Adriana Meiss - Pastels

Lavender Picker, 10x8"

2012-01-20T12:36:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to say that I'm back into painting in a serious way.

This one is the first study of a series I intent to do, based on photos I took last summer at the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival.

Most of my reference photos include a lot of people, so when deciding whom to paint I look for interesting poses or garments and if necessary, I add people from other photos or change the way they are facing in order to make a pleasing composition.

Sketches to Remember Rosie

2012-01-12T15:35:00.000-08:00

Early this year I lost my very dear kitty Rosie due to asthma complications.
The pain of loosing her is still very raw but I have found some comfort in looking at he sketches I did of her. To my surprise, there were even more sketches than I thought I had, and to me, they are better than photos.

Makyes Rd, 7x5"

2012-01-03T21:04:00.001-08:00

We've finally had our first decent snowfall of the season, but I'm still much into painting fall scenes.

This little pastel sits on one of the two narrow
3 feet-long shelves that my husband installed in my studio for the purpose of displaying small, unframed work. This way, it's easier for me to assess what's really ready to be framed. However, having gone through a period of extreme self-critique, the shelves are already full of erased or washed boards that still show ghosts of previous scenes, and are looking now for something new.

Invitation: If you live in the area, you are welcome to attend the reception to my exhibit at May Memorial Church 3800 E. Genesee St. Syracuse, NY 13214, this Sat, Jan 7th from 2:00PM to 4:00PM.

Wheat Field (revisited) 9x12"

2011-12-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

While looking for framed artwork for an upcoming show in January, I found and oldie that needed fixing.

The original (here) was done on location two years ago, and at the time, I felt compelled to paint just what I saw. Because back then I needed some work for a show on plein air, the painting was framed almost right away. As it often happens after I frame something, I became more aware of the mistakes I did, so I simply stored it in a closed. Every time I took it out I would add one more thing to my mental list of the things that needed fixing: the repeated shapes of the hills and the stands of trees, the strong colors, the barrier formed by the wheat field and tree stand.

I think I have addressed all those issues, and for the time being, I also think that this version speaks more of fall.

Almost Gone, 7x5"

2011-12-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

Another small painting I had in last weekend show.
It's loosely based on a photo I took last year. Fall colors were not as spectacular this year, very likely because of so much rain.

Some good news: I'll have a show in September next year at the Edgewood Gallery here in Syracuse. I'll be sharing the show with another pastel artist who paints mostly flowers, and a woodcarver. I'm already thinking of a theme...

Willow in Fall, 7x5" -SOLD

2011-12-06T10:29:00.001-08:00

The Plowshares Festival went very well: I sold 6 paintings on Saturday and 3 on Sunday (which in previous years have been a dud). Of course, it helped that there was no snow. Thank you to all the locals who came and stopped by!

This painting is a rework of one I did in April. I liked the mood in the original one but the bare tree trunk looked so menacing, more like a big spider, so I took a brush and removed pastel from some areas. Most willows from around here still had their green leaves on a few weeks ago, so that was my inspiration for the colors. The mood is not quite the same but still gives the idea of a rainy, and somewhat cold, fall day.

The Blue Fence, 7x5"

2011-11-29T11:58:00.000-08:00

I've been on painting frenzy because this coming weekend is the Plowshares Festival here in Syracuse. With so many things going on lately, I thought I still had two weeks to prepare for the show, so imagine my shock when I learned I only had one week to get things ready!

Anyway, things are coming along better than I expected. I have created some new paintings (like the one here, from the Phoenix Flower Farm), finished others, and have also resurrected and improved old ones. Right now, I'm working on three small paintings at the same time. This might sound weird but it's working just fine for me: when I get stuck on one I move to the next and so on, and because I have them on a shelf where I can see them, it's not likely that I'll forget to finished any of them.

On another note, Thank You to all my followers! This blog is three years old, and I probably wouldn't have continued it if it weren't for you. I started it as a way of forcing myself to work in my studio during the cold winter months-- and it worked! Now, if I do not post something at least every two weeks, I feel guilty. I'll try to post more often though.

Below is the way Phoenix Sunset (sold)-which was in last post, looks now:

Workshop with Marc Hanson in Arizona

2011-11-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

For several years I have been wanting to take a workshop with Marc Hanson and finally, two weeks ago I had the chance and headed to the Scottsdale Artist's School in Arizona.
The emphasis of the workshop was painting from field to studio and the main issues related to both situations.

B&W Study 1-Getting acquainted with the flora

Day 1. After introductions and a demo by Marc on how to do black and white studies, we went to Papago Park to find subjects to paint. That first day outdoors was tough mostly because of the the heat and my not being familiar with the plants and colors of the desert. I worked from a shelter all day and at the end I had 4 small studies, all done on 4.5 x 6" Canson paper. I had left my white and black pastels at home so I had to work with a range of purples. After struggling with the first one, I decided to work on the smooth side of the paper and the going got easier.

B&W Study 2

B&W Study 3, Saguaro

B&W Study 4, Papago Buttes

Day 2 . Color study day.

Color Study 1, 12x9"
We arrived very early at the park in order to avoid the heat. I looked around for something really appealing to paint and found a pond surrounded by palm trees --an oasis!

In the afternoon I did a color study of some bushes. One thing that called my attention were the shadows: right under them they were reddish, becoming bluish as they came closer to sunlit areas. I have never seen this so clearly before.

Color Study 2, 9x12"

Later on I did a panoramic view of the mountains beyond the buttes. The colors of the mountains kept on switching from warm earths to cool blues because of clouds to the south and the problem was that I liked both colors!

Color Study 3, 9x12"

That day we stayed late at the park to try capturing the sunset colors. It was very hard as in my eagerness to work fast it didn't occur to me to use my hand to keep the sun from blinding me. My sunset wasn't that great but I knew that with some work it could look better.

Day 3. In the morning, two other participants and I decided to go back to the park very early and do more painting before class.

Saguaro Color Study, 9x6"
I worked some more on my pond painting but got quite frustrated with the changing reflections on the water and my going after them instead of sticking with what I originally had.

Back in the classroom, Marc did a large color demo. It was so enlightening! He basically finished the whole thing in a few hours. He said that one needs to visualize the finished painting before starting it. This came as an epiphany! I think this is a key point: once you have your composition and color scheme worked out and you have a mental painting, it's probably easier not to get side-tracked with unimportant things.

In the afternoon I did a color study based on my black and white study of the saguaro. I found this exercise very valuable as sometimes I tend to get carried away with color, forgetting to match the correct values.

Day 4, I started my large painting on a 16x20" Ampersand Pastelbord. I thought the mountain view of my previous color study was more interesting for a large painting.

Things were going well at the beginning but somewhere I got lost. I do remember fussing about color intensity from background to foreground. Also, comparing it now to the color study, there is so much deviation in color... I definitely need to rework it.

Large painting, unfinished, 16x20"

After my frustration with the large painting, I worked on the sunset from day 2.

Phoenix Sunset, 7x9"

Day 5 In the morning I worked on my pond painting.

Pond at Papago Park, 12x9"
For critique we had to select two pieces of work. I chose the large painting (the one that had given me so much grief) and the one of the pond.

He said for me to work on being more suggestive or expressive with shape (especially with trees) and not to give much detail to areas that aren't important. Something else he suggested was to work on the substrate that was right for me. He thought my pond painting was the better one (and I agreed with him on that). He said that I seemed to be struggling with the Ampersand board because of its texture, so he suggested I redo that scene on a different support. Having worked on Ampersand boards before and with good results, I think the real problem for me was not having imagined the painting finished beforehand thus not having a clear idea of where I was going with it. I do not like to leave things unfinished so I'm hoping to resolve those issues soon.

Coming home after a 5-day workshop with only two finished paintings would have seemed ridiculous to me before, but not this time. Even if I had come home with no finished paintings at all, I wouldn't have been totally disappointed. I enjoyed every minute of the workshop and feel that I learned very important things, which if applied to my work, might yield better results.

Adirondack Shack, 12x9"

2011-10-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago a friend and I went to Old Forge to catch the fall colors that were supposed to be at their peak there.
We weren't disappointed at all and came back with lots of reference material.

This little shack is next to View, the new arts center at Old Forge. I don't know if it was a cabin or some kind of station, but it's been abandoned for several years now. I like to imagine it as a summer cottage with the bare necessities.

This was supposed to be a quick study but it took longer than I expected because I had to make several value adjustments between the background trees and the sunlit areas of the foreground trees.

Rural Twilight, 11x14"

2011-10-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

This house, located near Ansonia, Pennsylvania, has intrigued me ever since I saw it for the first time. Perhaps is the spruces behind it that frame it so well and make it look imposing from the road.

Anyway, for several years I have been wanting to paint it but did not like the thought of just painting the photo reference. I wanted the painting to tell a story. Then, a few months ago, the idea of something happening inside the house in late evening came to me while I was painting sunsets, and this is the result.

Sunsets

2011-10-03T15:30:00.001-07:00

Moon at Dusk, 5x7"--SOLD
I was making some progress cleaning my studio when suddenly came down with a cold that made me useless for two days. On day three, I was feeling a little bit better and celebrated it by doing some painting.

The first one is based on a photo I took from the highway. Since the foreground in the photo was a blurry mass, I decided to make one up.

Utica Sunset, 8x10"
The second one was a serendipity painting--I looked at some reference photos I had in a file and this one, which at the time I though I would never paint, jumped at me. I'm not sure this is the final version. I'm toying with the idea of adding some red lights from a car going towards the area of interest.

Gerry Lake, en plein air, 16x12"

2011-09-25T16:58:00.000-07:00

This painting was done over a year ago at Gerry Lake near Oxford, NY, when another friend an I joined the Colorscape Chenango Plein Air Painters of Central New York for a day of painting.

I have recently reworked some areas that were bothering me, and lightened the color of the trees. Because this was done on a coarsely prepared board, toned with red, I had to be careful of not clogging the tooth too much. This kind of surface gives the work an unfinished quality that I like.

On a different note, I have to confess that I did not paint at all this past week simply because my studio has become a mess. It's bad when you can't find colors you know you have. I wish I was the kind of person who uses a pastel stick and puts it back where it belongs after each use. But no; mine end up in an dirty pile and now I'm paying for it. It's a very bad habit that I need to get under control. This coming week my goal is to neaten my working area and rearrange my pastels in a way that should make it easier to keep clean and organized.

Miniature paintings, 5x7"

2011-09-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

Storm Cloud near Tully -SOLD
I have been accepted once again to participate at the Plowshares Craftsfair and Peace Festival in December. For shows of this kind small paintings sell better than large ones, so I have begun preparing for it.

I painted these two this weekend. The more detail there is, the harder it is to cram it all in, as it happened in the second one.

Meadowbrook Pond -SOLD
I don't consider them studies, as many artists do when working in this size. I see them as paintings in their own right, and I frame them only when they look right to me. If I feel inclined to make a larger version of any of them, I already have the advantage of being familiar with the scene and color scheme, and very often the second version turns out better.

My husband call them "postage stamp paintings", but framed in a wide frame they look nice.

Leetonia Road, en plein air, 12x9"

2011-09-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

As we had done in other years, my family and I spent Labor Day weekend at a friend's camp in Leetonia, in northern Pennsylvania. This area is close to the Great Canyon of the East.

There was so much green everywhere that I did not feel like painting; after some thinking I realized I was afraid of failing even before starting. So basically, I forced myself to paint. This in turn forced me to look more carefully at the possibilities I had before me, and this partially sunlit road offered the most interesting subject.

I think the correct name of the road is Painter Leetonia Rd.

Old Forge Plein Air Paintout

2011-09-06T12:06:00.001-07:00

Adirondack Cottage, 9x12"

This past weekend was the Plein Air Paintout at Old Forge, NY, that culminated in the auctioning of donated artwork to benefit the new art center, View.

This first scene is one that I have been studying since I took a workshop with Susan Ogilvie in May of last year. It's a private entrance seen from the parking lot of the old arts center. It seems that having all this time to ruminate on the scene helped me immensely because the painting went very smooth.

After checking several places for painting potential I decided to go to the Moose River. This area is one that everyone sees when entering the town.

Moose River by Rt 28th, 9x12"
(donated)

Madison Windmills, 8x10"

2011-08-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

My plan was to start another painting based on the previous one, but this photo from the same area begged me to paint it first.

For several years I had seen the windmills in the distance and was very curious as to what they looked like up close, so last year my daughter and I went to Madison county in search of them. Not only did we take lots of pictures but also fell in love with the countryside.

As a believer in renewable energy, I plan to include windmills in some future paintings. The ones here are barely visible on the left.

Cummulus Cloud, 8x10"

2011-08-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

The variable weather we've been having has gotten me in the mood to paint skies.

This small painting took me longer to finish than I had expected. Somehow, clouds always look so inviting and easy to paint but once I start painting them I realize that it's not so easy after all to represent their three dimensionality.

I've just got another idea for a different version of this... I'll better get to work on it!

A Fast Moving Front, 11" x 17"

2011-08-16T12:13:00.000-07:00

This painting is based on the same reference photo that I used for Distant Pond.
While a larger format allows for more detail, it can also make things more difficult if you want to keep it loose. Perhaps that's why it took me over three weeks to finish it. Several times I thought it was done only to come next day and erase the previous day's work. I even added a dirt road -and still think it would have been a good idea, but it did not come out the way I wanted, so maybe another time, another painting.

I'm becoming more aware of how much one can learn from painting different versions of a particular scene. To avoid repetition you are always asking yourself what to add or remove to make the painting work.

The Rock Garden, en plein air, 9" x 12"

2011-08-03T14:16:00.001-07:00

My friend MaryBeth and I went painting this morning to her next-door neighbor's garden. She had told me about this garden before but I didn't imagine it had so much to offer!

This scene with black-eyed Susan, mullein, and globe thistle, was the first one that caught my attention, so after scouting for a while I figured I needed some practice painting foregrounds and this one offered the perfect setting.

From the very beginning my goal was to practice, not to produce a finished painting; that took so much pressure off and I'm happy with the results.

The Orchard - en plein air paintings

2011-07-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

The Yellow Lilies, 9"x12"
Beats me what made me do it , but I painted this last Thursday at midday when the temperature was in the 90's. I placed my box under a mulberry tree and once I started painting I wasn't that aware of the heat. It was done in about an hour--thus the level of detail, but one of the advantages I see on working fast on location is that one is forced to make decisions on the spot about placement of objects and values.

This year the orchard will be remembered as the year of fallow because besides the perennial bed, garlic, a tomato plant and a few herbs the rest is weeds and more weeds due to the work we are doing on the house.

The following are the previous paintings I've done from the same spot:

The Apple Trees - 2009, 9"x12"

The Scarlet Runner - 2008, 11"x11"

The Garden - 2008, 13"x17"

The Old Barn, 10" x 10"

2011-07-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

I wanted to have this piece finished and framed for the Lavender Festival last week but I had reached a point where careful consideration was needed, so very reluctantly I decided to let it rest for a little while.
Even today, after having taken a few final shots I impulsively added some blue green to the background tree, and that had the effect of tying things together.

Nick Lake and Moose River, 5" x 7" sold

2011-07-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

The 4th Finger Lakes Lavender Festival at Lockwood Farm was great, and from what I heard it's getting better each year.

Nine of my small paintings found new homes, including these two from the Adirondacks, and the one from the previous post. I loved this event because I had the chance to talk to lots of people, meet other artists, and even educate people about the pastel medium.

From my booth I had the opportunity to take lots of pictures of people picking lavender, and I have already been editing some for future paintings. I rarely include people in my landscapes so this project will be interesting.

Distant Pond, 8" x 10"-Sold

2011-06-26T07:12:00.001-07:00

This little one was finished last night in preparation for the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival in Skaneateles next month.

I have been on a slump of sorts with respect to painting simply because I've been painting with a wide brush: my house facade is finally getting the TLC it needed and my husband, daughter, and I are doing all the work. It's not easy to stand up in front of your easel when you are physically tired from the morning chores.

The house is looking nice and I'm starting to feel that I can produce new paintings again.

Fall Reflections (reworked) 8"x10"

2011-06-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a blurry photo is the perfect beginning for art exploration. Over a year ago I painted two very different fall scenes based on such a reference (see Two from One). The main objects in the photo that triggered my interest were a pond, a pasture right behind it, and a hill.

When the other objects that compose the landscape are not clearly defined you just make some up! Sometimes this works, but other times the made up objects look too out of place.
This was the case with my first version of this painting which I'm posting here so you can compare it to the newer version:

I had it framed for a local group exhibit because I did not have anything else that was new, but when I brought it back home something about it kept on nagging me. So I took it out of the frame and reworked it. It has gone through so many changes but I think this is it. I feel that this newer version is more poetic or romantic and certainly less static than the first.

Now I'm letting my paintings rest for while before framing them.

Spring Flow, 10" x 9"

2011-06-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Rocks have never been my favorite subject to paint but at a recent workshop with Robert Carsten, one of his paintings inspired me to challenge myself on this subject; after all, what's the point of taking a workshop and paint easy things?

This was my second workshop with him, but this time I spent most of the two days working on a single scene with a rocky wall. Robert kept me going at it when I would have given up or would have considered the painting done. His point was that I need to learn to go the extra mile! I also learned that you reach a point in the painting when you need to stop, think, and make decisions that sometimes deviate from what you originally wanted.

Most of this scene, was done during the last hour of the workshop, by then, rocks did not seem so scary a subject anymore.

Redbuds, en plein air, 9" x12"

2011-05-23T12:31:00.001-07:00

This is my 3rd plein air painting this year, and so far, the only one I'm happy with.

One thing my 1st one taught me was to paint the center of interest right away. I wanted a blooming peach tree among the delicate green of leafing apple trees, but the painting ended up being about the old, tall house behind my orchard because that's where I started!

I'm not sure exactly what my 2nd has taught me... Everything came out being too colorful, so perhaps to beware of painting under complete shade when your subject is in full sun? I just hope to get the chance to practice some more this year.

This wonderful garden in the middle of a city block belongs to my friend Parmalee and her husband. The garden is the setting for her photographs.

Old Painting, New Look: Seagulls at Dusk, 13" x 18"

2011-05-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

The latest version

I decided to take a closer look at old paintings that are still with me despite having been shown over and over, and now are taking precious space on my walls or in the studio.

I started with Seagulls at Dusk, a painting I did in 2007, based on a photo from the Wet Canvas reference library. At the time, I was very happy that I had used the photo reference in a minimal way (see photo at the bottom) and had let my creativity take over.

Lately, all I was seeing where repetitious and boring forms, so I gave myself two choices, to improve it or to trash it. As soon as the wall of conifers in the distance were removed I started seeing new possibilities. For now, I'm happy with the way it turned out as I feel it has some soul, but who knows what will happen in four years...

First version, 2007

photo reference

Marina on the Salmon River, 18"x24"

2011-05-10T08:39:00.001-07:00

This is one of the large pieces I had in the show last month.

It was a tricky piece from the very beginning because the photo reference was taken during late afternoon on a cloudy day and I wanted to experiment representing midday light and temperature.

Also, I had to get rid of foreground trees and reeds in order to create a more pleasing composition, and later on, I had to subdue the orange tree in the background because it was detracting attention from the boathouse. All in all, I think it works, but it left me with the need to learn more about the colors during midday hours.

OAG Spring Show and Sale this weekend

2011-04-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

Sumac Copse, 7"x5"

One of the guilds I belong to is having it's annual art sale this weekend. These three will be there hoping to get a new home.

So much rain in the last couple of days put me in a very moody state of mind.

Willow in Fall, 7"x5"

Creek in November, 5"x7" SOLD

Otisco Field, 16"x20"

2011-04-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

Good news: I had two paintings accepted into the 7th National Northeast Pastel Exhibit at Old Forge, and this one won the Mary Bonner Chapman memorial award.

From the beginning I had a good feeling about this painting. Perhaps that was due to the strong impression that the light of the setting sun on the tree tops produced in me.

The scene had some composition issues: there was a row of trees in the middle ground, the row of trees in the distance continued to the left, and the grasses pointing to the left guided the eye away from the focal area and outside the picture. I could have made the grasses face the other side, but often when you change too many things from a scene you end up with something totally different and the feeling for the place is gone. Anyway, I think I solved the problem by creating an S-shape design. When it came to color, I had to take risks and push it further.

Early Stars, 20x16" -- sold

2011-04-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

I'm back after a 2-week vacation visiting my family in Costa Rica. I took over a 1000 pics and have so many plans and ideas I would like to put into practice in the near future.

The show went well. Two paintings were sold before the reception day and one more after I came back. I'm still hoping to sell at least one more before the show is over.

I have to thank my friend Marybeth for insisting that I painted some night scenes for the show. As it was, I only had time to paint this one, but it received very good comments. A lady described to me what she felt about it, which was exactly what I wanted to convey with it--what a nice feeling!

Otisco Evening, 13x19"

2011-03-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

I painted this pastel a year ago purposely for a competition. It did not get in so I just put it aside until this show where it helped me achieve the goal of having at least ten new paintings. As it was, I ended up showing fourteen paintings: eleven new ones and three more done last year.

This is the third painting I've done of this area in Otisco. It's very fascinating seeing and comparing the colors of the crops as the light changes. I'm looking forward to paint it again this year.

Passing Clouds, 18x24"

2011-03-09T18:51:00.000-08:00

Another big-sky landscape. This one is near Keuka Lake.

The framing began this week. I have four already framed and there are six more to go for Sunday's setup.

I received some great news: the two paintings I submitted to the Old Forge National Pastel Competition were accepted! Two more to frame... I'll post pics later on.

Nearing Syracuse, 12x24"

2011-02-28T12:30:00.001-08:00

Another typical scene south of Syracuse.

I have only twelve days before set up and I'm still painting...

Two of the paintings I had started earlier were not working and had to put them aside. In a way, this was good because it has given me the opportunity to select better scenes that will go much better next to another painting, and will also fit the space like a glove. Even though I had measured the display area very carefully, and had made fairly good estimates as to the size and number of paintings I could have, I had not considered this important point.

Time is precious these days and I have resorted to organizing myself with very detailed to do lists. That's what's keeping me sane!

Cirrus Clouds, 19"x25"

2011-02-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

I've decided I'm finally done with this one. It will be be in the cover of the invitations to the exhibit.

There was a lonely, bare tree in the middle of the field, but I removed it to intensify the feeling of big sky and long expanses of land, so typical of the area. Actually, the truth is that I did not feel like dealing with bare branches at a time when I'm in a hurry. There! It's so easy to justify our actions...

Next week I hope to be doing only framing, but I know a new painting will try to sneak in somehow.

Good news: I am now represented by Gallery 54 in Skaneateles!

January Haze, 10" x20" - sold

2011-02-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

I had a very productive weekend, with two more paintings basically done. I say "basically" because it often happens that I find things to tweak after I have taken photos...

My show's title is going to be Impressions of Central New York. Since this area is covered in snow four months out of a year, it would be fitting for a quarter of my paintings to be about snow. So I'll have to think of at least one more to paint. Luckily for me, and despite the very cold spells, I'm finding snow scenes very comforting and appealing!

Cazenovia Lake at Dusk, 16"x12" - sold

2011-02-07T13:10:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, I felt like painting another winter landscape. While looking through my files I found an autumn scene that really spoke to me, and I dove into it. It started so well but midway I got into trouble. The irony is that I'm taking this free webinar, and one of the recommendations the instructor gives about working from photos is that at least 75% of the information should be there. Well, my photo had 45% at most! I started adding a tree here and there to fill in the void and it was a total disaster. From past experience I should have known better too. Fortunately, it was done on a small Ampersand board, so I just washed the pastel off.

Having the need to produce a finished piece during the weekend, I decided to start this one. All the info needed was in the reference photo. I know, there wasn't much challenge in it, but sometimes that's OK too, and I have to confess that it was like balm for my ego.

Show update: I'm still procrastinating on the 3 half done pieces...

Winter Shadows, 20" x 16"

2011-01-30T08:18:00.000-08:00

One more basically done for the show!

I decided to jump into this one while taking a "break" from my other 3 started paintings.

It was smooth sailing from the get go and I think that's because even when I was taking the reference photo I knew what I was going to do to make the scene work for me: create an opening in the middle ground, add more variety to the foreground hedge, change the direction of the corn-stub rows, and change the time of day.

Even with a good sketch I found myself making a few changes midway, but they were minimal. I know there is more I can do to it but I'll wait. Done on re-coated Ampersand pastelbord.

A Storm is Coming, 5"x7" SOLD

2011-01-24T13:30:00.000-08:00

Once again, I have to rely on an old painting to keep up with my blog. This one was actually not so old since I had it ready for the Plowshares show last Dec, where it sold.

I have been working on 3 large paintings for the March show. While I prefer to finish a piece before starting a new one, I feel that I have reached a point where I need to let things rest for a while to see what else I need to do to get the mood I want, so in the mean-time, what else can I do but to start another painting?

I'm getting very excited about the show and hope to share at lest one of the paintings with you soon!

After the Rain, 5"x7"

2011-01-10T09:56:00.000-08:00

It's not nice to start the new year with a cold but that's exactly was has happened to me. I'm recovering though and even started a new painting that I hope to finish very soon. I'm being extra careful though about pastel dust as it can make things worse.

For the time being, this is one of the small paintings I did in November, based on a reference photo from the area. The place is located on Rt 175 and I wonder how long it'll be before this pasture is gone and new houses are built there.

I want to thank all the people who are following my blog. You guys keep me on my toes!

Peeking Through, 7"x 5"

2010-12-20T07:44:00.000-08:00

I recently heard a good instructor say that if you have a building in the focal area of a painting there is not much point in hiding it with trees, etc.

I have thought a lot about that because I happen to like things that are half-way hidden! What I liked about the reference photo was the quiet statement the house made amid so much color.

Aflame, 5" x 7" - Sold

2010-12-08T12:26:00.001-08:00

This little tree was painted, photographed, and framed last Saturday. I sold 4 paintings that day at the Plowshares craftsfair and thought of replacing them with new ones I had not had the chance to frame for the show. But the muse struck me and this tree practically painted itself.
Sunday was slow going, probably due to the snow, and although this piece did not sell, I received very nice comments about it.

Tobihanna Morning, 5" x 7" -Sold

2010-11-30T08:33:00.000-08:00

A while back, an artist friend and I took an overnight trip through the Finger Lakes with the sole purpose of taking photo references for future paintings.

This painting is from the the grounds of the B&B where we stayed. The B&B doesn't seem to exist as such anymore but the memory of walking surrounded by fog is still very fresh and brings me peace.

Otisco Sunset , 5"x7" Sold

2010-11-19T08:13:00.000-08:00

I've been working on small paintings for the upcoming Plowshares show. This one I'm planning on painting in a larger format for my solo show next year.

Very often I drive around scouting for locations to paint. As it's often the case, the perfect spot is right in the middle of the road, and I'm lucky if I get the chance to take a good photo for reference. I really felt lucky with this one.

Madison Gold, 8" x 16"

2010-11-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

Madison is the our neighboring county to the east. This large corn field with Oneida Lake in the background caught my attention.

I had this prepared masonite board a friend had given me and thought it was just the right surface for this painting.

Last Days of Fall, 8" x 10" - sold

2010-10-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

This year I had a ball painting fall scenes.
I used to shy away from yellows, ochers and reds because I did not know how handle those colors, but as with almost anything you try, you gain confidence after a few failures.

A Glorious Autumn Day, 14" x 11"

2010-10-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

This Fall has been one of the most beautiful to me. Maybe I'm seeing things in a different way but I know I'll be sad to see the last leaves on the trees being carried away by the wind... Although I have not done any decent plein air this season, I have been painting a few fall scenes from photos and reworking some old ones.

I had started this painting during the Susan Ogilvie workshop back in May, but I had issues with the shadows on the road. This time around I reworked the shape of the shadows and their color, lightened the red of the house, and finally cropped the painting at the bottom. I'm happy with it now.

Autumn Willows, 10" x 20" Sold

2010-10-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

This pastel received a Merit Award at last weekend CNY Art Guild Show.

The reference photo is from Ley Creek, in Mattydale. vI took artistic license with the photo by creating a waterway (the foreground was totally covered by tall grasses) and changing the time of day from early afternoon to early evening. Even if the channel looks more like a wet path to you, I do not think it detracts attention from the focal area and the overall mood of the scene.

Meadowbrook in Summer, 9 x 12

2010-10-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

This painting was started and practically finished on location one August afternoon. However, back at home I started to have doubts about the dark trees that were originally on the left. After several attempts at reworking the trees while trying different greens, I had to stop and think. At this point I had also looked at other photos taken at this same spot under slightly different light conditions and that confused me even more. Finally, I decided it was best to try and convey a mood, and it was smooth sailing from then on. I hope you get the feeling of a warm and lazy afternoon.

As an afterthought I added three seagulls.

Lavender , 9 X 7

2010-09-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

It's a sure thing now, I'll be having a solo show at a popular restaurant next March. Years ago I would had been in a rush to start painting but I'm actually fixing some paintings that I did on location this summer. Somehow it doesn't feel right to start new work when there are paintings begging to be finished. This also gives me time to think what I would like to paint from the tons of reference photos I have, and hopefully a theme will emerge.

This painting is from Lockwood Farm in Skaneateles. By chance, this past spring I learned that there was a lavender farm in the area and without waiting too long I contacted the owner, Karen, who very gracefully invited me to paint at the farm. She also has sheep, and a very friendly barn cat who almost knocked my pastel box when he jump on it! Check out her blog and enjoy the beautiful photographs.

Jim'd Old Place (Payne's Marina), en plein air, 12"x9"

2010-09-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

This painting was done during the Old Forge paintout on Sept 3rd.

I had already painted another pastel at a different location but was not satisfied with the results because I had painted it with me under the shade of a building. Once finished, I noticed that the colors were different from what I thought I had when looked under different light. This was the third time this happened to me, so with that in mind I went out to paint another location.

These old buildings in Inlet had called my attention earlier on but at the time they were totally back lit. At 1:30PM I was on the parking lot across the street, in full sunshine with only my hat and sunblock for protection and ready to start. Now that I look at it, I wish I had had more time to tweak it a bit, but at the time it looked fine and I was in a hurry to have it framed for the auction before I left Old Forge.

The Outhouse at Leetonia, en plein air 10"x10"

2010-09-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

For the last 5 years our family has been invited to spend Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends at a friend's camp in Leetonia, in northern PA. For me it's time for relaxation, bird watching and painting.

This is my second attempt at this outhouse. I wanted to include some dead trees but was having such a hard time with them that I had to stop and think whether they were important or not. Since the painting is about the outhouse, I decided to leave them out and I'm happy with the results.

I used watercolor paper prepared with Golden's fine pumice gel and iridescent bright gold. The surface doesn't offer as much tooth as regular sanded papers, but it forces me to be more careful with the pastel application.

Rainy Day at Old Forge, 9" x 12" SOLD

2010-09-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

It's been almost 2 months since my last post, and even though I feel very guilty about it, I have had my reasons. One is that I was fixing a room that now is going to be my framing area. This room used to be my sewing/storage room and there was so much clutter that it took weeks to get rid of most of the stuff. Now it looks beautiful and I'm determined to keep it clean, even after going through a framing spree.

I was invited again to participate at the Old Forge Plein Air Paint Out this weekend. The live auction will be on Sunday, and the proceedings will help finance the last stages of the new Art Center. The painting above will be for sale at the event tomorrow. It was started on location but I had to finish it at home because of the rain.

To all of you who have subscribed to my blog or visit it regularly, thank you!

Mini sunsets , 5x7

2010-06-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

Sunset II--SOLD
I did these in preparation for an arts and craft show in a park on the 19th. While this time the event was not a good one in terms of sales, I had a good time meeting people and talking with a few who showed interest in the medium.

In Sunset II I was figuring out how far I could push some colors but still keeping the idea of the end of the day.

Sunset on the Moose
Sunset on the Moose was more of a search into color combination that started with the sky colors.

Sunset on Seneca Lake--SOLD

Sunset on Seneca Lake was a study for a future version. The sailboat is the Mallabar X coming to shore.

All were done on Ampersand Pastelbord.

5:00PM at Leetonia, en plein air, 12" x 9"

2010-06-08T08:17:00.001-07:00

Memorial Day weekend was spend at Leetonia, PA, with family and friends.

While my husband was setting out the tent, I was setting out my easel-- My excuse: when the light is just right you cannot afford to waste time with unimportant things.

Because of the late frost we had earlier in some areas of the NE, I noticed lots of dead foliage on trees at higher elevations along the way. This was even more apparent at Leetonia (near the Great Canyon of the East, in north central PA).
I had the eerie feeling of painting fall and spring at the same time. The dead foliage had turned a rusty color that glowed orange in the sun, and the new foliage was fresh spring green. A very strange contrast indeed.

Robert Carsten Workshop

2010-05-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

I've heard that one should take time to put in practice what one has learned from one workshop before taking another. That makes sense, but when a good opportunity comes one's way, one just have to take it, so that's why I ended up taking the Robert Carsten 2-days workshop 2 weeks after the one with Susan Ogilvie.
Painting#1
Carsten was invited to Syracuse by the Everson Museum, and because a friend had said so many wonderful things about him and the tidbits of info he gives here and there, I decided to take it. Good move! He is a wonderful teacher, who made the lessons fun and relaxing, at the same time that he encouraged us to do several paintings.

Painting #2
I learned so many little things that are very important in producing good work, one of them, not to give up so easily when the painting is not working the way you want it, as was the case with painting #3, where the season went form spring to summer,

Painting #3
and an opening was added on the left bank switching the area of interest from the water on the foreground to the opening, and making the painting more interesting.

Painting #4
I wanted to get ideas for painting different weather conditions and we had 30 minutes left before a general discussion session. So, my snow scene was done in a record time of 20 minutes! The pressure made me decide quickly what to leave out.

I'm very happy I took this workshop as it also gave me chance to get to know other local artists I see only on occasions.

Ogilvie Workshop, Days 4 and 5

2010-05-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

Day 4 started with a discussion on color. Susan suggests to consider value first, then color/color temperature and then, increase or decrease its intensity. The goal is to make a logical approach to color selection instead of simply guessing. She started a demo using an acrylic underpainting. I didn't have gatorboards left, nor had any fluid acrylics in the primary colors so I just observed and took detailed notes so I can use the technique some other time.

Painting #6
I started my painting #6, which was finished the next day. It might not be a very interesting or appealing painting but I learned some very important things about color and how I work from this piece. One is that I need to be more daring with color. Originally the mountain in the distance was a paler blue. At Susan's suggestion the color was intensified but it still reads as a cool, cloudy day. The same happened with the sky. Instead of lavenders, some peaches and pinks were added which had the effect of warming up the scene just a little bit without changing the overall feeling of an overcast day. I also became aware that I tend to add whites or very light colors when I need to warm up an area. Susan selected some warm browns for me to demonstrate how to warm up the dirt in the foreground.

Day 5 was business talk in the morning. One important thing Susan mentioned is that 50% of art time is really business. This is something to think about...
She continued with the pastel application on the acrylic underpainting. The key is to simplify, develop value slowly, and unify with color. She stresses not to use white. The only reason she carries it in her box is to demonstrate how glaring a streak of while looks on a painting that has a wide range of values and reads well. We continued with our own work and she did several rounds of critique. All of a sudden, it was time to pack and go home.

I feel enriched by this workshop, and also very energized. Now I'm figuring out what to do next.

Going with friends made the trip even more enjoyable as 4 of us from the area decided to lodge at the same place and were able to prepare breakfasts and dinners together, and play cards at night. It was "me" time I really needed.

Ogilvie Workshop, continued-Day 3

2010-05-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

While there, Susan was to be the juror of awards to the 6th National NE Pastel Competition so she saw it as a great opportunity for us to learn about her thought process in selecting work. She only commented on the top awards, but it was very interesting and informative. That morning she did a PowerPoint presentation of several of her works from sketch to finished painting which was helpful in making us aware of the steps she takes when something isn't quite there, and how she solves the problem.
Painting #4
In the afternoon we went to see her painting on location. She did a quick sketch and started a demo. Her demos were never finished in one go, but they were helpful because it was like seeing how her mind worked when deciding what color to use and what areas needed to be tackled first. I asked her why she had chosen a scene that didn't seem to have that much appeal compared to what was around and she said that sometimes she simply likes to challenge herself and she learns the most form those pieces.
I decided right there that I was going to do the same, because after all, what was the point of taking a workshop if I wasn't going to push myself to some degree? A falling bank with some dead trees peeking out of the water was my afternoon project.
Painting #4, reworked

I'm showing here my first attempt (top one) and the reworked version, after some good critique from Susan. I needed to define some of the trees, the horizon line was almost at the center (that was more obvious when the board was placed on the side) and I needed an element on the left side to keep the eye from wandering out of the painting.
At the end of the workshop, she said that was my strongest piece, and I'm happy to say that I felt the same way too.

Painting #5

That day I also painted this fall scene. The shadows on the foreground were made up and perhaps that's why I do not like them. I'm debating on taking the easy way out and crop it, or rework those shadows...

Ogilvie Workshop, continued-Day 2

2010-05-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

On Day 2, Susan did a sketch demo on location, at a beautiful area of the Moose River. She uses the Golden Mean to place the areas of interest. Important points are : Get the parts that appeal to you. Simplify. Use abstract shapes to compose. Make color notes.
Painting #2
Her idea of making the sketch work for you, was a revelation to me. I have often taken artist license when painting certain scenes, but what she said had more implications and possibilities, and made me realize why sometimes I end up with paintings that do not work. This is more difficult to grasp when you are painting outdoors and feel you are cheating if you make major changes to the scene.
I did two sketches that morning and would have liked to do a third one but it started to rain. It was lunch- time anyway. In the afternoon I worked solely from my second sketch.

Susan wanted us to paint water reflections and at least one structure/building. I had 2 paintings with water reflections, now I needed one with a building.
Painting #3
For a while I've been thinking of a photo of a barn I liked, but didn't know how to change the composition. I knew what particular things I wanted to include but didn't know how to put it together. Susan suggested to place a tree behind the barn. I did a sketch using that idea and it worked! She also suggested that I include the pole to give a sense of scale.

Reference for painting #3
I'm showing the reference photo just to give you an idea of how much you can change something and make it work for you.
I think the specs of reddish underpainting add a lot to both paintings and I'm planning to use it for other supports.

Workshop with Susan Ogilvie-Day 1

2010-05-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

I recently came back from a wonderful 5-day workshop with Susan Ogilvie, at the Old Forge Arts Center.
Three great pastellist were coming to the area this year (Ogilvie, Handell, Dawson) and it was tough deciding which one to take. I chose the Ogilvie one because of comments I read by some Wet Canvas members and blogger Katherine van Schoonhoven. The idea of exploring color and getting out of my comfort zone was very appealing to me.

It's the best workshop I've taken so far. It was challenging and now I feel so empowered by it.
From the beginning Susan encouraged us to do 2 painting/day. I was able to do only 6, including a major change I did to one of them. My only regret is not having done a winter scene while there as I would have loved to hear he comments on painting snow. The people from the Old Forge Arts Center were very helpful and accommodating, allowing us to stay two more hours after the workshop was over for the day.
Painting#1
Day 1
Susan did a demo on Gatorboard preparation. You do that by tinting the board first and then applying a mix of pumice gel and dry pumice powder. Working on this surface was challenging at first. I'm glad I did my first try on a 10"x 8" board. By the time I painted the second piece, I had gotten resigned to working on that texture. When #3 and #4, were painted, I was enjoying it so much that I ended up applying it to an Ampersand board. If you are the kind of person who has trouble letting the color of the support or underpainting show, this might be a good thing to try, as it's really hard to completely cover it (of course, this depends on how thick you apply the pumice paste). One of the things Susan stresses is doing a good sketch and working from it, and simplification is one of the keys. She started a pastel demo working from her sketch. If something doesn't work, change the shape, change the value, or change the color. We painted from photos and sketches.

Getting ready

2010-05-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

The art sale a week ago went very well. I sold 7 paintings in 2 days! Some were bought by returned customers. Anne is the new owner of the two pieces shown here A Cloudy Day and Meadow in Fog--thank you Ann!

Some artists do not paint scenes that appeal to them simply because they think the subject won't sell. What sells should never be the main factor in determining what to paint. Not everyone goes for the colorful, bright, "happy" paintings. Personally, I love foggy and cloudy days because I find them very comforting. They bring very good memories of field trips to cloud forests in Costa Rica, and they often invite introspection.

Follow your muse. Sooner or later you're likely to find kindred souls who will appreciate your work.

Bouquet, 9 1/2 x 7 1/2

2010-04-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

I feel so bad for not having been updating my blog. April and May are the busiest times of the year for me with so many shows to apply to, prepare for and submit artwork to, and on top of that, framing, working, and trying to get some plein air done when the weather is nice... you get the picture.

I did this painting over a month ago. It was the third one that day, and surprisingly, it worked.
Canson is the simplest of papers there is to work in pastels, and although it was the only paper I used when I started in pastels 10 years ago, nowadays I rarely do so. Being used to working on sanded surfaces, switching to Canson requires a much softer touch and more planing, as it cannot take many layers.

This piece will be for sale at the Onondaga Art Guild Spring Sale on April 24th (10-4) and April 25th (noon-5). If you live in the area, I hope to see you there!

First Plein Air of the Year

2010-03-25T14:33:00.000-07:00

Green Lakes in Spring, 9"x12"
A friend recently got a new easel and she wanted to try it outdoors so she suggested we go painting somewhere. I don't think we could have chosen a better place than Green Lakes State Park.

I have painted there before and I'm always fascinated by how fast the water changes on a breeze day. In the hour and a half we stood at the spot I figured I could have painted that scene in at least ten different ways.

On the Way to Cross Lake, 9"x9

2010-03-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

I had the intention to try painting outdoors this past winter, but never got around to it. As a matter of fact, I didn't even paint a single winter scene.

Somehow it didn't feel right to let the season go without a reminder of it, so I had to console myself myself by painting from a photo.

This is a late February scene of one of the many roads that lead to Cross Lake (snow-covered in the distance). I find the yellow of the willows very uplifting during that time of year. I used black Canson paper.

Two from One

2010-03-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

Sunset by the Pond, 9" x 12" SOLD
I'm planning on taking a workshop with Susan Ogilvie in a few months, and because her style and use of color is so different from mine, I decided to challenge myself color-wise. A blurry photo of a farm pond on Rt 13 near Dryden gave me that opportunity and more. Top one was the first version. I wanted a sunset, so I started with the pink flamingo sky.
Fall Reflections, 8" x 10"

I do not remember the reason behind the second version, but perhaps it was the water and the reflections. Although it's not so wild in color, it gave me the chance to explore color harmonies.
All in all it was a fun exercise, and what I liked the most was playing with the distance and changing shapes.

A Bright November Afternoon, 9" x 12"

2010-02-25T07:10:00.000-08:00

When I'm in the mood to paint but do not know exactly what, I take the time and look at my digital photos. I try to name photo folders with titles that can help me find what I'm looking for. Two examples are Just for Inspiration, and Must Paint. The photo for this painting wasn't in either of them. I've studied it before and then have moved to another photo. Last time I looked at it though, it really spoke to me, as if I was seeing it for the first time. I started it right away and it turned out to be a smooth going from beginning to end.

The place is somewhere on Rt 218 before reaching Rt11 N, in the heart of Central New York farmland.

Suggested Landscapes

2010-02-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

These two paintings came about by chance. I had this failed painting I had reworked so much that the tooth of the paper was almost gone in some areas. I decided to cut the sheet into four pieces and apply some pumice gel with acrylic paint to restore the tooth.
Because the stain I used was so thin, two of the pieces showed a ghost of a landscape (see pics below), so, with some apprehension, I let my imagination run wild. For me, this means taking great chances because all previous paintings that came out from my head had been real flops. To my surprise, this time I ended up with two small studies in which I had incorporated things learned from direct observation or from other paintings. It's amazing how little successes like these have the power to erase our failures and prepare us to take more chances with our painting.

Padgett Workshop-Last Day

2010-02-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

How I wish this workshop had continued for at least two more weeks! I think the reason I have enjoyed it so much is because I have felt very relaxed, with no pressure to produce great pieces.

This time I did more than simple studies. The top one was the last of the two I painted, but it was the more successful. Perhaps that was due to several things: I had a little more than half an hour to work on it before the final critique, and I used a very bumpy watercolor paper, covered with micaceous iron oxide--I was very apprehensive at first, but very soon I realized that the bumpiness kept me from giving too much detail to the daisies.

For the calla lilies I used Colourfix paper brought back to life with yellow green acrylic paint and fine pumice gel.

More Floral Studies

2010-01-31T12:05:00.000-08:00

I'm having a ball! The workshop I'm taking has energized me so much and has given me the chance to take some time off from two other large pieces that are taking much longer than I thought to finish. I have also been having fun preparing my own pastel surfaces with the colors I like.

The tulips were my first study from yesterday's workshop. I purposely used the busy fabric because the colors reflected those of the tulips and the vase, but also because I wanted to force myself not to give much detail to the background.

After the tulips, the daffodils seemed like a piece of cake but those flowers are difficult to paint if one starts with the brightest yellow. I had to tone them down by adding pale greens and lavender to the shaded areas.

Small Floral Studies

2010-01-24T16:07:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a 3-Saturday floral workshop with Mary Padgett, a local artists who paints gorgeous flowers. While I have taken two other workshops with her before, this time around I wanted to concentrate on mark making and color.

One of the things we covered in the first class was the importance of the paper color to better enhance the subject. To that end we prepared several sheets of watercolor paper using Golden's Acrylic Ground for Pastels, mixed with acrylics or Micaceous Iron Oxide (this one produces a shiny, dark gray surface with great tooth). While the prepared paper was drying, I had time for two small studies, both done on Uart paper. The first one (top), was well thought, and I purposely didn't do any blending with my fingers. The second one (lilies) was more for the purpose of handling complementary colors, and it was done in a hurry.

Today, I painted two more, using two of the papers I prepared: orange for the sunflower, and yellow-orange for the daisies. Each was done in about half an hour. More time than that and I would have started blending. For next class, we were promised some spring flowers...

Sidewalk Garden, 8"x 10"

2010-01-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

I think I'm finally done with this painting. It had been sitting on a small easel in my studio, and while I was taking a break from a larger painting, I decided to finish it. A small bush by the focal area needed to go; then, a few tweaks here and there, and that was it.

It was a very challenging piece since I wanted to represent midday conditions, with light reflecting from different angles. This meant using different colors from the ones I'm used to, and because it was also a busy scene, I had to be careful and not give too much detail to the foreground.

Fog at McCauley Mt, Adirondacks, 12" x 9"

2010-01-16T11:23:00.000-08:00

Last October, I was invited to participate in a two-weekend plein air paint out and auction to support the Arts Center at Old Forge. The only day I was able to participate turned out to be drizzly and foggy. We were given some locations to choose from, so I headed for McCauley Mt. since I had never been there. I had to work from the back of my van because the drizzle had turned into rain. Half an hour into my painting, the sun came out, and a little later hordes of people started to head for the chair lifts to enjoy the great fall colors. I had good time talking to a group of Amish or Mennonite women who showed interest in what I was doing and seemed fascinated by the pastel sticks.

When I considered the painting done, I headed to another location to start another scene. I ended up donating my second painting because although I liked the first one more, I knew it was not quite right yet.

At home, I did several changes to the painting, and still was not satisfied with the results. Finally, I realized what the problem was. The change in weather conditions at the time, had made me change colors in the middle of my work, and mentally, I was fighting with what I wanted to represent. After serious consideration, I decided to paint what had struck me the most, which was the fog coming down the mountain.

Sunrays, 7 1/2" x 19" (tweaked)

2010-01-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

This is as it stands on my easel, after some good ideas from Wet Canvas members. I'm much happier with this. If I were to paint sun rays like these again, I would probably work on Wallis or Uart paper (this is Colourfix). The key is to use fixative and let it dry completely before attempting the sun rays. I dragged a TLudwig pastel for the rays and then, pressing hard, I slid my finger from where the ray peaks to the ground to achieve the hazy effect. I wiped my finger (as it can still catch pigment from the fixed layer underneath) and proceeded with the other rays.

Sunrays, 7 1/2" x 19"

2010-01-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

This painting started as a procrastination piece when I was in the midst of serious house cleaning these past holidays. I think I'm done with it, but will let it rest for a while as I'm sure I'll find something to tweak.

In my family, we call sunbeams through clouds "the glory" because it's so awe inspiring.

2009 in review

2010-01-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

2009 was a great year for me: I participated in my first national competition and won and award, had more sales than the previous year, and made some interesting connections. But one thing I learned is that you need to spend time getting out there and promoting yourself.
Also, two of my large paintings have new homes, which has given me the encouragement to continue working in a larger format.

My studio is clean and rearranged so it looks spacious. Now if I could only overcome this artist block...

Corn Field at Noon, 19" x 27" SOLD

Indecision at the Flower Farm, 19" x 27" SOLD

Iris Field, 7" x 5"

2009-12-29T06:48:00.000-08:00

The last mini of the series. The whole garden is surrounded by tall trees, so I look some liberties with the reference and I decided to break the wall of green a bit.

I'm hoping to go there again this coming year, but this time to paint on location if the owners do not mind.

Garden Bed, 7" x 5"

2009-12-18T07:50:00.000-08:00

This is the third of the Flower Farm small paintings series.

While working in such small format I had to keep reminding myself that the important thing was to convey the "idea" of flower beds. Although this might give the impression that doing so is liberating, it actually required a lot of effort on my part not to give too much detail to the irises in the foreground.

Daylilies, 7" x 5"

2009-12-12T11:21:00.000-08:00

This is the second painting of the Flower Farm series, done also on Ampersand pastelbord.

A while ago I started a small painting from the same reference, but never finished it. Now I know why: I was trying to be too true to the photo and didn't know how to handle the mass of greens. With this one though, I just took a few ideas from the reference and asked myself what kind of day and atmospheric conditions I wanted to represent.

I hope the idea of a hazy summer day, with chirping insects comes through.

When the Lilacs Fade 7" x 5" Sold

2009-12-09T14:55:00.001-08:00

This is the first of a series of small paintings I started for the Plowshares fair this past weekend. As it happened, it got sold before the show took place.

It is based on one of the many photos I have taken at the Phoenix Flower Farm, my favorite place for buying irises. The place is beautifully landscaped, with ponds here and there, and the sound of birds and running water always bring a sense of peacefulness to me.

News

2009-11-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

My blog is a year old! It's time to focus and see what new direction I want to take with it, but I'm not quite ready for that yet. In the mean time this is what's new:

I have 20 paintings at Art Mart, City Hall Commons. It will be open until Christmas Eve.

15 paintings are on exhibit at Medusa Tattoo in Ithaca, until January 12th.

3 paintings at St John's Pottery as part of the CNY Art Guild exhibit, until Dec14th.

3 more will be at Fayetteville Free Library also as part of CNY Art Guild, during December.

And, I'll be participating at Plowshares Art and Craft Fair on Dec 5th and 6th, at Nottingham HS. The video below shows some of the small paintings I'll have for sale there. This is a major fundraiser for the Syracuse Peace Council, who sponsors the event. Hope to see you there!

Pictures that I'll have at Plowshares

2009-11-22T15:06:00.001-08:00

Farm in Pompey Center, on location, 11" x 19"

2009-10-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

This early evening scene was painted at the beginning of the fall season. I was able to work on location for an hour and a half before the light was gone, but by then I had almost finished it. Back at the studio I corrected the colors of the trees on the left, and added more detail to the stubble of cut corn.

I was hoping to have more fall scenes painted on location, but the weather is to be blamed for that, as most days had been rainy or cloudy ones. The few paintings I had attempted have not yielded good results, either because I'm not familiar to using reds or because I have not taken into account that light changes so fast at this time of year.

Flower Field, 13" x 19"

2009-10-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

The weather has been rainy and cold, not conducive to painting outdoors... I have been busy doing some studio paintings for two upcoming shows, but deep in my heart, I cannot wait to be outdoors. I'm hoping for at least one glorious fall day while the leaves are still on the trees.

This painting was done on location, one evening in late August. My favorite part is the distant hill. I used a pale orange hard pastel, followed by pale blues and greens, and the mix set the tone for the rest of the painting. It was one of those experiments that turn out to work well. I finished the painting at home from memory, but all it needed was some adjustment in the color temperature of the shadow in the middle ground.

Contrary to what I would have done, one of my fellow painters suggested no to give much definition to the foreground sunflowers. I think the idea is to let the viewers look at the painting and spend some time figuring out what's in there. I'm still figuring out myself if that's the way I want it... I might even crop it.

Otisco Farmland, en plein air 13" x 19"

2009-10-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

This pastel was painted from the same location as the previous post, from Barker Street in Otisco, although the view looks more towards the west. The colors are so different because it was done in the morning. It took about two hours to complete, with the barest of tweaking at home.

As it often happens when I start painting on location, there is some concern involved. I wonder what to include and what to leave out. I ask myself if I will have enough time to complete the painting or lay down the basic features before the light changes, so I could finish it at home. I do not like to return to the same location to finish a painting simply because the conditions are not likely to be the same, and I might see the place with different eyes. Finishing from a photo reference is out of the question for me nowadays, because I have ended up with scenes that have lost the original feeling.

The View from Barker Rd, Otisco, plein air, 13" x 19"

2009-09-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

Few places have inspired me so much like the area of Otisco, on Rt 80. So far I have been there only in the summer and early fall, but what has struck me the most is that everywhere one looks there is a scene worth painting.

This painting means a lot to me. It was the first time I tried a larger format and the first time I went painting alone after two plein air sessions with a friend in that same area. Sure, it's more fun when one could paint with others who could give you good feedback on the spot, but as often happens, weather or other events can wreck your plans and a good painting day is something that cannot go to waste. Painting in a larger format definitely keeps you from adding too much detail, and somehow having more room to paint gives you a sense of freedom.

This is the view looking south from the middle of a soybean field on Barker Rd. It was painted in the evening, in late August, with minimal work done in the studio. I had a good time because a woman who lived across from where I was came over and spend time talking with me.

Wheat and Corn, en plein air, 9" x 12"

2009-08-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

This is a small plein air that I painted over a month ago. It took me a while to finally get a photo with the colors looking like the ones in the original.

This painting and the two previous ones will be part of several planned exhibits at local libraries, and possibly at the museum too, this fall. The Everson museum is sponsoring these events to promote the coming Turner to Cézanne exhibit in October.

Wheat Field, 9" x 12"

2009-08-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

This wheat field is located on Rt 80, at the intersection with Griffin Rd. I have often traveled on Rt 80 without being aware of this field, but it wasn't until a month ago that I reached it from Griffin Rd, and the view of so much gold captivated me. I didn't know that wheat was grown in the area. I had to paint it!

A week later in the evening, I asked for permission from the person I thought was the owner. He told me it wasn't his anymore but I was welcomed to park on his property. An hour later, when I was finishing the painting, he came out and told me that his family had owned the fields, and the name Griffin was his family name. I always think that a painting has more meaning when you learn a little bit about the place.

The Field, 9" x 12"

2009-07-19T19:17:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I participated in a plein air event sponsored by the Everson Museum, at the Stone Quarry Hill Park. This park is located in Cazenovia, 20 miles east from Syracuse, and it's an sculpture park with lots of acres where nature and art mix.

Only five artists showed up for the event, probably because rain was predicted in the forecast, but that was reason enough to get to work right away. I was able to produce two paintings, this one here and a panoramic view. But as it often happens when you work outdoors, the light changed so fast that it threw me off with the panoramic view. I might be able to fix it, but it'll have to be from memory.

The more I paint outdoors the more I realize the drawbacks of painting from photographs. This doesn't mean that I'll give up working from photos, but simply that I'm becoming more and more aware of their limitations.

Green Lakes 8" x 9", SOLD

2009-07-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been very busy for me. For two weekends in a row I participated in local arts-and-crafts fairs, and in preparation for them I had to do a lot of framing.

One of the pieces I sold, Green Lakes, was started on location last year. In the rush of framing, I forgot to take pictures of the final painting, though the differences compared to the photo at the left (unfinished) are minor.

This is the second year I've participated in this kind of event, and so far it has been great. Every so often one hears that this is not a good time for artists due to the economy, yet for me and other artists I've talked to, sales have been good recently. I find this a bit disconcerting because as a business person, one would like to find a formula or something that would work most of the time. Places that I have thought of as being promising have turned out a total disappointment, and the opposite has been true too. So, I always end up with "you never know".
All I know is that I have to keep on trying, and find more ways to bring my art to the right public.

Setting up and taking down a tent and displays is bothersome to say the least--even if you have the process down to a T, but is well worth it if you want exposure and like to do a little PR. On the plus, plus side, I got a an invitation to sell at a gallery!

60/60 event at the Everson Museum

2009-06-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

I participated today in the 60/60 fundraiser event sponsored by the Everson Museum. Sixty artists produced or finished work in sixty minutes and donated it to the museum.

The public was invited to buy raffle tickets and to deposit them in a container by the artist whose work they wanted to win. Although the weather did not seem promising at the beginning, it turn out to be a wonderful balmy evening that attracted a crowd.

It was a good opportunity for the public to see the steps taken in producing artwork in different media, and for the artist to have the chance to do some networking.

I told people who were looking at my work at the very beginning, to stop by later as my piece was in the "ugly duckling" stage (orange and red underpainting). It was nice when I reached the point where people started to recognize the place.

Moose River at Thendara (9"x12") was won by a woman who has been wanting to buy a painting from me for some time. Nice to know that my baby is in good hands!

White Barn, on location 9" x 12" SOLD

2009-06-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

On Monday morning I went painting with my plein air pals of last time. The location: a barn at the intersection of Tecumseh and Waring Rd.

Seeing how they had started the barn with complimentary colors, I decided to follow suit. I have used complimentary colors in the past, but not very successfully, as I invariably ended up completely covering the first layer. This time I forced myself to use the pastel sticks sparingly, and it worked out!

One of the things I like about painting on location is meeting people, not necessarily for business purposes. While we were working, two drivers stopped to see what we were doing and asked for business cards. Then, a lady from the neighborhood came to talk to each of us. She was so happy I had included her house in my painting (red brick). I learned from her that the barn had been fixed recently and that the widower had the garden done in memory of his wife. A touching story I can associate with my painting.

230 at Salt Springs Rd, 12" x9"- on location

2009-05-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

Last Monday I went painting with two experienced plein air artists at the home of one of them. It was a beautiful evening, and the neighborhood offered several possibilities. I was very tempted to do a street scene, but because I had recently painted one with not so good results, I decided to paint something close up this time. Since I had made up my mind that I wanted to paint under the shade of a tree, the house next door to my friend's was the best choice.

It was very interesting to see how the light changed in a period of an hour: walls that were bright with reflected light became dark an hour later. For that same reason, it was also a little bit exasperating having to change colors.

After we stopped working we proceeded to critique each other's work. Mine was basically done so their feedback was very important to me. They were very free with their suggestions and I felt I gained so much from them.

I'll let this painting sit for a while before finishing it.
This coming Monday we'll be painting in my garden.

Island Pines, 18"x24"

2009-05-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

Good news, my piece Island Pines, which had been juried into the 5th National Northeast Pastel Competition, received an Ampersand Art Supply award! I was thrilled enough for just being accepted, so receiving an award is like the icing on the cake.

The exhibit will be open to the public from June 13th to July 12th at the Arts Center at Old Forge, NY.

The Farm, 9" x 12"

2009-04-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

You cannot live in CNY and not like barns and cornfields! I do not remember exactly where this place is located; perhaps Rt 173 or Rt 20, but definitely in Onondaga County.

Although I've been thinking on painting this scene for a while, what decided me to do it was a frame I saw at a store! Somehow I though they would go well together. I'm hoping to have this piece ready for this coming weekend sale sponsored by the Onondaga Art Guild.

Best in Show

2009-04-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

My painting The Stream at Leetonia (see Dec 08 blog entry) won Best in Show this past weekend at the Central New York Art Guild show and sale.
This show' sales and attendance was very good, and although I did not sell any of my paintings, several members did.

I was also happy that one of my paintings was shown in our local newspaper for promoting the show. I got a call before the show opened on Saturday from a previous customer who had seen the pic and had remembered my name. She showed at the event, and considering that the show was several miles away from the city, that left me with a gratifying feeling.

More from the Adirondacks

2009-04-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe it's been almost a month since last time I posted. I was working full time for a while and found it very difficult to paint when I was so tired and there were other things to take care of. My applause to all of you women who manage to do it all! Although I had had time to paint in the last two weeks, I found it very hard to get back to it. The reason it's not because I didn't want to do it but because I needed to find something good enough to motivate me to start again, and help me break the invisible wall that prevented me to get to my easel. Somehow I got there, but with not so good results at the beginning--good thing I worked in small format!

These two pieces are both 9" x 12".
The one on top is Bald Mountain Pond. It was done from a photo that didn't have much detail. The funny thing about this painting is that I didn't know the name of the location. All I knew was that Rt 28 basically touches the edge of the pond, and that the mountain on the left had bare rock. So I checked google maps and figured it had to be near Bald Mountain. To make sure I was correct I checked in googled images and found this painting titled Adirondack Silence by Michael Ringer,
www.bigbookofyou.com/artists/thumbs/adrandacks.jpg

The bottom one I think it's from White Lake, which is close to the Adirondacks. This is based on a photo I took while we were driving on Rt 28.

It's good to feel that I'm back on track.

The View, 9" x 11" SOLD

2009-03-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

This painting is from a reference photo from the Wet Canvas library. It's supposed to be somewhere in Vermont, where I've never been.

It has been my intention to paint only from my own photo references, but with spring around the corner, making me feel a bit antsy about painting scenes with lots of green in them, I just couldn't help it when I saw the photo. I felt an instant connection with the place because it reminded me of the mountains in my homeland (minus the tall conifers) and the great views of the Central Valley below.

Irises, 6" x 8"

2009-02-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

Last month, I got a commission for an iris, and as often happens, once I start painting something completely different from what I was doing, I get excited and continue in that other direction until I get tired of that theme. So, the commissioned iris led me to paint three more of them, and right now, I feel I've completed my iris quota for this year.

These are not the first ones that I paint; in fact they are #7, #8, #9, and #10. The first one I painted was so awful that I only kept it as a reminder that practice makes you better. The second one was a tad better. I remember feeling happy with iris #3, and even happier with #4, both of which I had painted as gifts to my sisters. However, when irises #5 and #6 were done, I looked at the two previous ones with a little bit of contempt. This rarely happens when I look at previous landscapes I've painted. This could be a matter of how I approach the subject, because I compare flowers to portraits, thus I feel bound to be more exact painting them than when dealing with a landscape.

With these irises I took a different course in the composition. I've tried to place them in an environment, whereas all previous ones were more like a flower portrait with a single color background. So it's no surprise that in each one of these, the flower itself was the easier part, but the background and the surrounding vegetation near the plant, the areas that gave me hard time.

Quiet Night, 9"x7" SOLD

2009-01-31T15:56:00.000-08:00

This morning I got this painting out of the drawer with the purpose of photographing it for my records, but while I was at it, I noticed a few things that were bothering me. So I got to work and it's now officially finished. I have found that it's much easier to see what needs to be done with a painting if I take photos of it.

This is the view looking east from my backyard. The main street that bisects the city is on the other side of the tall houses. I worked from a photo I took a year ago, and remember being surprised at the time for having captured the color of the sky with my camera. I emphasized the color in the painting to convey a surreal mood.

I was going to title it Winter Moon, but considering that my neighborhood is truly quiet only when it rains or when it's a cold winter night, I thought the present title was more appropriate.

Orion, 10" x 13" - SOLD

2009-01-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

Orion is my favorite constellation of the winter sky. As a kid I didn't know the meaning of the name, nor what it represented. All that mattered to me then, was that it was the easiest to recognize: three stars close together in a row, and bingo!

For this painting I use a photo of a field on Rt 80, South of Syracuse, taken a year ago during daylight. I changed the field's orientation from east to south, and the rest was observation.
I had to wait till we had a clear night to brave the cold several times in order to track the constellation's movements. This is Orion's position at 6:00PM.