LAST PLEIN AIR ADVENTURE FOR 2009

 October 30, 2009

Elk Afternoon 9 x 12 Oil Plein Air

SOLD

 Thanks to all of you who joined John and me at our Annual Studio Open House. A boisterous crowd gathered to share some nice wine and food with us. I painted a while in demonstration in the studio – always fun and always draws an interested group. THANK YOU – THANK YOU to all of you who made purchases that evening! Your support and continued interest keep me contentedly painting in the studio. Remember, if you would like a personal tour of the studio and paintings, call me for an appointment – I’m usually in the studio and available most days.

Lair of the Bear 6 x 8 Oil Plein Air

   Over the last few months, I have been in a funk – well, you would know that if you read my previous blogs. And then I participated in a workshop with Scott Christensen! OMG! I feel reinvented, rejuvenated and ready for a long winter in the studio. And so it seems I shall have that long winter. Snow began falling on Wednesday and ended on Friday morning leaving a sculpted blanket of 22 inches of snow disguising the contours of the land, drifting over bushes and trees and muffling all sounds. Now the morning sun sparkles on the tops of distant hillsides and ponderosa pines reminding me of many snowy winter mornings from my childhood.

Morning Light at Home photo 10/30/09

    My studio, being the warmest room in the house in winter, beacons.  My head swims with profound messages from the workshop. I can hear Scott’s drilling words about thinking while painting – where “that lovin’ feeling” while painting just may be a bad place to be – how we need to harmonize the painting as a thought process before we even begin - and that we must simplify and reduce the painted information in order to allow the viewer some involvement and on and on ad nauseam! . 

    The last couple of days have been spent looking through my thousands of photos, reading from various books on art, painting, rubbing out, trying again, being frustrated, succeeding occasionally and wondering if I can keep all this information front and center until it becomes habitual! It’s not that I didn’t already know all of this, but the workshop presented a force directing my focus. I needed that impetus and shift in direction. Now I wonder if I am woman enough to make it work!

On the Easel Evergreen Lake 9 x 12 Oil Plein Air

I would love to get back to this plein air painting from the workshop to complete it, though perhaps I should just save the information and move the idea into a larger painting. I captured important information here and continuing may mean loosing some of that good information. Hummmm…….

On the Easel Lake #1 6 x 8 Oil Plein Air

On the Easel Mount Evans 9 x 12 Oil Plein Air

and

On the Easel Mount Evans #2 9 x 12 Oil Plein Air

One afternoon we stopped to paint in this lovely pasture with a view of Mount Evans (one of Colorado’s 14ers.) Oh, the light was changing fast as clouds raced overhead and then by late afternoon, with the sun now low in the sky, the colors in the meadow became alarmingly vivid. The mountains shifted into the lavender/blue spectrum as the wind blew in a cold air front . The next day we were treated to a few inches of snow! Thanks heavens we met inside for composition challenges, demonstrations and critique. And so my reputation as a fair weather painter remains intact. That was close!

   Of course, I have many more plein air paintings from the workshop, but boring you is not my intention. And so the last plein air painting session for 2009 ends. Awesome! Thanks Scott Christensen for your insight, critique and humor. (I am having trouble linking to Scott’s website through this blog, but you can get there at www.christensenstudio.com.) You will be amazed by the wonderful selection of paintings – and while you are on there, purchase his book and a couple of videos too.

    Thanks to you, my blog visitors, for traveling with me on these adventures. Do hang out on my web site for a while and return often as there should be new paintings popping up shortly. Wish me luck….and don’t forget to sign up for my Email Newsletter which comes out monthly, or so. 

    Thanks for your strong support and interest. Without you, I would loose sight of my goals and failure would greet me around every corner.

 Cheers!

  Ginger

 P.S. My special thanks to Barbara and Phil, owners of Evergreen Fine Art, for hosting the Scott Christensen workshop for members of American Impressionist Society of which I am a member. Evergreen Fine Art provided a comfortable and creative atmosphere for the workshop and even hosted a small gathering in their wonderful gallery as farewell. Check them out on line at www.evergreenfineart.com and visit their beautiful space and enjoy wonderful work by the highly regarded artists they represent. My best to you both!