High Desert

Smith Rock is a beautiful state park in Terrebonne. The weather was perfect, I enjoyed the paint out and took many photos for future reference.  I painted High Desert with the Crooked River in the foreground on an 11" x 14" canvas board.

Smith Rock

Practicing for the Smith Rock Paint Out this Saturday, June 22, I tried to complete a painting in about half an hour, from a photo.  I spent about 45 minutes before calling it quits for the night, then could not resist just a few dabs in the morning light.  The oil painting is on a 10" square wrapped canvas.  Smith Rock State Park is at Terrebonne, Oregon, near Redmond and Bend.  Selected paintings from the paint out will be on exhibit at Redmond Municipal Airport June 25-August 18.  I'll be there with my sister, Valerie Smith, also an artist!  For more information, see www. smithrockpaintout.com.

Plein air

A lovely day was spent at Peninsula Park in NE Portland, a stately garden celebrating its 100th birthday this year.  At first glance the climbing roses were white, then revealed soft colors of peach and yellow.  The white ones are called Sally Holmes, the bright orange ones Nina Simone.  I imagine Nina singing with Sally on this Spring day.

Plein air with oil!

On a sunny day last week, at a pond found off an unpaved road on Sauvie Island, I attempted plein air painting with oil paints and found some differences from my past experience with acrylics. Instead of fighting the paint drying too fast and becoming sticky, oil keeps on flowing.  That makes for nice blending and subtle colors, but it's still wet when it's time to leave and must be handled carefully without smearing.  Also I tried painting the tree foliage on top of the still wet blue sky, and it all blended together.  I finished the two trees later in the studio, with some of the texture of earlier painting showing through.  Oil paint goes on thick, with textured strokes.  I managed to just get in the basics of the composition when the heat got to me, despite my hat and parasol, so I moved to a shady spot.  But that's part of the adventure of plein air: heat or cold, rain, wind, bugs, and the unexpected!  Sunny Spring Day on Sauvie Island is 11" x 14" on canvas board.

It's a Gift

It's a Gift will be displaying some of my paintings this month, with a First Friday reception this Friday, June 8th, 6 -8 pm.  The Montavilla First Friday includes food, music, wine, and fragrances on several blocks along SE Stark.  It's a Gift, a delightful shop with mostly locally made crafts,  is located at 7910 SE Stark, see www.itsagiftportland.com.  I will have gallery wrapped canvas squares of 6", 10" and 12" for sale, mostly water, rocks, and my favorite subject, Columbia River waterfalls.

Portrait workshop

Za Vue's intensive two day portrait painting workshop was spent at Studio 30.  I decided to try oil painting. as I've been painting with acrylics for the last few years, and wanted to try something different.  I like the ability to blend with oil paint, not fighting the fast drying time of acrylics.  We worked in limited palettes of black, white, red and yellow ochre, concentrating on value relationships and color temperature. Paintings were done from photos in just thirty minutes each, more time for live models, and a critique at the end so we could see everyone's progress.  Za is a terrific artist and instructor!  I had remembered oil painting from years ago as being smelly because of turpentine, but now use odorless mineral spirits.  I had been trained in the classic glazing method which takes a long time to complete one painting, but "alla prima" techniques can be quick and fresh. Most important, I just loved the flow and richness of oils compared to acrylics!

Plein Air!

Last Monday was a fine day to paint plein air so I went to the Crystal Springs rhododendron garden.
Families of people and ducks were out enjoying the sunshine, sparkling waterfalls, blooming rhodies and other spring flowers. I set up first by a small waterfall, and kept my camera handy so was able to capture this boy bravely walking across the rocks, added later.  At another location, there is a waterfall, stone walkway and wooden bridge, where I painted the pink rhododendrons reflecting in the lake.  Walking on Rocks is 10" x 10" on stretched canvas, Pink Reflections is 9" x 12".  Now that it's rainy, I can stay inside to paint from my photos.  Next time, maybe mallard ducks!