Another Good-bye

Please excuse me reader, and indulge me as I take a break from strictly art topics to write about my sweet cat Shadow who was a constant fixture in my studio. I lost him this week to age and kidney failure. The chair in a corner of the studio where he always curled up on a red blanket looks strangely wrong without him.

He loved being anywhere I was and never failed to greet me at the door whenever I came in. Once he discovered that the studio was where I spent my time, you couldn't keep him out of it. He charmed my students and visitors with his affection and gentleness. 

healthy and content last summer

 I've never seen a cat whose eyes changed color, but his alternated between clear gold and speckled bronze. I loved the gaze from his gold bronze eyes that seemed to contain more consciousness than many people possess. And what a magnificent tail!  - lush and thick and held high even as his body lost the muscle tone of a younger cat.

surveying his domain

I don't believe that anything as good and positive as that little creature could ever be abandoned or forgotten by his Creator, and that conviction eases my heart ache for Shadow's sweet presence.

sharing a moment at the animal hospital

When Plein Air Works

When a plein air painting works, it's very gratifying. When it doesn't, it can sap your confidence and cause you to question whether you have any ability at all. After two days in a row of "scrapers" I'm compelled to analyze why the results were so pitiful.

I like this one- Winter Day on Navarre Beach - that I did in February. It's energetic, it contains the right amount of information and it has the feel of the place.

Winter Day on Navarre Beach
see it here

So what went wrong today and yesterday? Yesterday's failure I can understand. I was trying something I'd never done before. I was looking towards the sun and trying to capture the sheen of the sun on the water. The values of the sky against the sea and the reflection of the sun's light on the water were a challenge. Two hours later and with fried eyeballs, I had to admit defeat. I know though that the subject is well worth another try.

Today was a different matter. I stood at the river's edge looking at a low building that was shadowed in green blue. The lightest note in the scene was the glare on it's metal roof. Grey trees behind it enhanced the simple mood and palette. Two or three dark pines provided contrast. To the left was a pale blue railroad trestle over the river. 
If I had stuck to what had first attracted me - the shadowed building and the contrast of dark and pale in the foliage around it- I'd have done fine. But the curved riverbank was so pretty and the water was so tempting. And what a gorgeous soft blue on the trestle! You guessed it! I tried to put it all in. Daylight faded and my canvas became a sticky mess as I adjusted and re-adjusted a composition that should have been stated in the first ten minutes.  But now that I know why it failed, I'm ready to head out again tomorrow.
I don't think I'll throw my paints out just yet.

Talking About Plein Air

A few days ago, I was invited by the Gulf Breeze Arts Association to speak to their members about plein air painting. Most of these enthusiastic artists had never painted en plein air. My job was to talk to them about how to get started.

 I showed the group the difference between a studio painting and works painted outdoors. After talking briefly about the history of plein air painting, I compared historic approaches of working outdoors, to the current debates concerning whether a plein air painting needs to be completed in one go and without revision

talking about why I don't recommend this plein air umbrella

 I brought examples of my own work, demonstrating that the reasons for painting a plein air piece can vary. Some  were 1 hour quick studies painted to understand a painting problem or to gather information. Others I'd painted by returning to the same place several times. Still others I had started outdoors and then finished in the studio.

Next I talked about the options for field easels, color choices, and the little extras like water, sunscreen and bug repellent that are so necessary for outdoor painting in Florida.

tools of the trade

On April 5th, we'll put it all together in a 4 hour Getting Started in Plein Air workshop. If you're in the Pensacola area and would like to join in, contact me for information.

A Once in a Lifetime Storm

On Friday three days after the ice storm, ice still coated the shady sides of the streets. I've never heard such a deep silence in Gulf Breeze as there was the day after the storm. Roads, bridges, schools and businesses were closed for more than two days. Long time residents said they'd never seen  the spectacle of ice encased pine boughs and crepe myrtles on the coast. Crystals of ice accumulated on the ground creating the appearance of a dusting of snow. Road salt isn't stocked in a place that never needs it. Streets and sidewalks were so slick that it was easier to slide along them as if on skates than to try to walk.

Palmettos in ice

By Friday, most of it was over and the local plein air group came out to paint along the waterfront. Though it was early afternoon, a sunset colored fog was rolling in from across the Gulf of Mexico. Here is my sketch of Pensacola Bay looking across toward the Gulf. 

Into the Gulf - oil - 7x16

Snow? In Pensacola??

Rumor has it that it snowed in Pensacola today. I only saw sleet, but with temperatures in the mid 30's the Friday group of plein air painters bailed on me. I'd dressed in multiple layers like any good northern girl would do, and I wasn't going to miss a perfectly atmospheric day.
My chosen spot is a place I'm doing multiple studies of in preparation for a large painting. Here's is how the day looked today.

And here is the direction that appealed to me the most. Before Hurricane Ivan ten years ago, these fields were solid trees right down the water.

I had already prepared some greys in advance made from the primaries.

Though the light stayed constant, I stuck with my plan of working quickly and finished in a bit more than an hour. I'm not working fast just for the sake of speed. Rather I'm gathering as much information as I can before looking too long convinces me that I'm seeing something different than what is truly there.
Here is the finished sketch.

Santa Rosa Sound - oil on canvas - 8x11

Back Again!

I can just about forget about this challenge- I've missed so many days. One thing I like about being part of the Friday painting group, Plein Air Painters of Pensacola, is that I know I will get out to paint at least one day a week, despite commitments that might keep me in my studio otherwise.

Today was a gorgeous day in Pensacola. Cool, but far from the frigid temperatures of two weeks ago. Ordinarily, I do not like painting buildings as a subject, but this year I've resolved to paint everything to see what I can learn from it. In keeping with my plan, I painted quickly trying to grasp color and value relationships. 

Though a lot of the plein air sketches I've done for this challenge have been scraped down and not posted I can see how a year spent doing daily quick studies could be really beneficial.

That is the challenge I set for myself.

Deep Freeze - 30 in 30 Day 7

Polar Vortex. That's the explanation for the unusual cold weather here in the Florida Panhandle. It was19 degrees this morning. I watched from my studio windows throughout the day as my giant elephant ear plants drooped and fell over. Have you ever see such a sad sight?

Fortunately the plant is native and hardy and it should grow back.

River Oaks - oil on canvas - 10x12
contact me here if interested

Today's "plein air" sketch was painted looking through a window from the semi warmth of my studio. In keeping to my plan of working quickly, it took about an hour. Some things I'm finding about working quickly are I'm making more confident decisions about color and value. Working quickly means I have to glance rather then stare at my motif, and then paint from remembering what I saw in that glance. This results in the color and value being more accurate. A little side benefit is that I can paint very freely because I have no time invested in these pieces and no agenda for them.

My Magic Tree - 30 in 30 Day 6

A large oak tree stands in my backyard. From time to time, it sheds branches. Whether or not this is normal, I don't know but it has many scars from limbs it has lost over the years. I didn't realize how large the tree actually is until I climbed into it to help my husband trim a broken branch. There's almost enough room to spread out a picnic where the limbs branch out from the trunk. Even more remarkable than it's size, is it's color. The trunk is every color from green to lavender to light blue. The reflected light on it glows iridescent. At every part of the day, the colors and shadows on it are different. I've been looking at it for six years, thinking I have to try to paint it.

This one hour sketch, painted on another frigid Florida day, represents my first attempt. I'll paint it many more times until I'm happy that I've captured it's magic.  

30 in 30 Day 4

I woke this morning ready to grab my brushes and go to work. - one quick plein air painting and then to the studio to work on a larger piece. Coffee cup in hand, I glanced out the window and saw my husband tearing carpeting out of our travel trailer. Well. That just didn't look right. Sure enough, my day's plan was about to go to pieces. The skylights of the camper had deteriorated and the monsoon-like rain we get here in Florida had flooded the trailer. By afternoon we had mopped up, laundered or discarded anything made of cloth and covered the faulty skylights. The short winter daylight was nearly gone.

So today I'm posting an earlier plein air piece in sympathy with everyone in the northeast who is also dealing with unusually cold temperatures and with snow.

Not ready for skating - oil on canvas  - 16x20
Contact me here if interested

The actual scene.

30 in 30 January 3

When I woke up on this Pensacola morning, it was 28 degrees - very cold for Panhandle Florida. This northern girl was ready for it! In fact, I truly enjoy cold and snow.There was no snow in the forecast but I layered myself in true northern fashion, long underwear (never thought I'd have use for that here), layers of shirts, thick hiking socks and gloves with the finger tips cut off. The wind was fierce but a local waterfront restaurant the Oar House, lent the Plein Air Painters of Pensacola their balcony which was nicely shielded from the wind. Thank you Oar House!

Though it's my intent during this 30 day challenge to finish my paintings in as close to an hour as possible, this one took double that time. My purpose in working fast is to not over-think the process but to work quickly and confidently. Also, I'd like to reserve a good part of my work day to finish studio pieces for an upcoming show.

 This is my finished 12x16 sketch. The actual scene is in the photo below. As yet, this painting is not on my website so please contact me if it interests you.

30 in 30 January 2014

It's a new year and once again I'm participating in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge organized by Leslie Saeta. Last year I picked "things put on the back burner" as my theme. These were ideas for paintings that I'd had in my mind for a while but hadn't had time to try out. I surprised myself by painting quickly enough to finish 24 paintings within the month. One of these was chosen for an Oil Painters of America exhibit.

This year I'm focusing on plein air studies painted quickly, in about an hour. I'm not intending these paintings for sale but rather as pieces to explore and learn by, so they will not appear on my website. However, if anyone sees one they would like to have for their collection, they will still be available for purchase on request.

This study was painted in my backyard on a very grey Florida afternoon. A front was starting to move through and the temperature dropped 10 degrees as I painted while the wind picked up.

Backyard View - oil on canvas 12x16
talk to me if interested in this

This same weather is blasting the northeast with a blizzard right now, yet here in the Florida Panhandle, it will be back in the 60's in a few days. This photo shows the actual scene I painted.

The large oak on the right is just out of view in the photo.Tomorrow I'll be painting on the water's edge if the wind doesn't prevent it.

Austin On My Mind

This past weekend I spent three very enjoyable days in Austin, Texas. I've been to Austin twice, and both times in the same season. I don't know what Austin looks like in spring and summer but in winter the contrast of dried grass fields against dark green trees is a visual treat. On any bit of land that hasn't been developed, there are fields of tall grass in red and gold tones.

November Meadow - oil on canvas - 11x14
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 Traveling down the highway, the colors mix together into a rose gold sea of rippling grass tipped with white where the suns rays hit. Dark green oaks stand anchored in this sea of gold, looking like stewards of the land. I am always reminded whenever I travel of how much I enjoy viewing an unfamiliar landscape and trying to figure out how to describe it's colors and textures with paint.

Riverbed  - Perdenales State Park - oil 11x14
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My Favorite Time of Year

Late fall is such is such a beautiful time in the Florida Panhandle. Fall brings relief from the heat and humidity, and just when you think you can't bring yourself to make another green and white painting, the landscape changes to gold, red and purple browns. Even now at the beginning of December the hickory trees are still full of golden leaves and the dunes are covered with deep yellow flowers.

It's my favorite time to paint outdoors. Recently I participated in two paint-outs. This unfinished sketch is from a paint-out on Grayton Beach.

Oil Painters of America Paint Out - Grayton Beach Florida

The Florida Panhandle has mostly evergreen live oaks and pines so it doesn't get the flaming fall colors that the North enjoys, but there's a surprising amount of interesting color in the marsh areas. Each year I'm treated to a few weeks of painting these colors, before the landscape turns to a faded tan whipped by winter wind.

Winter Marsh oil- 30x36
contact me here if interested in this painting

  

Changing Direction

The comment I hear the most often about my art is" I love the color and the texture!". I really appreciate these positive responses from my collectors so I hope I'm not going to alarm any of you with this post.

I love color too. I like it a lot. That's why there's so much of it in my paintings. I like texture too. I like the way it mimics the aliveness pulsing through all of nature. I've used these tools for years to give my paintings a look and style distinctly my own. But lately I've become restless. I have a nagging feeling that I'm depending too much on one means to achieve the effects I'm after. It's become too easy. It's become a habit. 

I'm trying out a different working method and a different palette. More about that in a later post. If it all works out in the way I'm envisioning, the color will stand out even more than it does now. I'm not sure yet what I will do with the texture. I have faith that it will serve me as I need. 

Today I went out not intending to do a painting, but rather to gather information and keep my eye in practice. It's kind of like what a musician does with their daily practice when they're not playing the polished piece on stage. It was a very overcast day here in the Florida panhandle. I set up by a shallow twisting little waterway. It's such a quiet meditative little spot that I can't understand why the town fathers saw fit to run a piece of the Frisbee course right through it. But hey, I've had worse distractions.

I had been there a little more than an hour, moving aside every now and then so the Frisbee players could play through. I was in the zone, paying attention to warm and cool tones and about to tackle the reflection of the fallen tree when a young boy came by. He paused for a moment and looked then went on his way. I could see the curious intelligence in his eyes. He struck me as the kind of kid who takes the time to really be a part of his world rather than rushing through it. Five minutes later he was back poling a little boat through the water. From there on the pond was his since it was now too rippled to have any reflections. It was turning cold anyway and I headed home satisfied with the impressions of the day .

Lessons From Monet

I just finished reading  Monet's Landscapes by Vivian Russell. The book was lent to me by my artist friend Jill Berry whose beautiful paintings remind me of Monet. The surprising information in the book was also exactly what I needed to read now. Thank you Jill!

There are plenty of books on Monet out there. I've read a lot of them. I've read stories indicating that he felt no guilt, at least in his youth, about living beyond his means. There's the story of how in his student days he insisted on wearing fancy cuffs on his sleeves. When his tailor pleaded with him to settle his bill, Monet declared that if the tailor continued to harass him, he would "withdraw his favor". There are the stories of poverty,and how he and his family were forced to flee leaving his paintings behind when he was unable to pay his rent bill. Most books also point out Monet's business savvy. I've never heard of any other artist who sold his works outright to a dealer and then collected a percentage in addition when they sold. This was exactly the arrangement he had with dealer Theo Van Gogh. Most of the accumulated stories seem to point out a sense almost of entitlement on Monet's part.

I love this painting! Look how Monet painted greys and oranges into the back- lit rock. A lesser skilled artist would probably have painted it black or nearly black.

Monet's Landscapes by Vivian Russell approaches the story of Monet from a different angle and shows a very different side of Monet. The book concentrates on Monet's letters to his second wife, Alice. What stood out the most to me as I read, was how much Monet struggled with his paintings, and how often he was dissatisfied with the results. This excerpt of a letter quoted in the book is from a letter Monet wrote when he was already established and successful.  
I am becoming so slow in my work it is despairing, but the more I go on the more I see that one has to work a lot to arrive at rendering what I am looking for; instanaiety...the same enveloping light that is spread everywhere, and now more than ever, easy things done in one go disgust me.   (Monet's Landscapes by Vivian Russell)

It's interesting to make the contrast between Monet's concept of what was necessary to turn out a good painting, and the conviction of so many of today's painters who work outdoors as Monet did. The prevailing attitude among plein air "purists" is that a plein air painting needs to be executed quickly, and entirely outdoors to be valid. There are countless week-long plein air events built around this idea. The fact seems to have become lost that the purpose for speed is to nail down  values. The rest of the painting can be done later. Monet routinely finished his outdoor canvasses in the studio and he took as much time as he felt he needed to finish them. 

Another point that stood out to me as I read, was how hard Monet worked. A painting day to him wasn't two hours at his easel here and there sandwiched in between other activities and only when inspiration hit. His painting day was more often eight hours long and consisted of the endless battle between the man and his canvasses to capture the effect he was after as the light changed around him. He tirelessly painted the same subject again and again in the effort to understand his subject and express his vision.

Haystacks End of Summer Morning

Monet typically spent weeks or even months on location away from home working on his motif. Often his efforts didn't meet his standards. Sometimes the results weren't commercially successful. According to Russell, Monet's haystack series sold out almost immediately. Yet when his cathedral series were first exhibited, none of them sold. This next quote from Russell's book is Monet's reply to one of  Alice's letters urging him to abandon a location that was giving him trouble.
I'm not sure that what I bring back will be to everyone's taste but what I do know is that this is the side of it I am passionate about... one should try everything and it's for exactly this reason that I congratulate myself for what I am doing. (Monet's Landscapes by Vivian Russell)

So what lessons can be taken away from Monet's example?

1) Work Hard. Work really hard and don't accept something that is less than what you are striving for.
2) When the demons of negative voices tell you you're an incompetent painter, or that you'll never get it, realize that you're not experiencing anything different than other artists, even the greats.
3) Paint for what you yourself are trying to accomplish or express. No one else can tell you what this is.
4) Not all paintings work. So don't expect them to and don't give up.

Now, get back to your studio or out in the field, and keep working it!

What Are Three Things Bagdad Florida Is Famous For?

Bubba Watson. Golf professional and winner of the 2012 Masters, Bubba Watson was born in Bagdad Florida and Bagdad is justifiably proud of it's native son.

Yellow Pine. The manufacture of yellow pine lumber began in the early 1800's and continued until the 1930's. Bagdad had at times in it's lumbering history, the largest lumber operation in the country.

The Third Annual Bagdad Paintout! Come join the fun this Saturday October 26th. Plein air painters will be painting at locations throughout Bagdad in the morning. Paintings will be available for purchase in the afternoon at Dragonfly Gallery in nearby Milton. Watch the artists at work, then take home a painting of historic Bagdad!

Spanish Moss - 3rd place prize 1st Annual Bagdad Paintout

About Salvatore Joseph Grillo

No matter how long the lifetime, it's never a  long enough time to share life with the people we love. For the second time in less than three months, I've lost a family member. My loving, sweet, funny and smart Dad, passed away last Saturday two weeks short of his 95th birthday. He was so kind and took so much enjoyment in the people in his life that he was well liked by everyone who knew him, from friends to the employees behind the counter at the stores he frequented.

 Ten years ago, my parents invited me to live with them in Florida after the death of my first husband. My Dad was 85 at the time and his energy was incredible. He was a very perceptive man who keenly felt my pain and did everything he could to help me adapt to my new home. Always ready to help, he drove me all around town showing me good places to paint. When I was looking for a gallery to show in, he took me to all the area galleries, even the ones an hour and a half away.

 He was a man of many talents and interests, a chemical engineer by trade, but  also an inventor, a business owner, an avid photographer and an incredible cook. When I needed frames for an upcoming show, he bought lengths of molding then scoured the internet for the exact hardware to make precisely the right frames. He had the perfect tool for every minute task whether in the garage or the kitchen. This painting was one of the ones he framed and one that he liked.

Little Sabine Bay

About 15 or so years ago, my Dad sent me a photo he had taken in the Naval Live Oaks Preserve in Gulf Breeze Florida. I was living in New Jersey at the time and had never visited Florida but I painted this scene from his photo and gave it to my parents.

These flowers are another painting that became part of his collection when he admired the finished result.

I'll miss my Dad's very personal and unique presence on this earth and the warmth of his love for those of us fortunate to be his family. He was the only one who could with complete naturalness call me honeybunch, punkin, or sweetheart.

Salvatore Joseph Grillo - 9/13/'18 - 8/31/'13

3rd Time's the Charm

Here's a spot is Pensacola that I've known about since I moved here ten years ago. My dad showed it to me when I was looking for places to paint in my new home. Jo Patti's is a family owned seafood market on the water that fishing boats with their fresh catch pull up to daily. Anyone one else would have seen the possibilities immediately. Open air and water, blue herons perched on pilings, and picturesque shrimp boats. But I ignored it until recently. Maybe it was some kind of cosmic payback for my initial lack of appreciation, that instead of finishing this painting in one go, I had to return three times to complete it.
On the first trip out, I couldn't find the Plein Air Painters of Pensacola who I was painting with that day. When I finally found them, I'd lost a good part of the morning and the Florida heat had become intense. I was barely able to get more than a loose sketch.

On the second painting day, the weather had completely changed and a boat was partially obscuring my subject. I went ahead anyway but when I got home I saw that the painting had become dark and murky and the boat was too large. I scraped it down.

I was determined to make something of my efforts, so, I went out a third time. Finally success! It still needs a bit of cleaning up on the building on the right, but it's basically done and will be in the Annual Show of the Plein Air Painters of Pensacola opening on September 6 at the Wright Place Gallery in Pensacola. Please stop by for the opening reception from 5 until 7 oçlock. 

Revisiting Old Friends

I once read that Degas would rework finished paintings until he was happy with them, even taking them off clients walls after they had been sold. I've been reworking some of my larger pieces that I wasn't entirely happy with. This 30x40 of a place in Big Sur, is one of them. It needed some simplification and a greater sense of distance on the rock outcropping out in the water. It's better now but I still want to study it for a few days to see if it needs anything else.

Looking West

Thought the color was too bright in it's original version, it's a bit washed out in this iPhone photo. I'll have to photograph it with a real camera before adding it back to my website.

The Inner Life of Tomorrow's Artists

I was talking to a friend today while we watched her nine year old, Sophie, who was glued to her iPad. It struck me how vastly different that child's nine year old world of self amusement is, compared to my own when I was nine. Anyone who has children knows how easily kids take to technology and how ordinary and commonplace it all is to them. I could see myself through my memory as a nine year and suddenly, I felt very sorry for Sophie. My childhood was lived primarily outdoors and my world moved at such a leisurely pace that I had time to observe and absorb everything my senses encountered just by going about the day to day business of play. Maybe my world moved exceptionally slowly.That was after all the period in my life that I got labeled with the nickname Terry the Turtle. Yet all the beauty I saw and felt, fills a deep reservoir and is precisely the pool that I draw from today whenever I pick up my brush.

I wonder, what kind of inner life will today's kids, the artists of tomorrow, have?

Sun Drenched Dunes - 11 x 14 - oil on canvas
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For My Sister

To my readers I send my apologies for not following through on my my promise to write about my California trip and the conservation efforts for Mission San Antonio de Padua. The truth is I  lost a sister this month who was very dear to me. Andrea's death was unexpected and has created such a hole in my world that I don't have the desire to continue with" business as usual". I feel a need for reflection rather than words. This will be my last post for a while.
Throughout her too short life  and her heroic 45 year battle with the effects of childhood diabetes, my sister Andrea always maintained her own brand of fierce love for the people in her life and a genuine enjoyment of everything of life that I could not have mustered if I was in her shoes. She was and will always be my loving big sister, my protector, my friend. 
White peonies were her favorite flower. I dedicate this painting to her memory.

Peonies

Still One of My Favorites!

This painting is of a spot in my neighborhood overlooking Pensacola Bay. I had just seen such an incredible sunset that I stood still to watch it, immersed in a shifting sea of orange and gold that filled my entire field of vision.When I painted the scene the next day I placed it within that sunset. I painted everything else with the sharp shimmer of intense light that had surrounded everything the night before. The painting was displayed briefly a few years ago. It has been in my studio since. It's still one of my favorites and is still available.

Sunset Over the Bayou - oil on birch panel - 30x40
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On the Coast

What an amazing week on the central coast of California! It was hotter and dryer than past spring trips, so for the first time I saw the golden hillsides covered in yellow flowers and blue lupine that are in so many of the paintings by the California impressionists.
In between working on property maintenance and taking care of business, I painted. By the end of the week I had five new paintings that will need  finishing. This one was painted from an orchard in Templeton looking across neighboring ranches towards the Santa Lucia mountains.

I didn't block in the foreground because I needed to stop to think whether the painting needed the orchard trees that were actually there. It doesn't. And it doesn't need a lot of the other details that were there either. Already unfinished it has the feeling of restful peacefulness of an earlier time that I always feel when I'm in this part of California.
I found some great painting places on this trip that I didn't know about before. I also revisited Mission San Antonio de Padua. I'll be using my art to help in the preservation efforts of that mission. You can help too! More about that later. In fact, there is so much to share about this past trip, that I'm starting a special Thursday feature with posts specifically about the central coast. Please don't be shy about adding your own comments or questions!

California Bound!

A week from today I will be in my absolute favorite place to be - the central California coast! l'm excited to be returning to a place I feel I truly belong. I haven't decided on my painting spots yet because the possibilities are so numerous and my time there so short. 
There is some kind of magic to the land there. The sights and scents and light of even the most mundane scenes, remains imprinted in my memory like a series of movie stills. These encapsulated images float into my mind frequently with such detail and clarity that if I closed my eyes I'd swear I was right there. In all my travels, I've never experienced this phenomena anywhere else. There's something else too I haven't seen since early childhood. The images from my earliest memory of what I saw around me when I was outdoors, are filled with a soft hazy golden light. The air hasn't looked like that to me since my pre-school years. I thought my eyes had changed. But on my first trip to the central coast three years ago, I was amazed to see that light again! It's there all the time. I haven't been able to capture it yet,but I dream of being able to spend my days wandering the rocky coast and mountains chasing that golden light in paint.

Cayucos Sunset - oil on canvas panel - 12x16
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Eucalyptus Trees - Oil on canvas panel - 11x14
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The Language of Artists

Today I was talking to a woman about painting. She is not an artist but she's always wanted to learn to paint. As we talked about colors and brushwork and different styles of expression, her eyes lit up and she grew animated. We were speaking the same language even though she had never painted! It occurred to me how important it is to spend time with people who speak your language. They Get it. Painting is such a solitary profession. Even though I'm surrounded by supportive family and friends, I usually see their eyes glaze over when I'm enthusing about some great art observation or discovery. They don't hear or see the same language.
It's interesting that the French Impressionists who were friends with each other in youth and even painted the same scenes side by side, worked in isolation as they got older. Monet even asked his dealer at one point to not reveal to Renoir where he was going on a painting trip so that he could work alone. Yet they still would get together in Paris from time to time to hang out and talk about art and artists. I suspect that they left these dinners renewed and re energized and ready to get back to work. 

April Rain in the Valley of the Oaks

Do you want to help keep this beautiful mission open? It will be closed unless funds can be raised to do an earthquake retro-fit. Purchase a print of this image and 20% will go towards the conservation project. Click here for information.  Click here to purchase a print. Thanks for helping!

A Season of Renewal

Soon I'll be returning home after a year's absence. In this past year of  visiting home only infrequently, I've come to realize that I truly do like my Florida life. I'm excited to be getting back to painting and to the teaching I had put aside.

Little Sabine Bay - oil on canvas - 18x28

This painting, Little Sabine Bay, represents an earlier new start in my life that is also centered around Florida. It was the first painting I did in Pensacola, where I moved ten years ago after the loss of my life companion and painting partner. We had painted together for years often working on the same canvas. After his passing, I knew he didn't want me to stop painting, but I just couldn't pick my brushes up. Finally, a year later, I was ready. I felt like he was painting right through me as I worked. Effects appeared under my brush that I couldn't have produced for trying. Little Sabine Bay was both the first painting I did in Pensacola and the first painting I did with the  Plein Air Painters of Pensacola. I've never wanted to sell it.
Now I'm about to embark on a fresh start again with a renewed appreciation for my home and life and for this art life I've been gifted with. 

A Problem Solved

I've been away for the past couple of weeks enjoying my bi-monthly visit with my husband in this most crazy of years. The weather in Florida was constant torrential rain and painting my beloved dunes was impossible.
I came back home to this painting, that I thought was finished two weeks ago but still wasn't satisfying me.

I had been studying it trying to figure out why it didn't have the sense of immenseness I felt when I hiked the trail that spectacular day. Somehow the canyon seemed miniaturized. Also, the glowing red rocks which were the inspiration for the painting, had lost their significance.
I thought a cropping might be in order. Look what happens when the sky is cropped out.

Now the walls rise around the viewer as they did in reality and the red rocks and path have prominence again. Here is another cropped option.

It's not quite as radical but I didn't like the shape on the top left. Then I noticed the pale color of the sky just above the rocks on the right and a light bulb went off.  The value of the sky was wrong!  And the bright blue color was competing with the red rocks. Here is the final painting that just barely escaped the knife. I'm happy now. What do you think?

On Kaibab Trail - oil on canvas - 16x20
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