GAYE ADAMS PAINTING JOURNAL

The Art of the Quick Sketch

2012-01-28T22:30:00.000-08:00


15 minute quick sketch


photo of quick sketch subject

good friends and fellow painters, hard at work

Recently, my dear painting friends Janice Robertson, Liz Wiltzen, Sarah Kidner and Jean Pedersen let me talk them into a visit to my studio in Sorrento BC. The purpose: to eat, chat about and figure out the big questions surrounding art (and life) and to paint ourselves into a corner. Literally. We painted the model for four days in a row, everything from a lithe ballerina, to a very handsome young aussie fellow (Jean just wanted to hear him talk) and ended our last session with a white bearded older gentleman.

Painting the model from life is most challenging. We did a lot of portraits, but started out with the infamous "quick sketch". These were done in paint primarily. Two, five, ten, twenty minutes tops - and generally wiped off immediately after being finished. I have put a quick sketch above that I took a photo of before wiping off. The purpose of short lived quick sketch is to serve as invaluable practice. The name of the game is to sharpen the eye. Proportions, tonal values, color relationships. You have heard me talk about these before, and may be rolling your eyes right about now.

I included the photo just to serve as an example, so that you can see that only the necessary information is recorded. There is simply no time for the extraneous. This is not a finished painting, it is a PRACTICE PAINTING.

We think it logical that musicians practice scales and arpeggios many times, not for the purpose of performance, but to make them better when they do perform. Likewise dancers spend many hours strengthening and conditioning so that they are able to "deliver" when it comes to the actual performance. Yet we artists.......

So, this was practice time. A very profitable and fun week indeed. I only have a few "keepers" from the session, but I increased a skill set. That was the point. I think I speak for the whole group when I say it was challenging, frustrating, completely engaging - and it was fun.

I have decided to offer a painting from the model "quick sketch" workshop at the end of February. If you are interested, please drop me a line - we will paint from the model for three to four days, and I guarantee that you will find it hard work. You'll also have a blast. I know we did. I will post the particulars on the sidebar of this blog and also on my website: gayeadams.com.

Keep those brushes flying!

Gaye

Color vs. Tonality

2012-01-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

This small study was a good excercise in moving colors in and out of light. By that I am referring to what happens to a color, say red in this example as it moves away from the light. Obviously, the red gets darker. Notice that it does something else as well. It desaturates.

What does that mean? So glad you asked. To desaturate a color is to move it in a more neutral direction. Instead of having one or two of the primaries (red, yellow, blue) in the mixture, it has all three. In the shadow size of this apple, the red has both blue and yellow mixed into it. Blue darkens the mixture, yellow helps to neutralize it, but red still predominates. I find students get confused around this process. The thinking that we have to resist is that in order to make the red darker, we must add black. Black can - and usually does - change the mixture to the wrong color and the wrong temperature. Using white by itself in order to bring an object to light creates similar issues of course. Black and white out of the tube (and remember there are numerous whites and blacks that can be purchased in the tube and no two of them are the same color) will change the color as well as the tonal value.

One must consider both chroma (color) and tonality (relative lightness or darkness) at the same time. Notice the yellow on the lit side of the apple, and how both the chroma and tonality change completely as it moves into shadow. All of these relationships need to be right, or the painting will not "read". It will simply look wrong. To help with this process, it is useful to isolate various passages in order to view them more accurately. The use of a "peep hole" aids me greatly when I am having trouble seeing things accurately. A small hole in a gray piece of paper will work just fine for this. Move the peep hole from one area to another, and compare what you see. Is is darker, lighter, warmer, cooler....and then believe your eyes.

This is a good way to convince your mind of the truth your eyes already see. And the truth shall set you free.

Happy painting,

Gaye

About Aerial Perspective

2011-12-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

Aerial perspective is the term given to the effect created when objects are viewed through the atmosphere. Dust, smoke, or moisture particulates suspended in the atmosphere viel what we see in the distance. Generally hills or whatever else we are viewing through the layer of atmosphere become lighter in tonal value, and cooler in temperature.

In the Canadian Rockies, this effect is virtually unnoticeable on a very clear day and at a high altitude due to thin atmosphere and virtually no particulates, whereas in coastal locations there is often mist, fog, etc., that creates cooler and lighter distant vistas.

Of course, this changes again when you are in an area where dust particulates gather in the air with moisture droplets. The dust hanging in the air (or whatever other pollutant may be present) creates a warmer distant color than if there was just moisture present. Are you confused yet? There is an elegant solution: paint what you see.

I find the tendency is to paint the distant hills darker and warmer than they actually are. Be aware of this tendency and look again. Harder. Believe your eyes - it's only your mind that plays tricks.

Happy painting all,

Gaye

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Back to the land of the ice and snow

2011-12-18T21:18:00.000-08:00

Goleta Beach was my last painting location in Santa Barbara - I'm back to Sorrento, but still California dreamin'. I painted faster than I posted, so I still have some plein air sketches coming your way over the next two weeks. Perhaps looking at the southern Californian landscape will help keep you warm:).

After a whole month of painting on location I have to ask myself what I learned. These small paintings are certainly not as lucrative to sell as larger studio paintings, so why would I spend a whole month doing it? The easy answer is that when I get back to the studio after a stretch of painting out doors, the studio paintings seem to go more easily than before. All that training of the eye - nothing like it. Really.

Happy painting,
Gaye

A word about painting trees....

2011-12-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

This trip I seem to be painting a LOT of trees - I'm trying to find the "bones". These are such complex forms that they have to be simplified - I don't have all day you know - and the basic structure has to hold together. Studying the Gestalt of the thing is important. If the structure (drawing) is wrong, the painting on top of it will not hold together. It is like putting siding on a house that is framed out of square - it just doesn't work.

John Carlson (Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting) talked a lot about the nature of trees, how slow growing trees (like oaks) have more crooks and curls, faster growing trees (like this Eucalyptus tree) are taller and the limbs straighter, and how no tree ever grows straight up and down. I am finding all of this out - tree by tree by tree. I am doing a meditation on trees. And this place certainly has a lot to meditate on.

Happy painting, everyone.

Eucalyptus Study 8X10" oil on canvas

2011-12-05T21:04:00.000-08:00

I've been looking at the Eucalyptus trees ever since my first visit to Santa Barbara but had not yet painted one except as a distant element. The trees are so large that it is difficult to get back far enough to see the entire form. I had an opportunity this last week, and so here is my effort. It was a lot of information to simplify. A lot can be left out, as long as what you leave in is correct. Besides, there is no time to paint a lot of detail. Changing light and chilly breezes certainly encourage brevity.

It's humbling this painting out doors. It feels so often that my vision exceeds my grasp, yet I keep bellying back up for another round. Ah, the thrill of the chase.

Best,
Gaye

"Goleta Beach Tidal Estuary", oil on canvas 8X10"

2011-12-02T20:52:00.000-08:00

So, I'm at this AMAZING beach, and couldn't decide what direction to paint - as you can see, I didn't paint the beach. These oak trees, which are very old and very plentiful in this area, silhouetted against the distant lit hills caught my attention. You have to paint what engages you, otherwise the energy for painting the thing well is simply not there. At least not for me.

"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing" (Stephen Covey) - especially when there are a lot of interesting elements to choose from. So many important lessons I am learning as I spend a month painting in the great outdoors. One burning question stays at the forefront of my mind every time I set up: "When is this going to get easy???"

Happy Painting,

Gaye

"Cliffs at Leadbetter Beach", oil on canvas, 10X8"

2011-11-27T21:22:00.000-08:00

This little demo painting was completed in about 45 minutes during the workshop I taught here in Santa Barbara. The light here is different than in BC. The palette is generally warmer than what I would use at home, and the forms are unique to this area as well - such an adventure. Also, I am loving the excuse to spend all day in some really stunning locations. The trick is to try and do it justice - one can only try.

I have posted below a photo that I took today of the Monarch butterfly migration - here they are clustering on a Eucalyptus tree while resting and warming themselves. An amazing thing to see. Speaking of warm, it was about 80 degrees F here today. Sending some warmth your way....

Happy painting!
Gaye

Life's a Beach....

2011-11-22T22:11:00.000-08:00

Hard day at the office! I just heard my driveway back in Sorrento, BC has a foot of snow on it so I am feeling understandably smug.

I just finished teaching a four day workshop here in Santa Barbara, and had a wonderful group of painters. This is an amazing place with amazing light - I'll be sending some more images over the next couple of weeks. Just about every place I've set up to paint, it's tough to know which direction to face as there is such a plethora of stunning visual elements to work with.

I've been painting most days since I have been here, and will start to post those paintings soon. In the meantime, I hope all of you will try to stay warm. I'll be sending you warm thoughts :). Below is a very quick demo done at the end of the day, turned 180 degrees from the beach I painted on earlier.

"Hendry's Slough", 30 minute color study, 8X10"

The Painting is the Teacher....

2011-11-13T12:37:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, my good painting buddy Janice Robertson invited me to come out and introduce daily painting to a group of her painting friends. The top photo is in Janice's new studio and the bottom photo is of the group of wonderful women I had the pleasure of working with (Janice is middle second row, I am middle bottom row). It was a good group of painters, some of whom paint professionally. The idea of teaching anything to those that probably know as much as or more than me was a little daunting, but the group soon put me at ease.

I am convinced anew at the value of this process. Every single little painting presents new lessons, no matter what the skill or experience level of the painter. For each participant, the lessons began with the first brushstroke and never stopped. The painting is the teacher, and we are all, always, students.

Thank you Janice for your hospitality, sharing your lovely space and your wonderful friends. Thanks to Mark Hobson for the great photos, and to the workshop participants, for their willingness, good energy and hard work. You guys rocked!

"Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment" - Eastern Saying

Trick or Treat

2011-10-31T13:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween, kiddies! The leaves are yellow, the pumpkins off the vine and a decided nip is in the air here in the interior of BC.

I enjoyed painting these tiny pumpkins - so many plane changes - lots to work with. I wanted to do something I haven't tried before, so I threw some foil wrapped Werther's candies into the mix. I wasn't sure if I would be able to get them to read as shiny, but then I remembered these words of wisdom - "YOU CAN ONLY EVER PAINT THREE THINGS - VALUE, COLOR, AND SHAPE". Get those things right and the painting paints itself - it's sort of like putting a puzzle together. If you start by getting one color/tonal/shape relationship right, then put the next right one next to that, etc, all the pieces fit in the end. If you do this, the painting gets easier, not harder, as you progress. Having said that, I did make some adjustments as I went along. I don't often get it exactly right with the first stroke. And that's okay.

Stay warm and have a safe, fun Halloween. Don't eat too much candy. Isn't it tough when the traffic of little trick or treaters to your door slows down and you think - whatever should I do with all this chocolate? Oh yeah....

Happy Painting,
Gaye

"Fall Tomatoes" 6X8", oil on canvas

2011-10-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

This is a very simple subject matter made interesting with gradations, temperature changes and a complimentary color palette. When the subject matter is this simple, it's easy to make a boring painting. It is necessary that all the small changes be exactly right ie, the color and tone of the reflection of the plate on the bottom of the tomatoe, and the careful drawing of the green stem.

Its a lot of fun to experiment with different color palettes during these daily paintings. When painting the landscape from life, most of the visual information is dictated by what is in front of you. I have fun looking through my fridge, my stack of colored cloths, and my plates and trying different things. Sometimes making a decision on what to paint and then finding a workable design takes as much time as the painting process. And really, why shouldn't it?

Have some fun with these little paintings. Come on out and play.

Best,
Gaye

Practice, practice....the yoga of daily painting

2011-10-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

I've done quite a few small studies this week, and get the sense my painting chops are sharpening greatly from just a week ago. I practice yoga daily, and it has been said that if you do yoga every day for a month, you will become a yogini for life. I have found this to be true - a day without yoga always feels a little "off" so I always come back to the mat. I have become aware of how much better I feel and function when doing yoga regularly. I gotta say, this practice of regular painting from life is much the same way. It does for my eye what yoga does for my body.

I leave tomorrow to teach a daily painting workshop in Calgary - perhaps I shall see you there!

Paint on brothers and sisters, paint on.

If you don't use it, ya lose it....

2011-10-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last two days just doing these little still life set ups (this one is a little 6X8" study) - and omigosh, I can't believe how quickly I got rusty - it just took a matter of weeks. It's interesting.....Richard Schmid describes the process of "seeing" as mental discipline, and just like any other discipline, lack of practice creates atrophy. It would seem that if you don't work regularly from life, this atrophy will most certainly occur. In my experience, drawing skills fade first, then the ability to see tonal changes, subtle color and temperature changes, etc.

If you ask anyone that is a regular painter about the phenomenon I've just described, I'm sure they will confirm my opinion. I have two sons that do art for a living; one a graphic designer, the other an animator. Both of them are superb drawers, and we have had this discussion many times. It seems neither right nor fair - we argue that once we have learned how to draw/paint we should be able to keep that skill level whether we use it or not - but it ain't necessarily so.

Soooo.....maybe I've convinced you to set up a still life today and jump into the deep end of the pool? I hope so.

PS working from a model or painting outdoors will of course achieve the same end - need I mention this? :)

PSS I have a couple workshops coming up that are painting from life - check them out on this blog or on my website.

Happy painting,
Gaye

Studio Work Season....

2011-09-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Today I am showing you another studio piece. Fall is typically the time of year that I am hunkering in to my studio to catch up and produce some gallery work for fall and Christmas shows. It is a shift for sure after spending much of the summer painting small studies from life. Although there is a certain satisfaction in completing a larger studio piece, I have to say I have quite fallen in love with the practice of working from life and know that I will keep doing it throughout the rest of my painting career. I would like to think that the practice informs my larger studio pieces on quite a number of levels.

Over the next few weeks I will be getting in some days devoted entirely to working from life (GOTTA keep my chops up) and I am looking forward to that. I'm loving the challenge and the results I see in my growth as a painter as a result of the practice of daily painting. I will post some of those as I get them done.

In the mean time, I'm hoping all of you are keeping the paint flying and the brushes wet.

Best,
Gaye

"Hat Creek Pony" oil on canvas, 16X20"

2011-09-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

This is a little studio painting....time to push out a few larger paintings. I find it interesting how much more quickly studio paintings go since I have been working at improving my core skills by drawing and painting from life. As I have discussed with fellow painters, skill levels tend to plateau when only studio painting is done - and by this I am referring to paintings that are executed primarily with the use of photographic reference, working 2D to 2D. Working from life is a lot tougher, but really necessary if you are wanting to see improvement.

I am always curious to know what the experiences of other artists are like in this regard, so drop me a line if you have some comment around this. Inquiring minds want to know.

As always - happy painting!

Gaye

Whistler Workshop

2011-08-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

This was my demo piece today - the students asked me to paint something with glass - which isn't my first choice for a demo painting, but I dove in anyways. This was 8X8" and painted up without incident. It always fun to see how much I can leave out and still make something read, and here I left out a lot of information in terms of the small shapes in the glass, but it I think it worked. Less is usually more.

Here's me and my group (I'm the blonde in the front row) - a great bunch with wonderful energy.

I threw everybody in to the deep end of the pool, with only three days to hammer in a lot of basics - design, drawing, tonal relationships, temperature relationships....all the basics of representational painting. I am more convinced than ever of the value of daily painting as a teaching tool. As usual, there was some frustration rising initially, and some were needing to "take a moment" to decompress when frustration rose up, but, without exception, everyone persevered and in the end seemed as proud of their efforts as I was of them.

Great work gang! Also thanks to the folks at Whistler Arts Council and at Nita Lodge for looking after me so well. I'd come back here in a heart beat.

A word about the demo process....

2011-08-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

This little painting was another demo done while I was in Gibsons. Here's the thing about doing demo paintings: the concentration required to get all of the necessary elements in the painting reading well - drawing, tonlaity, color temperature relationships, etc., is a very right brain process. If concentration is off, things generally start running amuck, and sometimes very quickly.

Talking to a group of people about what I am doing while I am doing it, drags me back into a verbal, analytical mode that does not lend itself into seeing things well. It's quite the mental excercise to focus between verbal expression around painting process and getting the painting right while doing it.

Many students have told me that they find the demo work time in the workshop most valuable to their learning, so demos will always be an important instructional tool in my workshops. It is a time honored teaching method, and one that most instructors I know find to be a little nerve-jangling. I grateful that I always find myself painting to a gracious audience.

Best,
Gaye

"Pair of Peaches", 6X6", oil on canvas

2011-08-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to work with a bright and engaging group of painters at Gibsons School of the Arts just recently. Omigosh, they worked so hard! This is a demo painting I did about half way through the workshop.

The room was silent, as students one by one came to the realization that I WAS REALLY ASKING THEM TO PAINT WHAT THEY SAW. I think some had hoped there was some "wiggle room" in the task I was asking them to perform; namely that of painting from life, and getting all the shapes, tones, and colors right. Thought also needed to be given to design - in fact design was the first job on the slate as they each set up their own still life. The angst was palpable at times due to frustration levels rising as different challenges presented themselves, one by one.

In the end, everyone was smiling and quite pleased and perhaps surprised by what they had accomplished. They also (I hope) came away with the knowledge that the point of the excercise here WAS the excercise. The practice, on a regular basis, of training your eye to see by painting and drawing by life, is the best skill builder I have ever run across.

My thanks to Sandra, Terry, Shirley and all the folks at Gibsons School of the Arts for a wonderful instructing experience. Thanks also to my hard working and good natured students. You guys were amazing, and it was a pleasure to work with you.

Keep that paint flying!

"Quill Lake Sunset" 6X8", soft pastel on paper

2011-07-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I have been sooo remiss in my postings. I've been wandering around studying and teaching in this last month and it has taken my time and energy, but it's been a great month!

This is a pastel demo rendered during a workshop I recently taught in Qualicum Beach. There is a WONDERFUL pastel showing there right now. All soft pastel - a rare thing indeed. The workshop was in conjunction with the show. Pastellist Dan Gray organized the show which can be seen at The Old School House. The show includes work by AY Jackson, Harley Brown, Grandmaison, and includes a wonderful selection of current Canadian pastellists. Top notch in my books.

Pastel was my first medium, and I painted in it exclusively for many years, so it was great to get my fingers dirty again. Its immediacy, malleability and opacity make it a very straight forward and rewarding medium to work in. The study above probably took about half an hour - gotta love that.

The Quick Sketch

2011-07-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

The first five days of the 10 day workshop with Scott and Sue was strictly drawing, starting with the "quick sketch". These were poses from the model that were 1-5 minutes long. The instruction is to draw the model as a series of angles, using plumblines to align verically, and the horizontal of your pencil to see angles. I hadn't really drawn this way from the model for some time.

Here's the thing about drawing: seeing accurately enough to get the drawing right deteriorates over time unless we are constantly practicing. Drawing from photos is much easier (2D to 2D), so practice from life is essential in order to get the drawing chops honed. If ya don't use it ya lose it, much in the same way our body loses condition if we stop excercising.

I included this drawing of a short pose so you could see the process of finding angles and alignments. A nude model is much easier for this purpose simply because you can see the structure and have points to measure off of. It is also easier to tell when you have gone astray because there is no clothing to cover up your mistakes.

Draw, pardner.

Workshop with Scott Burdick and Susan Lyon

2011-06-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

I'm in North Carolina studying with Susan Lyon and Scott Burdick. Susan and Scott are two of the most gifted painters in North America, I'm sure. They are husband and wife, and have been conducting a ten day workshop on figurative and portrait drawing and painting. They have very different approaches, which has created fascinating counterpoint within the workshop.

I have learned a ton! The above is a figure study that I was working away on, and Susan came over and "dissapeared" a bunch of the edges on the painting, which brought it together quite nicely. Lesson learned for that day: Less is always more, especially in art.

I'll post more after I return home to tell you about the other epiphanies I've received from these two very gifted teachers.

Happy painting, y'all. Yes, it's true....I'm beginning to pick up the local drawl. Time to get back to Canada!

"Silver Creek Farm" 8X10"

2011-06-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

As I continue to paint in the great outdoors, I have conversations with more and more painters around why they do not bother. The reasons are many, and they run all the way from mosquito problems to dealings with distracting passersby. The biggest reason I hear is "I never like anything I paint outdoors - I'm no good at it".

I think outdoor painting has got to be the most challenging of all subjects, except maybe painting from the live model. That's why we avoid doing it, and that is why we don't get better at it. The hook for me is that I don't just get better at "it", i.e. outdoor painting, I get better at painting period from merely engaging in the attempt of painting outdoors. My eye sharpens, my concentration sharpens, my color mixing skills improve, precisely because it is a difficult process and I am challenging myself, much in the way we build muscles by overloading them.

It's an art "work out". No paint no gain.

"Notch Hill in Early Spring"

2011-05-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

This little painting was done from my tail gate a few miles from home. On a small canvas, it is so important to decide early what can be left out. The nuetrals of the background trees not in leaf yet were laid in with some very grayed and lightened greens, and only a few strokes. I find it a very engaging process getting something to "read" with only a stroke or two. Less is definately more - and it's certainly more fun than struggling to render little tiny shapes on little tiny canvases, which is just a recipe for unpleasantness in my opinion.

So, spring has sprung, and time for another season of daily paintings in the great outdoors. Gotta love it!

Happy plein air painting, pilgrims.

"The Coral Scarf" 12X16" oil on canvas

2011-04-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

This lovely young woman modeled for the local sketch club and I had the opportunity to do a 1 1/2 hour oil sketch from life. I took some photos of her, as I wasn't done yet, and completed the study in my studio.

It was interesting that as I pulled out the photo reference of her, I realized that the camera simply was not capable of capturing accurate tonal and temperature changes, which was a great reminder of why I am on this path of working from life on a regular basis. In fact, as I look on my monitor at this image, my trusty camera dissapoints me again (or perhaps my skills as a photographer, or the callibration on the monitor, or....) as again it loses many subtle relationships in translation from painting to photo of painting.

It is an interesting experiment to start a model or a field study from life, take a photo while set up to paint and finish the painting in the studio. The amount of missing info, or altered info in the photo is far more profound than you would expect. Experience in painting from life definitely informs the end product.

Happy painting,

Gaye

Beautiful Blue Eyes, oil on canvas, 12X16"

2011-04-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

I have been out of touch with you, my dear readers. Apologies - I have been away on a silent retreat, but more about that in an upcoming post.

What I want to talk to you about today is painting from the model - a really amazing alla prima adventure. I was invited by my good painting buddies, Liz Wiltzen and Sarah Kidner, to paint from the model for five days running. This is the kind of training I wish I would have invested in years ago!

I found it challenged me on every level. This a the 2nd of 5 paintings. Each was a three hour sitting and most efforts got wiped due to color problems, drawing problems, etc. I had, well, technical difficulties. So many subtle color changes, tonal changes, soft edges. It was not dissimilar to the experience of doing small still life paintings, but WAY harder. As was the case this time, so often the excercise IS the point of the excercise. If you walk away with a keeper (I had a 60% wipe off rate) it's a bonus, not an expectation. It didn't necessarily get easier with each sitting, and there was a new set of challenges with every model, every lighting situation. I highly recommend the process, although not for the faint of heart.

Keep those brushes wet!

Best,
Gaye

"Grapefruit on Glass" oil on canvas, 6X6"

2011-03-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

I had a keen group of students to my studio week before last, and this is a demo painting from that workshop. "Show us how to do reflections" they asked. "Sure" said I, "No problem". It turns out that it was a bit of a problem. Judging the values took more effort than I had estimated, most especially in the reflection. I misjudged and then had to make changes accordingly.

I think that painting is like music, you do not have to be a musician in order to ascertain when someone misses a sharp or a flat, and nor do you have to be an artist to know that something is not "reading" in a painting. The musician or the visual artist will, however, be the one able to retrace their steps and make the needed correction. It's not about never making mistakes, it's figuring out how to fix them that counts in the end.

Happy painting,
Gaye

COME PAINT SPAIN WITH ME!

2011-03-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to announce that I will be teaching a ten day workshop in Andalucia, Spain at the end of April, 2012!

Southern Spain in the spring time has an idyllic climate for outdoor painting. Accommodation is at El Molino, and old mill in the country side that has been refurbished with lovely patios, bedrooms, baths and a gourmet kitchen. Gourmet meals are prepared by our hosts, Hilary and Mike, who also know the area like the back of their hands. They will take us on trips to the surrounding villages and towns to paint and experience the architecture, people and cuisine.

For further info, click here: http://www.flavourofspain.net/2012.htm

It is a small, intimate workshop - only seven students, and registration needs to occur before June 1, 2011. You can email me directly at gayeadams@telus.net or call 250-675-2976 with any questions.

OLE!

"Lovely Lemons"

2011-03-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

I remember over a year or so ago, when I painted my first painting ever of lemons from life. I simply could NOT get the yellows right, especially as the lemons turned into shadow. The yellows appeared too gray, then too green, then too violet. This little demo painting almost painted itself in half an hour.

It also occurs to me that I have made gains seeing and rendering edges. I think my compositional skills may be improving too. Or perhaps I'm just in a chipper mood. Time will tell...but I suspect that this daily painting stuff really is a great skill booster. This is a happy thing.

Warmly,
Gaye

DAILY PAINTING WORKSHOP NEXT WEEKEND

2011-03-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

I have a few spaces left in my daily painting workshop coming up on March 11,12 13th. The workshop will be held in my home studio in Sorrento, BC. For details, see the side bar below on this blog.

If you have interest, or if you have questions, please email me directly at gayeadams@telus.net.

I've been teaching aspiring painters for over 20 years, and I have to say that this particular workshop is without a doubt my favorite to teach. It is effective, and it is fun. Let me help you launch your daily painting practice. Spaces are very limited, as it will be a small class.

Happy painting, everyone!

California Dreamin' oil on canvas, 8X10"

2011-02-25T12:15:00.000-08:00

We here in the interior of BC have gone into the freezer this week. -28 degrees with a wind chill. Indoor activities only today.

This is a study done on the beach in Santa Barbara, CA in December. My thoughts went back there today, so I thought I would send a little warmth your way.

Keep those brushes wet!

Gaye

"Cow Study" 16X20", oil on canvas

2011-02-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

This sketch was painted in about an hour and a half from a combination of photo references. It was painted while I was chatting on the phone with a fellow painter, a good friend, and I was interested to note that being relaxed and chatting about miscellaneous subjects of mutual interest created a sort of ease that kept the left side of the brain and the accompanying voice of the critic quiet long enough to get down the important information. It was an interesting excercise.

"Red Onion" oil on canvas, 6X8"

2011-01-27T22:26:00.000-08:00

This little study of a red onion was a demo piece done during my last "Daily Painting" workshop. It was an exercise in analogous color usage. Analogous colors are those next to each other, or in very close proximity, on the color wheel. I struggled to edit this photo (with very limited success) to show the subtle changes in temperature within the red of the onion.

Color perception and color mixing are really pushed to the max with this sort of study - subtle shifts make or break the whole painting. It's hard work. The best lessons in art (and in life) are usually the most challenging ones.

Paint on, pilgrims, paint on!

"Summer Storm" 6X8" soft pastel on canson paper

2011-01-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

This is a quick study rendered in soft pastel, my all time favorite medium. The medium is second to none when it comes to directness and malleability. In addition is is very efficient time-wise. There is no time wasted in set up or cleaning brushes.

Interestingly enough, the longer I paint in soft pastel, the fewer sticks I require to get the job done. I know how they will layer and interact with other pigments laid down, and I have learned how to "mix" what I need on the surface of the painting. One never knows all the possibilities within a medium until you have spend many easel hours hunting and pecking, turning things upside down and rattling them around a bit.

If you are frustrated handling the current medium you are working in, hang in there. A few hundred paintings from now, it will reveal all it's secrets. That should keep you busy....

Best Regards,
Gaye

"Monica" oil, 8X10"

2011-01-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

This is a study from a model that I completed while I was away in Santa Barbara. It's been a little while since I painted from the model, and I always enjoy it so much. I'd like to send a thank you to Pamela, a new painting friend down in SB, for sharing her studio (and her model) with me.

A few things that I find helpful to keep in mind when painting from the model:

-drawings are organized with lines, paintings are organized with shapes, so find shape relationships rather than just drawing in a linear fashion. Lines can work, but I think it is a tougher way to get the drawing right.
-block in large shapes first, smaller shapes within the larger shapes after that.
-models move, so get your shapes right as quickly as you can, then stick with those proportional relationships once you have them down and have them right.
-simplify, simplify
-pay attention to temperature shifts within the skin tones - skin is not "skin" colored.
-paint what you see - as soon as you get lazy, all manner of bad drawing and incorrect relationships can (and will) manifest.
-squint down often to make sure the tonal relationships are right

After too much chocolate and WAAAY too much turkey, it's gonna feel good to get back to the studio! Happy painting everyone!

Gaye

"Westbeach Morning"

2010-12-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

I'm back from Santa Barbara, and the beauty of the place has left an indelible mark in my memory and in my heart. One of the profound joys of plein air painting is that viewing the image painted on location instantly transports me back to that moment. The salt air, the crying of the gulls as they fished in the surf, feeling the wind on my face, sun on my skin. Most days I painted in bare feet.

I also recall my desire to drop my brushes in the middle of this painting and join the many surfers that were out this day. (I suppose I should mention that I have no clue how to surf). That was the only moment in which it occurred to me that I was there to work.

It is a wonderful thing to spend time painting in such a place; the process is meditative for me. And it occurs to me how blessed I am to have occasion and opportunity to indulge my need to be immersed in nature.

I don't have a painting tip for you this time, just an exhortation around the zen of the plein air experience. I wish it for all of you. My cup runneth over.

Gaye

Santa Barbara Workshop

2010-12-12T19:41:00.000-08:00

"Wave Study, Hendry's Beach" 6X8" oil on canvas

While painting on the beach in Santa Barbara, I had a number of people hail me and ask if I instructed. The result was an impromptu one day workshop with a great group of painters. Above are Kathy, Eleanor and Bill just getting started on their first painting of the day.

Santa Barbara has an incredible climate - it's just about always hovering between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Gulls hovered, surfers congregated for the great waves and sunny skies. This was a "work" day for me. Can't remember who said it, but I remember the quote, "Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life".

The painting above was a demo done during the afternoon for the class, another attempt at painting the moving surf. It seems to be getting a little easier...maybe. Ah, the thrill of the chase!

Time and Tide....

2010-12-07T22:44:00.000-08:00

"Carpinteria Reflections" oil on canvas, 8X10"

I have been so busy painting, that blogging posts have been sparse. I've done close to 20 small paintings on this trip, many of them oceanscapes, and I am learning a lot about visual memory.

When painting from life, there is no high speed stop to help you see shapes. Waves are continually in motion and the only way to paint them is to sit and observe, and then paint a bit, then sit and observe again. Not only are the waves moving, but the tide and the light also change rapidly. They change quickly enough that if you don't lay them in right away, you start "chasing" them, rather like a dog chases it's tail. It gets you no where, and you will never really be done.

In this piece, the reflections in the sand were completely gone before I had finished laying them in, and I had to rely totally on what I remembered seeing when I started. This requires a lot of focused attention. So far, my head has not burst into flames, but I still have a few paintings to squeeze out before the end of my trip.

I shall endeavor to keep you posted.

All the best from sunny Santa Barbara!

"Montecito Vista" oil on canvas, 8X10"

2010-11-28T19:14:00.000-08:00

I spent a lovely day on the knoll of a hill overlooking the homes of the rich and famous - Oprah, Michael Douglas, Steve Martin. I wondered if any of them were having as nice a day as I was.

This was a study in simplifying the plethora of information that sprawled out before me, and it proved easier than I thought. The tendency I have observed in myself is that if I get overwhelmed out there and start losing the big shapes by breaking things up and trying to shore up my idea with more detail, I have to reign myself in and remind myself to keep it simple. Large shapes to small shapes, highest contrast and most saturated colors around the center of interest and in the foreground. Basic things....important things.

" The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." - Steven Covey

I'm reminded once again, that life is like art.

Best,
Gaye

"The Cliffs of Carpinteria" oil on canvas, 8X10"

2010-11-21T20:49:00.000-08:00

I stood high on this bluff with the wind in my hair and the sound of sea lions barking on the rocks below. The surf and the sand is something I have never painted from life before, and I felt a little daunted as I began. The water wouldn't hold still (imagine that), so I had to just watch the surf for a while, and attempt to paint it while it moved. It was kinda a strange sensation, something different. Something captivating.

I will be attempting many little "ocean scapes " over the next several weeks while I am here in Santa Barbara. It's quite a kick to be painting this while back at home (British Columbia, Canada) the weather has moved into the double digit sub-zero category. On another note of smugness, this week I get to celebrate American thanksgiving, having already had Canadian thanksgiving. Somebody pinch me.

"A Room with A View" oil on canvas, 6X8"

2010-11-19T14:17:00.000-08:00

Here's my first piece from Santa Barbara...this is what I woke up to morning before last, out my bedroom window. I am staying with my cousin Leslie in Santa Barbara for a whole month (Lord bless her) and my mission is to visit the wonderful galleries in town, and there are a lot, and to push out as many plein air pieces as possible. I feel rather smug as it is getting mighty cold and dark at home these days.

When I arrived here last Sunday, I looked off the patio view from my room and wondered how on earth I would paint it. The early morning fog presented a solution, so I took a stab. I knew that unless I simplified greatly, I wouldn't stand a chance at getting this in before the light and the fog changed to the point where I would be relying strictly on visual memory to get the job done.

I painted on the beach yesterday - what a rough life- I'll send that your way next.

Keep those brushes wet,
Gaye

"South Fork, Wyoming" study, pastel on paper 8X10"

2010-11-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

This is a study recently completed from which a larger painting will be rendered. It was not plein air, but was painted using the help of a photo reference. Why do I include it here? Because I think it is a great example of how the daily painting practice has helped me learn to simplify. It is very much informing my studio work. This is what is all about, fellow painters. Goethe said "The things which matter most should never be put at the mercy of the things which matter least". It has become my mantra. Second favorite painting mantra is "Take notice of that which is inconsequential and then ignore it." "Less is more". (OK, it get that anyone who has ever had the dubious pleasure of attending one of my workshops will be sick to death of hearing these quotes...don't roll your eyes at me!)

Pithy sayings stick because they are true.

I am off for a month to Santa Barbara, and will be doing all plein air work while I am there. Stay tuned, my Santa Barbara paintings will be in the upcoming posts!

Kootenays Teaching Gig - I loved it!

2010-11-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

Critique time - how nice they are all smiling - I'm in the black painting apron. As you can see, we're having no fun at all. ;)

Demo painting what's below. A very patient and kind audience makes the process easier!

Demo painting from workshop at Inspiring Minds

This last week, I had the pleasure of working with a keen bunch of painters in the Castlegar area; two workshops back to back, the first hosted by the local FCA chapter and second by Mirja Vahala at Inspiring Minds Art Studio. The students were awesome, and the hospitality second to none. The studio occupies the lower level of Windborne B&B. The photos above are courtesy of Mirja Vahala.

I LOVE TEACHING DAILY PAINTING! I was amazed at how effective this approach is in helping students to develop their ability to paint what they see. It's my favorite workshop to teach ever. I know how the practice has helped me, and it's awesome to see others benefit as well.

PS; 3 SPACES STILL LEFT FOR NEXT WEEKEND'S DAILY PAINTING WORKSHOP!!!
- held in my studio, November 5,6, and 7. For details go to the workshop link off my blog or website.

Little Pumpkin, Big Knife

2010-10-30T17:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween Kiddies! I've been away teaching in the Kootenays (which I will tell you all about in my next post), and this was a demo painting. I've been talking to a lot of students lately about composition. I believe it is very intuitive, and that we all have a great sense of composition quite naturally when we can relax and let it out. On this painting, I placed the pumpkin smack dab in the center of the support with a flagrant disregard for the most widely quoted rule of composition, but it works for me. I think the trick is to treat the other elements of the composition (positive shapes, negative shapes, tonal changes) in an assymetrical fashion to compensate for the stasis that would otherwise prevail.

PS...THREE SPACES LEFT IN MY DAILY PAINTING WORKSHOP NEXT WEEKEND, right here in Sorrento, BC. If you are interested, contact me right away, would love to see you. Info on my website on right.

Silver Creek Holsteins, oil of canvas, 6X8"

2010-10-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

Another tough day at the office. You guys gotta get out and try this. Way too much fun.

Thia was changing morning light, and I chased it a bit, from 10 to 11 AM, but in the end it came out alright. The little ditty cows (I'm only on 6X8" for heavens sake, so you have to cut me some slack)were a little chanllenging, but I just tried them once, then left them alone.

Get out there and paint while we still have some weather, people! It's not to late! In fact, I think this is the best plein air time of the year, no bugs, usually no wind, no sweltering sun. Not a bad way to spend a few hours.

Happy painting, pilgrim.

GOING LIVE on EBAY!!!

2010-10-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to announce that I am making the move to auctioning my daily paintings on Ebay. I have worked ahead, and you will find some previously posted favorites offered along with my most recent daily paintings.

Here's the first!

"Oranges Reflected" oil on linen, 6X8"

I loved playing the saturated oranges with the cool neutrals in the background. It was great fun to paint the reflections. I set the still life up by putting a colored (black) cloth underneath a piece of glass.
Click here to bid (bid starts Monday 5pm, PST)

Early Morning in Silver Creek, oil on Canvas, 6X10"

2010-10-12T23:33:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure this week past of going out and enjoying the indian summer by painting en plein air. I joined artists Jerry Markham, Wendy Penner and Dennis Webber. Whilst out there I remarked to Jerry, "Tough day at the office, eh?"

There's nothing quite like spending a day out in the field painting; as far as the paintings go, ya win some, ya lose some. It's the process and the experience that is so very valuable ( I sometimes have to remind myself of this when it is not going too well on the easel).

Here's a little tip for you: If you plan to make the light convincing, get all the major tones and colors in place in the first half hour, most especially if you are painting in early or late light; otherwise, you end up "chasing" the light, and you will be continually adjusting your painting. Problematic to say the least. Get it right and get it fast - simple, but not easy!

Happy painting!
Gaye

BOLD BRUSH FAV 15 WINNER!

2010-10-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

"Spring Arrivals", Pastel on paper, 18X24"

I am excited to announce that my studio piece "Spring Arrivals" just placed in the FAV 15 category of the Bold Brush competition. This was particularly fun because I love working in pastels, and it's always great to see the medium appreciated. This is and always has been a favorite subject matter of mine...although I hope you can tell the subject matter is really the light, not so much the sheep. I see in terms of what in my subject matter is an interesting foil for the light. In this case it was the wooly coats and the see through ears of the lambs. Great fun.

ps, all these daily paintings and plein paintings I have been doing really inform my studio pieces. I have a better understanding of how the color and light bounce around, particularly in shadowed areas. The photos just don't give enough information to really get it right in a studio piece.

Orange on Red, oil on cavas, 6X6"

2010-09-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

This little demo piece was a practice in using analogous colors (colors next to each other on the color wheel). The most difficult passage was the shadowed pulp in the orange piece that touches the bottom. It was darker in tone than the lit and transparent sides of the slices above it, and I painted it twice before I got it right. It was "muddy" which just means it was the wrong temperature. By graying it - by this I mean adding a mixture consisting of red, blue and yellow that "leans" towards orange, I was able to achieve the right temperature and hue.

I know it sounds a little complex, but with practice it becomes easier. I find that as colors move into shadow, they not only go down ( go darker) tonally, but they also lose saturation, or intensity. An important lesson!

Tangerine Unzipped oil on canvas, 6X6"

2010-09-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

I just returned from teaching an oil painting/ daily painting workshop in Vancouver. I had a great time with a great group! The painting above was a workshop demo.

The students were all acrylic painters that were new to oils, and they tackled the prospect head on. What they maybe hadn't figured was that the workshop was about seeing accurately - drawing, tonality, color, etc. as much it was about tackling the medium of oils. In representational painting there is absolutely NO getting around a firm understanding of the basics. Oil is a great medium to facilitate the process, as misteps are easily corrected. Recognizing what went wrong and changing it is how we learn. John Holt said:
"We learn to do by doing, there is no other way".

To that end, I am offering a daily painting in oils workshop during the first week of November. The info is in my sidebar to the right. Contact me with any questions.

AIRS International Exhibition

2010-09-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

I thought I would show you a studio piece that was just accepted into the AIRS Exhibition to be held in Vancouver this fall. This piece is a pastel and so far on this blog I have shown you only my small oil paintings. I have been a pastellist for most of my art career and love the medium. My new love is oils, but there's nothing like an old love. I paint in both mediums these days, but most commercial galleries are far more interested in carrying works that aren't behind glass. Pity.

This piece is 18X24" soft pastel on paper, entitled "Cows at Haybreak".

Wonder Lake, 6X8", oil on canvas

2010-09-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

This little gem of a lake is hidden up high in a corner of the Bugaboos. On arriving here, although it was gob-smackingly gorgeous it was very difficult to find a good design. When that happens to me (which is often enough) I look for an element that interests me, and try to find a way to make a design. I loved the snowpatch reflecting in the lake, but one snow patch does not a composition make, so I strolled around the shoreline till I found a vantage that would afford a foreground and some contrast for me to work with. This little 6X8" will be the springboard for a bigger piece that I can hardly wait to dig in to!

PS I have two workshop coming up in the next two weeks. The first a plein air workshop this coming weekend (Sept 11th and 12th) and the second a daily painting/oil workshop held in Vancouver. Still some spots left, go to my website (www.gayeadams.com) for further information.

Cobalt Lake Afternoon, oil on canvas, 10X8"

2010-09-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

This is one of my Bugaboo paintings as promised. The forms in the Bugaboos are startling. I realize as a relative novice at mountain painting, how unfamiliar these shapes and colors are to me. The hardest thing to render was the many subtle, sophisticated grays that appear in this kind of landscape. It was essential to have an umbrella while painting because with the sun shining on your palette or in your face, the pupils are unable to see color accurately. Having said that, when I set up my umbrella and had not yet anchored my tripod down, all my gear did a Mary Poppins! Ah, the challenge of outdoor painting, most especially in the high country. Extreme painting! Gotta love that. I picked the dirt out of my painting and pressed on.

Bugaboo Bliss

2010-08-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

This is me, at the top of the world! The next few posts will be paintings and photos from my recent trip to the Bugaboos. My good painting buddy, Liz Wiltzen, invited me to come up to her old stomping grounds and spend three glorious days painting in the most incredible environment I have EVER experienced. Food for the artists soul! Liz is taking a lucky group of painters up in just a few days, and is also guiding for a Robert Genn workshop right after that. If you can find a way to go, ya gotta do it. Robert's workshop is full, but Liz still has a few spaces left. For info, click here

Lemon Tea, 6X6", oil on linen

2010-08-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

This is a painting that I just completed for a demo page in the next FCA newsletter. It's been a while since I've done a studio piece, but it was WAY too hot to paint outside this last while, so I retreated to the cool of my studio.

What I was amazed to find was that my drawing skills had become less accurate over this last while, as drawing in the landscape does not require the exactness that drawing a still life requires. I never find ellipses easy to draw. If they're wrong, they're wrong. Anyway, it was fun to get back into the saddle. I'll be doing a lot of these when the bad weather hits.

Spring Greens, oil on canvas, 8X10"

2010-06-28T21:51:00.000-07:00

This painting was a surprise to me. It was one of those scenes with so much information, I stood there a little stymied as to where to start. My good painting buddy, Liz Wiltzen (click on Liz's blogspot with the link on the right) and I have been talking a lot about process with plein air painting. It has really been grist for the mill. I just kept reminding myself about what the "why" of this piece. I loved the spring greens against the dark background conifers and the violet-blue mountains. It was all about color and pattern. With that in mind, I painted the colors and patterns, leaving out whatever extraneous information I could. It was one of those happy little "fall off the brush" paintings. I love it when that happens. It makes up for the other paintings that you end up having to wrestle to the ground.

"Thunder Maker" Oil on Canvas, 8X10"

2010-06-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

I was having a tough day on Saturday, so packed up my painting gear and headed to one of my favorite spots. This is Chase Falls, and I have painted it many times, but never en plein air, and never swollen like this with spring run off. It was really an amazing experience for me. The sound was mesmerizing and powerful. I put up my umbrella because mist was landing on my palette. During an afternoon in a spot like this, tension melts and a meditation begins. The day to day is dwarfed by the power of the place and vigor and elan can manifest.

Experiences like this are the immediate gratification that the outdoor painter gets. You don't necessarily walk away with a large piece, a finished piece, or even a marketable piece. If you do that is icing. What you always walk away with is an experience; one that cannot be gotten within the safe confines of the studio.

Sanctuary, oil on canvas, 8X10"

2010-05-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

This is a painting done in morning light in what is becoming a favorite painting spot for me - a bird sanctuary. I had painted a scene similar to this a few days before that was an abysmal failure because I was unable to simplify the complex masses of bullrushes and grasses. I got so lost that it was difficult to tell what the painting was about. Lesson learned. Here all the masses are laid in simply and quickly. It worked so I quit fussing.

Only say what needs to be said and then leave it alone. I think that painting is a lot like writing or speaking. Make your point and then stop diddling. If you say too much, your focus or point will be watered down or, worse yet, lost altogether.

"The Rose"

2010-05-19T23:20:00.000-07:00

I have a whole new appreciation for floral painters! This is a totally new subject matter for me. It was tougher than I thought. A lot of small shapes that have to be drawn well, or else they don't read. As when drawing people or animals, even being a little off with your drawing is something that just won't fly. Having said that, I can see myself going for more of this. It was a lot of fun to paint! Simplification was an important component here. Conclusion: More IS Less. Suggestion is more interesting than complete disclosure.

Sonoran Landscape 6X8" oil on canvas

2010-05-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

This little painting presented a huge challenge for me. There were all these greens, just subtly different, lying on different planes in the landscape and at different distances. Color and tonal changes were subtle but essential. I almost wiped this one off, but in the end I decided to try to work the problems through, and I think it came together. I find landscapes done mid day are tougher because the light gets really flat, and there is less contrast and shadow shapes to create design and really sink your teeth into. Pretty tricky. I sometimes have to remind myself that the most important reason I am painting plein air regularly is not to turn out a jewel of a painting, but rather to engage the process and to become a better painter!

Painting in Fancy Weather

2010-05-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

"Late Day Desert Storm" oil on canvas, 6X8"

As promised, here's my first desert painting. Liz and I set up to paint and the weather started getting crazy. It was blowing and cold. I was wearing a down jacket and still got chilled to the bone! We only got one painting each done on this day because the conditions changed so rapidly that it was tough to get anything down. For a while I just stood there, not knowing what way to point my easel. The sun had been out, then it started raining, then it stopped. What a circus! When some light finally appeared, there was so much to paint it was overwhelming. A decision had to be made, and this was it.

I am finding that I am learning more and more to utilize visual memory. Get down the key elements quickly, because the scene will change long before you are finished painting. On this painting I probably burned up about 45 minutes. If you are going to paint late day light, you really don't have any more time than that. I also noted that in the desert, nightfall comes rapidly. It got dark so quickly, I think that I think I may have left a few brushes on the desert floor! The whole experience was quite a rush...a kind that you really don't get while painting in the studio.

Plein Air in the Sonoran Desert

2010-05-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

The trip to the desert was amazing. I am back from two weeks of painting in the desert outside of Scottsdale, AZ. Painting this desert was a thrill. My good painting buddy, Liz Wiltzen, and I spent three days in the landscape in all kinds of changing conditions. Day one we were wearing down coats, and on the third day we were slathering on sunscreen and trying to find shade. This is a photo I took on the first day, and I will be posting some paintings over this next week once I am back in the studio.

We also studied with Nancy Crookston while in Arizona, an AMAZING American oil painter who shared her knowledge and skill with us. I'll post some more info about that on my next blog. For today, I just wanted to show you the desert, a totally different subject matter both in terms of form and palette.

"View from Half Moon Farm, Gabriola" oil on linen, 8X10"

2010-04-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

I leave for Arizona Wednesday, and will be posting some of my plein air images as soon as I have opportunity, but in the mean time thought I would let you look at one of my favorites from last painting season. This was painted on a beautiful September morning, with the ocean breeze in my face, and my painting buddies close by. What pleased me with this little study is that it turned out so true to the type of sparkling morning that it was. Whenever I look at this image, it transports me to the place, almost like a moment frozen in time. The experience of plein air painting is really growing on me.

ps I am holding a plein air workshop in Gabriola in just a few weeks. If you are interested, please go here: http://www.jupiterranch.com/Workshops.html

Heading into the Great Outdoors!

2010-04-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

Honey Jar, 6X6", oil on Linen

So today the birds are singing and the sun is shining and I am going to head out doors to paint, and hope to be doing so for the bulk of the summer. Painting these small studies indoors I am hoping will help me with my plein air paintings as well.

In just a few days, I fly to Scottsdale AZ to do some painting with my good buddy, Liz Wiltzen. We have been chatting about our feelings around the effort expended doing these little studies. When you are getting paid by the square inch, there comes moments when you wonder, "What's it all about, Aflie?, is this going to pay off?".

Obviously, we are both convinced it will make a huge difference to becoming better at our craft. If it is only about getting paid, then doing these studies doesn't make sense in the short term, but it will pay off in spades in the long term. Besides which, they are so much fun! A totally different experience than painting from reference photos. When you move the experience out into the great outdoors, there is even more challenge. Shifting light, wind, bugs, cold, heat.....and I wouldn't miss it. I may be away from posting for a little bit as I am not sure I want to haul my computer down to AZ., but I will be posting my plein air studies when I get home. Till then, I wish you happy painting, and hope you get the bug to head outdoors, the most challenging daily painting experience of all!

Pears in White Bowl, 6X8", oil on linen

2010-04-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

I am really enjoying messing around with design. Iwanted to see if I could make the bowl "kiss" the edges of the format without creating so much tension that the center of interest would be lost. It's all about relationships, folks. Breaking the rules works just fine if you have a plan for how to deal with it.
In this case the stems of the pears are interesting enough to keep the viewer from wondering where the heck the center of interest is. Visually speaking, we don't like to be kept dangling, it makes us uncomfortable, so the painter's job is to stay in control of directing the viewer's eye.

PAINTING A DAY WORKSHOP, SORRENTO BC

2010-04-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

I'm so VERY convinced in the value of the painting a day process as a way to increase painting skills no matter what level you are starting at, that I have decided to offer a workshop that will teach a solid approach to developing your own painting a day practice. I will be working in oils, and would prefer students to work in oils as well. If you do not have oil paints, bring your best brushes and I will share around my oils for a $30.00 fee to save you having to purchase especially for the workshop.

The workshop will be three days long and will be held in my home studio in Sorrento (actually Blind Bay, just outside of Sorrento) BC. I will be hosting it myself, and taking no more than eight students.

The dates will be June 5,6 and 7th, and the cost will be $275. A $100 deposit will hold your place. Email me directly at gayeadams@telus.net if you are interested. I'm looking forward to sharing the joy!

My mailing address is 2929 Juniper Crescent, Sorrento, BC V0E 2W2

Peeling Tangerine, 6X6" oil on canvas

2010-04-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, MORE citrus fruit. I like the shapes and colors, and how the light can shine through the translucence of the fruit. I have known for a long time that what attracts me to a subject matter is not the subject matter at all, but what kind of a foil it makes for strong light. Every painter has their thing, the thing that "floats their boat" and nudges them gently, or not so gently, towards the easel. Mine has always been creating the illusion of light. These still life subjects that allow me to set up the light in a way that is interesting to me entices me to keep going with them. I feel I am learning something new with each tiny painting. They are certainly teaching me far more than my studio paintings ever have. I'm liking that.

Red Vase, oil on linen, 6X6"

2010-03-30T18:22:00.000-07:00

I think perhaps one of the things I am enjoying most about doing these small paintings is experimenting with a palette that I don't normally use. Because I have been primarily a representational landscape painter throughout my career, red is a color I haven't used a great deal. You'll notice is my last number of posts I have been seeing red! Still life is a new subject matter for me; it has never engaged me before now. You can teach an old dog new tricks....(ok, I'm not THAT old). It's a wonderful journey, this painting for a living. Always something you don't know or haven't done. There is an eastern saying "Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment". That's how I am feeling about now.

Red Grapes, oil on linen, 6X6"

2010-02-23T21:25:00.000-08:00

These grapes were really interesting to paint. Once again, I took my best shot at painting light shining through something, this time grapes. In addition to translucence, there was also reflected light, highlight, cast shadows, etc to deal with. This stuff is a constant source of amusement for me. It sure hones my observation skills when painting this stuff from life. The human eye sees a great deal more than a camera lens does. To prove it to yourself try painting a subject from life, then try painting it from a photo of the still life once you have it set up. You'll be amazed at the difference in the information you have to work with. Your eye will see far more subtle shifts in color and tone than your camera will.

Two's Company, oil on linen, 6X8"

2010-02-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

I am quite engaged in doing these citrus studies, this time grapefruit being the fruit of choice. Anthing I can shine light through interests me. Once more I have employed the use of a sheet of glass with a white cloth underneath it. I am having some fun with the way the values are altered in the reflections due to the cast light and the white cloth underneath the reflections. It is really challenging me to look carefully and paint what I see, not what I think I know.

Pears on glass 6X8" oil on linen

2010-02-09T17:10:00.001-08:00

For this painting, I placed a piece of glass over top of a white surface and then raised the image to almost eye level. What intrigued me was how the value of the reflection was actually higher than the value of the shaded side of the pear because of the white surface underneath. Lighter, and greyed down. Generally, reflections are darker than what they are reflecting. Another valuable reason to paint from life...your eyes don't lie! It's all about PAINTING WHAT YOU SEE INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU THINK YOU SEE!

High Key Oranges

2009-12-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

This little painting presented a new situation for me. I don't generally ever paint a high key painting. I always go for the drama of the darks - you'll notice there is nothing lower than a middle value in this painting. I still wanted the effect of bright light, but rendering it without the benefit of the full value scale was just something new for me. The possibilities when you are setting up your own subject matter is endless. What a great adventure!

Oranges Reflected

2009-11-15T22:54:00.000-08:00

This piece is very simple, and I like that. I plan to keep them simple for now as the learning curve is steep enough. I'm trying to learn to get the important stuff right and then leave the painting alone. I like how citrus fruits give you that interesting transulence when backlit. I'm gonna have to play some more with that!

Lemons and Limes

2009-11-09T21:27:00.000-08:00

This is my very first painting a day. I had thought the painting would take an hour or so, but instead I spent the better part of the morning on it. Being from a pastel background, the whole color mixing this is still a little hit and miss for me. The miss part is taking more time than I reckoned. After doing just a few of these small studies, I can see what I miss when I paint from photo references. In all my years as a painter, I have not done a great deal of painting from life. It's difficult, but my suspicion is that it will make me a much stronger painter.