Oil Painting

What is it like to win a big award at a national art show? How would you spend the prize money? What impact would an award have on your career? These questions go through my mind with each competition I enter when I finally get my piece finished, photographed, uploaded, paid for, and submitted.

Since art competitions and competitive shows are a fixture in the art world, I enter often; in a good year when I am focused and paying attention to deadlines I enter about 25 of them. My first priority is always the national art groups to which I belong. Those shows are credibility-building and inspirational; when you walk into a gallery far from home and see your work next to that of one of your idols, it is humbling and energizing all at once. I also enter gallery and museum shows, special shows and monthly online competitions. I believe in having your line cast in many ponds.

Some award-winning artists recently shared their competition experiences with me.

The Gold Medal Award in the Associate/Signature Division at this year’s OPA show was taken home by nationally recognized painter Susan Lyon of North Carolina. This was her first time to enter the show and she said, “I was really kind of dumbstruck when they said my name…there were so many great paintings there…and what a diverse show, it must have been incredibly hard to judge. I didn’t get the vibe at all during the week that people liked my painting, of course my close friends said nice things to me, but I was very intimidated to be there. After receiving the award, I have never felt so much support: I felt very humbled. The prize money was great, but I didn’t do anything specific with it. Much of my income goes to frames.”

Susan went on to say about competitions in general, “I have been in lots of shows and entered many contests and not won anything, so you brace yourself for that outcome. I have built up a tough shell, I try not to get too high when something goes right and not get too down when things don’t pan out; that is how I survive the rollercoaster of this profession. My advice is to enter shows or competitions and then forget about them. Use them as goals but don’t take the results personally. A painting’s true quality or worth is not determined by a prize.”

Derek Penix, from Tulsa, OK, won the OPA Gold Medal Award in the Associate/Signature Division in 2016. His wife, Kitty, helps with the business side of his career and says, “I search and enter Derek in as many competitions as I can. Always only enter your best work and even paint specifically for the competition. When galleries seemed to only want established artists we realized early on that being a part of competitions and winning as many awards as possible was going to give Derek the foundation he needed. They are a great way to get recognition amongst your peers and possibly get on galleries’ radar. Sometimes you win articles which also gives you more exposure.”

Wisconsin artist William Suys OPA won the prestigious $20,000 Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Fellowship for Midwestern Artists this year at the OPA National Show. Bill says, “I am required to apply this money specifically toward my education, understanding and growth as an artist, so it gives me added impetus for making the award have a real and lasting impact. I couldn’t be more thankful. Most awards are very welcome and appreciated but the amounts are not life-changing. Yet, I have been lucky enough to win a couple of major awards that certainly could have a major impact on an artist’s life. For me, these awards allow me to step back and really take note of what is important to me as an artist, and how I want to move forward in my work. We are often caught up in trying to create and deliver a product, but I want what I am doing to have greater personal meaning and these are wonderful opportunities to truly address the depth of my artistic soul. In a way, they become a challenge… forcing me to reach within.”

“Happily, I was there when the Driehaus Mellin Fellowship award was announced, and it was surprising, wonderful and thrilling. On another occasion, I was simply gob smacked when the panel of three judges for a major plein air invitational created a ‘Best Body of Work’ on the spot in recognition of my pieces in a show that featured top painters in the country…now, that was quite a jolt!”

MaryBeth Karaus OPA, who lives in Cincinnati, OH, watched on Facebook livestream as her name was called for the 2018 Driehaus Mellin Fellowship and the Members’ Choice award. She says, “It was very exciting! My family was very proud of me and that felt good. The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation supports the purpose of the OPA which is to preserve and promote representational oil painting. I am so very grateful for their generous and direct support of artists individually. The Member’s Choice meant so much to be recognized by my peers. It meant that my work was achieving new levels…standing out.”

She says, “My focus and heart has been with OPA for the last ten years. I usually enter the National and Eastern Regional every year. I have thought about entering other national competitions, but I don’t want to be spread too thin, although I have entered Art Renewal Center because it is easier since it is online.”

“I think the awards have had a very positive impact on my career…entering really puts your work out there in front of a national audience. I have been asked to judge shows recently and my workshop filled up quickly last year, both as a result of name recognition from the awards. Also, Southwest Art featured a six-page article on me that was a direct result of OPA involvement.”

MaryBeth’s thoughts on competitions — “Well, put on your coat of armor. It can really be a boost or a blow to your sensitive artist ego. After such a great year in 2018, both my paintings were rejected from the OPA National in 2019. Ouch. But sometimes one will never know why and that has to be okay if you are going to take the risk, come out from behind your easel and try. Keep entering!”

Elizabeth Pollie, from Harbor Springs, MI, won the Driehaus Mellin Fellowship in 2016. She says, “Winning an award is naturally always a very “feel good“ moment. With every award, comes a mixture of gratitude, exhilaration, a sense of being affirmed and in my case, always surprise with a decent dose of humility. But I have to say, when I won this award, it really was a very unique experience. Why? Because philanthropy is so central to creating, enhancing and sustaining a rich and diverse culture. So, bring on an extra heap of gratitude and humility.

Elizabeth continues, “When I was a child I practically lived within the walls of the Flint Institute of Arts which has been generously supported by the Mott Foundation and others. I could name my favorite pieces by age ten; it was all key to shaping my future as an artist.

“That is why not only winning this award but also having the opportunity to meet Dorothy and Art Mellin was profoundly meaningful. They are both caring and engaging individuals who have gifted The Oil Painters of America a generous amount of support. I used the award to both help maintain and repair my studio and assist me in my art related travels. There was not a moment in which I did not reflect upon how crucial the role of philanthropy is in changing the lives of artists and supporting both historical and emerging cultural institutions.

“If I were to give any advice to those entering a competition I would say the greatest value comes from giving thought to how you would like to put your work into the public eye. First, satisfy your own level of excellence and then, let it go. You have done your work. If it results in an award enjoy the moment and be gracious. And if the light casts its’ glimmer upon the work of another, be equally gracious. Art in its most pure form is not competitive. The best of it is something intrinsically fascinating, worthwhile and maybe, with time, historically significant. That in and of itself is reward enough.”

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As for me, 2016 was a great year, when my painting was awarded a Bronze Medal at OPA; that was incredibly exciting but also receiving the Members’ Choice award that year was as meaningful as an award gets. In 2018 as the American Impressionist Society Show was streaming live, a good friend called and said I had better turn it on, I had won Best of Show. It is a strange and transcendental feeling to know that you were able to convey your emotions about a subject in a painting so that a stranger you’ve never met was touched by it. That is probably the best part of the recognition, the fact that you have made a meaningful connection with another soul.

The prize was $12,000, which did get my attention too. I finally got to answer my own question about how I would spend the prize money; I get to check off an item on my bucket list: a trip to Rajasthan, India. The people’s faces, stacks of jangling bracelets, the texture of the embroidered clothing, gold embellishments, the vibrant colors of the fabric, formed into turbans and saris, are all heart-stopping images for me and I can’t wait to see them in person. My artist’s cup will be overflowing.

After four decades in this art world, I can say that perseverance is key to an art career and to entering competitions. Just like lots of other artists I have submitted to many, many shows and been turned down or won nothing, but dozens of rejections don’t matter when your commitment to excellence pays off. Embrace your creativity, value the journey, and don’t give up.

Every winter I have to remind myself that artists don’t need to be on a perfect sunny sea shore to paint a beautiful landscape painting full of light and emotion. In fact, I would argue that some of the most beautiful landscape paintings are of snowscapes and of winter.

One of the most celebrated Russian landscape artists, Ivan Shishkin, often painted outdoors in winter. Shishkin, like any good artist, also had many interests including photography and arboriculture. When observing his work you can see how his interests directly influenced his painting. A lot of his work was created from life outside in the freezing tundra! He also created in the studio with photo references – can’t argue with Shishkin. So I’m writing this to share my own experience painting winterscapes and to share some insightful tips on going outdoors to take photographs and/or to paint!

Be Safe:

• Be safe, don’t wonder out in weather in unfamiliar places by yourself
• Pack some food, cell phone, safety kit
• Go with a buddy when possible
• Tell someone when and where you are going
• Check the forecast

Must Haves:

• Waterproof ski jacket
• Waterproof/warm winter boots
• Dexterous Gloves
• Umbrella (if there is rain)
• Full Thermos
• Pochade paint box setup
• Notebook, Blank Canvas etc.

Have A Plan, But Be Flexible

Having a plan is great, it’ll get you out the door and in the right direction but I find that being open to spontaneity can lead to inspired work and fun ideas. This means that you should plan, have the right materials, have a goal etc., but once you get into the field you’ll need to be flexible and open to inspiration. No one knows when, how or where the muse will hit. Plus, if you are dead set on painting a sugar pine tree you may be out of luck unless you have already observed exactly where one is and how and when the light hits it. Don’t spend your time trying to force an idea looking for something that isn’t there. Take a few moments to look around, feel the place you are and record it.

Work Small

I personally love working on 6″x 8″ panels. This allows me to work very quickly, confidently covering the canvas with paint and to also make bold decisions. If I don’t like how it is going or if I want to try another idea with the changing light, I can just grab a new 6″x 8″. These small studies can then be used to create larger studio pieces alongside reference photos. Try to keep the freshness of the plein air piece by focusing mostly on the big obvious colors, the major shapes and key of light. This method should also be used when approaching a studio piece with a photo reference. Many hours of frustration can be avoided by simply creating a small color study before tackling any large composition whether from life or photo. If you are just taking photos and not painting on location bring a notebook and describe the colors and everything else you are seeing and feeling with words and scribbles. It may sound silly and you may not even refer to the notes again but you are exercising your brain and ability by stretching your observation skills and memory.

Keep It Short But Sweet

Getting outside is more than half the battle. It may take half of the day to get your kit together, to drive to a destination and find a composition to paint. So once you are set up, before you start, prepare yourself to work quickly and to capture what matters most: the mood, the major light effect, the tonal statement, major shapes and color notes. If you are a person who has a hard time working fast, allow yourself a couple sessions at the same time of day at the same vantage point.  Or – challenge yourself to work faster and bolder by using only large brushes or making quick decisions. While in the field you’ll see that the light and atmosphere change very quickly from moment to moment so be mentally prepared to avoid frustration. Just capture what inspires you with paint, words, mental notes, sketches, and photography. Whatever tools you have.

Be Consistent

“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” – Aristotle. It certainly doesn’t feel like there are enough hours in the day for art making. However, I have stayed consistent about putting time into my art and it is working. Even one consistent painting session a week will build upon itself. Just think, if you paint one painting a week that is fifty two paintings in a year! Try to think about the big picture by thinking in years. Your painting time is an investment and like any other investment it takes time and consistently to steadily grow and turn into something. Because we are living in a world with social media and netflix, it can seem like the world is moving faster than it actually is. Allow yourself time to be observant and to just soak in the meaningful bits we are supposed to understand and convey as artists. Nail down your process and the rest will fall into place.

Explore Color

Sometimes winter is dreary and not very colorful. This could be a good time to focus on tonal statements or it can be viewed as an opportunity to observe winter more intimately; search for bright orange sunrises, cold purple shadows, every color of blue, super soft edges and shapes that disappear into ice fog (is that a thing?). Artists should be open to what nature has to offer, observe it carefully and record the experience. There is no secret “painting color formula” however there are many ways to explore color and how it can be used compositionally. Here are some ideas:

Complementary colors: Colors that sit opposite of each other on the color wheel. This is a sure way to make an impactful statement. Painting with complementary colors doesn’t mean only using two colors, it means that the overall composition is keyed in those colors; each color you mix will have one of the complementary “mother colors”.  The colors can be subtle shifts and even grays.  Take a look at this painting “Magpie” by Claude Monet. Notice the subtle blue shadow and the light orange building? Aha!

Monochromatic: A snowscape is a perfect opportunity to work in a monochromatic theme. Just look at this painting by Nikolai E. Timkov. The entire painting is blue, with a few warm accents. Not only does this make the painting appear unified but the cold colors give you a feeling of freezing temperatures. It tells you that the atmosphere is freezing and the air is cold to breathe in! I’m cold just by looking at it.

Saturation aka Chroma: Every great painting has clear focal points. A focal point can be created using saturation/chroma hierarchy. A viewer’s eye can be led by using high chorma in a focal point and low chroma in other areas. Imagine a few red birds sitting on a snowy branch. Perhaps one of the birds is a center of interest, that bird could draw more attention if his red was more saturated and chromatic than the other birds. He is important. I see this in winter landscapes usually the sky has some dramatic chromatic lighting situation, such as a colorful moon reflecting on a nearly black pond with gray snow.

Tonal: You’ll notice when going outdoors this winter, there may not be a lot of colors. If you find this to be the case, try paying attention to other aspects of the atmosphere. Where is the lightest light and darkest dark? Should you use a full value range or perhaps the values should be compressed. Is there a lot of atmosphere in the air? How dark is the value of those distant trees?  How can you convey cold air? To me, winter is a wonderful time to really learn how to express air, mood and atmosphere with subtle shifts of value and edges. Play around.

The last tip I have is to …

Look at Art

What is possible? What is inspiring about winter? While there is no need to straight copy someone else’s work, it is great to do some research to get a flow of ideas and some inspiration going. Overall, I don’t think painting extreme weather is for everyone though we can all appreciate the calm beauty of a wintertime landscape and for those who do paint outdoors during winter I would love to hear your own tips! I’ll definitely be trying my hand at it again this year. Happy painting!

This past September, my mother, dog and I decided to take a road trip to Utah to visit the National Parks. After 3 days of driving, we arrived in Moab on Monday night.  Our first stop, Arches National Park. Natural sandstone arches and colorful red & yellow ochre rocks, silver-green plants, multi-color landscapes and dramatic skies surrounded us. Being artists both of us were in awe of the formations and soaring pinnacles that mother nature offers. The Delicate Arch & Balanced Rock are not to be missed.

Next stop, Canyonlands National Park quite different from Arches. Island in the Sky is a visual treat. The Mesa which sits 1,000 feet above the terrain and looks like a puzzle with missing pieces is eye-catching. It has very deep crevices running down and into the surrounding landscape. The Green & Colorado Rivers runs through it. The colorful Spires of the Needles with ribbons of color running through (brown, burnt sienna, yellow ochre and cream) captures your attention. There are other areas within Canyonlands that will take time to see. 

My favorite, Capitol Reef – this location has all the colors that any landscape artists would love to use in their paintings. When I first started to plan the trip, I happened to come across Capitol Reef. After viewing pictures of this magnificent natural wonder right then and there I decided that I had to see it. I am mainly a landscape artist. As we drove through the park we were overwhelmed by the beauty of the colors. My suggestion, pull over and reach for your easel and paint. The colors range from yellow-green, light green, dark green, yellow ochre, salmon, red, burnt sienna,  purple and gray. All of these colors are found within the landscape and the rock formations. Don’t forget the sky. Brilliant blue to stormy gray. Filled with canyons, cliffs, bridges & domes every area is different and the colors and shadows are intense. We have nothing like this back east. 

Our last stop was Zion National Park – If you are a hiker, this is the place for you. All the beauty is within and not visible unless you are willing to hike from 1 mile +. Depending on what you want to see and how daring you are. I did the Riverwalk where you can see the opening of the Narrows. This is about a 1-mile walk one way. If you decide to go further into the canyon you will be going upstream in the Virgin River which could be tricky and you need to be prepared. Flash floods happen quickly and rocks are slippery. But, the scenery is spectacular. The giant canyon walls are incredible. The sound of the running water is relaxing. Don’t forget you are about 5,000 ft elevated and other trails could take you up about another 1,000 ft.. Zion is not accessible by car like the other 3 national parks. They do have shuttle buses and you can get on and off. While we were there 2 stops were closed due to rockfall and storm damage which happened the week before our visit.  Our shuttle bus driver had said that the rockfall was the size of 2 bus lengths when it fell and some hikers did get hurt when they were running away. If you decide to go be prepared and don’t forget to bring your easel! I was fortunate enough to paint The Watchman with spire soaring above 2,200 ft standing tall and overlooking the lower Zion Canyon.

Both my mother and my dog a very well-traveled Yorkie (Primavera – the name translates to Springtime) enjoyed the sights and smells of the new places we visited. Both cannot wait for the next road trip!

Lastly, I had met Nathan Skousen and his wife Jocelyn who had organized an OPA paint out September 14th in Virgin, UT. I along with other artists, not sure who were OPA Members participated in the paint out.  Some artists painted with Acrylics, Oils, Pastels, and Watercolor each with very different but beautiful results. If was hot, fun and great to meet new people. Well done Nathan!  Thanks for all your efforts.

Tip: If you drive to a painting location sometimes it is easier to work out of the back of your SUV/Truck like I did when I painted The Watchman.  Happy Painting!

What motivates us to do the things we do?  For some, it is a pursuit of money, for survival to excess.  Some seek recognition, to make their presence stand out from the crowd of humanity.  For some, it is service to others, compassion for those with less.  Some seek tranquility in a world of chaos and craziness. Physical improvement to support a healthy life is common. Sadly, there are some who are motivated by hate and a love of violence. Everything we do is motivated by something – nothing done is without it.

As artists, we choose the master we serve.  Is it producing a product for money?  Is it sharing an inner vision?  Is it making a statement – political or social? Or could it be to reveal to the world our unique experience of living? Does it make our existence seem worthwhile, or lasting? Why do we do it?

For many years, I painted the same landscapes and subjects. I had built a niche market in an area of explosive growth. I enjoyed it and felt comfortable doing it.  The creations had a sense of place and connected with collectors.  They were infused with a love for the land, and it showed.  The media of choice was acrylic on canvas (I couldn’t dry an oil quick enough to ship it!), and I explored the paints to a high level of understanding.  Creatively, I was cranking right along.

Four years ago, a rumble of change came, a subtle, intuitive sense that business, as usual, wouldn’t cut it much longer. My most productive gallery owner was talking retirement, and he didn’t intend to sell the business.  It was time to actively seek growth – I was motivated to do more if my art career was going to survive.  What would be the vehicle?  At the time, I was weighted with obligations at home and with my outside work. It wasn’t possible for me to leave where I was. But I had to do something. What was it going to take?

I stumbled across a website showing the work of Carol Marine (www.carolmarine.com) who is a daily painter.  Her work was bright, happy, and varied. Her technique was straightforward and fresh.  I bought her book “Daily Painting” – a great encouragement for artists of any experience level – and made the decision to give it a try.  Thirty days, thirty paintings.  I would put away my acrylics, and go back to my first love, oil paint.  I would choose subject matter that would challenge me, use colors outside my usual palette, and learn as I went.  Subjects varied from table settings to an autumn pumpkin, to the front end of an old Camaro.  I painted nothing with a goal in mind other than to find my artistic spark.  Some images worked, some didn’t.  To add urgency, I posted the work online DAILY, to expose myself to public shaming if I didn’t comply. In the end, I was exhausted creatively, but when I looked around the studio, there was a fresh energy, a renewed heart for what I truly loved – creating art.

My own motivation was from a sense of change in the market (and clients) I was serving. I needed a creative jump start. It was also a deep prompting that we are always growing, experiencing within and without.  To stop is to be stagnant and eventually become frozen and mechanical.  Our blessing as artists is that we have a calling to create in physical form what others can only glimpse in their imaginations. Our vision within creates the vision without.

Pick up your paints and brushes, get that sniff of turpentine and linseed oil (if you are still using those materials), and put some pressure on yourself.  Give yourself a timeframe, and discipline your artistic muse to follow.  At every turn, learn. You will find renewed energy by creating energy, in your work and in your artistic heart.  It is possible to jump-start your art.  You have the key! Crank it up!

How are you feeling today? Tired? Inspired? Brave? Beaten? As a painter, are the voices in your head your piper or your punisher?

Curiosity is seriously cool…

“Curiosity killed the cat!” So, did curiosity actually kill the cat? Not that I’m aware of.  The saying is floating around like a dust bunny under a couch in pretty much everyone’s sub-conscious having a party with these guys: “Don’t be curious!” “Curiosity will get you in trouble!” “Curiosity will be punished!” “Be curious and you could die…the cat apparently did!!” These are the thugs it runs with.  They’re lurking there and live to make you cave in to creative paralysis. “Don’t try that new idea, technique, subject matter. It might not be accepted. It might not work out. It might not sell. It might not win a ribbon. You might embarrass yourself! You might…FAIL!!!” The voices get more shrill until we’re slump-shouldered, our face in our hands and that spark of an exciting, new, utterly original idea that flitted through our brain has run for the hills.

When we were two feet tall, instead of being congratulated for our amazing creativity we were likely ‘domesticated’ – trained to be compliant. Having figured out how to open the kitchen cabinet doors, use the shelves as a ladder, do a rock climber worthy move to get on the kitchen counter and get a cookie out of the cookie jar from top of the fridge likely got us a swat on the bum rather than the applause it deserved!! Curiosity is BAD still lurks like Gollum under a rock in our brain.

Crumbs are seriously crumby…

Be on the watch that you don’t barter away your curiosity and the chance for adventure and artistic progress for crumbs.  When we move off our artistic vision and worry about what a judge will like, what Aunt Mildred might scowl at, what we see other painters getting pats on the back for, what worked for us last week, what is safe – we may have just slammed on the air brakes of our own progress.

The likes of Courbet, Manet, and Pissaro didn’t move off their vision and race each other back to the land of safety and acceptance when they were rejected from the 1863 Paris Salon.  They kept pushing the envelope answering over and over their own versions of the question, “What would happen if we tried…”

Be the most curious of cats…

The phrase “Curiosity killed the cat.” was originally “Care killed the cat.” Care as in ‘worrying’. So apparently the worried cat didn’t fare so well but the curious cat is quite alive!

Care deeply but don’t worry. Care motivates. Worry paralyzes. Care about your vision. Care about your progress. Care about the joy of creating. Even care about the craziness of the struggle. But, don’t worry. Don’t worry if your sincere efforts for the day missed the mark you were shooting for – you can try again tomorrow. Don’t worry if a judge passes you over. Don’t worry if Aunt Melba scowls at your recent effort. Congratulate that Indiana Jones part of yourself that has the courage to explore.

As painters, curiosity is our rocket fuel! Worry is our kryptonite!

Tomorrow, roll out of bed. Try something new! Handle paint a different way! Paint an amazing passage and then scrape it off just to prove you’re the master of the ship! If you paint with bright colors, try painting the nuance of grays. Pick up some sticks or rocks and lay them next to your brushes. See what kind of interesting marks they might add to your canvas. If something is starting to feel easy go paint something that feels hard.

When we try something new we never fail. We’ve succeeded in finding an answer to the question, “What would happen if I tried…?” We found out what may be useful. What may not. We may stumble on something amazing that isn’t useful in the moment but we can stash in our toolbox for later.

You get to choose the voices in your head. Follow the Piper. Delete the Punisher. Be curious. Try new things!  Fling yourself off the side of the pool with abandon and do a flailing belly flop. Might sting a little but you’ll paddle back to the side of the pool, find the beauty in shaking yourself off like a wet dog and… you’ll want to go try it again!

Exercise that cat…

Here’s a personal challenge, which is actually pretty fun. I predict you’re going to surprise yourself.  If you’ve recently painted something that you’ve gotten a bit of praise or an award for – try something that’s the polar opposite and see if you can create a more powerful painting than the one that just got the applause!

I’ll leave you with an image, ‘Havana Grays’, that originated by doing exactly that. An appreciative person stood next to me in front of a painting I’d just finished.  They stared at it, turned to me with delight and with all earnestness said, “It’s sooooooooo detailed!!!!” I mustered my very best thank you ever so much smile while inside I was figuratively beating my head against my paint palette.  Wowing someone with technical ability wasn’t on my goal list for that day. Inviting them to feel something was.  I set out a challenge for myself.  Learn when less can indeed be more. My intent for the next morning’s studio session was to answer the question, “What would happen if…I attempted to create a painting that was stripped of absolutely everything except that which was essential to communicate the mood, and my memory, of that moment in time?”  ‘Havana Grays’ was the painting and it immediately found its ‘person’.

Every morning when we wake up and take up our brushes there is always another question to ask. So, go exercise that curious cat, jump up on the counter and stick your artistic paw in the cookie jar that’s on top of the fridge!

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