Blog Posts

Sacred Places

12/27/2018

Secret places, hidden gems, mystery...I am drawn like a magnet to these things and I hope it comes through in my paintings. Ireland abounds with them and I was blessed to experience the reverence and awe of ancient stones: monuments to people who lived eons ago. I chose five to paint as a collection and kept them unified by size and a tetrad color palette (red-violet, yellow-green, blue-violet, yellow-orange) Besides the reality that almost everything looks mossy green, I thought that hue brought out the age and mystery of these sacred sites. The large photos are of the paintings and the small ones are my reference photos...so you can judge how well I did in capturing what I saw and felt.

Muckross Abbey is the ruins of a Franciscan Friary and this painting is of the Cloister Walk that surrounds the now roofless central cloister where an enormous, ancient Yew tree grows and the light pours in through the beautiful stone arches.

Though the roof is gone, Muckross Abbey is still in an amazing state of preservation. There are beautiful arched doorways and spiral staircases to sturdy upper floors. Surrounding the ruins are the thickly forested shores of Lough Leane, adding to the enchantment of the place. I wanted to highlight the lovely intricate window so darkened the foreground wall to lead the eye.

Just outside of Limerick, in County Clare, is Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The castle was amazing, filled with all kinds of secrets, but was caught my attention was a small wall shrine of Mary and baby Jesus. It was a place for the faithful to pray and leave a coin in Mary's hand. I painted it from slightly to one side to take advantage of the shadow line directing the eye.

You can see that I painted it again, this time a close-up, to capture the aged and weathered stone and the coin in Mary's palm. I used the palette knife a little more in this one to show how the rain and moisture had grooved the stone. This small shrine was quite easy to miss on the grounds and there was very little information about it, leaving me to wonder what prayers and hopes had been placed there in the past.

Towards the end of our Ireland trip we visited the Glendalough Monastic Site, outside of Dublin. Located in the Wicklow mountains and national park, it is an awesome, iconic place to see. The ruins and cemetery clearly show the passage of time and the brevity of our lives, as in the New Testament book of James: "You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" James 4:14

Thank you so much for viewing my art and for all your comments here and on social media.
You are appreciated!!

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It's Lookin' a lot like Christmas

12/15/2018

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I wish you all a merry and blessed Christmas!! Usually I wait until the last minute to paint Christmas-themed work, but this year I started in July and have these completed and up on the wall...except for the donkey...he's on my easel, keeping me company and making me happy. I so appreciate all the kind and encouraging words and "likes" on facebook. I'm beyond grateful that what I paint blesses you!!

Isaiah 9:6
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

"Santa Baby 2" 11x14 Oil

"Santa Baby 1" 11x14 Oil

work in progress "Light in the Stable" 16x20 Oil work in progress

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New Paintings//New Art Show

11/27/2018

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Private Retreat 9x12. Oil on linen panel $400 available at Fort Houston Art Show

Country Creek in Autumn 9x12 Oil on linen panel $400 available at Fort Houston Art Show

One last art show before the year runs out: in partnership with the Chestnut Group and Fort Houston, we will have a month long art display of plein air and studio paintings by our members. Fort Houston is a hidden gem in Nashville, near the fairgrounds and I-65, It is a virtual playground for artists of all types and has all the tools, machines, and studio space for wood and metal artists, as well as a photo studio and screen printing station. Our show will help support their contribution to art in Nashville.

The show opens with a free reception Saturday, December 1st, 6-9pm, all are welcome, no rsvp necessary. Click here for map. The art can be viewed during regular business hours Monday through Friday 10am-5pm until December 29th. I hope you get a chance to see and buy some awesome art!

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Following Your Own Path

11/14/2018

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Road Less Traveled 9x12 oil $400

One of the most wondrous things about being human is our individual uniqueness. We feel it as children and rejoice in it. Adolescence, with the angst of belonging and fear of isolation, erodes and challenges it. Adulthood provides experience and perspective to help us recover and feel safe to be ourselves. Every endeavor gives each of us an opportunity to conform to group pressure/groupthink or to listen, observe, be curious, and find our own perspective. I appreciate those people I've met who seem to hold their own counsel and are able to communicate without coercing or dominating.

Afternoon Glow 11x14 oil

Finding my path as an artist is an unanticipated piece of the big picture. I thought I would just be learning to paint, but gradually realized each step of that process was a part of a path I was on. Sometimes the path is delightful, like when I've had a good day painting and feel the goodness in the work. Sometimes the path is disappointing, like getting a "not accepted" notice for a show. Sometimes the path is just plain hard, like when I have to consciously concentrate on applying new skills to my work.

I am learning to be aware of those feelings that come up and be curious about what they can teach me: am I being overly sensitive? do I need to rethink my motives? why does this trigger happy/sad/frustration? This kind of self reflection helps to distill the reasons and goals in my mind and heart and during that process I seem to find a subtle sense of direction. My faith that God is directing my steps brings peace and perseverance, showing me there is meaning and purpose in what I am doing. The artists in our world don't create just to fill their own closets with paintings, quilts, poems, screenplays; they create to communicate what they see and feel to the rest of the human family. So each artist, and truly, each one of us, needs to seek and follow our own path in our art and in our life.

Ancient Olive 9x12 oil private collection

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Painting in Eire

10/22/2018

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Ireland is SO beautiful!! (That might be the understatement of the year.) We toured the southwest region on our late summer trip and explored such areas as the Dingle Peninsula, part of the Ring of Kerry, Killarny, Kinsale and Old Head, and many more delightful places. It actually didn't rain so very much but was still a little brisk for my "fair weather painting preference." Only once was the timing and weather just right to set up and paint plein air. More about that later. The other two paintings were done in our lodging room with photo reference taken a day or two earlier.

St Finbarr's Oratory 8x10 oil on panel (from photo reference)

Off the beaten path...as in 'out in the middle of nowhere'...sits this beautiful little church, on it's own little island in Gougane Barra Lake. St Finbarr's Oratory, founded in the 6th century, is surrounded by incredible natural beauty and a deep sense of holiness, enhanced by the Holy Well nearby and the circular Stations of the Cross with small recesses called chapels.

I was so torn, wanting to set up my paints and wanting to walk and explore the area. The wind and some spitting raindrops convinced me that the best choice was to go in and have some hot coffee and fresh pastry in the little tea shop down the road. Good thing, too, because there was a brief, but torrential, downpour!

Meeting of the Waters 8x10 oil on panel (from photo reference)

Sometimes ambitious day walks pay off in big ways! We took a very long walk just outside of Killarny, visiting the abbey ruins, edging Lough Leane and Muckross Lake, crossing Brickeen Bridge through native forest. Most people do this on bicycle or take a boat from Killarny. I confess, there were moments of envy when someone casually pedaled past, especially after mile 3. We stopped for a well-earned lunch at Dinis Cottage (yay!) and then discovered a tiny trail leading through some thick woods with a little sign saying "meeting of the waters"...where the Upper Lake flows into Muckross Lake. Oh my! It was so lovely!!

Outgoing Irish Tide (Barrow Bay) 8x10 oil on panel (plein air)

Finally there came a day when all the stars aligned... as in the sun shining, handy transportation, supportive travel mates, and an amazing locale. It is really true that painting from life, plein air, brings it's own magic. I stood on the rocky, muddy shore as the tide went out, felt the heat of the sun, the breeze off the water; heard the squidgy pops of whatever lives under the mud and entered that zone where time passes without notice. When the painting said 'enough' and I returned to earth my canvas shoes were soaked and I was so happy.

There is a passel of photos in my painting queue from our trip to Ireland. Five are already started so stay tuned. I'll post the finished products in the next few weeks.

Thank you so much for reading!!

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Art Show in the Bridge Building! October 11-November 7

10/9/2018

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Hey locals! Have you ever wondered about this building next to the Stadium and just below the Pedestrian Bridge downtown? Wonder no more! Go to our Art Show and learn about this amazing river that is so important to our history and lives in Nashville. Read on...

Cumberland River Compact "Our Water. Our Future."
Art Show and Sale

Opening: "River Talk Event" this Thursday October 11,2018 12pm-1pm
Show Dates: October 11, 2018 - November 7, 2018
The Bridge Building, 3rd Floor, 2 Victory Ave #300, Nashville, TN 37213

Please join us as we partner with The Cumberland River Compact for "Our Water. Our Future." art exhibit and sale Thursday October 11 - November 7th, 2018.

The show will open with the Cumberland River Compact's free River Talk event this Thursday October 11 at 12pm. The registration link is included HERE. Please make plans to join us as we discuss our mission, how our partnership supports water conservation, our history, and the process of plein air painting.
The show features a Pop-Up show, hosted by the Cumberland River Compact. We're excited to be able to partner for the online show for the first time in conjunction with the exhibition as well. The show opens Oct 11 and artwork is available for sale!

The "River Talk" event will be held in the picturesque Lucius E. Burch III Event Space on the 3rd floor of the Bridge Building (map is attached in link). You can see the show in their beautiful event space during business hours. Please contact Allison Dumas for more information and for sales inquiries.

Parking is free and available in Lot R South (not during special events) and is adjacent to Nissan Stadium. Parking passes are available for the "River Talk" event through their event page (see link above).

A generous portion of all sales directly benefits the conservation of The Cumberland River.

Here are the three paintings I will have in the Art Show at the Bridge Building:

Working on the River 12x12. oil on panel SOLD

Glow on the Cumberland 9x12 plein air oil on panel $325

Waiting To Launch 6x6. plein air oil on panel $200

I hope you can make it to the show and check out the ONLINE GALLERY, too! A large percentage of the art sales go to benefit the Cumberland River Compact and their work to educate and improve the entire watershed.

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The PNW

9/27/2018

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What about the PNW? I was born there; lived there most of my adult life; have my closest friends and some family there; it's beautiful even if rainy; and I love going back at least once a year for several weeks. Now when I go back I spend a fair amount of my time with a paint brush in my hand and understanding, supportive friends encouraging me on. This past July/August was no exception. Here are some paintings from that trip:

Country Garden 8x10 oil on panel Private Collection

One longtime friend that I love staying with lives in the "north county", a couple of miles from the Canadian border. Dairy country...and all that goes with it: barns, tractors, manure, pastoral fields. She also has an amazing view of Mt Baker when the sky is clear. Very inspiring! So I paint there pretty much every time I go. This year her little raised garden was brimming with success so I set up my easel and did this small sketch, keeping it bright and painterly. I love the "BEANS" sign and thought it was a great little structure to balance out the verticals of the barn.

Semiahmoo Morning 8x10 oil on panel $300

Semiahmoo Spit was at one time the site of busy salmon cannery and many of the old buildings are still standing. It's a lovely place to go for a walk on the rocky beach or have lunch at the Semiahmoo Resort. I found a good spot to set up my gear slightly off the beaten path and I even had some old pilings to use as a table for my paints. It was sunny and hot and the tide was coming in. Normally an outdoor painter has to avoid "chasing the light", but I was challenged to resist "chasing the tide"! By the time I was satisfied with the result, the waters were well up over the building footings.

Five Blue Pots 8x10 Oil on panel

Another dear friend who graciously houses me while I'm there has one of the sweetest hidden gardens ever! We've been known to consume a fair amount of wine in that quiet retreat. She is an avid gardener and has a collection of these beautiful glazed ceramic pots in the most saturated cobalt blue color... an entire row of them on her garden wall! Well! I got busy. This painting makes me feel so happy.

So I am quite the vagabond when I go "home to Bellingham" and am filled with gratitude for the deep and meaningful friendships that have only grown stronger in the years we are living in Tennessee. Me and my suitcase are welcome in the homes of so many friends. Now I have a new slew of reference photos waiting to be painted from this great trip.

Thank you for reading! Please comment!!

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Porch Life!

9/18/2018

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If it's summer in Tennessee then you must be sitting on your porch! And so many different porches there are: we have a back porch, covered but not enclosed, and we have spent many lovely hours reading, visiting, eating and just listening to the cicadas and songbirds this summer. Some good friends of ours have both a front and back porch large enough to do some good old country living on. With just a little pleading they let me come over and do some plein air painting of their sweet Southern porch life.

I really enjoy painting structures, but what a challenge! Finding a compelling focal point, getting perspective close enough to not look wonky, eliminating unnecessary details...whew! Plus, I was hot and sweaty and standing next to a tree with a little poison ivy climbing up. Needless to say, the painting was incomplete when I packed it in so it got more attention later in the studio to finish. My friends liked it so much that they bought it and commissioned a second painting of their back porch!

reference photo

Once again, I painted what I could within a 90 minute time period and then refined and finished the painting in my studio. One technique that can be really helpful is to edit the reference photo into gray-scale and let it be a guide for developing accurate values in the painting. I am much more excited about my figurative paintings when there are fewer details and more light/shadow suggestions.

reference photo in gray-scale

I have struggled for hours trying to get a face exactly right when what pleases me most is just the suggestion of a cheek, nose, or chin. So with "Back Porch Life" (and with the wishes of these dear patrons) I kept the details on Charlie's face and body and let Eban be more mysterious.

The other challenge I faced was choosing what things to leave in and what to leave out. Charlie had a career as a newspaper reporter, so I wanted to add the element of folded newspapers on the table and eliminate the bottles of bug spray. 😜

Here are the finished paintings! You can see where I added and took away details, such as putting their cat, Taboo, on the Front Porch swing to strengthen the focal point and adding the spots of red on the Back Porch to move your eye around the painting.

Front Porch Life 9x12 oil on panel

Back Porch Life 9x12 oil on panel

Thank you for viewing my art!! And thank you to Charlie and Eban for all your support!!

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One more on Mood: Subject & Design

8/20/2018

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Another way the artist affects mood is through choice of subject and how she designs the painting with it. Let us consider the chicken. She is a popular subject and rarely taken seriously. I mean, chicken paintings are fun, right? The creature herself can be moody and difficult, but a painting of a chicken... amusing! Same with cows. Hey, farm animals in general are pretty funny. I digress.

Frequent subject choices for representational artists are landscapes, objects, animals, people, and places. Deciding how to express them on the 2-dimensional canvas will make all the difference in how the painting will affect a viewers emotional response. Take for example these two paintings of a giraffe (not my work...done by other artists)

painting by D. Stribbling

painting by Jenny Buckner

In one painting this unusual animal seems elegant and evokes restfulness; the other painting whimsically celebrates her sweet goofiness and makes us smile. Lots of animal paintings are lighthearted and mood lifting, but some can be assertive and powerful. The same is true for paintings of landscapes. Many are of restful, pleasing vistas, but paintings of powerful rivers, glaciers, waterfalls evoke feelings of danger, strength, inspiration.

It is entirely up to the artist to determine what to communicate through the subject matter. I mostly like to capture a feeling of wonder and appreciation for the gift of a unique and serendipitous moment. When some lovely little thing happens to me and I'm lucky enough to get a photo reference of it, I tuck it away for a later studio painting. That's where the inspiration for this "children series" I did last fall:

One of my objectives when I write about painting techniques and composition is to enhance your experience of art, so that gallery viewing brings you more enjoyment and may even lead you to growing your own art collection. Ponder anew the subject matter you see in paintings and what emotions they bring out in you.

Thank you, faithful readers!!!

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Dark, Cold, and Intense...how value, temperature and chroma affect mood

8/10/2018

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The Tennessee lakes are filled with turtles and also filled with heavy, murky water. How could I express this in my painting for the Radnor Art Show? There were a pair of turtles in a demonstration tank at Lake Radnor Nature Center that I used as models for my underwater painting of turtle life in the South. I laid in the colors dark and heavy and when I view this I feel the mystery and danger of the underwater world. Rather than the typical "calm, hope, peace" that blue and green can evoke, I feel the foreignness of that alien world.

Here is another green & blue painting that does communicate quiet, peaceful rest. Artists work with the properties of color to capture the mood of the scene and subject of their paintings. These properties, again, are:

Value- the lightness or darkness of a hue
Temperature- the coolness or warmth of a hue
Chroma- the intensity of a hue

In "Heron Hideaway" the blues and greens are warmer hues (even though they are still cool colors) and their values are much lighter on the light to dark scale. Do you notice a difference in your emotional response to this painting and the turtle painting?

The chroma, a fancy word for intensity, is also at opposite ends in the two examples. "Lake Buddies" is very dark (low key), but also very intense in chroma. The dark, dark blue is almost neon and so is the green area on the left. Even though the heron painting is lighter (high key), the blues and greens are less saturated and lower in chroma. That allows the light feathers to be the star of the show. You can see the reflections of foliage in the water are even lower in chroma. Intense (high) chroma, as a rule, evokes intense feeling and energy and, conversely, lower chroma (as in the heron painting) evokes a more gentle, restful response.

Stay tuned for more on Mood and Art. Thanks for reading! Leave a comment in the comment box and I will love you!!

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Sacred Places

It's Lookin' a lot like Christmas

New Paintings//New Art Show

Following Your Own Path

Painting in Eire

Art Show in the Bridge Building! October 11-November 7

The PNW

Porch Life!

One more on Mood: Subject & Design

Dark, Cold, and Intense...how value, temperature and chroma affect mood

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