Blog

With the arrival of " Spring " along the Wasatch Front, more opportunities to paint outdoor seems at hand.  I have enjoyed doing some Still Life projects such as " Fruit bowl " and ventured out to paint in the snow this winter, but it feels like the Plein Air season is finally under way.

Painting the still is painting from life, but ultimately painting in studio under controlled lighting and atmosphere. It seems the first couple of outings with the landscape is a little overwhelming and not what I would call my best work. Practice, Practice, Practice! 

Things may appear the same, but the truth is I have to knock the rust off my palette and really focus on simplify the composition, find correct values, depth and atmosphere of these paintings. It is always a struggle and a battle for me each year .

Like anything else training eye and hand to navigate through the enormity of what we see in front of us, and reduce a portion of that enormity to a 12 x 16 that will be of interest to yourself as well as other is a very daunting task. However after one or two under the belt, we begin to find a natural flow of where we have been and where we want our work to go.

Teaching a few classes and doing some demos this year has also required me to step up and explain actually what it is I'm am doing and for the first time really making me sit down and put structure and word to my process.

There is always an excitement that comes when I first see that image I'm going to paint. I know just how I want to go about it and know just how its going to turnout! Wrong! The only true part of that is the excitement part. The rest is a journey that leads me on an adventure and the earlier it is in the season the longer that journey may take.

I love the challenge and look forward to each painting. I was tutoring the other day and my student said her paintings were really bad. My comment to her was there is no bad paintings. Each one is a learning experience. If you can grow from each and every painting and take some goodness and joy from them, then your on the right path!

Can't wait to get out and spread some paint in the morning. This might be the one!!!!

Hope to see you out there.