas 44x44 oil on linen completed 3//20/12

583 Breaking Thunder 44x40 oil on linen completed 8/14/11

641 The Matador 48x48 oil on linen completed 3/7/12

I am currently painting the Atlantic side in and around Virginia Beach with the help of photographer and artist Matt Haddaway.  Virginia Beach has a large surfing culture to draw inspiration from. Many of my marine paintings, as well as “The Matador”, a painting showing one of those moments, are available through the Richard Stravitz Fine Art Gallery in Virginia Beach Va. 

In Good Company, Present & Past

Friday evening it was my pleasure as judge to present awards to five deserving Richmond Artists. Anne Walkers attention getter oil "Chairs at the Negresco" was best in show, Sylvia de Shazo's good as it gets "Breaking out" was 2nd place, Kathy Miller's superbly handled watercolour Stargazing took 3rd with honorable mentions to Ellie Cox  for "Vignamaggio Morning" and Nell Chesley for "Quit Winter" a wonderfully executed winter scene - all clearly in the zone!

 best in show

Anne Walkers attention getter oil "Chairs at the Negresco"

second Place

Sylvia de Shazo's good as it gets "Breaking out"
 

third place 

Kathy Miller's superbly handled watercolour "Stargazing"

honorable mention

Ellie Cox  for "Vignamaggio Morning"

honorable mention

 Nell Chesley for "Quit Winter"

It was the last night of an exhibit by the Bon Air Artists held in the James River Center Atrium (Omni Hotel). It was also nice to revisit my old stomping grounds from 30 years ago. My old offices were a block away - lots of fun and many old memories. Those players are now replaced and for a moment  I became a player again.

Oddly appropriate, behind me hung two enormous John Court paintings - good ones at that. Someone whom I helped at the front end of his career - in fact, I gave him his first one-man show here in Richmond - black tie - catered dinner 450 of Richmond's finest attended. Cool night, in my mind he was the most important painter to come out of Richmond. Over the years he came to California a few times and would show up on our doorstep unannounced, always good to see him. He is a very talented, fast and prolific artist with the ability to paint on a compelling scale. John's dedication was hard to ignore and the moment reminded me of his roll in a decision I made 30 odd years before to stop painting. The gallery and John's dedication made me realize, it's a serious business and if I wanted to do either well I would have to give it my full attention....I wasn't willing to do it. I closed my new gallery "Beaus Arts" shortly after his premier show and followed my design career. Aside from a huge financial loss it was a brilliant choice to both do it and close it!

 A painting by John Court

Senator Berry Goldwater 1983 18x14 oil

This morning I tracked Court down via the internet - sent him an e-mail. He lives and works out of  San Miguel in the Portuguese Azores http://www.johncourt.com/contact.html

Nice digs for an artist..I'm packing my bags as we speak....LOL

Blog Venting

 EYE CANDY

#632 Parliament 30x30 oil on linen - 23k water gilded frame Sold 3/21/2012 

Up at 3:00am with no plan other than knowing it was a waste of time staying in bed thinking. Thinking and sleep don't mix. Sometimes good things come out of it like making a choice - many of my solutions as designer and now as artist develop from this process - then I fall asleep - however I would rather sleep when hitting the mattress. When I wake up I like to take a few moments to plan my day and move on it. In my experience those are my best days. When I'm working on a painting over a few days, I like to review my progress a bit; maybe plan my move before actually falling asleep. It means I'll wake up with it and continue on.

I finished a painting a few days ago and didn't start a new one. I had to stretch a few canvases, get a painting wrapped for shipping to Florida. Basically all the things a working artist does. My studio, including the rest of the house, is now reduced to pathways  - paintings stacked everywhere - unopened boxes....SERIOUS CLUTTER. I hate clutter, here I am sitting in the middle of it. If I'm painting, I don't pay attention to it. That night I went to bed with it - tough night with no solutions.

It meant I probably wouldn't paint the next day either. I should have been thinking of my next painting - that blank canvas on the easel...instead I'm thinking of tearing the damn place apart...I diddled a bit yesterday - made bigger paths LOL.

Morphing with an end goal

Eye Candy 

 #643 Dawn - Virginia Beach 44x40 oil on linen

After 3-years I think artists are like morphing moths continually emerging when the time is right. Each time we're different, each time with different rules, until we finally shed our wrappings, take control, and come into our own. 

It's a simplified description of a very complicated or sophisticated process - I wouldn't have noticed it other than I’m on a fast track, and very deliberately heading for a planned end goal. 

Talking with other artists, which is sometimes difficult because we all have different end goals, stated or not. Oddly, artists are well organized as a group, but not individually, at least when it comes to art. Or as frequently stated by many "My passion"....makes you wonder why they don't give it proper prospective and do something about it - Take it seriously!!

I can quickly tell when an artist is focused on an end goal, they understand what I'm saying and can add to the conversation,

As a designer and space planner you quickly become organized, form a plan, and do it! Organization is a discipline critical to success, completing a series of tasks getting to the end goal in a timely fashion....dismal outcome without it

I'm always astounded and have great admiration when I meet fellow artists, who, against all obstacles, make it work.

My Review of Centurion Deluxe Oil Primed Linen Rolls

Originally submitted at Jerry's Artarama Art Supplies

Centurion OP DLX Professional Canvas Rolls Superb performance and perfect color retention Specifically designed for oil painters Oil primed for the most brilliant results Made of medium weight linen All purpose weave and beautiful surface texture Exclusive OP enhanced oil priming Suggested Use: For...

Centurion Deluxe Oil Primed Linen Rolls

Up date on Centurion Oil Primed Linen

By Chuck from Richmond, Va. on 3/21/2012

 

5out of 5

Best Uses: Art

Describe Yourself: Artist

Primary use: Business

Was this a gift?: No

I've used Centurion first as panels then rolls ever since it was introduce last year. It has a few quirks like occasional shipping damage, but Jerry's always makes it good.
Some other quirks can be annoying – but solvable.
Over stretching on sharp corners causes some separation of primer and is quickly avoided once you experience it. Stretchers with soft radius corner would be preferable. I've taken it up to 60x72 - not sure I would go much bigger - a lot depends on your stretchers.
The canvas has a lot of stretch for such a tight weave. I found a quick and easy solution - when the canvas is first stretched I wet the entire front surface with water and within 10 to 15 minutes it's tight as a drum and ready to go within a few hours.
Once the painting is complete (at any time) Dents or any surface irregularities can be removed in a heartbeat by applying water with a brush to the backside (only to the affected areas). Within a few minutes it's history. In my experience it works with no bad effects.
It would be nice to know the surface specifications however in its present form a good painting surface with a nice comfortable tooth.

(legalese)

643 - Finished, Signed and Sold

You ask what happened to day 3-8?........Camera problems - my LED lighting and camera aren't getting along. Don't seem to have a setting or solution for it either.

I do have 6 and a combination of 7 and 8 which shows a serious last minute move after it was signed.

#643 Juno oil on linen 69x57 - completed 3/19/2012
(643-8 with title)

Sunday #643-7 (no photo with golden sky except below) I only worked from the horizon down detailing the foreground water with darker tones from my left wave, adding depth and interest -  basically tying my composition together. Now it's all connected into my suns reflection. I signed it and napped.

This morning, very early after sleeping on it  I decided to also remove much of the golden area in my sky (see below) - I softened it a bit, tying it more into my lower section - this was a very quick move - maybe 20 minutes - it did something else too - made it an 8-day painting - normally that's a death move for me......it was the right move...got lucky today:=)

#643-6 Saturday - shot in full late sun - a bit washed out but close to actual colour

Saturday I removed much of the gold below the horizon with layers of the sea colours - it creates depth and ties into the water reflections and at some level my main wave - sort of a block out for my next move. 

Number 643 - day two

On my second day - I only worked on the lower portion. My upper section was not totally dry and for the next steps, I need it to be. I want my paint to flow freely for a fresh wet into wet look as in Alla prima. I am not looking for a dry brush effect, a heavy paint texture, yes.

 #643-2 Natural daylight shot, no studio lighting. Here I've established my main wave and started working my blue into the yellow sun reflection on the beach- still using the same Royal brush

Some tools - Royal brush looks small. Very old palette knife from my teens, I use it to squeeze clean my brushes onto my palette. The razor blade is used to scrape and pile paint on my glass pallet.-that's a new development, now I get paint all over the place, especially my hand,. which is a problem . Jerry's sent me some samples of liquid gloves - I don't want to ware gloves so this might work.

Glass palette 24x30 - took awhile to get use to it - now I want a glass hand held palette when I'm on a step stool - not sure I've ever seen one, but it's definitely on my mind - may have to have it made.

 #643-2 Detail of my single main wave - typical of East coast early calm sea mornings - blue tape is my suns hot spot - I don't want any paint in that area until I'm ready - Important in creating wonderful luminous whites. I'm sure there are other ways, but this works for me.

I like clean colour and find working from a pure white canvas preferable to a stain out or toned canvas. It really gives you an entirely different look. Generally when I do tone, it's colour specific to my end result.

Talent is exceptional and hard to destroy

Today, March 16,2012 is my 3rd anniversary, my first painting #1 and my choice to follow a new professional career as an oil painter. I formed and followed a simple plan and it worked.

This was my 2nd go at it. I didn't have a plan the first time, no reason, my interest like most started at 5 and evolved into oil painting as a pre-teen, my attention span was a few hours - our work habits start young, I became an Alla prima painter until age 35. Then I made a choice to give up oil painting and give design my full attention.......good choice!

When I got out of the service in 1964 I had (1) wife and (2) boys. Painting in oil was the only tool I had to make a living, I sold paintings since I was 13 or 14, teens need money and that's how I got it. No question I would be an artist. I got a job, painted during the day or night. I took the graveyard shift because it allowed days free. It was not a demanding job, besides I wasn't looking for a long term relationship. I got lucky one night, I almost lost my right hand and if it had not been for the quick action of Alice working next to me, I would have. Thanks Alice!

As expected, a wake up call - it was basically my last day as factory worker. With my bandaged hand I quickly rented a small commercial building with substandard living space on the second floor.and opened a gallery. It's safe to say the next few years were interesting. In many respects, its typical how we all start out....no plan.

And, as expected it crashed and burned and at 24, I was less (1) wife, (2) boys, (1) gallery and now (1) divorce. Bummed around for a year (my first and only time) eventually I got bored with it and brushed my self-off  because I still had one thing hard to lose...Talent - interesting word (I actually had to look it up..LOL)

TALENT - 1. a special natural ability or aptitude: a talent for drawing. 2. a capacity for achievement or success; ability: young men of talent. 3. a talented person:

Yep! right word, when I got the ticket on that train, I got the whole car or as someone said recently "in spades".  My whole life, I ignored or brushed those comments aside - changing the subject. This time I didn't and responded "I know"

After 70 years, several crash and burns, Talent (1) wife (2) boys and (1) girl are still in place. I know this because they still put up with me and Talent clearly hasn't left!

My last painting completed 3/7/2012

#641 The Matador oil on linen 48x48

Number 643 - day one

Yesterday I started my beach commission. Like all my paintings it has a number and a history on my calender.  Number 643 will be an ethereal seascape, subtle but with a dramatic sunrise. Based on the painting below.

For this painting I allowed a maximum of 7-days - trust me, at this point no one wants an 8-day painting from me. Essentially I have always been an Alla prima painter and it's taken some serious work on my part to change it. I like clean, fresh looking work Alla prima gives. I also like to paint big so after 5 or 6 days regardless of size I start to lose it. I only work on one painting at a time and will not stop until it's finished and signed. When I start thinking of the next painting or I don't go to bed or wake up with it, its time to quit.

Reference #312 Evening walk 20x24 - cropped to a vertical.

I studied my bare white canvas all day Sunday between phone calls, e-mails and watching DVD footage of waves and beach themed movies.  All that and studies aside, I have to make the first move on it. The first brush stroke. What I'm really doing is getting familiar with the size, because in fact, at first, it's size at 66x56 is a bit intimidating.  Late Saturday with a few wash lines I defined my composition. In the morning as the sun rises, I'll make my first serious move. If I'm lucky the sun might even cooperate and become my inspiration. I frequently use the actual sun in my paintings. But, not today - much too bright!

643-1 a few wash lines to establish composition

Normally on a first day, I like a full uninterrupted day. However Monday I had to break for a few hours. I'll be the judge for an exhibit opening Friday night at Crossroads. I can work around it.

 643-1 Completed before going to Crossroads (blue tape is where sun will be)

I use Gamblin Neo Megilp called "Maroger" medium from the outset. Neo Megilp can be purchased from Jerry's in16 oz. bottles - My brush is a #10 Royal filbert (long bristle) soft grip SG4520 (yellow tip handle)

  643-1 Detail of sun (no paint on sun spot yet)

 643-1 Completion of afternoon session

In the morning I'll block-in the bottom 3rd, water, waves and beach with a sun reflection on the sand. The upper section will be dry and I'll do another pass on the clouds and sun. By days end we'll know if it will fly.

Joining forces - creativly

Yesterday was busy, I wanted to start my Juno Beach project, however the wide canvas roll I ordered earlier was shipped UPS and passed off to the US mails. I received it late Friday, too late to do anything with it. As a combined service very inefficient.

I signed off on my Virginia Beach surfer Wednesday. This is a detail for a larger work I eventually want to do. And as I said before, the beach gallery has fostered a renewed interest in marine paintings. I like how this worked, the  Matador is elegant in its simplicity - he owns this moment.... so surfing, at least for a while will be part of it.

#641 The Matador 48x48 oil on linen 3/7/2012

Which brings me to an interesting alliance I'll need to make if I want this to work...especially at 70 years old. No way I'm taking on the Atlantic at the beach. Have you seen those waves...got my attention!!

Sometimes when I'm first developing a subject such as this and I don't have references of my own, I will go on on Flickr. I'm a member and occasionally upload my photos for sharing in creative commons. I search the subject and look at hundreds if not thousands of photos: mostly to get a feel for it. If something gets my attention and it's in the creative commons I'll  download it....possibly even use it. These are mostly used for what I call learning pieces and never meant to hit the market.

This was an interesting situation: I kept coming across this one photographer, but it wasn't in the commons so I didn't bother....until this one "The Matador" -  I down loaded it. Afterwards I kept coming back to it, it fit something I wanted to do.

While I was at the gallery we got into surfing and I told them I was thinking of doing a surfing series - found some stuff I liked but it was "all rights reserved". I asked Page if he knew any photographers....he threw out a few names and one sounded like my guy...spooky. A best friend and someone he grew up with. I came back to my studio and e-mailed him the Matador photo. Didn't hear from him but, felt comfortable he could get the release so I started the 48x48 study. Tuesday I was at the gallery and he said, it wasn't his guy....I had the last 15-minutes left on what I thought was more than a study. Possibly, ad quality for American Art Collectors June Marine issue..............Nuts!!

Using the same search word - I came back hoping to find the photographer again - I got lucky, within 5-minutes I found him - I went into one of his favorites collections and there it was. I read his information; he was also an artist and I contacted him through his website asking for permission to use his photo and possibly forming an alliance - I needed a photographer. Asked if he was interested?

More than a few days went by and no word. I resolved myself that this was a dead issue and the painting simply could not be used or shown at a gallery...

Got lucky yesterday. As I was leaving an e-mail came from Matt, the photographer and here's what he said.

Hi Chuck,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you…been pretty busy this week. I would be honored if you want to use my photos as reference for a painting! I Googled you and found your website and me and my wife are both very impressed by your work. Then I discovered your blog from your website and found the piece you did using my Matador photo as reference…it's gorgeous!! I really really like it. You captured the light and atmosphere of the image perfectly, perhaps even better than the photo itself! So yes, you have my permission to use any of my surfing photos as reference. And I appreciate you contacting me about this too. Some don't always give that courtesy. When you are finished with the piece I would LOVE to see it. Please send me a photo. I'll probably even want to get a print of the final work. Thanks again Chuck, keep in touch!

Matt Haddaway
www.matthaddaway.com


GAME ON!

Progress - LED Studio Lighting

LED lighting - after a bit of research I went over to Lowe's yesterday and bought  small and large LED daylight lamps, each with a 5000k daylight rating - The smaller one I flashed on my glass palette and the larger at the center of my easel. At first not so impressed - not exactly what I saw at the gallery. I left the lamps in - this morning I turned my lighting on with a fresh 66x56 white canvas on my easel. Bingo!....This was not so bad after all. I just need a few more. The light on my canvas was very clean, much like I experienced at my all white beach gallery.

Yesterday it was shining on a painted canvas so it was absorbing light and not reflecting light as in the white canvas. In this case it really shows how clean and bright it really is.

Right now, I'm more than sold. A few more lamps and grey days or night painting won't be an issue. At this point I would go with the larger lamp - seems like a better deal.

Small lamp - Utilitech  #O321353, PAR 30 Dimmable indoor reflector 5000k, brightness 600 lumens $1.63 per year to operate @$39.98

Larger lamp - Utilitech #0321682 PAR38 Dimmable indoor reflector 5000k, brightness 810 lumens $2.17 per year to operate @$44.98

In search of better studio lighting

Days are starting to get longer - the sun has moved back to the left and beams on my glass palette again. Much better for my paintings. The colour key will raise and I'll be happier because good light produces cleaner paintings.

Studio lighting is problematic, but I saw something the other day which got my attention. LED Array daylight lamps.

The beach galley is looking into replacing the standard Halogens with LED lamps.....my experience with LED is not good. However this new lamp is incredible and much brighter. It's an Array light (looks like a shower head) by Rohs, Nexxus or Ledteck lighting AE26PA2083315 (another number #3RK6) Very close to daylight, no heat transfer almost no power requirement (18 watts) and could possibly make good studio lighting - so far my research has led me to two retail outlets, Home Depot and Lowe's. I'm going over this morning and check out their lamp supply. 

What I see online are mostly warm light and a few so called daylight lamps (typically a noticeable blue) I want the natural daylight I experienced with this particular lamp. I'm told by the gallery this is a new lamp number and so far my Google search using the number brings nothing up. I'm hoping this lamp is is on the shelf. If not I'll contact the same lighting rep the gallery is using. 

I want this quality of light in my studio. This lamp was so clean you could see the light beam hot spot more than 10 feet away in bright natural day light. The halogens might just as well have been turned off...useless against this lamp.  

When you shine it toward a painting, the difference is stunning! A painting which appeared tonally dull was clearly not! That's why it got my attention - it was like stage or out door movie lighting used on grey days. Cost seems to be from 35 to 70 a lamp and fits standard sockets. 

This is when a product solves a problem and fills a need, price becomes incidental.

More tomorrow!