Sketch 2 Landscape Boogaloo

About a week or so ago I got out to paint inbetween cloudy days. I pulled over and set up to paint on the side of the main road that runs right through center of Waldoboro. Sorry I don't know the name of the road but if your familiar with Waldoboro, you know there is not alot of "main" roads, that's one of the reasons its so beautiful there. This day was pretty sweet as far as March in Maine goes, weather was slightly chilly and clear.
I got 2 sketches and a 16x20 done that day and as far as production goes I would say that's pretty good for me, anyone reading this please let me know what a productive day is for you? (painting outside of course) Anyway this is a 6x8 sketch for a larger painting I did right after this. I figured I would get to know the scene a bit and see if the composition works or if I could make it work. I know that alot of people suggest thumbnail sketches, or viewfinders to find the composition, but I think that if you are a painter, you paint and take every chance to paint that comes your way. Besides sometimes the best way to improve on a painting is to criticize the one you just did, this painting even though its very loose showed me where I could drastically improve the larger piece.
By the way I was taught a great way to crop a scene by using your hands or hat visor to make a box over your eyes, almost like holding invisible binoculars, letting your hands crop the top and sides. Quote: "There isn't a single person or landscape or subject which doesn't possess some interest, although it may not be immediately apparent. When a painter discovers this hidden treasure, other people are immediately struck by its beauty. "Pierre Auguste Renoir
Last Chance if any of you would like to receive the advertisement mailer for my first show (excited!) please e mail me your mailing address within a couple days and I will try to get you on the mailing list for it.

Snapshot

This sketch is of our cat Oliver, we just recently adopted from the local Humane Society shelter http://www.coastalhumanesociety.org/ . He is a very sweet cat and seems to really appreciate his new diggs. But he is a nut and I am expecting him to be chewing on paint tubes and sharpening his claws on my paintings anyday now. Also for you superstitious people he is a black cat that we adopted on FRIDAY the 13th! (insert scary music here) Anyway he was sitting in front of the open door the otherday gathering the last of the afternoon sun and I was in the right place at the right time to see this. I was cleaning off my palette from a day of painting out and decided "Ehhh go for it" as soon as I started, maybe 3 or 4 minutes in the phone rang and yeah that makes him have to move to maybe smell the phone as it rings..??. . So I didn't really expect much out of this anyway and it isn't much, but my wife loved it (she loves all of em) so thought I would share it would you here for fun. Quote:"An art which isn't based on feeling isn't an art at all ... feeling is the principle, the beginning and the end; craft, objective, technique – all these are in the middle." Paul Cezanne. !

Little Sketch, and some Updates

This is a sketch of Muscongus Bay in Round Pound from around noon time today, its tiny but it was pretty cold at the water and don't think I had a 16x20 in me today. I was lucky to have this as I dropped it on the open palette (Damn Mittens!) and it landed back side down so I was happy to not have my 10 mins paint time wasted.

Well this past Friday I finally got all the pieces of the residency grant put together and got it out in the mail. I felt 20 lbs lighter when I sent it out. (wish I really was, I would even take 10lbs) I wonder if by chance any of the people that are judging for the grant are part of the blog world?

I have been out pretty regularly lately and getting some larger work done mostly outside then just tidying them up a bit at home. I just finished a 16x20 yesterday and I'm almost done on another 24 x36. Last bit of news, I recently got in a sample of Classic Artist Oils, and after using them for about 5 or 6 painting I have to say they are really sweet, nice consistency somewhere between mayonnaise and toothpaste and have great pigment load. The smell is a bit different but I'm under the impression that fresh Linseed oil doesn't have its notable smell when its very fresh..?. Anyway one option is you can get them in 10oz caulking gun tubes and if you paint a whole bunch or just don't want paint loaded with wax and other crap check them out. If anyone is thinking of trying them, check out Elio Camachos' store at his site/blog (best discount and cool dude) http://eliocamacho.com/theStore/ Quote : "If you want to be one of the first into a new territory, you cannot wait for large amounts of evidence." Joel Barker (on originality)

I Get By With a Little (More) Help From My Friends

OK this is a repeat photo but the difference should be easy to spot.....figure it out yet?.... This photo was taken by somebody that knows what they are doing instead of me! John Blamey from the Tidemark Gallery ( http://tidemarkgallery.com/ ) in Waldoboro offered to help me out with shooting my work, editing it and even burning it on a disk for me to send into the residency grant that I am applying for. Thank You John! I also received my recommendation letter from "CP" this week and its great! no initials, Thank You Colin!

This week also shows a well deserved weather turn around, the sun is showing up just about everyday, and is actually throwing a little warmth Maine's way. I have been working on some larger work in the studio from smaller studies done "en plein air" (that must be said with a bad french accent) and finding it a challenge to not make things too pretty and "keep it real". QUOTE: "Each moment of the year has its own beauty, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photo Upgrade

This week I'm trying to get a whole bunch of paint related things completed for a grant that I am applying for. The Grant is for a five week stay at a painters dream location and I cant say where because one of the stipulations of the grant is that I can't advertise it. With the deadline approaching fast I find myself in a sink or swim situation. Writing of artist statement. why I deserve this grant, quality photos of work on a CD in certain size and format. (I'm not even sure what a format is) also bother somebody for a recommendation letter. Luckily I have had some much needed help from a friend with writing critique and great advice in general on all points related. (Thank You CP) One of the things I have found myself sinking with since I started this blog has been my photo skills, but now (because I have to) I am really gonna try to focus on photographing my work properly or at least learning how..?. So please if you have been reading my blog for awhile or have looked back at older posts, let me hear you opinion on the photo work going forward from here. As for the Grant, I will let you know here if get it or not, Wish me luck! Quote: "Give your viewers something more than decoration. Give them something that will raise their level of vision. Let them see a new beauty through your eyes." Henry Hensche..

Modern Healthcare..?.

This past week my wife was a bit sick and this is a painting including the stuffy head, cough, sore throat, achy whatever, sleep medicine. It helped alot the first night but Raquele can't stand the taste so she decided the next night to tough it out and not take any. (shes OK now :) ) I have always enjoyed the color of this stuff when the light shines through it, and wish there was strong light to show off the color. They probably use the same pigments some of us use in our paints to color this stuff??? "NyQuinacridone " who knows..?. Quote: "Miracles surround us at every turn if we but sharpen our perceptions of them." Willa Cather