Plein Air Workshop Announcement- Park Rapids, Mn

Looking forward to my time in Park Rapids, Minnesota this summer, dates are July 13th- the 15th... 9am-5pm daily, though I'm sure we'll paint a nocturne one of those nights for those eager enduring ones...actual meeting/paint location will be the Toad Mountain Ranch, in Osage, MN...a short drive from Park Rapids.

For information on attending, contact Steve Beaubien, 218-237-5112 or 605-940-8446

This event is hosted by Blank Canvas Gallery and Education Center

I will post more information shortly on my main artist's website, which will detail the scope of learning I will be teaching...

Hope to see you there!!!

Wasilla, Alaska Plein Air workshop...In Just Two Weeks! Still Room...for a few

We are going to have an absolute blast...best time ever.  My lovely wife is going with me this time and we get to hang with the most awesome folks!  My artist's website provides all the information you'll need to know, plus options to pay your registration early. Two workshops planned...one week followed by a weekend workshop. Special discounts for those that take the full week, or better yet the week AND the weekend.

...and here is a tourism video about ten minutes long to really really wet your appetite and super charge you!!!  Unfortunately (or fortunately) it is a wider view video than the blog space provides, so simply click on the video as it gets under way and it will come up on YouTube.  Then...after watching, hit your return button and come on back to my blog here and follow my workshop link to my website for more information!!!   Looking forward to painting and working with YOU!!!

 

Quinnesec, Michigan's Fumee Falls...12"x 9" oil Plein Air

Such a gorgeous day, and needed to do our

monthly grocery shopping...so headed toward

Iron Mountain, MI...this afternoon. That's how

it is living in the north woods, about an hour to

shop a decent grocery store...so, figured I'd

take my gear, stop and paint a plein air of

Fumee Falls, check out other possible paint

sites on the way.

This time of year, winter's snow melt adds to

the volume of run off or water supply, and

creeks, rivers are swollen. Best time to visit

the falls one is familiar with to paint.

My painting was photographed outdoors in light

and unfortunately I have glare, so will reshoot

it tomorrow during the day and repost...but I

think turned out pretty good.

Here was my set up...and the falls I was

looking at when I started out-

...and of course, what makes plein air fun

and challenging is that in short time, the

light shifts, moves...and you have a

completely different scene there in front

of you that now works as a reference

only, but the impression has to be locked

in the mind to finish up...

I started with a midgray mother color or

pigment soup...mixing up a gray and then

dragging a bit of that gray into each of my

colors to imbue a common color harmony.

FINISHED- Otter Creek Plein Air - Oils 11"x 14"

 Returned for second visit...to set up and paint
last light on this location not far from my home
here in NE Wisconsin.  The frequent visitation
by the sun now, extending hours of the day, the
smell of the air...sure signs spring is around the
corner!!!

Was a delight to work with my oils, my old
friends once more... 
(clicking on image brings up larger view...)

First day in Classroom...and a bit of end of day Paint Therapy!

10"x 8" oil on pumice panel

Got home from first day back in the classroom teaching,
went well I suppose really for first day, but I was aching
to get out and paint when I got home! So, got the grill
started for my wife, Debbie...then grabbed my gear.

My aim was to shoot for the absolute last light and time
allotted to paint, so as to push for the essentials in the
painting and refrain from overworking, which I think I've
been guilty of doing lately. I was pretty pleased overall.

Original is available to purchase...(Contact me...)

Oconomowoc Plein Air event...results

16"x 20" Cty K- Farm

























14"x 11" oil- Maxim's- Dining Out!




















9"x 12" oil-- nocturne (painted at midnight) E. Washington St





















14"x 18" oil- "Porticello"


Had another week that will make summer feel like a blur come return to teaching this fall, much fun...met some very fine artists, even better persons. Always restores my faith in the good nature of people to spend time with artists I meet at these events. Good to put faces to those I've known online...and make new friends. The event brought 82 artists this year together over the course of a week's time...canvasing the broader Oconomowoc, Wisconsin area...painting their hearts out thru sun, drizzle, heat...coolness, you name it. Myself, I had come down following other event commitments, so really had only two days of paint time, but believe I gave it my best shot. Unfortunately, came up short this year on any awarding from judging, and no sales...but that puts me in a broader camp with many others as well, and its just how that goes. As they say, "next year!"
Each artist must pick two of their works of the week's effort that they frame and enter into the competition end of this. I chose to enter mine as indicated...and as always, clicking on the image will bring up a larger view...

WALK!!!! To Your Travel Adventures...plein air oil painting

9"x 12" oil...(print available- see and follow my ImageKind link)
was a featured artist at Rhinelander, Wisconsin's Art Walk Days this afternoon/tonight, 4pm to 8pm...and was slotted to paint the courthouse from a closed off intersection.

Good thing I painted one similar about a week ago when I was there, as it rained three different times in torrents, instantly filling gutters and corners ankle deep rain. Had to pull back and set up under an awning, and then just decided this view across the street was interesting to my eye.

Those that know me, know I'm a national forest guy with a cabin in upper Michigan...so perhaps 90% of my paintings are forests, waterfalls, Lake Superior, rivers...etc., and rarely really get opportunity to paint urban scenes.

I found this quite intriguing and just plain ole fun. People walking around seemed to enjoy it as well...and once more, I suppose I missed an opportunity to paint perhaps a figure or two into it. But...the rain, the winds really was havoc for the event...

I caught this impression between rains, when the sun popped out. Loved the color and shadows when that happened, and honed in on it, locked it to my intention.

As always, click on the image to see a larger nice image view, and if interested in possibly purchasing please contact me...

A Painter's Barn...!!! Plein Air oil painting

9"x 12" oil on pumice panel...

Received some panels from my friends for my birthday yesterday, primed them with my pumice recipe...and tonight painted about 20 miles from home going east (in NE Wisconsin). Set up...a wonderful colorful view of a nice barn, and happened to meet the owner walking down the road who just happens to be a painter, and just got a portable if I understood right. Now..in northern Wisconsin, that doesn't happen everyday! Then...on my way home, a black bear blasted across the highway, making my ninth bear I've seen up here in the past 5-6 weeks!

Oneida Cty Courthouse...9"x 12" Plein Air

Well...strange deal today...I had an appointment with my eye doctor, the expressed purpose to check my eyes right after I fatigued them painting a couple plein airs. One of those dang things gettin' older, the iris muscles tire eventually of changing the size of the pupil which regulates the amount of light taken in and ability for the eye to focus. What I wanted was a pair of "eyes screwed up" glasses...which he thought funny. So, when my eyes reach that point, THEN I reach for secret weapon, operation "keep on painting" glasses.

As the appointment went following two plein airs, my eyes were indeed sufficiently messed up for him to test and determine what I would need. About five to seven business days now to get 'em.

I went downtown Rhinelander, Wisconsin to the Oneida County Courthouse...built in 1921, had this wonderful copper dome, which turns green...and green stained glass. Was quite nice...and, I had a couple suits stop by to take a look...

9"x 12" oil...

















Prints are available...just follow my ImageKind link!


Original is available to purchase...(Contact me...)

Armstrong Creek 11"x 14" oil on canvas...

One of those nights again, where you drive and
commit to painting and find out you left half your
stuff back home!

Tonight...I got to my destination only to discover
I had no medium, no medium/turps cup, and my good
brushes were taken out to use in my half-box last
time painted and not returned. Eeegads!

Still...wasn't going to go home with my tail tucked
between my legs and without trying..

11"x 14" oil on canvas...



















Not using medium means you use a heck of a lot
more paint, and with a painterly painting approach
the brushwork and color can be intruging as it builds
on the canvas...here is a closeup-

Cedarburg Plein Air Event 2009 oil paintings

Here are the five pieces I painted this week, two chosen to
submit for the competition/exhibition end of this, and one
the quick paint entree. It was a brutally hot week to paint,
a couple 100 degree days...

9"x 12" Cedar Creek...on pumice panel, stood literally in
the water to paint this one...


















available to purchase...(Contact me...)


11"x 14" oil on canvas... Pleasant Valley Rural Scene..
100 degrees and humid...but, what a lovely view the heat
causes with haze out on agricultural fields..



















available to purchase...(Contact me...)
- - - - - -


Cedar Creek Park provided a very lovely creek for residents
and visitors, a dam on the far end, series of falls, and the
comedic play of mallards swimming about, standing on
various rocks...and so, this next one...9"x 12" oil...


















To my shagrin, very obvious to anyone awake, with a
pulse in my place set up painting these ducks, someone
came over with a loaf of bread and began throwing chunks
of bread out to the ducks. Duh...like they aren't going to
move then? HELLO!!!! Thanks a lot buddy! And as it turns
out, a sign about 20 yards from me warns visitors NOT to
feed the ducks or animals, wanting to keep a natural
separation and healthy environment for the wildlife.

So...I had to finish this pair of mallards from the
impression left on my mind.
available to purchase...(Contact me...)
- - - -

Next...I painted this scene of an old church looking across
the river in the park, between trees...starting one night,
and finishing the next morning...12"x 16" oil on pumice
panel-


















available to purchase...(Contact me...)
- - - -

Last day, was a quick paint...2-1/2 hours, during
Cedarburg's annual Strawberry Festival. The town has a
population of about 10,000 people...so imagine about
100,000 people suddenly invading the town! So...about 1/2
hour is just framing the work up and then trying to navigate
thru the crowd with the wet oil to get to the location to turn
the work in. That was crazy in itself, and got there with three
minutes to spare. My largest effort... 14"x 18" oil on pumice
panel...saving my largest painting for the week for this quick
paint event...



















Unfortunately my efforts did not catch the eye of jurors
this year, missing out on honorable mentions and various
awards...but, there is next year, and I took plenty of
pictures of the area to give some thought to where I may
well paint.

Well, as you can see...I've made a few of these available for
purchase, but also gave opportunity for a decent percent
off well, in a unique way. As an artist that writes about art,
that teaches art, workshops...I am of course very hopeful
that people will learn to really look at paintings. So much
so, that from time to time I will offer a discount to encourage
such. After so many years of painting, sale are nice...but
more importantly an artist imagines folks looking hard at
what appeals to the eye to see where an artist matures, is
different...etc., Call it, Art Appreciation 101...

Rat River Plein Air...by Camp 5

9"x 12" oil on pumice board
I was in the finishing stages of this plein air tonight when
my son Jason called from Chicago, and I told him I must
have used a bit more pumice in the ground on this one as
the paint was tacking up quite fast...in some regards it
was like I was painting with pastel or something.

Not a complaint, just a different drag to the paint.

I also set my palette up with a split-complementary palette,
blue-green my dominant, orange plus red...and white.

Was a lovely night to be painting, and try to restore some
self-dignity after not the best day strikin' balls on the links.

Afternoon at the Mill Pond...two plein air Oil Paintings

9"x 12" oil on pumice panel...



















Was a gorgeous sun-filled afternoon today, and of course the beckoning to paint was there. Went to one of our local lakes, a river...emptying into the mill pond...and first did a study of shore grasses. You can see a bit of duck weed vegetation coming to some life with the warmth...

available to purchase...(Contact me...)

- - -
...and with left over paint, I scraped to the side into
a neutral gray mud...and used it to do a quick 5"x 7"
study of a backlit shore...

Marsh Grasses Plein Air...wintry slush..Plein Air Oil Painting

9"x 12" oil...on pumice/gesso panel
available to purchase...(Contact me...)




















Last week, it was golf in short sleeves, tonight
it was long underwear, a thermal waterfowler's coat,
wool fingerless gloves, two hats, and my winter
boots!!! We got nailed with 6-9 inches of the white
stuff overnight...and one-half hour north of us they
got a foot!!! Yikes. Here you see my truck parked,
and I walked across to paint the same area of marsh
reeds I painted last week...


















there was a slushy surface to the water, offering
some nice color of neutrals...hints of greens,
some violets...very lovely...


















Here you see my set up, and I'm near finished
at this point. Just to give you an idea of the
moment..

















On the palette above you see the beauty of oils allowing
work in quite inclement weather. Note the beaded up
water on the palette...as it was a drizzle/sleet for much of
the time painting!

I had to end before I wanted to...as the water was building
up making it a bit more difficult to maneuver about. I'll
look it over and perhaps will take just a bit of small work
on the reeds and then sign it...

As always, clicking on the images brings them up larger.
Enjoy...

Two Plein air Oils Today...Fumee Falls and Piers Gorge

Beautiful and interesting day. See, the thing about a
waterfalls is that everyone connects to them. The power
of reflection and muse, a very spiritual time...but as I
would discover today....a falls also makes for a very
interesting backdrop for high school prom pictures!!!!

I was set up down nearer to the main falls, about half
done perhaps when teens dressed up began to show
up...and then more, and still more. Soon parents and
grandparents...uncles, and ...er, well you get it!









































I pulled my paintbox set up back thinkin' these
photo ops would sure be weird with some guy at the
base of the falls painting! Here, I'm just about
done when this group of girls gather in front for
some pics...



















Here's the result of my painting anyway, and had
chance to meet and talk with some nice folks. One
turned out to be a painter as well, and referred to
what I was doing as "plein air!"

8"x 10" Fumee Falls...


















To finish off the day, I drove past the Piers Gorge, which
is an exciting part of the Menomonee River that divides
northern Wisconsin from Upper Michigan...and painted
this 10"x 8" oil...























available to purchase...(Contact me...)

7"x 5" plein air oil...study, Spring Marsh Grasses

Last day of spring break, back to teaching art
tomorrow. Not exactly an inspiring spring day
with its overcast cool breezy weather, but a
small study like this is always possible and one
is without excuse to avoid painting. Just needed
to get out regardless...and I rather enjoyed the
subtle values and color the overcast day provided.

This was what I was seeing sitting on a five gallon pail,
(must be getting lazy)...

















Began with a simple toning of the panel, some
indications of some darks...and you can see very easily
imitated is the light reflection in water that allows using
the negative space concept to suggest the reflections of
the marsh reeds....
























One thing that really irritates me is when jerks (that
I would probably lump into that REDneck category) have
absolutely no pride in the area they live in, no decency
to pick up after themselves. I tend to bring a garbage
bag along with me to pick up an area I'm painting. Today
I only had my five gallon pail...

Study in Patterns and Texture...plein air oil painting

Had the itch...to get about, off and alone, set up
and paint. Still a bit chilly here in northern
Wisconsin...but compared to painting outdoors in
winter it was quite lovely.

Stopped to check out a river passing over a forest
area bridge...and thought I'd lose myself studying
water movement...patterns, and textures of the
grasses. I believe I could do a half-dozen paintings
set up on the same place, same subject and it would
be insightful for me to vary a different approach,
palette strategy with each one. Nature surrenders
a bit of intimacy and understanding doing such, and
one's sense of painting directions builds the gut
hunch.

Below you see a reference picture I took on location,
and then I toned my board a reddish-orange, then began
by putting down some marks of the dark reflections and
deep water bottom...

As always, clicking on an image brings up a larger picture
to view.

9"x 12" oil...view from Blackwell Bridge Plein Air

A bit chilly this afternoon...with my fingerless wool gloves,
but the light was inviting. Most lakes here in northern
Wisconsin are still froze over, 14" yet in thickness. Many
fields now free from snow, but areas of shadow still finds
the white stuff stubbornly hanging on.

After so many years painting...there is a part of you that
takes a backseat and just watches. Part of you sees the
finished painting before you begin...the other part is along
for the ride and finds it entertaining to see how it will
come together. One part has its moments of doubts, the
other part of the psyche assures its okay to chill, never
fear..."we've been here before, and its progressing just
fine!"

When teaching...there are deliberate directions or paths
one may prescribe for students...but experience's aim as
Edgar Payne tells us is to have a foundation of principles
so ingrained that the gut hunch is free to fly.

So...I listened when that inner voice said, "let's try some-
thing a little different. A grayish darker olive green
undertone" that came from sensing the color in the shadows,
which then would initiate freely the placement of where the
light was playing upon the shoreline of tag alders and dead
wintry grasses that will soon come to life-

Here was my reference...















my palette with color/value mixed up, plenty of copal
medium...and with turps ready to attack the panel-















the panel after brushing this colored/tone over the surface-

















and...the initial strokes went straight away for the light
dancing among the dead winter grasses, parts of the
snow...etc.,
















My first inclination or interest was to consider the scene on
the southwestern side of the bridge...
















Overall...it was a very pleasant afternoon, and then, I went
off to the studio to work on recording my last song "Where
the Grasses Turn Green" for my CD- Wilderness
Wanderings!
If you have a moment, check it out.