Bo Bartlett - Columbus, GA

I'm writing from Columbus, GA where I've traveled to participate in a 3 day workshop with Bo Bartlett. Bo is an internationally known artist whose home town is Columbus, GA.

Tonight downtown Columbus hosted a 3 venue Artwalk of Bo's paintings, drawings, studies, sketchbooks and journals. Facinating!

I first "discovered" Bo's painting at the Greenville, SC Museum of Art. They have a large painting titled "Lamb" which was an inspiration for a painting I created for a Piccolo Spoleto event in 2000.

Tommorrow is the first full day of the 3 day workshop. Figurative work is my first love and it has been sometime since I spend 3 entire days devoted to it. At the end of each day I'll post what my day was about.

Here are pics from the Artwalk tonight.

Happy drawing & painting!

Shem Creek Shrimpboat

"Days End on Shem Creek", 9x12, oil on canvas panel

Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant, SC is a wealth of great painting subjects. Sort of feels like stepping back in time. More and more technology is taking over alot of handwork so it is really fascinating to see fishermen mend shrimp nets, separate the days catch, clean fish and weight out fresh catch to sell. I always like to stop by Wando Shrimp Co. to buy some shrimp and fish to bring back to Spartanburg.

This painting is currently available at Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC.

This is a place I will return to paint over and over!

Happy drawing & painting.... & Happy Holidays.

Beyond the Line - Drawing for Painters Workshop

March 18, 2010 I'll be teaching a one day class about called "Beyond the Line - Drawing for Painters". The idea behind this class is to show painters why I think it is important to draw a "thumbnail" drawing before I begin a painting.

The drawing in picture #1 really is more about determining my values. This will help me to push back areas I think aren't important and make sure I'm clear about my center of attention. A lot of time is spent with the painting so why not take 30 minutes and to get my head wrapped around what I'm about to tackle. I don't always draw a value sketch and when I don't I seem to fight with my painting more.

The picture #2 is my finished 11x14 oil painting on my easel. I really had some fun with this because many issues were thought out first. Give it a try and see how a value drawing can support your painting.

My one day workshop is March 18, 2010 at Burton Gallery & Emporium in Clarkesville, GA 706-947-1351.

The building in my painting is the Sea Biscuit on the Isle of Palms, SC. The food is wonderful, but it is a small place and if you don't get there early plan on waiting.

You can see this finished painting at the Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC.

Happy drawing & painting!

Practice seeing

6"x8" oil on linen panel

Thought I'd have the "Late Sunday Morning" done by this week but remembered I have a "miniatures" show at a gallery in NC I need to create work for. I also decided I want to get out of the studio and paint those buildings on site for a day. Finishing that painting will have to wait until mid November.

So this week I worked on enlarging miniature things and in the process practiced really seeing....

When I draw or paint I discover things I've never seen before... I noticed alot of things in my travels during the day, but seeing, that's another matter. For the minitures show I thought is would be fun to find everyday items that I use and take for granted. A clothespin for example. Have you really seen a clothespin?

Alot of my work is painted from photographic reference. I certainly would never knock using photography as a tool. Thomas Eakins used photographs as a tool as did many other Masters. The problem happens when the artist hasn't had enough experience drawing or painting from life. You see things while drawing/painting from life you just don't see when working from a photograph.

If you use photographs as a tool try to find some things around the house to paint from life and really see what you might be missing.

Happy drawing & painting!

Edward Hopper

Self-Portrait, 1925-30 Oil on canvas 25 1/16 x 20 3/8 in. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

A couple of years ago I painted a fellow at a local "landmark" restaurant here in Spartanburg, SC called the Skillet. I called it Morning News. When I paint or draw something there is always a combination of emotional interest and design interest that captures my eye and inspires me. In this case there was this wonderful landmark of a restaurant (I read in a newspaper when I first moved back home that the building/shopping strip the Skillet was located in would eventually be torn down and redesigned and rebuilt.) and the great design of the figure against the background and counter.

To make a long story longer.... when a friend saw the painting in my studio she remarked that it reminded her of Edward Hopper. That comment piqued my interest so I (alway the student!) did some research on Hopper.

In 2005 I had the opportunity to visit Hopper's childhood home in Nyack, NY when I was attending at week workshop with Burt Silverman in Upstate, NY, so I of course knew of Hopper. As I researched him more I did feel a connection with some of his subject matter - the world that he lived in - the hotels, motels, trains, highways, restaurants, theaters, cinemas and offices around him.

Early Sunday Morning, 1930 Oil on canvas 35 x 60 in. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

I decided to paint a group of building in Spartanburg's downtown area (one of which was my Step-father's Drug Store which was the first painting I painted upon returning home, Heinitsh Walker.) which are inspired from Hopper's "Early Sunday Morning" I've created sketch in my Moleskin Sketchbook with waterproof uniball, then I colored it with watercolor. On the easel is a 15"h x 30" painting which I'm trying to photograph the process.

Hope to complete the oil painting by next week and post the process. So on the the easel.... happy drawing, and painting. Be inspired and learn from the Masters

Paint NC Plein-Air Invitational

Startown, NC

This painting was done in the back seat of my car. On the way to Germanton, NC I stopped at a little town just below Hickory, NC named Startown. This sweet little church was on Startown road. As I painted this I thought this would be a perfect place for an American Idol contestant to be from.

Germanton, NC

Once I arrived in Germanton, NC I found this great farm just accross the street from the home I stayed at for 3 nights. (More on my gracious hosts in another post.) The farm, Buffalo Creek Farm, was a fun place to paint and one of the owners, Robin, shared alot of interesting farm stuff I didn't know. I painted this on a foggy/rainy day. Luckily, I found a great shelter and painted the back of the barn/house. This farm had llamas, guinea fowl, goats, rabbits, turkeys, Great Pyrenees dogs. Some animals had special duties on th farm. The guinea fowl are said to be good for controlling the Lyme Disease-bearing deer tick. The Great Pyrenees dogs protect the livestock and are rarely out of sight or hearing of his flock. It is a calm animal that moves slowly to avoid disturbing the livestock and possesses a better than average sense of hearing, sight and smell. Llamas bonds with its herd of livestock, it takes over as a protector. Friday, I "forged" their Buffalo Creek to paint their restored log cabin and one of their llamas kept his eye on me as I crossed the pasture.

I used the second shed pictured here as shelter to paint the barn/house - see my easel next to the ladder.

Friday I forged this stream to paint in Buffalo Creeks back pasture.

This llama was keeping his eye on me.

This is were I painted on Friday. If you look closely you can see my easel setup to the right. They had two outhouses which I did use. Hint: overalls are not the attire to wear when using outhouses...

The Reception

Friday night Germanton Gallery held a reception for 30+ artist they invited to be a part of this paint-out. It was a fun evening and I meet some really nice artists from all over the country. One artist, whose work I admired, was Robert Brown from Charlotte, NC.

Next post I'll put up some of what I painted while in Germanton and tell you more about my adventures.

Happy drawing & painting!

Walking Downtown

When I left Spartanburg 30 years ago I was ready to get out of town to see what was out there. Never thought I'd be back here again. As I visit my old haunts my heart feels full. This was a great place to grow up and I have many great memories living here.

This drawing is on the corner of Liberty Street and Broad. On the opposite side of this wall/building is Main Street. The downtown area is undergoing a wonderful metamorphosis. Old closed shops are becoming retail and residential spaces. A new multi-million dollar Chapman Cultural Arts Center is scheduled to open this Fall, WOW. Feels good to be home.