Daffodils

I love daffodils and every spring I seem to miss their grandeur usually because of my day job obligations.  I just can't seem to find the energy to work all day and paint all night.

What is even more painful is my mother in law's most amazing daffodfil garden.  I think last year she planted 600 bulbs or something crazy like that.  She already had about 600 plants so there is nothing but daffodils everywhere in her woods. All varieties are represented.  I particularly like the white with yellow orange center and thought, incorrectly, that since it was so cold here in VA this Spring that I had more time to gain the energy and momentum to paint them.  Having a painting demo did the trick as I always like to practice before such a humbling effort.  Of course four weeks later (after first bloom), I decide to pick those daffodils.  Surpise!  nothing but wilt.  My MIL however was such a trooper.  We went to every bloom left.  Most were wilted, but we managed to find about 8 that were still in prime condition. In our search, we both lost a shoe in the mud bog, had to jump creek beds and balance over logs. Anyway I got my treasured daffodils.  Here is my effort.

I am now very focused on making sure I have a main subject.  Core painting and composition principles for focusing the eye include:  making your main subject the lightest, the sharpest and the thickest/most saturated color. While I've known these principles since studying with my first really good artist/teacher, I didn't really consciously paint that way until David Cheifetz's workshop this fall.  Still singing his praises.   I might should call this "Channeling my Inner David Cheifetz." :-)

A sunday of much correction

Next session of my portrait of the nice man posing in Danni Dawson's class   Much advice from painter extraordinaire Jordan Xu.  He is alway's right.  His revelation, paint the eyes.  I was leaving them all sketchy on purpose and couldn't figure out why the painting lacked a focal point.  Anyway voila...he looks tougher in the actual painting which was my objective.

Painting in Danni's Class

I have finally, after many years, been able to take Danni Dawson's Saturday's class at the Art League.  She is terrific-a teacher for experienced painters (and beginners too).  It's so great to get that high level instruction.  I am enjoying the class so much.  Many friends and great artists in the room.  

So here is the gentleman I'm painting.  We have him for 4 classes, so about 4 hours each Saturday or 16 hours.  Now that is a completely different experience.  I'm slowing down tremendously, but not sure that is a good thing.  I was able to paint only 2 hours last week due to business travel plans, so I'm behind.  

Anyway, I have to give kudos to Jordan Xu, who strategically placed permanent rose on this man's head and completely changed the temperature theme from warm to cool.  I love that we can offer each other advice.  And, Jordan is quite a painter, so you better believe I listened to him. 

It really worked well.  I spent last Saturday integrating Jordan's cool strokes and my supplemental plains of color so they are more cohesive. I can't wait until tomorrow.  I better bring the good camera to take photos because I don't see myself finishing.

I like the 60s print on the cushion in real life, but not sure its

working in the painting.  I'm going to keep on going and gray them out more and see what I think.  If it looks bad, I will paint over it.  I think the horizontal line is distracting.

Sold Two Painting at NIH Show

I'm so honored to have sold two paintings at the NIH show I was in earlier this year.   That was quite an experience in two ways.  One the staff that runs the gallery are just super nice and it is all so very well coordinated.

The other experience was the security.  It is tight!  You have to plan an extra 30 minutes.  First your car is checked.  You have to exit the car and leave all doors and tunk open.  They will sift though lightly but mostly bring out the dogs to sniff around and mirrors.  Then its through two security check points, with TSA-like technology.  I don't understand why.  I guess they probably have some pretty scary viruses locked up somewhere.  Who knows.  But poor girl in front of me was having a nervous breakdown because if she didn't get to a specific place in time she was out of some kind of trial.  They should really warn people about how extensive the security is.  I was warned,

but I didn't get it until I got there.

David Cheifetz Workshop

I recently took a private workshop with David Cheifetz. I have enjoyed being on his subscription list and have admired his painting skills and style for several years, so I was thrilled to have this opportunity thanks to Trisha Ratliff making all the arrangements for the workshop and letting us invade her amazing studio.


David’s workshop was one of the best I’ve ever taken. I called it a level 300 course for advanced painters. I learned so much! I would say the main focus of the workshop, was well, “focus” -- how to make your painting have a main subject. I know this sounds obvious and I preach it all the time, but David took it to a whole new level, by dulling out colors on all other objects, losing edges through value and softening edges. The result was superb. Part of achieving this “focus” was to stay true to David’s color palette. What a valuable experience. I actually used black and now wondered how I lived so long without it. Dulling out colors achieved harmony throughout the painting and allowed the main subject to pop through saturated, out of the tube, color.

David is so precise with his drawing. He paints so small (okay relative to me) and with such precision, I honestly don’t know how he does it. But watching him demo two gorgeous pieces was worth every penny (and more). It was so interesting to watch him draw the subject and rework edges, sculpting away area to make drawing changes. As a result I slowed down and paid more attention.

There were two final invaluable tips I find worthy of sharing:

1. Paint with Paint! David would say these words over and over. To bring out the main subject David would “trowel” on paint with a brush or palette knife. I didn’t think you could get thicker and David would say “thicker”. I would think “What? How?” but sure enough I could get more paint on the painting. Each time the subject would pop more!

2. Halo Glow! The other thing David is known for is the “halo” around his main subject. Trisha and I would always marvel at this and wondered how he did it. Well he taught that!! I fumbled around on this one, but David showed me what I was missing and wow!

Honestly, I never expect teachers to reveal so many secrets, but David did. He did not hold back. Things just clicked in his class. A lot of theories many of us have heard over the years came to life for the first time in this workshop. He changed the whole look of my painting—one I’m thoroughly pleased with and plan to incorporate in future paintings.

For anyone planning to take David’s workshop or class, it is totally worth it and will change your painting forever!




   

More Peonies

Here is the mate to the other peony painting.  Thanks to my friend Trisha Adams this one has already gone down to Chasen Galleries in Richmond.  The mate that I previously posted was on a 12 x 16 piece of canvas, because I didn't have a 12 x 12, so now I must attach it to the birch board I bought at Home Depot.

Peonies from South America

My good friend Tricia called and informed me that she picked up 5 bunches of peonies at Whole Foods.  I wait each May and December for them to bloom!  Once in our hemisphere and then again in December from South America.   Whole Foods is the only place I know that sells peonies off season other than a florist.  They are usually very expensive, but reasonable at WF.  Anyway, I painted two paintings to be companions.  They look terrible in the photographs, which means I may need to completely rework them.  Here's one of the paintings--way too hot.