Blog Posts

How Do You Know...

9/13/2019

...When It Is Finished?

This is probably the most common question artists get from both learners and viewers...and a question that is always in the back of the artist's mind as well. I have six paintings in the works as I write this, almost all are in the final stages, and I am asking myself with each one: are you finished? what else do you need? will other people see you the way I see you?

I find myself more and more painting until I get that sweet feeling of "enough". While most artists want to paint with expertise and mastery, that is rarely the "Why" or reason that they are painting that particular subject. I'm learning to ask myself why I want to paint a scene or thing; what is it that catches my eye and heart? and what I am trying to communicate through painting it?

I'm a sucker for delightful, serene, charmingly simple settings, as you may have noticed. Life can be hard, heavy, heart-weary and these moments I paint remind me (and, I hope, you) it is also wonderful, beautiful, magical and filled with goodness.

Garden 1 (plein air...not finished)

Garden 2 (repainted in studio... finished?)

Steps 1 (plein air...not finished)

Steps 2 (repainted in studio... finished?)

I am much happier with the studio works, but it was the plein air studies that helped me retain the immediacy of the scenes. I also became more aware of my tendency to interpret shadows much darker and higher in chroma than I personally prefer.

What do you think? Your comments are always so interesting to me and I appreciate the time you take to make them. Thanks you, as always, for reading my blog!!

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What I learn from ants...

8/28/2019

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Just to warn you, this is no botany monologue. I mean, I love nature as much as the next guy, but everyone has their limit. My limit is mass quantities of ant colonies in and around my house. This year it's been all-out war. In prior years we've had a general detente, with only a few exceptions: like when I disturb a nest while weeding under the magnolia tree and find my legs and arms covered with panicking ants. But this year the little bastards made their move and built freeways, overpasses, subways and country roads next to and inside the walls of our home. I don't believe in using a lot of chemicals, so did a google search on various homemade deterrents. Yes, I did use a couple of the basic ant & insect home defense type chemicals to start with but moved to non-toxic means for the daily battles. Today I miraculously happened to be by the kitchen sink just in time to see an invasion of at least 50 optimistic ants making their way through a tiny space at the base of the window. (They're dead now) but that's the first lesson to be learned:

Optimism- a positive and hopeful outlook on the adventure set before you. Don't believe or attach to the negative self-talk or inevitable disappointments. Listen to and notice the feelings and find ways to restate them with more motivating phrases "I've learned hard things before, I can do it again" "this is all part of the process"

Isn't it great that we are teachable? As I learn to drop my defenses, be humble and open I find that I receive so much more than I ever expected. Here are some more lessons the insignificant but irrepressible ant has taught me:

Persistence- these ants are nothing if not persistent. Quitting is clearly not in their vocabulary. They carry on. So do we. We keep showing up and that is one of the biggest secrets of people who master their skill. They show up and keep showing up. Sometimes it is the hardest when you've made significant progress in your discipline. You have new and higher expectations of yourself and need to face the humility of growth in a new way.
Failure- I'm not entirely heartless with these tiny creatures. I know they just want to live and are trying to figure out how and where they best belong, which is NOT under the flashing of my windows or in the brick mortar gaps or in single file lines across my deck. As they, and we, experience failure we actually learn more effectively than we do from books and teachers. Failure activates specific areas of our brain (not sure about ant brains) and creates neuron growth and synapse activity. Our subsequent attempts are often more creative and successful.
Reconnoiter- have you noticed how there is often only 2 or 3 ants casing the kitchen counter before the insurgence? These are called 'scouts." They are information gatherers and they report windfall discoveries to the troops. It requires courage and curiosity to face down the challenge ahead and seek solutions, solve problems. Taking a nap is so much easier! When I hit a block and the way forward is unclear, I put on my scout cap and start seeking the answer.

I am approaching art and life with these attitudes as this plein air sketch I did in Washington illustrates. It was a cold and windy day so I knew my time was limited. (Optimism) I started with decisions of composition and line, laid in a transparent red oxide wash, wiping away the light areas and defining the major shapes. Because I was shivering and holding my tripod to keep it from blowing over, I sped through the drawing and aimed for getting the shadows and hues down. (Persistence) I had to stop when I couldn't take the climate another minute even though I knew the painting had many issues. (Failure) Later, in the studio, with memory, sketched and photo reference, I returned (Reconnoiter) to the painting and faced the challenge.

plein air sketch of tractor by pond

"Stuck in the Mud" 9x12 oil on panel $350

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Humble Tomato

8/7/2019

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The annual and infamous Tomato Art Fest in East Nashville is happening this weekend: food trucks, craft vendors, parades, music and, last but not least, the gallery-hosted art show and sale in the former Art and Invention Gallery. The festival is pretty much only on Saturday, August 10th but the gallery will continue to display tomato art for a few days after. Gallery hours are:

Saturday August 10 9-6
Sunday August 11 12-6
Wednesday August 14 12-7
Thursday August 15 12-7
Friday August 16 10-7
Saturday August 17 10-6

@ 1106 Woodland Street (formerly Art and Invention Gallery)

Obviously this is not a serious event and so neither is the art. In fact, most of the art is wacky and whimsical, which isn't really what I'm fluent in, so I aim more for presenting this yummy vegetable/fruit in unexpected ways. These are my two entries this year:

"Reading Maters" 10x10 oil on gallery wrap canvas $300 @ Tomato Fest

"Sneaky Mater" 9x12 oil on gallery wrap canvas $300 @ Tomato Fest

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Newest Creation!

7/24/2019

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I am interrupting my regularly scheduled blog post for this lovely announcement:

A new baby is born! Our third grandson joins the family and is as precious as can be. Isn't this perfect art? A miraculous creation of life reminds us all to cherish what has been given to us; to quiet the discontent and be thankful. Living can be hard, hearts break, but there is beauty, too. That's what I hope my paintings express. So rejoice with me! Welcome to the world, sweet baby!

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New Events Coming Up:

7/9/2019

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Happy hot summer to you all! It's good to be home again in all the Tennessee oozy heat and humidity. We've had lots of afternoon thunderstorms which offer no relief to the temps. It's a miracle that I love it so much! What a change from a month in the Pacific Northwest where I was able to paint almost daily and the only weather-related challenges were wind and chill.

So most of my painting is taking place indoors, as well as some art related housekeeping; namely, updating my Event Page. I currently have 3 exhibits on view:

Centennial Park Conservancy
On-Line Art Sale
(click here to view)

Oil Painters of America
Online Showcase
June 1-August 15
(click here to view)

Hendersonville Library
Solo Exhibit
Hendersonville, TN
July 1-31

And I am happy to announce that I've been accepted for 2 additional shows: The infamous Tomato Art Festival next month, which I was too busy to do last year and missed being part of the fun, and The Centennial Club Nashville in November, featuring small (but awesome) paintings. It's fun to see my artwork go on adventures of their own!

Here's a photo of my summery collection on display at our local public library (many thanks to Valerie for helping hang and straighten...and straighten...and straighten...oh well.)

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My Northwest Home Part Two

6/29/2019

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This post will be short and sweet! I’m coming to the end of my 3 weeks in Whatcom County and ready to return to our Southern home, cats and all the summer goodness of Tennessee. With all my heart, I give thanks to every one of my wonderful friends here and for all the sweet conversations, tasty meals, lovely walks, and small adventures. I am very blessed!

Now to share the next batch of plein air paintings from the past 10 days:

This garden path and rocky stairs are everything I love about the sweet hidden places that spark joy? Just around the bend from them is the most amazing view of the Salish Sea and San Juan Islands.

Cute little stubby tractor left in the weeds, conveniently pointing at the collapsing barn with a reflecting pond in the foreground: an ideal composition. I was surrounded by large happy dogs, blustered with chilly wind, interrupted by a field harvester. Definitely a plein air experience!

Another lovely North County view with great values and interest. I learned things about silos. This painting I call “Two Silos”

Kathleen’s garden...isn’t it so pretty? I wanted to have her posing in it but there wasn’t time. I may add her later.

The “Garden Stairs” in-situ:

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My Northwest Home

6/15/2019

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Like many people, I’ve lived in a lot of different places. Sixteen years ago (has it been that long?!) we moved our family to Middle Tennessee for a better job opportunity and fell in love with the rolling hills, fireflies, humid summer nights, and green tree covered vistas. But even with all that Southern love, I’m still not “over” the Pacific Northwest, so it is fortunate that I am able to come back each summer for an extended visit. And, guess what? My friends still love me and want to spend lots of time hanging out! They also are very supportive of my painting passion and let me disappear for a couple hours to paint the beauty here, where I am staying through the end of June. Already I’ve done 4 plein air sketches in the past week, applying the recent workshop lessons of keeping things simple and quick, not trying to create a finished painting, capturing light and mood rather than worrying about impressing anyone. I’m finding out that doing the quick sketch is training my brain to see and paint with more attention to shape relationships and values. Here are the sketches I’ve done so far...I may or may not tweak them later or use them as reference for a studio painting. I’m just enjoying myself in this very pretty place....my Northwest home❤️

Betty has oodles of these gorgeous blue pots and I love trying to get them transported to canvas. I sat at eye level to paint these.

Betty’s garden again...learning to edit the busyness...May or may not have been successful, but I do love that greenish-bluish lantern!

Quick sketch, 30 minutes, of the field behind Walton’s guest house. Yes, as a matter of fact, there were peachy pink grasses there.

One hour quick sketch of these two gorgeous cedars. I’ve always wanted to hold up my painting and match the horizon so the canvas covers the scene?

Thanks for reading and viewing!!

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Four More for the Show

5/21/2019

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This little fellow was scampering along the path looking for food to stuff in his cheeks and store up for the coming winter. I took several photos of him hard at work one day last fall and painted this in my studio in January.

6x6 Oil on panel $275 at the Centennial Art Show this weekend.

The Nashville Parthenon originated as an exhibit at the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition and received a makeover in 2002. It is a centerpiece of the urban Centennial Park near Vanderbilt University. This view is from the SW side of the park, where you can see the skyline of downtown Nashville in the distance.

5x7 Oil on panel $275 at the Centennial Art Show this weekend.

The same day I photographed the diligent squirrel, I also walked the park and photographed many other areas and sites. This seating area is one of many that surround the Lake Watauga in Centennial Park. It's a popular place to stroll and, believe it or not, to fish. A few years ago, I met a man fishing there and we got to talking. He told me he worked the night shift cleaning the nearby Burger King and, on his way home every morning, he would stop and fish here until he caught a couple that he would take home and fry up for breakfast.
8x10 Oil on panel $350 at the Centennial Art Show this weekend.

Another familiar site in the park was this steam locomotive from the early 1940s. It has been on display here for many decades, but when I took my photos little did I know that just a few weeks later that engine would be ceremoniously transported to begin a four-year, 2 million dollar restoration by the Nashville Steam Preservation Society. Their goal is to see it pulling passenger excursions from the Riverfront Station. I'm happy that I was able to capture it in it's last days in Centennial Park.

12x12 Oil on gallery wrap canvas $525 at the Centennial Art Show this weekend.

The artists of The Chestnut Group partner with local conservancy groups to support and preserve natural and historic areas in the Nashville region. Our members spend many months viewing, studying, and painting from life and/or from their own images of the place we are promoting. In the Fall we return to Radner Lake for the show in November. This current show in the Parthenon supports the programs and events that take place year-round in Centennial Park. I hope you take the opportunity to come and enjoy the art and have your own encounter with Athena!

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Painting in the shadow of greatness

5/17/2019

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From 1982 to 1990 a full sized replica of Athena Parthenon was quietly being constructed in the inner courts of Nashville's Parthenon under the direction of Alan LeQuire. In 2002, LeQuire and master gilder Lou Reed directed the 4 month project of gilding and painting details on her face, wardrobe, and shield. Today Nashville's Athena stands a shining golden 42 feet tall, towering over the thousands of visitors who visit Centennial Park and the Parthenon.

She certainly towered over the dozen or so plein air painters who were so lucky to be able to enter the sanctum on off-hours to study her and paint from life this amazing statue! We set up around the room, each with our own specific view of her and with our own impression of what we hoped to capture in our painting.

I had done a little homework prior, namely to understand what color mixtures make for a convincingly glowing gold. The few days before our session I was trying out various combinations of cadmium yellow, cadmium orange, burnt Sienna, Indian yellow, white, and a few others. It turns out that it's the color of the shadow areas that help the gold to be convincing...another lesson in "shadows are not black." In this case, shadows are very warm and reflective.

The plein air artist group I am involved with has partnered with Centennial Park Conservancy to co-host a fundraising art show and exhibit featuring all the special nooks and crannies of this urban and historic park near Vanderbilt University. There is a lovely art gallery on the first floor with a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century American artists and additional gallery space where our show will be placed.

My Athena painting is finished and framed and ready to go to the art show next week. As you can see, I used artistic license by adding the two little girl figures to show both the scale of this amazing statue and to express her strength and dignity. Can you imagine what they're thinking?

I have 4 more paintings for the art show/fundraiser and I will post photos of them next week. I hope you enjoyed sharing this experience with me! It's definitely one I will never forget! And I hope you will be able to make time to visit (May 23, 24, 25, and 27 from 9 AM to 4:30 PM and May 26 from 12:30 - 4:30 PM.@ the Parthenon) and view all the amazing paintings by the wonderful artists of The Chestnut Group! Thanks for reading my blog!!

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Sacred Spaces

4/20/2019

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The Southern deciduous trees are greening up. The pink azaleas out front are rioting in blossoms. Iris, dogwood, cherry, and even my stubborn Lady Banksia climbing rose are all joining the joy of Spring. My backyard is a sacred space where I retreat from the duties of the day and feel my soul respond to beauty and goodness. There are places in the world designed by man and God for this purpose, to wake us from our sleep and remind us, as Christ did, that we are made for more.

Along with much of the world, I watched as the wondrous Notre Dame Cathedral was consumed in flames this week. I've never been to Paris and never seen Notre Dame personally, but I have been in many other cathedrals and ancient churches, standing or ruined. There is a feeling of awe in these spaces, both from the incredible design of the magnificent structures and from the centuries of worship, prayer, tears, and Presence. I feel a difficult-to-describe yearning when I'm in places like these; something that embodies the idea of "sanctuary."

And now it is Easter, full of life, truth, promise and beauty...a day of worship and gratitude for God's enduring love and redemption. This is my painting-in-progress of the cathedral sanctuary in Mazatlan, Mexico...our favorite winter destination. I shared my photos of this beautiful church in a previous post and my hopes to be able enough to create a painting that captures those ephemeral feelings. I wonder if I'm getting close?