Remembering Market Day in Beaune, France

Remembering Market Day in Beaune, France
by Randy Blasquez
Oil on Linen  14x11"

This was a remarkable day from the trip to France last summer. We were caught by surprise when we walked outside our rooms at the local Abbey to see the streets full of vendors. We barely had time to shop because it was almost noon and they were getting ready to pack up. We had slept in while getting acclimated to the time change, took our time with breakfast and almost missed it. I did get a chance to take some photos though.
I feel a series coming on.....

Ray Roberts Demonstration

I went to Lodi today where Knowlton Gallery was hosting a CAC event with a demonstation by Ray Roberts. I have been a long time admirer of his (and Peggy's) work. It is always interesting to observe the working processes of other artists and Ray is one of the best.
He used several color studies from a southern California coastal scene along with a video and some photoshopped photos. That is a lot of reference material!
He paints the ocean quite often and has painted some stunning ones. He recently won the CAC gold metal award for a large coastal scene.
http://www.californiaartclub.org/101st-annual-gold-medal-juried-exhibition-and-sale/
This one is 20 x 24 inches. He was using a very heavy jute canvas with an acrylic gesso. I was surprised that he used a number 2 paint brush throuthout the whole demo.
He doesn't say a lot, but he was kind enouph to answer plenty of questions. I liked his palette also because it was large and he squeezed out a lot of paint.
He began by blocking in the darks after a quick sketch. He also pre-mixed a lot of beautiful grays on his palette.
I like that he talked about value a lot. One of my favorite topics. He said that if the dark values don't have good structure the painting will not succeed. No surprise that this comes from his studies with Dan McCaw and Dan brought this information from Sergei Bongart.

Floral Study 12 x 12
by Randy Blasquez

I set up this still life in my studio last week. Changed it up quite a bit and decided to do a study before I tackle a larger gallery piece.
I used the transparent wash technique. Love the colors in this set up. I may do a similar piece using peonies.....
Here is a pic of the start...

and a photo of the set up.

PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING.....

"Patterns in Light"

 by Randy Blasquez
Oil on Linen, 16 x 20"
Available $1200

Let's talk about preparation. Do you know what I'm talking about? Well, many things really. First I want to say that preparation is work, it's an investment of time and effort. Is there anything in life worth doing that doesn't take time and effort in preparing for a good result? Okay enough with the questions, let's get to the point.
I touched on this topic a few posts back when I shared some tips with you from the classroom. Now let's dig a little deeper.
I think this began to hit home with me last year when I went to Idaho to study for a week with Ovanes Berberian. I went with my dear friend Renee'. It was conversation outside the classroom that I was part of, well I was kinda listening in. But anyway I heard Ovanes tell Renee that it was important to make a date with your canvas. He was talking about the time he invested in setting up his still life that morning and that he was looking forward to coming back to it at another time to paint it.
He must have spent hours setting this up and he told us how much goes into something like that. Creating the still life set up is part of the creative process and it has to come from the artist within. This takes time. I know that because I learned it the hard way while painting live flowers for my gallery in Carmel. By the time I was content with what I set up I was exhausted! So anyway, Ovanes was telling us that he finished his set up (with about 30 objects!), and was looking forward with anticipation to beginning his painting. That is a date!
So what I'm saying is that we must take time before we begin. Let me tell you the ways.......

  

• Notan - The painting above was the first of two paintings I demonstrated last month at the Gallerie Amsterdam. The night before I picked what I was going to paint from a photograph. I didn't want to copy the photo, I wanted to paint my idea from the moment that I took the photo.  I then started with my notans. It took me three tries before I was happy with the abstract design and value pattern.  I have posted about notans in previous posts. It is simply a quick thumbnail value sketch. I am using these wonderful little brush pens from Faber Castell that work great and save time. They come in different values of gray. Or use a Prismacolor dark colored pencil. What is important is that it is a 3 or 4 value sketch in a simple design. I have talked before about the importance of design in a painting and this is the most important step in beginning a painting. A painting without a strong abstract design is most often unsuccessful. Take the time to design your painting before you ever pick up the brush. 

• Concept. The above illustration establishes the design and the value pattern. It also demonstrates the concept. Concept is the original idea that you want to express. It is usually what you like most about the scene, what attracted you to it and made you want to paint it. 

• Materials - This tip includes materials as well as a mindset when you walk into the classroom. I hear this one a lot from Ovanes Berberian. He can't stand it when you are not prepared. I don't really blame him. If you are going to spend the money and make the trip to take a class for learning purposes, doesn't it make sense to come prepared? What does preparation entail? For me it means investing in the best materials that I can afford. In my opinion paint brushes and oil paint are the two most important tools of an oil painter. After that, a sturdy easel. The surface you will be painting on is very important. When you have a supply list from a teacher, do yourself a favor and go out and buy as much as you can.

• Packing - Now, you have the materials. Pack them up in your car the night before class. This will save you having to try and remember everything when you are in a rush in the morning. Try to organize things so that you have a compact bag that will carry what you need. One of the first things I do when I get a new student in my class is to help them with their materials. As a beginner I think it can be very intimidating when you walk into an art supply store and see all those materials. Most people end up buying the wrong thing and wasting money. I've set up a basket on the ASW website for my students for this reason. It's in the Teachers Cart under Randy Blasquez School of Light and Color.

Concept, large value shapes, dark and light patterns - these are the things that matter. When you walk into a gallery or museum and see a painting from across the room that pulls you to it, this is why. You cannot paint that kind of painting without preparation. That is why it is everything!

Paint Out Today

Today was beautiful and a great day for plein air painting. I hooked up with a few artist friends and headed to Calistoga for the quarterly CAC San Francisco division paint out.
I got to see some friends that I haven't seen in a while. I should do this more often. Is there a better way to spend the day? I don't think so. Besides, I need the practice!
This is a little 9x12 study I didn in about 2 hours. I will not get better nailing those values unless I get out there. So, yes, I guess I need to do this way more often.

Value is Everything

"Fun With Shoes" Oil on Linen
20 x 20" by Randy BlasquezAvailable   $975

This week in both of my classes I set up a few new still lifes for the students to chose from. I chose my new shoes. I painted most of this in class while demonstrating my technique. It took me another couple of hours at home however, because it wasn't a simple painting and I needed some time to live with it and I took my time to add the finishing touches.
The big struggle with this painting was the value. In a painting, value is everything. You might think I am exaggerating but I am not. I always look for the value pattern, large shapes of value that are a simple design so that 4 or 5 shapes make the painting. Simplicity is another big one. I want a simple design that doesn't distract from the focal point.
These concepts in painting are the ones that every artist, seasoned or beginner, has to think about.
So, when I got home and looked at the painting the next day, it was a matter of adjusting the values until I was satisfied with them. Of course, if they had been spot on the first time around, I wouldn't need to adjust. But that rarely happens for me. Most often, I am struggling to the end with getting them right. When one large value shape changes in value (because you adjusted it), then everything else that is related to it might need an adjustment as well. It is a matter of comparing one to the other. Then, step back and look at the whole.
My studio is not so large that I can step back very far, so sometimes I will bring it downstairs and look at it. Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy I'll take a photo. Just looking at it through the photo will tell me if something is off. It really works.
Another thing we are working on in class is preparation. Preparation is so, so important. I will talk about preparation in my next post.

Practice Your Art by Keith Bond

Tulips in the Window by Randy Blasquez
Gallerie Amsterdam

Practice Your Art

by Keith Bond

Neither musicians nor athletes perform without a lot of practice. In most cases more time is spent practicing than performing. Yet, many visual artists think that once they reach the professional level, they no longer need practice. Many have the false idea that they can perform each time they enter their studio to create. [...]

Read the rest of this article at:
http://faso.com/fineartviews/48409/practice-your-art

----------------------------------------------
This excerpt appears courtesy of FineArtViews Art Marketing Newsletter by FASO,
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.faso.com/art-marketing-newsletter

The Pitfalls of Painting from a Photograph

Studying the Impressionists, Louvre
Oil on Linen   16 x 20"
Gallerie Amsterdam

The Pitfalls of PAINTING FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
(and how to avoid them)

By Randy Blasquez

Recently in class we had a quick lesson on the differences between painting from life and using a photograph as a reference tool. This is something that you don't want to learn the hard way. And believe me if you don't use care, people can tell you painted from a photo. 

Read through the notes below and let me know your thoughts and perhaps your own experiences with using photographs to paint from. 

The Pitfalls -

Shadows are too dark

Lights are washed out

Photo is distorted

Everything is in focus because a camera does not see like the human eye

It’s very tempting to copy a photo and then your painting will look like a photo

A photo doesn’t see correct color and temperature (this is why we paint plein air studies)

How to make it work -

Sketch a personal design using a notan

Create a beautiful of dark and light pattern that is your own

Remember the reason you took the photo and what inspired you (why it’s best to paint from your own photos)

Try turning the photograph and paint it upside down

Crop your photo to correct the format

Bring light into those shadows, but remember to keep the shadows and light separate

Use color in your shadows

Take notes or use a sketchbook as an additional reference

Remember the rules of creating depth and distance (value, edges, temp, chroma) that the camera doesn’t see

Use care when using multiple photographs to create your composition

Exaggerate when necessary

Some savvy advice from Robert Genn

Manhattan Bistro
Oil on Linen  12x12" 

Another good blogpost from Robert. I can truly relate to this one as I have been taking more time to paint even small paintings. That's because I am layering with glazes. I do have to put my heart into it and I guess that's good. The challenge is like Robert says, to paint it slow and keep it fresh.....

http://www.robertgenn.com/

Slow down to speed up

August 3, 2012

Dear Randy,

It's warm and muggy beside this froggy pond. I'm the shiny guy wearing the Deep Forest Off. Nearby, an Oregon towhee rummages in the undergrowth. In the distance, a barred owl is being harassed by resident robins. With no immediate obligations and practically no guilt, I'm moving slower than a spotted slug.

After years of jumping directly into painting, these days I've been casually drawing things out with a soft pencil. Also, trying to please myself, I'm judiciously glazing work in progress with red oxide--a colour I've previously found unpleasant.

Funnily, Irene Feeney of Roscommon, Ireland, just wrote, "I'm one who struggles to be pleased. I'm also speedy; I complete a painting in a day where another person might take weeks. It may be that my attention to detail is not so accurate, but I like to work fast. I find it hard to work at one section; I look at the whole painting as I work. Maybe this is something I need to harness. Do you think this may be my downfall?"

Thanks, Irene. I'm not going to comment on your downfall, but I do have a few thoughts on fast and slow. The virtue of a painting may not be accuracy, but feeling. Further, taking your time to feel what you're painting is more important than speedy delivery. In both feeling and execution, some folks are naturally faster than others. That you have identified yourself as one of the speedy is just great.

Speedy painters tend to do fresher work than pokey ones. On the other hand, they are also responsible for a lot of the messy stuff you see out there. Just for the sake of change, you might try forcibly slowing down. It's the "extra time" concept. It has something to do with gently living in the present and focusing on the potential of the work at hand. It can be done at the edge of a froggy pond or in a studio sanctuary. One needs to become aware of the relative time between stroking and contemplating. "Look three times, think twice, paint once," is a time-honoured shibboleth. Here's the ploy: Make a work of art that looks like it was done freshly and quickly--but take a long time to do it. 

Best regards,

Robert

New Class Demonstration

"Yum for Breakfast"  Oil on Linen by Randy Blasquez
11 x 11"     Sold

A couple of weeks ago I brought breakfast to class along with my favorite mirrored tray. It was perfect for demonstrating reflections. In this set up, the light was everywhere. I had to be selective and hold off with the lights and when I got to the very end I threw them in. Yes, it takes patience, and that doesn't come naturally! Anyway, this was a fun piece to paint. My goal was to keep some of the transparency showing through the piece after the final stroke. This time it worked out okay. I'd love to do this again with  a different pastry.

Grandmother's China

This is a study/demonstration from yesterday's class using only Burnt Umber and White. The first thing you want to think about as an artist is value. I tell my students to think of value first, and then color.
Draw your thumbnail sketch this way. Design your painting at least 3 ways. Choose the best design from those three. Look for a beautiful value pattern in your design and you can't go wrong.

More Tips From The Classroom

Painting Available
    12x12x1.5"  Oil on Linen
at Gallerie Amsterdam in August

This painting and the other little one from the previous post will be available at Gallerie Amsterdam next month. Both pieces are waiting for the final touches and adjustments. Sometimes I like to wait and look at it for a few days before I finish up.


I'm going to be at Gallerie Amsterdam in Carmel-by-the-Sea on August 18th and 19th for a demonstration from 1-5 pm each day. Saturday evening a reception will be held from 5-8 pm. I'm taking some new pieces to the gallery. It should be a fun weekend.93921

If you like cars, this week in Carmel is the big event!You can check out these websites to find out more-
http://www.motorclubevents.com/
http://www.concorso.com/
http://www.quaillodgeevents.com/pages/thequail.cgi
http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/pages/about-events-driving/index.htm#tour_d'elegance


Now for more tips from the classroom:


5. Make sure you have established a strong abstract design. 
     At the start and throughout, keep the large value shapes intact. This will be easier said than done of course, but the key will be to understand the importance of this step and to know how to construct it. (Refer to the previous post on "Strong Abstract Design" from a couple of weeks ago.)
     I would also suggest that you study from Edgar Payne's book on Composition.
A Notan study will help you out if you refer to it during this stage of your painting.


6. Remember that you are not sending this painting to the Crocker Museum! 
     Give yourself permission to fail, to experiment, to try something new. Fear of the brush stroke will kill your creativity. While you are at it, give yourself permission to succeed! Even if the painting isn't the best you've every painted, if you have learned from it you have succeeded. If you stay safe and do only what you know, you will not continue to grow. Sometimes when we are frustrated while trying something new we need to remember that if we weren't frustrated we would not be growing as an artist.


7. It's a journey
     I tell my students to go on a journey to find the color, value, and chroma of what they are seeing. Take your time when you are mixing color. Begin with the most obvious question. Ask yourself which color on the color wheel is the closest to what you see? Start there. Then ask yourself, is it lighter or darker than that? Make that adjustment, then ask yourself. Is it warmer or cooler? Make that adjustment. Mix and mix and mix until you find it. I've noticed that some students get impatient because they think they should have found right away. No, it's a journey. 


8. Keep some mixed grays on your palette
     I will have at least two or three at all times. You can mix your black and white to make three values, this will help you learn to keep your values where they belong. I like to have a warm and a cool middle value gray on my palette. While mixing, if I need to lighten a color and at the same time kill the chroma (less pure color), I'll reach for my grays. It also helps me stay out of the white. You will have more control of your values and chroma if you always have them available. If you notice that your colors in your paintings are too pure, this will make a difference. 
     You can also use leftover paint to make piles of gray colors. These are a wonderful help in your next painting. Just divide your paints into warm and cool and make two grays! If you don't have enough gray in your paintings, the color will not be brilliant when you want it to.


9. Save what's last for last
      In other words, develop your character by teaching yourself to wait. Be patient. Paint the large shapes first, and at the last stage, you can go ahead and paint those beautiful reflections, bright light highlights, impasto strokes, accents and calligraphy. This is when your painting will come alive. But you must wait.  

About the Original Concept of a Painting

Oil on Linen, 18x18" by Randy Blasquez

I'm texturing my canvases with a heavy layer of gesso and then I throw on some marble dust, after that I move it around and into the gesso and let it dry. It creates a wonderful surface for my multiple layers of glazing. Quite fun and interesting. I came up with this as a way to get myself to paint loose drippy paintings starting with an abstract design.
Design is the most important part of a painting. I've written about the notan study, a simple way of sketching a small number of values and shapes, in previous posts. What I'm looking for when I sketch is a way to create what I want to say with the painting. My goal is to tell the story of contrast while creating movement for the eye to follow. I do this by  paying attention to the melody of the dark pattern. Try drawing your sketches in different formats and pick the one that tells your story in the most clear way. While painting I am working to stay connected to the original response I had to the original idea while hoping and praying that it comes across in the final piece.
I'm working on some new paintings for my gallery in Carmel by the Sea, Gallerie Amsterdam. I'm scheduled to paint a couple of demonstrations on the weekend of August 18th and 19th. Just finished one and thought I'd put it out there.
I'm taking a few new paintings to the gallery next month and I will also post them on the website in a few weeks. Stop by and take a look!

Let's Talk About Abstract Design

This is a subject that is dear to my heart. I'm not sure why, maybe it is because that is what I'm seeing in great works of art.


Ovanes Berberian sure has had an influence also I must say. This past May while in the France he took us to Paris by train from the Burgundy region, to see his favorite works in the Musee' du Louvre, and Musee' D'orsey. Before that I took my class to see the Edgar Payne exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum. We practiced this concept by sketching his paintings in Notan. But before that, when I began to understand the concept, it really affected me, and my work. I began teaching this way a while ago. I'm not sure how long.

I believe that our eyes are drawn to this abstract design. Or maybe it is our heart that sees it first, through our eyes. For example, if you notice a painting from across the room, and you are compelled to walk towards it and get a closer look, it is because it has a beautiful abstract design.


What is an abstract design? I'm not sure I can describe it perfectly, you see, it is rather ah, should I say, abstract?


When I first began to see the importance of this concept I was finally getting the idea of the Notan Sketch. I heard the term first mentioned in some reading material I acquired from Barry John Raybould. This was the beginning and I think a very helpful concept. These past few weeks I have begun to teach the Notan sketch to my students. (Peggy Kroll-Roberts also talks about the notan design.)


When you take the time to do at least two or three of these during the initial design of your composition you will begin to see the abstract design of what you are trying to say. You will begin to see the pattern of light and pattern of shadow. I think of this pattern, this design, as a description of the musical sort. (Think of musical notes, moving in a rhythmic pattern, not a concise design.) Never should it be less than, or more than that. Hint: This is what our eye sees across the room.


A Notan is divided into large value shapes, using only 2 or 3 and not more than 4 values.

Study this concept and put it into practice. You will see the results.....




After my trip to France, I had a wonderful week with my husband in New York City. It was my first time to the Metropolitan Museum. I was blown away by the paintings of John Singer Sargent. Can you see the abstract patterns of design?

More Bourgogne, France Photos and some Studies.....

 

 This painting is from a photo I took inside the Musee' du Louvre in  Paris. My friend Joan is at the left, Ovanes Berberian, (my teacher), center and the tall one Nancy on the right. This is just the under painting. I loved the figures, the way they are so involved in the paintings. I hope I can convey this with the finished piece. At this point it truly is all an experiment!

 

This is a study of my daughter, Lindsay.I loved the reflected light in the mirror and how it tells the story of her stance and emotion.

Now as promised, more photos from France. On our first workshop day we traveled a few miles to a nearby village in the Bourgogne Region to paint with watercolors.

 Renee

 Alison and Laurie

Susan with Ovanes's quick sketch of the area. 

Kathryn

Photos From France Trip

Market Day in Beaune, Burgundy

 This is the little river that runs through town. We walked along and took photos on our first day. This is very Monet like!

 The river led to this beautiful pond.

 An evening stroll after dinner. The sky was really that beautiful and amazing.

 The little River again. 

 Market day on Saturday's

I know most of you want to see photos from France. I've been digging through them the last couple days. I guess I'll continue with the Beaune photos because we started there. It was such a lovely little town. I want to go back and paint there next year.
I'm already planning our next trip. We didn't paint this time, but there was so much to paint I want to make it one of our primary destinations for my workshop next year in France.

Beaune (French pronunciation: [bon]) is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Cote d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Parisand Geneva.

Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France. The town is surrounded by some of the world's most famous wine villages, while the facilities and cellars of many producers, large and small, are situated in Beaune itself. With a rich historical and architectural heritage, Beaune is considered the "Capital of Burgundy wines".

It is an ancient and historic town on a plain by the hills of the Cote d'Or, with features remaining from the pre-Roman and Roman eras, through the medieval and renaissance periods and up to recent history and modern times.

Beaune is a walled city, with about half of the battlements, ramparts, and the moat, having survived and in good condition, and the central "old town" is extensive. Historically Beaune is intimately connected with the Dukes of Burgundy.

Landmarks in Beaune include the Halles, the Hospices, the Beffroi, and Notre Dame.

There is a comprehensive "traditional" shopping area clustered around the central square with a focus on gourmet food, fashion, and wine, while large supermarkets, business parks, etc., are situated on the outskirts of town.

Beaune is the center for wine industry services (such as tractors and equipment for vat-rooms) as well as a number of wine-related institutes and education facilities. The train station is served by TGV, through Dijon or Lyon.

Beaune has a major fine food market on Saturdays, where there are a large number of stall holders supplying a broad selection of products and specialties from Burgundy and the surrounding regions. For example, Bresse chickens, Jura cheeses, small goods, spices, produce of every variety as well as seasonal specialties such as truffles.^[1] There is a smaller market on Wednesday, and special-event markets and fetes are held throughout the year.

Although Beaune is not primarily a tourist town but one centred around the wine industry, it nevertheless attracts a large amount of tourism. About five traditional smaller hotels are located within the city walls with around five chain hotels on the outskirts.

Technically Beaune is a commune in eastern France, a sub-prefecture of department 21, the Côte-d'Or department, in the Bourgogne region.

The Bell Tower in Beaune, France

This past month I have been in France. I went with a couple of friends and to begin our trip, we staying in a little village in the heart of Burgandy called Beaune. In French it is pronounced "bone". Or something like that. We went to take a 2 week plein air painting workshop with painter Ovanes Berberian. I have studied with him over the years, but this was his first workshop in France and I just couldn't pass it up.
We started our trip with a 3 day stay in Beaune. I am hoping this little video of the Bell Tower outside our bedroom window where we stayed, in an old Abbey built in 1500, will give you an idea of the beauty of the area.
I will follow with pictures from our trip and share some of what we learned and experienced. It was truly life changing. I just returned home last night so I will post as I settle in and get organized. Can't wait to share more!

Letter to the Student of Painting by Charles Philip Brooks

Folsom View South - Oil on Linen Panel - 12x12"

If you don't subscribe to 'The Painter's Keys', you are missing out on some wonderful writings about art. Here is one example:

"Letter to the Student of Painting"

"Your day contains a great measure of freedom. Your responsibility as a painter is here within the walls of the studio and in the setting of the landscape. You have the opportunity to exercise genuine mastery at every step, and it is in this spirit of grand possibility that I hope you will reflect on the advice made plain here.

Do not grieve too long for the troubles of the outside world. There is important work to be done here. We can best express our care for all others by attending to our work well.

Allow yourself the peace of purpose and the knowledge that to make another attempt with the brush is a noble thing. If you accept the discipline of the truest principles of art, then yours is the reward of an unbroken line of tradition.

Therefore, you may earnestly free your mind of all heartaches, sadness, and transitory despairs. Creation is above these things.

Your vocation is as real and as true as any other. Those who denounce the artist as idle manifest a deep ignorance of the nature of art. Have faith that the civilized will somewhere, at some time, value your well-wrought works. It is a miracle that the world keeps its havens for art and yet it does. Know that to create art is to do a necessary piece of work. The most noble pleasures and measureless joys result from such endeavors. True art is undeniable and it is a gift for all humanity.

The threefold responsibility of the artist is: to creation, to individual talent, and to humanity. For creation - the whole of nature - we must cultivate prayerful awe. This is our source of work and our refuge as well. We should seek harmony with nature. For the individual talent - long hours and years of steady industry hope to find our abilities fulfilled, our minds, hearts, and hands put to valuable service. In this way, we maintain the sanctity of art. Lastly, we make to humanity a willing gift of all we do. Our control over the material world lasts only a lingering moment and it takes a generous soul to build the ambition of a lifetime and then to hand it over in trust to the future.

Painting requires the bravery of solitude. Painting requires disciplined labor. To be a painter is to search the world with a benevolent eye for every subtle beauty that the infinite world offers.

Here is the opportunity to give your honest effort and to add in any small way to the legacy of art. Cultivate patience in your heart and you will improve. Learn to see well and your hand will become sure.

No pain or doubt can invade the honest soul engaged in the communion of creation. We artists must love the world with our deepest selves and forgive it at every turn.

To paint even a little passage with a measure of quality is to achieve a life's triumph.

Spend your days wisely with the best thoughts and works of those who have walked the road before you. Search their paths, their timeless inspirations, and the lineage of their genius. Learn your craft well and your talent will mature into its full possibility. Keep an obedient heart before nature. She is the master above all other masters. Nature is the concrete manifestation of all that remains true and sublime. Let us always be thankful for her abundance and hopeful that we might approach her in our art. Nature will renew every generation of painters, ready to illuminate the minds of those who practice the art with what is calm, rational, beautiful, sublime, and eternal.

Such is the purity of your vocation. Treat every moment before the easel as a quick and tender opportunity. Invest your most noble self. Give your most noble self. To be a painter is to enjoy a precious state of life." (Charles Philip Brooks)

To subscribe go to: http://painterskeys.com/