Oil Painting

“…Show the whole world that you are not afraid. Be silent, if you choose; but when it is necessary, speak – and speak in such a way that people will remember it.” 

– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

In my previous post, I reflected on the 3 things I would like to see in my plein air paintings, and on which I concentrate during the painting process. Over the years I have decided my plein air pieces should communicate a particular moment or fleeting experience, that they should exude a sense of place, and that my energy and passion about my subject would be translated right into the paint. This is what I think about while I am painting outside en plein air. In this post, I’m thinking about the three elements that  I’d like to see in all of my paintings, whether they be created in the studio, or outdoors.

I strive to focus continually on what I am actually making: a painting.  I love paint. I love the way it moves, the ways it combines, shifts, grades, piles, skims, washes and flows in luscious, semi-opaque and transparent layers across the paper, canvas and linen.

And I’m focused on discovering subjects I would love to paint; not only their overt shapes, colors, and appearance but the essential character of each. I often find that my attraction to a subject is tied intimately with its possibilities for design. Certainly, as a representational artist, I would like my subject to be recognizable, but more than that, my goal for my painted subject is that it be remarkable in some way, and true to my feeling for and experience with it. I believe that the universe we see is a shadow of a greater and yet more beautiful kingdom, which may be made visible to us if we simply look for it, and with a desire to fully appreciate and understand it. Beginning with my choices of subject matter, I would like my work to reflect my beliefs.

“Artistic growth is, more than anything else, a refining of the sense of truthfulness.”

– Willa Cather

Lots of paintings are created that look like “the thing” itself, but how much more challenging (and enjoyable!) it is to do a painting that is something new, or interpret a common subject in an innovative way, or better yet, communicates an original idea that is worthy of sharing with others. I want to sing this song in my own voice. I believe that is what will instill authenticity in my designs, and not merely depict the physical details of what superficially appears to me. I want to make the invisible visible. That’s what makes it truthful, for me to genuinely express how I see the world, and why.

“Paradise is to love many things with a passion.”

– Pablo Picasso

Secondly, I would like the same ingredient that I want to maintain during the painting process—call it “feeling,” or passion, or emotion—to appear in the final result. I believe that this is the most important thing I can do as an artist: to express my feelings about the subject in a way that would communicate itself to the viewer, in my color selection, energetic brush strokes, and in every aspect of design.

To do that, I need to bring love to my easel: love for painting, for my subject, for the act of creating. It could be the most important thing I do in preparing to paint.  In fact, I have spoken to many collectors who tell me that it was the feeling they had when they first looked at a painting that drew them in and ultimately encouraged them to purchase it. It seems that the truth of an artist’s experience is conveyed on one level through fundamental skills, and on another in how those skills are authentically translated by his/her passion for what is being created. I say “authentically” because I do believe that it is only through the specific, unique voice of each artist that great artworks are created. What is art for, if it is not to interact with others in sharing both the unique qualities and universality of our experiences?

“The beauty of the universe consists not only of unity in variety, but also of variety in unity.”

– Umberto Eco

That brings me to the third element that I strive to bring to my painting, with each thought, at every stage, and through each brushstroke: variety that expresses beauty. Thank God that there is such a variety of artworks that have been created throughout history, and yet today! Perhaps that mirrors the abundant variety of life experiences across the globe, in continents and nations, and in the lives of every individual who has ever drawn breath… and the fact that beauty exists everywhere when one searches to discover it. Variety is truly the spice of life: that’s what makes it interesting, complex, profound, and even incomprehensible. A life of rote repetition is a spare one. Artworks that reflect the variety to be experienced in life speak to us, through contrasts of dark and light, control and spontaneity, line and form, objective and subjective color, the observed and the emotional, realism and abstraction, mind and heart. No two clouds or trees are the same, no brushstroke imitates another, no painting is a duplicate.

But scattered statements in themselves have no unified impact. I have been thinking that what unifies the body of work of a great artist is how that artist handles the variety of options that face him or her at the start of every painting. It isn’t that the artist chooses the same subject to paint every time, uses the same palette, or always does this or that in the painting process. It’s that the artist allows the soul to be expressed in each work, in the way it needs to be expressed. That means giving one’s self permission to listen to the inner voice no matter what, despite what other artists are doing, what collectors are buying, or what is “in “ at the time, or even nagging feelings of self-doubt. “Ultimately,” says Joe Paquet, “we need to cultivate self-trust.” Artwork created in one’s own voice produces unity in everything that an artist creates. And that’s more than simply artistic “style”: that is the truest expression of one’s creative existence.

I hope I might be succeeding, in some degree, at making each of the three elements—truth, passion, and variety—integral to each of the artworks I create. And I have had some sage guidance provided to me by artists both here and gone as I strive to do so. I would like to leave you with an (incomplete) roster of these artists—historical masters and contemporary– that have inspired me in working with these three elements in my own painting. I wish you the very best as you strive to create your very best paintings. See you at the easel.

Truth:  Zufar Bikbov, Carl Bretzke, Roger Dale Brown, Josh Clare, Nathan Fowkes, Kimball Geisler, Winslow Homer, Charlie Hunter, Michelle Jung, Laurie Kersey, Yuri Krotov, Isaac Levitan, Calvin Liang, John MacDonald, Michael Obermeyer, Joe Paquet, Norman Rockwell, John Singer Sargent, Randy Sexton, Mian Situ, Matt Smith, Ken Spencer, Colley Whisson, James Whistler, William Suys, Jr…

Passion: Peter Adams, Jill Basham, Jill Carver, Frank Frazetta, George Inness, Quang Ho, Ruo Li, Michael Malm, C.W. Mundy, Tibor Nagy, Devin Michael Roberts, Jason Sacran, Jeff Sewell, Joaquin Sorolla, Vincent Van Gogh, N.C. Wyeth, Joseph Zbukvic…

Variety:  Eric Bowman, John Burton, Mike Hernandez, Mark Kerckhoff, Chuck Kovacic, Kevin Macpherson, Angus McEwan, Jim McVicker, Larry Moore, Ned Mueller, Patrick Saunders, Bryan Mark Taylor, William Wray…

These are the gifts that painting gives to the world.

One of the first things I hear from new social media friends is, ‘Wow, you really get around!’ I’m absolutely sure they mean this in the kindest possible way and are referring to how much I post about my travels on the road. Yes, I’m a dedicated road tripper, just like so many artists I love and visit during my travels!

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From the road, I experience so much more, so many things I would miss flying over, so many reference photos for future studio paintings! From Calais, Maine to Chula Vista, California, from Neah Bay and the Makah Reservation in Washington state to Naples, Florida, up both coast highways and everything in between, the time investment has been so worth it.

This year has been a little different. As many of you know, the pristine areas surrounding Florida’s Mexico Beach and the Forgotten Coast were devastated in 2018 by hurricane Michael. Many artists came together to raise over $100,000 in just over one week in relief. It was amazing! In helping with these efforts I met so many beautiful souls, such generous artists. So, this year I agreed to travel to the Forgotten Coast for Plein Air South and pitch in once more. I brought oils, pastels, gouache, and watercolors in my little Prius. A girl can never have too many art supplies, right?

The first leg began with meandering through Texas Hill Country. Dodging thunderstorms is easy when you have a full week and a car to just play it by ear! I stopped at every scenic spot, beautiful gallery and museum, made many new friends and collected so many painting references.

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Heading from San Antonio to Houston and then hugging the coastline through New Orleans, Louisianna, I finally arrived at our little VRBO beach house in Port St. Joe, Florida. What a gorgeous piece of earth!

Week two was spent working with world-class artists who came in to teach and paint. Spending hours volunteering, painting, and having a glass of wine on the porch with my new Steel Magnolia friends are things I will never forget.

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As Plein Air South closed, week three began while driving down the Florida Gulf Coast route, through every picturesque beach town, island and mangrove field along the way gathering reference photo after reference photo! I stopped by the new studio of Heather Arenas and marveled at her incredible oil figure paintings. The southern end of the road was Naples this trip. My brain and camera were full and I still had the trip home!

Now that I’m back, its time to put all this travel to good use in the studio! My website will be filling up this winter as I work to interpret all I’ve experienced from this Florida road trip, as well as a second journey from California to Idaho in July to learn from the unique abstract perspective of artist Larry Moore and complete my 48 state continental journey.

As I sit here writing this blog and finishing up a painting to submit to OPA, I’m thinking to myself… are you bored or do you ever feel ‘stuck’ or in a rut with your art?

Try getting out on the road again!

Shouldn’t it be the goal of painters to reveal themselves in their work? To be known because of their work? And by that I don’t mean to be famous, (like “Look at me! I’m so great and everyone knows it!”) as much as I mean to be understood – as in the idea that all paintings are a kind of self-portrait of the painter,  revealing the artist’s inner being in subtle ways. If the artist is true to himself or herself while painting, the viewer is then invited into the painting to look beyond the surface of the skill level of the painter, thereby getting to know something about the artist.

We all spend a great deal of time, perhaps many years, learning of the fundamentals of art, design, and painting. In most of our early work, nothing of ourselves is in it, because we’re too busy perfecting our skills. And this presents a problem, because it is tempting to merely paint to our skill level, (without a thought of how to express what’s really inside of us), with the hopes of selling the painting. For me, at some point that idea started changing, and slowly I was becoming less concerned about painting the WHAT and HOW of it;  rather, I found myself thinking about what I really wanted to say in the work. Strangely, in doing this, I started noticing that more people were asking me “Why?” questions instead of “How?” questions. So then I could get into real conversations with the viewer about what the work was about, rather than about the skill involved in creating it. Hence, my inner self started to show in my work. And the evolution continues. 

So how do we make the jump from doing pretty paintings which merely show great skills and that please everyone, to paintings that go beyond all this and help the viewer understand and get to know the painter? Well, here are some thoughts on that:

Paint What You Love! 

Why waste time painting a subject or an idea you aren’t absolutely crazy about? You have to be excited about what you’re going to paint. If you LOVE what you’re painting, and have an emotional connection to it, then your viewer will too. I find myself gravitating to everything that often goes unnoticed – such as a vacant field, a broken down truck, a moment in time between friends, thrift store finds,  old architecture that is on its last legs, and reminders of the old West – horses, cows, and horsemen. For some reason, my heart just goes to these things, and in the finished painting, I hope my viewer sees that. You know which subjects you love – stick to them!

Often, commissions aren’t the most enjoyable to do, and one reason for this is that we are usually not fully interested in a client choosing what we will be painting. The minute you’re painting for someone else, YOU are not in your work. Often the necessity of making a living does come into play, and I understand that. Don’t ever feel you have to paint in a certain style or choose specific subjects for an upcoming show – this makes painting tedious and not enjoyable. Your viewer will see that. Be true to yourself.

Your Palette – Limit it!

Having too many colors on your palette can cause great confusion. What color should I use? Should I mix it with something else? If so, what? And why? Well, if the artist is confused, then surely the viewer is too! We’ve all done it – bought the new colors of the year because they are soooo beautiful. We fill drawers with colors that are gorgeous, but we never use them. We just look at them and say, “I can’t wait to use you!” But we usually don’t! The point I need to make here is that color theory is so complicated and probably takes a lifetime to fully understand. You are more likely to have success in your paintings by limiting your palette. I use a modified Zorn palette (titanium white, ivory black, yellow ochre, and cad red light; with the minor additions of thalo blue, cad yellow light. a cool red, and ultramarine blue). This is nothing more than a palette of a warm and a cool of each primary, plus both the value and neutralizing changers of black and white. Try it! You’ll find harmony in this. Your viewer will too, even though they might not realize it.

Make Some Marks!

Mark making is everything. The artist’s hand, and therefore what’s inside of him/her, is revealed in brushwork. It is through the visible marks in a painting that you get to know the artist. No, the entire painting need not be made up of thick strokes which are prominent. Rather, the artist strategically decides where to place the most visible strokes, whether they are of thicker paint, or of a contrasting color, value or size, in order to draw the viewer in. To have one level of paint where no brush strokes are visible can be boring, containing no hint of who the artist really is. When in doubt, add more brushstrokes. Wiping off paint is sometimes ok, but often the better idea is to lay more paint on. 

What you think and feel is revealed by your art, therefore revealing a great deal of who you really are. If you love your painting, and transmit that feeling in a subject you love, using a harmonious palette and intentional marks, others will see that and not only love your work, but also feel a connection with you. 

On a clear day we may be able to “see forever,” but as we see in this summer photo of the Val d’Orcia in Tuscany, the haze of earth’s atmosphere has a strong effect on the clarity of forms as they recede into the distance.

To capture effects such as this an artist can employ two interrelated theories, Atmospheric Perspective, and Mass. The concept of Atmospheric Perspective focuses on 3 components: shapes, values and colors. We are all aware that shapes appear smaller as they recede into the distance, but notice that their edges also soften; darks lighten (the value range is restricted) and colors are muted in the distance. This means that clearly-defined edges, the strongest value contrasts (white and black) and bright colors only exist in the foreground where we can clearly see details. This brings us to the concept of Mass. In a massed shape, details are restricted. When you notice the larger silhouette shape before the details, you are seeing Mass, and that’s what happens as the atmosphere become thicker. In the photo below, the early morning fog has massed the trees and distant hillside, contrasting with the clarity of the grain field, where details emerge.

I live and paint on the Big Island of Hawaii where the Kilauea volcano had created a daily haze for 3 decades until this spring. When we were downwind of the eruption, there were days when the horizon of the ocean disappeared entirely in the vog (our version of smog). So I’ve had the opportunity to observe and paint varied atmospheric effects for 38 years.

When painting seascapes, the horizon line can present a challenge. On a clear, crisp day it can appear as a hard edge, and the dark value of the ocean contrasts sharply with the light value of the sky. Hard edges combined with strong contrasts will visually come forward in space, but the horizon needs to read in the distance and not compete for attention with foreground objects. The concept of Atmospheric Perspective provides a way to control this important transition.

Another use of these two concepts is to direct the viewer’s attention within the composition. In this painting, I used the fog to mass the background trees which shifts the attention to the trapper and his horse in the foreground.

This applies to interior scenes as well. In this still life by Chardin, the edges of the table are almost lost in the atmospheric shadows except in the center foreground where it becomes an integral part of the focal point.

The use of deep shadows in interior scenes forms the basis of chiaroscuro, where forms are revealed in the light and fade into the obscure mass of atmospheric shadows which the masters used so effectively.

In short, as objects recede into an atmospheric space, the edges of shapes soften, the value range is restricted and colors are muted. This shifts the viewer’s attention from individual details (which can no longer be discerned) to the larger silhouette shape. So atmosphere causes objects to mass.

Overcoming Plein Air Obstacles

I love plein air painting. Painting outdoors is such a special experience because of our unique engagement with the environment. Here we are with our panel, some colors, and our brushes, trying to convey something about the place where we stand – the light, the air, the wind, the bugs, the people – so much to take in. It can be an exhilarating experience, taking all of our concentration as we get lost in this world we are creating on the canvas.

But, as we all know, it’s not all sunshine and roses – even when we’re painting sunshine and roses. Like anything in life, the pursuit has ups and downs, and we must be flexible and learn to roll with things, both external and internal. This article is about getting over the hurdles that stand in our way. I have my obstacles; I am sure you have your own. Let’s find ways to work on overcoming some of the common ones.

Get out the Door

First things first, we have to leave the house. What is that thing that is going to get you out the door? For me, when I need an extra boost to find a couple hours to get outdoors, I fall back on my mantra, ‘What would Pete the Street do?’ For those not familiar, Peter Brown is a prolific British painter, best known for his paintings of his hometown of Bath. I don’t know him personally, but from what I can gather, he paints in the morning, afternoon, night and probably in bed. This may not be totally accurate, but for my purposes Pete the Street is the quintessential plein air painter. He isn’t going to let the weather, location, or pretty much anything stop him. He is going to make that painting! And be happy while he is doing it. So asking myself, ‘What would Pete the Street do?’ is my way of telling myself to pack my stuff, get out the door and get painting.

This works for me, and I know mantras may be a bit new-age-y for some, but finding your own short and simple way to remind yourself how much you want to get out there is a quick way to give yourself a boost when you need it. Maybe you post photos of paintings that inspire you on your refrigerator or play a piece of music associated with getting ready to go. The trick is to keep it simple, so there’s no debate – we’re out the door!

Set Your Easel Up. Yes, Right Here

Let’s find a spot to paint. Who hasn’t seen a beautiful spot they would love to paint and then thought, ‘But, there are so many people around.’ Yes, I know there are plenty of confident and social painters among us, but I would bet there are quite a few reading who would rather head for the safety of their studio than take the chance of lots of people looking at them while they work. I know this feeling very well. I love people, but insecurity in my work can definitely let those feelings creep in. But once again, our hero, Pete the Street comes in. ‘What would Pete the Street do?’ Yep, he just saw this beautiful building in town and he’s gonna set his easel up and paint it right there.

You would be amazed at how much confidence you can gain by taking the plunge and painting in public. While you may worry about our values or our drawing, most people are just going to be impressed that you are out there doing it! They aren’t coming to give you a critique. If anything, they will probably be impressed and give you a word of encouragement. And you will have gained valuable experience in painting this place or light effect that you have been wanting to paint. The next time will be so much easier, and so on, until you don’t give it a second thought.

Just a side note, I don’t want to minimize the value of privacy. Sometimes the ability to really focus and minimize distractions can be important. And, if you see a nice, private place to paint that might not be in the public domain, don’t be afraid to ask if you can paint on someone’s property. Owners of vineyards, marinas, farms, etc. may be excited to have an artist on their grounds, as it shows their customers and visitors that it is a beautiful place.

Stick With It

All right, let’s do this! We’re out, we found a great spot to paint and…right, this is pretty hard. We all know that painting outdoors is not as easy as it may look. We get the rewards of beautiful days and fulfilling work. But challenging ourselves is part of the equation if we want to improve. Maybe you are comfortable with trees but stay away from a specific subject, such as architecture or water or people. Whatever it is, attempting those challenges will bring discomfort, either in the process or in the results. And that’s okay! To improve, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable; it just means you’re learning. And who knows, you may find that you have a real ability in your new subject matter.  And more than likely, those reasons you were staying away will prove unfounded.

Embrace the discomfort and understand that if you want to progress to the next level, you will experience this feeling, sometimes in the middle of the painting and sometimes over a period of time. Stay with it though. Give your painting an extra 30 minutes past when you might stop, and try to figure out that thing that you know isn’t quite right. You may not resolve it on this painting, but sticking with it could provide the insight you need the next time you approach that problem.

Share Your Work

After a solid effort out in the field, we made some progress, congratulations. And with that, we can do some evaluating. How does it stack up against your others? Better than the last? I admit, I often ask my kids for feedback – ‘Do you like this one?’

 ‘I like all your paintings, Daddy!’. Thanks, kids. Yes, they are 6 and 4 years of age, not the toughest critics.

But really, sharing your work can be a great way to increase the value of your time spent working. Instead of making a snap judgment – this is good or not good – taking the time to evaluate your painting with another person is a step toward real learning. Did you nail the composition, but missed on values? What was successful and what wasn’t? Finding friends, willing family members, or teachers to help you is invaluable.

And they don’t need to be painters or ‘art people’ to be helpful. When I have family visit, I purposely put out paintings where I want to see their reaction. It can be very helpful to see what people respond to, what emotional reactions they have. It helps me see my work through other people’s eyes. Sometimes it is so hard to see what is on the canvas without our emotional attachment. This makes sense. You put your heart into something; it can be pretty difficult to see it objectively. Let those around you help you with their observations; they probably see things you don’t.

Keep Going

Painting can teach us a lot about the world. We see things we wouldn’t otherwise see by observing the world in a way that few do. We connect with places and people by painting them and showing people how we see them. And we learn a lot about ourselves in the process. I hope some of the ideas in this article will help you look at your own obstacles and find ways to push through them so you can be free to pursue the paintings you want to make. Make sure to share them with us so we can give you a thumbs-up, and watch as you become a more complete painter.