Translating a famous painting and understanding why it works.

Almost finished painting:  Going backwards.....

Setting up my pallet:  Looking for Hopper's colors.

Looking at Hopper's way of designing.

Using the tracing paper to learn and not to copy.  

First one is a literal copy.  The second one is about observations.

Thumb nail sketches:  What do I want to do in my interpretation:

The painting I am researching.

Concord Art Association Class

Students will be challenged by what a contemporary landscape is all about. We will work a little more on our mini paintings, roughing them in with the most simplified shapes possible. These are meant to be quite, loose and expressive, no detail.  Then the next challenge is to work from a famous artist painting that you admire. Bring in your books.  Students will break down the painting and discover what the essence of this painting really is and paint from it. Simplify and Simplify!! It will be exciting. You might look up Catherine Kehoe's web page, she works from the masters all the time. Might give you some ideas. I will bring in examples as well. See you in class on Tuesday.

First steps in the process of designing and painting a landscape - Diptychs and Triptychs

First you must pick a subject matter that moves you. This is a location where I take students up to Maine to paint in June. It is a familiar spot and holds some excitement for me. I will take the image off my computer and print this out in black and white: one over exposed and the other under exposed. This is useful for seeing simplified shapes. Then I will print color, and also manipulate the color to give myself more information and ideas. It is great to have a hard copy because I can draw into it and/or cut it up to discover more ideas. Once selected, start into your thumb nail sketches which should only take about 10 minutes. These should not be labor intensive. This is the designing stage.

The process of designing and painting a landscape - Diptychs and Triptychs

This is the planning stage and I am doing sketches and tracings of my subject matter. I first do thumb nails just to decide on design. Is it going to be a triptych or diptych? How am I going to use the space. It is never about copying the photo. It is about designing and deciding what I like and will include and what to exclude. Simplify! There is always time to put more stuff in the picture plane. Then I do sketches to find the flow and rhythm of the painting... anchoring locations of shapes to make my design stronger. Even finding where MY thirds will be above and beyond the fact that a landscape is a 1/3 1/3 1/3. My division, again is to explore design and what is relevant to me in this landscape. It is always about finding something personal, effective and new to the naked eye.

The process of designing and painting a landscape - Diptychs and Triptychs

Small studies for color information. And the laid out painting with a wash on it. Notice the cups with washes in them. I decided on a yellow ochre underpainting to help me set the values and to give me a rich color to build on top of.

The process of designing and painting a landscape - Diptychs and Triptychs

My oils mixed and laid out as a start of what I might use color wise.

Deer Isle, Maine

Hopes for 2016

I have great hopes for this coming year. I am hoping to relaunch my web site with new artworks finished this summer. I had some great break throughs in painting and I am feeling my work is getting stronger and more of what I am looking for. I am hoping to also get help with social networking, so keep an eye out for that. Probably a new blog as well. New and improved. And perhaps venture into a new part time job. So lots of exciting things to look forward to. Keep an eye out.

 I have been teaching now for almost 35 years and I am surprised to see that enrollment is so low these days. It seems that students are not out there taking as many classes as years ago. As I always say that the students make the workshops and the classes what they are. Students are the ones that generate excitement and inspiration in classes. Every student counts for their consistency in a class and contributions to each and every class. Don't forget to support the arts. We need our creativity to fill our souls and to nurture ourselves and the planet. It's all about process, appreciation and aesthetics. Don't forget to sign up and don't delay.

 My work is going to be displayed at the Three Stones Gallery in W. Concord for only one more week. Stop by. It has been a very successful exhibition with lots of good sales. It is still up and 10% off till it closes.

 New Job? I am going to explore and enter into the world of elder care. It is a much needed service as we all grow older. I am just at the beginning of exploring this. More blogs to come. If you have any demos you are looking for, contact me and I will put up some new ones on this blog. More soon.