Sargent's Palette

I'm playing with the palette that John Singer Sargent is said to have used. All warm colors, except prussian blue. The quick study has given me some ideas -- warm highlights in the hair, cool blue in the eyes -- but I'll be playing around with these colors for a while.

It's a huge shift for me -- the only color I usually use that's on this palette is naples yellow. Part of the reason is that it's largely a portrait palette, suited to people and indoor rooms/backgrounds. Also, some of the colors are more toxic/less stable than colors used today. Don't worry, I'm painting with gloves on.

News! The Foundry Gallery

I'm joining the Foundry Gallery in Washington, D.C. as of February 1, 2010 and will be showing work in the show Feb 1 - 28. Check out the gallery at foundrygallery.org.

Back to the Drawing Board

In class today, the assignment was drawing. I don't draw much anymore and although I was satisfied with the drawing, it was nowhere near the fun of painting. I'm not averse to thinking about what lies beneath, but the color on top is what's going to make me happy and I'm looking forward to painting in the studio next week.

Bethesda Today

It seemed like a sunny, warm afternoon when I set out to improve on my supply of Bethesda paintings... but the weather became cloudy and cold in no time. And my "lively" spot in Bethesda Lane was pretty desolate.

The Yellow Barn Bethesda Painting Show will be Feb 27-28 at Glen Echo -- so there's still time. 18 artists, including Walt Bartman, will have work on display.

Memory Painting

When I was in Captiva without my paints, I was on a dock while my kids were parasailing. I had about 45 minutes to study how the white-painted dock posts were darker than the water in places and how the water appeared darker than the posts. I wanted to capture that experience then -- such a simple and basic aspect of understanding how we see things -- but didn't have my paint. I took an old painting today and without anything but my memory (no photos, which is why I can't imagine what the masts/sails on the boat looked like), painted what I experienced.

I also took a final stab at the Apple Store. I don't know if I got to the point where it fully describes that feeling of looking at a reflection and into a store at the same time, but it's all I can recall of the experience.

When it's warmer out, I am really looking forward to painting en plein air again. For now, though, these paintings are giving me a chance to try out ideas and work more in my head.

A Threat of Oil Paint & A New Palette

I planned to paint Captiva. I packed my easel, panels, a palette and just about a million dollars worth of oil paint in my checked luggage. Upon arrival at in Florida, no paint. I appreciate the airport screening and all that, but oil paint? In checked luggage? What was the point of taking it out and not putting it back in?

So -- with the prospect of replacing all that paint looming over me, I'm thinking about my palette again (trying not to think about the cost!). I've become very reliant on a Gamblin color bizarrely named "caucasian flesh tone" which is a nice warm peach, like naples yellow touched with rose. I rarely use it for faces, but it works well as a light in a mostly blue painting, the way that naples yellow shines a light in purple ones. Maybe it's time to get rid of it... or try to mix up some new approaches to color. Keep posted.

15 minutes with Claudia

Of the 15 minutes Claudia "sat" for me, she agreed to look up from her book for about 2. She said I look at her all the time and should know what she looks like.

Open Door at the Store?

I've been puzzling over how to deal with the effect of looking into the store and seeing the reflection at the same time. Since it's snowing out, I took some studio time to try out opening the door and putting figures into the mix. I also moved over the glowing Apple, although I still think it looks too far right. I might have to move the store wall to the right to solve the problem.

Emphasis on the tree trunk -- and it's done

The Real California Sky

Two California natives helped me look at the painting again and I've made a few changes. The biggest one is that the sky is no longer defined by my East-coast sensibility, which says if there's mountains, there's clouds. What I was reminded about California is that the blue of the sky is potent -- and that what I was interpreting in the photos through East-coast eyes was really blue sky.