M i c h a e l R e a r d o n

145th Annual Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society

2012-01-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

I'm very flattered to learn that my painting, South Anchorage-Golden Gate Bridge, was juried into the 145th Annual Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society. The show opens April 1 at the Salmagundi Club in New York.

2012 Workshop Schedule

2012-01-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

My 2012 schedule of workshops is now posted on my website: http://www.reardonwatercolors.com/workshops.html.

I have posted it a bit earlier this year. I hope this helps those who like to plan ahead.

I've tried to shake it up a bit this year. Hope you can make it to one of them.

California Art Club Exhibit

2012-01-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

I was very flattered to learn over the holidays that three of my paintings were juried into the annual California Art Club Gold Medal Exhibition. The Palace of Fine Arts, the Fontana de Nettuno, and Kearny Street Painter were selected. The exhibit opens April 1 at the Autry Museum. This is quite an honor to have so many paintings chosen.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T13:03:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays to all of my blogging friends and a peaceful and prosperous 2012.

Watercolor Artist Magazine Article

2011-12-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

A feature on my work is in the most recent issue of Watercolor Artist magazine. The February 2011 issue has arrived for subscribers. The magazine will be available on the newsstands after December 27th. Thanks to Kelly Kane and Sarah Sarah Strickley for a wonderful article.

Randy Higbee Gallery 6 x 6 Exhibit

2011-12-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

The two paintings flanking the waterfall are my two pieces juried into the Randy Higbee Gallery 6 x 6 Exhibit in Costa Mesa. All of the paintings (there are at least 200) must be 6" x 6". I've never painted in a square format before, not to mention so small. But it was fun nonetheless.

The one on the left are two barns in Lakeville, one of my favorite locations in the Sonoma area. The truck belongs to some friends in Occidental. It's almost fifty years old.

Randy also runs a frame shop. All of the framing is done by his shop. This type of framing is new to me. The painting is "floated" behind the frame and glass without a mat. The glass is museum glass so it has little reflection. Some people have suggested that I frame this way, so it isn't obviously watercolor. I'm not sure because I think watercolors often show better with a mat.

The show is up through December 22.

Holiday Watercolor Sale

2011-11-29T09:23:00.000-08:00

I will be having my first ever sale of my watercolor sketches on December 11th. Going through my box that contained over twenty years worth of watercolors, I decided that some of them need to see the light of day. These were always done for myself and not to be sold. However enough time has passed that I'm ready to let some of them go. There are approximately sixty or so that will be available.

The subjects range from scenes of San Francisco to Italy and Thailand.

If you are in the area, come by my studio at 5457 Kales Avenue in Oakland on the 11th. I'll be there from noon to 5.

Roman Holiday

2011-10-13T15:05:00.001-07:00

My wife and I got back a couple of weeks ago from a 2 1/1 week trip to Rome and Ravenna. I'd like to share some of the watercolors I did while there.

I wasn't as prolific as I would have liked. Jet lag, Roman congestion, and a very bad cold conspired to slow me down.

Nonetheless, here they are.

Ponte Sant'Angelo

We stayed in an apartment near the Ponte Sant'Angelo. So the first couple of mornings I just sauntered over. I find the angels on the bridge irresistible, and also not too complicated for a jet lagged brain.

Another Angel

Fontana dei Quattro Fiume

On the third morning I decided to try something a bit more complex. On a 1993 trip to Rome, I painted this view of Bernini''s Fontana dei Quattro Fiume in the Piazza Navona. So I decided to try it again.

It's a nice composition. It was in complete shadow when I started at around 8:30. But when I started to paint after doing my line work the sun was beginning to hit it.

I work from top to bottom. By the time I reached the bottom, I was craning my neck to see around all of the tour groups who had arrived by 10:00. That, coupled with my waning concentration, left the water at the bottom somewhat unresolved.

San Giovanni Evangelista

After a week in Rome, we took the train to Ravenna. We love the town. Not only does it have great Byzantine mosaics, but it is a very livable city. Everyone rides bikes, and it is very calm and enjoyable.

However I was in the depths of my cold, so the first morning I chose this church entrance near our hotel. I painted this same view in 2006, so I felt I could handle it.

Santa Maria in Porto

By the second day in Ravenna, I was feeling better. The city provides free bikes for tourists so we rode out to Classe to see one of the Byzantine churches. When riding back, we passed through a park. As we passed this church, I decided I had to paint it. The backlit lighting pattern was irresistible.

Santa Maria del Suffragio

This church is on the main square the Piazza del Popolo. We walked by it many times, and it always caught my eye. So I found a nice shady spot one afternoon and painted it. I usually try to avoid fully architectural subjects (my inner architect gets in the way). But I had fun, especially with the background building.

Santa Cecilia

Back in Rome, Jill had visited this church the previous week while I was bedridden. She gave it five stars as a painting site, so I went over to Trastevere. There is a nice fountain in the courtyard, but it was completely in shade. So I sat in the parking area in front (as cars arrived they gave me quizzical looks but still parked around me). But I loved these flying puti. So Baroque.

Angelo

One late afternoon we had returned to the apartment after a day of exploring old churches. I'm a morning person and usually the temperature and humidity in the morning helps me in my wet-in-wet ways. But I made an exception and went over to my favorite bridge to paint just as the sun was getting lower in the sky. The lighting was fantastic, but the paint didn't really flow. But looking back on it, it isn't so bad.

Ponte Sant'Angelo

By this time I was feeling much better, so took on the bridge from underneath, a tricky perspective. I also had to try to deal with the Castel Sant'Angelo in the background. I decided to put it in shadow. A couple of Romans walked by and asked why the Castel was blue (it is a brick red brown).

Fontana di Nettuno

On our last day I decided to venture over to the Piazza Navona again. This time I went very early and chose one of the less popular Bernini fountains, the Fontana de Nettuno. I had many admiring tourists nonetheless (why do they have to stand in front of you and talk to you :)).

There was a very nice Spanish 8 year old who watched me quietly for 45 minutes. Sweet.

This painting flowed very nicely. The weather had cooled and it was threatening rain. The cool humidity helped the washes flow and intermingle the way I like to paint.

My Palette

2011-10-11T11:47:00.001-07:00

I just got back from vacation to find my palette featured in the 25th anniversary edition of Watercolor magazine.

My palette is one of nine featured in the article. I find it fascinating to see the colors others use.

In fact they cropped out the other half of my palette. Below what you see here is a large mixing area. It closes and seals the paint in, keeping it moist. I did discover the disadvantage of this while on vacation. If you store it upside down, the moist paints make a real mess. I'm sure you can still see the permanent orange and cobalt blue that I scraped out along the Tiber in Rome.

National Watercolor Society Exhibition

2011-08-04T12:47:00.001-07:00

I was pleased to find out that my painting, Lamayuru Chorten, was selected to be part of the 2011 National Watercolor Society Exhibition. The show will open October 22nd at the NWS gallery in San Pedro.

The NWS annual exhibition features some of the best water media artists in the country. It should be a very good show, and I'm flattered to be included.

This particular painting features a chorten, a Buddhist shrine, that my wife and I visited in 2004 as part of a trip to Ladakh in northern India. Lamayuru Monastery, one of the most revered Buddhist monasteries, was the starting point of our week long trek. It was an incredible trip, and I tried to capture some of the beauty of the area in this watercolor.

New Website Store

2011-06-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

I've just added a store to my website,www.reardonwatercolors.com/store1.html.

It has many of paintings available as archival prints. Please check it out and tell me what you think.

Sonoma Plein Air-Days 4-6

2011-06-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

I woke Thursday early to a beautiful morning. I went over to one of my favorite views at Bartholomew Park. I had a fifteen year old frame in the long vertical format. I decided in advance that I would use it if I had the chance. Hence this long vertical view, perfect for a eucalyptus tree.
I headed back to the Plaza to find one more view. I made an effort not to drive around a lot, so the Plaza was always my place to go when I needed to find another view. So I tried another view of the fountain. Fountains have been on my mind recently, but I think I have now gotten over it for a while.

After this I went to our final lunch get together at the new Vadasz barn. It was quite good. I thought about trying another painting since the skies were so dramatic, but I was totally drained. So I headed back home, scanned the paintings, and slept very well. On Friday I framed the twelve paintings, and then got back on the road for the Gala on Friday night. It was a pleasant evening, as usual. My tall eucalyptus painting sold in the silent auction, which I thought was auspicious for Saturday's big show.

Although Saturday started very well with large crowds and many sales, the plein air gods weren't with us in the afternoon. The rain started around 1:30 and artists began to depart. I still did the watercolor demonstration at 2. But I finished pretty quickly and rescued the volunteer who was trying to protect my watercolors from the elements.

It was a tough way to end the week, but such is plein air. I did feel sorry for the event organizers and the artists who had traveled a long way to get there. Almost all of the funding for art programs in Sonoma come from the Plein Air Foundation. Losing an afternoon of sales might put a bit of a dent in their programs. Rumor has it that next year it will return to the fall, when the weather might be more auspicious.

Sonoma Plein Air-Day 3

2011-06-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

Apres Mardi, le deluge! I woke up on Wednesday morning to the sound of rain on the roof. After spending many days painting in my car during the previous Plein Air events, I decided to find a nice cafe and check email. Finally around midday it let up a bit, so I headed over to two of my favorite barns in Lakeville. I stayed in the car, just to be safe and captured this misty view.
Last year I painted the barn at Vadasz vineyards. At that time the barn was barely standing, with lots of shrubs and trees inside and out. So I wanted to do it again. However, the barn was completely redone and the area re-landscaped. There was even an outbuilding blocking my previous view. A beautiful job, but it had lost the appeal of the previous version. So I walked down the hill to their pond, and did a small painting. The clearing skies were fantastic.
By this point on the third day, after ten paintings, my energy was flagging. So I headed over to the entrance to the Sebastiani mansion. There are a couple of Chinese lion statues that guard the entrance. I wasn't totally satisfied with last year's attempt (in the rain) so I decided to try again. I'm getting there. I should probably try it sooner in the week when I'm not so tired to see if I can do a better job. It was fun nonetheless.

Sonoma Plein Air-Day 2

2011-06-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

Tuesday dawned beautifully and I got going around 6:30. After driving around a while, I found this beautiful eucalyptus on a very quiet street. Many of the neighbors, including the owners of this tree, were very interested to see what I was up to. The only drawback was that the tree was completely lit by the sun. I do prefer backlit objects, but this couldn't be helped. It was a beautiful morning to paint.
We had lunch scheduled up Highway 12, so I headed over to the Pagani Barn, which was close to the lunch spot. The sun was now quite high overhead, so I had to use my umbrella for the first time. I was using pre-existing frame sizes this year, so I chose the largest of the group. This may have been a mistake. Due to the warmth and dryness the washes were drying very fast. Nonetheless I worked quickly and was fairly happy with the result.
I finished the barn with about an hour left before lunch. I overshot the driveway for lunch and turned around in the Kenwood Spa parking lot. I saw this wonderful vine covered building. After weighing the difficulty of painting in an hour, I decided to go for it. A nice little sketch.
After lunch I headed over to the Bartholomew Park winery, one of my favorite places. I scoped out the gazebo last year, so I headed over to it. The gazebo can be overwhelming, so I chose a piece of it, mostly featuring the beautiful trees and lawn around it. By this time, the fourth drawing of the day, I was getting a bit tired. At 5:30 the Quickdraw event started, so I headed home and shut my eyes for about fifteen minutes, before heading back to the Plaza for the Quickdraw.

Sonoma Plein Air-Day 1

2011-05-31T11:54:00.000-07:00

After hearing that rain was forecast for Wednesday, I registered first thing on Monday to get going early. I started with a painting of the Sonoma Plaza fountain, which has been my first painting each of the last two years. With everything backlit, it makes a nice composition, and the water from the fountain sparkles. This has made a nice series, seeing the slight landscape changes from each year.

After a quick lunch with a sandwich from the Boulangerie, I once again surveyed the Plaza and found the Bear Flag sculpture to be in the sun. I have wanted to do this painting before, but the statue is surrounded by trees and is rarely sunlit. Once again choosing a backlit vantage point, I went to work. I rearranged some of the trees to strengthen the composition. Everything went quite smoothly, and I was pleased with the result.

I decided this year not to drive around a lot, so I stayed in the Plaza and went over to see if I could find a way to do the Sebastiani Theatre. I had painted it in silhouette many times, but avoided painting it as the subject. Generally I try to avoid specific building "portraits". They rarely make strong paintings. I usually catch a piece or make them secondary to the overall composition. But this time I succumbed. I tried to direct the eye to the sign and the opening. The tower though is so strong an element it is hard for it not to be a major element. I'll have to try a different approach next year.

Sonoma Plein Air 2011

2011-05-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

Next week is the 2011 edition of Sonoma Plein Air. I'll be spending the week painting the sights of Sonoma County. The show of all of the work by over 35 artists is next Saturday, May 28th on the Sonoma Plaza from 10-5. As always, it should be a great show.

This year I'm also doing the watercolor demonstration at 12:30 on Saturday. I'm substituting for Dick Cole while he recovers from some recent surgery. Some big shoes to fill.

And the long term forecast, unlike the last two years, is for no rain!

The Artist's Magazine

2011-05-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to see my work in the new issue of The Artist's Magazine. The article is entitled "Running Water" and explores the use of fluid acrylic and freeflowing watercolor. In addition to my work, three other painters are featured, my friend Robin Purcell (cover artist), Dale Laitinen, and Mark Workman.

The editor, Maureen Bloomfield, chose one of my paintings, Reflections, for use in the magazine's Close-Up feature. I go into detail about how I paint one section of this painting.

Au Revoir, Mes Amis

2011-05-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

My six week run at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery ended over the past weekend. It was a great experience, meeting many people and introducing many of them to my work.

Thomas Reynolds was great to work with. Eleven paintings found new owners. Ten of those are shown here. It's sometimes hard to let go, but I trust the buyers will be pleased to look at them every day.

The gallery is going to continue to display several of my "California" paintings in one of the gallery rooms. I will be sharing with this month's showcase artist, Ken Auster, a master oil painter from Southern California. Please visit www.thomasreynolds.com for more details.

Los Angeles Times and the California Art Club

2011-04-14T16:43:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday the LA Times ran an article on the 100th anniversary of the California Art Club and the current exhibition at the Pasadena California Art Museum.

I'm quite flattered that they published my painting, Fountain, Sonoma Plaza, as part of the article. It's also nice that Brian Blood's moody cypress painting was also included.

I grew up with the LA Times always on the breakfast table. This is quite cool.

Two Openings-AWS and California Art Club

2011-03-31T14:48:00.001-07:00

Two of my paintings will be included in two exhibits that open over the next few days.

My painting, Fountain, Sonoma Plaza, will be in the California Art Club's 100th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition. The show opens Sunday, April 3, and runs through April 24 at the Pasadena Museum of California Art.

Another painting, Leh Palace, is in the American Watercolor Society 144th Annual International Exhibition. The exhibit opens on Tuesday evening, April 5, at the Salmagundi Club in New York.

Both of these exhibits are considered very prestigious and I'm very honored to be included.

American Artist Watercolor Article

2011-03-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

I'm quite pleased with a nice feature article in the Spring 2011 American Artist Watercolor magazine. Bob Bahr wrote a very nice article about my work. Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen. It should be on the newsstands soon.

The Fountains of Paris

2011-03-08T16:00:00.001-08:00

The paintings are delivered and being hung this week. It was great to see the series of 28 together again.

The show opens Friday, March 11th at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery, 2291 Pine Street (at Fillmore) in San Francisco. The opening reception is from 6-8 PM. Please stop by if you can. It will be up until April 30th. Check out www.thomasreynolds.com for details.

New Exhibition and Publication

2011-02-16T12:25:00.000-08:00

I'm doing the final framing for my upcoming show at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery in San Francisco. The show will feature most of my Paris fountain paintings. It opens Friday, March 11th. A lot of framing left to do. My recent book is serving as the catalogue for the show.

Fontaines

2011-02-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

I just completed an 80-page self-published book on blurb.com. The book is called, Fontaines, and is a compilation of the research I did while in Paris in 2005 as part of the Gabriel Prize. The book contains over 30 watercolors I painted while there. You can check out the preview at the top of the page.

Watercolor Magazine Article Coming Soon

2011-01-24T19:33:00.001-08:00

Here is an announcement of a feature article on my work that was printed on the back page of the Winter issue of American Artists' Watercolor magazine. The final copy has been written and approved. I'm looking forward to seeing the proof.

The funny thing is that I didn't know the article was happening until someone pointed out this announcement. I'm flattered nonetheless. The core of the article is a demonstration of my painting of the Blue Mosque.

American Watercolor Society Exhibition

2011-01-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

I'm very pleased to learn that my painting, Leh Palace, Ladakh, has been accepted into the 144th Annual International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society. The exhibition will take place in April at the Salmagundi Club in New York.

Thomas Reynolds Gallery Exhibit

2010-12-28T15:59:00.001-08:00

I learned last week that I am one of 21 Northern California California Art Club members who have been juried into an exhibit at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery in San Francisco. I am fortunate to have two pieces selected, North Anchorage, Golden Gate Bridge and Bartholomew Park Eucalyptus. The Artists' Reception is Sunday, January 9, from 3-5 PM. The show opens January 8, 2011 and runs through February 19.

Surprise Award

2010-12-11T16:54:00.000-08:00

I was very surprised and flattered to learn that my painting, Lamayuru Chorten, earned the First Place award at the Triton Museum of Art Statewide Watercolor exhibition. I was also pleased that my friends Sue Johnston and Frank Ansley took Second and Third place and Chris Beck earned an Honorable Mention. It's a very good show and well worth a visit.

California Art Club 100th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition

2010-12-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to just learn that my painting, Fountain, Sonoma Plaza, has been selected for inclusion in the California Art Club's 100th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition. The exhibit takes place from April 3-24 at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. This was my first year of eligibility, so I feel quite fortunate to have been accepted.

North Tower Study

2010-12-08T17:24:00.001-08:00

I got a request to see my pencil study for North Tower Nocturne, so here it is. I think you can see some of the compositional struggle here.

North Tower Nocturne.

2010-12-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a slightly different approach to painting the Golden Gate bridge I did a couple of days ago.

North Anchorage, Golden Gate Bridge

2010-11-30T13:40:00.000-08:00

This is a painting I've been mulling over for several months. The Golden Gate Bridge is an icon, and has been depicted in many ways. I usually avoid subjects that are well known, unless I can find a new approach to them. This view from the hill at Vista Point has been done many times. I tried to differentiate it by a somewhat unusual composition, and most of all conveying atmosphere and mood.

22" x 11", watercolor on 140 lb. Arches cold press paper

Triton Museum Statewide Watercolor Exhibit

2010-11-24T15:55:00.000-08:00

Here is the e-announcement for the Triton show, and I'm honored that my painting of Lamayuru Chorten is featured. It promises to be a good show!

Triton Museum Statewide Watercolor Exhibit

2010-11-11T16:40:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to announce that two of my paintings were juried into the Triton Museum of Art's 2010 Statewide Watercolor Exhibition. The two are "Pont Notre-Dame" and "Lamayuru Chorten". I did both over the summer.

The opening reception is Friday December 10, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. The show will be up until February 27, 2011. You can find out more information at www.tritonmuseum.org.

I also just found out that my painting, "Lamayuru Chorten" will be featured on the announcement postcard.

Civic Center, San Francisco

2010-11-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a painting I completed last week. It's something of a departure for me. I hope you enjoy it. The painting is 22" x 14".

Harrington Gallery Exhibit

2010-10-14T15:52:00.000-07:00

The Harrington Gallery in the new Firehouse Arts Center in Pleasanton is featuring works by four signature members of the National Watercolor Society, Karen Frey, Carolyn Lord, Robin Purcell, and yours truly. The show runs concurrently with the 2009 traveling exhibit of the National Watercolor Society.

The show opens October 19th and runs through December 2nd. See their website, www.firehousearts.org for more information.

Elabana Falls

2010-09-30T16:46:00.000-07:00

Here are two versions. One done on site at Elabana Falls in Queensland, Australia. The other is based on this initial sketch, but done much larger in my studio. The plein air version is about 5" x 10". The studio version is 9" x 18". This is a way I like to work, basing larger pieces on on-site sketches, not photographs.

A Few More from the Archives

2010-09-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

These are a few watercolors I did while in Thailand a while back. This was part of my "make the colors sing" efforts.

Some Oldies But Goodies

2010-09-04T14:24:00.001-07:00

My day job has kept me from doing some new work. But I have been reorganizing some of my past work. I came across these paintings I did in Spain in 2002. It's sometimes interesting to see what I was doing in the recent past. These do bring back nice memories. The painting at the Museo Nacional in Barcelona was declared finished when the sprinklers turned on!

Three Paintings of Ladakh

2010-08-11T11:43:00.001-07:00

Here are three paintings done over the past month of Ladakh. Ladakh is part of the Indian state of Kashmir, part of the skinny northern part of India between Tibet and Pakistan. My wife and I trekked there in 2004. These are based on photos I took while there, but all of the photos, especially the foregrounds have been altered for compositional reasons. The top image is a chorten at the Lamayuru Monastery. The middle is another view of Lamayuru. The third painting is a view of part of the Palace of Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Last week the Leh valley was devastated by floods, which is very unusual since Ladakh averages 1-3" of rain a year.

Watercolor West Exhibition

2010-07-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that I just received my acceptance into the 42nd Annual Exhibition of Watercolor West for my painting entitled "Blue Mosque". Watercolor West distinguishes itself from other watercolor societies by mandating that all work must be in transparent watercolor and not in other water media.

The profile of this mosque in Istanbul was so strong that I limited my palette to mostly cobalt blue and permanent orange, two of my most often used colors. The mosque isn't really blue either:).

National Watercolor Society 90th Annual Exhibition

2010-07-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to learn that my painting, Fountain, Sonoma Plaza, was accepted into the 90th Annual Exhibition of the National Watercolor Society. This is indeed an honor. The NWS show attracts submissions by some of the finest watercolorists in the country.

The show opens October 30 at the NWS headquarters in San Pedro, CA.

This painting is a studio painting based on a plein air painting I did during the Sonoma Plein Air event in 2009, which fortunately sold. I'm always attracted by fountains and water. The presence of these two elements plus the Ghirardelli Building looming in the background sold me.

Canale Grande

2010-07-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked if the painting on the Epperson invitation was mine. In fact it is.

It's a painting I did a few months ago based on a photo I took from a vaporetto while leaving Venice. We were heading to the train station very early one morning and the light was magical.

I haven't worked from a photo in many, many years. So this was an experiment to see if I could ignore a lot of the extraneous information and make a painting that isn't too stiff, a common problem with painting from photos. One thing I did was I used a black and white print. This allowed me to create my own color palette and it was fuzzy enough that I couldn't rely on it for much information aside from some values.

So working from the photo was okay this time. Otherwise this image would never have been painted: the viewpoint is essentially impossible, since it was from a moving vaporetto, and the quality of light only lasted about another 15 minutes.

5 Watercolorists Exhibit Extended

2010-07-08T17:18:00.000-07:00

The 5 Watercolorists exhibit at the Epperson Gallery has been extended to August 15th. If you haven't had a chance to see it, you'll have another month.

Art vs. Oil Spill 2

2010-07-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

After finishing the first painting for Art vs. Oil Spill, I had to go to a dental appointment. In an effort to ignore the whining saw sound in my mouth, I tried to think of other things. One of them was a different take on the previous painting of whooping cranes. Here it is. I like it a bit more. It captured the feel I wanted in the first place.

All of the information from the first post applies here as well. Please consider visiting Zazzle.com/artvsoilspill/ and helping the wildlife of the Gulf.

Art vs. Oil Spill

2010-07-04T14:38:00.001-07:00

Paul Jackson has put together a store at Zazzle.com to raise money for wildlife hurt in the BP oil spill. This Zazzle store features a collection of artwork donated by artists from around the world to benefit wildlife rescue operations. It's rare that artists can use their work to benefit the greater world. Due to Paul's work, perhaps this will help. Click here for the art vs. oil spill site on Zazzle.

Proceeds from your purchase will benefit an organization that is all volunteer and they will use the funds where they can do the most good.

The name of the organization is Wildlife Rehabilitation & Nature Preservation Society, Inc., or WRANPS. They were formed in 1983 and are a 501 (c) 3. Their info can be verified on Guidestar, the website that monitors US Non-Profits. Their address is PO Box 209, Long Beach, MS 39560.

Please feel free to donate to them directly. Make checks payable to Wildlife Rehabilitation and Nature Preservation Society. In the note line of your check, please include art vs. oil spill.

Thanks!

(in the note/subject line of your check, please include "art vs oil spill") Attn: Jan Dubuisson
Thank you for all that you can do to help!!

Speaking of Paris Bridges

2010-06-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

Coincidentally, I was painting another Paris bridge when the Pont-au-Change sold. This one is the Pont Notre-Dame, which is one bridge east of the Pont-au-Change. This one has been on my "to paint" list for five years. I finally got to it. It's a very similar palette, but a different mood from the previous one.

Farewell

2010-06-26T17:11:00.000-07:00

I just learned that my painting, Pont-au-Change, was just purchased at the Epperson Gallery show. Some paintings I have no problems selling, but there are a few where I feel some regret. This painting is one of them.

It originated in 2005 while I was in Paris with the Gabriel Prize. I walked over this bridge countless times, since I lived nearby. Near the end of my stay, I decided to do a plein air sketch. This is the one on the right. The following summer, I did the studio version based on the sketch.

This painting has had quite a track record. It has appeared in Watercolor Magazine, Splash 10, and a Watercolor West exhibition.

The good news is not only that I sold a painting, but that it is going to one of my students. I'm honored to have it go to a good home.

Workshop Redux

2010-06-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post three of the paintings done during the last workshop. We were focusing on trees and their shapes. The painters are Geddes Ulinskas (bottom left), Larry Hatfield (right) and Stephen Schumm (left). After all, they do the bulk of the work in the workshops.

Workshops

2010-06-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

I just finished my third monthly workshop of 2010 this past weekend. This time we focused on using various greens to create lively tree shapes. Saturday was a bit tough due to the 90 degree temperatures and the 28% humidity made washes very challenging. Sunday however was superb.

The painting to the left was my 5" x 8" demonstration of the "garden shed" at the Oakland Rose Garden. I chose the view primarily for the variety of tree shapes and shades of green. The photo on the left shows me in the process of demonstrating (thanks Stephen Schumm for the photo).

The most gratifying aspect of these workshops is to see how much the students progress in just two days. At all my workshops there are breakthroughs on Sunday after struggles on Saturdays. My green recipes require some mental adjustments. (You really use red to make greens?)

Next month, July 17-18, we will do "The Dark Side" and work on creating rich, dark darks.

Epperson Gallery

2010-05-30T12:49:00.001-07:00

The Epperson Gallery is hosting a show by 5 watercolorists, including me. I had a quick preview of the show and it looks pretty exciting. It opens June 5th, with a reception from 5:00-7:00. It will be up through July 11th.

Sonoma Plein Air 2010-Day 4

2010-05-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

Day 4 was a glorious sunny day. I lucked out and the gates of the Bartholomew Park winery were open at 9:30 instead of 11. The winery was still in shadow at that hour, so I did a small painting of a eucalyptus and vineyard that was adjacent, a quintessential Sonoma scene. At 11 the winery was in sun, so I did a reprise of a view I did last year, since I loved the composition. After another wonderful lunch by Teri Hicks at the Anderson Ranch, I went up the hill on their ranch and saw this funny sculpture. So I did a quick one and called it a painting week.

Thursday night I drove home to Oakland so I could get a quick start on framing Friday morning. Went to the gala banquet Friday night, and manned my booth all day Saturday. Came home exhausted and had painting dreams all week.

I'd like to thank my hosts, Jim and Gail Stroupe for their great hospitality. If you're interested, please check out the blogs of Robin Purcell, Bill Cone, and Terry Miura for their own unique perpectives on their experiences of Sonoma Plein Air 2010.

Sonoma Plein Air 2010-Day 3

2010-05-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

The third day was again weather plagued. I did get the Vadasz Winery Barn done before the deluge though (see first post for painting). I went from there over to the funky Marina off the Lakeville Highway at the suggestion of another painter. There was this funny pile of various boats in disrepair that caught my eye. The rain made it another Honda Fit special. I started to think of pleine voiture instead of Plein Air. On my way back, I saw this open field filled with sheep. Although this one started in the car, I was able to finish it outside when the rain let up. I then headed back to town, made a wrong turn and saw these incongruous Chinese lion guardian statues at the entrance to an estate. I later learned that it is the family home of the Sebastianis. This painting started outside, but I was back in the car after I finished the line work.

Sonoma Plein Air 2010-Day 2

2010-05-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

The morning was beautiful, so I got a very early start and headed to the Plaza. Last year I did a painting and knew that the Sebastiani Theatre and Plaza fountain were back lit at this hour. So I did a reprise of the Sonoma Plaza view of last year. The sun was still out so I went around the fountain and did a close up view, emphasizing the mistiness of the day. After a great lunch provided by Teri Wicks at the Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, I went up the Sonoma Highway a couple of miles and did the Pagani Barn. Last year I did it too but it was a disaster (in the rain). I tried a different angle this time and thought it was much more successful. That evening we did a Paint Out, doing a painting in 1 1/2 hours. I did a different view of the fountain, but don't have a scan of it. A total of four paintings in one day!

Sonoma Plein Air 2010-Day 1

2010-05-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

I got an early start, driving up to Sonoma for check in at 9:00 AM. Because of the challenging weather forecast I wanted to get going early. Nonethless, the rain had already begun. I headed over to the Lakeville Highway, knowing a couple of locations that might work. The first and second paintings, the Lakeville Tanks, were done in my Honda Fit. The county sheriff came by wondering what I was doing. I'm 6'-1, so painting in the Fit was a bit cramped. I did a quick third one, the Bartholomew Park Fountain, sitting under a balcony at the winery.

Sonoma Plein Air 2010

2010-05-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

Last week I spent a week painting at the 2010 Sonoma Plein Air event. This was my second year. 37 painters are selected each year to participate. Sales go to support art programs in the Sonoma schools.

Like last year the weather was challenging. Rain, wind, fog, and haze affected all of the work. Thursday was the only sunny day.

I did fourteen paintings, in spite of the weather. Sales were good on Saturday, so no complaints there. It was quite exhausting, but in a good way.

Following posts are day-by-day, with comments and observations.

Craftsman Home

2010-05-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

The Craftsman Home in Berkeley has agreed to carry many of the "tonalist" watercolors that I have produced over the past year. These are all imagined landscapes with some strong California influence. Coincidentally, the color scheme is the same that the Craftsman Home uses when designing the interiors of the homes of many of their clients. These three sold in the first week!

Splash 12

2010-04-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased to announce that I will be included in Splash 12, the latest in the Splash series from North Light publishers. The book is scheduled to come out in May 2011.

Coincidentally they selected a companion piece to the Bartholomew Park Winery painting below. Like Bartholomew Park, the original painting was done during the 2009 Sonoma Plein Air event. This view shows the fountain in the Sonoma Plaza. Since the plein air original sold, I redid the view in my studio at a larger size.

Treasures of the East Bay, California Art Club

2010-04-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

This painting of the pergola at Lake Merritt in Oakland is featured in the California Art Club's ongoing juried exhibit at the Alameda County Law Library. The show runs through July 9th.
Like the Bartholomew Park Winery painting below, this one was based on an on site sketch. After cleaning it up a bit I painted it at a larger size in my studio.

41st National Exhibition-California Watercolor Association

2010-04-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that my painting Bartholomew Park was selected for exhibition in the 41st Annual Exhibit of the California Watercolor Association. This is a studio version of a painting I did last year during the Sonoma Plein Air event. That field sketch was sold, so I had to redo it!