Art in Paris

A trip to Paris! What an event for a painter! The city itself is fabulously beautiful, even the food is beautiful.  The highlights of my "musee" visits were paintings by the Impressionists and pastels by various painters. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to see pastel portraits by Quentin de la Tour, quite a popular portraitist in the 1700's.  And true to pastel work, the paintings were as fresh and colorful as the day they were painted. I soaked up what I could from paintings by Degas and Cassatt. Seeing the original is truing being with it. You can stand back, get up close, see the marks, experience the light and mood.Too many paintings, not enough time!

A bientot!

Paint Out at the Covered Bridge

Zumbrota, Minnesota is home of the last remaining covered bridge in the state. A yearly festival is held in the park and at the bridge. This year the wonderful and amazing Crossings Gallery (http://www.crossingsatcarnegie.com) sponsored a "Quick Draw" at the bridge on Saturday. 

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join the paint out. It was my first plein air competition. Painters had from 5-7PM to start and complete a painting!  And then frame it to display and to be viewed by the judge and festival attendees! Could I do it? Yes!!!! I did! 

I was pleased with the resulting painting, I was able to meet painters from around the area, and was able to appreciate the variety of media and styles the finished paintings were created with. 

Kiss of Spring

I started this painting on location before the trees leafed out, finished it this morning in my studio. The grass was turning green, and there was the barest hint of new green growth in the cattails. The buds on the trees were noticeably bigger from morning to afternoon. I guess that's why it's called "spring"!

Artists of Minnesota

The Artists of Minnesota (http:/artistsofminnesota.org) meet twice yearly, and the spring meeting includes an art competition. I have accumulated awards over the years and now compete at the highest level, "Super Gold". Tough competition here, with all participants being top winners from the "advanced" category. My entries this year each were honored with Merit awards. It's always nice to have hard work recognized and enjoyed by fellow artists. 

Whew! Duluth Art Institute and ShipRock Art Gala in one night!

I couldn't pull off being in two places at once, but  I did get to both of the events. They were the kind of art events I like-lots of people enjoying themselves and enjoying my paintings. I especially like to watch the faces of people who really love the work, the intake of breath, smile, and exclamations.  

At the Duluth Art Institute I was invited with five other landscape artists to exhibit in a special exhibit in the Great Hall at the Duluth Depot.  I had not met all of the other artists before, so I got to meet them and enjoy their work. It was nice to match the faces to the  paintings, some of whose work has been familiar to me for years, other whose work is new to me. New friends and old came to celebrate with me. Thank you!

ShipRock Management put on their Art Gala for the third year. I was happy to be able to participate again this year. This was a really fun crowd,  a mix of walks of life, all there to celebrate with Andy and Blake and their associates. Thank you, ShipRock.

 

Poetry in Pictures

I participated in the Poet/Artist Collaboration at Crossings Gallery in April (www.CrossingsAtCarnegie.com). 25 poets submitted poems and 25 juried artists each picked a poem to illustrate. The poem I chose celebrated how fleeting patterns of light can transform even the most lowly objects into objects of beauty. For my subject I chose eggplants. And to really challenge myself, I painted them in oils, with a painting knife rather than a brush. They were such great fun to paint, I did two! One 11x14 for the exhibit, and one 6x8.I named them "Kitchen Jewels". At the reception for the exhibit the poet was pleased with what her poem inspired. Painting is such an adventure, you never know what it will bring.

Portrait painting with Leslie DeMille

I was fortunate to participate in a week long intensive portrait painting workshop given by Leslie DeMille, a nationally esteemed portrait painter. We painted 7 portraits in 5 days! I learned some new techniques and how to use a new paper. Les was patient with us all, and the skills I learned will improve not only the portraits I paint, but all my paintings. 

"Wes" on velour paper, a new surface for me. I like the texture!

"Dane" with with himself. I was experimenting with colored paper. Not my favorite, but fun.