Patti's Sugar Bowl

 "Patti's Sugar Bowl"

10 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$250

Click to buy

Over the weekend, I was invited to a studio-remodel inauguration party at my friend Patti's house. What a great idea to break in your new/old studio - by painting with friends! It was definitely an infusion of artistic energy. 

I was, of course, drafted to set up the still life. Can you spot my painting subject amid the jumble?

 I love setting up a big, sprawling still life and letting everyone choose which part they are most attracted to. Just like I do when landscape painting, I settle on a composition by editing out extraneous details and zeroing in on what my unique artistic eye responds to. 

If you'd like to paint a still life like this, you have three options. One: invite me over for a painting party at your studio (be sure to send me a plane ticket, too, where applicable). Two: join me for a session of Still Life Open Studio - the next one is Thursday December 8th. Or three: take my three-day still life workshop this January at Oregon Art Supply. Fun guaranteed, whichever way you choose. ;)

Here's how this one got started. I almost never work this way: laying in the background first. I have no idea why I did it this time, and no plans to do it again in the future. But it worked out fine.

Painting a Dead Horse

 

 "Dark Horse"

12 x 16 inches, oil on canvas

$300

Available Here

My new project, Still Life Open Studio, is rolling along! It's a gathering where I set up a still life, and you come and paint it! Well, I paint it. You work in any medium you choose. 

This month's session was inspired by Georgia O'Keefe - skulls and flowers. I had the whole gang assembled - Bambi, Bessie, and Mr. Ed. Yorick was on an artist's residency and could not attend.

I'll be hosting two sessions in August: the 11th and the 25th. Come see what I concoct theme-wise! It's still a mystery to me.

Watching the Sun

 "Watching the Sun"

14 x 18 inches, oil on canvas

Available here

I had a beautiful Fourth of July, painting a model en plein air at Eugene's big summer arts festival. Longtime readers may remember me doing this before - it's become a yearly tradition that I really look forward to! Here is my post from 2013 - and here is last year's.

My painting with the model, basking in the sun:

My friend Heather joined me this year - it's always fun to have company - and someone to help you wrestle around with your umbrella in the wind!

Here's my work-in-progress. I had to get that face in first! You can see me starting to test out my color mixes by smearing them on with a palette knife, over her left shoulder:

Painting Together, Painting Alone

 "Blueberry Tart"

10 x 10 inches, oil on canvas
Sold

I love a new project - and I have one this week! I've been attending open studio sessions to draw and paint the figure for years, and lately have found myself wondering - could that model (no pun intended) work with still life? Get a group of like-minded artists together to paint, chat, and share a still life set-up...why not?

The inaugural session of the Still Life Open Studio was this past Thursday at Whiteaker Printmakers' Annex - the same space where I recently taught a figure painting workshop. There were six of us in attendance, but I brought enough subject matter for a small army of artists. Tea and lemons....shocker!

The fruit tarts were a change for me. First time painting one - and I loved the shiny fruit! 

Underpainting to finish. I always start my still lives the same way: with a wet-toned canvas in a warm neutral orange, then a value block-in in thin paint. I recently made a video for my online mentorship students demonstrating my whole process. If you enjoy watching it, give it a thumbs up on YouTube - I'd appreciate it!

Talking to myself in an empty room....no wonder I was craving a group of painters to hang with!

Plein Air Figure on the Fourth

 "Blue Parasol"

12 x 16 inches, oil on canvas

Available here

Every Fourth of July weekend, Eugene holds an amazing art festival. My friend Farley and I got to paint there two years ago, and we were honored to be able to do it again this year! 

We got some very inquisitive spectators:

 One of the best parts of the day was working with our gorgeous model Tahni, who's been in Sweden for the past year! You may recognize her from such paintings as this and this.....

 Here's my work-in-progress:

Hope you had an excellent Fourth of July too!

Exploring the Zorn Palette Portrait

 

 "Maya B"

12 x 9 inches, oil on canvas

sold

 January's session of Zorn Palette Portrait was a blast, with a new model every day, two painting demos by moi, and tons of great work by the students!

Here's the progression of my demo of Maya, which took about 2 hours:

On day 2, we had a very special guest model: my friend in art (and life), Gabriella. Here she is, posing, with the students' portraits of her at the bottom right:

Here are the students' portraits of Maya. So good!!

I'm already looking forward to the next round of this workshop - lining up some fresh model faces, too. There are a couple of spots still available for February 20-22, at Oregon Art Supply. Register here!

McKenzie Art Festival Paintout

 "Leaburg Dam"

16 x 20 inches, oil on canvas

 Sold

Well. This paintout was a blast. And it was three weeks ago. Bad blogger! Since then, I have been to the coast to paint (much more on that tomorrow), and to the Bay Area for a wedding. Also plenty of other stuff that I can't even remember right now because I'm busy planning my next adventure: the Hillsboro Plein Air Plus paintout, which is this weekend in Portland!

But back to three weeks ago...The McKenzie Art Festival paintout is a nice event, in conjunction with a sweet little arts festival with live music and a display of vintage RV's. I arrived early to get my canvases stamped, and headed out to find a good spot, finally settling on the Leaburg dam. A picturesque spot - but more importantly, a spot with parking, porta-potties, and SHADE!

 

 The day got sizzling hot, and I had to shed several layers before dropping my painting off to be juried. Here is my piece, below my friend (and figure-painting companion) Farley's entry:

With only seven artists in the contest, I still felt honored to take third place. Here I am in the winner's circle, with friends Farley (1st place), Patti (juror), and Brent Burkett (2nd).

I'm the one in red, in case you're new to the blog. :)

Out of the Fog

 "The Old Sailor"

14x11 inches, oil on canvas

$200

Available here

 A work-in-progress above, and a glimpse of my subject below:

Today at the Oregon coast started out foggy and stayed that way.  Luckily, I have connections - namely, Patti - knower of all things coast-painty. She suggested I try heading inland along the Yaquina Bay Road, and just as I happened upon a promising spot, who should pull up in her paint-mobile? Patti herself! And then she loaned me an umbrella!

...And she laughed heartily five minutes later while snapping this picture:

Good times.

I ♡ the Arts Community

"Instrumental (sketch)"

9 x 12 inches oil on canvas

Available

After receiving a tip that some musically-inspired paintings might fit the theme of an upcoming art show, I set about finding some subjects - lazily (I know) by putting out a request on Facebook. Luckily, I live in in an amazing arts community, and was soon answered by Tim Boyden, proprietor of Out on a Limb Gallery, and furniture artist extraordinaire! 

He told me a tale of an instrument store going belly up years ago, donating their stock to MECCA (a place I could not figure out how to describe, you'll just have to follow the link - it's crazy), and being notified of a bounty to be claimed. He created this amazing piece of art with the instruments:

"All That Jazz"

by Tim Boyden

Having a few bits and parts left over afterwards, he generously offered them to me. Bonus: I got to visit his home studio, which was completely coated in sawdust, and chock-full of fascinating artifacts. I'm sorry I didn't snap any pictures - I was too busy taking it in! 

Long, long story short, I returned home with all the ingredients to stage a macabre quartet - or most of them. I suspect that these instruments are only fragments, but hey - they look awesome, and I'm loving painting them. Today's offering is my sketch. Stay tuned for a more finished piece - and some reminiscing about my own history with music - tomorrow.

Hi, Remember Me?

 

 "Red Camellia in a Tea Cup"

10 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

Sold

Well, I won't bend your ear making excuses for why I haven't posted in a month (*no guilt!*). I think instead I'll just move on to the excitement, of which there's plenty!

I'm leaving in two days to teach a master class workshop at Leslie Lienau's Conservatory for Classical Art in Oklahoma City.  Really, really excited about this! I love to teach, love to paint with my colleagues. I paint the figure with a weekly group, but I always feel really lucky when I get to share a still life with other artists.

 I just got done taking an amazing workshop myself - right here in Eugene, from Yer Za Vue, an accomplished Portland painter, teacher, and former Disney animator. 

Huge thanks to the Plein Air Painters of Lane County for bringing her down, and putting her up (Victoria)! I met Za for the first time at Eric Sandgren's coast paintout last summer (which I will totally be attending again this year, as it was life-changing). She rocked an amazing two days of art-making and art-teaching, and we were so graciously hosted by Ann of Aragon Alpaca Farm.

What a great way to kick off Plein Air season! (Even if I won't really be out there until it's legitimately warm here....maybe July?)

Another Self Portrait and Another Road Trip!

 "Self Portrait, February 2014"

14 x 11 inches, oil on canvas

Sold

Last week, once Snow-maggeddon finally melted (and the power came back on and my car was towed out of a ditch), Carol and I hit the rainy road to Portland for a brunch date with a group of awesome artist-bloggers. There were a lot of familiar faces in attendance, and one new to me, but a blogger I've been following for years, Don Gray. What a pleasure to meet someone in person and feel like you already know them so well!

Because you can never have too much of a good thing: artist-friends, delicious brunch food, cute dogs, painterly commiseration, new-work-sharing...

Below, clockwise from top: Annie Salness, Carol Marine, Ruth Armitage, and Randall David Tipton; Lulu the cutest damn dog in Oregon; Sarah Peroutka; Don Gray and Randall; Jo Reimer, Don, and his wife Brenda. Present, but not pictured: Gretha Lindwood. Huge thanks to Ruth for hosting us at her stunning home.

As far as this self portrait is concerned, (and I should say something about it, huh?), I painted it while cooped up in the snow (but before the power went out).  I used a Zorn palette, and really wasn't planning on even finishing it, but ended up liking it. The nose is a bit short, the chin maybe a bit too big, but you'll have that. Until you come to Eugene and meet me, you can't really argue!

Road Trip!

 "All Kinds of Orange"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

Sold

I have a pretty strict policy around here: Say Yes As Often As Possible. Which is how I came to be driving North on I-5 this past Monday evening with my trunk full of painting gear, and trusty sidekick Amy in the passenger seat. Destination: The Corvallis Art Guild's monthly meeting.

I'm always honored to be asked to do anything - especially paint in front of people and talk about my work! The Corvallis Art Guild turned out to be a great group of artists who peppered me with delightfully technical questions about paint, mediums, etc, while I did my demo. Speaking of technical - the whole thing was projected onto a huge screen, with some help from the chairman of the group (and a friend of mine), Joseph Pfeiffer-Herbert. Everyone had a great view, and Joseph's arm only got a little tired.

Another invitation I gratefully accepted that evening came from Herbert and Rogena Berman, who welcomed Amy and I into their Corvallis home. They had seen my show at The Gallery at the Watershed and liked it so much that they invited us to see Herbert's wonderful paintings and studio. It was really a treat.

What a great night!

A Big Fat Happy New Year and Some Paintings Too!

Woah, it's 2014! I spent the last few weeks of 2013 putting finishing touches on my solo show, and then jetting off to sunny Southern California for Christmas with family. 

I did, of course, manage to hastily apply some paint here and there.

These portrait sketches were done at some point during the craziness. They are both about 8x6", oil on Arches oil paper.

 

Just after the New Year, I was thrilled to wake up to this lovely article about the show, and The Gallery at the Watershed.

And I began the year on an excellent note, painting a model in my studio with good art friends. Here's a detail shot of the nearly-finished piece.

 Now I'm off to the gallery for some First Friday Artwalk fun! I'd also like to announce that I'll be gallery-sitting every Saturday this month, so if you'd like to see my show, and maybe test out how much I really resemble that self-portrait of mine, stop by!

Dark Dream

 "Dark Dream"

18 x 24 inches, oil on canvas

$1000

Click to buy

Here's the third in my series of reclining women, and a new model for me. At nearly six feet tall, she barely fit on my couch! We made it work, though. I like that she feels relaxed, even with her legs bent so sharply - and I really like the fold of her legs against the many folds of the drapery beneath them.

I'm trying to move away from my usual obsessive interest in the face in these figure paintings. In each one I've focused the strongest light on the lower body, and where the face hasn't been averted completely, I've kept the eyes down and the brushwork loose.

For the second sitting on this pose, I was joined in the studio by my friend Farley. We always paint together on Tuesday nights at Maude Kerns Art Center, but this was his first visit to my place. It's always so great to have company - the more creative energy in the room, the better!

And here is the painting from start to finish:

Have a great weekend, all!