Oil Painting

A Venetian Methods Oil Painter

Susan E Budash · Feb 25, 2014 · 1 Comment

As a visual artist I’ve created images in Silkscreen, Intaglio, Lithography, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Acrylics and Oils and in a variety of methods, primarily Direct Painting (Alla Prima) and genre, but I always felt drawn to the visual degree of depth and luminosity present within the magnificent oil painting created by Master Artisans of the Renaissance to the Romantic Periods. The knowledge in creating paintings with similar attributes always eluded me. Little did I know that in order to achieve this luminous depth I had to learn an entirely new method in oil painting and with pigments with which I’d never been familiar with. Regardless of my persistent inquiries, the answers I sought would not be forthcoming for decades and when I learned in 1999 that the key word in opening this ancient volume of knowledge would lie with the word, Indirect Oil Painting.

My first introduction to creating art began at the age of nine and with an emphasis on drawing from life, as well as copying from books featuring paintings in major museums. My instructor, the late Jack Simmerling, a Chicago watercolorist, who gained acclaim for his renderings of historical Chicago landmark architecture, stressed the importance in developing one’s drawing skills. “If you can meet the challenges in perspective, value, composition and spatial relationships, then your paintings will be successful.” His words have lived with me for all 50 plus years I’ve been painting.

In so much that I have enjoyed and successfully rendered paintings created in the painterly Direct, Alla Prima Painting Methods, I have felt this method never fully met what I have been hoping to achieve in my paintings. And unfortunately, Virgil Elliott’s book, Traditional Oil Painting, wasn’t released until 2007, so with my PC I independently researched and was introduced to Eastern and Western European Flemish oil painting artists, who generously shared their knowledge and expertise, along with links to museum conservationists, who further enlightened me to the beneficial and not so beneficial pigments and mediums available. Putting this knowledge into hands-on practice led me through some humorous and not so humorous trial and errors, one of which I will share in the course of this blog. Unbeknownst to me at the onset was that not all oil painting from Renaissance to the 19th Century was created in the Flemish Methods, but that there was a second school within Indirect Painting known as the Venetian School and their methods differed in several ways from that of Flemish artists. The Venetian Method, believed to have been initiated by Giorgione, Titian and other Venetian oil painters, introduced creating their drawings on a mid-tone ground and then followed with an opaque gray layer, known as a Grisaille, creating a gray pallet with Lead-Based White paint, also known as Stack White. When I learned about the artist’s use of Lead White in their pallet, I knew instinctively that Lead White was a key component in their achieving the luminosity within their paintings.

Without a demonstration of the Venetian Methods, initiated with the grisaille, tints and scumbles, I had ventured into uncharted territory and therein I learned by my hits and misses. One such early “miss”, which I share with all my student’s is the humorous and decidedly nonsensical approach in removing the first several excessively oily glazed layers. The pigmented glazes were collecting in patches and not forming a thin layer over the composition. My frustration peaked when I couldn’t remove the under-layers of previously dried oily pigments with a solvent. My solution, purchase Formby’s Finisher Remover. After applying a thin layer of Formby’s, to my relief it removed the upper layers of glazes, but it didn’t stop there, it continued to eat away the grisaille, the under drawing and culminated in eating a hole right through my Belgian linen! I learned the Fat Over Lean premise is one fell swoop!

Since those early self-taught days in painting in Venetian methods, I am by no means 100% spot on, but I am continuing to learn with each still-life or figurative painting I create. This process is not for those who wish to witness immediate results, as a painting can take months to complete. At any one time, I have a dozen or more paintings in various states of completion, thus allowing the natural course of glazes setting-up. Of equal importance is learning which pigments are opaque, semi opaque and scumble worthy and which are considered lean and those that are fat. What and when is critical in the application of pigments.

This educational journey has been so rewarding and while I always loved oil painting, nothing has brought me more satisfaction and joy than painting in the Venetian Methods, especially when it comes time when I can begin the color layer. I call it, “Turning on the Lights” thus witnessing the luminous glow reveal itself in the painting’s final stages.

On Growing As a Painter

M Kathryn Massey OPA · Feb 10, 2014 · 15 Comments

It’s never too late to be who you might have been.
—George Eliot

Book Cover — Excerpted from: “Beyond Paint: A Guide to Conceptual Painting,” by M Kathryn Massey, OPA, DPS, AA

By now you understand the act of painting is considered, intentional and best undertaken with a concept each time you go to the easel. Many of us were lead to believe that painting is only about such things as self-expression, lucrative portrait commissions, copying exactly what is seen on the model stand, or selling painting after painting in a gallery. These are the goals of some painters; some painters measure their success and self worth by these kinds of benchmarks. It is not my place to argue for or against these personal goals.
This final chapter will speak to maturing as a painter. It won’t address gallery sales, winning show awards, how much of your teacher’s work is seen in your final paintings; or, how accurately you copy the minutiae of a subject. To my way of thinking, these do very little for your growth as a painter.
How do we grow as painters?

First, I can say, it’s a solitary path. What do I mean? I mean, we are alone in our work as painters. It’s a private journey, that can’t escape its source from within. The source is who we are. We must be mindful to this fact. It is where we find ourselves at any given time. This is the beginning of our work to grow as painters.
Painting is undertaken in isolation–with thoughts, feelings, memories, impulses, history and present day all contributing to our response in paint. No real work of creativity is achieved in a vacuum. So in that sense, we are not unique. We all have a history that went before us. We can’t escape who we are completely.
And yet, our very growth as a person and painter depends on knowing our limits, our strengths; and perhaps, setting aside much of our subjective interests for the good of the work. This speaks to letting the art come through us as much as by us in its final form.
Are there practical habits that can help us grow?
This may be the best place to begin. What can you do to mature as a painter in a practical sense?
Practice drawing from a live model as often as you can- weekly if possible. Test out your mettle by using charcoal, pen and wash, watercolors or paint. Stretch yourself and challenge yourself to sit in front of the model — find one or two things you want to improve upon in each session. Use the session to practice, to see, to understand what is before you and then, make art from that. Don’t just do what you know. Do more. Try more. Do what you don’t know how to do. This is practicing and stretching yourself. It isn’t enough to do what you know. You must do what you don’t know but want to do.

Go back and study old drawings and paintings you have worked on. See where you went wrong and note what is still working. The hallmark of Art is that it has the past, present and future all contained within. Therefore, it is outside the context of linear time. Your work can have this feature. This means it will be viewed as vital, compelling and “good” long after you are gone. Note where this is happening in your work and internalize it rather than guess at it when you next go to the easel.
Study the Old Masters. Understand their work, like yours, was created in the context of a culture and time. This doesn’t mean you must be time bound, or culture bound. This means you can’t escape your life and all of its constraints. Learn to lean beyond those constraints to create work that is outside any pinned down moment.
Having said this……
Is it not your goal or purpose to recreate the work of the Old Masters, any one philosophy or school; or, recreate the work of your teacher. These are benchmarks in your progress. To be Original, you must be Authentic, meaning your own. This takes time. Do your own work and not the work of any one teacher or school. If a teacher expects you to paint like them, run!!! They do you a disservice to copy their work no matter how original. They rob you of your own development and exacting voice that is yours alone. Remember, you must develop your own language through paint.

This means you must hear your own voice through paint and the act of painting. You must, in being authentic, find your own way. Yes, it’s good to walk with a teacher for a while, but eventually, you walk the path alone gathering information old and new.
The act of maturing as a painter is, at times uncomfortable, and like walking a tightrope– without a net. Indeed, it must be so. If you are not discontent at some moment, you are not ready to go on. To grow, you must find moments and periods of real discontentment. These will catapult you to the next moments of discovery. It isn’t easy. It takes time.
Time. Learning to paint is not a linear process. It isn’t done by rote, by memorization of this or that. Each time you are at the easel, you must begin again. Fresh. You are different. You are new. The work will be also. Pay attention to the changes inside. These are what affect change outside. This is what your work becomes. Pay attention to your habits, your thoughts and feelings as you watch the painting unfold. Watch the painting….. It will show you what it needs and want to stretch with you. Let it be so.

Questions. These are what make us stronger in our work. It isn’t enough to have an answer. You must be thinking about the next question. Painting is an organic process. You must begin again each time you paint. What worked in one painting may be completely wrong for the next. There is no end to the beginning…….cool, huh?
Sit with painters who are farther along than you are. If you admire there work, try and paint with them. It’s always a grand idea to paint with someone who is a bit beyond where you are. This helps you stretch and grow.
Painting, like dance, singing, or playing an instrument takes practice. You can’t paint once or twice a year in a workshop and expect to become a good painter. It’s just not possible. As with other art disciplines, you must practice over and over to understand yourself and the work. It can’t only be read about. Nor can it be absorbed through only looking at artwork in museums or galleries. It must be practiced and many choices made. Remember: there are no mistakes. Only better choices. You must make some bad choices to get to the better choices. It must be so. It’s difficult work. If you look at your choices as mistakes, your mindset is limited and closed.
Choices mean and have possibilities.
There are some painters who will disagree with this next statement. Paint from life. Is it “wrong” to copy photos? I don’t know if anything is wrong. But, you won’t learn as much by copying photos if you ‘re interested in learning to paint. I would add–painting from life is a richer, more rewarding experience.

Also a limitation to learning: projecting images such as a portrait onto the wall and tracing it onto a canvas. No one understands this as learning. Can you make money? I suppose. But is it learning? I don’t think it is. You have to do the work and put in the hours to become a confident painter. This is within you and does not live outside you. Know this. Painting comes from within.
This all points to one central idea: painting is bringing forth that which is in you; and, as you develop and sensitize yourself to painting from within, you develop more and more to the person and painter you are meant to be. Painting comes from the inside, the inner world. It does not originate in the outer world. If a critic, teacher or another painter criticizes your direction, only you know in your heart and mind’s eye if you are doing the real work that is yours. You must let these comments roll off your back. They are irrelevant to your sensibilities, your authority and your own unique sense of being a painter. Said another way, the private world, your private world is subject to being criticized publicly. You must believe in yourself and look for no validation about what it is you want to say through the language you develop. When you can do this, you will be working from a place of confidence that the work is your own and your voice is being heard. You are growing as a painter.
A word about being understood by others: throughout history, we know of painters who have used such a private language, that little of the world was able to hear or access that language. This might be said of those who caste off all reference to the past to create art void of any historical reference, context or understanding. Here’s an example, not to pick on Jackson Pollock. He dripped paint on a canvas lying on the floor. House paint. This was his contribution to the world of art; to smash any reference to narrative, time, or history by excluding these features in his work. I find his language so limited it borders on incoherent and babble—for me. Of course, it is only my opinion about surface art of this kind. There are those who would disagree. Pollock’s language and efforts were so private, I am left without any real connection to him or to his work. This is the danger in developing highly subjective language— or creating work that is shocking or offensive. No one may understand the work, or if so offensive to humanity, no one will care.

Dancing with the angels – Part 2

Mr. John Pototschnik · Jan 27, 2014 · 1 Comment

Twelve professional artists talk about being “in the zone”, what it means, what it’s like, and how to get there.

There are lots of words for it…”in the grove”, “singularly focused”, “in tune”, “wired in”, “centered”, “on a roll”, and “in the moment”. Some have described it as “going with the flow”.
It is said of Michelangelo, that while he worked on the painting for the Sistine Chapel, he became so focused on the job at hand that he went for days without eating or sleeping until he almost passed out.
That does seem to express the sentiments of some of our twelve artists as they discuss painting “in the zone”…not that any of them have actually passed out…but you get the idea.
I am pleased once again to bring you six more very accomplished artists who will continue our discussion of painting “in the zone”…is it real, what’s it like, how do you get there, and what’s the result? When it happens, it’s like “dancing with the angels”.
Thanks to this week’s participants, as we present Part 2.

Karen Blackwood:
Classically trained, Karen Blackwood initially painted portraits and figurative works before the landscape became her constant muse. While her work gravitates toward the light and atmosphere in the landscape, her artistic pursuit is to convey an emotional response to the solitary beauty of nature and to achieve that perfect state of being that sometimes comes from painting it.. She is represented by Susan Powell in Madison, CT. She’s a member of Oil Painters of America and the Society of American Marine Artists.

Roger Dale Brown:
Roger believes that studying and painting from life is essential to being a good artist. He spends hours painting on location to enhance his ability to see the nuances of a scene, a day, or an object. He considers this one of the elements necessary to create a successful painting both on location and in the studio. Roger captures the emotion of the scene, by drawing on his knowledge and his dedication to art. He promotes art education in many ways, believing that passing along information is an obligation to generations of new artists.

John Cook:
From still life to portraits, landscapes to architecture…and his native-Texas western imagery, nothing is too small or too large for John to attempt as is demonstrated in his diverse range of subject matter. Trips to London, Paris, Bruges, Venice, Rome, Florence, Portofino, St.Marguerite, San Francisco, and New York have inspired many of Cook’s paintings. In 2012, Cook’s 11th annual one-man show was held at the Southwest Gallery in Dallas.

Kathleen Dunphy:
Kathleen’s rapid success in the competitive art world was predicted when American Artist Magazine recognized her as one of the TopTen Emerging Artists in 1998. In the ensuing years, she has earned an impressive and growing reputation with galleries and collectors. A Signature Member of several important art organizations, most recently she has been honored with Signature Membership in the prestigious Plein Air Painters of America. She is one of those rare people who have true passion, dedication, and a gift for transposing nature’s beauty to the canvas.

Daniel Gerhartz:
The powerful and evocative beauty of Gerhartz’s paintings embrace a range of subjects, most prominently the female figure in either a pastoral setting or an intimate interior. He is at his best with subjects from everyday life, genre subjects, sacred-idyllic landscapes or figures in quiet repose, meditation or contemplative isolation. “My desire as an artist is that the images I paint would point to the Creator, and not to me, the conveyor. J.S. Bach said it well as he signed his work, ‘Soli Deo Gloria’, To God alone is the glory”.

James Gurney:
Gurney is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Dinotopia book series. Solo exhibitions of his artwork have been presented at the Smithsonian Institution, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and the Norton Museum of Art. He’s recently been named a “Grand Master” by Spectrum Fantastic Arts and a “Living Master” by the Art Renewal Center. His most recent book, Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter (2010) was Amazon’s #1 bestselling book on painting for over 52 weeks and is based on his daily blog: gurneyjourney.blogspot.com

We’ve all heard the phrase “in the zone”, what does that mean to you?

Gurney_Dalleos-huge — James Gurney – Dalleo’s Deli – 9″x 12″ – Oil

Blackwood:“The object, which is back of every true work of art, is the attainment of a state of being, a state of high functioning, a more than ordinary moment of existence.” –
Robert Henri. “In the zone” is that perfect state of being I strive to be in while painting, It’s a state of letting the spirit within lead, working from the subconscious mind. Every movement and thought flows effortlessly.
Brown:Being in the “zone” to me means being in a more visceral region of my mind. Being made in God’s image, humans are inherently creative in one thing or another. When an artist creates, we go to a place in our subconscious that taps into the knowledge intuitively, and our emotions instinctively.
Cook:Things are “clicking” when I’m painting productively. Not that it is an easy process, but I know somehow what looks “right”, when the preceding brush stroke, or knife application is placed. I “explain” to myself often audibly, what temperature the next color should be, and what pigment, or mixture is wanted, or what correction is needed in drawing, and so on…Of course the drawing must be correct, and the composition must be worth continuing. Color, whether intense or muted, or purposefully unbalanced, should remain harmonious. The balance of simple patterns vs the complicated textures are becoming obvious to me, due to many paths down that road for the design to be “on”. Must mention correct values. I could go on…I shall…Then the treatment of edges seems to fall in place. I can seem to understand which need to be “lost”, and those that need to show straightness and obvious clarity. I do have much more fun watching an oil sketch fall in place without thinking much, something with a real flair happening quickly…within 45 minutes to an hour and a half.
Dunphy:Being in the zone means being able to paint without tremendous effort, much like hitting my stride when I’m running or nordic skiing. All extraneous thoughts from other parts of my life turn off and I’m solely focused on the task at hand. It’s finding that rhythm when my mind, body, and creative energy are all in sync.
Gerhartz:When the conditions are right and I am accurately translating what my eyes see in terms of the abstract nature of light, shadow, shape, edge and color.
Gurney:Having my conscious mind take the back seat, and letting intuition take over.
If you believe in such a phenomenon, what techniques do you use to get there?

Blog - KB - Winter_Reflections 24x18 — Karen Blackwood – Winter Reflections – 24″x 18″ – Oil

Blackwood:To help me get “in the zone” or at the least, a higher level of focus, I try to approach my subject with great feeling. Taking the time to contemplate before brush touches canvas helps me to let go and paint from a more intuitive place, allowing the information to “flow” through me. In the studio, listening to music and looking through books of a master artist’s work can stir my soul and subconscious, which allows flow to happen. I have been known to listen to the same CD to an insanely repetitive degree. If it works for a particular piece I’m working on, I tend to want to keep that mood throughout.
Brown:It is important that I have an atmosphere that is conducive to painting. In my studio I have surrounded myself with inspirational things and music. This comfortable space helps me remove the “world” from my mind, so I can be more sensitive to the scene I am painting. Also, I problem solve; I imagine being in the scene, or on location again; I assign words to describe the scene; and finally I visualize the finished painting. By approaching a painting this way, it helps me bridge the two elements of painting, the science of painting and the intuitive aspect of painting. When I have a solid image in my mind, I can start painting. All of this helps de-clutter and prepare my mind to paint so it’s easier to sink into that nice warm comfortable place…and create…
Cook:Don’t know how to “get there”. I can’t force anything to get there. In fact last year, because of some very stressful conditions, I was definitely out of the zone for a least six months. I struggled with drawing especially, and consequently painting anything worth showing anyone for that period…well, I won’t linger on this. Tough year.
Dunphy: It’s easiest for me to get in the zone when I’m outside plein air painting. It seems like that direct communion with my subject matter helps me to more easily ignore that background chatter of non-art-related thoughts. I still can get in the zone in the studio but it happens with more effort. I’ve found that certain music helps set the tone – classical baroque music, Italian opera arias, and most especially Gregorian chants.
Gerhartz:Putting myself in the position to be successful, (working from life, distractions minimized, enough rest, approach the subject humbly, and squint!)
Gurney:Ironically, I’ve got to think consciously to get to the intuitive state, and just practice a lot.
When in the “zone”, are you more conscious and aware of what you’re doing…or less so?

Blog - KD -magic-hour, 15x30 — Kathleen Dunphy – Magic Hour – 15″x 30″ – Oil

Blackwood:When I’m in the “zone”, I am more highly in tune to what I’m painting but less self-conscious of my process. It’s a more intuitive state where the painting seems to paint itself. I lose all sense of time, at least until my husband or daughter calls out for food!
Brown:Even though my space is important at the beginning of a painting, once I am in the “zone” I am less conscious of my surrounding, or of time, and more in tune with my creative process. I would say I am less conscious when in the “zone”. Since I worked through the foundational decisions and possible problems with my painting early on, the decisions and process of painting are easier. This doesn’t mean it’s a “walk in the park” for there can still be struggles, and sometimes I still have to wrestle that thing down, but I am less likely to get frustrated and angry. I stay calm and the painting proceeds at a nice pace and rhythm.
Cook:Definitely aware of what I’m doing, as described in the first answer, but not laboring mentally or emotionally.
Dunphy:Both – I’m more aware of the idea and feeling that I’m painting and less aware of the technical aspect of it.
Gerhartz:Not necessarily aware of it. More aware when I am not in it.
Gurney:I’m inside the painting, not thinking of my immediate surroundings.
Are your best ideas and work a result of being “zoned in” or does it make any difference?

Blog - DG - Dawn from Within - 60x60 — Daniel Gerhartz – Dawn from Within – 60″x 60″ – Oil

Blackwood:I am personally more fulfilled when I am “zoned in”. It is invigorating, joyous and feels like a state of being more fully awake. Because the subconscious is flowing more freely, I think there is a deeper level revealed in the work for those able to read it, making it more successful for me.
Brown:All of my planned ideas and crucial decisions about a painting come prior to the “zone”. Once the decisions are made, and I have a clear image of my painting, I am free to de-clutter my mind, and go into the “zone”. The advantage of this process for me, is when I am in the “zone”, my right brain is in control. This opens up the opportunity for some fantastic ideas to arise during the painting. I can realize them and take advantage of these opportunities.
Cook:Can’t answer that my best ideas come “in the zone”, but my best canvases definitely do.
Dunphy:Yes, by far my best work comes when I’m in the zone. It causes a conflict for me because I can only be in the zone when I don’t have the distraction of other people around, even other artist friends. I enjoy the camaraderie of painting with others and need that human interaction, but I end up having to view those paintings days more as “mental health” days instead of times when I get serious work done.
Gerhartz:I believe all artist work is best when focus is concentrated and precise. I believe my best works have almost painted themselves.
Gurney:The two modes switch back and forth for best results, like two different creative characters: The idea man and the refiner.
Is it possible for a “zoned in” person to produce work beyond their normal ability or level of understanding?

Blog - JC - Out to Pasture 30x40 — John Cook – Out to Pasture – 30″x 40″ – Oil

Blackwood:Being “in the zone” is an active, high state of functioning that can propel me to another level. Provided I have acquired the necessary skills, the excitement brought on by a challenge above my current level of understanding awakens my spirit and allows me to reach the higher state within that my conscious self sometimes blocks.
Brown:For me, the only way this whole process works is to study and build my understanding of the fundamentals of painting, understanding what I see and my ability to see as an artist. I have to train myself to see the subtleties of a scene and to understand perspective, atmosphere, quality of light, shade, value and edge. You can’t paint what you don’t know. We are given talent, but passion is the driving force that will develop it. Without putting in the work the emotional part of art has nothing to draw from. Since being in the zone is being more visceral, I don’t think I can paint beyond my ability, but it does make it easier to work from the knowledge that I have collected over the years and it makes me more intuitive with my decisions and not over think and second guess myself.
Cook:Any piece that exceeds my normal ability is a gift from God. Should that happen, I believe I would continue doing even greater things, with a dedicated work ethic. Love this! There are some pieces in the past that stand out as hard to “match the magic”. I wouldn’t continue if I thought it might not happen again.
Dunphy:Without a doubt. I call those works gifts that are given to me in order to let me know I’m on the right track and encourage me to keep going.
Gerhartz:Yes
Gurney:To me, intuition is conscious understanding made automatic. Rarely do I get major leaps of intuition that take me beyond my conscious awareness of solutions.
When “in the zone”, are you aware of it?

Blog - RDB - Old Hickory, 22x28 — Roger Dale Brown – Old Hickory – 22″x 28″ – Oil

Blackwood:I think on some level I am aware that I am “in the zone”. Everything feels so right. When I’m out of it, I still have that lingering “high” that makes me look forward to painting again. It is an addiction, isn’t it?
Brown:I am aware I can go to the “zone”, but I don’t always know that I am there, until someone or something interrupts me.
Cook:Definitely aware when I’m “in it”, however, being in it one day doesn’t necessarily carry over to the next session. Hate this!
Dunphy:Not right away. Usually some time will have passed where I realize I’m in a great rhythm and not struggling so much. Then I try not to think about it to much in order not to jinx myself out of it!
Gerhartz:Not always, the more I think about being “in the zone” the more I can be assured I am not in it.
Gurney:Yes, and I try to abet the mood by means of music or sound effects.

Special thanks to each of the distinguished artists participating in this enlightening discussion. Your comments have been greatly appreciated.

For those that have not read Part 1, I invite you to do so. It also features six elite artists: Kenn Backhaus, Joni Falk, David Gray, Marc Hanson, C.W. Mundy, and Romona Youngquist. It’s also very good. Just click here and continue reading. Thanks.

Dancing with the angels – Part 1

Mr. John Pototschnik · Jan 20, 2014 · 2 Comments

Twelve professional artists talk about being “in the zone”, what it’s like and how to get there.

When Facebook friend, John (Skeets) Richards, suggested I do a blog addressing the issue of whether or not artists are in a “zone” when they paint their best, I thought it was a good topic to pursue. I personally don’t think in those terms, I’m just focused on doing the best painting I can. I will acknowledge that once in a great while some of my paintings have been created so effortlessly and quickly that they seem to have painted themselves…but most of the time it is just tough, down and dirty, hard work…with all the ensuing frustrations.
I guess I never thought of those effortless paintings as having been done while “in the zone”, but maybe that’s a suitable explanation. After considering the opinions expressed below, it’s very possible I’m “in the zone” more than I realize. Having professional artists address the issue will cast light on the subject. It’s hard to deny that something really special can happen when we’re in the creative mode…often unexpectantly. I call it “dancing with the angels”.
I’m honored to have such an elite group of artists address this issue. Here are this weeks participants:

Kenn Backhaus:
After an award winning career as a commercial designer and illustrator, Kenn decided in 1984 to devote more time to his passion for painting and his love of the outdoors. He found that capturing true color, value, atmosphere and the mood of a subject was best done on location or through direct observation. Winner of many awards and a featured artist in a 13-part PBS television program “Passport & Palette”, Kenn is a Master Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society.

Joni Falk:
Joni has lived in Phoenix, AZ since 1960. She has been featured in several magazines and books, and is a popular instructor at the Scottsdale Artist School. Her work is included in the permanent collections of The Cheyenne Old West Museum, The Booth Museum, and The Desert Caballeros Museum. She’s represented by Legacy Galleries, Settlers West…and has participated shows at The National Museum of Wildlife Art and the Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma.

David Gray:
An award winning artist, David has made a career of pursuing a pure and relevant art form which has its roots in the Classical Tradition. The resulting paintings reveal a personal and contemporary expression of beauty and order while giving a clear nod to the Old Masters. David’s works have been collected throughout the United States and abroad since 1997.

Marc Hanson:
A Signature Member of OPA and winner of the OPA Bronze Medal for oil painting in the 2011 National Exhibition. He was awarded both Artist’ Choice and Best of Show at the 2012 Door County Plein Air Festival. His work can be seen at Addison Art Gallery, R.S. Hanna Gallery, Gallery 1261, Elizabeth Pollie Fine Art, and the Mary Williams Gallery.

Charles Warren Mundy:
Worked as a sports illustrator for several years. In the early 1990’s he took on the challenge of painting in a more impressionistic style, going out of doors and painting “en plein air” and “from life”. Now a noted American Impressionist, he is a Master Signature Member of OPA. Most recently, 2007, he was awarded Master Status in The American Impressionist Society. He is also a Signature Member of The American Society of Marine Artists.

Romona Youngquist:
Self taught with nature as her classroom and the great masters her teachers, Romona knew at age four that painting would be her calling. Today you’ll find her paintings as far away as Germany, London, and downtown Manhattan. Her works have been published in the premier art magazines including Southwest Art, American Art Collector, and Art Talk.

We’ve all heard the phrase “in the zone”, what does that mean to you?

Blog - ’Sunrise-My Backyard’ - C.W. — C. W. Mundy – Sunrise-My Backyard – 20″x 16″ – Oil

Backhaus: Being in the zone is like a well-oiled machine, you are performing without hesitation, no distractions, and can push yourself and you respond, The challenges that are present or come up during the painting process become solved. The traditional sound principal and foundations guide your skills that you have acquired over the years. Confidence directs the eye and the hand. Everything within you and around you is in harmony.
“In the zone” for me, means my painting seems to almost paint itself…a sense of confidence and satisfaction as the painting progresses.
Gray: To me it means that space in time when everything you do is “right”. In these moments it seems like you can do just about anything. And if you do make a mistake it is corrected with ease and on the spot. It’s a time when everything you’ve learned is working for you. Your background, natural skills, education, and years of hard work are all coming out on the canvas and it’s glorious. You trust yourself implicity and all of your second guessing goes out the window. Ir’s a great place to be.
Hanson: My earliest memories of being an ‘artist’, were while sitting at my parents kitchen table with a newsprint drawing tablet and some pencils and crayons, making action drawings of tanks, soldiers and airplanes at war. Man, was I “in the zone” then. In a place of total imaginative, creative thought, where the question from my mom…”Marc, are you listening to me???”, didn’t even make a sound wave in that zoned world that I was in while the airplanes and helicopters flew over head, while the tanks rumbled across the impossible terrain, and while so many army men became ‘X’s and tanks went up in clouds of red and yellow flames. That is what being in the zone means to me. Being totally absorbed in the act of creative activity, in a heightened state of awareness. Being so absorbed by the painting activity, that nothing else around me has meaning, and time evaporates. It’s letting your conscious mind go to where it needs to go to achieve complete concentration on the task at hand.
Mundy: “In the zone” is a term used by an artist to describe being subconsciously carried along in the painting, making one creative move after another. You may not be aware of being in the zone. The painting experience has mesmerized the artist.
Youngquist: Being “in the zone” is like having a wonderful massage in which you’re conscious but asleep at the same time. It’s the place I want to be. It’s where I reach my optimal creativity and production and where I have the most fun.

If you believe in such a phenomenon, what techniques do you use to get there?

Blog KB - Cotton Wood Beach- 30x30 — Kenn Backhaus – Cotton Wood Beach – 30″x 30″ – Oil

Backhaus: I don’t think you can control when you get into the zone. I feel it happens on its own from one’s focus and enthusiasm of the project.
Falk: Regarding the phenomenon of “in the zone”, I think it is just that…if there were a technique to get there, I sure would like to know what it is…???
Gray: I don’t believe you can force it or make it occur. It just happens sometimes. It comes as a result of years of discipline. I consider that I am highly skilled and have worked very, very hard for many years to develop my craft. I can paint or draw something very well on demand. But that doesn’t mean I’m in the zone. Usually I have to keep my wits about me the entire day of painting and the littlest thing can throw me off. Still I have learned how to fight through and create effectively. Only once in a blue moon do I ever feel like I’m truly in the zone.
Hanson: It’s easiest for me to find myself “in the zone” when outside on location, painting ‘en plein air’. Almost every time that I paint outside, I’m there, in the zone. I think that’s partly why I feel that is the most honest place for me to be painting. Having the time constraint of plein air painting, and the lack of any outside interference, except for the occasional passerby, makes it the ideal situation fo me to find myself in that zone.
In the studio, to help me move into that place of concentration, I choose music to listen to that will help me find that zone once I get a painting going. That changes from day to day, and according to where I am in the painting. At first I like music that is…loud and upbeat. Music that sort of shakes the rafters. Then as I am developing the painting, I turn to music that is softer and less intrusive, that allows me to concentrate. Sometimes I need to turn it off completely and have a silent work zone to zone out in.
Mundy: Problem solving should be the process before ever beginning the painting. The left hemisphere of the brain, the analytical side, is the problem solver. Preparedness in getting everything ready is hugely important. It’s like a surgeon who has everything on the table and ready to go. I also have found in the last six months, that I have more opportunity to get into the zone if I have no music, no distractions. Having the excitement to create, to take on the challenge of a new painting, is a key ingredient and a wonderful start!
Youngquist: The best way for me to get there is to be constantly painting. It’s like a snowball effect and the more I paint the more everything around me disappears (not good for housework). And the ideas just keep coming.

When in the “zone”, are you more conscious and aware of what you’re doing…or less so?

Blog - JF - Taos Winter - 20x20 — Joni Falk – Taos Winter – 20″x 20″ – Oil

Backhaus: I sense that there is a time period that elapses before one knows that you are in a zone. Once you feel that everything is in that harmonious mode, yes, then you realize that you are in the zone. I feel that you are more conscious and aware of what you are doing and you also note that you are doing it according to your truths and beliefs. There is a sense of honesty that abounds.
Falk: As far as being more conscious and aware what I’m doing or less so…I definitely think I am aware I’m in the zone in that the painting seems to be flowing and coming together more easily – and with more confidence..
Gray: I think I’m just as conscious. It’s just that all my decisions seem to be “right”. All my marks are spot on. I’m still very cognizant.
Hanson: Yes, I’m totally conscious of what I’m doing when in the zone. I paint without thinking about what I’m doing, but on a conscious level. My experience, training, skills, and desires as an artist become one fluid movement when in this place. Like I mentioned above, it’s a heightened state of awareness that I find myself in when there. Being in the zone is very similar to being in a meditative state. I tried meditation as part of a yoga class I was taking once. I realized that when I’m painting…and in the zone…I’m consistently in a meditative place, so the meditation class was kind of pointless for me.
Mundy: It’s a combination of both being conscious of what you’re doing, and less conscious. But if you really “let go”, it can lean toward being unaware of what you’re doing. There’s a connective interplay between both knowing and not knowing.
Youngquist: I’m less conscious and intuition kicks in. And that’s where the fun and passion happens.

Are your best ideas and work a result of being “zoned in” or does it make any difference?

Blog - DG -_arrangementwithselectedsketches_18x24 — David Gray – Arrangement with Selected Sketches – 18″x 24″ – Oil

Backhaus: Yes, definitely my better works come from being in the zone.
Falk: I think some of my best paintings were done while “in the zone”, and I look back on them and wonder “how I did that”.
Gray: I think for me there is a slight difference. In general I would say my best work has been done while “zoned in”, but not always. I’ve done some paintings I’m very proud of that have been a fight every step of the way.
Hanson: This is a difficult place to be if you have interruptions by phones, other people, or errands to run for the day. My best work comes when I’m lucky enough to be able to find that level of concentration. Not because there’s anything metaphysical about it, simply because I’m concentrating and keeping a clear path open as I paint along. With too much interruption, I loose the ability to go deeply within myself and my creative thoughts. It makes sense that a painting wouldn’t get the full store of what I feel and have to offer it if I’m not there.
Mundy: Based on my own results, the best paintings can be painted either in the zone or not in the zone. Nevertheless, for creative explorations, every endeavor and experience is different.
Youngquist: Heck ya.

Is it possible for a “zoned in” person to produce work beyond their normal ability or level of understanding?

Blog - MH - October Flow -10x8 — Marc Hanson – October Flow – 10″x 8″ – Oil

Backhaus: Yes.
Falk: I do think it is possible to produce work beyond normal ability or understanding…it’s as if that feeling of “self-doubt’ disappears.
Gray: I think so. I’m not sure I’ve been there, but I believe it can happen. My process is so controlled that I am very rarely surprised by the result. “Happy accidents” just don’t happen with me. Though highly skilled and a good teacher of my craft, I still don’t consider myself a “Master”. I’m not sure I’ve done a work that completely transcends my earthbound limitations. But I believe it can happen. I’ve heard of these kinds of experiences happening to people working in other art forms as well…musicians, or actors, for example.
Hanson: I’d prefer to say that it’s ‘more possible’ to create the work that you’re capable of making, if you are able to concentrate at the level that being in the zone brings to you and your painting.
Mundy: It is absolutely possible for a “zoned in” person to produce work beyond their normal ability. Retrospective thinking will prove it out.
Youngquist: I think you still only paint to the level of your knowledge, but happy accidents happen. If only I can remember how I did it.

When “in the zone”, are you aware of it?

Blog - RY - October’s End - 24x30 — Romona Youngquist – October’s End – 24″x 30″ – Oil

Backhaus: As I mentioned earlier, for me I may be performing for a time period before I realize that I am in the zone. Believe me, you will know it when your’re there. The results of your efforts should reveal it.
Falk: When I am “in the zone” I am definitely aware of it – it’s that special feeling I wish I could experience more often.
Gray: Yes, I think I am.
Hanson: I think this one was pretty much answered in question #3.
Mundy: In most cases, I am not conscious of being “in the zone” although on the other hand, several times, I think that I have made the realization that I’m in the zone while “in the zone”.
Youngquist: It’s the same thing that happens when getting a massage. Your aware but at the same time not….(using linseed oil instead of lavender).

Next week Part 2 featuring: Karen Blackwood, Roger Dale Brown, John Cook, Kathleen Dunphy, Daniel Gerhartz, and James Gurney. Don’t miss it.

Charles Warren Mundy Interview

Mr. John Pototschnik · Jan 13, 2014 · 1 Comment

I first met C.W. Mundy when I stepped into the back of a limousine one evening in Cincinnati. We were participating artists in the Great American Artists Show and were being transported to the show venue.If you know anything about C.W., you know he is not shy. An outspoken Christian, it was not long before we discovered our common faith. I admire his authentic boldness and fearlessness, and it seems to permeate every area of his life including his work.

The Train Station
36″x 24″ – Oil – 20122nd Place, Masters Division, 22nd Annual OPA National Competition

His painting has gone through a continuous evolution. Always experimenting, never content to rest on his past successes, he is a bundle of energy, continually looking for new challenges. If it’s not painting, it’s music. If it’s not music it’s something else. He’s not one to sit around wasting time.
He just won second place in the Master Division at the 22nd Annual Oil Painters of America National Competition in Fredericksburg, TX., yet on the drive home to Indiana with his wife, Rebecca, he took the time to answer my questions for this interview…just another example of an active mind making every second count.

I’m very pleased to bring you this wonderful interview with Charles Warren Mundy:
As I’ve watched your work over the years, it seems you are always experimenting…trying new things. Are you fearless about experimentation? I’ve always been fearless to experiment because for me it is necessary to have a challenge, otherwise I’d be bored. The quest is the search.
It seems you paint anything and everything, is there any subject you shy away from? You won’t find me painting little kittens with a ball of yarn!…On the other hand, who knows, I might just do that sometime.

In studio creation of All Along the Boulevard

All Along the Boulevard -24″x 36″ – Oil – 2012

There is a certain unpredictability to your work, not in a negative sense, but in that one is never absolutely sure what you’re going to paint next…or how you’re going to paint it. How do galleries and collectors feel about that? I’ve done this from the beginning, so my collectors and my galleries are actually used to it.
What do you see as the future direction of your work? My future direction – more experimentation! Especially right now, I’m experimenting in the area of “paint manipulation”. There’s a multitude of ways that one can make a mark on linen. I’ve figured out that since these things are called “paintings”, the paint expression is very important!

How do your Christian beliefs affect and direct your art career? My wife and I pray about everything! This has directed us in every facet of the career, from conceptualizing, in painting, and in the business aspects.

Prague, Church of Saint Nicholas – 5″x 7″ – Pen and Ink – 2000

I consider you to be a pretty savvy marketer of your work, please explain your strategy. What has been your most effective marketing tool? Taking the leap of faith from answered prayers. (Psalm 32:8)
Early in the career, for 10-15 years, I did much advertising. That’s how I became known in the industry. Currently I use social media, newsletters, exhibitions, website, blog, trying to stay in front of people. You must continually remind people. A quote I’m known for…”It’s one thing to launch your career, it’s another thing to sustain it”.
How do you balance market expectations and artistic growth? I’m more concerned with artistic growth. My galleries allow this and don’t place high expectations on me.

Sailing Into Rockport at Sunset – 24″x 36″ – Oil – 2005

Early Afternoon Light, Williams Creek – 9″x 12″ – Oil

You are heavily involved in music, and for a time, sports. How have these contributed to your ability to succeed as an artist? I’ve always worked hard to achieve my goals, in sports, music, and in art. There’s no substitute for hard work!
The relationship of painting to music is frequently made, could you explain what is meant by that? There are many parallels between art and music. Here are just a few examples:
There must be unity and variety in correct proportions. In music and in art, if everything’s too unified, it’s boring. Too much variety, and it’s fractured. You want to have as much variety as possible, but still have it unified.
You must have an “attitude” about your work.
In music as well as art, you must have a “centrality of focus”. With music, the centrality is in the lyrics of the chorus. Just as in a painting, it’s where you want your viewers (or listeners) to have a resolve or anchor in your composition. The musical verses have to point to the chorus. In art, the secondary and tertiary areas have to support and not challenge the centrality of focus in the painting.
The dynamics of when to be loud and when to be quiet.
There are music notes and color notes – how do you want them to play out or speak?
Why did you select art over music as your career? I was in a great 5-piece band in L.A. in the late 1970′s. We wrote all our own music, and were getting ready to record with a major music recording company, when one band member became very sick and then passed away, and the band dissolved. Our dream ended and I was dejected, not only at the loss of our friend, but because of the investment of time and effort for the band. I felt that God really spoke to me at that time and told me to go back to art and painting, where I didn’t need to rely on other people to make a living, just my own hard work.

Emily with Basket at the Beach – 9″x 6″ – Oil – 2012

Red Striped Umbrellas, Santa Margherita Ligure – 16″x 20″ – Oil – 1996

Silver Coffee Urn – 12″x 9″ – Oil – 2011

Why, at this time, is there such a move in America toward realism…even the classic kind? The pendulum swings! The American Impressionism of the last several decades has had a good run, but that continues as well.
How do you decide on a dominating color key for a painting, and how do you maintain it? If you’re concerned with color as opposed to tonality, one might take advantage of playing up complementaries. There is a reason why colors have their complementary. In the history of art, the greatest colorists had a sophisticated usage of color and chroma. Painting straight out of the tube is OK for modernists, but to me it’s like “finger nails on a chalkboard”.
What part does photography play in your work? When subjects move and it’s your only option. Sometimes as well, it’s very advantageous to record spots where you can’t be around such as Europe or other travel destinations, although 90% of all my European Collections of paintings were painted en plein air. If I have to paint from a photograph, I often paint it “upside down” which is much more right brain and creative and helps me stay out of the mode of just painting “things”.

What are the key points one needs to know when creating a true sense of atmosphere? It mostly really boils down to “edges” and being very careful with color notes. In a landscape, many times in the distant trees and distant hillsides, I add more sky color into those masses. Value as well has to be adjusted from the literalness of the scene.

C.W. Mundy painting on location in France

What are the main problems encountered when translating a field study to a large studio work? The loss of the human spirited endeavor and the inability to make large masses interesting and exciting with paint manipulation…are starter problems. The problem continues on when unnecessary details are added. Less is always more!
Do you have basic rules of composition that you adhere to? Almost always I go for the exploitation of a centrality of focus, what I call a “resolve” or an “anchor”. I gravitate toward compositions that have a strong primary, a supporting secondary and supporting tertiary. The Equalization theory which is the exact opposite invented by the modernists was to exploit the eye floating randomly everywhere in the composition with no “resolve” or “anchor”.
How does your work reflect your personality? I’m a charismatic person and I’m too old to have any interest in rendering anymore. I’ve grown into becoming a child trapped in an adult body. I’m like a child wanting to experience things that I’ve never experienced.

What is your major consideration when composing a painting? First of all, composition rules over all the other tenets in painting. You can do a great job with value, color, edges and paint manipulation, but if the composition is not good, the painting will still “circle the drain”. Your composition will support and explain your love for the subject.
I hate formula painting; it’s the death of an artist. So each experiment in composition in many ways is unique to itself. In a series however, the variables in composition are more consistent for research purposes only. Doing an experiment is different from doing experiments.
What advice would you have for a young artist/painter? You have to become a painter and understand the “science” of painting before you graduate to becoming an artist. Study, hard work! There’s no substitute for mileage.
What advice would you have for a first-time collector? If you really love a painting and can afford it, you’d better purchase it! It only takes one or two regrets to learn your lesson.
When you become discouraged and feel the well is dry, so to speak, what do you do? The first and most important question you need to ask yourself is “why is the well dry?” The second question is “Would it be more productive to work through this or take a break and get a fresh start”.

Kinderdyke, European Collection — Kinderdyke (European Collection 2002) – 24″x 36″ – Oil

If you could spend the day with any three artist, past or present, who would they be? Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and DaVinci.
If you were stranded on an island, which three books would you want with you? The Bible, a Hebrew concordance and a Greek concordance!
What’s your opinion of art competitions and how do you go about selecting paintings for these shows? Art competitions are only relative to the judge and shouldn’t be taken too seriously by the participant. These competitions have probably destroyed the enthusiasm of the participants in the same proportion to the careers they have resurrected. My selections for shows…Find an artist who is very experienced and has your best interest at heart, and allow him or her to be more objective concerning your entry.
Who has had the greatest influence on your career, and why? To say one who has had the greatest influence would be very misleading and not include the many who have inspired me. It’s always a compilation of many.
Thank you C.W. for a very interesting interview. We’re going to look forward to all those interesting places your continual experimentation with paint will take you.
Mr. Mundy is a Master Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society,and a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists. He is also a member of the Disco Mountain Boys, an Indianapolis based bluegrass band. They just released their debut CD, Road Trip.
Further Reading: view Charles Warren Mundy’s website

Oil Painting

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