Six years and 817 paintngs later

I wonder if it's true, you have to paint 10,000 paintings to master something like painting. At my current rate it would take 54 years....scary thought!

Not sure where I left off with my last post but spent some time at the easel revisiting an old subject and one of my first Greenhouse Salon juried paintings, 153 Venice Dawn Tide 9-30-09.  Since I don't follow competitions anymore I'm not sure the new owners continued the Greenhouse tradition or not. Competitions were fun at the beginning tho. However, size restrictions typically left me out unless I painted exclusively for a particular show, which I often did when there was more time. It was important starting out to find out how you stack up or what you need to improve on and always hoping to see your name on the list....good old days. Anyway, I always liked this particular painting but not the cotton canvas surface it was on. It was also a time spent searching for the "right" surface. So 6 years and 817 paintings later here it is, the 2nd version (original version below it)

NEW DAWN TIDES

970 Dawn Tides 33x30 oil on linen (8-5-15)

ORIGINAL DAWN TIDE

153 VENICE, DAWN TIDE 20X24 oil on canvas (9-30-09)

Looking at both, there might be a good case for plein air verses studio work. Both 970 and 153 were studio paintings but 153 was Alla prima at a time when I painted outside almost daily. It was also a direct result of another painted the day after a fresh Plein air experience on the Hill (below). All used the same sky reference taken  as the sun descended. There is a certain freshness about the plein air days.......later I found LED lighting helped bridge the gap in my studio work. Although until recently I made it a practice to go out occasionally for a refresher course, which worked well.

THE REAL START OF BOTH PAINTINGS

123 LIBBY SUNSET 20x24 oil on linen (8-4-09) 

Juried into 2009 OPA Eastern exhibit

124 Libby Terrace 8x10 en plein air (8-3-09)

125 Libby Terrace 8x10 en plein air (8-3-09)

WHICH REMINDS ME OF ANOTHER TWO USING THE SAME SKY REFERENCE

324 WILD PONIES 20X24 oil on linen panel (4-25-10)

677 JAMES FROM BELLE ISLE 30X30 oil on linen (6-27-12)

Turned out to be a good evening back in 2009. At least (5) paintings from one plein air experience reference and (1) sky reference........ might revisit the hill again soon!