Workshop in New Smyrna Beach

We just finished my first workshop yesterday and the day before. I believe it was very successful, all my students were very happy and seemed to have learned quite a bit. Some of them have never painted outside.
Mein erster Workshop war gestern und vorgestern. Ich glaube, dass er sehr erfolgreich war, alle meine Schueler waren total zufrieden und schienen sehr viel gelernt zu haben. Einige hatten noch nie draussen an Ort und Stelle gemalt.

I started the first day with talking about plein air painting in general, and how important it is to develop a painting in the right way, not drawing each detail you see, but focusing on the major large shapes. Below is a small illustration of this principle. Which one has more impact at first glance? In addition, on which drawing do you see immediately what it portrays?
Am ersten Tag erklaerte ich Plein Air erstmal, und wie wichtig es ist, ein Gemaelde gleich richtig anzufangen, nicht mit jedem Detail als Linienzeichnung zu starten, jedoch lieber sich auf die grossen Formen und Schwarz/weiss Toene zu konzentrieren. Unten ist dieses Prinzip illustriert: Welches Bild hat den groessten Impakt auf dem ersten Blick? Und auf welchem Bild sieht mal, was es werden soll?

After that I took the students outside to the back patio of the Artists Workshop and did a demo of a small scene. It was looking across some broken pavement of an old parking lot, with two trees receiving some sunlight. It was very mundane and all of us thought it was quite uninteresting. However it proved to be very challenging. My demo took about 40 minutes and I tried to explain each brushstroke and why I decided to lay it here or there. 

Danach gingen wir alle nach draussen, wo im Hintergarten des Workshop Zenters ein alter Parkplatz war mit einigen Baeumen im Hintergrund. Es war eine sehr langweilige Szene, jedoch im Nachhinein stimmten wir alle darueber ein, dass es ziemlich schwierig war zu malen, und doch tolle Endergebnisse hatte. Meine Demonstration brauchte ca. 40 Minuten, wo ich jeden Pinselzug erklaerte.

Scene of abandoned parking lot

Szene des verlassenen Parkplatzes

My demo painting, 8"x8"

After a quick lunch inside the students set up their own easels and with my guidance produced these paintings below of the same scene. It took quite a while, but we all developed the trees as rounded forms, trying to enhance the values rather than any leaf detail. Everybody was quite pleased with their finished results. The funny thing was that they all had a rather easy time converting the boring pavement into a water/marsh feature. They learned to paint with about 4-5 colors and without any tube greens, using new canvas/masonite panels, using a painting knife for highligting, and just the enjoy the pleasure of painting outside.

Nach einem Mittagessen draussen half ich den Schuelern, ihre Staffeleien aufzubauen, und mit meiner Fuehrung wurden diese tollen Gemaelde (unten) produziert. Ich war sehr stolz auf alle, denn es dauerte ziemlich, die Baeume korrekt als runde Formen aufzubauen, anstatt sich erstmal mit Stamm und Zweigen zu bemuehen, und dann mit Blaettern zu versehen, wie es die meisten Anfaenger und Hobbymaler machen. Sie fanden es auch lustig, wie einfach es war, den langweiligen Asphalt in einen Fluss/Wasser zu umwandeln, nur mit einer Farbaenderung und ein paar kleinen Strichen mit dem Malmesser. Alle lernten, mit nur 4-5 Farben umzukommen, vor allem auch ohne Tubengruen, neuen Untergrund zu benutzen, das Malmesser zu verwenden, und auch eigentlich nur schoen draussen zu malen.

I will continue with the second day in the next post.

Ueber den naechsten Tag werde ich einen neuen Post entwickeln, bis spaeter.

Ruth

Demo at The Artists Workshop last week

Sorry it's a bit late, but I want to report about my demo painting at the Artists Workshop in New Smyrna Beach last Wednesday. The monthly meeting was well visited, but I had to compete with the first presidential debate this evening, so quite a few people left before I could get started. But the remaining members seemed to enjoy my painting.
Entschuldigung, ich wollte dies schon viel frueher schreiben. Meine Demo in New Smyrna Beach am Mittwoch lief gut ueber die Buehne. Ich musste jedoch gegen die erste Debatte von Obama und Romney im TV ankaempfen, deswegen waren nicht alle Mitglieder anwesend. Aber dem Rest der Besucher schien es gut zu gefallen.

I taped a photo to the wall that I had taken about 7 years ago in St. Augustine. I had painted that scene back then as a large 18x24 studio painting, see below scene and studio painting, and I had always liked the composition.
Ich klebte ein Photo an die Wand, das ich vor ca. 7 Jahren in St. Augustine aufgenommen hatte, und dann als ein ziemlich grosses Studiogemaelde vollbracht hatte, siehe unten.

So on Wednesday I painted it again, this time smaller and much faster. While painting I talked a bit about easel selecetion, colors, scene selection, editing, brushes etc. The painting below is what I got after 40 minutes. Not finished but my main points have been illustrated successfully...
Am Mittwoch malte ich die Komposition wieder, doch diesmal viel kleiner und schneller. Waehrend des Malens erklaerte ich viel ueber meine Staffelei, die Komposition, Farbenauswahl, was man auslassen kann in einer Szene, Pinsel, etc. Unten ist das fertige Gemaelde nach 40 Minuten, nicht ganz fertig, jedoch konnte ich meine Hauptpunkte daran gut illustrieren...

St. Augustine, 8"x10", oil on masonite

The audience seemed captivated and asked quite a few questions. I hope it got everybody interested in the workshop I am scheduled to teach this Friday and Saturday in NSB. Please, if you are still pondering, call me or send me an email!
Das Publikum war sehr interessiert und bombardierte mich mit vielen Fragen. Ich hoffe, dass die Mitglieder eine gute Schnupperstunde fuer meinen Workshop bekamen, der am Freitag und Samstag in New Smyrna Beach stattfienden soll. Also, bis bald...

See you then,
Ruth

My DEMO next week! and Canaveral paintout coming up soon!

Hello all!
I wanted to invite you all to join me at the monthly members meeting at the Artists Workshop in NSB next Wednesday (directions here). The meeting begins with a social at 6:30pm followed by a brief business meeting and then my demo for about an hour to an hour and a half. It should be all wrapped up by 9pm. I will paint a painting in front of everybody, and answer any questions. This should create interest for my workshop scheduled for Fri/Sat Oct 13 and 14, and if you are wondering if you should sign up, come on out and check out my painting and teaching style. I am very excited and would love to see your familiar faces if you can make it. Public is welcome, and you can also learn about the nice programs the Artists Workshop offers.


About the upcoming Paintout at Canaveral Seashore
I highlighted the most interesting parts, my demo included ;-)
There are a great many demos from wonderful artists, try to check out some of them!

2012 Paint Out... Artists At a Glance

October 20^th – 28^th, 2012  

Monday, Oct. 22^nd

8:30a             WSBB to broadcast

9:00a              Mayor’s Welcome  @ Eldora State House/Reception

10a-12p         Demo by 2012 Paint Out Master Artist Elizabeth ‘Sissie’ Barr

1p-3p              Middle School Art Students Paint in the Park                                               

9a- 5p             Wet Room Gallery @ Eldora House…Public Welcome!

Tuesday, Oct. 23^st

Artists Paint in the Park – Dawn to Dusk                  

10a-12p           Artists Demo – Elaine Hahn, Achieving a Harmonious Painting

1p-3p               Artists Demo – Barbara Perrotti, Model in Sunlight, Leeper House

9a – 5p            Wet Room Gallery @ Eldora House…Public Welcome!

Wednesday, Oct 24^th

Artist Paint in NSB Waterfront LOOP – Dawn to Dusk

10a-12p            Artist Demo – Charles Dickinson, Boat With Palette Knife, City Marina

1p-3p                Artist Demo – Ruth Vines, The Urban Landscape, at Island Collections on Flager, 

                           across from Clancy's 

7p – 9p             Artists Reception @ Arts on Douglas…Public Welcome

10a-5p             Wet Room Gallery @ The Hub on Canal… Public Welcome!

Thursday, Oct. 25^th

Artist Paint in NSB Waterfront LOOP – Dawn to Dusk

10a-12p            Artists Demo – Linda Blondheim, Clouds & Sky, Flagler Pavilion

1p-3p                Demo by Southern Paint – Creating the Palette, Island Collection

5ish-9p             Sunset Paint Out  & Auction @ JB’s Fish Camp  

10a-4p             Wet Room Gallery @ The Hub on Canal… Public Welcome

Friday, Oct. 26^th

Artist Paint in the Park – Dawn to Dusk

10a-12p            Artist Demo – Morgan Samuel Price, Oaks & Palms + the Color Green, Eldora

1p-3p                Artists Demo – Trish Vevera, Abstracting the Landscape, Leeper House

9a-5p                Wet Room Gallery @ Eldora House Public Welcome

Saturday, Oct 27^th

Artists Paint in the Park – Dawn until Noon

4:30-5:30p        Patron Pre-Gala Festivities (invitational)

6p-8p                 Gala & Plein Air Art Sale

9a-end                  Wet Room Gallery @ Eldora House Open to the Public

If you have ANY questions about these events, please feel free to email me at krautgraphics@gmail.com. These are great events, and please try to make an effort to be at the Sunset paintout. It was supercrowded last year, with all 27 artists painting in the parking lot around and in the restaurant. You can see and visit everybody within that evening!

On the bottom of the website for Canaveral Seashore is a direct link to my blog, where you can read my postings from last year's paintout (http://friendsofcanaveral.com/po.html).

Pre-paintout event

Last weekend I was in New Smyrna Beach at Clay Gallery, to help kick off the pre-excitement for the Canaveral Paintout in October. We had 6 artists painting scenes at the gardens while some 200 visitors walked around, chatted, and got some insight into the weeklong activities in late October. It was great to see old faces and meet new people.
Letztes Wochenende war ich in New Smyrna Beach im Garten der Clay Gallerie, um die Festivitaeten fuer den Paintout im Oktober zu starten. Wir hatten 6 Kuenstler im Garten, mit ca. 200 Gaesten, die mit uns schwatzten, und sich ueber den Paintout informierten. Es war toll, alte Gesichter zu sehen, und neue Leute kennenzulernen.

I painted the back of the gallery where the evening sun was throwing patches of light on the fassade, however in all the excitement I forgot my mantra of working on the whole painting all over, and I am not too pleased with the result. I definitely need to practice my painting a bit more, as we have been too busy with family and yard work this summer. And of course it was way too hot this year... But those are excuses, and I am looking forward to paint and hobnob with the other 27 great artists next month.
Ich malte im Hintergarten der Gallerie, wo die Sonne tolle Schattenspiele auf das alte Haus warf, vergass jedoch, am ganzen Bild gleichzeitig zu malen, und so finde ich es also nicht besonders gelungen. Ich muss auf jeden Fall mehr malen und ueben, doch dieser Sommer war sehr heiss, und wir hatten immer was zu tun mit Familie und Gartenarbeit... Nun ja, ich freue mich jedoch, naechsten Monat mit den anderen 27 guten Kuenstlern zu malen und mich zu unterhalten.

At Clay Gardens, 8"x10", oil on masonite

NYC: Rain At The Met

Hello all!
I finished a new studio painting. I have always wanted to do a rainy day scene, and looking thru the photos I took when I was visiting NYC with my fiance this spring I found the scene we came upon when we stepped outside the Met (most wonderful museum!).
Ich wollte schon immer einen Regentag malen, und hatte nun endlich Gelegenheit. Ich schaute durch die Photos, die ich mit meinem Verlobten in New York City diesen Fruehling schossen. Dies war die Szene, die wir erschauten, als wir aus dem Metropolitan Museum raustraten.

NYC - Rain At The Met, 11"x14", oil on masonite

I painted this in 2 sessions with my usual limited palette, however I used a cooler blue than the usual ultramarine. 

Ich malte dies in 2 Sitzungen, mit meiner normalen kleinen Farbauswahl, jedoch mit einem kuehleren Blau als das normale Ultramarin Blau.

My first workshop coming up! Mark your calendars!

Hello everybody!
I am scheduled to hold a 2-day plein air workshop at the Artists Workshop in New Smyrna Beach in October. It's set for Fri/Sat, Oct 12 and 13. You can get more information here. I am very excited. In addition to that, or rather as a precursor, I am doing a painting demo for about 1-2 hours at the members' meeting at the Artists Workshop in NSB in the evening of Wednesday, Oct 3. I will post more about it when I get more specific info.

At the workshop I will focus on easel selection, setup and choosing the scenery. I paint mainly in oils, but if you work in acrylics, you'll be fine, and even watercolorists will benefit. I will focus on limiting your palette, designing a good composition and using color to its maximum impact, rather than the specific techniques of a particular paint application.

Please go to the website here and sign up! I encourage any one who is serious about learning about painting outdoors on location to join me. I have painted en plein air for the last 4 years and have to say that it makes a big difference in how you approach a composition and how you see colors. It will help you paint a bit looser, as you have limited time to finish a painting. I myself have taken several workshops in the past few years (Larry Moore and Gregg Kreutz to mention here), and I have always learned a bit more.

I will be teaching in a very interactive style - you can ask any questions, I will either help you right on the canvas, or just give tips from afar and let you work it out yourself... I will do a demo painting every day, and then let you loose while I look on and point you in the right direction. You will always learn from seeing what the other students are doing, and how we critique each other's paintings, very low key - no pressure!

Thank you for your interest, and hopefully I will see you there. You are welcome to email me at krautgraphics@gmail.com if you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

Til later
Yours Ruth

Tremont, TN

We just got back from our family vacation in Tremont, TN near Gatlinburg.

It was a family summer camp at Great Smoky Mountains Institute and we all had a wonderful time, between learning about the Smokies and nature, to swimming in the icy-cold river, and sharing meals with 12 other families in a camp setting. There was no cell phone reception and no internet, just family time and fun, very nicely organized. And I even had time to crank out 2 paintings!
Wir sind wieder daheim nach unserer Woche in Tennessee. Es war ein Familien Sommer Camp hier in Tremont, TN, in der Naehe von Gatlinburg. Wir hatten eine schoene Zeit, in der Natur zu spielen, lernen und wandern, im eiskalten Bach zu schwimmen und toben, und mit 12 anderen Familien zusammen zu essen und Zeit zu verbringen. Es gab kein Handy oder Internet, nur Familie und Spass, alles super organisiert. Und ich hatte sogar Zeit, 2 Gemaelde zu malen!

Setup at the creek in Walker Valley at Tremont, TN

Initial drawing and color lay-in

Creek, TN  8"x10", oil on masonite

The next day some of the kids were too tired for the morning activities so I took my box out again and painted this sunlit tree right by the dorms.

Am naechsten Tag waren einige der Kinder zu muede fuer die Aktivitaeten des Morgens, so benutzte ich diese Zeit, diesen sonnenbescheinten Baum beim Schlafsaal.

Patch of Light  7"x5" oil on masonite

Featured in Canaveral Calendar!

Hello again! I just received notice that one of my paintings (see below) will be showcased on one of the months in the 1st edition calendar of the Paint Out Event at Canaveral Seashore which I participated in last October. I am again going to be included this coming October. "The calendars contribute $6,000 to the artist’s sales, is a great promotional piece and provides an additional fund raising opportunity for Canaveral National Seashore", according to the coordinators. I am not sure when and where it will be available, but I'm sure this info will be included once the paint-out comes closer.

Hallihallo, ich schon wieder. Habe gerade erfahren, dass dieses Gemaelde, das ich im Oktober beim Paintout Ereignis in New Smyrna Beach/Canaveral Seashore gemalt habe, im neuen Kalender gedruckt wird als einer der Monate. Der Kalender wird vor dem naechsten Paintout dieses Jahr verkauft, und wird ein tolles Produkt fuer Werbung und fuer Leute, die keine originalen Gemaelde kaufen koennen, machen.

Til later, yours truly and artfully, Ruth

Tschuess, bis zum naechsten Mal, eure Ruth

Dolls of Deland

Good morning! I was the featured artist at Wolfe Gallery in Deland during their monthly art walk yesterday. The paintings I have for sale at the gallery were put up front and I was painting on the sidewalk right by the front door.
Guten Morgen. Ich war der "Hauptschlager" waehrend des monatlichen Kunsttreffen in Deland gestern abend. Die Gemaelde, die ich in Wolfe Gallery dort ausgestellt habe, wurden in einen Hauptplatz gestellt, und ich war draussen auf dem Gehsteig und malte den Laden gegenueber.

I painted the building across the street, Dolls of Deland, as I was attracted by the burgundy-colored awnings and the NYC-like look of the buildings.

Das Geschaeft war ein Puppenladen und ich fand die roten Ueberhange ganz toll, sie erinnerten mich an Gebaeude in New York City.

We had lots of people milling around, and I met lots of friends and acquaintances. Thank you all for coming out and supporting the arts! The event was 3 hours long, 6-9pm, and I finished my painting just as the light was fading at 8:30pm. I will let it dry and then bring it to the gallery for sale in a few weeks.
Es waren viele Leute, die herumspazierten, und mit denen ich mich unterhalten konnte. Als gegen halb neun die Sonne unterging, malte ich meinen letzten Strich. Ich bin sehr zufrieden mit dem Gemaelde und werde es trocknen lassen, bevor ich es dann zur Ausstellung in der Gallerie gebe.

Dolls of Deland, 11"x14", oil on masonite

Klimt Painting

Finally another painting! This is a studio painting, quite large, that is hanging in our bedroom now. It's the top section of the famous painting by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt "The Kiss". In the picture below you can see the whole original, but I framed the section I reproduced.
Endlich wieder mal ein Gemaelde! Ein Studiogemaelde, das nun in unserem Schlafzimmer haengt. Es ist die obere Portion des weltberuehmten Gemaelde von dem oesterreichischen Kuenstler Gustav Klimt "Der Kuss". Unten zeige ich im originalen Gemaelde die Portion, die ich nachgemalt habe.

Below the panel in my studio, with everything almost finished that was done in oils. The rest (the clothes) was done in gold leaf.
Unten ist das Gemaelde in meinem Studio, mit allen Oel Teilen fertiggemalt. Der Rest (die Kleider) wurde in Goldblatt beendet. 

The gold leaf I had left over from some statue restoration job about 17 years ago. On the man's robe I used imitation gold, which is much brighter and glossier, and on the women's dress I used real 24kt. gold which is a little darker and duller. That way the 2 fabrics were distinguished from each other and contrasted in a very subtle way. After the gold leaf dried, I applied the decorative swirls directly onto it with rather dry oil paint. It looks different from every angle you look at it, and is a really spectacular effect when the light hits it.
Ich hatte einiges Goldblatt von etlichen Restaurationsprojekten von ueber 17 Jahren uebrig. Die Robe des Mannes belegte ich mit Imitation Gold, was heller und viel glaenzender ist, und fuer das Kleid der Frau nahm ich 24-karat Gold, was dunkler ist. Somit bekam ich guten Kontrast. Nachdem das Goldblatt trocken war, malte ich die dekorativen Wirbel und Kreise mit etwas trockener Oelfarbe.
Von jedem Blickwinkel sieht das Gemaelde anders aus, vor allem, wenn kuenstliches Licht im Raum ist - echt toll!

Here is a photo of me applying the gold leaf. Not professionally, I didn't have the correct brushes and leaf lifters, so I just tapped it on with my fingers. There was gold dust everywhere when I was finished!
Oben ein Photo von mir, wie ich das Goldblatt anlege, nicht gerade professionell, da ich meine speziellen Pinsel dafuer nicht mehr hatte. So nahm ich dann halt meine Finger. Als ich fertig war, war das ganze Studio voll mit kleinen Goldblaettchen und -restchen!

Klimt reproduction, top section. NFS

26" x 36" (66cm x 91cm), oil on masonite, gold leaf

Riverside Drive in Port Orange

Hello everybody,
it was very hot today, but I was determined to get out and paint. After driving around for almost an hour I settled on a section of Riverside Drive which I had painted about 2 years ago, but this time a different row of houses, and much more colorful.
Hallo mal wieder! Obwohl es einer der heissesten Tage dieses Jahr war, wollte ich unbedingt malen. Nachdem ich eine Stunde rumgefahren war, sah ich endlich diese Szene beim Halifax River in Port Orange, ein bisschen suedlich von der Szene, die ich vor 2 Jahren gemalt hatte (siehe altes Bild unten).

Here is my setup at the scene, with the initial scrub-in/drawing and some color lay-in. I was standing in the shade of a palm tree and enjoyed the breeze that was coming off the river right behind me. In the sun it was 90° at 10am today!

Hier ist mein Setup, mit der Szene von meinem schattigen Malplatz aus mit Briese vom Fluss, meine Untermalung und die ersten Farben. Wir hatten ca. 28 Grad um 10 Uhr morgens!

Riverside Drive, Port Orange  10"x8"  oil on masonite

This was one of my earlier plein airs from about 2 years ago, a couple of houses south of today's location. I had used less but more muted colors in the first one.

Dies ist mein weniger farbiges Gemaelde von 2009.

******************************

Oh, and this weekend I finally got to paint more on my newest studio painting, which is a section of Klimt's THE KISS. I will apply real gold leaf to the robes of the figures, as I still have lots of it left from my job as an art restaurator.

Oh, und dieses Wochenende habe ich endlich mehr gemalt an meinem neuesten Studio-Gemaelde, ein Ausschnitt von Klimt's "Der Kuss". Die Roben der beiden Figuren werde ich mit echtem Goldblatt versehen, das ich noch von meinem Kunstrestaurateur-Job uebrig hatte. 

Epcot - Day 3

On Sunday everybody was a bit exhausted, because the evenings were of course spent with wine and each other's company. I decided to try something completely new and do pure knife paintings. This is thick impasto spread onto the panel with a small painting trowel/palette knife. It was so much fun, it is amazing how much detail you could get, and how the light was picked up by the thick paint.
I set up at my usual morning spot and painted Japan that I could see across the lake. I included the dock where the ferry picked up visitors, and of course the glitter that the sun threw onto the lake. I was so happy with it, that I decided to do another knife painting of a more complex scene after lunch.
Am Sonntag waren wir alle ziemlich muede, da wir Kuenstler ja an den Abenden noch mit Wein und Gesellschaft weitergemacht hatten, wie es sich so gehoert. Diesesmal wollte ich was neues ausprobieren, und malte 2 Spachtelbilder, mit dem Palettenmesser. Wollte ich schon immer versuchen, und ich kann sagen, dass es nicht nur grossen Spass macht, aber auch das Licht besser einfaengt, und man total viele kleine Details sogar malen kann.
Ich war an meiner normalen Stelle und sah Japan ueber den See rueber. Die Sonne warf Glitter auf's Wasser, und ich fing das ziemlich gut ein, finde ich.

View to Japan, 7"x7", oil on masonite, knife painting

I turned 180 degrees and painted the walkway coming from the booths. Again, lots of editing, but what had caught my eye was the delicate trees with their spring leaves, the large display flags waving in the wind, and the street lights. I really enjoyed painting with the knife and will definitely continue exploring that technique. It adds a lot of light and airiness.
Danach drehte ich mich um, und malte die Promenade von der anderen Seite. Wieder viele Leute und Buden ausgelassen... Die Baeume, die seit einigen Wochen ausgeschlagen hatten, zeigten ihre filigranen zartgruenen Blaetter, die grossen bunten Fahnen wehten im Wind, und die altmodischen Strassenlaternen hatten es mir schon seit Freitag angetan. Die neue Spachteltechnik macht mir auf jeden Fall Spass, und ich werde wohl mehr Bilder in Zukunft so malen.

Spring Stroll, 8"x10", oil on masonite, knife painting

Photo courtesy of Bob Dalles

Following a collage of my 7 efforts during those 3 days.
Und hier eine Collage von meinen 7 Bildern der letzten 3 Tage.

Any comments are welcome... Thank you for your interest, til next time!
Kommentare immer willkommen, danke fuer euer Interesse, bis zum naechsten Mal!

Ruth

Epcot - Day 2

After a great evening with my fiance, we started Saturday as another great day with sunny skies and some puffy clouds. There were noticeably more people in the park, but again, it was a lot of fun talking to them.
Nach einem schoenen Abend mit meinem Verlobten, fing der Samstag als ein schoener Tag mit Sonnenschein wieder an. Es waren nun viel mehr Leute im Park, aber wie immer, alle sehr nett und interessiert. Es macht viel Spass, sich mit den Besuchern zu unterhalten, und ich traf auch einige aus Deutschland.

Austin and me at the hotel
Mein Verlobter Austin mit mir im Hotel

I set up again outside by the walkway, right in the sun, and decided to do a larger painting that would be more involved with more detail and attention.
Ich malte wieder am Rande der Promenade, fing jedoch eine groessere Leinwand an, so dass ich mich laenger damit beschaeftigen konnte.

Again I had to edit out a lot of the booths and buildings, some rock formations on the let, and thousands of people. I made the busy scene into a serene and quiet Canadian farmers market in a park. I started with a stark red underwash which was questioned by a lot of visitors, but it ended up giving the final painting a great glow. I am very satisfied with it.
Ich musste wieder viele Sachen auslasssen, und verwandelte die originale beschaeftigte Szene in einen geruhsamen Blick auf einen kanadischen Gemuesemarkt. Ich fing mit einem starken Rot als Unterwasch an, was viele Besucher verwundete, aber das vollendete Gemaelde finde ich total gut gelungen.

Canadian Farmers Market, 18"x12", oil on masonite

I painted this throughout the morning, and finished it after lunch. I then went back into the garden to join the others who mostly painted the beautiful flowers and awesome planters. I finished the one I had started the day before and am super happy with it, especially since it's not my usual subject matter.

Ich beendete die Szene kurz nach dem Mittagessen, und ging dann zurueck zu meinen Mit-Kanadiern im Garten, wo ich das 4. Gemaelde vom vorherigen Tag vollendete. Auch sehr zufrieden damit, vor allem, da ich selten sowas Schmalziges/Blumiges male.

Beautiful Flowers, 8"x10", oil on masonite

After we finished for the day, Austin and I met some friends and we enjoyed a concert by The Guess Who who were performing at the Americana stage in the park, before going out to dinner.

Nach 17 Uhr trafen Austin und ich mit einigen Freunden im Park und sahen ein Konzert mit den The Guess Who, die dort auftraten.

Epcot Int'l Flower & Garden Festival - Day 1

Hello all,
I am home again after a great fun and exhausting weekend of painting at Epcot.
The event started for us 16 plein air artists along with others with a great dinner at a banquet hall in Epcot, where we got to meet old friends and make new ones. After a small speech by Disney officials we each received this great Disney statue with our names and the date engraved. Doesn't it look awesome?
Hallo Ihr alle,
nun bin ich wieder daheim nach einem tollen, aber auch anstrengenden Wochenende beim Malen in Epcot. Fuer uns 16 Plein Air Maler fing es am Donnerstag Abend an mit einem tollen Dinner-Empfang in einem Restaurant im Disney Park, mit einigen Reden von Disney Chefs, und dann bekam jeder diese tolle Statue mit Namen und Daten. Sieht super aus, gell?

As exchange for our time and efforts during the following 3 days of 8 hour non-stop painting and being Disney ambassadors we received great rooms at a luxury Disney hotel, some meals, and great attention. Everybody is sooooo friendly, it was so much fun. Friday we set up by 9am and started painting. The 16 artists were divided into groups of 4 and we painted in these countries at the World Showcase at Epcot: United Kingdom, Italy, France and Canada.
Als Austausch fuer unsere Zeit und das Malen bekamen wir und je ein Gast tolle Zimmer fuer 3 Naechte in einem Luxus Hotel in Disney, einige Mahlzeiten, und natuerlich Disney-Freundlichkeit. Wir fingen dann am Freitag um 9 Uhr morgens mit dem Malen an, bis 17 Uhr, mit 'ner Pause fuer ein tolles Mittagessen im Park. Die 16 Kuenstler waren in 4 Gruppen aufgeteilt und malten in diesen Laendern in Epcot: England, Italien, Frankreich und Kanada.

I was in Canada with (from left) Harold, Charles and Jackie. They were lots of fun to paint with, exchange creative tidbits and entertain the visitors.
Ich malte in Kanada mit diesen Kuenstlern. Es war toll sie alle kennenzulernen und kreative Ideen auszutauschen, und natuerlich die Touristen zu unterhalten.

While they set up in the garden, I set up on the walkway outside and painted one of the display huts.
Waehrend die 3 sich im Garten gemuetlich machten, war ich draussen auf der weiten Promenade und malte einige der Zelte und Buden.

The main challenge was to edit a lot out. There were a lot of people of course, and a lot of stuff that was Disney or park-specific, that wasn't allowed to be included, or would have been too specific to make a nice panoramic painting.
Das groesste Hindernis war, viel aus den Szenen wegzulassen, denn es waren natuerlich tausende von Besuchern da, und ein Haufen Disney-spezifisches Zeug, das wir entweder nicht malen durften, oder das wegen dem Panorama sowieso gestoert haette.

We had lots of people come up and talk to us, asking either art-related questions, if they could take our pictures, how great they thought it was to see live painting going on, or nudging their kids to tell us about their own creative moments. It was really nice to see the interest in the kids' faces and how cool they thought that we would be creating paintings right there for them to watch. We sure met a lot of nice people.
Wir hatten viele Leute, die mit uns quatschen wollten und uns allerlei fragten, uns photographierten, oder ihre Kinder aufforderten, uns von ihren eigenen Malereien zu erzaehlen. Es war wirklich schoen, das Staunen der Kinder zu sehen, richtige Kuenstler live malen zu sehen.

I was really going that first day, even though it was very very hot and not a cloud in the sky. I also wasn't really used to standing on my feet all day, and producing art for 8 hours straight. However, it was so much fun, I did 3 complete paintings and even started a 4th!
Es war sehr heiss und fast keine Wolken im Himmel, doch schon am ersten Tag produzierte ich 3 schoene, und find sogar ein 4. Gemaelde an. Es war jedoch sehr ermuedend, 8 Stunden lang in der prallen Sonne zu stehen, vor allem, wenn man das nicht gewoehnt ist. Deswegen hat mir einer der Kuenstler den tollen Hut gegeben. (Sah auch viel kuenstlerischer aus!)

Setup in the garden for a painting
Mein Setup im Garten fuer ein Gemaelde

Here are my completed paintings of the first day.
Hier sind meine ersten 3 Gemaelde des 1. Tages.

Spring in the Park, 10"x 8", oil on masonite

Canadian View, 8"x10", oil on masonite

Lantern, 5"x7", oil on masonite

Old High School

One of my first posts this year, and it's already March! I cannot believe it, but I had a lot going on the past months, and that will be my excuse for not painting. I had major remodeling done in our house, my job picked up with work, and there were a lot of other things going on.
Eines meiner ersten Berichte dieses Jahr, und es ist schon Maerz, du lieber Himmel! Wir hatten viel zu tun in den letzten Monated, Hausummodelierung, viel Arbeit in meinem Job, usw.

I joined the Artist's Workshop on invitation from my German friend Irene for a Open House celebration of the Marine Discovery Center in New Smyrna Beach on Saturday. There were plenty of other plein air artists, unfortunately we all had to set up in the back which looked onto a huge empty field with abandoned school buildings, and in the far distance the river with some marshes. Most artists painted the sky and wide open field.
Ich wurde von meiner dt. Malfreundin Irene eingeladen, mit anderen Kuenstlern das Open House fuer ein Marine-Zentrum in New Smyrna Beach zu beleben. Leider war die Aussicht, die wir hatten, nicht vielversprechend, obwohl viele der Kuenstler den bedeckten Himmel attackierten.

I pulled out a nice panel that already had the makings of a cloudy spring day, and I decided to make a moody painting of the old building with a sliver of blue sky that opened at the end of the session.

Ich hatte schon eine tolle Untermalung von Farben auf meiner Leinwand, die ich benutzte, um das trostlose alte Schulhaus einzufangen.

Old High School, NSB, 10"x8", oil on masonite