Sneaking Out in the Early AM

I painted this Saturday morning by sneaking out of the house early at 6 am. There was only one place with shade that still allowed me to get a good view of the very quaint general store and blue house next door. I didn't have very much time to work because the sun rose quickly and took away that shade. I just can't seem to paint in the hot sun even with a hat. So once overcome with sun I packed up

I think I will finish this up in my studio to thicken up the paint and put in the detail of the old Texaco sign (needs to be dry). I don't plein air paint often but this was a blast and I was done in 2 hours and home before anyone really noticed I was gone.

New Painting Started

I started this painting in natural light. While I don't remember the light changing that much, the painting was difficult. I couldn't get the delft planter to look like ceramic. The flowers kept changing into more and more beautiful forms that I wanted to repaint; and I saw way too much detail and delicacy that I was unable to recreate as fast as I usually do. What is also different in using natural light is the fact that the lights are cool and the shadows are warm. I felt like I was reading from right to left. Some say all shadows are warm but I disagree.

I absolutely adored these parrot tulips (not that you can tell, but they were spectacular and are only available for about 2-3 weeks at the end of April early May). They reminded me of Dutch still life paintings and actually lasted all week and then some, so was perfect for painting from life. Of all crazy things these flowers came from Millville NJ a town in nowhere Southern NJ I'm very familiar with due to my family roots. Millville has some well kept secrets besides the flower farm that grows these fab tulips. The other is "Wildflowers by Lori" the most amazing cake designer. If you go on-line you will see the cake make for my mothers 80th b-day (It's the obvious one with the Happy 80th B-day), everything is edible but the wire for the flowers1!! (An art form I have to learn).

But I digress. I painted the center of these flowers over several times because they were not warm enough and not "uniform" in color. I started by blocking in the darks and pretty much leaving them that way, meaning I did not go darker -- tried to hit the value just right the first time. Lights should define the form. I never made it to that stage here.

Anyway, I thought I would give you a progression of the painting so far. I can't say that I'm happy with the intensity of the color. I lost something in the salmon colored tulip and might wipe it out. I hate the plain white table cloth and plan to change it out with something more interesting. I plan to make the planter longer because I do not like where the flower is hitting the edge of the planter.

Sample from Sherrie McGraw Workshop

I'm extremely late in posting pics from the Sherrie McGraw workshop I took back in April. I have wanted to study with Sherrie for a long time and was very excited to get the chance. The class was in Herndon VA--a rare opportunity that I hope she will consider again.

This picture is a sample of one of my paintings from the class. Very interesting concepts that I learned. I wish I had taken progression pictures because the painting changed a lot--after I thought I had completed my subject. I had to paint the peonies over several times at Sherrie's suggestion for a variety of very good reasons: The subject was too big (not allowing the viewer to travel into the painting), the darks weren't warm enough, the lights didn't define the subject enough, the leaves didn't create a mass, etc. All very good points! Several theories I want to explore are the fact that darks are warm and lights are cool when painting in natural light. I usually paint under hot lights so this is a reversal. That you block in the darks and pretty much leave them that way without much detail. That you make masses out of leaves (maybe you can see that in the midtone area above) with no distinction between them even though visually you can see difference.

Two Paintings Sold At Art at the Mill Show

I sold two paintings at the spring Art At The Mill show in Millwood VA--one of my favorite art venues. Thank you to the patrons who purchased them. I'm always honored to get accepted to the show and it is a special thrill to sell a painting there.

The painting pictured above is "Red Onions on a Blue Box" -- not a terribly original title, but what I find interesting is that folks think they are turnips. So I guess I'm glad about the title. I think part of the reason for the misidentification is that onions rarely appear in the gRocery store in their natual "plucked" state. If I remember correctly these onions were from the Burke Farmers Market near the end of the summer and the stalks had grown extremely thick, like bamboo. They were so beautiful, with the skins completely off. I couldn't resist painting them. The box is one of my favorites and comes from an antique store I stopped by a few years ago on the way home from -- of all things -- the Art at the Mill show. I think that antique store (more of a junk yard) is long gone, but I found a gem of a store in Boyce (i.e., Millwood/Berryville) in the old school house. If you are ever there you should find it, its worth a visit and pretty inexpensive too.