The Autumn Rush Is On

In a week of painting along the Arkansas River at the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest, we saw a lot of aspens - and even painted some. Susan McCullough, David Montgomery and myself painted together for several days and happily, we each won an award at the opening of the show in the Salida SteamPlant. My piece directly below, of the Arkansas River, won a cash business award. Yay!

We each could enter 3 paintings into the event competition - the award winner was my last minute addition. In an event like this we paint every day and sometimes it is hard to judge the validity of each piece until it goes home and sits with you awhile. Some pieces will be set aside for future reference, some will get tweeked a bit - and others will never see the light of day; beyond this blog. . . .
Cash awards aside, I think the real benefit of an event/competition like this is the chance to focus strictly on painting for several days in a row, with the added pressure of a deadline. The payoff is: more paintings, more reference material, more opportunities to be out in the landscape, and just more miles of canvas covered - in a relatively short period time.
For a novice painter - the discipline of painting "under the gun" every day for a week can produce results that rival a workshop experience.

From Estes to Salida

The Estes Park Paint Out seems - ah - like moments ago. I think the leaves were still green, but things change quickly around here.
These 3 pieces were done in Rocky Mountain National Park during that paint out, and I won the People's Choice Award at the opening of the Western Light Show on August 26th. Well, THANKS people.
The very next weekend I was in Boulder for the Women of the West Show opening that highlighted the work of 6 women painters. See the post below.
And that painting on the promo card, was one of the first to sell.

But that was then. . . . .
Next week Sue and I will be painting in and around the Arkansas River Valley at the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest; and staying all week in that great Colorado art town of Salida.
Catch the opening reception at the Salida SteamPlant Event Center on Saturday night the 24th at 5 pm where some of the best Western plein air painters will gather to show their work from the week of painting.



This photo is pretty bad; falls into the 'documentation' category. I forgot to take a photo before leaving it at the gallery so had to shoot it on the fly right before the show.
Sometimes, at a event and show like this, there is just too much to do.

Class Notes: Proportional Landscape

Working in this, small 6"x 6" format, is a continual challenge for me - and my students. I like broad brushwork and large shapes but getting that look, in the 6"x 6" size, when you are used to a 16"x 20" format
- well, you see the problem.
A small canvas can really psych you out and students immediately grab the smallest brushes in the box. So what's to do?
I have found that being more selective about reference material is a priority. Many of us are used to working with 4"x 6" photo prints that can take in epic views: trees, mountains, a barn, the river, foreground, etc. - and they all look so good in the photo. . . and soooo tiny.
Broad work calls for broad forms. Look for photos with strong shapes and values, that means good patterns of light and dark . If you have a snap shot you love - blow it up on a common copier and see how it holds up in black and white. It can be so helpful to make the reference the same size as the painting, and not too hard if our format is 6"x 6".
Then ask yourself the really hard question: What is this painting about?
The piece above is from a photo taken of me with a group of painters last Fall at the Colorado Mountain Plein air Fest. What struck me was the light and dark pattern around the umbrella and the hat. I blew that photo up and moved over it with a square frame until I found the composition that suited a small format.

Winner - People's Choice Award at the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest, Salida

The Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest, drew 45 painters to the heart of the rockies and we enjoyed every type of weather from driving snow to burning sun. I could have done without the snow but Autumn did not disappoint. We found a great show of color in the high country, places like Marshall Pass and O'Haver Lake; as well along the Arkansas River where the grasses were ablaze with red and gold. In Colorado Fall feels a bit frantic. We anxiously count the Fall days, fret over every change of weather and try to grab each day like we were snatching it from the jaws of death.




















Conversations among painters go something like this:
"Are trees in the high country changing yet?",
"Wind will blow away the leaves before they turn.",
"This week will be the peak color, for sure.",
"This year was too wet for good color.",
"This year was too dry for good color.",
"It may snow before the colors peak.", - "SNOW - NO!".

I painted for 5 days with Sally Mather, pastel and oil painter of note who lives in Salida. Click on her name to see her work.

In spite of snow and freezing temps, I came home with 8 pieces and entered these 3 into the competition and won "Peoples Choice" Award at the opening. It is always fun, and gratifying to win. This award is given to the artist whose work is chosen as the favorite of the "people", or those not in the competition. Thanks everyone.
The paintings from the top are "O'Haver Aspens", 14x11, "First & G St.", 9x11 and "Barn Dance", 9x11.

More Paintings from the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest, Salida, CO

The jury is still out on these pieces. I felt they had potential but did not enter them into the competition. At the top - from Ouray Wildlife Area,12x16,
From Little Cocetopa Ranch, 6x8,
From Ouray Wildlife area, 9x12,
and a view looking down on Salida, 12x16.

Nap Time is Over . . .

Ha!
My classes started last week- and just in time. When my motivation is a little low teaching keeps me on track. We are trying to make the most of the good weather and last week painted out at Wayside on the north side of Alamosa. Sue McCullough joined us as guest artist and ended up as my subject. Check out her blog to see the piece she did "Plein Air of the Dairy".
Saturday, Sue and I will be up in Salida for a week painting at the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest. If you are in the area on Saturday the 26th, there will be a Quick Draw at 10am in Riverside park, historic downtown Salida. Quick Draw work as well as work from the week will be on exhibition all weekend at the Virtuosity Gallery on 106 North "F" St. in Salida.

The One That Got Away

Painted in the early morning down alongside the Arkansas River, this was the first painting I did in the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival. There were a few in between but the 2 that I entered into the competition were the very last ones painted. You can see them if you scroll down. This one got me off to a good start but I held it out of the competition and sold it later out of my studio.

Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival, Salida

It has been such a busy week I haven't had a minute to post but there really was more to the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival in Salida, than my prize (hard to believe. . .) Sunday morning by the Arkansas River in Salida, models posed and over 50 painters gathered in Riverside Park for the "Quick Draw". Our Quick Draw began with the "call to the post" and the shout that went up from painters could be heard all over the park; an indicator of the enthusiasm for this new event. Patrice Walker took this snap of me and Brooks Powell enjoying a painting moment.
The 2nd photo above shows our trumpeter/painter and includes Tom Lockhart, who judged the over all show and the quick draw. Thanks Tom.
Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of my painting before it sold. BOo!
Now I can just remember it in my head as the masterpiece it was. HA!

Winner 3rd Place! Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival in Salida, CO

Salida, Colorado hosted the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Festival this weekend and I just got back. Four days of painting in the Arkansas River Valley and it all wrapped up on Sunday with a Quick Draw in downtown Salida and Show opening. I was very happy with a third place prize and also with the sale of my 'Quick Draw' piece that was a view down river. Thanks to Sally Mather my host and painting bud for the weekend. In fact that is Sally in the small painting, aptly titled "Sally's Sweet Spot". She is a wonderful pastel and oil painting artist. check out her website at www.sallymather.com.
Thanks Patrice Walker for the photos.