Painting in Large Scale for my 2015 Winter classes at the Ryan Estate

  I thought I'd write a little about painting in large scale.  I am not a very fine writer but I will do my best.  This is for my students, to help them make a selection for size of canvas and subject matter.  It's exciting, fun, interesting and a good adventure.

There are many reasons to go large scale with a painting. For some it is just for the experience.  And for some it's an addiction.  I love large scale because it allows me to work on many issues all at once without getting too caught up in any one area.  There is so much to do, one has to keep moving and make sure that everything is balancing well.  With my still life, I choose to work big because I really enjoy the epic quality of groups of objects interacting with each other on the surface.  I've always admired the huge allegorical paintings at the MFA.  The mythical content and the relationships of the figure.  When using the still life I can rearrange the object to my liking and leave them there.  And as I always like to say, I don't need to pay them to pose.

While painting my objects, I will tweak and move them as I please thru out the painting...to make the painting more effective.  Sometimes it is as simple as needing a blue somewhere.  Oh, yes, back to size...I think of my still life paintings as landscapes with many layers of action happening in the picture plan.  I group objects to create effective space between the objects for areas to rest the eye.  Since I am dealing with so many objects..up to 30 at times, size is a necessity.  There just needs to be more room for organizational issues.  Plus, I enjoy when the objects themselves become more monumental in scale.  The objects become more to contend with and importance.

In landscape, the scale might happen by the feel of the subject matter.  One obvious example is the epic view that is at Fruitlands Museum.  There is such a grandeur that needs to be expressed by the scale of the landscape there.  I have chosen long horizontal canvas for this location.  I also love to do mill town landscapes in large scale.  The retro buildings have such stunning personalities that can be exaggerated by being expressed in larger scale.

With this all said, a canvas needs to be chosen after a design and plan is decided on...not before.  An artist should not try to fit a subject inside of a space, it just does not make sense.  If I have a epic landscape that is really long and I try to paint it in a square, it would not make any sense.  Not only that, if you are trying to convey a certain idea or feeling..that would determine the shape and size of your canvas.  In the old days, I would design and draw and then I would make and stretch my own canvas, whatever size I needed.  No attention to framing needs  but more attention to the needs of the subject and painting that I am doing.

All in all, painting large requires a more physical presence.  You can't sit for long periods of time.  you have to get back and see the overall surface and how the issues are working out.  Often times I rotate the canvas to see what is happening on the surface that needs resolve.  Remember you need bigger brushes and more paint for a larger surface.  There is not stretching out the materials..unless you are just staining the surface.

I hope this helps on the selection of the subject matter.  I should also address portrait.  I have done many portraits 36"X36".  Just the head.  Talk about monumental!  They become more like landscapes of a persons facial terraine.  So, when choosing big, look at the possibilities and what you want to say about your subject matter because it has impact.  And we will use those big brushes to push the paint around the surface.

"Not so...

"Not So Still" Still Life

Six Week Class:  Tuesday, March 25-April 29  10-1

Concord Art Association

Have you always Wanted to paint a more complex still life, yet something with pizzazz?  Do you want to learn how to paint decorative objects with reflections, transparencies and interconnected dynamic patterns?  This is a class on "not so still" still life.  Jill will teach students how to paint the illusions of glass and reflections on the canvas and create a still life that is lively and expressive.  Students will do a series of warm up exercises in class and then launch into two paintings which reflect these challenges.  Jill will also discuss how to set up a still life emphasizing that composition forms the very foundation and heart of ay painting.  You will learn the art of organizing various shapes and color into an arrangement that will please your viewers and you.  See Jill's work at www.pottleart.com


$275M  $325NM

To registrar please call 978-369-2578 or email education@concordart.org or online at www.concordart.org

Figure Workshop 2014

Second Session of:

Figure Workshop w/Two Models

One time only: March 1, 10-4

at the Ryan Estate in Lincoln w/Jill Pottle

Haven’t you always admired the classical paintings that have more than one figure in them?  The artist conveys the dynamic relationship between two personalities.  This is a workshop addressing the relationship between two models.  The class will also address proportion, modeling of the form, composition and other basic issues.  It is also a marathon day with 6 hours of drawing the figures.  The class will start with short gestures and as the day moves on the students will have more time to work on their drawing issues with my assistance.  It will be an exciting class for all.  Some basic drawing experience requested.  All levels welcome.  No water media.

$115 course registration which includes the model fee

Danforth School and Museum Classes

Calling All Students.....

  It is time to start Blogging again.  My St. Botolph Club Exhibition w/Nan Hass Feldman is wrapping up and I now have more time to focus on other activities.  There is one more day that the general public can go and see the exhibition and this is on Wed. 2-4.  Beautiful show and quite the honor to be shown on walls that John Singer Sargent had his watercolors hung.  I hope to sell at least one more painting to make it really a worth while exhibition.

   I am looking for students for my figure workshop March 1st.  This is where we will have two figures modeling together.  What a unique experience!!  I did one in January and it was fantastic.  I hope my students will come again and learn about the energy of line this time.  I am also getting ready for my Orr's Island Workshop and looking forward to another great group to have up in Maine for a week of painting.  And last but not least is my "Not so still, still life"  class at the Concord Art Association.  Should be a fun class with lots of reflections, patterns and transparencies.  Exciting stuff.  Contact me by email for more info.

   Been a challenging year, with lots of opportunities for exhibitions.  Not as many sales as I had hoped.  I hope this year will be more profitable.  I have a lot of new folks on my mailing lists and have met some new students and collectors.   I am looking forward to having some new private lessons, it has been a while but this comes in waves.

   Thanks to everyone for you support.  More demos to come on this blog and do look at the previous ones for a look into how I create.