Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Cassadys Easter Bird

May is almost here. New painting season is starting.

Just got back last week from a six month tour on Grace in the Florida Keys and beyond. I visited as many art galleries as I could, like 70+. Art is alive and well in Florida. I caught up with Mike Rooney, who was spending winter in Key West while I was there. Its a great place to paint and there are many plein air artists painting there as well. St. Augustines is worth a visit for art galeries as well as Vero beach, I have to say Miami at South Beach is more about fashion and people watching and art deco architecture. Our sister boat Jabaru, Aussies Peter and Gail went to Cuba and are now on the Yucatan Peninsula. As soon as we left them and turned our boat north instead of keep going south, we had to fight our way home. The weather windows were not good, the storms frequent, waves and current slowed us down. so I have to say i have experienced every wave from the Dry Tortugias to Oriental.

I took about 5,000 pictures so I will have a lot of material to work from. I did some painted in watercolors and gave a few lessons but this trip was really about sailing and cruising.Holly, my sheltie dog, stayed with me during all my watches.

I hope you will attend some or all of the lectures for Paint Wilmington which is happening now by nationally known artists. Tuesday and Wednesday are still open. I went yesterday to hear Tim Bell and Robert Isley . It was well worth the drive. Their combined enthusiasm was inspirational. David Leadman and Nancy Marshall at Walls Gallery are sponsoring these lectures at no cost to artists. The art and the quality of knowledge they possess are phenomenal weather you are an art buyer or an artist.

Here is a few tips from Robert and Tim:
Orange activates color, add yellow ocher and it makes a great tone for an under painting.
Use a big palette, the bigger the better.
They both recommend using split complements, and paint within the range of colors within the color triangle for color harmony and palette control.So that would mean using about seven colors for your palette and mixing paint from just those colors. You can also expand your colors from the seven if you need to. You will then be able to find your color preference. This will give you about 12 color arrangements.
Paint with the hips and shoulder for a straight line.
You stand on the shoulders of great painters. Be the most progressive modern painter.
In other words, find your voice and paint it.

FIRST PAINT OUT OF THE 2011 SEASON;
We will meet at Port City java for coffee at 9 am to gather our wits then head out to the Ghent district in New Bern and paint at Spencer and Second Avenue around 10 am
Happy Painting.
susan