Day 12 - After David Noter - Exercise Inspired by Catherine Kehoe

Still Life after David De Noter

oil on panel

8x10

Today I painted with Shannon Celia and Wendy Gordin.  So much fun!!  We are all part of the Monday Morning Painters (the MMPs) and this particular morning I brought in an exercise for us to do.   This exercise was inspired by some paintings I had seen of Catherine Kehoe's where she used the work of old masters as a source to fiercely observe and translate the visible, turn objects into simple shapes of color to arrive at the essential.  Translating this image into as Catherine called it "intuitive geometry".

She shared this work in her excellent artist talk last Sunday and since I missed out on the workshop that followed I thought "Why not just paint something inspired by what she does and learn from that as if I were in the workshop?"  I am always on a search to get better at simplifying what I see and this seemed like a perfect way to practice that.

So I found a still life online similar in style to what she had used.

Here is a cropped version of that original painting that I worked from!  "Still Life of Flowers, Asparagus and Lobster" was painted by David Emile Joseph de Noter [Belgian Painter, 1818-1892]

There are always things I'm not perfectly happy with..?!...but this exercise helped me see just how simple you can go with shapes and still have it read.  It was also great practice in seeing - and breaking a complex object into simple flat shapes.  And next time I'll work on going even farther!

If you visit Catherine Kehoe's website, you can see Marine plant still life after Anne Vallayer-Coster :-) and what I was trying to achieve.

Pink Petals - and my Open Studio Experience

Pink Petals

8x8"

Oil on Gessoboard

Sold

HOLIDAY OPEN STUDIO EVENT 2014

A few weekends ago I had an Open Studio Holiday Event at my Home and I thought I'd share with you what the experience was like, and also what I learned from the whole thing.  This also helps me take stock of what worked and what could have been done better!  I do have to say that even with all the work that went into it in the weeks before -  
The event was a wonderful experience and so worth doing!

Me, in the middle, with Shannon Celia and Susan Ciufu

I want to thank all my friends and supporters that came to visit!!  It truly was a special day!

 Click Here to Purchase 2015 Calendars

I am not the most organized person so it really helps me to write lists. I need to get everything that needs to get done ahead, down on paper....or I'll loose track:-)   This event felt like a big step for me and once I committed I wanted to take every step I could to make it a success  - Research and committing to the idea took a few months and then I spent the last month really getting ready.  Here are a few of my areas of focus, and the to-do-lists I created in each area:

The Art/Merchandise: 

1. Take stock of my inventory - what do I have? What's old, new?  Does some of it need to be touched up?  Finished?
2. What work will I display in frames and what will I have on sale - unframed?
3. Some artwork will need to be photographed, framed and priced.  (I individually tagged the unframed work and had a price list for the framed pieces.
4.  Do I want to have anything else for sale?  In my case I had Calendars done.    I also worked on a small book of my work...that I ultimately wasn't able to get printed in time.
5.  My kids got involved as well and wanted to sell their artwork too, which was a great hit!

 Paper puppets, by the one with all the ideas

 

Clear directions, from the one with business sense:-)

My Studio and Space:

My Studio

1. I needed to clean up and get my Guest House Studio organized.  This meant vacuuming, cleaning, and organizing.  I created some shelves to put work in progress on and I also got my new paint organizer door ready to share with my artist friends.
2. I decided to have a table of all my unframed pieces inside our house, so I needed to get boxes and space to set it up and display it in an easy way.
3.  Some of my Framed pieces I had hanging in our living room area and then I used my Art grids to both hang some other themed work and section off the house a bit.
4.  A big thank you goes to my husband who cleaned up a bunch of stuff in the back yard!!
5. I think it worked out well to have several areas to visit during the event...

 

My new Paint tube Solution

Marketing/Spreading the word:

I wanted the event to be a somewhat intimate event/ and Holiday Celebration so I only invited a select group of people.   Enough guests, but not too many:-)

1. I printed up 100 Invitations with my Artwork and the pertinent info to RSVP.  I also made a flyer that I sent to family and friends.
2. I included information about my event in my Newsletter in October and November inviting everyone on my mailing list that lives locally.
3.  I shared the information with my local Art Groups
4.  As a test, I did an Ad through FB...A post which went out to some 3000 people.  At this point I'm not sure it garnered enough interest for the event to make it worth the $40, besides a few more likes...I also created an event on FB so I could invite FB friends.
5.  I brought my cards to the Local Art Gallery and the Art Store (Graphaids - and, great idea!) and I distributed several to my neighbors.

Food, Entertainment and Sales:

1. When it came to food my priority was to make it non stressful and the least amount of preparation on that day, but it was also a great excuse to get some stuff that I like to eat:-)
2. I got a nice spread from the local Gelson's to enjoy including the ususal suspects, cheese and crackers, veggies, salad, coffee, cookies, sparkling water and wine.  (I was told to keep it simple, which I didn't quite succeed in:-) and it seemed that food and wine was still left at the end so... I might do it differently next time.
3.  I got an acoustic guitarist to come and play, which set a nice festive mood and atmosphere.
4.  The absolute best decision I made was to hire our young, but extremely poised and capable baby sitter as an assistant to be in charge of sales!  She did such a fabulous job!  Using the Paypal "pay here" app, set up with all of my unframed pieces already itemized made the process easy and seem less... and best of all, it afforded me the ability to interact with my collectors and guests, which I so enjoyed!

 

Some of my visitors, collectors and friends - Rich and the extremely talented Daggi Wallace

So here were the benefits of holding an Open Studio Event:

• There's nothing like a deadline to get things done! I.e. my Space, Calendars, the Book...
• I loved seeing my family and friends and I got to share my work with new people and make new connections.
• More sales than I even anticipated were made, with more commissions for the future.
• It was a family affair and the kids had fun and learned to be entrepreneurs:-)
• I can buy more supplies!!! and paint more!!!

Some things I've learned and/or could improve:

• Next time I might go easier on the food.
• I will think of more ways and new groups to share the invitation with
• Perhaps do a demo, include more artists...
• Go through my inventory earlier...part of that is photographing anything that's been touched up...before it sells:-)
• Take more pictures during the event! 
• Add the address to the FB event to make sure everyone had it ahead of time, without personally asking me for it.

The possibilities are endless and there's something very unique about getting to share your space and work with the art lovers in your community....

What has been your experience holding/or attending one of these events?

2015 Calendars are here!!

2015 Calendar of Art

8.5x11"

Oil Paintings

 $15.00 shipping included

To Purchase

These will be available at my Open Studio Holiday Event as well!

This Saturday November 22nd, 12-4PM

Free with purchase of framed painting!

Email me for directions:

anettepow@gmail.com

9.6.14 - Bulbs On a Ledge -

Bulbs on a ledge

6x6

Oil on Gessoboard

Not an expert on bulbs like Carol Marin, but she's inspired me to take them on, and here are some more in my series of them with one of my favorite composition devices (if it can be called a device? :)...a high horizon-line and focal point.

 

Happy Painting!

Reflections on "Aha's"

Reflections on "Aha's"

Oil on Gessoboard

6x6"

Today was a day of Aha's for me!  One "Aha" was that I now know that I really enjoy sharing what I'm learning with other artists!   Two, was that in doing so I got the satisfaction of experiencing my fellow artists having"Aha's" as well.   Three, this as we all tackled a concept that I first heard about from Kevin Macpherson in his key note address at the Plein Air Convention in April that packs a big punch of AHA!   (Amazing that I had never come across this wisdom in my years painting, but perhaps I just had to hear it when I was ready.)

What Kevin mentioned then, is that one of the secrets to a successful painting is never having light and shadow cross paths.

????

At the time I had no real clue what he was talking about.   And it wasn't until I read Liz Wiltzen's excellent blog post on the subject, along with her great pictures and explanations, that I could finally start to grasp how the "Power of Black and White" can help in understanding "the Essential of Truth Light and Shadow".   Take a look, read her blog and see if you will find it a little eye-opening as well!

What I added to her explanation in our lesson was to use acetate/vellum to put over our reference photos to very easily be able to distinguish the 2 values.  We would use a black sharpie to cover everything in shadow and leave what was in sun-light alone, creating a really strong graphic and still readable design, even without all the detail.  

This step really helps in, of course; simplifying!   It also helps me see how I can make the painting and the design stronger, whether my focal point works and how I can strengthen that focal point.  It's a also a good start-off point for creating areas of abstraction.

For someone who continually has struggled with "detailitis", "licking the canvas" and loosing my light and dark pattern this is a great exercise to practice!

Happy Painting!

Metal Pedaling

Metal Peadling

6x6

Oil on Gessoed Board

I've noticed that I really have a tendency to pick complicated subject matters - either a lot of different objects, or complicated pieces with a lot of shine and angles....The art imitating the artist perhaps?...and it doesn't help that my husband has a huge collection of robots in all types of colors and metals - calling out for me to paint them.   At least I'm just painting one at a time.

"Duck out of Water"

"Duck out of Water"

6x6"

oil on canvasboard

Just some fun with my slowly growing collection of Rubber Ducks.   They have a special meaning for me in memory of my niece Manda.

Painting-wise I'm enjoying adding more cools and warms together these days.

Batgirl - Finding It

6x6

oil on gessoed board

DPW

 A little piece on the journey to find it...

Licorice Left - Fork it Over

6x6

Oil on Gessoed Board

DPW

This one was all about the composition leading me.    I wanted to have that larger square shape framed on two sides, so I used a plate and then I worked on placing my trusted licorice to break up the straight lines and create some...variety, variety!

Got a great question thru email the other day, on whether my style has changed over the last year?   I wanted to take some time answering it and I will post it here soon...

Lighting up the Stage

6x6

oil on gessoed board

DPW

I'm squeezing all that I can out of this licorice theme:-)  I think it's a good idea to paint several pieces on a subject or paint with a theme.  I don't always do that, but I believe it's a good practice.   It forces me to keep going beyond perhaps the obvious.   I remember hearing somewhere that it takes about 7 attempts before we move beyond the images we have already seen, to get to something more original/my own interpretation.  How many different ways can I find to paint licorice - use this subject to play with values, light and composition?  Here's a little step by step of the painting above, which by the way is attempt #3 on licorice:

Pink under painting with my light colors started.

adding shadows and defining some edges.

Almost finished after adding the light ground.  I then went in and softened some of the edges on the shadows and then lightened them as they move away .

Spring Bulbs

6x6

oil on gessoboard

To Bid

I've seen some great paintings of light bulbs that I absolutely love, so I thought I would attempt painting some myself.   It' was quite a challenge - lots of measuring and squinting.   

Since we recently moved and we had to get a lot of new lights - and bulbs, I've been a lot more conscious of all the different light bulbs that are available.   The type of light, the shapes, the strength...it's quite confusing actually...

And then for studio lighting it seems like a few years ago the only bulbs you could get to mimic outdoor natural light were the day light bulbs.   Today there are all the LED lights, soft, white, cool...but then a lot of them don't seem very strong at all....Can you tell I'm still trying to figure it out?   

To light this still life I used a small light I found at IKEA called Jansjo, that clips on and has a bendable neck.  It works great for getting those strong cast shadows.   Painting the LED light was also quite a challenge, trying to capture the somewhat violet part of the light in the shadow side and the pinkish color in the light that also seemed to have a light yellow highlight at the same time, not to mention the shape?!  I might have to give it another shot with a different set-up.  I like the green transparent bulb the best.  

Here's to spring!...it's coming fast.

Lakrits Leende - or (The Licorice Smile)

 6x6"

oil on gessoboard

To Bid

It must be the uptake in Swedish influence this week, but I'm having an easier time thinking of titles in my mother tongue right now...:-)

These "Allsorts" licorice candy are so fun to paint!   Working with these simple shapes, colors and light reminds me a little of the block exercises in Camille Przewodek's workshop, just on a smaller scale.     I really like the candy pieces on the left in the light, so next time I think I'll set up a still life with light as a dominant value, medium secondary and a smidge of the dark value (like Carol Marine puts it) working with these candies.   A small step forward - when I painted this painting I felt that I was actually able to put into practice (or at least keep in mind:) some of what I learned in both Camille and Carol's workshops, but hopefully doing it in my own way and style.   Reassuring, since I sometimes question whether I should take more workshops or just lock myself in my studio and learn on my own.   I think incorporating what we learn from others as we continue to develop could be the best of both worlds...what do you think?

Happy Painting!

Licorice and Lace - and a perfect day

6x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

To Bid

Today I kept thinking what a perfect day I was having.   It had such a nice balance of many good things!   I got to paint two paintings at my studio, spend time with the kids and my dad who is visiting from Sweden for the first time - and Yes, he brought some of the yummy Licorice called "Allsorts" with him!  Then we all went to see my son do his Karate test and out to dinner to celebrate that he passed the test.   Just a great day.  And...I even have more licorice left to paint:-)

Hot and Sticky

12x12"

oil on linen on panel

Available unframed $425

DPW

This is part of a series I'm doing of treasured items from the past, (that will hopefully be accepted in an up-coming exhibit, and if not:) I just love finding objects that have some history and painting them.  The old iron I found while up in Oregon in a fantastic little antique store in Springfield during Carol's workshop.  Nothing like adding a little extra weight when your flying...?!  What I did learn is that it's cheaper to check in two smaller suitcases than paying the overweight charge on one large one, just something I'd like to pass on!

On another note, being on the artist's journey there seems to be a constant series of ups and downs. One piece gets rejected, another one wins an award.  There's excitement and set-backs.  Lately I've felt like I'm not always sure what should be a priority to enter and not?...It's easy to question my choices...but, I was awoken by a nice little surprise this weekend after making a late entry.  I found out that I had won a third price in the Daily Paintworks Monthly Contest.   You never know what's around the corner, it keeps me on my toes.

Culture Chat

6x6

oil on canvasboard

DPW

A juxtaposition of two cultures - A Swedish Dala horse and a "Day of the Dead" ducky.  The duck definitely has something to say and the horse seems to be listening.  It was interesting to figure out how to paint white and still have the value be dark enough to have some room to go lighter with the highlights.   On another note, I've had this dala horse for a long time, but had yet to paint it.  So I think I was inspired now, since my dad will come here for a visit on Saturday.  All the way from Sweden for the first time ever.  I think it will be an adventure for us all:-)  and I'm hoping I can still sneak in some time to paint.

Lemon Lean

6x6

oil on gessoed panel

DPW

This was painted on hardboard I had bought and gessoed myself at some point.   I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked working on this surface!   I think it was the brush stroke texture of the gesso.   And I practiced drawing the way we did it in Carol's workshop and started out with my vulnerable areas of color, painting my islands:-)   Gotta celebrate those times the process is a breeze...

and now I think I need to get some more hard board.  

 

What's your favorite surface, if you paint?

A Brush with The Mouse

6x6

Oil on Gessoboard

DPW

I've been painting a few more still life paintings than usual after being back from Carol Marine's workshop.   PS.  One of the best, if not the best workshop I've ever taken.   Click here if you want to learn more about her next workshops

It's great to be painting from life.   The big difference from plein air is that cropping and getting the measurements right is not as easy.  As I'm squinting through my home made viewfinder, to get my drawing on the canvas, I have to keep one eye closed to see it in the same way each time I look through it.  I probably need to find a better way to hold the viewfinder, so as to keep it in the same spot each time I look too?  Maybe if I attach it by a wire to a hat on my head?...Ideas anyone?

Day 22 - Piggie Pals

 Carol Marine Workshop - Day 3

Carol's Demo - (of my shoes:-)

I love the way her medium gives her paintings a slight shine!   In her demo she also demonstrated the effect created when you re-mix the color for each stroke.

Today we talked about composition.
Carol emphasized the importance of setting up compositions and to start by playing and then look for something interesting to happen.       Looking at other artists work and drawing it out can help in figuring out what works and what doesn't.  Trust your instinct when you feel that something seems awkward.
There are a lot of rules around compositions that are worth learning (even if you choose to break some:)
Carol mentioned a great book that I want to get:
"The Simple Secret to Better Painting" by Greg Albert
Carol:
"One way to make your painting dynamic is to have a whole lot of this and a little of that!"
Variety!!

After the demo we got a chance to try the exercise of re-mixing the color for each stroke.  It was a fun challenge and I realized I have a little difficulty with grays.   I also talked to Carol about the importance of taking a look at my composition before I start to see if I can find anything that is going to be awkward down the road.  I found myself using colored papers in the workshop, but not always paying attention to their placement which created spots where a piece of the paper might be lit, but not enough to make it read like a piece of paper...tangential areas if that makes sense?

This is my attempt at the different strokes exercise. 

 Piggie Pals

 6x6

oil on canvas panel

 DPW

Painted a little set-up in the afternoon with my Swedish pig ornament and a pig salt shaker I had found at Hallmark a while back.  I had lots of fun simplifying them!

Day 21 - A Spoonful of Slices

Carol Marine Workshop - Day 2

The beginning stages of Carol's demo

On Day 2 we got to watch Carol paint a beautiful demo with orange slices (the grapefruit colored variety).   You can see the early stages in the photo above.   Unfortunately there is a glare, but you can still see the luscious colors on the slices and the process Carol uses of painting over the lines, which ultimately helps create nicer edges!

We learned some of the tricks that can be used for creating ellipses, 

 I took these notes.   Carol draws around the boundaries of an object - top, bottom, left and right -  (and it helps to have her panel-holder when you draw a cup like the one above so that you can draw it off the canvas panel).  For the cup we measured the side (the shorter measurement) to see how many times it went into the opening.     Drawing the cross helps to make sure the ellipse is equal on all sides. 

Here's a link to a great explanation of all things ellipses by Mike Sibley.

We also talked about the importance of putting the paint down and leaving it alone instead of fuzzing with it.  And as someone in our group pointed out:

 "Painting is like Golf, the fewer strokes the better."

Another expression for "fuzzing with it"that I loved; one that Carol's artist friend coined was, 

"licking the canvas".  Something I always need to remember not to do:-)

Instead:

be conservative with your strokes

plan it 

and leave it alone.

We also focused on values this day and did 3 samples of compositions all with a different value combination.

2 of my 3 are below:

 Medium value dominant, light value secondary and dark value as "the smidge".

Dark value dominant, medium value second and light value is the smidge in this one.

We also did an exercise on edges and then in the afternoon we painted a set-up of our own.

Can you tell that each day is jam-packed with great learning opportunities?

A Spoonful of Slices

Oil on Gesooboard

DPW

30 in 30 - Day 8 - Remembering Mother's Day

Version 1

 

 

 Version 2

8x8

oil on gessoboard

For today's challenge of day 8 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days I decided to tackle a painting that needed something changed.  You can see the painting on top above.  

After I took Camille Przewodek's workshop in May of this year I painted this bouquet of flowers out in my back-yard.  We had done a lot of palette knife painting in the workshop so I used a palette knife and set up my still life in over-head sun in front of a brick wall wanting to capture the warmth of the sun.

I painted what was there in front of me, but something about the subject didn't work for me.   The color combination just seemed a little lack-luster...
It wasn't until I saw this painting of "Backlit Sunflowers" by Eric Merrell that I hit me.  That wall in the back-ground just didn't do anything to set off the colors of the flowers.   What I like about Eric's still life is the color combination.   His flowers with that back-ground reminded me of Camille's way of capturing the warmth of the sun hitting a subject.  And Eric is a master with colors!  He also has a unique way of simplifying his values with his beautiful signature brush strokes.

So today, in my second version, I changed the background to a cooler blue.  I also worked on the shadow of the flowers hitting the table cloth and warmed them both up.

Does it make a difference?  Let me know what you think!