I Disclose my Future Whereabouts

 

"Radish Riot"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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Another weekend is upon us! ...And a freak heatwave in the PacNW to finish June off in sweaty style. Next week is one of my favorites of the year. Not only is it the first official week of summer in Eugene (aka, the week it usually stops raining until October), but it's time for Art in the Vineyard - a huge gathering of artists, crafters, musicians, and wineries - and this year, I get to be (a small) part of it too!

I'll be painting a model somewhere on the festival grounds with my friend Farley next Thursday July 4th, from noon to 3. I shouldn't be too hard to spot - just look for my granny hat! Please don't hesitate to say hi, bug me, distract me...especially if you're sharing your wine!

Meanwhile, look for a fun post on the blog this Sunday, peek in on my current one dollar auction, and take advantage of free shipping on anything in my Etsy shop with the code SARAH. So much to do, so little time!

Hot, Smelly, and Shipping for Free

  

"Simple Egg"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

click to buy

Hello, beautiful people! It's hot here. I'm wondering how long I can keep this egg sitting out in my studio before it starts to smell. This should be incredibly entertaining to my dear sis-and-bro-in-law who will be spending next week sleeping in my studio's alternate incarnation, aka... The Guest Room. Good thing they don't read my blog! (lol, no, they really don't.)

...To make matters even sketchier, these brown eggs were on 50% markdown at Safeway, so they're definitely not for eating.

  

Want to buy this painting, but shipping charges totally bum you out? I know! With the code SARAH, everything in my Etsy shop ships for free this week. Use it, share it, take care of your summer wedding gift list, or just ignore it. Just try to ignore it...

I Get the Worm

 

"Wilted Beets on a Broken Plate"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

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Sadly, (but happily for the morning after) the title of this post does not refer to me attending an all-night Tequila bash (Veinte de Mayo, notwithstanding). I got up around 3 am to fetch Ellie some water, cuddled with her for five minutes, went back to bed, and could think about nothing but coffee for the next hour and a half. So I got up. 

And, since I was up, caffeinated, and bagel-ed, I decided to warm up for my Monday morning "teaching" gig. I use the (air) quotes because truly, we're all learning from each other in this group. I may be learning more life lessons than art lessons, but they are precious to me. My students don't know it, but I'm absorbing as much from them and their talk of young-adult children, aging parents, world travels, and husbands - it's always the husbands, isn't it? - as they (hopefully) are from my harping on lost edges and perfecting your ellipses.

So here's this (early) morning's warmup. 25-20-15-10 brushstroke sketches:

Believe it or not, I got up SO damn early that I still had time to take - and edit - photos of everything I'd done that morning, and my painting from the weekend, besides. Which is a good thing, because my Classy Painting Ladies kept me busy until until 3 pm today. I've just run in the door with time to write this little missive before having to move on to the dreaded dinner question.

And the answer is: pizza. 

But maybe a word about this painting before I go? The title says it all, I'm hoping. But I wanted to explain that I'm not really trying to be dark and serious on purpose. Mom brought me the beets, fresh and glowing, from Saturday market, and of course I had no time to paint on Saturday, what with putting on mascara and other unpleasantries, for my ladies night out (book club), and other random Saturday things. The leaves were so gorgeous, springy, and so many shades of green that I really wanted to drop everything and go paint them, but beauty duty called, and I left them for Sunday. By which time they were as tired as I was after yakking until all hours with my book club buds.

The broken plate is sad, in its way, though it got that way honestly. My dish-doing is spotty, and my dishwasher-loading even more so. I pulled this one out of said dishwasher so elegantly cracked that I knew its next life would be in my studio. At least this week.

And now I present to you your honorary degree in comparative literature (because compared to good literature, you know this is a mess), since you basically just read a novel. That's what happens when a blogger gets cooped up with a sick baby for a few days. A word purge. Thanks, as always, for reading.

A Painting Party... and Stockholm Syndrome

 

"An Orange for Tea"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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How do you make a Monday morning awesome? I'll tell you. Get a great group of artists together and revel in your collective creative energy!

 You've seen this studio before, and so you already know why I was overjoyed to paint there again. This informal workshop is made up of students of mine who just couldn't bear to part with me after our last session....I think they must have Stockholm Syndrome!

 Joy and Patti painting away:

 A bird's eye view of the action! From the loft above Patti's studio:

 My warmup (and cooldown) sketch - and also my newest $1 auction offering:

"No Comparison"

6 x 6 inches, oil on canvas
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Who Wants Quiche?

 "Cracked With a Spoon"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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In addition to my regular huge box of props, I arrived at the Art Center this morning with two big cartons of eggs and a bag each of red and yellow onions. And that was just my lunch.

Just kidding! I know, I had you for a minute there.

Anyway, today was Egg Day, with onions as a special guest star, and it was all about facing your fears, your allergies, your culinary aversions...ok, it was really just about value, color, and texture. 

First, I did a little demo:

 Then everybody got to work. Some awesome paint was slung today, and I'm totally proud of how everyone "womaned-up" to the challenge. Sometimes I think an artist could spend a lifetime painting just eggs....

Spooky Plein Air

"The Old White Church"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$350

click to buy

The Walker Church is the destination for the Plein Air Painters of Lane County this week, and yesterday dawned so incredibly lovely and sunny that as soon as I opened my eyes I knew I would be driving the 20-odd miles south to check out this new spot. The church was about as deserted as you'd expect on a Wednesday morning, and also in the middle of nowhere - the closest neighbors being some cows, a shuttered trailer, a gravel pit, and a junkyard - always love seeing that sea of derelict cars, don't you?

There were Lilacs and Iris in profusion in the small cemetery adjacent to the church, and tombstones for everyone from pioneers to the recently dead jumbled together in no particular order....and as I hiked around through the long, blowing grass, a windchime that sent chills down my spine!

Soon after the chills, I heard Patti's car crunching up the dirt driveway, and soon we were exploring together, exclaiming over the lovely old houses and picking out our painting spots. By lunchtime, we were freezing (It was about 50 degrees out, even with all that glorious sun), and so we headed to the nearest town for some hot soup and coffee.

More Lilac paintings coming soon!

I Picked Your Lilacs

 "Lilacs and Lemons"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas
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After my brush stroke workout yesterday, I was more than ready to break out a brand new brush and keep keeping it simple! New flats and brights are the best for this - their lines are so precise and crisp. If you don't clean them, or leave them sitting in your solvent jar for hours, or carry them around in a funky vintage makeup case to and from classes and open studios (as I do, yes, all of the above), that crispness doesn't last long. Believe me, I will be cleaning my brushes as soon as I hit "publish!"

...cleaning them, and then stuffing them into the aforementioned case and heading to figure painting night. Join me! (Virtually, in person, or via astral projection - your choice.)

 Sketch for "Lilacs and Lemons" approx. 5.5" square, oil on Arches oil paper. 30 minutes.

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I Paint Like a Different Person

 

"A Landscape on the Table"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$350

click to buy

Mondays are teaching days in my world, and this particular lesson is a tough one: the 25-20-15 stroke exercise, followed by a longer, larger piece. It seems that every time I warm up this way, I paint like a different person. Sometimes you have to force yourself to think differently - the results can be dramatic! I noticed them in my students' work too.

Here's some of that work, along with my exercise in the upper right.

 (clockwise, from top left: Joy, Me, Francis, a snippet of our still life setup, and Katia)

A Stay-of-Execution

"Dylan" 

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

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Oh, Dylan, you miniature Don Draper you. You could be my muse if I didn't have so much f$%&ing trouble capturing your likeness. Maybe I could just pinch your bearded cheeks?

Before I moved to Oregon, I never thought of beards as attractive. Goatees - maybe - that's about as far as facial hair went in the midwest in the 90's. But I digress...

As I've already hinted, this one almost didn't make it. I literally had the palette knife poised to strike this morning when I decided to try a couple of tweaks. Also influencing the stay-of-execution, the fact that this one spent a couple of hours baking in my hot car yesterday afternoon, and was basically already dry when I went to wipe it.

I Exercise In Spite of Myself

"View of the Flower Farm"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$250

click to buy

I should have gone running. I have 13.1 reasons to keep my legs in fighting form, at least through this weekend, but instead....

I set off this morning for Mt. Pisgah arboretum without much of a plan in mind - I was on my own, and not being too familiar with this particular park, I wandered around for a while looking for a good spot. In a lazy effort to avoid any actual hiking, I investigated a puddle-ey bridal path, saw some cows, then more cows, no views. Finally I decided to just grab my gear and start climbing. All of the trails in this park seem to head in one direction: up.

 I couldn't have gone more than 3/4 of a mile before I found a spot that felt right, and got started.

After a while, my easel almost fell over - the ground randomly attempted to swallow one of the legs(?). I caught it in time, but got white paint on some stuff. Returning minerals to the earth from whence they came. Titanium, you're welcome.

After that adrenaline rush, I took a break. These awesome pink shoes are a pair of last year's runners - all worn out for pounding the pavement, but super comfy for standing around, and the colors make me happy.

 By noon I was hot, hungry, and happy with my work. Going down was so much easier than going up!

Strange Fruit

 "Meyer Lemons on the Table"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

$350

click to buy

I've been eyeing these strange orange lemons for a month or so in the produce section, and finally decided to take the plunge. I consider it a rule of thumb that if something doesn't look quite right in your still life setup, you'll never be able to make it come across in a painting. I'm hoping these wierdos are the exception that proves my rule. Their color is a gorgeous, delicate orange, but their shape and texture are all lemon. Hope it's working for you. I'm just indulging my whims over here.

This was painted with the remnants of my purple/yellow palette from yesterday, with some Cadmium Red added, for that orange that screams "lemon!"

I'm a Purple Person

 

"Garlic on a Purple Plate"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

$350

click to buy

Friday was a good day. It started off with a misty 6 mile run with Gabriella, then I hit up the thrift store for some new still life props and fabrics (also scored two cute cocktail dresses, in case anyone's thinking of inviting me to a fancy shindig....*hint hint*). In the evening I headed to The Gallery at the Watershed for some live painting - and wine.

Both of which are in evidence here:

 I really love painting with others - not so much in front of a hushed audience, but in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. I'm thinking of hiring myself out for parties. Better than a mime! I'll just stand in the corner and paint. It's not the wildest party idea I've come across lately....

In Which I Do Performance Art

"In The Gallery"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$200

available from The Gallery at the Watershed

With our crazy changeable Spring weather, it can be sunny one minute and pouring the next. So, when the plein-air itch hit this week, I opted for an indoor version - at my new gallery! I love painting interiors. I really don't do them often enough - mostly because I figure, meh, it's just my house. Well, my art now has a gorgeous house - which I hope to paint again very soon.

Shots of the Gallery and my work-in-progress. Click for a better view.

 Here's me. I never know what to do with my left hand when someone photographs me while painting! Normally, it would be holding a filthy, paint-soaked rag, but I like to hide the evidence when the camera approaches. Then what? Put my fist on my hip like the supermodel I am? I do always feel sexy in an apron. (True story!)

Excuse me, but could you please hold still?

 

"The Green Pushpin"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$200

click to buy

If you've ever tried to paint tulips, you know that they are big movers. It's almost eerie - like they're alive or something! Especially if you've got a light on them, they open, swivel on their stems, make faces, do improv comedy sketches, etc...

It's actually pretty fun to try to capture them. I like models who shift around slightly during a pose for similar reasons. I know artists who are driven insane by models who don't "hold still," but I truly feel their small movements help me capture a more naturalistic vision of them.

Speaking of figure painting, I will be back at it tonight, and couldn't be happier!

Here's my mess of a palette for this one - as you can see it's not limited in any way. I recently came by some new (to me) paint, and I'm trying out some of the colors.

And here's the preparatory sketch:

"Sketch for 'The Green Pushpin'" 

approx. 8 x 5 inches. oil on Arches oil paper.
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New Portrait, New Paint

 

"Emily May" 

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$200

click to buy

face detail - click to see it BIGGER!

 It's been *interesting* trying to get to a 9 am painting session for the past few months, but worth it. Many of you are mothers, fathers, grandparents, etc, and can relate to the challenges of getting a young child out of the house "on time," not to mention, a husband to work. I've been loving these portrait sessions, though, and with spring break next week and the decision of whether to continue on with them ahead of me, I'm feeling positive overall.

Our model this morning was the lovely Emily May, and because I'm lazy it's been awesome lately, I was Zorning it up. I even had to buy a very large tube of yellow ocher specifically for this new habit of mine!  You run through it awfully fast when it's your only yellow, believe me.

Here's my sketch after 45 minutes alongside the finish. I REALLY wanted to get her other hand in there, but, well, on an 8 x 10" canvas, there just wasn't going to be room if I wanted to do the face justice. And the pose was so eloquent that I didn't want to do only her face....I was torn over this one, such a beautiful pose, and I don't see this model enough.

 

Smile!

Supermodel, Me

 First, a painting:

"Baby Bok Choy"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$200

click to buy

Second, a picture of me painting it:

 

And third, an explanation of why I suddenly have such GORGEOUSLY made photos on my blog instead of my usual crappy iphone pictures:

A while back, I got inspired by a collaboration I saw online between a running blogger and a photo blogger (don't ask, my blog-reading interests range far and wide), and so I hopped on Craig's List and put out a feeler. 

---  Perhaps I should say here that Craig's List found me my house, my husband his job, and is basically the reason for everything in the universe.  ---

I was pleasantly shocked to get a response almost immediately from a team of serious professionals whose work I've seen all over town - and they were excited about working with *me*!

Rob and Tracy Sydor of Digital Latte Photography really are artists. I enjoyed getting to see their massive warehouse studio at our first meeting, and then it was time for them to come to my studio.

 

The photo shoot was fun, if a little weird for someone who is usually the observer, not the observed. They made me feel totally comfortable, and I loved seeing the lights and all the equipment they brought.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

 Rob and Tracy also do this really cool boutique package for their clients - they dress you up, do your makeup and photograph you at the location of your choice. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?