July 22, 2008 -- Just got back from Chicago. This time I was auditing a plein-air painting class taught by an old friend. It was a productive week. There will be posts of the work as soon as I can get them photographed.
July 1, 2008 -- The watercolor class is in session. The students are a great bunch of folks. By accident, I christened the classroom with India Ink. Slight mess, but no one's clothes were ruined. Teaching a great dynamic. Such a great opportunity to be challenged and to interact with my Winston-Salem neighbors.
June 30, 2008 -- There are several posts of new watercolors. All are from my notebook. Beach scenes. I love painting the ocean. One line with the graphite and the brush gets the dance floor from there on out.
June 12, 2008 -- There is a new watercolor class starting in June, of which I have the privilege to teach. It's offered through Sawtooth. It's an exciting opportunity. There will be some new opportunities this time around, since the weather is optimal for landscape painting. A studio with fresh air and ample sunlight is divine.
Comments?
June 02, 2008 -- Since I work outside, I get quite a few visitors. Everyone has a different perspective. Today, I met someone who was interested in getting started in sketching with watercolors outdoors, a.k.a Plein Air painting. He was interested in my setup. It's always nice to talk to a fellow artist about technique.
One rule of palette setup that has been presented by several masters: Turner, Homer, to name a few. Always lay out your colors in the same order. In time, your hand will know intuitively where to go without even looking away from the paper/canvas.
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May 20, 2008 -- I have been working small for many months. Currently, I have a large piece on the front burner: 11.25"x22.75". It's taken longer than I thought, but it's coming along. The composition features both sides of Old Salem's Main Street. After beginning and failing several times with the 11x22 piece of paper, I made a sketch in the sketchbook. Seems elementary.
The perspective was a bear, but I began small to get my bearings. At times I felt like I was 'rasling' the buildings into place. 'Rasling' is the lingo my brother and I would use when we rough-housed in the living room; when we were supposed to be getting washed up for dinner.
After I got the composition to a place of finish, I added the grid. The grid allowed for a transfer to the larger piece of 11x22 paper, the same piece I hope to feature on the website in the next few weeks.
Here is a picture of that sketch. Note: It covers two pages of the book.
April 1, 2008 -- Just returned from a refreshing trip to Chicago. My kind of town, Chicago is. Great to see old friends and old places. The snow was even a joy to experience. A highlight of the trip was the current show at the Art Institute: Winslow Homer and Edward Hopper. 
Incredible watercolorists; well composed landscapes; the oblique light; the attention to color. I saw it twice and I still feel like I didn't fully grasp the breadth of the work presented.
I had expected to come back with several pieces to post, but unfortunately I didn't get that part of the planning accomplished. I soaked up a lot with my eyes. Of course the show, but I tried to remember the city as well. The spaces between the street and the EL; the profile of the horizon; the luminosity of the night sky; the sky's thick stew of cloud and moisture; and the bands of color fading in the distance... all melting together in my mind.
I did purchase some new watercolors: full pan, travel size. The hope is that this smaller palette will free me to make more on-site watercolors with greater execution speed.
Lastly, I posted a few new landscapes finished right before the trip. Of course they're of Old Salem, and I believe that the group is getting stronger.
March 11, 2008 -- Observational landscapes have continued to top the time chart. The size is perdominatly small: 4"x6". If you happen to stroll the Old Salem neighborhood, you might see me there, say hello. In addition to my normal schedule, I will be there for a special day of events: April 19.
January 31, 2008 -- Landscape is becoming more prominent in my work. You may have noticed a new series developing in the gallery: Old Salem. Architecture is a big player in this development. I have to confess that I prefer organic shapes and rythms, but this has been a good learning experience. Drawing buildings has really allowed me to explore the relationships of proportion in composition. That last phrase is a succinct description of my fascination over the past 2 years.