Progressive Sketch Crawl

  Today most of the regulars showed up for our Tuesday morning 'Art Talk' breakfast. For the last couple weeks some members have been making a point of getting in a few sketches after the meeting winds down.  Today, I was surprised with myself to be drawn to flowers, first in Carolyn's garden and later, Celeste and I were invited guests of Mark L in his home studio (filled with with floral arrangements from his yard)  It was All Flowers-All Day.  More photos of our sketch crawl can be seen at the Behind the Scenes Blog

My Iris Watercolor at Carolyn's 

Celeste's painting from Mark's

My camera battery was dead so I grabbed photos taken by Celeste until I can add my own.  I also was somewhat compulsive last night and spent about four or five hours with photo shop mastering how to use layer masks to add hydrangeas to text.  I got side tracked with some gradient lesson too. Well worth the time but what I couldn't do two times in a row last night was much easier with a two hour nap. How are you liking the spring flowers in your yard so far?

Watercolor and Gouache

Some little paintings in watercolor and gouache from last week. A couple more below....

Thanks for looking.  Get out there and enjoy your spring vacation.  The Farmers Markets have started. Plein Air season has begun.

First Friday in Multnomah Village

 Plumper Pumpkin Farm

Members of my art group hung Art at our Tuesday morning meeting spot, O'Connor's, a popular restaurant in Multnomah Village. Please stop by on Friday, March 5th, and see a nice group show.

The Year of the Tiger

 

Digital Enhanced Charcoal Sketch

Happy Chinese New Year!   February 14th is the first day of the New Year on the Lunar calendar it's also the year of "The Tiger." (1950, 1962,1974, 1986, 1998)  C. and I decided it is nice to be born in the year of the Tiger - such a sought after and regal animal.  The bad thing about Tiger people is their vain streak but they are attributed to be determined, persevering, and courageous.    Tigers are most compatible with horses, dragons, and dogs. I wonder if I know any Dragons??

Have a nice Valentines day.

Ironing Woman Color Study

 I bought in props for  getting some gestural paintings of the figure doing general home duties. You could also just go to a cafe and secretly draw other patrons for figure practice.  Carol, the model was ready with an apron and kerchief on her head. This was during an Arne Westerman workshop at OSA a couple years ago.Students were encouraged to take pictures of various models- Chefs to Ballerinas, lots of reference photos for later paintings. Watch his website for summer workshop dates.
 I want to remind the locals, next Thursday, the 14th, Gwen Seemel will air on Oregon Art Beat (8:00pm) for her lively and colorful portraits. Check out her website.

A Little Late but Still White!

I'm goofing off for a few more days, It's snowing!  All I have with me at my house sitting job are some color pencils and a small pad. I'll come up with something a little later. Subject to interpretations will just have to wait till this stuff melts..

An Old Painting of Lisa

     I still own this painting, I really doubt the subject will ever buy it as her husband took an image from my website sometime a go and framed it for his office.  I have to say I'm glad I still have it. She has been hanging in my living room for the last couple months.  I took slides of it and it was accepted into a juried show juried by Claudia Nice. It was one of the 3 images used to be juried into the Watercolor Society of Oregon.  It's a keeper now..There have been times when a painting went out the door to be framed and then off to the show. I know we do this to sell our work but when they sell so quickly I feel just a little tinge of loss.  Do you ever feel this way?

 

Hearth and Home Weekend Show

Gallery 2121 will be open for receptions for an exhibit entitled Hearth & Home on Saturday, December 19, 11am - 6pm and Monday December 21, 5pm-8pm to celebrate a limited time art exhibit and sale of picturesque paintings and platinum palladium photography at:
2121 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR 97215

Six artists and one photographer reflect a broad range of representational styles and approaches that capture the beauty and diversity of our surroundings. Paintings of traditional and urban landscape, marine art, contemporary figures, animal portraits and mixed media are all incorporated into an exhibit that aims to showcase this season of hearth and home.
PPASP artists include: Pam Flanders, Mark Larsen, Celeste Bergin, Carrie Holst, Katherine van Schoonhoven, and Carolyn Rondthaler along with photographer David Burbach.
Gallery Hours:
Sat December 19, 11AM - 6PM and Mon December 21, 5PM-8PM
Hours also by appointment: (503) 762-7948
Gallery 2121 is located in the East end of 2121 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR 97215

A Little Abstract Slide Show

I have done a few abstract things in my sketchbook to warm up on occasion but I always have kept them to myself. Thought I would create a little slide show of a few of this weeks.  I have turned them all from the original direction they were painted.  Some are better than others.  Just another way to think about value arrangement; some people might have another way of doing it, this is just my process.