The Value of Experiementation

"Ranger Roost"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

You saw the paintings in my last post and probably recognize the image in this post.

Ho Humm, you say?   You very well might say that, or think it.  But, for me, there is something deep within me that I must satisfy . . . . .my curiosity which is constantly asking "What IF I painted that painting (such and so) way?"   "WHAT IF?"

 

I certainly do not consider myself an expert at painting (and some days what I do consider my skills as, . . . .well, don't ask!)    But there IS something that sets me apart from most other painters . . . .and it isn't my expertise.   It is my attitude about every painting that I make.   Some call it courage, I call it something else, entirely . . . .

 

Y'see, there is this drive to understand WHY and HOW good paintings work the way they do, or what is the underlying logic of good paintings?   It goes way beyond the subject, that is for certain.   There is tyranny in the subject . . . .that it demands to be copied.   While I adore being outdoors and painting a landscape as it appears, I also shun the same image and long to understand what I could do better to make a painting so much better.

 

In the last post, the two paintings had something nagging at me after I had photographed them:  The ever presence of green.   What should I do to make the painting less green?   Yesterday, the nagging finally got the better of me.   In looking over one of my books on design, I came accross some ideas for limited palette color strategies. . . . . .to paint with just three pigments:  Alizirin Crimson, Cad Yellow Light and Paynes Gray.   Yes, that yukky, sooty Paynes Gray.   It took a few minutes for my mental processes to kick in, then I was off to the studio as fast as I could get there.

 

I am amazed at the beauty of this painting . . . .how it all knits together so nicely . . .and how it has such a warmth to it compared to the cool atmosphere of the on in the previous post.   Of course, I had to pay attention to cooler temperatures as the scene receded into the distance in this painting.   I wasn't at all concerned about the shapes or the "picture" as I was about being sure that every adjoining color related in some way.   There had to be subtle shifts in temperature and intensity as the shapes came forward in the composition.   I found myself marveling at how well everything related in this piece.

 

Of course, dear reader, you can easily see the overall dominance of the color in the painting, which makes for a strongly unified piece.  But the variations in that dominance is where the painting could fall apart.   This is where the artist must take him or herself away from the subject and carefully think about the variables of color every step of the way.   It isn't that the picture mattered so much as the conditions of the design elements.   This is the place that beginning artists simply do not fully grasp.   For the beginner, the representation matters more than the design . . . .and, I suspect, the reason is that the beginning painter has never been exposed to what it means to paint relationships.   

How does one go about learning this sort of thought process and understanding it?   By experimentation.  In other words, it is my concerted opinion, that every painting must have behind it an attitude of taking a chance . . . . . of wondering what would happen if I did (so and so) . . . .taking the attitude of throwing caution out the window to see what would happen . . . .in other words, make every painting an experiment.  (Mind you, this would be impossible if one is driven to sell their work.  Because sales matter most, that artist is destined to be stuck and not really ever learn or grow).  

The distinct mental position of removing one's concern over how precious a painting might become, or not, is precisely what I am writing about.   Decide on a specific idea for the experiment and DO IT without concern if anyone will like it or not.   For example, what would happen if I chose Ultramarine blue, Yellow Ochre and Burnt Sienna as the only colors I could use in this painting.  What would happen?   Or, What if I made all the shapes angular?  What would happen?   Or what if I used Brilliant Red Orange outlines in gouache of every shape in the painting, then painted in the shapes?   What would happen?   What, instead of showing form or volume of the shapes in this painting, I made them all be very flat?  That is, no value or temperature change in any of the shapes.   What would happen?

It is through questions like this that an artist finds new creative paths to follow.  It is through the idea of making every painting an experiment that discoveries are made and how styles are struck.   But most of all, the artist learns to pull himself away from copying and truly begins to C R E A T E.

We all have extraordinary powers to create.  (Yes, we ALL do!)  If you are an artist and find yourself bound by the subject, undo the leash and the harness.  Let yourself go.  Waste paper or canvas and see what happens!   Worry not about the expense of paint, paper or canvas.   The expense is much, much more if you restrict yourself from growth!   EXPERIMENT !!  Try new ways to make the same painting!   (I bet there are an infinite number of outcomes of painting the very same thing time after time!)

Go on!   Give it a go.   Experiment!

If You Were Wondering . . .

 "Ranger Rookery"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

"For Wharf Rats"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

If you were wondering about whether I had fallen from the edge of the earth, let this be formal notice that I had not and have no intention to do so.

I have, however, been leading a dream existence:   Travelling, teaching, and plein air painting as if this were my very last chance to ever do it again.

The two paintings above are from a place called "Point Reyes, National Seashore" about an hour north of San Francisco.   One week ago, I gave a plein air painting workshop there.  It was windy, cold and, did I mention windy?   The wind comes zipping in from the cold Pacific and there is little to slow or stop it, except an occasional painter sticking his or her head up to see something.   But, I jest in some respects.   

That was only four days of gleeful painting experience, while helping others get the knack of being outside and having all their equipment staked down, lest it blow away.  (joke).

The week before, I spent an incredible week with three enthusiastic and highly skilled oil painters.   In fact, two of them are some of the world's BEST painters.  And that, Dear Reader, is NOT a joke.   Meet Richard Robinson and John Crump from New Zealand.  (click on their names).   I am still trying diligently to rise to their example of how to paint outdoors and how to step up to such a high level of their skills at the end of a brush.   Each of these gents have an individual style and each is a teacher in his own right.  Richard is an excellent teacher who has DVDS all over the internet.   John teaches painters first hand, has a few DVD's and is a very exciting painter.  Both are quite successful artists and have much to give anyone who finds their teachings on the internet.  ( if you haven't gathered by now, there is a very strong hint in there!! )  After you see their respective web sites, you will want to google each artist.   You'll spend quite some time being absorbed by their mastery!

Scott Hamill, my steadfast painting buddy and good friend, John, Richard and I all spent time painting on the Monterey Peninsula, Point Lobos, Carmel and Yosemite National Park . . . . .all in the same week.   Of course, I came home with many pieces . . .some good and some not so hot.  But, aside from the results, the experience spent with all these "chaps" was unequaled !!   To say I learned a few things would be an enormous understatement.

So, in case you were wondering, I am back . . . . . and painting like a mad man !!!   Life is soooo rich!

Ciao!

On Being an Artist . . . .

In a place called "Kanuga,"  which is in Hendersonville, North Carolina, each year, there is a gathering of artists from virtually 'everywhere.'   I was honored to be invited as an instructor (one of twelve) there this last week.   You can see what happens there in the photo above.   Some 260 painters come to learn to paint in water-media and to improve their repertoire of skills.

In the first official hour, we were all introducing ourselves.   A very poised lady stood to introduce herself and explained that she liked to paint, liked to spend countless hours at a potter's wheel and loved making quilts . . . . . . .but "I am not an artist," she said.

This made me think about how so many of us see ourselves . . . . .and mostly, that is out of some sort of comparison against other aritsts . . .their skills . . . .their abundant sales . . . . . their infamy, or whatever.   I am not sure I will ever understand why people compare themselves to others and frequently opt to elect themselves to the lesser of the comparison.

Some people believe there is an "August body of Important People" who bestow the title of "Artist" on us.   This can be seen by the questions that come from lay persons, such as "Are you in a gallery?"  This really means, "has officialdom qualified you as an artist?"

The Irish have a name for this sort of thinking both from the lay people and the people who pursue excellence in art:   MALARKY !

As an instructor, I have the beautiful pleasure of getting to know hundereds of artists.  Yes, hundreds.   And they all have the same thing in common whether or not they are "accomplished:"   They experience very intense emotion about issues and also experience big emotions at sights they see, such as the beauty of reflections on the surface of water, or the god like sculpture of a distorted tree . . . . or the face of a rocky bluff . . . .or the splash of the sea against centuries old rocks. . . . . . . . . . .or the dapled light inside a shadow.   You know what I am saying here.   Some of us find that we can hardly catch our breath when confronted with such sights.

The fact is that artists are gifted people.   We are gifted to experience deeply felt emotion when we see such things . . . . and there is a deeply seated urge to express our feelings.   That is precisely what makes an artist.   Whether you are highly accomplished from years and years of experience or a stumbling beginner, you and the experienced artist feel exactly the same in your souls.   We call such people kindred spirits.

And so it was at Kanuga this last week.   A gathering of 260 kindred spirits.   In such a gathering an energy emerges from every individual and the group as a whole.   There is a sense of One-ness or a bond, if you will.   Put twenty such people in a room together and the place expands with excited energy.   It is as if we are all experiencing a reunion of people we knew in previous lives.   In fact, it IS a reunion.   We are all connected to this world in the same way.   We have all been given a very special gift.

And if you don't believe you are gifted . . . .?    Just look at those 'lay persons' around us who clearly don't understand us . . . . .some even roll their eyes at the mention that "He or she is an artist."   They live in a world of "reality," or so they say.   They are the ones who lope through the Louvre Museum in an hour to say they have been there, yet cannot relate with the years of frustration and angst that we artists experience to produce even a single work . . . .amateur or otherwise.   Us artists live in a plane of life that is beautiful, exciting, frustrating (from not being able to produce perfection), penalizing and rewarding.   We get excited about something on which to base a painting, dream about it at night, day dream about it, even dismiss ourselves from being present in the other events of life.

Being an artist is not a title.  Some believe it to be foolishness.  It is NOT.   It is, quite honestly, very serious.   It is a way of experiencing life.   It is how we connect to the planet and all who inhabit it.   We get to see the beauty in things as simple and mundane as a coffee cup or as complex as the rythmic movement of underwater vegetation in a current.   We are the ones who not only see, but feel something about what we see and are compelled to express our feelings.   We are Artists.   Those of us who are, are immensely blessed.  I know this because I AM one.

Blind Hog

Both the above 8x10 inches

oil on canvas panel

"Lobos Wash"

Oil on canvas panel

12 x 16"

-->

It is said that “even a blind hog can find an acorn once in a while.”   Well, dear reader, there are times when I do, indeed, feel like that proverbial porker.

It is also said that for a painter to reach the place where one’s intention comes to the canvas with ease (painting skill), all one needs to do is to record “brush mileage.”   That is to say, paint a lot, paint every day if you can,  but just paint. 

That is the key:   Just paint.  No matter the outcome, just pick up the brush and paint.   Wear out the brushes.   Waste canvas or paper.  Give up the worry and enjoy the process, but paint.

Seems simple enough, right? 

A few years ago, I took up oil painting . . . .and established this blog as a means of accountability to paint daily.   Since then it has gone to the shelf for many months while I returned to watercolor to hone my skills there.   Now, I have reached a place where am doing both . . . .switch hitting, as sports fans like to say.

In the last six weeks, or so, Scott, Butch and I have been to some exciting and beautiful places to record our passion en plein air.  (In fact, the Annual National Plein Air Painting Convention is going to be held right on our stomping grounds, in Monterey, California in the first part of April.)   Some weeks, weather and work permitting, we manage to get out two or three times to paint.   Yesterday was such a day for me.    I drove for 30 minutes, hiked into a place (with a new back pack, incidentally) set up, painted for about 2 hours, packed up, hiked out and went to another painting site to accomplish two paintings for the day.  

I can’t imagine a pastime more soothing and yet offering artistic growth.    Sometimes lousy paintings come out of the effort . . . .and hard lessons learned, too!   Other times, the day is worth the effort, but with lackluster results.

I believe my skills are getting to the point where more decent paintings are coming out.  But, there is that ever changing standard of excellence in my mind.   What I can do today, I couldn’t do a few years ago.   My standards of achievement have changed, though.   And, at a semi advanced age, I realize that it isn’t the quality of the paintings that matters.   It’s the process.   The joy.  The enthused excitement of another chance at it.   The trying of new tricks.  Experimenting with different brushes and pigments.  And, yes, the shopping for new equipment.  

There is so much enjoyment in going out with a couple of buddies to paint every week and doing so week after week after week.    The paintings pile up, friendships develop, and . . . . . .now and then, a good painting shows up.   

Like I said, “even a blind hog can find an acorn once in a while.”

Paint on !!

The Urge to Understand

"Eucalyptus Island"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

I hear a sad statement frequently in my workshops and classes . . . . ."I am not very talented."

It is indeed a sad thing to witness when a person simply doesn't believe that they can make something special happen with paint.   And the same sadness comes into view as the person laments that they 'might just as well give up.'    

I won't go into the psychology of the person or what provokes such vile statements to erupt from anyone.   I will, however, correct that person (or anyone making such statements) and help them to revise their thoughts about talent.   As I see it, talent is 90% drive.

That is to say that one must have the urge,  or the want to understand something, or to be able to do something.  In other words, it is the degree of desire that drives us to be really good at something.   Without that desire or that passion to achieve, all the genetic programming to be an artist goes right out the window.   I have seen lots of lesser talented individuals become stellar painters only because they just would not stop working at becoming better and better.

 . . . . .Which brings me to my point. . . . .

My friend and painting buddy, Scott, and I went out to paint on Sunday afternoon . . . .and we nearly froze our toes off in doing so.  We had hike with back packs full of painting paraphenalia for nearly a mile into the inner reaches of a slough (a body of sea water extending inland and establishing an inland wetland enviornment quite unlike the sea.)    The wind was beginning to come inland from the ocean, which at this time of year is very cold.  And I can attest that it can become very uncomfortable very fast.

We knew what we were up against, but we both wanted something very badly.   We both have been trying for some time to capture the essence of the massive Eucalyptus trees that populate that shorline.   We didn't care if it was uncomfortable.   All we wanted was to put in the practice so that we could LEARN what it is, exactly, that paint does to speak eucalyptus in such a way as to grab hold of a typical painting viewer and say "Hey!  Look AT ME !"

Whether or not we are talented guys, the moral of this story is that we both have this driving desire to be able to be good at painting.  (By the way, I don't believe that the drive to be better ever goes away, no matter how masterly we become.)   And, as I said above, out of sheer determined effort, it IS going to happen for both of us . . . .we will become painters of these oddly shaped trees of draping foliage . . . .one way or another.   We both will be seen as "talented" painters.

I know that Scott will, one day, be a nationally recognized oil painter.  Why do I know this?  All one needs to do is be around the guy for two minutes and start talking about painting.   He lifts from the surface of the ground and levitates because he is so enthused about it all.   That is what talent is.   He has it.   And anyone else out there, who dreams about this stuff in their sleep, can't get enough time at the easel, is driven to make every painting the best, is deeply disturbed by their failed attempts,  is gobbling up books, videos and workshops and spends countless hours with other artists in order to learn is talented.  (I know.  That was a long, run-on sentence.)

The painting above is the one completed this last weekend of the famous eucalyptus that populate California.   I really did learn something about them and how better to paint them . . . .at least I'll know better next time I go after them . . . . .and that time will sharpen my talent even more.  You see, I have an insatiable urge to learn!  

I Waffle . . . .

"Rim Light"

oil on canvas panel-12 x 16 inches

I must confess my childlike excitement and enthusiasm for plein air painting.  In particular, painting along our spectacular coastline here in Northern California.

What to paint with?   Watercolor or Oil?   That is always the question I must resolve before going out with my painting buddies.   Those guys paint in oil.   I feel like I am the main attraction of the local freak show when I paint watercolor paintings out there (it is still my first love!).   And I have this inner voice that begs me to get better at painting oils.  And so I waffle, back and forth, between oil and watercolor.

While that argument goes on, there is the very same process of working out a design before putting brush to paint.  It only takes a few moments to take the sketch book out of my bag of tools and set about making value sketches.   Sometimes, it only takes one for me because I have been doing it for so long, I have a sense of composition when I look at a scene.   Yet, in spite of experience, it is essential to make a value sketch of the intended composition.   Why, You ask?   It is simple:   The light changes fast!   Faster than anyone realizes.   When the light changes, so do the shadows . . . . .which upsets what the pattern of value looks like within 15 to 20 minutes of beginning to paint.   With a carefully constructed and deliberately shaded value sketch, the artist is armed with a solid record of what to follow, no matter if the light changes 100 times.    

Along with assigning the values, light, dark and medium, the artist gets to see how big each mass of value is inside of the rectangular format . . . .and how they compare in size.   As well, the artist should be looking at the overall shape of the masses of light and the masses of dark.   This last seemingly unimportant idea is actually the BIG idea on which every painting composition is based.  Believe me, it matters!

Watercolor or Oil?   While I waffle, it really doesn't matter which medium in which I chose to work on any particular day.   What does matter is whether or not I take the time to boil down value patterns so that the masses scream out from the canvas or paper to the viewer and yells "Come see this!!"

It's The Challenges !

"Rock Soup"

watercolor 22 x 30 inches

Gaaaa !!!   To begin, my Photoshop crop tool isn't working and I don't know how to fix the problem!

But that is a small bother and nothing for which to become upset.   At least you can get the idea of what you are looking at in this photo . . . .

 

From a few days ago at Garrapatta State Park, this is the end result of the plein air painting.   All manner of challenges arose that day, including rain on the paper leaving little white dots in places that would appear to be some sort of painting imperfections.  My attitude at the time?   "Oh well!    Keep on painting!"   Most would have dashed for cover, but my buddy and I decided to just tuff it out.

 

I have reason for publishing this painting in its still unfinished state . . . .

 

That is the importance of values and paint density if one is to achieve depth and a sense of atmosphere.   Between the rocks in the very rearmost background, and the big dark rock in the foreground, you can see that there is considerable difference in the density of the paint.   In the background, to a moderately wet surface, I applied grayed color in the shape of the rocks with very little light or shadow.   It was most important to let the silhouette of the rocks do the talking.   I used transparent pigment in that part of the painting to further imply atmosphere.   In the very front, the large dark rock in the foreground was painted with a combination of opaque white gouache and other watercolor pigments to achieve the strong density of pigment to imply the feeling of closeness of that big heavy rock.

Also, if you click the image, you can barely see a little bit of texture spritzed onto the surface of the rock in order to make it seem even closer to the viewer.

As the other rocky peninsulas jut into the picture plane from the right side, edges and lines became less defined as they receded into the distance.   

So, you might ask, how much of this completion was done in the studio?   Very little actually, save for the foreground rock and a few lifted out highlights on the peninsulas.   Little adjustments to the flat plane of the water surface were also accomplished.   That was simply done with a rigger brush and wavy line to indicate foam lines.  

Painting rocks is a very challenging (and highly fascinating) process for me.   There are myriads of planes, cracks, seams and line that can become very confusing, not to mention temperature, texture and value changes that would baffle even the most skilled painter.   I suppose that is why I get so excited about painting them.   It doesn't always seem so, but I do get slightly better at it every time I tackle it.

It's the challenges that make painting so entertaining!

What It Isn't About . . . .

Painting at Garrapatta State Park, California

Click on the Image to Enlarge

Dressed in a down vest, woolen fingerless gloves, sometimes long underwear, a neck scarf and all manner of warmth conserving garments, I go out to paint in some amazing places.

Standing out where the wind can pick an easel up and heave it 30 or 40 feet and where a misstep could mean a 100 foot fall to my death, I paint with all the zeal I can muster.

Why would anyone want to endure such discomfort and flirt with such danger, you ask?   Is it in pursuit of the perfect painting?   Is it to capture that elusive special painting that some unsuspecting customer might decide that he or she just HAS to have?   Is it really that important to be on the site of the landscape?   Wouldn't it be better to just take a few photos and zip back to the studio?   The answer to the question of "Why?" still hangs in the air.

Well, it certainly is NOT about comfort or convenience.    To have the wind blowing your stuff around is no fun.   And to feel like your ears are going to snap off the side of your head from being in the cold wind is no fun either . . . . . .unless I am painting.   I can stand and paint for hours on end while painting.   I simply cannot stand for longer than 15 or 20 minutes while I accompany my wife shopping!   My back gives out in a department store.   But I can stand for hours while painting.   

When the brush is in hand, nothing else matters.   There is an urgency to getting the colors, the values, the shapes all into a related context and to make it all look something like where you are standing.   Yes, an urgency.   It is almost like being in a subdued state of panic!   Really!  It is!   It seems as though I can hardly think straight when I am out there brush in hand.  ( . . . . . . .and I do mean "out there!" )

It isn't all just about the painting.  In fact, is isn't about the perfection of turning out a "good one."  It is, however, all about the excitement of being completely present in the act of painting . . . .being completely present in each moment . . . .and, yet, focusing so intensely that you don't hear the crashing waves, or feel the wind, or pay mind to the fact that your gear has tipped over and is lying in a heap.

How could anyone find that exciting?   

Well, let me explain . . . . .as best as words will let me . . . . .

It's about the feeling of being under the influence of a drug so powerful and so euphoric that we painters yearn for it over and over.   No, there are no substances at work here.  It is the power of that deep concentration while at once we are completely at peace with all the beauty that surrounds us . . . .the excitement of transparent turquoise waves . . . . .or the creeping of ice plant with dazzling reds and greens . . . .or the grace of pelicans sailing by at cliff's edge . . . . .or being able to sit down with a sandwich pulled from a brown bag and to let out a breath of relief from the urgency of scrambling to get something on canvas or paper before the light changes.

And you call that pleasure, Mike?   Oh!   I certainly do!   For me, it is both aggravating, pressure driven and completely relaxing at the same time.   It is all my senses screaming at me at once.   And it is a level of stimulation to those senses that simply cannot be described.   It isn't about comfort.   It isn't about being able to put our finger on the slightest imperfection in the painting.  It isn't about having every tool at your fingertips.   When you add friendship and sharing of the experience to this mix, it becomes perfect in every sense of the word.

Scott and I were both, literally, dancing at our easels while we painted.   The exhilaration of being there and wondering if anything could be THAT beautiful is simply indescribable.   I could hear him giggling and whooping for joy from the excitement, as I was doing the same thing.  

Last night, as I laid back to slip away into slumber I remember mumbling to my darling wife that the day had been as exquisite as anyone could hope for . . . . .that IS what it's about.  We who are artists are so incredibly blessed !!

New Gallery and Reception

"Fragments of an Idea"

Watercolor 22 x 30 inches

Hooray!!  I just joined the VIEWPOINTS GALLERY in Los Altos, CA !   My work will be the featured work for the period Jan 29-Feb 23.   The show, entitled "Something Beyond the Obvious"  is featuring origninal abstract watercolor paintings.   These pieces are at the pinnacle of what I produce as an artist and painter.   Come to the RECEPTION February 1 from 4 PM to 8PM!   Mark your calendar and be there !

Pushing It

"Plane Dealing"

watercolor 22 x 30 inches

(sold)

Painting is much, much more than making 'pretty pictures.'   Painting is way more than making smudges of color with paint.   In fact, painting has been called 'an Art' for centuries because so few people ever muster enough skill to be able to deliver masterly paintings without breaking a sweat (or, it seems so!).

Two years ago, I began a series of abstract paintings using flat planes as the 'subject.'   I cannot express the breadth of knowledge I have gained by doing so.   What I discovered several years back was that no matter the subject, the painter must deliver a strong composition in order to attract and hold a viewer's attention.   It must go well beyond the "Oh!  I recognize that _______(thing, place, person)"   It must have that mysterious arrangement that draws the viewer into its woven web of shapes, colors, textures etc. and fascinates them.    

This task becomes increasingly more difficult the larger the piece becomes.   Why?   Because those spaces in the picture plane, where there doesn't seem to be much happening, must be entertaining while they support the main attraction of the painting.   Those seemingly non consequential areas must be attractive in their own right, but must not steal attention from what the artist is trying to say.   To see what I mean, click on the image and look at the corners of the painting.   There you will witness variation in color and texture.   You will also see subtle shifts of value so that the lighter values appear to be emerging from those corners . . . . not pasted on them.

Gradually, as I worked this piece, layer over layer over layer, the character of the painting shifted back and forth until it reached a point where it became difficult to decide what to do next and to have every part of the painting feel as part of a family of wildly different elements.  That sounds like a mouth full.   There has to be relatedness, contrast, harmony, and, above all, unity.   That is everything must seem as though it belongs in the painting.

To make such a complex painting, such as the one above, the painter must come to a place where every mark is made with near abandon and courage to push ahead.   The painter who worries about ruining a work before it is complete is the painter who will never achieve the extraordinary.   In other words, If you don't make mistakes, you aren't reaching far enough.

No person who cares about the quality of their work wants to endure the disappointment of clobbering a painting into the waste bin.   That same person, though, must be willing to slow waaaay down and creep slowly toward the conclusion while carefully assessing every stroke and mark and how it will relate with the rest of the painting.   Obviously, the artist is flirting with disaster, or pushing his or her luck, in that process.   What did the artist have to lose if failure reared its head?   Truthfully, only that he or she would have grown a few days or weeks older . . . . . .which would have happened even if he or she wasn't in the act of making art.  

Are you pushing it?

Plein Aire Surpises

"Lonely Beach"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

A week or so ago, my painting buddy and I went out on the only day we could to paint together.  His day off is Wednesday, so that is our day to find a place to set up our gear and put our brushes to work.  Because he has only that day during the week ( and we both have "Honey Do's" on the weekends) we go even if it isn't the best of weather.

The coast line where I live has much agricultural land running right up to the edge of these bluffs at the edge of the Pacific.   What grows here are crops which generally do well in cool weather, namely brussels sprouts, artichokes, lettuce, celery etc.   And, naturally, the farmland can make some of the beaches rather inaccessible.   We took a chance on this day and drove the van right out to the back part of a brussel sprout field and walked a few paces to the very edge of the cliffs.   There, at the edge was a beach neither of us had witnessed before . . . . .with nary a footprint on the beach!   There were pelicans resting on the sand and flotsam of every kind littering the edges of where the waves had washed just a few hours before.   And not a soul to be seen!  

Muted colors and a gray, chilly day were on hand to challenge our skills and to give us pleasure no matter the outcome on canvas or paper.   We had our warm clothes, lunches, painting gear and plenty of wild life all around us to keep us on our toes for three hours.   The waves were licking up the beach with those unmistakeable hiss and slosh sounds.   The gentle breeze, the music of the beach sounds, the bird calls and sky colors are endlessly relaxing.

And people wonder why we do this!  

Having A Purpose for Painting

"Big Sur Bump"

Oil on Canvas Panel

12" x 16"

As you have all read in the previous post, I have returned to painting oils.   Yes, this is an old ‘love’ who is as passionate and as troublesome as any woman who decides that other competitors need move aside and give her first rights to  . . . uh . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..permanence.

Part of the allure for me is that I know nothing about it . . . .or didn’t until a few years ago.   Technique, is, of course the chief concern as I plunge back in to attempt to make art that is worthy of the name “Fine Art.”   I already know, from my experience in watercolor, that unless I muster a lot of painting experience with the medium my work will be relegated to the category of “Just a hobby, nothing serious.”

A few years ago, I began this blog with the intention of completing 100 oil paintings in 90 days.   If I didn’t hit the goal, I came very close to it.   In that short time, I had quickly educated myself by watching other painters, observing various technique strategies and trying a lot of different things.    That entire experience awakened me to how beautiful oil paintings could be.   That is when the siren really started to call me and kept me dreaming about it at night.

For the last few days, the studio has been my refuge.   I spend my morning there with a large tankard of coffee and attempt to make a complete painting in a few hours.   For me, this time is not spent just to make another ‘pretty picture.’    There are goals that I expect to accomplish.   These ‘goals’ or ‘objectives’ are not about the completed work necessarily.   They are more about the process I shall follow and what I want the paint to look like when finished.   That is to say NOT the image, but the paint.

In this painting I wanted fresh unsullied color.    That means color that isn’t necessarily saturated, but clean, crisp color.   Secondly, I wanted big brush strokes to show and I desired those strokes to delineate planes of light and shadow.

One would think that these were worthy and fairly easily accomplished objectives.   It seems so, but just wait until you try it!    It seems my biggest enemy in the color department has been the turp or the OMS (odorless mineral spirits).   An enemy because, as a watercolor painter, I was rinsing out my brush in the OMS continuously.   I isn’t long before the solvent takes on a greenish gray color that permeates every brush load of paint.   Not good for clean color !

So, today, I swore OFF the solvent.   Just don’t use it at all, Mike!   That requires using many clean brushes.   What I ended up doing was using a single brush for every color,  including very dark, near black, and white.    I think, by the time I had finished,  I had used some ten different flat brushes.    I think this painting is an improvement over my last one . . . .the colors are definetely clean.   And the strokes are obvious, as are the planes of light and shadow.

Of course there are a few areas that could be much better (duh!).   And the photography could certainly be a heck of a lot better.  But still! . . . .I am happy enough with this outcome to take my gear out with an oil painting friend and join him in the plain air tomorrow.   It seems progress is being made!

Revisiting An Old Flame

"The Big Bluff"

Oil on Canvas Panel 

8 x 10 inches

Approximately four or five years ago, I took on a mistress who stirred me and caused me to have strange dreams at night.   Her sometimes slick skin would arouse my thoughts and enliven my senses in a way that I hadn't had for, what seemed like, years!   She would whisper to me and taunt me outdoors or in the confined privacy of my studio.   She had a come hither about her that was, quite simply, disturbing.

Well, as you know, Dear Reader, these highly charged, chemistry driven, lusty affairs rarely become "the one."   They seem to be defeated from the start . . . perhaps because there is another in the background to which one must answer, if not for reasons of love, but of duty.  Or, there might be some other reason, such as some sort of toxicity from seeing too much of each other.   Mistresses can become quite demanding and often fail to understand one's other callings in life.   

And, after all, are we not to answer to those callings or duties or obligations?   What of integrity and honesty?   Need they be ignored enough to cause ones self inflicted detriment?

Her name?   Oil Painting!   Yes, even after putting her aside for a few years her spirit has called to me repeatedly asking to come back into my life.  As you know, "the one," Ms. Watercolor, has quite dominated my life of late.   Not that I object, you understand, for she is as capricious and flirtatious as Ms. Oil Painting.   In fact, Ms. Watercolor has been my muse from the outset.   She has been both faithful and even mysterious sometimes, yet always ready to stand up for me come what may.   How could I possibly turn my back on her?   Yet, of late, her competition has been secretly nosing around and making whispered suggestions to me in the dark of night.

And so, Dear Reader, I must confess!   Today I crossed back over the line !   You might call me a fallen man, or unfaithful or of little integrity.  In my defense, I must say that I did cross back over as a means to satisfy my burning curiosity about . . . . .well, . . . . . .Do we really belong together?  I had to know!  Today in the privacy of my studio and the absense of my dear beloved wife, my old mistress and I made love again . . . .rapidly and with furious energy  . . . . . Twice !!!   And at my age, that's a biiig deal!  :-)

So, you get the grist of this tongue in cheek idea.  I have come back to painting oils, after a four year hiatus.   I had to think it over a bit first and plan my approach and set up some parameters to follow.   Namely, I kept one brush for each color family I was using (Fortunately, I have a few extra brushes!)  just to see if I could attain clean, bright color.   What an amazing difference!   And I had to shun my watercolor habit of rinsing my brush for each new color, which will turn clean turp into motor oil in nothing flat . . . . and that dreary mess will permeate every color.   So, today, after nearly 25 years of painting, I am still learning (thank goodness!).   And I have decided this mistress is going to become family . . . . . .(if she'll have me!)

That isn't to say that my favorite lady, Ms. Watercolor, is going to receive any less attention (or intention)  she will always be my first love!

"Blowhard II"

Watercolor 22 x 30 inches

Every now and then, something Pops up that we all have to scurry around for . . . 

I have just been informed by the Sunnyvale Art Gallery (in Sunnyvale, California) that I will be giving a workshop there,  "Painting Beyond the Obvious,"  January 14 through 18, 2013.   Watercolor or acrylic.

Painting demonstrations, Lectures, Exercises, Painting and plenty of interesting and exciting stuff for five full days!   Learn how you can devise incredible paintings with fascinating designs  . . . .how you can adopt a subject as your special learning partner . . . .how to throw away your photos and paint from your heart to get exciting results.   It is all about the stuff that isn't very obvious to most people.   We will be exposing painting secrets that you will be able to take away to your studio and use for the rest of your painting life.

Call Sue Kim at 408-737-7760 for all the details and how to enroll.   Act fast as it will fill very quickly!

Change Up . . .

"The Intersection"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

In my town there is a staircase which leads upward some 80 feet (or more) above street level.   The stairs are not well known by most people.  The top of the staircase looks down on the main intersection of town with streets exiting from several different angles.

I chose to paint there en plein air shortly after finishing open studio.   There is a lot of action in the scene along with the icon of our town, the town clock.    Because of the distance and the downward perspective, there are a lot of small shapes and many different directions with which to deal.   On top of all that, the center of the intersection is empty.   I have tried several times to paint this scene unsuccessfully.   This day, however, my decision to subjugate the clock and not make it the central theme was, I believe, a good choice.   By leaving the center of the painting empty and surrounding that center with cars and objects leading in different directions, I established a circular composition.

This was a huge change for me, because my nature is to pick an object or spot in a scene and exaggerate it to push the viewer toward considering that part of the composition as the subject of the painting.   This time, it was just empty space!   I cannot remember ever painting a circular composition even once in my twenty plus years of painting experience.   It was an interesting day and quite a change up in my design approach.   I suppose that seeking change now and then is what puts us artists into unknown territory and possible launch points for breakthroughs.

Three cheers for ""Change Ups"

WHY THAT ONE ?

 My Brush Collection

 The Select Few 'On Station'

The Gift from Nick

-->

As a professional artist, I am often asked during painting demonstrations, “What color is that?” or, “What paper do you use?,” or “What kind of brush is that?”  Usually, these sort of questions elicit a tone of sarcasm from my inner self because the answers to those questions are not the meat of what makes a painting, much less a “Good” painting.   Most all of the time, these sort of questions come from the very beginning painters who really do not know the difference between papers, brushes and the names of the myriad of colors that are available on the market.  (So, the sarcasm does not leak out to where it would be audible.)

But there IS something that is quite evident in my studio . . . .and which is commented upon by the visitors who come through:   That is the number of brushes that sit on my countertop.   I have never counted them, but you can get an idea from the photos above.  It is, obviously, an enormous collection.   That is because there has been no person to point to the right place to go for brushes or to suggest what I would find most satisfactory.   It has been 20 plus years of trial after trial after trial and learning the behavior of every 'arrow in my quiver.'   Thus, a huge collection, which is also quite dear to me because many came at great expense.

I remember my horrified reaction to the cost of some of the ‘famous brand’ brushes from England . . . . .that is the kolinsky sable round brushes slightly smaller in fatness than a man’s pinkie finger . . . . .that sell for $300 or more.   Gee-Yikes !!!    That is just NUTZ!   Who, in their right mind, would fall for that sort of price for a paint brush?????  

My collection has a few of those brushes (purchased with award money or the proceeds of sold paintings) in the cans and vases.   I wore the points off of them from over use.   Then I wised up and started shopping for the brushes I could buy at a reasonable price, which would deliver the results I wanted (yes, there is definitely a difference in the performance and the results!).   I would buy a few brushes every year and would be rabidly watching every art store for sales and good deals on good quality brushes.   Hundreds of brushes passed through my hands and live in the various containers in my studio . . . . . .most of which rarely get used.

As you can see from the photo of my watercolor table and the vase of brushes next to it, roughly 10% of what I own get to live near my reach.    Moreover, there are a mere few within that container that are continuously wet with paint.

We artists who paint and teach for a livelihood get to know each other over time.   The internet has afforded us the opportunity to learn of each other’s preferences in painting supplies and why.   That holds true with a Mr. Nicholas Simmons, who is, in my opinion, a painter who is on the leading edge of change in the watercolor world.   Nick has a style and an flavor in his paintings that, simply stated, turn heads the world over.   What’s more, he is young, eager, enthusiastic and bombastic.   Those characteristics are the sort of traits that change our world, not just the world of art.  

The Escoda brush company, in Barcelona, Spain, has recognized Nicks’ standing in the painting world and asked Nick to partner with them by developing a ‘signature line’ of brushes with his name on them.  (What an honor, Nick!!) 

 

I recently had a rare opportunity to spend some time with Nick at the National Watercolor Society  (NWS) opening reception of their national exhibition in late September.   Being the exceptional person that he is, and one who shares himself openly, Nick presented me with a set of Escoda Brushes.   The set contained a squirrel hair mop, a kolinsky sable round detail brush, and a synthetic ‘stitching’ brush, which Nick uses to enhance edges in his paintings.   My comment when receiving them?   Wooo Hoooo!!!!!   This set was no lightweight, cheap sample set, I can assure you of that.  

Incidentally, I had just been at Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff in North Carolina, teaching, where I also purchased some very nice brushes, a few of which were Escoda brushes (kolinsky sable, of course!) and a few others.   One of which was a very expensive black squirrel mop made by Isabey . . . .a really big one.

Upon my arrival home from NWS, I ordered MORE brushes . . . .I have been on the hunt for the brushes used by famous artist Joseph Zbukvic (pronounced Zoo-Buke-vich).   I had just learned that Joseph uses Escoda brushes and has a signature line, as does Nick.  I dropped Nick an email asking where I could buy such brushes.  He pointed me to a supplier, from whom I immediately ordered Joseph’s brushes.

You must think I am wacked out crazy to spend money so freely on little sticks with fur coming out one end.  I may be!   (I won’t even make an excuse.   Okay, you think I am crazy.)   Joseph’s brushes came and I couldn’t wait to get to the studio to put them to the test.   I was not disappointed!   In fact, I became quite excited with this new group of brushes.  The effects I can get with them is astounding!

Then, one day this last week, UPS showed up at my door with a mystery box sent from the Midwest.   I opened it, wondering what this was.   OMG !!!   More brushes!!   I didn’t order them.   They were a GIFT from my homeboy, Nick Simmons:  a complete set of his signature brushes !!!

This morning, I raced to the studio to soak the sizing from the bristles then set about using them.   At once, they took up a favored spot right next to my easel in the most useful container.   I took the size 18 round and began slobbering a big wash across the painting you see in the photo.   And found that the washes came out perfect, but more . . . . with that tiny sharp point on that big, thumb sized, brush I was able to get into some very confining (dangerous) detail laden places on a nearly completed painting.

As most of the readers of my blog know, I am not just a studio painter.  I love painting outdoors, too.   What brushes do I use out there?   My Escoda collection, of course.   I now have a full range of sizes of sables, mops, and synthetic rounds and a few flats by this company.  You can see, again, the wide selection of brushes that I have to choose from (hundreds!).   Why do I pick the ones that I use all the time?   The answer is quite simple:   I trust them to deliver the results I seek.   There it is.   It is blunt but simple.   It boils down to trust.   I have depended upon Escoda Brushes for years to act perfectly under very punishing conditions and have never, ever, been disappointed.  Performance under stress and trial trumps everything else.  Hands down, I have arrived at the place where I will not paint with anything else.

One day, I will knock on Escoda’s door in Barcelona.   And I will get to shake hands with the extraordinary craftspeople that make these marvelous little rascals.

Thanks, Joseph!   And, Nick, take a bow!   This is one gift that I won’t long forget!

(P.S.  This article is not commercially encouraged or paid for.   These are my own thoughts and opinions as well as my  endorsements) 

Value and Temperature: The Challenge

"Davencliffs"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

-->

In the above painting, done in plein air, just yesterday, I had to hold back and carefully construct a color and value strategy that would carry the composition.

First was the overall shape of the Dark Values (mass) on the right side of the painting, then, somehow, tie that to the left edge of the picture space.   At the same time, I needed a strong sense of distance to evolve and give the viewer a feeling of both height and distance.  Naturally, perspective took a lot of the credit for doing that, but to have the foreground jump out and pounce on the viewer would take something more than just size:   I needed to display a strong difference in color temperature from front Foreground to Background, a value change and a shift in color saturation . . . .all at the same time through that passage of distance.

Mind you, when one is standing quite near the edge of a 100 foot cliff, while painting, in a stiff wind, which is threatening to blow your easel over the edge and into the sea, concentrating on these seemingly unimportant parts of the painting is darned difficult.  It takes all an artist has in concentration to ignore the elements and to force careful thinking, cautious but deliberate color mixing and put forth a strong painting.

Value pattern and temperature changes literally make a painting dance.  These two things are difficult enough for studio painters to grasp.   It often seems much more important to the novice painter to capture the ‘’details’’ in order for the painting to seem “real.”  Taking a glance at the receding cliffs as they go off into the distance, one immediately gets the sense of their presence in the ‘far away.’   That is due to the subtle shift in color intensity (saturation) and the shift from very warm in the foreground to cool neutral at the farthest point.   All of that shift must take place in a graded change or progressive transition.   That, combined with a similar gradation of value really sets the strong feeling of distance.

The painting in the last post, “The Edge of America,” had the very same challenge.   In both paintings, one can sense the effects of a slight mist in the air, like a very transparent curtain, through which we see the diminishing cliff faces.   This can only be accomplished with the careful manipulation of color temperature, color saturation and value.    This is a subtlety in painting which is often overlooked in favor of capturing “the details.”   If you are a painter, you know the distraction that a subject can bring to us.  We have to step back and remember that we are painting, not photographing.   I call it the tyranny of the subject.   It can distract the artist from concentrating on making a painting instead of slavishly copying what he thinks he sees.

Last Few Breaths . . .

"The Edge of America"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

Well . . . .here it is again:  the last few breaths of summer.  For you folks who don't live in California, your weather is probably cooling off.  For us here in the Bay Area near San Francisco, this is our hottest time of year . . . and the prettiest.   Open studio has had me cooped up, unable to do much other than work like a dawg to get everything ready for  the big event of the year.   For me, this means framing, cutting mats, choosing paintings done since last year, culling from last year's open studio, cleaning the studio (drudgery), cleaning house and the garden and back yard.

Open studio often brings surprises and this time was no different.   I don't often receive young gentlemen who come to peer at the art alone, but this year one popped in.  He was commenting on the art as though he knew something about painting . . . .and sure nuff he did!   He is a painter . . .and not only that, but a plein air painter.   So, after some nice conversation I asked if he would like to paint together.  He almost jumped up two feet in the air from excitement!   To shorten the story, we painted Wednesday,( the above painting) two elapsed days since my first open studio weekend . . . .that was yesterday.   And, it turns out, he is as crazy about painting our cliffs along the ocean as I am!   So, we had a ball together yesterday . . . .and it appears this guy could become an permanent painting buddy!   Wooo Hooo!  That means we each have someone to push us out of our lethargy and to get outside to paint.

I don't know of any painting process that teaches more than being outdoors right in front of your subject experiencing how light works.   How it affects color, how shadows form, how quickly the light changes and the effects of atmosphere.   It is an amazing process in which to become involved.  Yep, it is harder than studio painting.   The paraphenalia one must carry to the site is often enough to convince most artists that it isn't worth it.

All in all, since I closed the open studio doors last weekend, I have been outdoors painting every day, except one.   A perfect week!   I have one weekend left for another open studio session (this coming weekend) then I have to store everything away before winter sets in . . . .and that happens pronto.   So I am enjoying the beatutiful weather while I can!

"Ice Carpets"

watercolor 15 x 22 inches

Few people on the East Coast consider that colors like in the painting above actually exist in California.   Well, folks, they do!   

Iceplant, a creeping succulent, that grows just about anyplace that is a temperate zone, is prolific on the central coast of California.   Inland, it remains green.  However, on the coastline, it turns all sorts of red shades that get my juices going.   What is so alluring about this stuff is that it covers acres of sand dunes and exhibits so many, many colors at once.

Painting a scene like this requires a very alert color sense.   As one looks across these acres of carpet, one must tune in to all the variations of reds and oranges, browns and grays that lie out there.   The painter must be very cautious not to allow a single tone or tint of red to become monotonous.  The challenge lies, also, in the neighboring greens or in how the green includes reds and oranges right in its midst.   Mixing red and green, of course, leads to dull grays and blacks.  So, one must paint color transitions to accomplish the subtle shifts.  I am not sure that I have exploited that to the extent that would make these paintings better, but I am still working at it.   That is the fun of painting . . . .way more than just making a pretty picture . . . it is beating the challenges that arise.

Now for the news . . . . .Open studio at my home in Santa Cruz, California October 13, 14 & 20, 21.  If you would like an invitation sent, just email me at mebaileyart@comcast.net.  Join my wife and I for lots of laughter, plenty of art, nibbles, wine and, maybe, treat yourself and take home a nice painting.

Among the Binge . . .

"Sunflower Patch"

Watercolor 15 x 22 inches

I mentioned, yesterday, the painting binge I have found myself in.   All in the name of improving my skills.   I also referred to the failures which show up when exploring new techniques and unfamiliar approaches.   However, there are some trials which simply insist on coming out well . . .even if the approach was unfamiliar.

Part of that binge I was on was also while we were in France during June and the first two weeks of July.  (If you didn't go on this last trip, you missed a marvelous experience!)   Everywhere we went I took photos of everything.  I returned home with over 500 pics and plenty from which to paint a record of the places we visited.

This little painting was one such piece that came about from travel photos.   Sunflowers blooming in the distance right in the beautiful Perigord Region.  As you can see, this piece contained some of the beginnings of the atmospheric experiment project.

On Atmosphere and Technique

 "Dordogne River"

Watercolor 15 x 22 inches

Recently, I have been on a painting binge going out almost daily to locations near my home to find landscape scenes to paint en plein air.   My goal for nearly every one of these paintings has been to find a way to paint strong atmospheric effects, such as fog or haze.   Here, where I live, fog is very common because we are located quite near the ocean coast.  So, finding such subjects isn’t at all difficult.   But painting  the atmospheric effects aren’t quite as easy as just copying what I see.   In addition to design considerations of where to place things within the rectangle on which I am painting, technique plays a much heavier role.  

To be perfectly honest, I never learned how to begin with very wet paper and washes to lay in those blurry, faded shapes in the distance.   So, I figured that it was high time that I learned.  I girded up the courage to allow failure to greet me at the ends of my painting sessions, because I knew that in order to learn, I must take risks.   I also know that these failures are great teachers.   Knowing the characteristics of the paints and the paper as I do, I can quickly figure out why certain effects show up and why certain accidents occur.   Even with that knowledge I have referred to a few very accomplished painters, such as Joseph Zbukvic and Alvaro Castagnet to see how they accomplished their brilliantly executed atmospheric paintings.  It is finally coming together for me.

This painting is quite close to my goal.   It has taken some 25 paintings to reach this point, some different brushes and some newly tried pigments to accomplish it.   In other words, I have ‘blown’ a lot of paintings trying to get here.   Obviously, I have more to go, but I think I am starting to get the hang of it.   It really is a three wash ‘system,’ in which the sheet is covered first with a light value, grayed wash, then almost immediately painting over the wet wash with a deeper valued wash to begin to delineate some shapes in the distance.   This is a touchy step as value (or tone) accuracy plays a BIG role . . . too light and it disappears . . . .too dark and the distance effect is squandered.  It must be spot on.   Then on to nearer parts of the subject,  moving toward the foreground.  It is here that the painter must be patient to wait for the correct level of drying of the paper before applying paint, all the while carefully paying attention to the amount of water in the paint itself and in the brush.   That is a critical element!   Too much water and the paint is weak.  Too wet of a brush, and blossoms might form (disaster!).  It is all in the knowing of how much and when.  

It just takes a few failures to get there.

My studio has a flat screen computer monitor near my easel on which I can see nice big photos of some of the painting subjects I have encountered in my travels.  This painting happened to be in France, along the banks of the Dordogne River.   It is sooooo beautiful there!  (We are taking reservations now to go back there July 8-18, 2013)