Video Trailer of our recent Alaska Workshop!

We are already in the planning stages of a couple workshops in Alaska for next summer.  Yes...there are workshops and have been for sometime in Tuscany, Italy...and taking nothing away from that.  Yes...workshops in California...and wonderful as well.  I look forward to painting and teaching in those locations one day.  But listen...if you have never EVER visited Alaska yet...you know there lies something inside you...something similar to a bucket list that says..."this is the last great wilderness" on earth, and you want...you NEED...you hope one day to go.

How better to experience Alaska...than with other artists?  Thru the eyes of the locals?  I guarantee you....from the time your plane touches down, 'til you leave...you mouth is in the dropped position.  Call it spiritual shock and awe!  You will intend and purpose to visit again because that is how powerful Alaska affects you!  You have time...from now til next summer...to put a little away here, a little away there and come experience an amazing amazing time!

Park Rapids, MN workshop...good folks, good time!

The first day of our workshop was a pretty good cooker of temperatures...and we met at a horse ranch outside Park Rapids, MN.  What caught my eye was the very intriguing stables, buildings the ranch offered...but our first painting was dealing with emphasis on essentials and fundamentals, the importance of values for depth illusion and variation/intrigue in the work to stand alone as a fine painting.  Thus, choosing a simpler subject for everyone and to be near enough to help organize palettes for one...and teach.  

Once everyone was working...I used a values driven palette that I was going to be emphasizing and thought it would be instrumental that folks understood that though it was a limited palette...it would not suffer for lack of color and punch as they, after all...were executing a monochromatic first study from the same palette.  Thus...after setting up my palette and seeing Steve Beaubien off and running on his own painting, I did this quick 12"x 9" work above.  Painted on what I call a pumice panel...(2-3 tablespoons of #FFFF pumice added to one cup gesso, and a bit of black acrylic to have a neutral darker ground).

Second day proved a challenge, especially for those new to painting plein air, as thunderstorms were predicted all day in the area.  My observations of the struggles some folks were having (Steve is a veteran to this though...) just organizing the palettes (from cool to warm colors, setting up darks to lights and having them assigned a spot for easy access...and a decent amount of paint put out to work with) thought we could accomplish just as much if not more working indoors...from life, and thus used a room adjacent to the Blank Canvas gallery (which hosted this workshop).  Setting up a bottle of wine, couple glasses and bread.  With essentials understood...we would be better prepared for the next day to paint outdoors.


Stressed not just painting everything as is...but to move things around on the canvas/support to make an ideal composition...and this time using color with values, dark...mid, light and white.  Here was my demo of the same...9" x 12" on pumice panel-

Next day, more rain...winds up to 70mph were in the forecast, so we decided to find a pavillion where we could set up...and did so in the town of Osage...and, as it would turn out we had rain, stormy clouds, breaks in the clouds, sun...back to cloudy and the artists experienced nature's mood change about 8 or 9 different times.  It was a good lesson on why one needs to have basic things like an organized palette down...to paint quickly and efficiently.

Here you see a number of the artists set up and working...

One problem facing workshops in providing assurance of nearby facilities, keeping everyone together and some other conveniences is that, weather can be challenging...and the selection of locations to work from such as this pavilion may guarantee comforts, but not necessarily an ideal view of paintable ideal subject content.  

I seized that reality thinking it would be useful for the artists to demonstrate how to go about getting something from nothing...or extracting the possibility of a good painting from the subject with the mantra-  "paintings work for reasons paintings work"...and this last demo example was my result, and pleased that one of the workshop artists decided they wished to buy this one...also, 9"x 12" oil on pumice panel...

Overall...a productive and fine workshop and am looking forward to being invited back.  I also found myself fond of one of Steve Beaubien's work in their gallery...and just had to have it!

As always...click on the images to bring up a larger image view...

Alaska...where do I begin?

Thank goodness for being a painter.  I mean, I've been told I have something of a knack for words, but words do not aptly describe such a venture as painting, teaching in Alaska.  

Some of the warmest, friendliest folks I've had the pleasure to meet and come to know.  Hearty...embracing the weather that is Alaska...with full intent to push on paint regardless.  Rain...chill, squalls, mist or what I heard them refer to as "socked in!"  We were out there.  Painting north of Anchorage...areas of Palmer, Wasilla, Willow...Hatcher's Pass, and Independence Mine.

Plans began within the first couple days of being back home to return next summer.  The question is...will it be one, two...perhaps three different workshops offered?  One north of Anchorage...one that covers south Anchorage to Whittier, Portage and Kenai?  Whatever the case...if you have ever thought to travel...make this destination/workshop your aim for next year.

I will add photos over the next couple weeks...tell of the fun we had, share paintings, but of the 800 photos I have, I will be working on a DVD trailer to promote the workshop for next year.


My aim for these workshops was to build foundations for control, for expediency, to build confidence in the artists.  Beginning with value driven limited palettes...then introducing Zorn's palette...next Payne's pigment soup palette, lastly the split-complementary palette.
Here are some pictures to wet your appetite...and a couple painting demos of mine executed...


Of course...to answer the first question right away, YES!!!!  I did go fishing...and many thanks to Scott Thompson, artist and sportsman...bringing Kurt Jacobson and myself to the Deshka River...we catching five salmon in all...keeping but one very nice one that Scott caught, and you see what fine slabs on the grill such present!

 ...and...do click on images to see a larger better view...!


Next...here is some of our gang at work, or shall we say play?  Serious play!!!

Of course...we had a bit of scenery to work with...

 ...and...of course I was there to instruct on painting methods and strategies..


Here...we are struggling with the decision where to set up.  There just aren't enough places to paint in Alaska!!!

and of course...you are always reminded of the realities, you aren't in Kansas, nor Disneyland.  Here...nature plays for real...but, to me that is part of the allure! 


Its really not so scary, but Alaskans have their share of respect, not running up a lonely mountain trail thru thick brush...least not without protection.  Let's just say, common sense...

...My wife Deb and I, spent time at this Alaskan Wildlife Conservancy Center where orphaned animals are rehabilitated, this curator was fielding questions while feeding two kodiak bears, sixteen months old...

 ...and...to finish off, I'll share one painting here in particular I like that I did at a waterfalls at Independence Mine in Hatcher's Pass.  I was there to teach, and in so doing a particular obligation to restrict one's self as an instructor to stay within the bounds of what is being taught...the painting an example.  On this one last day of the second workshop, I sensed opportunity to do one for me.  Everyone was busy working on their own paintings, quite invigorated with a sense of what they needed to focus on.  This one perhaps may be hard to yet see...but I am working to push edges and break or destroy form more.


Our umbrellas to shade and protect from above did little to prevent the freezing drizzle squall that came in sideways for about the last 15 to 20 minutes.  I was very impressed, and proud to call my friends and fellow painters these Alaskan souls, who embrace their weather and look for no sympathy or quick escape.  Karen Whitworth, a very fine painter herself...was painting next to me.  When I looked over, at about the time my fingers were now quite numb...her hair was drenched and hanging...but no complaining from Karen.  Not at all...she certainly sets a standard and maintains her own.


I took a paper towel and patted down the corner of my painting just so I could have it dry enough to sign my name.  If you click on this one, you will likely note the droplets of water accumulating throughout the painting.  Thank goodness oil and water do not mix!!!

20"x 10" oil on pumice panel...

Plein Air Workshop Announcement- Park Rapids, Mn

Looking forward to my time in Park Rapids, Minnesota this summer, dates are July 13th- the 15th... 9am-5pm daily, though I'm sure we'll paint a nocturne one of those nights for those eager enduring ones...actual meeting/paint location will be the Toad Mountain Ranch, in Osage, MN...a short drive from Park Rapids.

For information on attending, contact Steve Beaubien, 218-237-5112 or 605-940-8446

This event is hosted by Blank Canvas Gallery and Education Center

I will post more information shortly on my main artist's website, which will detail the scope of learning I will be teaching...

Hope to see you there!!!

Another Workshop in the Works...July 11th-15th... Park Rapids, MN area...

Plans are in the works for my teaching a three day workshop during this week next summer...room for twelve participants.  Will post more information soon...

Shall be much fun!

Wasilla, Alaska Plein Air workshop...In Just Two Weeks! Still Room...for a few

We are going to have an absolute blast...best time ever.  My lovely wife is going with me this time and we get to hang with the most awesome folks!  My artist's website provides all the information you'll need to know, plus options to pay your registration early. Two workshops planned...one week followed by a weekend workshop. Special discounts for those that take the full week, or better yet the week AND the weekend.

...and here is a tourism video about ten minutes long to really really wet your appetite and super charge you!!!  Unfortunately (or fortunately) it is a wider view video than the blog space provides, so simply click on the video as it gets under way and it will come up on YouTube.  Then...after watching, hit your return button and come on back to my blog here and follow my workshop link to my website for more information!!!   Looking forward to painting and working with YOU!!!

 

Plein Air Workhop- with Larry Seiler, the NE Wisconsin north woods experience!

There are now just two weekend plein air workshops I am offering this summer and fall.  A chance to take in one of the summer workshops...or enjoy the color of the October fall season!

Our location- Goodman County Park...here, as described by the county park department-

Goodman Park has a 15-site campground on the Peshtigo River in the heart of the Marinette County Forest. The campground has firewood for sale, vault toilets, a dump station, and a potable water tower for campers. Water is also available at a hand pump. A large group campsite is available by reservation. Also available by reservation is an enclosed, log day use lodge and a cabin available for overnight stays.

The upper Peshtigo River along with numerous nearby streams provides trout fishing.

*note- due to fee increases and changes in reservation policies requiring all fees paid for the use of the lodge several days after reserving, I have decided we will not be using the lodge.  There is the greater likelihood the lodge will not be leased out anyway (based on my experience) and we could yet stand beneath the overhang awning, and if we desired for any reason an indoor classroom environment, we would have access to my actual classroom in neighboring Forest County.

I also have EZ-UP tents I could put up to stand beneath in the event of rain which worked quite well in rainy Juneau, Alaska when I was out there.

If camping appeals to your adventurous nature, contact the Marinette system to reserve a campsite for the weekend...go to  Marinette County Parks

For others, there is the Potawatomi Northern Lights Casino and Lodge with an approximate 25-30 minute drive...or Best Western Motel in the town of Crandon, about 30 minutes...(12 miles west of Laona, WI)

Fees-  $240 

Saturday and Sunday- 9am to 5pm  (options to paint later if you so desire)

as is often the case, I like to get together with those that arrive Friday, for an evening meal, bit of cheer and time to get to know each other.  We can work those things out by email...

You can register half payment down ($120) to reserve your spot (each workshop is limited to twelve painters), the remaining due upon arrival. I have created convenient paypal buttons below to choose your workshop date preference. Please feel free to contact me for questions. I'll be adding more information as time moves on if I think it important, so please note my category "Workshop Information" to the right side of the blog you can click on to bring this posting up!

- - - - -

Aug 21st-22nd (half down- $120)

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Oct 9th-10th  (half down- $120)

Reminder...Plein Air Workshop Aug 2-3rd Marquette, Michigan!

Just want to bring up once more that the workshop this
beginning August still has some room for students, and
is for one weekend only. A most beautiful area with great
natural settings to inspire painting.

Here an idea of some of the area's offerings...places I have
painted at a good number of times, and will be visiting
shortly in a less than a couple weeks-




















All information on what will be taught, fees and so forth
can be found on my regular artist's website, the Workshop
page...

Click on the image above showing the Marquette
area locations to see a much nicer, larger view!

Painter's Workshop- July/August 2008 - Marquette, Michigan

Plans now together for a plein air painting workshop I will
instruct this mid August....


















visit my website's Workshop Page for all the information!

Imagine paint settings such as this- (click image to see larger)

Workshop Over...Great time!!! Great people...

Well...anticipation seems to drag time on when waiting
for something, and then in a flash its over. Had the privilege
this past weekend working with artists from Minnesota,
southern & northern Wisconsin and Illinois...meeting first
for dinner at one of my northern restaurant haunts. Could
tell right off this was going to be a great group of folks to
work with.

Here was our parting shot, one had to take off early before
we thought to grab the camera...
















...and to read more about the workshop, the participants...
and see some pics, follow this Wetcanvas.com link
where I have posted the event in my artist helps forum.

I painted several demos over the workshop time together
but will have to give each some attention to tweak and
finish. A workshop of course isn't about finishing the
work necessarily for the artist...but to demonstrate and
attend to helping the others...

all 9"x 12"...last two are split-comp palette driven-

Teaching a Painting Workshop THIS weekend... gettn' ready..

Really looking forward to this weekend, meeting and
making new friends among artists. Artists and musicians
simply are some of the neatest people to know and be
around.

We'll be having dinner together Friday night, break some
ice...talk about Saturday morning, and then for two days
we'll be paint'n up a storm on various sites I have picked
out here in NE Wisconsin.

This afternoon...I painted up an example of a "Pigment
Soup" color scheme colorwheel. Ted Goerschner calls
it working with a "mother color"...and a few other artists
putting out books of recent as well, but this was a more
common knowledge in the early 1900's thru mid 1900's
as one of a number of palette strategies to create great
moods, unifying harmonizing pictures.

The way a pigment soup works is you simply mix up a
color pleasing to you...one that by experience will nail
the mood that excites your aesthetic senses, and draw a
piece of that color into of your main palette color piles.
The common color simply pulls everything together.

To illustrate, I mixed up a pile of this somewhat
neutral bluish-green...


















I then grabbed a paint panel...sketched out some
colorwheel lines...and painted the center space the
main dominant "soup" color...and immediately
surrounding the dominant are the pure primary
colors of my limited palette, and the secondaries
mixed up from then...
























Working our way out now, I take the dominant
bluish-green color and mix a bit into each of
the primaries and secondaries...then finish off
with the tint of the same, or adding white.

Note how the colors naturally and very pleasingly
harmonize on the wheel...and premixed on your
palette gives you full confidence the painting will
all pull together.























I'll conclude this little illustration by mentioning that quite
often the artist that works with a limited palette is very
much limiting himself.

Here's the thing...if you understand just a smidge of
color theory, are connected to some knowledge understood
by the past masters and put that to work, you can use
a simple strategy such as "pigment soup" to expand the
very few colors.

I only use three primaries: Utrecht French Ultramarine Blue,
Cadmium Lemon Yellow, W&N Bright red, Naples Yellow...
sometimes Viridian, and white as my routine palette.

Consider the possibilities...as this was just one color I
indiscriminately mixed up to use as a dominant, so...how
many colors could one mix up and run with? Endless!!!

And...that is just the "pigment soup" strategy. There are
about a half-dozen different strategies I work with, one
common to quite a few plein air painters and painters in
general...mixing on the fly seeing the actual color, and
this is called "optical color" mixing. Others are a neutral
mud block-in wet into wet alla prima method, a twist on
an Edgar Payne strategy I've been developing. And one
more, one of my favorites is the split-complementary
palette...which involves a dominant color, then using its
split-complementaries plus white.

There are more...but what??? We are limiting ourselves
by understanding the maximum that can be done with
with less or fewer colors??? Sssheesh...the few under-
stood open a whole world about color, their very many
possibilities. From my observations I could argue that
having 16-20 colors out on a palette hardly gives the
artist a chance for the complexities to be understood
simply!

That's my story...and I'm stickin' to it!!!

For information on my workshop I'm teaching this weekend
(still time...) click here, contact me!

Goodman Plein Air Workshop Demo...

12"x 24" oil

This was my demo this Sunday afternoon...for a
workshop held in Goodman, WI...wonderful fall
day.

A bit of touch up here and there instudio...hard to
finish a larger demo afield...but, pretty satisfied
over all.

The demo was using one of Edgar Payne's strategies
of a dark neutral, then mixing the colors seen, you
add a bit of the neutral and then white to adjust.
The neutral acts both as your darkest dark, but also
as the "pigment soup"...and leads to a more tonal
palette option.

Each color having a bit of the neutral or "soup"
then possesses a natural common pigment leading
to a working harmony. In fact, it is quite obvious
with the colors premixed on the palette just by
looking that the painting will possess a working
color harmony.

I'll later repost the finished piece after I touch up
a few things here and there.

with a bit of time left, about 25 minutes, I offered
to demo quickly a split-complementary palette
effort on a 5"x 7"...and chose bluish-green as my
dominant, and red and orange as my splits, plus
white...
a quicky..

NE Wisconsin Workshop...Sept20th/Oct 1st

Anyone in the area or can plan on travel
on shorter notice, consider this workshop
I'll be teaching (oils & acrylics) in
Lakewood, WI..

Focus will be the one day on Emile Gruppes
ideas and methods, second day on Edgar
Payne, teaching how I've incorporated what
I've learned into my own painting methods
of late.
For more information on this workshop
(Click Here)

Off to Juneau Alaska...!!! July 5th thru the 20th...

Just thought I'd let frequent surfers of
my blogspot here know that I'll be gone
for sixteen days...teaching two plein air
painter's workshops in Juneau. My first
visit to Alaska...so I am quite excited
to say the least!

I'll have a couple days between workshops
and several days after to do a bit of
hiking, some salmon fishing...maybe even
some whale watching!

I'll post some work and give an update
when next possible.