Finding Color

After a long, cold and snowy winter, spring has finally arrived and it's nice to be able to get back outside to paint again.  But as nice as it was to paint outdoors, one problem was that everything appeared so gray and colorless, more so than usual - maybe because of the brutal winter we had. The challenge was to find some color in the scene and exaggerate it enough to make a good painting while still keeping it realistic.

This painting was done on the last day of winter along the D&R Canal in Ewing, NJ.   The foreground bridge is the Septa commuter rail line running from West Trenton to Philadelphia. The bridge in the distance is Lower Ferry Road:

"D&R Canal, Last Day of Winter"
8x10" oil on board

The rusted railroad bridge provided a nice bit of color, but I really played up the warmth of the trees and the blue of the sky reflecting in the water.   I think this contrast of the blue and the warm browns in the water really brings some life to the painting.

This next one was done on the 2nd day of spring at the still undeveloped Mercer Park North West off of Cold Soil Road in Lawrenceville, NJ:

"Mercer Park North West, Beginning of Spring"
8x10" oil on board

Here, the sky really was a beautiful blue, but the field needed some help.  In real life it was a cool gray but had some warm browns in the distance.  I played up that warmth and also the hint of red in the tree line caused by the swelling buds on the trees.  The color was there but you really look to find it.

And speaking of color, this coming weekend is the last weekend of my show "Local Color" at Artists' Gallery in Lambertville.   The gallery is open regular hours:  Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 6pm each day.   We're not closed for Easter.

Backyard Paintings

A couple of weeks ago, we had some nice weather but I didn't have enough time to drive somewhere to paint. I really wanted to get out, paint some autumn scenes, and enjoy the nice day, so I took my paintbox out in my back yard and did this one - the back of my yard is wooded and the property behind me is all woods:

"October Woods"
10x8 oil on canvas on panel

The following day I had the same dilemma so it was out into my back yard again. This is my garage (which is nearly big enough to fit one car into):

"Late October"
8x10 oil on canvas on panel

I hardly ever think of painting in my own yard, but I realize I have some good scenery a few minutes from my back door so I'm hoping to do some snow scenes back here this winter. It'll be nice to know that a cup of hot chocolate won't be very far away.

Day on the Land - Crystal Springs

"Day on the Land" - for some reason that reminds me of the classic Brian Eno recording "On Land", but instead of music... you guessed it - this has to do with painting.

Yesterday was "Day on the Land" - the 3rd annual fund-raiser / paint-out organized the the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance, aka the HLTA. Last year, it was at the Dvoor Farm, this year it was held at the Crystal Springs Section of the Teetertown Preserve near Califon, NJ. Crystal Springs is some recently preserved parkland - 291 acres of mature forest, active farmland and 5 ponds which are the headwaters of Spruce Run Creek.

This corner of New Jersey is new to me and the last few miles approaching the park, it felt more like I was in Vermont than in New Jersey. Since it's new to me, I went there a couple of weeks ago to check it out and I did this painting at one of the farm fields:

"Crystal Springs Fields"
8x10 oil on panel

Yesterday was the paint-out, and here's where I setup to paint - it was hot out, so I looked hard for a spot that would remain shady for a hours. If only I could find a spot where the horseflies weren't biting! This lane led to the farmhouse (which is no longer there):


While painting, one of the HLTA volunteers was gracious enough to bring sandwiches and snacks to the artists, and even offered to help carry my stuff back when I was finished - a nice change from my usual plein air routine of finishing the day tired and hungry! Here's the finished painting:

"Crystal Springs Farm Lane"
14x11 oil on panel

This painting, along with the work of the other painters and photographers out that day, will be auctioned off on October 19 at the Prallsville Mills in Stockton, NJ. Funds raised will go the HLTA. I'll post more details closer to that date.

The Evolution of a Painting

Last month I did a plein air painting on the South Branch of the Raritan River. I liked how it turned out but felt compelled to try a couple of different versions of that scene and I ended up with 4 different paintings. I find this is a good exercise to do once in a while - taking the same scene and painting it again with a different attitude. You've already got the composition worked out, so you can concentrate on trying different techniques and see where it takes you.

First is the original painting that I did on location:

"April on the South Branch"
8x10 oil on panel

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In this second version, I tried a much looser approach. I used a very minimal palette and mixed most of the colors right on the canvas as opposed to premixing them on my palette. This is a fun way to paint! Just scrape down if the paint buildup starts getting to thick:

"April on the South Branch II"
8x10 oil on canvas

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Third, I wanted to try painting 100% with palette knives. I didn't use a brush at all, not even for the initial sketching and blocking in. This sure saves time on cleanup since it takes just a few seconds to wipe the knives clean. But I ended up with too many hard edges in the painting. I do like this version but I think my more successful works of late use a balance of brushwork and knife-work, each being used for what it's best suited. Or, maybe I just need more practice with the knife:

"April on the South Branch III"
8x10 oil on canvas

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The fourth and final(?) version is a larger painting - 24x30 inches. I used the palette knife in the rocky areas on both banks of the river but decided the rest was better done with brushes. And I stuck with the limited palette again:

"April on the South Branch IV"
24x30 oil on canvas

Which got me thinking... in my plein air painting, I haven't done anything larger than 11x14 in a long time. Doing smaller paintings on location is usually easier for a number of reasons, but I really should try something larger. Probably not as big as 24x30, but... stay tuned...

The Process of Creating

Here's a quote from Judy Dunn's blog Artrepreneur that's worth repeating. It's good advice for artists, whether you're just starting out or you've been in the game a long time:

The process of creating is precious. Protect it from the critics. The product is just product. It is not precious. It is not us. Let the critics come out and have their say when you are ready to pause. Listen. Notice. See it as a way to learn and grow. And then thank your critics for their input, and tell them to go back in their closet. And get back to having fun creating, testing, playing, experimenting..... Own the process. It is sacred. And control the critics, their words can be valuable tools or deadly weapons.

I think that's really great advice. Every critic has their own opinion, whether it's your mom, or an arts reporter from Art in America. You can listen to them, but don't forget that your opinion counts too. Be true to yourself, follow your own path, and enjoy the process! I think Robert Henri was talking about the same thing when he said:

The goal is not making art. It is living a life. Those who live their lives will leave the stuff that is really art. Art is a result. It is a trace of those who have led their lives.

The product is not us, but it is a reflection of us - and that's only true if we follow our own path rather than trying to please critics. The important thing is to live your life, and enjoy the process.

A Plein Air Painter's Checklist

"Otto's Barns"
11x14 oil on panel

I don't know of anyone at this farm is actually named Otto, but it's across the street from a place called Otto's Farm Park and it sounded like good name for a painting.

I'm enjoying painting outdoors on location again, now that the weather is so nice, and thought it might be interesting to share my checklist - the list I check carefully before leaving the house to go paint somewhere:

Paintbox items
paintbox	It's hard to forget this, but it may as well be on the list. I have a few different boxes to use, the EasyL from Artwork Essentials is my current favorite.
tripod	One of my paint boxes has a built in tripod, but 2 others mount on a separate tripod - just a sturdy camera tripod
umbrella kit	I used to paint without one, but since I got an umbrella that mounts on my paintbox tripod, I can't live without it. If the sun shines directly on your your painting or palette, it's very difficult to work. Dappled sunlight hitting your canvas is even worse. The umbrella from Artwork Essentials is really nice and well thought out.
palette	Built in to 2 of my paintboxes, but a separate item with another box.
paint: big tube of white warm & cool blue warm & cool red warm & cool yellow transparent oxide red a few others for variety	I paint with a pretty limited palette and just carry a few essential colors plus a few extras. White plus 2 reds, 2 yellows and 2 blues is what I consider essential - with these you can mix almost any color. But other colors have their place too. I often start a painting by blocking in with transparent oxide red - a beautiful red earth color which has a transparency I can't get by mixing my other colors. I love to use this color for underpainting. I also like sap green, dioxazine purple and yellow ocher.
turpentine or mineral spirits	for cleanup and for thinning the initial coats of paint
a painting medium	I mostly use the standard mix of linseed oil and tups, but have been trying out some faster drying alkyd mediums like Gamblin's Galkyd and Neo-Meglip.
palette cups	to hold the turps and medium
canvases or panels	something to paint on!
double ended push-pins	to separate canvases when carrying them around - I'll explain this more some other time.
brushes	Once I drove 30 miles and set up to paint, only to find I left all of my brushes at home. That's the day I started this checklist.
palette knives
pencil & charcoal	for the initial sketch
rags & paper towels	oil painting can be messy
short rope	On windy days, a bit of rope or cord can be very useful for securing your gear. Canvases and sun umbrellas make very good wind-catchers!
small pliers	for stubborn paint caps
small carpenters level	I like to insure that my paintbox and canvas are perfectly level. When painting buildings and other man-made structures, I can sight along the top of my box or canvas to judge angles. It helps me to get the drawing down accurately.
small adjustable carpenters bevel	No, I don't do carpentry out in the field, but I find this tool can be useful when drawing structures with complicated angles. Holding the bevel in front of me, I can set it to the angle of a complicated roof line, then transfer that angle to my canvas. I don't use a bevel very often, but sometimes it can really help.
sketchbook	Doing thumbnail sketches first is a good way to decide how you're going to paint something.
plastic bags for dirty rags	oil painting can be messy
small plastic baggies	To wrap around wet paintbrushes when packing up. I'll clean the brushes back home.
Miscellaneous Items
camera and spare battery	I like to record the scene that I'm painting and get more reference photos of the area for later studio paintings.
penknife	Comes in handy for many things out in the field
wide brimmed hat
sunscreen
water bottle	For drinking, not for painting
food	I rarely take anything to eat along with me, but I do keep this on the list.
cell phone
wear socks	I often don't when at home, but when romping through the woods, socks helps prevent poison ivy.
wear a non-white shirt	Wet paint is very reflective, and a white shirt can cause a lot of glare on your canvas and make it very difficult to paint - especially if the sun is hitting your shirt. Same with bright colored shirts. Dark blue is good, a neutral gray is best I think.

That may look like a big list, but it all fits into a small backpack that's easy to carry around. And there's nothing worse than setting up to paint somewhere far from home, only to find you forgot something essential.

Winter Drive

In honor of spring, and the warm weather which finally arrived, I painted my first snow scene of the year! I regret letting another winter go by with no outdoor painting, but there was very little snow around here this winter, so I did this one from a photo of one of the few light snowfalls that we did have. It's looking down my driveway towards the street:

"Winter Drive"
24x18 oil on canvas

Here's a closeup of how I painted the drive - click this one for a larger image - I love to pile the paint on sometimes, and that seems to work well in snow scenes like this:

October on the Raritan River

"October on the Raritan"
16x20 oil on canvas

I know it's March, but I just painted this October scene. It's another view of the South Branch of the Raritan River a few miles from my house. I did a small plein air study here last year on Halloween Day, and based this studio painting on that study.

It's been a few months since I've painted on location, but it's starting to feel like spring and I'm looking forward to getting outdoors again with my paintbox.

Artists Gallery Group Show

The Artists' Gallery, the 18 member artists' co-op that I belong to, is having a group show at the Hopewell Frame Shop Gallery:

Artists' Gallery Group Show
March 11 - April 26, 2008
Opening Reception: Saturday March 15, 6 to 8 pm

Hopewell Frame Shop & Gallery
24 West Broad Street (Rt 518)
Hopewell, New Jersey

It's also going be the last show hosted by Abby Frantz, gallery owner. After 32 years of picture framing and almost twenty nine years of running her shop in Hopewell, Abby has decided it is time to move on. During the run of the show, the Hopewell Frame Shop will change ownership, but the new owners will continue to run it as a frame shop and gallery.

"September at Three Bridges" is one of the paintings I'll have in the show, painted on location in the town of Three Bridges, NJ this past September.

Here's the scene I started with:

And her are the steps in my painting process, ugly stages and all. (There are always ugly stages.) Right from the start, I thought the silo looked better with a rounded top on it:

The finished painting:

"September at Three Bridges"
11x14 oil on panel

Abby has been very supportive of the Artists' Gallery and has hosted shows for many of it's individual members over the years so it's sad to see her go, but we all wish her luck in her future adventures. Please come out to the opening on Saturday, March 15 and give Abby a warm send off!

Here is the current list of Artists' Gallery members, all of whom will have artwork in the show:

Beatrice Bork, Gail Bracegirdle, Jennifer Cadoff, Merle Citron, Rich Harrington, Charles Katzenbach, Joe Kazimierczyk, Alan Klawans, Sheila Letven, Florence Moonan, Taylor Oughton, Alla Podolsky, Marc Reed, J. Stacy Rogers, Doug Sardo, Carol Sanzalone, Stacie Speer Scott, and John Treichler.

Hunterdon Life

For folks not familiar with this area, Hunterdon County is the region in central New Jersey that I paint most often. The first week of each month, the Hunterdon County Democrat newspaper contains an issue of Hunterdon Life magazine, and the March issue of Hunterdon Life contains an article about me:




Sorry about the full page picture of me, and I usually don't walk around with a handful of paintbrushes - that was the photographer's idea. All kidding aside, I think the photographer, Ben Scheetz, did a really nice job and I can't thank the reporter, Lillie Dorchak, enough for writing such a great article.

You can click the above images for a larger version, or visit the Hunterdon Life website for a more readable version of the article. The images reproduced on that website are way too intense in color saturation, but the images in the magazine and the photos above are pretty close to what the paintings look like in real life.

I believe that the article about me in Garden State Town & Country Living is still out on newsstands if this one isn't enough for you.

Along Reaville Road

"Reaville Road Barns"
12x36 oil on canvas

This group of barns always catches my eye and it seemed a good subject for the 12"x36" canvases that I've had for a while. I've been wanting to do a series of wide, panoramic format paintings but the right subject never presented itself. I think this barn grouping works, but my next challenge will be framing it. (Odd formats usually require custom framing.) Nevertheless, I think a series of paintings in this format would look good together. Now I just have to find the right subject matter...

From Plein Air to Studio

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I was busy working on 2 large paintings inspired by 2 small plein airs that I did over the summer. I know that 24" x 30" isn't large by some artists' standards, but for my current mode of working, it really is.

"Stockton Bridge"
8x10 oil on panel

Here's an 8x10" painting I did on location back in August. I'm standing below the Prallsville Mills, looking down the Delaware River towards Stockton, NJ and Center Bridge, Pa.

Often when I do a larger studio painting from a plein air, the studio work takes on a life of it's own and comes out quite different. You think I'd be in complete control of this but that's not how it works for me. Sometimes I think it's good that they're so different but this time I was really happy that they're not. I think (I hope) that the larger version captures the same beautiful summer day feeling that the smaller version has. Here's the studio version:

"Stockton Bridge (large)"
24x30 oil on canvas

My second subject

"Under Stockton Bridge"
8x10 oil on panel

was based on a plein air that I did in early September. At the time I painted this one, I really wanted to be higher up on the river bank, but street level wasn't a good place to setup, and part-way down the bank was simply way too steep to stand on so I painted down by river level. Which was a nice place to be, but not exactly what I had in mind. The painting did capture the feeling and colors of that day, but in my studio version, I used some photographs in addition the plein air painting, to do the painting that I really wanted to do that day. The plein air painting was my reference for color and mood but the photographs were necessary for the big change in perspective. This is what I came up with:

"From Stockton To Center Bridge"
24x30 oil on canvas

Stockton is a nice little river town, and the Stockton Inn is good stop for food & drinks. The iron truss bridge I painted here was the site of Edward Redfield's famous painting "The Burning of Center Bridge", where the wooden covered bridge on this spot went up in flames one night in 1923. (Center Bridge, Pa is the town across the river from Stockton, NJ.)