Ah Provence.....sigh

I'm leaving Tuesday for my trip.....3 weeks in France. I will be painting the French countryside for two weeks after a few days in Paris. Wish I could take you with me! I will keep a log and update the blog when I return and of course post a ton of photos. I'm not taking the laptop so I won't be able to post, not much anyway, while I'm away. I'm planning to put a new show together from the trip as soon as I return. I'm painting with Brigitte Curt and Jim Smyth. Wonderful painters and teachers.
More later.
To learn more about painting in Provence go to http://www.provenceworkshop.com/

Good Reading For Artists, FINE ART VIEWS

Exercise Builds Creative Musclesby Keith Bond
This Post is by Keith Bond, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews. Find out how you can be a guest author.
Have you ever had those days where you just can't seem to find the creative urge? I have. Some days I look through my stacks of plein air studies and photos trying to find that spark of inspiration. Often I will waste countless hours. Over the years I have found things that have helped me find my absent muse. For me, the most effective is to go outside and paint on location. But this is not always possible or practical.
So how do you find your muse?
I have found that for me, creating often begets creativity. So, if I can just pick up the brush and push some paint around, those creative juices begin to flow again. It sounds simple, but I admit, it is sometimes hard to just jump in. Let me offer a few ideas to get yourself playing around with your art. Little, quick 'studies' or 'exercises' often do the trick. Musicians do exercises as they practice (scales for example). They do this to develop certain techniques as well as to loosen up and get into the groove. Likewise, use little exercises in your art to loosen up and to develop art techniques. Build your creative muscles by exercising often. As a painter, my ideas are geared more for other paintiers. For those of you who use other media, I hope this sparks some ideas of exercises appropriate for your creativity.
There are scores or even hundreds of possibilities. I will list a few that I have done recently and/or are my favorites.
Paint upside down. This is one of my favorites. Turn a photo upside down to paint from. This forces you to look at shapes rather than 'things'. Don't spend long looking for the perfect photo. Remember it is an exercise. Also, don't cheat and turn it right side up while painting. Just focus on copying shapes of color. You will be amazed at your results.
Paint from memory. Again, take a photo or plein air study (you could even do this from life). Study your reference intently for five minutes. Then look away. Again, don't cheat. Put your photo or plein air study where you cannot see it. If you are doing this from life, turn your back on the subject. Paint what you remember. Paint how it made you feel. This will help you develop the ability to paint an emotional interpretation of your subject. Rather than copying the 'things' in the photo or in your still life, you are painting the impression they made upon you. You will paint the characteristics that are most important to you within the subject. Do this one often to develop this skill of memory painting.
Change your color palette. Try using only the primaries and white. Since there are many tube colors that fall within each of the primary colors, you could switch things up and have endless possibilities. Use three different primaries each time. As an example, try using the black in place of blue along with your other two primaries. Or use earth tone primaries: yellow ochre, transparent oxide red (or burnt sienna) and payne's gray along with white. Or use 2 earth tones with one vibrant color. A good friend of mine paints with yellow ochre, cad red light, black and white. Another way to mix up your palette is to randomly select 5 colors (put the tubes in a bag and pull them out at random – I got this idea from Kevin Macpherson's book, Landscape Painting Inside and Out). Or try painting with only the secondary colors (purple, orange, and green, plus white). These exercises will develop your understanding of color. You will realize that you can do amazing things with a very limited palette. I learned a few years ago, that a larger palette actually was a crutch.
Paint from a distance. Take a large brush (a #6 or #8 flat or filbert) and attach it to the end of a stick (18-24 inches long). Then paint a small painting with this elongated brush at arm's length. This will put you several feet away from your painting. You will learn several things. Firstly, you will be unable to put in detail. You will develop the ability to rely on the strength of larger shapes and implied detail. This will help you loosen up and become more painterly. Secondly, you will see the entire canvas at once from this distance. You won't get so caught up in (and thereby overwork) selected areas.
Limit your time. Set the timer for 20 minutes and paint a 6 x 8 from your reference photo or from life. I like to have my students do this from life in my plein air painting workshops. We do about 5 or 6 of these quick sketches in one afternoon. Remember, set the timer and stop when the timer goes off. Your first one or two may be far from successful. But you will learn to see and respond to the most essential elements of the scene. You will learn to overlook the superficial. Details will become unimportant. The feeling or essence of the scene will be more easily captured. By the time you have done 4, 5 or 6, you will be surprised at how much you are able to capture in such a short time.
As mentioned before, there are many more possibilities. Paint with a palette knife, or try a new type of brush, or even a stick. Try new techniques: glazing, dry brush, broken color, blending, etc. Focus on design. The options go on and on.
I have enjoyed doing these little exercises so much, that now I usually begin my day spending 30 minutes doing one, even when I am not lacking for inspiration. Yes, they will help you find your motivation or inspiration. But just as beneficial is the development of skills. The 'health' of your art and creativity will increase if you exercise regularly.
Happy Creating (and exercising),
Keith Bond
PS You will notice that a few of these ideas are also found in Kevin Macpherson's book. In the book, he has a number of great ideas. But, the ideas are not solely his. I have seen many other artists do similar things. Ask around and you will likely come up with many, many more. In fact, if you have a favorite, please share it here for the benefit of all. This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews.com by Clint Watson, a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists, collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art) .

For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.fineartviews.com/

June News

We (Wednesday painting class) drove to Half Moon Bay last week and painted the ocean.

It's time for me to share with you my move from my Midtown Studio. This was a tough decision, but a practical one. I've been at the Sacramento Art Complex, sharing a studio space with my friend Allison Carlos. See http://www.allisoncarlos.com/

I made the decision to move out last month, and made the move this past weekend. I have loved my time spent at the complex and also have enjoyed being a part of the group of artists there. I only decided to leave because I don't have time to spend there and was feeling very stretched. Now that I teach at the Capital Art Center on S Street, I will show a few pieces there and continue to teach and also study there. http://www.s12studios.com/

For now, you can view a large collection of my paintings at Gonul's Restaurant 3839 J Street in Sac. 916-457-1155. Great food too!

http://www.jstreetcafe.com/gonul

The Baylands Just Before Sunset

This past Wednesday I finished the demo for my class, then after lunch the class finished up their pieces. We had fun with this one. We are all learning here! This class is very inspiring and we all have such fun. A couple of my students suggested that when I do a demonstration I start with the lay in as I normally would - but then to stop and give the class a chance to reach the same point with the same photo. Then the next week, do the same but this time finish up the piece. I think we all learned more from this process. It gives them a chance to paint while the same image is fresh in their mind, and also they get the chance to paint from the very same photo after they have watched me do it. We've done it a couple of times now, and it seems to work for everybody.
This week we are going on another field trip and anybody is welcome to join us. We are meeting at the Capital Art Center at 1200 S Street in Sacramento at 7:00 am. We are going to paint the ocean in plein air, in the Half Moon Bay area, stay for a nice meal and drive home late in the evening. If you'd like more information about our Wednesday classes call me at 916-952-7914 or ranblaz@hotmail.com.

Class Demo - Baylands

After the trip to the bay area last weekend, I was inspired to do a demo for my art class. This is just the lay in. I took this photo during my stint of classes with Brigitte two years ago. I'll finish the demo on Wednesday and publish it. I had forgotten how beautiful this area is.

Baylands in Palo Alto Plein Air

Last weekend my bud Allison & I went to the bay area to take a plein air class with Brigitte Curt. Brigitte is a wonderful teacher who is leading the workshop in Provence this summer. She and her husband Jim Smyth have a summer home in the hilltop village of Simiane la Rotonde, in Provence. The rest of the year they are teaching and painting in the Palo Alto area. I started working with Brigitte about 4 years ago. I discovered her in one of the local galleries and instantly fell in love with her paintings. It took one phone call and a very good conversation to convince me to make the drive every week to study with her. I did this for two years. I've been wanting to go to Provence and finally, in six weeks, the adventure begins.
Brigitte invited the participants to come to an informational meeting so I needed to go, and because I had to make the drive, decided to take a class during the day. Brigitte allowed Allison and I to join the group. It was beautiful. I had time to do a couple of studies.
Okay, more abut the trip. You must check out the website http://www.provenceworkshops.com/
A trip of a lifetime. I am very blessed! Because this is my first time traveling to Europe and I'm going all the way to France, I made plans to stay in Paris for 5 days, before taking the train down to the south. I will arrive in Avignon, rent a car and meet my group, then drive the hour and a half to the village. This is not city life! It will be the height of the lavendar season so I am taking plenty of Dioxazine paint.
Just a quick note: Join me on June 6th in Sausalito for the quarterly regional California Plein Air paint out. More info at their website at http://www.californiaartclub.org/

Last week our painting class in Sacramento took a trip to Elk Grove to plein air paint. Most of the gals in the group have not painted outside yet and we all decided to give it a go. It turned out to be very cold and windy, but the willows were beautiful! I painted a demo and we all decided to go in. This is not a very good shot, but the colors were amazing and so vibrant!

This is all in preparation for the paint out in Loomis next weekend at the Horton Iris Farm. The painting begins Friday and continues Saturday. Go to http://www.hortonirisgarden.com/ for more information and directions. The whole class is going and this will be my first time there. They also host a quick draw painting session where artists compete in a 3 hour paint out at the gardens on Saturday at 8:30. I understand the gardens are beautiful and I love irises. I have painted a few of them. I posted an older painting from a couple of years ago. Hope you can come and join in the fun.

The students in class are all painting so well!! They are working hard and it is paying off. We have a good time.

Rainbow Bridge, 24 x 30 2008

I needed a painting to post because I can't photo the one I'm working on up here in Tahoe. This is a commission I did last year.
It's snowing up here in Truckee, California. We came up for a few days this week but will be returning home in time for the reception at 20th Street Art Gallery for the 50 - 50 show. This will be the first time I see my 50 paintings after they have been hung. It's a little scary. I don't know what to expect because I don't remember how they look. All I remember is that I didn't like that many of them. Of course, I am my own worst critic. I went online to the website at the gallery (http://www.20art.net/) and all I can say is wow! Everybody should try to come.


Anyway, I have been painting up here for 4 years now and always, always feel inspired while here. This week I wanted to paint a large landscape with figures. I worked on it for three days. We leave tomorrow morning and I don't have my camera, ugh. I will post it soon. It is a struggle. I am enjoying every minute and every struggle. I haven't been this excited about painting since - well, the last time I was up here. Actually, I think working with Don Hatfield painting figures from life has got me going. My heart is pumping!



I discovered a new blog about art and painting by a painter friend of mine, Frank Ordaz. Check it out. Lot's of really good information that has obviously come from good experience.

Sunflower Painting Revisited

I haven't been in the studio much. Finally got in there tonight and almost finished up the Sunflower Painting. I started this painting as a demo in the class downtown and a few of the artists in the class painted it as well. I'd like to post their paintings, will have to do that. It's amazing how they all turned out different. We all learned a lot. Mine? I think I will add some blues. My friend Jamie used some beautiful blues in hers and I loved the effect.

I'd like to share more with you about some of Terry Miura's teachings. (I attended his workshop in Napa a couple of weekends ago)

First of all, I learned how to teach a workshop in a more personal way. He had the help of his friends who live in Napa, Alan and Leslie Barieault, but the three of them went out of their way to make all of us in the workshop feel welcome. They made up some really nice name tags, invited us to dine at a local restaurant and even put nameplates on the table. Terry put together a little book with a demonstration of a recent landscape. He also gave out a "book" of information about his painting ideas and techniques that has evolved over the years. What helped the most is that Terry taught the same way he posts his blogs and the same way he explains it in his hand out. This way it all makes sense. They also made arrangements ahead of time with the owners of three really nice vineyards.

Anyway, just wanted to express my appreciation and gratitude. Very well done, and I would recommend his workshops to my friends.

Yesterday, Wednesday is class day at the S12 Studio in Sacramento. I teach 5 students on a weekly basis. These artists inspire me! I think I learn more than they do because I repeat the fundamentals over and over. I painted this demo yesterday from a photo I took on my kitchen table a couple of years ago. These sunflowers were sooooo red. I bought them at Trader Joe's. I loved the light coming in the window, it was bouncing all over the place! I don't know if I can capture it, but I will try to finish this painting soon and then post it again.

It needs some shadow in the bottom area, a balance in color relationships throughout and some areas to rest the eye. I have to be careful not to make all the flowers the star and keep the focal point on the largest flower. I can do this by creating more color contrast in that area, more edges and the lightest light next to the darkest dark. Then I will need to pay attention to the other areas and soften those edges and keep the chroma more subtle.

Finally, I am getting my studio at home set up. Since our family move about 6 weeks ago, I have been busy with workshops and also with painting for the 50-50 show. Yesterday I took the paintings to the gallery. Whew! Now I can get organized enough to paint in the home studio.

Be sure to let me know if you can come to the artists VIP reception Thursday April 9th at 5:00 PM. I'd love to hear from you and you are sure to enjoy all these little paintings. It is quite an experience. Go to www.20art.net for the address at 20th Street Gallery in Midtown, Sac. RSVP at ranblaz@hotmail.com

Napa Workshop Experience

Saturday we painted all day at the Mondavi Vineyards. It was beautiful and atmospheric, but chilly and a little wet. I found it very inspiring. I took a lot of photos and painted two paintings. I'll try to get them photographed and posted.
Sunday was more of the same, but a little warmer and we were at the hillside winery of Diamond Oaks. WOW! Terry painted another amazing demo and lectured all about painting the atmosphere.
I have to say that this experience was wonderful and I learned a lot. I haven't been out plein air painting in a long time, and because of that it was more challenging than it should have been. But it was exactly what I needed and as far as workshops go, very well done. Bravo to Terry Miura and Alan and Leslie Baribeault who put it together. Be sure to read Terry's post on his blog, you can click the link and go right to it.
More soon. Randy

Terry Miura Workshop Day One

Napa was beautiful today, perfect weather. We met at the Etude Winery in the afternoon for a plein air demonstration by Terry Miura. I have to say that this workshop is very well put together and Terry is a wonderful teacher. He is so good at explaining his technique and is very generous with sharing his knowledge and experience. A gifted instructor. What he chose to paint was not the easiest, but he pulled it off beautifully. The most important point to remember? Write down your reason for choosing your subject before you start to paint! Essential! Otherwise it is easy to be lead astray and forget your focal point. It is all about that.
He shared all of the foundational information but also gave us plenty of subtle tips that he has learned to rely on over the years. This was very helpful. One thing that I have forgotten to do lately is to use my gray mixture to control the chroma or intensity of the color. Very good stuff.
Tomorrow? Mondavi Vineyards. Can't wait.

Boat Reflections

Only a few more days of painting Monet's Garden. I will deliver them to 20th Street Gallery in Sacramento next week, but am leaving for Napa this week so I'm finishing a bit early. I am taking a workshop with Terry Miura. Check him out at the link on the blog. I met Terry in downtown Sacramento a couple of years ago at his studio on 12th street. He doesn't teach there anymore, but is putting on a plein air workshop in Napa this week. Very wonderful painter. I'm looking forward to the vineyards, the mustard and hopefully some nice weather. I will be sure to post all about it.

Also, I am currently taking a workshop with Don Hatfield in Sac. He paints beautiful romantic figures in the landscape. We are studying from live models in the studio. As it turns out he spent years studying with Sergei Bongart and Dan McCaw, my favorites! Working with Don is exactly what I need, painting from live models. I will be sure to post more about this workshop as well. Meanwhile, I will post a link to his website.

The Water Garden

In 1893 Monet designed his pond with the idea of adding a new element to his flower garden. He yearned for winding paths with curves bridges with arches that would take you through the circular beds and water lilies. This is what he painted in the later years of life. He imported many different kinds of lilies and cultivated them in the pond, producing many colors. The light and reflections created endless effects that he was compelled to paint.

In the early years of Monet's garden, before the pond and water lilies, the "grande allee" was the walkway to Monet's front door. It is still there today, but in Monet's years at his home in Giverny it went through many transformations. The arches support the climbing roses while the nasturtiums grow into the path.