Extreme Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at the Class M planet Nearest You

Here I am, getting the last word in "plein air" painting, thanks to good friend and fellow painter Eldon Warren, who is himself, a little other worldly.
Check out his work at his website www.eldonwarrenarts.com.

Painting in Rocky Mountain National Park

On Wednesday afternoon I caught up with Eldon Warren in RMNP. He painted, looking right down into the water - see the FISH also posted here - very gutsy, very beautiful. Those fish should be proud.
And I painted Eldon, painting the fish - which I have yet to finish. sigh.

Class Notes: Seeing Color, Mixing Neutrals

It has been awhile since my students have seen this white cup; not everyone's favorite. It has a few quirks I still wrestle with: the ellipse at the top and red painted rim, the rolled metal handle, etc. . .
This week it served to help us see and mix "grey's" or neutrals.
I have been trying to stop using the terms "grey" or "brown", because they are useless descriptors, giving no real indication of the character of what you are seeing or mixing. Instead, I want to learn to see color,
say color, paint color.
See it, give it a name, such as a warm neutral, or to get more specific -
a red, pink, or orange neutral; conversely, a cool neutral, such as a violet, blue or green neutral. In reality there is very little absolute neutral grey, (a black derivative) in nature.
In the case of this white cup on a white cloth the challenge was to see the whites as color. The enamel cup has a very warm cast and the table cloth took on a cool cast. Before mixing that ubiquitous GREY
try SEEING what you think is just grey, as a color and mix accordingly. Your work will take on a much more colorful life.

ps. I once asked Eldon Warren, one of my favorite painters, how he managed to paint so many wonderful, vivid and sophisticated greens. He told me that as he drives, he looks at the greens he sees and names them to himself: a gold-green, a red green, a silver-green and imagines how he would mix them.
He SEEs them, he names them, he paints them. Check out his website by clicking here.

Back on The Road Again - to Estes Park

Here Eldon Warren and Rick Frisbie paint the glowing afternoon last year in Estes Park at PAINT THE PARKS Plein Air Event. What a great time, and this will be my 4th year participating.
So after catching my breath from Cheyenne and running through one crazy week of Dr appts, kid's school registration, frame sorting, unpacking and repacking, answering emails - (so much for unimportant details) - Saturday morning I will head back to the Front Range of Colorado to paint in Estes Park.
If you are in the area next weekend check it out. Saturday morning is the Quick Draw Competition starting at 8:30 am, with an Auction immediately following - all in Riverside Park, downtown Estes.
At 4pm the Plein Air Show will open at Earthwood Gallery and the Cultural Arts Council, featuring work painted that week. Both Galleries are on the north side of Elkhorn Ave. - the main drag.
Below, Leslie Allen and I stand in front of her quick draw, of me.

There will be posts and photos when I get back, but in the meantime - I think I hear my laundry calling.

So, What's It ABOUT?

This question has been plaguing me recently and, I in turn, have tortured my students with it: What is the painting ABOUT? This piece at the right, I did at the class paint out last week in Alamosa and I hope will still hold up after you read my thoughts:
A few weeks back at the PAAC Show (Plein Air Artists of Colorado) in Denver (great show by the way), Sue McCullough and I had the chance to talk at length with Karen Vance about how she judged the show. She told us her first criteria was that very thing: What is the painting about? - brushwork, imagery, color. . .
A week later, at the SPACe Gallery in LaVeta, I spoke with Tim Deiber who judged the Paint Colorado show and our conversation about the work focused on that same topic.

Now, this is not rocket science, if you have painted for any length of time the idea is not a foreign one. We have been schooled to have a "center of attention" at least, but why is the concept so elusive or more to the point - how do so many accomplished artists seem to miss it. Those of us who should know better?
I would site a wonderful example of this idea, as it emerged in a painting demo done by Eldon Warren showing the choices that must be made, to make the point oh-so-clear - THIS is what it is ABOUT.
Click on Eldon's name to see his BLOG and when you get there scroll down a bit to - "Why Did the People Cross the Road?".
This seemingly innocuous demo of a beautiful landscape just hit me over the head. Why? Because it illustrates (we artists need pictures) so well, what happens to almost all of us, at some point. Eldon is a friend and master painter - and I don't think it happens to him as often, as the blog will show.
I encourage you to check it out - and if you are scratching your head - ask yourself this: what is the painting ABOUT? - this, that, what?
In the end I hope it is clear "Why The People Crossed the Road".
Thanks Eldon.

Tagging in the Painting Playground

I have been tagged- that's a good thing, I think. Eldon Warren is always running ahead of the pack, encouraging (me at least) to expand my blogging horizons- and it's working.
I am supposed to Link to the person who tagged me, then tag seven bloggers (that I follow), comment on their blog and add a link to their blog; then see if I can get them to pick up the baton. Do I even know 7 people to tag? We'll see. Participation is voluntary so here goes. One more thing: List 7 unusual things about myself. Hmmmm.
First there is Eldon Warren, who I have to point back to as one of my favorite artist-bloggers. There is so much to be learned by just looking at his work, it is practically required reading for my student painters.
Sue McCullough, my good friend and an award winning plein air painter. I am so lucky to have her as a painting buddy. Sue has gotten me to paint out in 10 degree weather; what an inspiration. Right now she is blogging about a studio in process- check it out.
I also follow the work of fellow High Desert Painter from North Carolina Jana VanWyk. I have Jana to thank for getting me blogging.
Judith Greenwood is a beginning blogger but no babe in the art woods. Long time designer and professional artist, I want to encourage her blog in every way.
Well, that's a start. NOW get thee to the studio.

Developing the Sublime

While I am burying my head and brushes in the abstract barrel, check out an awesome painting as it developes; start to finish on Eldon Warrens blog at http://eldonwarren.wordpress.com
When you get to the blog click on Eldon's UTube Link and then enjoy the painting come together in video form. Thanks Eldon for letting us in on the process and Thanks Debra for making it happen in video form.

Eldon's Ten Minute Wonder

At the end of the afternoon Eldon pulled out a bunch of 5x7 canvases and I challenged him to do one in 10 minutes. This was the result; a sweet little memoir of a really wonderful afternoon, simple and direct; and Eldon gave it to me. Thanks.

Monday PM. Estes Park PLEIN AIR 2008

After all the moose fun at Sprague Lake, Rick and I caught up with Eldon Warren and headed up to Endo Valley. In the background you can see a beautiful little water feature- which I chose to ignore but Eldon and Rick finished with nice pieces. I was captivated by a rather singular tree which held the light as the sun set - on a long but perfect painting day.