The Colors of Hard Work

The Colors of Hard Work

12x12"

Oil on Linen on Board

To Purchase

This past week I had the opportunity to paint in Down Town Los Angeles for the first ever Los Angeles Plein Air Festival.   Talk about a different kind of Plein Air experience:-)   

The city is full of beauty.  The Colors of the Toy district are just up my alley!   And whether your audience is made up by sophisticated collectors, kids and homeless or intoxicated onlookers.   Art can always serve as a connecting point bringing endless fascination, opinions and shared joy.

By Monahan's

By Monahan's

8x10

Oil on board

Quick little sketch where I wanted to keep the freshness of a plein air piecein the studio and keep my light and shadow areas in mind.

9.30.14 - First Steps

First Steps

8x8"

Oil on canvasboard

Just a little painting of some of my favorite farm animals - Goats!  And when they are only 3 days old, they're extra cute - I'm just sayin'.  A very special thank you goes out to Kathy Jonokuchi for a very special paint out!!

9.26.14 - Not Yet Spring

Not Yet Spring

12x16"

Oil on CanvasBoard

Aside from painting for the 30 in 30 challenge I did a few paintings for Randy Higbee's Urban Beauty Exhibit this month.  This one got in:-)  The reception is next Saturday October 4th from 6-9PM.  I'm hoping I will get to see some of the other pieces in the show.  It looks to be a beauty. 

9.21.14 - Eyes on "Rice"

Eyes on Rice

12x16"

Oil on Linen on board

Spent some time at the Thousand Oaks Arts Festival yesterday and worked on this painting.  A view I captured this spring, of a restaurant in Ventura that have since moved.  Had fun doing it upside down with all that was going on in that window...and I can't resist that color combination:-)

One week left of 30 in 30...

9.19.14 - First official demo

Morning Duo

12x16

Oil on linen on panel

So I've painted in front of people on several occasions, but this past Wednesday Night I got to do my very first demo actually talking about my process as I was painting - the whole way through!  Luckily there were only about 10 people so that helped it feel a lot more relaxing.   

My good friend Carolyn had encouraged me to do 5 practice runs, but I didn't quite get that many in. 

 What did help a lot was to write down some basic areas to discuss, such as my background, materials, exercises I do to combat my bad habits:) and my approach to this particular subject and why I chose it etc., but to then let it all go and trust that I could draw on what I prepared without following a script.

And even though I picked a subject to paint and did 2 run thru's I ended up going with a different reference photo the day of.  I think that's just me....I like a little challenge and I want to paint something I can respond to in a fresh way!

So this is how far I got by the end....still need to add a sky and fine-tune some high-lights, but I was pretty happy with the result:-)....which was surprising -  as both I and some of the audience was wondering how I was going to get thru it all in an hour and a half...lol

The biggest AHA was probably that painting it up-side down, not only helped me focus on shapes - it also created a natural Wooow moments as I turned it back right side up!

Big thank you to Michelle Honles for inviting me to come and demo!!  I really had a great time:-)

9.15.14 - Sunny Stairs

Sunny Stairs

6x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

Auction

I'm getting back in the swing of things with the 30 Paintings in 30 Days:-)  Had to take a few days off the challenge to finish work for some deadlines and get ready for an outdoor exhibit - but I'm back.

 This is one I painted for that exhibit at the Adamson House Celebrating their 85th anniversary this weekend!

I also worked on getting my first ever newsletter out last week.  As any artist knows, the marketing aspect of our profession - is an important part, that takes a lot of learning, and a lot of time!!

Please let me know if you would like to be on my mailing list!  My plan is to always have some great info and tips for artists, on top of the latest off my easel and updates on events.

Send me your email address to anettepow(at)gmail.com

if you'd like to be included.

9.9.14 - And that's not a Tatoo. - Favorite things

And That's not a Tatoo

8x10"

Oil on Linen on board

This was an interesting one...I can still see adjustments I would like to do, but I had a lot of fun working on getting a little experimental and pushing the colors of the skin tones as I've seen so many artists do successfully...I'm a work in progress working on bigger brush strokes, not blending everything and being painterly about it all, there's a lot to think about when you're painting faces...:)

This is our oldest son, who has been into animals of all sizes since he was real little and has shown a knack for lizzard catching.

9.8.14 - More of More Mesa

More of More Mesa

12x12"

Oil on Linen on Board

To Purchase

This is a larger studio version of one of my favorite plein air studies, which just sold - which was great! - although a little bitter sweet...   Fortunately I got a chance to paint one to keep before I let it go:-)

9.7.14 - "Leo Life Tower"

Leo Life Tower

6x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

Had this painting around for a while and couldn't quite figure out what it needed...?  Then I decided to push the reflective light and the sky and it created a lot more mood.  My favorite thing about this stage in my art career - I'm taking the freedom to change things...to look at what the painting needs and hopefully(?) improve things.

1 week in - 3 weeks to go in the challenge

30 Paintings in 30 Days

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!

9.5.14 - The Sweetest Smile - Faces and Favorite Things -

The Sweetest Smile

6x6"

Oil on Gessoboard

I just love the reference photo I used for this painting of my mom!  It captured her sweet smile.  And today is her birthday!! - Happy Birthday Mom!...or... Grattis på Födelsedagen!  som vi säger i Sverige:-)

9.4.14 - Favorite Beach

Wedding Season

12x12"

Oil on Linen on Board

This is looking south on one of my favorite Southern California beaches, El Matador.   When I took this picture during there were a slew of photographers and even a wedding party there taking pictures and I knew I would have to paint that light.

9.3.14 - Treasured Moments

Treasured Moments

(or my husband's choice for a title - Time Sight)

6x8

Oil on linen on board

We got to spend some special time with family on the Cape this summer and the kids got to hang out and spend some very treasured moments with Grandpa.   I did as well, as I was doing my usual lurking around with my camera...lol... always visually composing the world around me for the next painting.   Grandpa was a really good sport about it:-)

 

Painting faces I'm learning that it helps to keep transitions softer, at least as I get started, and here I wiped off some paint to help facilitate that.   Painting on these linen Raymar Panels makes it such a smooth and easy process and I love the way the paint both glides on and can be wiped off easily!

 

 

9.2.14 - Favorite Fowl

Favorite Fowl

8x8

Oil on linen on board

I didn't have pets growing up, but my friend Jeannine grew up with both dogs and chickens...and she speaks fondly about the experience of having a chicken coup!   Now her son is getting to have the same wonderful experience and I got to meet their chicken brood on my last visit there.  Both my sons and I loved it - and I got a bunch of pictures, as it was also my favorite time of day!  Some of my favorite ingredients in a painting - back-lighting and finding a composition that includes a high horizon line = a fun time painting it:-)

9.1.14 - Faces and Favorite Things

I come in Peace

6x6

Oil on Gessoboard

Auction

Today is the first day of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge and it's the 3rd one I've participate in.  Call me crazy, but I'm doing it again:-)  

It's always a good practice in moving on and leaving well enough alone!   This time I wanted to spend some time painting some familiar and new faces and work on getting looser and more interpretive in my handling of it.   I might pick some inspirational work of other artists and see if I can try some new techniques in my own work!

And then in between, I will post some of all the other work I want/and need to finish this month.  I look forward to seeing all the work of the 800 or so artists participating this time.

Happy painting everyone!

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.

Studies on the pond

Young Tree on the Pond

Study in Oil on Gessoed Board

6x6"
To Bid

I feel like I've been on a little vacation from blogging.  Seems to happen every now and then.  I think it's just part of the process of being an artist - Not that I'm not painting - just focusing more on the act of painting than showing...

And then I've actually been on vacation as well.  First camping and then 2 wonderful weeks on the Cape.  I got the chance to paint a little in between family and fun, 4th of July and impending hurricanes, and on this particular morning I actually did 3 little studies before everyone woke up.  I was just steps from the house down by the pond.   It was a greyish overcast morning, but the pond was delightfully still.

My first study seemed be-labored and I was fighting some bad habits of noodling - No likey!

In the second one below, I was determined to paint more loosely, focus on shapes and just have some hard edges define my center of interest.  It was a lot more fun than the first one:-)

Edge of the Pond

Oil on gessoboard

6x6"