Friday break - VPAP paintout at Norwood Plantation

The last organized paintout for the members of Virginia Plein Air (VPAP) was held Friday at the Norwood Plantation just outside of Richmond Virginia.

"Norwood" is a historic property located on the James River.  It was built in 1780 as a "two over two over two" house by the Harris Family.  The current owner descends from Robert Beverly Randolph who purchased "Norwood" in 1830 and added the two wings and a new roof.  The current owner is Connie Harris.  Today, "Norwood" is a well-tended private home surrounded by meadows, fields and forest.  Horses are likely to be seen in the pastures beyond the historic barns and outbuildings.

 Norwood Plantation

The weather was perfectly sunny at a crisp 50 degrees. My nose was cold but I got these (2) lovey views before leaving.

863 Norwood Back Medow11x14 oil on linen (10-25-13)

864 Norwood Horse Pasture 11x14 oil on linen (10-25-13)

MY PAINTING BUDDIES

Marla

Betty

You gotta love her smile:=)

#406 Betty in the Roses 14x11 oil on linen  (November 2010) Private collection

This small painting was from one of our Maymont painting trips 3-years ago, oddly almost to the date.

Later....

A weeks worth of paint and canvas - Canvas 862

My week started with another version of a previously 24x24 Koi painting #662. This is actually one of my favorite paintings. The captured light added to the paintings transparent qualities of feeling wet, a quality I would like capturing again. So here goes, I'll use a 30x36 canvas, the 5th in the series.

REFERENCE FOR CANVAS #862 

Reference #662 Koi and Lily Pads 24x24 oil on linen (6-21-12)

Set up

Progress

Progress

Side-by-side

Frame Test

862 Koi and Lilies 30x36 oil on linen (10-24-13)

Not on target but I'm happy enough with my results....maybe next time:=)

SOME DETAILS

Off to a change of scenery, VPAP (Virginia Plein Air Painters) last paintout of the year.....I missed the rest of the season so this is my last chance; attend or get booted.

  

Later....

A weeks worth of paint and canvas - 30x36 barrage

Last post I left off with canvas #859 a 30x36 river landscape. I was happy with the results using a 24x24 painting study as my reference. It was part of a barrage of (7) I did last year. The 24x24 wasn't so much a study as an idea quickly executed and viable on it's own. It had a feel I wanted to capture again.

Over the last 4 1/2 yeas I did a lot of same size quick succession paintings. To keep it fresh I rotate through my painting subjects, like my 30x36s now. It's my method of exploration, improving my paint quality and developing paintable subjects. Over time, it developed into a very organized assault process carried forward into my larger paintings. Recently I did a 40x44 barrage and it worked remarkably well. The larger formats I paint now also opened a fascinating door using my past smaller paintings as reference material. I like the idea of using them as stepping stones to another generation of paintings with more creative information to work with.
 
Originally I planned on using another 24x24 from the same barrage as my reference for my next 30x36 canvas #860, but as it sometimes happens, I go a different route.

CANVAS #860

#860 Koi and lilies 30x36 oil on linen (10-18-13)

My favorite detail 

CANVAS #861

Reference #438 James from Belle Isle 20x20 oil on linen (2-13-11)

Progress

Detail

Side by side

Frame test and signed

#861 River Sun 30x36 oil on linen (10-21-13)

PAINTINGS FOR WORTHY CAUSES

670 Vermillion Koi 36x36 oil on linen (7-9-12)
ChildSavers - Capitol One Collection

#815 Maymont Interlude 72x48 Oil on linen (4-19-13)

Donated to the Maymont foundation - Vintage Maymont 2013 fund raiser as the paddle painting it raised over $25,000. Maymont Interlude will now reside permanently in Maymont's new corporate headquarters building opening soon.

This is the season for art and art related fundraisers - it does the heart good to see so many artists and patrons step up to the plate and do their part supporting these wonderful causes and their many dedicated volunteers. I'm a firm believer in "giving back"........Kudos to all of you!

A weeks worth of paint and canvas - refining my canvas sizes

I'm in the process of refining my painting sizes. I like squares, almost squares and elongated rectangle shapes. Until recently I was never concerned about sizes, other than painting large. People, and galleries too, like things priced by size; it's how our planet works. It doesn't however, do a thing for quality standards. No matter, size can be established. Quality is a continuing endeavor we spend our lives refining. 

Over the last 4 1/2 years I have a lot of sizes; many very close to one another. Now I want a very clear size definition between my small, medium and large paintings. I also sometimes paint enormous paintings. Those are not included, as they have a life of their own. 

There's good reason for doing it too. Aside from storage, organization and stocked supplies.....price points. Yep! Price points! Size does make a difference when it comes to price. People need size to differentiate value so it will make sense to them. I expect this might be at all levels of art. So until quality is the only judging gauge and a buyer knows the difference, size rules. In any event, I see it in my situation with my galleries comments and my sales.

With that in mind, I omitted many of my smaller sizes, like 8x10's, 11x14's and 16x16's stopping at 20x20; a good size for me and works when you add a 4" gallery frame; a 28x28 with good wall presence and a bit unusual when shown in a sea of small rectangle landscapes. I think a square and a circle are very formal elegant shapes in design and architecture. Both shapes stand out in a lovely frame.

I also dropped 24x24's and 24x30's in favor of my 30x30 square. But I would need a landscape companion size so I chose 30x36 because I stock a 36" stretcher bar....my constant being 30". It's a nice shape and once in a 4" to  5" gallery frame it has presence at 38x44. And in my mind, better, against the ever popular 24x30 which won't always hold a wall.  It is often passed over because it's not quite big enough. 

My New Small Line-up

Left 30x30, Center 30x36 and Right 20x20

Over the next few weeks I want to work my new 30x36 size, get comfortable if you will.

I'll have to order some 30x36 frames; all custom because not a lot of ready made frames are stocked in this size by my supplier. If it works out I can order custom closed corner frames....half a dozen gets me into the game.

Canvas #858 30x36

An interesting phenomenon happens sometimes when I do a larger canvas. I can get a dark striped shadow line from top to bottom on my right or left side. I can see it at a distance and in the photo here, but not so much close up while painting. Uneven lighting? I don't think so. My camera is not picking up certain colours and automatically blends them and prints darker. Much like stepping back will diminish detail.

 

#858 Koi and Lily 30x36 oil on linen (10-10-13)

As you can see in this case it's about 4" wide. Sometimes, being a bit lazy, my first solution after I noticed it in the photos was to crop the painting to a 30x30 and call it a day.

Cropped version 

 Cropped #858 Koi and Lily 30x32

Reasonable lazy solution, however 30x30 didn't work but 30x32 did.....not one of painting my sizes. I would have to buy a box of odd size bars.....more clutter....get lazy butt back to the easel and fix it!

 #858 Koi and Lily 30x36 oil on linen (10-11-13)

#858 Koi and Lily 30x36 oil on linen with 4 1/2" Gallery frame

Canvas #859 30x36

I'm going to make another more finished version of #662, a 24x24 oil on linen of the James from Belle Isle. This painting had something I wanted to see if I could do again, but in a more refined manner than my original Alla prima study.

 My reference/work station

 Side-by-side 24x24 original study with 30x36 completed version

 #859 James at Sunset 30x36 oil on linen

 #859 James at Sunset 30x36 oil on linen in 4 1/2" gallery frame

Later......

A weeks worth of paint and canavas - It's great to be back at my easel again!

First up was a request for a smaller version of a recently sold painting, Morning Matadors shown below....love a challenge! In the flesh this painting had something special about it...can it be captured again, I doubt it, but it might be fun trying. This was also a painting many people wanted but in different sizes...never had that happen before.

#819 Morning Matadors 40x44 oil on linen (6-2-13)

#856 Morning Matadors 30x30 oil on linen (10-4-13)

I like the painting, it's not quite the same because in the end I wanted a more dynamic sun effect which raised the key and expressiveness more than the original. 

Yesterday I had the opportunity to compare it to the original, and as suspected there is a softness to the original my smaller version lacks but not to it's detriment. However, on comparison I do think it was the atmospheric softness that made the original so special......may do another version.

Perhaps a new subject!

I visited Balboa Park in San Diego last week, what a treat! A stellar day, clear blue skies, perfect California weather. Balboa has a Koi and lily pond I wanted to visit. I always enjoy good architecture, fountains and this park abounds with it. Balboa is also adjacent to the San Diego Zoo so there's plenty to do. I got into the pond reflections and took lots of photos. The sun was in a good spot; the reflections at 10:00 in the morning were as good as you could hope to ever capture.

    

#857 Balboa Reflections 24x24 oil on linen (10-4-13)

A new art lover in the making

Welcome Leonardo! Congratulations to new parents Jayson and Christina!

SOLD!

  #840 Delaware River at Center Bridge 20x20 oil on linen (7-2-13)

#844 A Day at the Beach 20x20 oil on linen (7-16-13)

 Congratulations Richard Stravitz Fine Art Gallery!!

Later.....

Back in the studio

September was a memorable month, our daughter Katie and Justin took the PLUNGE off Point Loma. Point Loma is on the California coast in San Diego and Coronado. Coronado is our old home town where Katie and our son Chris grew up and went to school. 

My one and only painting of Point Loma - coincidentally we were anchored where the white cat is breaking the water line and landmass (left of center)....How cool was that! 

 #317 Point Loma - View from the beach at Coronado Shores 20x24 oil on linen (4-4-10)

THE PLUNGE!!

 Both are water babies - enjoy the swim:=)

Our view reminded me of some of Monet's paintings (below)

1889 Sunlight on the Petit Creuse

 1889 Gorge of the Petite Creuse

September was a hit and miss month when it came to productive studio time...too many distractions so I'm hoping October will be more quiet and more productive. Besides...LOL, I still have 4,145 paintings left to paint in my life goal of 5000 so I can't sit on my duff too long and expect to meet the challenge. I know, its a silly challenge and a lot of paintings... well in 2009 it was a fun number and perhaps doable then;  I wasn't painting billboards. For me it's an important learning process I take seriously.

Lots has happened over the last few years, I'm still on course, learning something new each day.  I enjoy doing my blog, recording my learning process, my painting history and occasionally chatting about the business/marketing end of it. This last year has evolved into covering each painting in chronological order. Much easier to do when completing one painting at a time, as I do. My blog is not meant to be a teaching blog, because I'm not a teacher nor an artist who does workshops. I am a full time professional painter and don't feel I have the ability to do both well.

I find the art world a fascinating moving target. I always knew it was complex in nature, lots of levels and even more players....everyone seems to paint or wants to.....I guess good for the teaching artists....no shortage of eager students. These days there are many good qualified teachers and workshops not available in my youth. It's a wonderful time to be an artist at any level!

SOLD!

#426 Venice Canal - Bridge Hugger 16x20 oil on linen (12-29-11)

#816 HOP 44x40 oil on linen (5-14-13)

Congratulations to LeGrand Fine Art for a very successful September Soiree! 

Later....