Resuming Life

En Plein Air at the Firehole

Yellowstone and Jackson Hole were simply mind blowing. The Grand Tetons and the light on or behind them never stopped jolting our senses. This little slice of the area included wandering Bison just to the right of the barn. In a coincidence encounter 100 miles away, we met one of the family who occupied this old homestead! That was a story by itself!

We arrived home yesterday after a three day jaunt cross country through Idaho, Nevada and California. This shot of me painting near the Firehole River in Y'stone park is revealing of the gear and the necessary protection from the trees I am hiding behind. The wind was whipping about, as mentioned in a previous post, which made a sun umbrella impossible. . . .the trees gave the shade and blocked the wind enough to let me work.

Now that I am home, it is time to resume a normal life (if normalcy is possible for me! ). I have to sandwich my art activities in among other things. No servants. No large bank accounts. No poking through the days wondering about what to do. There is always a list!

The other photo is a sample of the terrific wildlife encounters we experienced throughout Wyoming. This gorgeous Bull Moose was nearly oblivious to our presence . . . .or so it seemed. There are some 300 more photos which will make for some nice reminiscing this winter.

I thought you all might like to see some of what we saw and experienced.

Just Before Dinner

"Aspens Corner"

oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10"

In the late afternoon, yesterday, I ran out of gas. I HAD to sit down and rest. We have been ‘touring’ through Wyoming . . . .driving, walking, standing, shopping, gallery looking, etc . . . .and I came to a physical halt. Just couldn’t do any more. I had to rest.

So, I found a stool, took my paints and went to our front yard to sit and paint for a while. This is what came out. And this is what it really looks like!! Rough neighborhood, eh?

I had taken about 15 photos with my digital camera (has an SD card) . . .and none of the photos recorded onto the card. When examining the card on computer, the numbers assigned to the images skip those numbers of the photos taken, but the images are no where to be found. Does anyone know why this might happen, or how to avoid it in the future?

Making the Best of an Emergency

"Afternoon at the Firehole"

oil on linen panel, 8" x 10"

When travelling, I have the constant urge to paint. I suppose it is the visual adventures that occur around every corner that excites the urge.

We are in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and touring the area to include the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. The internal summoning to the easel was gaining volume as was my frustration as the days have passed. I MUST PAINT ! Inside, I am thinking “If only for a few moments . . .!”

Yesterday, four of us (two couples) were driving through Yellowstone National Park, which is a doubly amazing place because there are so many unusual sights . . .erupting geysers . . . .steam bubbling from the ground . . . .magnificent rivers . . .Buffalo . . .Elk . . Moose . . . .Antelope. . . .gorgeous meadows . . . .waterfalls and much, much more. To top it off, it is the peak of Spring here. The grasses and wildflowers are lush and in full bloom. What an incredible time!!!

And so, I stopped to paint . . . .and you better paint FAST because there are other people who are waiting for you, Mike . . . . .so git r done . . .and don’t dawdle.

Standing in a 15 mph wind with gusts to 35 mph in the gorgeous light of the late afternoon, I opened my pochade box to find the paint had slid around inside of it and made a horrendous mess. There is paint everywhere but where it belongs. While cleaning the box and preparing it to paint, the wind is grabbing the easel and attempting to throw it into the meadow. There is buffalo fur all over the trees next to where I stand . . . . . .which means this is probably their bedding place . . .better watch out! The group is wanting to eat, to see other sites, but I must paint. So I did. Quickly, without remorse or reconsideration of a single stroke. Just get it done and do it quick.

What an absolute joy to look across the meadow, across the river and paint all that magnificent light !!! Even if it is nothing more that a fast arrangement of smudges and smears. I must shove the doubts away and take what I get in this emergency. Niiiiice! :-)

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On The Value Of Experiments

"Bridging the Gap"

oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10"

Every day is different when it comes to painting. I never know what the day will hold until I approach the easel . . . .unless I am working on a specific project. Then, I am like a wild dog with a bone. Nothing will dissuade my purpose until it is finished.

As you know, Dear Reader, I have been busy this last week with plein air work . . .and I had to interrupt a project of a very complex studio watercolor to do this plein air work. Work? Whoops! This isn’t work !! This is absolute entertainment . . . .at least until I get to the place where I am saying to myself, “What am I going to do with THIS?” Or, “There has to be a better solution to this problem than this meager outcome!”

And so I experiment . . . .or do ‘studies.’ Many artists I know believe the studies or experiments to be a waste of time and materials. In my opinion, failures or lackluster results are our constant companions in the pursuit of good art. It is these kinds of outcomes that frustrate us and awaken the curious artist to new methods or approaches or, the thirst for growth.

I recently visited the website of Scott Christensen, a master painter. On one of his pages, this quote appears . . . . .

"Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets as golden gifts to lazy poets and luxurious darlings, but imposes task when she presents opportunity." Edgar Payne

Opportunity is with us artists constantly. How can we ignore the siren of successfully answering that opportunity with good painting? We can’t. What’s more, we must constantly try new ways, new subjects and build our skills with executing values, colors, edges, techniques and designs. Any one of these things is worth years of study!

Simply put, we must constantly step away from the projects to accomplish good practices and set up our growth to the next tier of skill. I repeat: Constantly. It is a part of the pulse of the artist’s life. In this game, ‘good enough’ just isn’t good enough. We must always reach for better.

Yesterday’s piece was one of those quickie experiments . . .to use an orange toned canvas and paint thin to allow that orange to show through in key places. This was a one hour test. Here is the outcome. There are parts I ignored, such as foreground textures and shapes, just to see what would happen IF I completed the test or experiment.

My studio is full of ‘experiments.’ In fact, most everything I do is an experiment. If I have that attitude about every painting, then the fear of failure escapes me and I make new discoveries about my work.

Priceless !!

Setting Up Color

"Misty Brilliance"

oil on linen panel, 8" x 10"

Some days it pays to get up early. When it comes to painting, some days it pays to stay in bed. Or so it seems. Today was an excellent day!!

The title of this piece came after I had completed the piece. The process here was to set up the brilliance of the color. To play down value contrasts and surround the color with neutrals. It is the neutrals in a painting that make the saturated colors seem as though they are screaming . . . . . . . . .or at least singing.

Today as I pushed through this piece, I found myself paying special attention to diminishing values and contrast in depth. That threw the foreground out at the viewer and emphasized the subject . . . .my beloved ice plant and all its colors against the sandstone cliffs of the Santa Cruz County coastline. I learned more as I painted this piece . . . . .let the paint do the talking, not the details. Why does a painter have to relearn these simple lessons over and over and over and over???? I guess habit must take over eventually. Details and minutae do nothing to make a painting stand up and sing.

I can smell the air in this painting . . . . .I am smiling !!!!!

Another Plein Air Attempt

"Rincon Cove"

oil on canvas panel, 12 x 16

Today held another plein air attempt.

I suppose I can always be counted upon to pick the most complex subject to paint. There are certain things I am drawn to . . . . rocks and water have never failed to hold my interest, but to smite me with their subtle lighting changes, striations and reflections. Here I am supposed to be making paintings to provide to the museum . . .and what do I do? I choose something that has challenged me since I began painting. Nope! Don't pick an easy one. Go for the stuff that'll beat me up if I don't get it right.

Chalk up another one.

For some reason, the image does not upload. Maybe it broke the camera? Do ya suppose it is trying to save me embarrassment?

Finally got it to upload. Here is the effort. I had fun, but I didn't get that delightful "kick" when a great one comes along.

Oh Yeah! That's Better!

"Ice Tower"

Oil on canvas panel, 12" x 16"

Here on the California coast we have a succulent plant that grows along the cliff edges (and inland, too). It turns all colors of red, orange, rose, brilliant green and has beautiful yellow blossom. I am sure it has a latin name, but the common name is "Ice Plant." I guess you might be able to see the reason for the title.

This piece felt soooo much better than yesterday. I think I might have been to tired to really do a good painting yesterday. I also remembered a few things today that I had forgotten yesterday. This painting was FUN! It went together nicely. I am always disappointed, however, in the photos. So, I guess I will need to begin studying photoshop so I can put these guys up in the way they really look. There are alot of subtle tones and tints which have disappeared in this photo, but you get the idea.

Foreign In My Hands

"Wet Island"

Oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10"

This little piece was done in about 90 minutes after digging out all my plein air equipment following a 6 plus month haiatus . . .(izzat how you spell it?)

Last year I participated in the local museum's sponsored plein air event to raise money for the museum. It is a lovely event, though I wasn't able to help the cause at all . . .no sales last year. I promised myself I would improve and do much better this year, but, alas, I let time get away from me . . . .and lo! it is upon me again!! I am not so sure that it is because we artists are flakey by nature, or that it wasn't until a few mornings ago that all the dates for the event firmed up. but one thing is for sure. I am NOT READY! That means it feels like I am the rankest amateur in the entire group of 31 artists!!

For the last few days I have been working hard (labor!) around the house . . . .a close by forest fire prompted the work . . . . .to try to make things less apt to catch fire if a windborn cinder fell upon us. That meant cleaning ALL of the various organic stuff off our roof (Many surrounding trees here.) Three days of labor . . .no kidding! . . .scraping and sweeping and cleaning between every wooden shingle!

Anyway . . .I HAD to go paint today. We are leaving on a ten day vacation at the end of this week and this plein air event is demanding paintings before I leave . . .and I can't give them something I painted last year!! Nope! It has to be stuff painted THIS WEEK!! Yikes!! So, I went to work . . . .physically spent from the last three days work and not caring if I produced much . . .but I HAD to do it. To limber up, if nothing else! So, the brushes came out and I went to work . . . . .but it was as familiar as Greek worry beads in my hands . . . have never held them!! . . . . .after painting these tight watercolors for the last few weeks, oil brushes felt foreign in my hands!!

So, here is today's efforts, dear readers. A long time ago, I promised myself I would post all my efforts, good or bad. I already know this is amateur as hell, but feast your eyes anyway and know that failures are actually necessary in an artists' life . . .they spur us forward and help us learn on the way. Cheers to failures, eh?!! :-)

Committed, But Unsure

"NY Crosswalk"

watercolor, 22" x 30"

Some time ago, I decided that I wanted to really raise the bar in my watercolor work . . …...I am committed to press the design aspects and to thoroughly inject complexity into the work. That last part is that part of which I am unsure.

Complexity can be a double edged sword. And I am feeling the puncture wounds from both edges. Complexity is not necessarily *details* . . . .oh, boy! Do I hate that word. Details are not in the list of design elements for a reason. The do nothing to enhance the content or the measure of a good painting. And details become the bane of those who become stuck in them because they don’t know when to give them up for more important matters.

As an example, I could have put sun glasses and nose and lips on the guy at the far left of the painting. But, for what? To say he has a face? No! The shadow on his face and the color of the reflected light under the bill of his cap is much more important. In the painting, his face is slightly smaller than my thumbnail on my left hand. How many times can you say that you can actually *see* such detail in real life when someone’s face is that far away and that small? Impossible!

As another example, the guy in the shorts in the foreground has a greater purpose than to be just standing there. His purpose is to connect and relate the bottom of the painting with that big DKNY sign on the side of the building. His shirt is black and so is his hair, but not as dark. His shape acts as a point of transition and connection with the rest of the painting. It takes away the staccato shock of that sudden deep black of the sign and provides the eye with a bridge into the better lit area of the painting.

And light brings up another point. From left to right and from the right side of the piece to the crosswalk there is gradual transition of value in the color of the light, as witnessed by the surface of the street. It gradually gets lighter and lighter. That big giant black in the background always threatens to demand all of the attention by the sheer weight and size of it. So, tricks had to be used to distract from it. I could not have very light values around it. In fact, to get the eye off the wall and onto the street, I used opaque paints on the building and gradually lightened them as the painting transitioned toward the street. On the street, everything is in transparent color, so the light from the white paper shines outward at the viewer and makes the tints of pure color in the peoples’ clothes attract attention.

Then there is the composition. Squint at the piece and you will see an “L” lying on its back. That is very much a purposeful move! That “L” puts the eye into the area where the direction changes from horizontal to vertical. And that is where all the comparatively small shapes live to hold the eye.

That is all what design is about. Details do no work whatsoever, other than to distract the viewer’s attention. The fight in this painting was to not get sucked into the details. The painting is about the light, the heat of summer, the atmosphere and the place . . . . .not the lips on the guy to the far left . . .or his shoe laces. If I wanted that I would have published his photograph. My problem is that I am unsure if I should be pursuing all this complexity. I have several more paintings in me that are waiting to get out with that in them. And I am anxious to go back to my big swaths of paint and let the paint speak for itself . . . .not someone’s lips.

In the meanwhile . . . .I must answer the muse.

The Challeges of Contra Jour

"Bandits at 3 O'Clock!"

Watercolor, 30" x 22"

Contra Jour, or backlit subjects make for big challenges in color and value management. Typically, everything facing the painter is in shadow, which completely affects color. Hues in the light are vitally different than hues out of the light, both in value and temperature . . . .and maybe intensity, also. Right off, with the big value differences set up by glaring light pouring straight at the viewer, all sorts of gradations need to be considered to transition into the lit areas . . . .and cast shadows cannot be whimpy. So, often, the watercolorist might be faced with restating (painting over) values and colors.

In the world of watercolor, “stuff” begins to accumulate the moment one paints over a dry coat of paint (glazing). That “stuff,” as I refer to it, can roll up and create what watercolor painters call MUD. That is, as the different pigments get painted over one another, they are also loosened from the surface of the paper . . . .some commercial pigments do this more than others . . . .then they begin to mix and mingle with the pigments being glazed. When working with warm accents inside cool passages, this happens often. When attempting to put the front side of a form (out of the light), such as these figures, the painter is confronted with very cool areas (reflecting the sky in this case) and warm areas of reflected light from the ground. These guys’ white jump suits presented such a challenge. How to mix the warms and cools to avoid making gray, sooty, neutrals . . . commonly known as MUD. Click on the image for higher resolution and you can see areas where these challenges became apparent.

I have spent over a week wrestling with this problem and building a convincing painting of a contra jour street scene using figures dressed in white. I am not sure of this, but it seems there are a bazillion less challenging subjects and approaches. Like a nice bowl of oranges, or perhaps some nice boats, or maybe a sweet landscape.

Then, there is the challenge of making the colors painted come out on my monitor and to cause Photoshop to behave as I would like it.

Would someone please shoot me? Please !!

A Big Project

"MOMA'S Vertigo"

Watercolor, 22" x 30"

"MOMA's Vertigo" Detail

After not painting for some length of time, I find my hand and mind are gripped in tightness and focused on doing the best I can. In the throes of painting daily, the looseness takes over and the concern for doing well takes a backseat to experimenting. This painting certainly would take the award for concern and tightness . . . . .but I could not help myself! It was what I had seen and how it reverberated and rattled in my mind for days after seeing it that so convinced me it was worth the effort. And there was substantial effort to make this baby fly . . .believe me!

The vision was of the floor on the ground floor of the NY Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). These colored stripes had been installed on the floor via tape of varying widths and in nonrepeating sequences of hue. Standing on the floor and feeling my eyes jangle about was one thing . . . . . .but to view that same place from two stories had near delirious effects !! It was both dizzying and spectacular . . . .and thus the title, "MOMA's Vertigo."

Yes, anal would be a description of the artist's temperament while painting this piece. Parallels, angles, sequences, sizes, directions could all be thrown off by even the slightest error . . .and then it would compound and multiply! So, one line at a time was painted with ultimate care using every masking and shielding technique I could muster to insure freshness and purity of color. Shadows were used to, in part, set up the composition, while the jutting direction changes helped to guide the eye to the wanted focal point. This piece has been the most cautious and mind bending watercolor I have ever painted. It has taken exactly three weeks of daily concentration and effort. Was it worth it?

You be the judge.

Spring In New York City

"Greenwhich Morning"

watercolor, 15" x 22"

A few posts ago, I mentioned that my watercolor, "Pop's Corner" had been accepted into the American Watercolor Society's annual show. Being the prestigous event that it is, I could not stay away. So, my wife and I packed up and flew to NYC to attend the big awards dinner and to meet many of the world's best watercolor painters.

Myrna Wacknov's painting, "Reflections on Turning 65" was also accepted and won a wonderful award. So, we joined her and her husband, Mark Mehaffey (who received the silver medal award) and wife, and the award winning Donna Zagotta & hubby for a wonderful, exciting four days in NYC. Name it, and we did it. Broadway show? Of course! Big Corned Beef sandwiches in famous delis? Natch!! How about subways and ferrys? Yesss! And we even opted to spend an emotional day at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. ( I must say Ms. Liberty is waaaaay more than I expected !! She is enormous and overwhelming!)

Dinners, Lunches, breakfasts and lots of good cheer and laughter accompanied us where ever we went. We took tons of photos of painting subjects and made some tall commitments about raising the painting bar even more in order to be accepted into next years' show.

Upon returning, I could not get certain images out of my head . . .so I set about painting immediately to turn out *something* and get limbered up for some more serious painting. . . .. which is the image above . . . .this scene is a simple common look in the Greewhich Village / Washington Square vicinity. It was fun to paint . . .but certainly tighter than my normal work.

The painting was hardly done when the flu bug came home to roost and has both wife and I on our backsides most of the days . . .it's been more than ten days! . . . .but not all is lost. I am hard at work every day at the easel working on a VERY complex piece to enter into another national show. So far, I have nearly 50 hours already into this new piece and . . . .probably another 50 to go!

I am still alive . . .and back to painting, which is as it should be!

Only a Few Left . . . .

"Tournasol Space"

watercolor on paper 30" x 22"

I recently discovered that my computer was messing up and I was only getting about 20% of the emails sent to mebaileyart@comcast.net.

So . . . .in case you, or someone else, wrote to me about the upcoming painting workshop in the Perigord Region of France (with me) . . . .the problem is fixed . . . .but I apologize if I didn't answer. A recent computer crash and subsequent recovery with a new computer revealed this disturbing fact.

On the other hand, if 13 days and nites in a semi rural, 17th century farmhouse (with all the comforts and charm) and painting (or not!) through the region sounds appealing, drop me a note and I'll get you the info you need to check it out. The dates are August 27 thru Sept 7 . . . .and we will be arriving as the sunflowers begin to fade. So there will be color everywhere . . . .and wineries . . . .and open markets . . . .and amazing food . . . and terrific companions!

By the way . . . the painting above is exactly what it looks like there. Whaddyathink? eh? :-)

Oh, I almost forgot! If you were with us on the trip last year . . . .leave a comment about it here for others to see.

I have but a few spots left available (no kidding!), so don't delay! Drop me a note at the above email address.

Absent Toooo Long !

Well, Folks, classes are over. I can now recover my own creative energy and steer some of it toward paper and canvas. Life, has, however, chosen to step into my intended path somewhat and handed me some challenges . . . . .some worth complaining about, some worth cheering about. All have to be handled.

A computer crash was one of the things that happened and has dealt me a death blow right in the center of my photoshop software! Gads ! Not Thaaaaaaat ! Then the loss of some 700 email addresses . . . . ;-(( oi ! One would think that after having had to endure that little piece of grief more than twice, I would know how to maintain that file . . . .but noooooo!

Painting. That is my goal. To return to the brush. But first I must share something which touched me to the core. . . . .

The above painting was sold to a client with whom I have grown deeply fond of. She acquired the painting last summer. This Spring, my birthday came along (as it does every year) and she brought a gift to the house. With all the rush of the day's work in real estate and other distractions, I wasn't able to open the gift till later in the evening long after dinner. Not sure of what to expect, I opened it and was rocked by what I saw: A small beautiful "quilt" in the image of the painting above laid in the package . . .staring up at me. The implications of this gift made my heart swell. Apparently, the painting had such impact on her, she felt moved to honor that impact by sending back this beautifully hand made image all in fabric! I doubt I have ever had any painting honored with so much heart from anyone. In a day or two, I will post an image for you to see. (since losing photoshop and much much more it may take a little longer) . . . .thank you, Dear Paula, you have left me speechless!

And so, dear reader, the world is filled with acknowledgement of all kinds. Just this week, my watercolor classes stood for the world to see their work . . . .their very hard work . . .over ten weeks to develop a series of 20 paintings with changed design in each iteration. Each person made new breakthroughs and was thrilled with the results they had accomplished . . .and I was affirmed that 33 painters opened and discovered their own possibilities as painters. They each found something in themself they had not realized exisited. They saw for the first time their own style tendencies and they discovered that in spite of their doubts, they COULD do the extraordinary. And they did!!! It was an honor to lead these people to find something in them selves they had not known before. It was exciting to watch their discovery and the results that they found for trusting themselves and honoring their own intentions at the easel! These classes take energy, but the rewards are beyond description! I hope to have images from some of the painters soon . . .I will share some of them with you.

Meanwhile . . .it's great to be back! We'll be seeing more of each other, for sure.

The Big Argument

"Still Life #71"

watercolor on Arches paper, 15" x 22"

The art world is filled with artists who believe that the subject of a painting is what makes its worthiness. I vehemently disagree!

A subject or object or group of objects is nothing more than a beginning point for a startling, captivating design. Mind you this could be a landscape, portrait, still life or what have you. It does not matter. It is the interaction of line, direction, color, value, shape and texture that arouses us. Granted, that is an abstract way to think, but it is precisely what happens.

The word “PICTURE” has crept so deeply into our vocabulary that we synonymously connect the word to a mental image of a photograph, or an image of SOME THING OR PLACE. Pictorial accuracy seems to be some critics’ measure of ‘good art.’ I disagree again . . .and loudly! It isn’t the picture or the thing or the realism that is so wonderful in a painting. . . . .

It is what the artist does with the paint to lure the viewer into the concentrated observance of the art and the surface. While an image does provide a starting point for shapes and value structure, it is not the exactness or the accuracy of those things that entertain us as art viewers. Matisse proved this over and over. So did Van Gogh and the Impressionists. There is beauty in the paint! There is emotion and mood in the colors, values, textures and directions. What counts is what the viewer FEELS while viewing the work. Just get a look at “Crows Over a Corn Field” or “Starry Night” and you’ll get what I am saying immediately.

Yes, realism can and does communicate a feeling. BUT, that feeling does not come from the accuracy of the work. It comes from how big dark and light differences are arranged. It comes from the artist’s use of color and texture. Hopper’s work is a perfect example of this. His mood of melancholy and emptiness hits a viewer hard, but it seems to be ‘accuarate.” Some of Winslow Homer’s work had strong threatening feelings and sense of danger. And those paintings were in watercolor! The “happy medium.” Riiight! His and Hopper’s designs were absolutely deliberately set to affect MOOD or “content.”

There are plenty of artists out there who can reproduce a photograph. So what!? How many millions of photos are there in the world? How many have you seen that you vividly remember? Few, if any, is my bet. (Mind you, art photos are something else all together. I am speaking of the every day snapshots that are slavishly copied.) Yet, when a painter builds up color and texture on a surface and it is remindful of, or directly stating something about, a subject with both drama and subtlety, we are engaged with it. It holds our interest because the image or the arrangement of color, value and texture are so unusual and unique. It is this uniqueness that holds the viewer’s attention. . . . . .not the fact that the painter was able to make a pretty “picture.”

As a painter, I work in series. Maybe not as faithfully as some artists, but series work draws out boredom and forces the artist to create something more than representation of a subject. It is through using the same beginning idea over and over and over again . . . .this still life set up for example . . . . . . . .that the artist is forced to make something different each time he paints it. That purpose or that cause is what brings to light the strength of his work. It is the stuff that comes from within . . . .the stuff that sets his or her work apart from all other artwork or images which entertain us as viewers. It is what he or she does to stimulate contrasts and harmonies. It is what her or she does to deliver a sense of space or surface that holds our interest. It boils down to how the colors and values react to serve up visual stimulation. That is the CREATIVE aspect of the work.

This idea of making something different is the frustrating part of making art. (Not the only one, though! There are plenty more frustrations!) We, as humans, tend to be easily influenced by other artists methods or “the how” or what we believe to be “the rules.” All those things make creating new, different art even more difficult. They influence us to avoid showing that which we would do without coaching. By the virtue of that point alone, when an artist creates something unique, which especially connects with our emotions, then we MUST honor the work. That artist probably went through mental hell getting there.

And that brings up another aspect of making art that gets in the artists’ way . . . . .the desire to make a masterwork. And how trying too hard locks us up. But that is another subject for another day.

The Value of . . .

"Periogord Vineyards"

oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10"

The value of practice cannot be overstated. Quite simply, if I am not painting daily, I lose the touch. Even Tiger Woods goes to the range to stay tuned up and to practice . . . . .and yes, he still takes lessons.

This painting is a sad reminder of how long I have been away from smudging on the oil paint and attempting to make something of it. I like my day job . . . . .but jeeeeze! I wanna do this too . . . .at my convenience, thank you very much. Isn't that what everyone wants; Life on their own terms?

There is small voice in the back of my ear whispering something to the effect of "Sorry, Charlie! You aren't getting your way on this one. More practice, Bub! Much more!"

And who was the great philosopher who said "It takes miles of paint and acres of canvas to become a good painter?"

I'll say this, though . . . .It sure felt good to be at the easel for an afternoon!

Focusing On The Elements of Design

"A Cheap Trick"

watercolor on Winsor Newton Paper, 22" x 30"

As you know, Dear Reader, I teach art in the workshop and seminar environment. Moreover, I help artists learn how to think about their work. Not about how to put paint on the paper or canvas, but how to make sense out of what is happening with line, shape, color, value, direction, size and texture. It’s a giant leap for most of us artists to venture away from thinking about subject and to concentrate on whether the story of the paint is being told with sound design. Good art, be it sculpture, oil paint, watercolor or any other medium is simply a much larger thing than whether or not we copied an object, scene or face faithfully. (there are those who will argue this point vehemently)

I made this painting over a period of three days and twenty hours of work. Mind you, the work was in the thinking, not laying on gobs of paint. The time spent with this piece was about how to include a full range of values . . . white to absolute black and everything between and not have a choppy, excessively contrasty painting to look at. But a unified piece with beautiful harmonies and a few contrasts that would absolutely entertain a viewer. I concentrated on value transitions, variable textures, different kinds of line, opposing directions, pushing color from absolute neutral to intense hue, and arranging shape in a way to create tantalizing interest.

That is what design is all about. Making the elements (line, size, shape, direction, color, value and texture) create interesting relationships on the page or canvas to make unity, harmony, contrast, dominance, repetition, variety, gradation and balance. I know that is a mouth full, but if it is done right, any subject . . . .even a non subject . . . .will arrest a viewer and cause him or her to look past a mere glance . . . .maybe even study a piece of work for what went into it, rather than what or where it was.

Tagged Again

It is an honor to be tagged . . .and I have been tagged by another artist from the Northeast.

Currently, I am in an inquiry to determine who to tag. I want the process to work for all the participants and for the tags to be profitable for all concerned. So, hold on till I complete my homework.

A long Term Project

"Still Life # 62"

Waertcolor on Winsor Newton Paper, 15" x 22"

About two years ago, I undertook a project to learn more about design and shakeout a possible assignment project for my classes. The objective was to paint a single still life set up without changing the point of view or the actual positions of the objects. . . . .and to paint the same set up 20 different times. In short, develop a series. I went off the deep end and have painted over 60 pieces in the project because I had learned so much from it. Ideas for different paintings keep showing up, so I paint them. It is a great way to force oneself not to be enslaved by a subject, but to call up the creative consciousness.

A few weeks ago, my classes began (thus little posting here). This painting is as much for myself as it is for the classess. The groans are loud as they hear the project and what they are to do with it . . .make 20 paintings in ten weeks of the same still life. The objective is to force the painters to think about and try different things with the elements of design; Line, Size, Shape, Direction, Color, Value and Texture. (If this interests you, there are some interesting articles on my web site to read.

My day job has been in the way a bit, also, but my intent is to come back 'swingin'."

So, this was a nice diversion . . . .but it was more about keeping sharp at watercolor and reacquainting myself with my methods after a long layoff with oils.

Need a Little Help

In expanding the market for Watercolor Beyond The Obvious (WBTO), I am developing a new website that can be referenced in future ads and pulications.

If you have taken this class, I need a favor . . . .PLEASE.

If you have taken this class, Please email (Click on the little envelope below for my email address) your own brief comments about your experience of the class to me. It doesn't need to be earth shaking. It just needs to be honest so that I can present it to the world. All last names will be withheld, so don't worry about your privacy. If you would permit your full name to be used, please indicate that in your email. These comments will add much to the site, so please don't hesitate.

These testamonials will be posted as they arrive. Click the envelope at the bottom of this post for my email or send it to me directly at mebaileyart@comcast.net.

Thanks very much!

ANNOUNCEMENT !

A Typical Market Day in The Perigord Region of France

Le Petit Rousset . . . a 17th century farm house located near Eymet, France will be our headquarters.


PAINTING WORKSHOP IN FRANCE AUGUST 2 7 THRU SEPTEMBER 7, 2008


Experience the genteel and relaxed life in the Perigord region of France (Near Bordeaux), with Mike Bailey and friends, late this summer when the tourists vacate the area.

There is room for but 12 more people to share in the delights of this magnificent country side. We will be painting and touring almost daily for the entire time through one of France's premier areas which offer gorgeous vistas, medieval castles and villages, wineries, shopping and a cuisine that will arrest most anyones' attention. We welcome non painters, too! Because we are off on small day junkets nearly every day, the non painters find much to entertain themselves while we remain slaves to our pigments and paper. Evenings at the 17th century farmhouse are filled with good wine, laughter, art discussions and plenty of comraderie to post this trip into your eternal memory books.


Here is a link where you will see more details of where we will be and our itinerary. On this same site are photos of the charming and comfortable accomodations. Most meals, save for a few lunches, are provided as well as ground transportation. Leave your concerns at home! We handle all those little details that cloud otherwise perfect vacations.


If you would like to join us, or learn more about the trip, let me know immediately via email (click on small envelope below) as we are accepting deposits now.

Busy Week!

"Bistro Provencal"

watercolor on Arches paper, 15" x 22"

Life does get in the way once in a while . . . . as it should, I suppose.

I have had my head in the clouds for six months with painting . . . a wonderful state to be in, by the way. My real estate business is calling to me, so I must respond . . . . . .the teaching term has begun, which will keep my mind in another place until it is is finished . . . . . .then there is another matter, to which I must pay attention.

My watercolor work has been accepted in the most prestigious watercolor show, if not in the world, the USA. The painting was sent off last week to New York . . . .but this also means I cannot turn away from watercolor . . . .for many reasons, I must answer the call to get into next year's show, also. This means intensive work and study in order to have a selection of pieces from which to choose next November. So, this piece is a limbering up exercise. . . . a new beginning, if you will. I have much work to do between now and November . . . . and am keeping my fingers crossed that I can rise to the occaison then.

If it can be done, I will be pushing oils as well, but may not be posting as often as I would like. Keep watching. There are surprises waiting for you and for me.

PS . . . .Am not sure that this painting is properly color adjusted. Am using a very hi contrast monitor today, so the color may be incorrect. Will check later when I have my usual monitor at my disposal.

PPS . . . there is a glitch in the space formatting today . . .Have had this trouble before, but cannot resolve it. Sorry for the compressed paragraphs.

Delays and Distractions All Day

The painting and the article were developed today while workmen were stepping around me and my easel replacing the heating system for our house. Noisy! And, during this, I was giving an art lesson, too!

"Arboretum Eucalyptus"

oil on linen panel, 8" x 10"

This painting began with five or six lines which were the axes of the major shapes to set up an angular composition. Then, using those axes, I made angular flat shapes to define light and shadow shapes. No details or thoughts about them. Just flat shapes that provided some sort of movement through the composition. . . . .Then slobbered on color making sure to to hit violet and blue in a few spots. Big brush first . . . .accuracy not a concern.

I wish I had taken photos of the phases of this piece . . . .the early parts of the painting made for a killer abstract . . . .I may just get out a big canvas and give that a go again . . . . . . . . . .only not finish the “tree.” Just work the abstraction so that reality is a slight suggestion. This sure is fun !!!

On Painting "Gracefully"

"Point Lobos Environs"

oil on linen panel, 8" x 10"

Someone (Connie in the Comment Section) recently mentioned that my paintings were becoming more "graceful."

I was taken aback by that comment because it says so much without saying anything. I had to think about it and wondered what she meant, exactly. It seems it was a supreme compliment because it suggested growth of an unnamable sort. But let me see if I can connect my painting process thoughts with what she meant . . . .

This painting may or may not reach that quality, but there are aspects that point to what I think she means. For example, the gesture is used instead of the description. The green bushes in the foreground are but mere brush marks instead of well defined “bushes” . . . . . . . .those marks suggest without calling attention. The foreground field is more of a shape of a variety of similar valued tones . . . .there is a sense of something growing there without saying it directly. (at least I hoped for that!) And the rocks at the edge of the water at the ‘island’ really are not painted

r-o-c-k-s. They are just somewhat less than haphazard brush strokes that imply the presence of rocks. Is that what she meant? Is she saying I am getting closer, but not there yet? Or, is that my own thinking?

I find myself bridling my impulses . . . .holding back from making illustrations of some “thing” . . . . . .I want to leave something to the imagination and not be explicit. What I seek is to offer the viewer an opportunity to have a visual conversation with the painting. Conversation? The viewer will look at the painting which offers a hint of something, the viewer asks, the painting answers . . . . and so on. It is that quality that I seek . . .for the painting to be engaging to the viewer. And to do it by implication not replication.

Do you suppose that is what she meant by ‘graceful?’

New Tricks

"Surf Roost"

oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10"

I had to summon up my watercolor experience to make this painting have a little life . . . .that is the spray and droplets hanging in the air after the wallop of a wave against the base of the rock. Splattering paint . . .even though a simple trick was a necessary technique to bring this piece to a finish. The dark-light contrast of the spray holds the eye into the region I wanted the viewer to concentrate on. While there are birds roosting on the far rock, they are NOT the subject. The sheer drop and color of the rock and how it sits in the water is the subject of this painting. If I had wanted to make the painting about the birds, they would have occupied way more space . . . . .that is they would have been much larger and in a different spot on the canvas. This one was fun! (Aren't they all??)

Slow Feed

"Near The Edge"

oil on linen panel, 6" x 8"

It is like being fed ever so slowly when one reflects about how much one actually learns in one painting session. It seems, most of the time, that the learning is imperceptible. It isn't until one looks back over a large number of paintings that the growth from those tiny little lessons becomes obvious.

Often, it isn't until one is pressed to deliver quickly that one sees suddenly that he or she can indeed come up with the goods. That vision of possibility is often shrouded and hidden in the morass of digging through details. When time stipulates a hasty sketch only . . .or an impression . . . it is amazing how simple shapes and smudges of color just seem to speak up . . .and not only about the subject, but what's now in the hand of the person who painted it. Growth seems obvious to me when I can see a painter snap off two or three quick, seemingly simple 'studies' from which a larger work can be painted later. Those skills only come from lots of practice.

It is indeed a slow feed. But if one just puts their head down and concentrates on making practice daily, amazing things show up.