Figuratively Speaking - Church Planes

8"x8" watercolor Price $50

I think I am an easily influenced person.  That could be really bad, but on the other hand, depending on who or what is doing the influencing, it can be a good thing.  I NEVER (yes I yelled that) let comments on Facebook influence me to have opinions or get angry!  Recently I read a book about Matisse.  I don't think I ever really got what he did until I read that book.  The next painting I did showed that influence.  It wasn't as if it looked like a Matisse, I just approached it directly, simplifying the forms and doing broad areas of color, at least in the first swipe.  It was so fun to do even if it isn't a masterpiece.  The one shown here was just a little watercolor I did at the Tunbridge World's Fair.  What caught my eye was the planes of the church and the way the sun hit in one spot.  Sometimes when I have some insight and see how I am being influenced, I can throw it off if I don't like what I see, or I can embrace it and see how it becomes part of who I am.  In a short chit chat with amazing artist, Peter Huntoon today, we talked about how to identify the things we needed to grow in our painting.  He added that it wasn't a broad, open ended growth, but growing to be more truthful, more authentic in what we say.  He was referring to what we say in our art, but it applies to what we say in general I think.   I am going to let that influence me.  I think I might have influenced him too.  He seemed in a better mood at the end of the conversation....Go Figure!

Deep Breath

12"x12" oil 

I have been busy painting...really I have, but I just haven't been good about posting.  This is something I promise myself I am going to be better at.  The above painting was done plein air with Peter Huntoon, who is an inspiring plein air painter.  He is equally adept in water colors and oils, and amazingly, approaches them with the same technique.  I am so grateful that he was generous enough to spend an afternoon at this lovely spot painting with me.  He gave me 2 tips, which aren't new but so good to relearn them.  I seldom paint plein air but love doing it.  It does overwhelm me though at first.  I actually had to come back the next day to finish it up.  The water was so calm and the light was so lovely.  Peter reminded me to block in the big shapes like I am cutting them out of paper (great tip) and upon finishing it he said to soften the bright colors I had put in on the trees to the left of the island (which I did) because they drew too much attention from my focal point.  It really helps to have a second pair of eyes looking at your work.  I am heading to Cape Cod this week to practice plein air painting with two good buddies, so I am glad I had this warm-up.  Please check out Peter's work by clicking on his name.  He is the quintessential Vermont landscape painter.  He has an auction for a painting once a week on his website/blog.  I love how professional he is with everything he does.

Mia Loves Maizie

This is a watercolor sketch for an illustration for a children's book.

My art group went to Peter Huntoon's studio today for a demo.  It was so much fun to see how he loosely begins his work and turns a scene which may not be particularly exciting into an athletic and stunning work of art.  Peter has recently added oil painting to his repertoire of watermedia and he approaches it very similarly as he would a watercolor painting, with lots of drips and splashes and interesting tools.  He is one of the quintessential Vermont painters.