Oil Painting???

This has been a week for taking care of business that was pushed to the back burner during the paint out last week; paying bills, ordering painting supplies, doing laundry....and the list goes on. None of these things are very "creative" but must be done none the less. I've been getting in some studio time a couple of hours a day and finished a small 6 x 6 oil painting.

Yes, you read it right....oil painting.

Evening Glow - Oil on Canvas - 6" x 6"

For years I've been a closet painter in the medium; I think it's time I came out. This is titled "Evening Glow". A little different from my watercolor style....but also similar in colors, use of lights, darks, and contrasts. The thought process is opposite from watercolor and, to me, a bit easier...being able to apply the light source last. Color mixing is much more difficult for me though; I like for colors to "make & mix" on the watercolor paper and that doesn't happen with oil...it's a deliberate mixing process from palette to canvas. Working in another medium gets me out of my comfort zone and pushes me to experiment more. A good week in the studio, don't you think?

FIRST PLACE AWARD!

The weather this week couldn't have been better for the paint out in Waxahachie!  50 artists submitted 223 paintings completed in the 10 day painting period.  Below are 4 more paintings completed since my last posting.  The event was judged yesterday afternoon by Mr. Bruce Peil, and I'm delighted to announce that I was awarded 1st place!

"114 E. University" - 6" x 8"

This little "gem" won 1st Place in the paint out competition! It was late afternoon and I only had about an hour left to paint, so I decided to paint a small one.  The colors in the brick columns contrasting with the planters & greenery caught my eye first....then I noticed the porch steps were ceramic tile of various reds, browns and siennas with glorious sunlight splashed across them.  Everything was there and ready for me; color, sunlight, contrasts, & shadows.  I loved it, painted it "as is" and entered it at the last minute into the exhibition.  Sure glad I did...it's a winner!!  I'm pretty confident this little painting will find a home soon!

*****

"Texas Theater" -  11 x 14 

This landmark building was originally built in the late 1800's and has undergone several "face-lifts", the most recent in the 50's.  It sits on the north side of our courthouse square and provides great entertainment including live musical reviews. I painted it about mid-day so the shadows were more downcast rather than slanted.  It sold the next day.

*******

"Looking down College Street" - 9" x 12"

I see this scene almost every day as I'm returning home from errands.  In my mind, I've been putting this composition together for more than 6 months and finally got it down on paper day before yesterday.  It sold today.

*****

"Waxahachie Depot" - 11 x 14

This is an old railroad depot building that was purchased and restored by Nay Corporation and their offices are now located within.  It was quite a challenge with all the brick detail, windows and various angles; not a long straight wall anywhere! It sold today.

It's been a very good 10 days work!!!!  ............Did I mention before that I love my job?

 

New Gallery in town!

Last weekend myself and 3 other painters (Linda Schindler, Carol Cull, Mary Rabien) opened a little gallery! It's in an antique mall just off the Courthouse Square.....we named it "Downtown Gallery"....with the tag line: "Art by Local Artists". The focus is to offer original work in a small format (no larger than 16 x 20) that is affordable.  The inventory will include plein air paintings- depicting familiar local landmarks.  All 4 of us are participating in "Paint Historic Waxahachie" so our time to hang and arrange the art work was limited to about 3 hours on Sunday afternoon. Even tho' we were rushed, the gallery space really looks nice and is getting some traffic.  After this hectic week of plein air, we're going to finish out the "decor" a little better.  I'll post photos later.

Waxahachie, Texas - Paint Out

Beginning last weekend, more than 50 artists gathered for a 10 day paint out in my home town of Waxahachie! Thus far this talented group of painters have produced 60 paintings, and we're only midway through the event.  Here are two that I completed over the weekend. 

"Sundown at the Sign of the Texaco Star"

11" x 14" Watercolor

"Boyce Feeds"

11 x 14" Watercolor

I have 2 others plus a "quick draw" painting that still need to be uploaded from my camera....been too busy painting to do the "techie stuff" online.   Maybe tomorrow or the next day I'll get them all posted. 

TAOS STEPS - A Work in Progress

TAOS STEPS  12" x 16" Egg Tempera

I've been working on this painting, off and on, (mostly off) for about 6 years.  The medium is Egg Tempera; a mixture of dry pigment, water, and egg yolk. The technique is tedious, at best, if the artist mixes the formula from "scratch", then paint is applied, in thin transparent glazes, layering one color over another using a cross-hatching stroke. That's the "old method"....today's modern technology has helped the painter by producing the medium, premixed, in a tube so there's no guess work on the formula....but the process still takes a while.  Painting on a specially prepared rigid board (Masonite), each application of paint dries in about a minute and another layer can be applied over it.  A painting session of 4 or 5 hours is about all I can do at a time.  I work on it for a day, maybe two, then set it aside allowing for the paint and colors to "shift" in value as they dry.  Currently, I have approximately 100 hours in this painting.  It's almost done; I have a little more foreground work, and will touch up the sky a little in a few places.....another 15 or 20 hours ought to do it :-)

New Painting - "Down Rush"

Last summer, I purchased several tubes of "open" acrylic paints. The term "open" meaning that they don't "set up" or "skin" over as fast, giving the artist more painting time.  I'm used to quick drying paint....nothing dries any quicker than watercolor :-) . However, my "issue" with acrylic has been the shift in value after it dries; it drops down about 3 shades darker.  Watercolor shifts "up" (lightens) about 3 shades when dry. So, switching between acrylic and watercolor is a real "brain-drain"..taking me waaaaay out of my comfort zone.  So, having said all that, I played around with them for a few days, then set them up on my shelf.......going back to my favorite medium...watercolor.

Looking for something different to do during some rainy days, I decided to give them a try again.  All week, I've been "practicing" with acrylics, making color samples and testing for the shifts in values from light to slightly darker ....and "Down Rush" is today's result. 

"Down Rush" 

Acrylic on Linen 6" x 8"

 I had so much fun that I've started another one...stay tuned!

Another day at Kocian's Corner

Kocian's Red Tractor

A few weeks ago, I spent the day painting at James & Melinda Kocian's country estate. My subject that day was the red tractor parked in front of their implement barn.  The day was pretty windy and I had one hand on my shade umbrella and my body braced against my easel. All in all, the painting was pretty successful, I think.  Another paint out is planned there in May.