Poly Plein Air Workshop 09

Like the last weekend of May 2008, I was able to take another Sara Linda Poly workshop. Last year, I did pastels one day, oils the next. This year was all oils. Both were in the Leesburg, VA vacinity.

Saturday was comprised of a demo by Sara and several 50 stroke paintings by us, much like last year. I found 50 much more difficult than the 25 from last year and she chose to request 25 for the second day. With 50, one loses track of strokes easily and the urge is to just paint. It is much easier to be true to 25. Over the course of the weekend, I did seven, several of which I'll show here over time. I did embellish several afterward.

Following is Sara's demo, two sheds on one side and one on the other. It was a pretty little painting and I realize where I borrow my style now.

After the demo, while we were out working on our 25 stoke pieces, she laid in the final "dots and dashes" to complete the painting.

Two Dog Lane

I went with a friend to paint in Southside Virginia, a region of lazy small towns very different than where I live. I liked the look of this little house across the field. It was made of cinder block and almost looked like a small ice house, except there wasn't a residence nearby. If you want to think it looks like a dog house, that's fine. I'd guess that the comfortably trotting, confident country dogs paying us a visit probably claimed it from time to time.

8x10
Soft pastel on Pastelboard
SOLD

Honeymoon Island

Sometimes it's fun doing things out of character.

Beginning in classes again has forced me to pull out old pictures. This one I took of a sunset at Honeymoon Island, Florida, has always intrigued me. I'll admit to generally being anti sunrise and sunset paintings, as the believability factor is low for me. In fact, I'll see a cloud formation or sky color, love it, and then think it could not be believable when painted. Call it my Pessimistic Artistic License.

So, my goal here is less being believable, although the sky was just this way; I merely wanted to step out of bounds. Alas, there is no green.

Honeymooon Island, WIP
pastel on slate blue Pastelboard, 8x10

Maya's Pastry and Cafe Rotating Exhibit, Lorton

Beginning on Sunday, Kingstowne Area Artists Association will add to their locations hosting exhibits. Besides Kingstowne Active Adult Center, KAAA will stage quarterly exhibits at Maya's Pastry and Cafe at 8998 Lorton Station Blvd near the VRE.

Workhouse Opening

Join us for a Wine and Cheese Reception at the Workhouse Arts Center featuring pieces from the Workhouse Artists Associates (I have three pieces in this show) and the Workhouse Artists Guild.

Visit the Workhouse Gallery in W-16 from 2-4pm on Sunday, April 19. Also take some time to visit the Workhouse Artists Studios from noon until 5pm.

KAAA Show and Sale, noon to 5, Snyder Center in Alexandria, VA

And you are welcomed to attend on Saturday to view the fine art of about 15 local artists in all media!

From 20 and Odd to One, From 1619 to 2009, From Jamestown to Washington

When I saw this Call for Artists, I knew I needed to participate. I am probably as avid a genealogist as I am an artist; they both require collecting lots of stuff and retaining many details.

More Black Art has an upcoming exhibit entitled, "Dawning of a New Day," with the requirements being that submitters are of African descent. Perhaps I do not look African, but I am very proud of my African ancestors. They were pirate's booty captured in or near Angola in 1619 brought in two shiploads to Jamestown. They are credited with saving the struggling colony.

My ancestry is through the Gowen (Gowan, Goin, Goings, etc) family and in 1641 Michael Gowen is considered to be one of the first freed slaves in Virginia. (Updated article: http://the-melungeons.blogspot.com/2012/09/pre-contact-dna.html )Eight generations later, Ann "Nancy" Gowen married John Easley, later a Lieutenant in the Revolution, my patriot through whom I joined National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Here I am, eight generations after that. The Gowen family is near to my heart.

My concept piece for "Dawning of a New Day" shows the transformation of a Jamestown building into the most famous residence in the land, linking the 20 and odd number of Africans in 1619 to the current African immigrant blood in the White House in 2009. It demonstrates the industry and determination of a people working over hundreds of years to succeed and to propel that prosperity into the future.
Soft Pastel with acrylic underpainting and prepared pumice surface on foamboard
16x20

Winter Walk

Painting with my friend, Mary, at the Manassas Battlefield one Friday when it was almost too cold and windy to paint comfortably, I came up with Winter Walk. True to form, I love the yellow grasses and paired them with distant, hazy purples.

I could paint endlessly at the Manassas Battlefield. Mary already has.

Soft pastel on Wallis
8x10

Career Day

When the counselors of my son's school requested help for their first Career Day, I was all over it! I was the Career Day Artist (Painter), as there were also a ceramicist and an actor there, too.

Here's the tri-fold I put together using many cards and objects d'art. You may see yourself in there! The drawings and photograph were created by my 11 yo son.

Front:
Reverse:

In case you do similar, below are the 44 careers in the arts as included in this set: Art Careers for Kids Conversation Cards. I have also used the cards with Boy Scouts in doing the Art merit badge.

Courtroom Artist
Art Therapist
Calligrapher
Art Teacher
Cartographer
Drafter
Glass Blower
Interior Decorator
Museum Director
Cake Decorator
Editorial Cartoonist
Industrial Designer
Art Librarian
Museum Educator
Graphic Designer
Art Magazine Publisher
Conservator
Art Detective
Comic Strip Artist
Toy Designer
Art Historian
Photographer
Sculptor
Art Gallery Owner
Animation Artist
Art Critic
Furniture Designer
Art Auctioneer
Woodworker
Ceramicist
Greeting Card Artist
Scientific Illustrator
Art Benefit Coordinator
Printer
Arts Council Director
Fashion Designer
Art Materials Manufacturer
Museum Curator
Set Designer
Police Sketch Artist
Art Supply Retailer
Children’s Book Illustrator
Makeup Artist
Jewelry Designer

Afterward, I received some lovely thank you notes. Here are some excerpts.

"It was awesome for you to come to the school for the Art."

"Being an artist sounds very interesting."

"I love art because you can express your self by sketching, painting, coloring and so on. I'll consider to do this career because I love to sketch and paint, too...I hope you come next year even though I won't be here so other people can learn more about what you do."

"I like it when you talk to me about art. I am going to a artis when I grow up."

"I would'nt be surprised how much you like your job."

"I am most pleased at what advice you gave. Now I can beome an artist just like you. When I grow up, I'm really, really, really going to downate money to you for making me an artist. Maybe you can be my boss."

"Thank you for telling me alot about your job. I think working outside is great. Useing crayons are just right for me. When I saw your picture that you drew were amazing."

Folks, there's no better feedback than that!

Skyline Stands

In my quest to paint every stand of trees in Virginia, I present Skyline Stands, a soft pastel created from a picture of the Big Meadow section of Skyline Drive. I am very thankful as I paint in the winter to have sunny reference pictures I took myself. It means the colors and feel are in my eyes already.

This piece has a watercolor underpainting, as evidenced in the upper right sky and the lower grassy edge.


Soft pastel on UArt 800
9x12

Honorable Mention - Springfield Art Guild Exhibit at Green Spring Gardens, Alexandria, VA
August-October, 2009