The Sketchbook Project -- And More Work On Display

A few weeks back I mentioned in this blog that I was beginning to realize how important drawing is to creating a successful painting. I mean, I draw each time I paint, but as I said before, I need to make drawing just to draw more of a habit so that my skills will improve and become more accurate and fluid.

As I mentioned, I find it difficult to do. Many of my fellow bloggers jumped in agreeing with my assertions about the importance of regular sketching and drawing and with suggestions about how I could do it without attracting undue attention. I was impressed with their enthusiasm and with the ideas presented...... But aside from watching and practicing along with my SMARTFLIX DVD of Glen Vilppu drawing spheres, I did little drawing.

Then suddenly an email popped up from cyberspace (actually from something called Art House) and here was a neat idea which would sort of nudge me and encourage me to sketch. It was serendipitous. It was a voice from the void................ Okay ............ It was a coincidence........ but I signed up and now I've just received my little Moleskine sketchbook so I'm ready to "play".

As you can see the "Moleskine" notebook is small - purse sized! I think about 3" x 5". The first "person" I sketched was Rocky, our white Pitt Bull Terrier.

Click on one of the pictures at the top of the page if you're interested in signing up too! It looks like fun. Actually they have several interesting looking projects but I only signed up for the Sketchbook Project. I'm hoping it will be my muse and my regular reminder to draw each day.

-----See ya... I'm off to try to sketch everyone I know!

This is a little sketch of Tyler, who is trying to shoot a straw wrapper at me.... thus the title, "Straw Wars!"

#######################

As an aside, if you live in or near Simi Valley, CA, I have some paintings showing at the SIMI VALLEY SENIOR CITIZENS' CENTER (3900 Avenida Simi Simi Valley 39063) along with artist friends from the San Fernando Valley Art Club. The paintings will be there for the month of December. All art can be purchased by contacting the artist whose contact information is listed next to the paintings.

I am displaying (click to view):

White On White

&

Papaveri

You might find something special there for a holiday gift!

(Prices include frames.)

A Class Exhibition

I met Ernie Marjoram because I was rejected. A couple of years ago I had set my sights on getting my work accepted into a California Art Club show. I had been painting in my class for a while and had just started trying to enter juried shows..... and my work was rejected by the CAC jurors. I got a nice letter back, but after some time still had not received my slides back in the SASE I had dutifully enclosed, so I wrote a nice (.....okay... it was rather snotty) letter back asking for my slides.

That was the beginning of my admiration for Ernie. He wrote me a lovely hand-written note talking about the jurying process and then he invited me to sit in the next time on the jurying process. Honestly, just having taken the time to write out a nice note did so much to sooth my wounds. I accepted his offer and it proved to be one of the more illuminating and wonderful art-related experiences I've had to date. (Click here to see the related post.)

Since then, I've been a regular volunteer on Ernie's committee to promote the CAC show at the Blinn House and expand the Associate Artists' presence within the CAC. I've actually been rejected twice more and juried in twice to CAC shows since then as well, but I still think Ernie's fabulous, so when he sent around a flier for a new class I decided to take it. I've met some nice people .. all wonderful artists and found connections to still more.... (the more I know about the local art community, the more I realize how interconnected it is.) Ernie even taught through the Fine Artists Factory at the same time my first teacher, John Paul Thornton did. Ernie is a wonderful artist and is an Artist Member of the California Art Club.

The class is over now and all of Ernie's current and past students have been invited to display some work at a group show.

A Class Exhibition
December 1 to 27 , 2008
Celebration: 12/1/2008 • 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

This is the painting I worked on during class:

Under The Umbrella

I painted a small one at home to include just for fun:

Lean On Me

La Canada Flintridge Public Library
4545 North Oakwood Avenue
(off the 210 Freeway, just north of Foothill Boulevard)

Although paintings cannot be directly sold at the library, many of the paintings are for sale, so look for the price sheet available near the exhibit. (Or you could buy one of mine from my website!)

If you live in the area, come enjoy the show.

You just MAY see something special to give as a holiday gift!

William Wendt Exhibition in Laguna and........ Tagged!(x2)

I had the pleasure this weekend of visiting Laguna Beach to get together with my daughter, Francesca, and her husband, Greg. Laguna is always beautiful and it's a convenient half-way place between San Diego where they live, and LA, where I live with my husband, Gastone, and our grandson, Tyler. As an additional incentive, the Laguna Art Museum is hosting a special exhibition of the paintings of William Wendt. I wanted to see it and I knew my daughter and Greg would too.

We thoroughly enjoyed looking at the gorgeous work that Wendt created. It was interesting to see so many familiar places as they were 80-100 years ago. I also enjoyed seeing how Wendt's style changed as years and experiences affected him. If you can possibly get down to Laguna before the show is over in early February, do so! (Apparently you're not supposed to take photos, but I did get a few shot before one of the guards informed me that photography wasn't permitted.)

There is a GORGEOUS book of Wendt's work which can be purchased as well. Right now it's way over my price range, but I understand a paperback version will be available later in the show.

I do have to say that Wendt's later work really reminds me of the work of Karl Dempwolf. Karl is one of the people I admire and from whom I have taken classes. It is apparent that he admires Wendt and has been heavily influenced by him. I decided to find out more about Wendt's life and found this information on the net:

Biography: William Wendt
Taken from the website of the Edenhurst Gallery

One of California's best-known landscape painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, William Wendt was called the "Dean of Southern California" artists. His landscapes were especially known for rich greens and browns. In 1911, he became founder of the California Art Club, which he served as President from 1911 to 1919. This organization reflected his commitment to plein-air painting of the California landscape.

His style was impressionism, obviously influenced by the Decorative Style of Arthur Mathews, and his landscapes seldom had figures in them. Indicative of the breadth of his reputation was his election in 1912 as an Associate of the National Academy of Design in New York. He was born in Bentzen, Germany, and in 1880, immigrated to Chicago where, largely self taught, he studied briefly at the Chicago Art Institute and worked as a commercial artist. His close friend was artist Gardner Symons, and they made several trips to Southern California between 1894 and 1906. Wendt's adoption of impressionism as a style "can almost be dated to 1896-97" when he and Symons "were painting together on the Malibu Rancho near Los Angeles." Both men were in the avant-garde of American painters in that they were open to the Impressionist style that had begun in France in the mid 19th century. And Southern California was a perfect location for depicting the bright colors, atmospheric conditions, and shimmering light that were characteristic of Impressionism.

In Chicago, Wendt was not a particularly successful artist, but he was well received in California almost from the time he settled there in 1906. That same year he married sculptress Julia Bracken, and they moved to Los Angeles, buying the studio home of Marion and Elmer Wachtel on Sichel Street. In 1913, he and Julia built a home in Laguna Beach, and they frequently exhibited together. In California, Wendt was not a studio painter but worked outside, "en plein air", and explored the unique native landscape, often going into the wilderness. He had a deep reverence for nature, especially the unsettled wilderness, which he regarded as a place for silence and contemplation. Art historian Nancy Moure wrote that during the forty years of painting in California, Wendt's work became stronger and bolder and that with his brush, he was carving "out the underlying structure of the mountains, delighting in the folds of the earth. . . .His colors also moved away from the organic to stronger and purer tones; for a period he seems fascinated with a brilliant green. . . .These changes can be interpreted as personal growth or an attempt to update his style with the arrival of European Impressionists in Southern California."

He also painted National Park landscapes in Washington state and in Arizona but refused to paint the Grand Canyon, because he felt it was "impossible" to do the image justice on canvas.As Los Angeles became increasingly populated, William Wendt pulled away from the active city, and in 1919 settled in Laguna Beach until his death in 1946.

His works are in many collections including the Union Club in Seattle; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Pasadena Art Institute, and the Springville, Utah Museum.

Source: AskArt, http://www.askart.com/Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"Nancy Dustin Wall Moure, "California Art: 450 Years of Painting & Other Media"

*************TAGGED!!!!!!! ............ then TAGGED AGAIN!!!!************

On another note, I was just honored to be "tagged" this weekend by Karen Phipps whose blog I enjoy. I had been tagged once before by Linda Blondheim when I first started blogging and didn't really know what it was all about, but found it fun. But then, suddenly I was tagged again by Paula Villanova - another great blogger! Thanks ladies... What a fun game!!

The rules for tagging are these:

1. put a link in your posting about the artist that tagged you.
2. write 5 -7 unusual things about yourself.
3. tag 5 - 7 other bloggers and let them know.

Things that could possibly be considered unusual about me:

1. I met my husband, Gastone, in Venice, Italy, while I was on vacation and married him there one year later in 1971. Most of the tourists who took pictures of the wedding party, probably thought my Mom and Dad and my maid of honor were Italians. The church where I was married (Santa Maria Dei Miracoli) was built before Columbus discovered America and was built from left-over marbles from St. Mark's Basilica.

2. I am, like, a "Valley Girl". Born in Burbank and living in the San Fernando Valley almost all of my life... except for four years of college at UCSB and two years living in Venice, CA, before I met my husband in Venice, Italy, then moving back to the VALLEY. (Gag me with a spoon.)

3. I was a teacher, then a Principal in LAUSD for a VERY LONG TIME. Every once in a while I enjoy meeting adults who were either in my class when I was a teacher or at one of the schools where I served as a Principal.

4. My grandson, Tyler, who is 8 is also my son since my husband and I adopted him. My youngest daughter, Francesca, sometimes teases and says that he is her "brophew". Tyler is comfortable with Italian so when we visit his cousins in Italy, they speak Italian to him and he speaks English to them and everyone understands each other.

5. My son, Jon-Paul, owns and runs a Paintball Company called Critical Paintball. He travels all over the country playing paintball and networking. He has a retail store and an online business.

Since I'm pretty ordinary otherwise, I think I'll stick with 5 things about me, and will enjoy reading all about the following people who I am now TAGGING (Okay... so there are 9... what's the big deal??):

Sharon Weaver

Silvina Day

Faye Christian Phillips

Mary Sheehan Winn

Frank Gardner Frank was apparently just tagged by 3 other people so I will let him off the hook for telling unusual things about himself!! :)

Bonnie Luria

John Wright

Lisa Towers and Bill Jones They both write the blog.. perhaps they can share unusual things???

Dar Presto

Painting Three-Hour Tonis

Toni is a fun person. She is a lively conversationalist and fun to listen to. For whatever reason, it turns out that I've painted (or tried to paint) Toni more times than any other model. In addition to being a wonderful model ... lovely and easy on the eyes - she knows how to strike an interesting pose, AND she loves the art scene and art people. It seems I not only see her in my classes as a model, but at many of the various art events I go to.

Here is my latest version of Toni painted this time in Johanna's LAAFA class. Johanna had to help me get the far shoulder right, but otherwise it's mine. I'll put it up on my studio wall along with the other four versions I've painted in classes over the last year. Three hours isn't much time to get anything right and this time it was a 16" x 20" canvas. This is also a rather lousy photo of the painting. (Excuses, excuses..) Oh well. The good news.... I think my three-hour Tonis are getting better .. not great... but better!

I'm in Laguna this weekend. Gastone, Tyler and I drove down to meet our "baby" daughter, Francesca, and her husband, Greg. They live in San Diego and drove up to meet us. We're going to the William Wendt show later today. I love hearing her talk and seeing what a beautiful woman she's grown up to be (inside and out).

I'll post later about the Wendt show AND... I got tagged by fellow blogger, Karen, so I'll be posting about THAT too. Be well!

Reading Leffel

MIA by David Leffel

Bittersweet and Peaches by David Leffel

I'm always trying to learn on this journey of mine so I take classes, read magazines, check out SmartFlix videos and buy books.

It's not that I want to paint LIKE someone else, it's just that I'd love to paint AS WELL AS other people. There are so many artists I admire and they have all different styles although almost all of them fall into the broad category of realism.

A while back my artist friend, Laura Wambsgans, had been reading a book called "An Artist Teaches" by David Leffel. I decided to read it too. I agree with her that the photo plates are gorgeous often showing details of the brushwork that one would have to see nose to painting.

I'm enjoying Leffel's thoughts, but somewhat frustrated because although there are many beautiful examples of his work throughout the book, he doesn't use most of them specifically to illustrate his points. One has to read the book and then look through the various paintings to infer from the text how he used his ideas in the artwork. For example Leffel states that "Every great painting may be defined as a picture with one essential visual idea. That is the painter's concept." Then he actually does state that the painting on that page is "about" the movement of light from left to right, but I really don't see that this concept is much different than can be seen in so many of the paintings throughout the book. Leffel says that "When working conceptually, the artist is defining a problem, which is an internalising experience." He says that many students try to copy what they see and are not trying to realize a concept.

There are sections, too, on Techniques and Tools as well as Reflections on the Art of Painting. I'm about halfway through and enjoying it. Perhaps as I read more, I'll better understand Leffel's ideas. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the wonderful plates showing his interesting and beautiful work.

Two quotes struck me:
"One does not judge good; one understands it."
and toward the end.... "The end is in sight" should read "The end is insight."

Dad

Have I mentioned lately that my Dad is pretty special? Well, he is.

Aside from all the ordinary things he does by just being "Dad", he's pretty talented too. He retired as Chief Engineer at Lockheed Aircraft in the early 70s and he hasn't stopped creating and doing things since.

When he first retired, he took up jewelry making and I enjoy wearing many of his creations.. earrings, rings, necklaces... All wonderful! The rest of the family and many friends still wear his wonderful artwork proudly.

Ever the inventor, Dad designed,engineered and built furniture for his house and many of the special features in his house including radiant heating in the floors.... a special treat for me as I grew up because I could spread myself out on the nice warm kitchen floor in the winter and read the Sunday funnies... (Silly the things you remember, isn't it?)

Anyway, at some point Dad began making videos and DVDs using special editing machines (computers and programs) and made many friends through joining video clubs which provided an audience and companions with like interests. Through the years his videos - now DVDs have won many awards. Last year before my Mom passed away, Dad created a wonderful DVD that memorialized the 65 years that they had been married. It included many Lockheed memories and so many special family memories that it was an immediate hit with the family and friends who had traveled with Mom and Dad over the years.

This last spring Dad suffered a stroke which affected his vision. Rather than just sitting around, in his usual fashion, Dad thoroughly researched the stroke and its effects. Then he decided he'd create a video to help people understand this relatively rare condition that the stroke caused called "Hemianapsia". It was another hit! Recently Dad came back from the Movie Makers Convention in Buena Park and was proud to announce that his latest video had won three awards! It won an award from The American International Film & Video Festival (AMPS), Amateur Movie Makers' Association (AMMA) and the Ten Best of the West.

As he says, "Being half blind is only half bad!"

I'm so proud of my Dad!

Enjoying November

I've taken some time off from trying to paint "masterpieces". I decided that I was driving myself just a little crazy and that I need to step away and enjoy the many other things in my life. I've still been painting, but at a more relaxed and enjoyable tempo. I tried working on a little 5" x 7" board. It's called "Going Out". I really found it difficult to work on the slick surface. I like the tooth of canvas. Perhaps next time I use a board like this I'll prime it with some acrylic.

Despite the bad economic times all around, as I look at my circumstances I know I'm blessed. I enjoyed Veterans' Day by taking Tyler and his friend to the zoo. We walked all over... saw the hippo, the funny little monkey with a moustache, the giraffes and elephants. We even saw a poor rhino that had recently had a "nose job". Ouch!! It looked painful! I'm not sure why but they had removed its horn .... The zoo people were petting it and trying to make it feel nice.... Funny... did you ever notice that the rhino from the back looks like it's got a skirt on? Strange animal. We went to the petting zoo where the goats tried to eat our clothes. We also saw the orangutans... The kids got a kick out of the one who picked his nose then ate it... Yuck!!

Then there is our weather... Sometimes cool, sometimes warm but almost always beautiful. This is a view of the sunset looking toward the mountain (obviously southwest) side of my house. We have a view of the valley from the other side. Life is good.

Another Still Life

Still Life with Pears and Grapes
9" x 12"
Oil on canvas board

Thursday was another still life class and another chance to practice what I'm learning about drawing, value, edgework and color. I have decided that drawing is becoming an increasingly important need in my list of things to improve. The way the light was shooting horizontally across the still life really told me I should have emphasized value, but I've had many reasons lately to become frustrated with my drawing.

Johanna, my teacher, says we should be practicing our drawing skills all the time but even more on our own time so to speak. We should be taking our sketchbook with us wherever we go and draw whenever we can..... just to practice and improve. Good advice, but I always find it difficult to do. I'm self conscious about drawing and I'm rarely alone. I feel awkward trying to closely scrutinize strangers, much less break out the sketchbook to draw them!

I did capture the essence of this still life, but I think that the broken cement vase was probably a bit taller and fuller. Most artists will say that after developing an accurate drawing, capturing the correct values is next in the importance spectrum, so after I had sketched out the setup with my brush as well as I could, I tried to block it in using the correct value masses.

This week we were given a choice of still life set ups and four of us chose to paint this one which to me, was more pleasing to look at. If I had to choose my favorite portion of the painting, I'd say it was the uncut pear. I'm always surprised and pleased to see the variety of work we artists create even when looking at the same setup... albeit from slightly different angles.

Fog

Fog (work in progress)
11" x 14"
Oil on RayMar canvas board


I live in a beautiful part of the city... I am so lucky. This last week beautiful cleansing rain washed away the autumn dust and soot left behind from the Santanas and the fires and then fluffy clouds scuttled across the sky. Lovely skies seemed to bring a new season to Southern California. As often happens with sudden weather changes, fog began creeping across the mountains between my home and the sea. I love to watch it as it moves slowly down through the low area in the hills. It reminds me of Carl Sandburg's poem:

Fog

The fog comes on
little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

After I looked at my painting further, I decided I need to make sure I include a greater variety in the edge work and I need to make the sky holes more realistic. I read a great blog on the subject of sky holes by Linda Blondheim and will sit a bit and reflect before doing some more refinement. Linda always has so much to say about art, art techniques and art business that I eagerly look forward to her posts and almost always learn something important. (The problem is trying to APPLY what I read as I progress on my art journey!!) Maybe I could convince her to give me some advice.... ?????? :o)

In the meantime, I also found this little dramatic presentation of Sandburg's poem online... Just to give the blog on fog a bit more "atmosphere".

A Beautiful Day and Two Great Shows

One of the nice things about art receptions is getting to see friends one doesn't see on a daily basis. Another is making new friends and discovering that you have feelings and interests in common with them.

This weekend I was thrilled see my work during the receptions for two different shows.

The first show was closer to home at the VIVA Gallery in Sherman Oaks. I was thrilled to see some good friends (Maria, Margaret, Hazel and Marjory) who came to see me and the show. I was also proud to introduce my Dad, (Jim Beach.. an award-winning amateur videographer) to friends and acquaintances. He and I are pictured with my painting, "Ramshackle". He came to see me and to see the work of our family friend, Jane Friend, whose work was also juried into the show. Her work, a watercolor, seen in the third photo was titled "Two Buds and a Mac".

After a bit I left to go to South Pasadena where my painting of a scene of the Oaklawn Bridge, "Bridge To Somewhere" was showing. Since several quite well known Artist Members of the California Art Club were showing work there and I didn't know many people, I felt a bit shy at first but soon got into a wonderful conversation with a warm and interesting artist named Susan Bishop. (Pictured on the right next to her painting.) She and I talked about how honored we felt to be included in the show.

Then shortly after my son, Jon-Paul, brought Tyler (He had taken Tyler for the day because Tyler isn't a fan of art receptions.), my friend, Farryl, came to see me. I haven't seen Farryl in well over a year so it was a special treat to spend some time updating one another on our adventures.

All in all it was a beautiful fall day... blustery and clear... and filled with good company!

Tyler and Farryl and my painting (above Farryl's head).