I realized it has been quite awhile since my last blog post. Once again I found myself kind of in an art block. I decided to do some studying, a friend recommended I check out a Canadian group of artists from the early part of this century called the Group of Seven. I was thrilled to have discovered their artwork, especially Tom Thomson. I wound up ordering a number of books from Amazon about the group. If you have time check them out online at:
http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artist_work_e.jsp?iartistid=5427 or
http://www.tomthomson.org/profile_gallery.php?pageNum_rscollection=0&totalRows_rscollection=69&ArtistID=1
I have done some small paintings for a show I am doing in August called Festival of Art in the Forest. I will take a few pictures and if they look alright will post them next.
I live in an incredibly beautiful state and feel I should learn to do more Plein Air painting, but just can't seem to get a handle on it when outdoors. So, along with a dear friend Wendy Dehart, http://wendydehart.com/, I have signed up for an oil painting Plein Air workshop in July with Richard McKinley : http://www.mckinleystudio.com/ in LaConner Washington. Hopefully I can sort out my hangups and learn to edit what I see outdoors. I feel so overwhelmed with the landscape and can't seem to narrow down what I should focus on when out there. Any suggestions would help!
Focus on what draws you to want to paint the scene initially. Then get that pattern of light down as an underpainting (value sketch)
ReplyDeleteThen - stick with it - don't continue to look for unimportant details within the landscape.
It can certainly be overwhelming, but like anything else, there's a learning curve.
I'm sure you will learn much in your workshop.
I love the Group Of Seven as well, they added a great deal to Canadian Art.
ReplyDeleteYou might enjoy the work of another Canadian artist WJ Phillips.
http://terrykrysakartworks.blogspot.com/2008/12/walter-j-phillips-master-of-watercolor.html