Presenting... Using A Demo Approach

I was asked during the summer to make a fall presentation to members of a painting group located in the North York Region of Toronto. I enjoy the opportunity to share ideas and my process from time to time. It is beneficial to the learning growth of others... but at the same time, forces me to re-think and work outside my usual framework... stretching my own learning and growth as an artist as well.

I have always felt that the term "teacher" itself is in fact... a misnomer. I feel that that the word infers superior knowledge and a power base and somehow... and unrealistically, sets up a false expectation that learning... when directed by the "teacher" is guaranteed to occur. Having been placed in both the "learner" and "teacher" roles many times over the course of my life, I have personally felt the disappointment of that expectation's failure to take place in both roles.

Readiness is an important ingredient and factor in most learning situations that we encounter in our lives. Human growth and development clearly demonstrate this truth on every level. Walking... talking... reading... writing all appear on their own... at differing rates for each individual. Each of the activities of growth mentioned above is governed ...I believe by an underlying Creative Spirit. If that spirit is piqued... encouraged and appears to be valued... it continues to thrive and develop. Conversely... if it is devalued... it withers... and disappears... and is replaced by either indifference... or fear.

I have always felt my role as "teacher" could be more accurately described as facilitator or resource person. Combined with an enthusiastic... non-judgemental and inviting approach... learning seems to progress... at whatever individual rate is possible towards achievable individual goals. When "students" observe that even the "teacher" is simultaneously open to assuming an equal role of "learner" ... learning seems to accelerate and there is less inhibition for all learners to risk becoming actively involved in the learning process.

This approach is also valid for the "adult" art classroom. If one is aware and sensitive to the fact that in a workshop situation there exists a diverse space between individuals in terms of experience... motivation... confidence and willingness to risk publicly. Despite this diversity... each individual has decided to participate... hoping to move ahead and to become more capable.

I consider this fact very seriously when I am preparing my presentation. I try to employ the K.I.S.S approach to delivery. Simply put... that means..."Keep it simple stupid!" In other words... find a median level to work from... move slowly... use your ears and eyes as much as your mouth. Allow for question and answer opportunities... even at the expense of a finished demo piece. The initial start and lay in are the backbone of success for any painting... at any level. All the rest is a small part of a piece's underlying success.

Demonstration:

The single most important emphasis to establish a starting point is to select a subject that presents strong elements of structure in the subject. One can choose to set down structure using line... or to look for shapes or blocks of colour to form structural building blocks. The sum total of these "found" elements will result in a successful lay in state for the painting.

To simplify the process, I created a simple vine charcoal line drawing... using only the strongest basic lines in the subject... noting that the variety of different types of line.... horizontal... vertical... diagonal and curving lines provide different visual effects. A good drawing and subject will usually contain examples of all types to create a dynamic visual expression. This entire process required only a few minutes of drawing and erasure to arrive at a simplified guide to begin the painting process.

In the second stage, I began by thinly blocking in the darkest dark areas... followed by the lightest, being sure to apply the pigment thinly. I emphasized working over the entire surface of the canvas... as opposed to concentrating effort on one particular area. The goal of this method was to cover the entire canvas with colours and values that would require further consideration and treatment as the painting progresses.

My reference for the demonstration was a finished field sketch from my last visit to Algonquin Park. I chose it because it had a very strong vertical strength... good colour and very defined structural elements. I was able to reach the conclusion of the lay in stage within a half hour... even with having to field many queries along the way. Before breaking for refreshments, we had a short question and answer period... that actually carried on right through and beyond the actual reserved time for the break.

Most of the questions centered around my methods to paint indoors safely using oils... given the smell and use of harmful solvents in a closed environment. In this case, I was not using any solvents to avoid this potentially dangerous situation. I substituted Winsor and Newton Wingel Medium to help the flow and malleability of the pigments. I used only good quality shop towels to clean my brushes. I offered suggestions that brushes could also be cleaned using baby oil or vegetable oil. Brushes could then be washed at the conclusion of a painting session with dish washing detergent and warm water. Some artists use latex gloves... but I do not like the feel of those. I prefer to keep my hands clean and brushes out of my mouth and away from my food.

Time ran a bit short because of the numerous questions surrounding my use of alkyd titanium white and Wingel medium... both quick driers and how that could replace the need for solvents entirely. I promised that the finished canvas would appear on my blog... but life has gotten in the way for a week... so it's still staring back at me from the easel. Actually... it was timely because I have an idea to "push the envelope" on my usual method on this one- might translate into something new. Who knows?

Stay tuned!

Good Painting to all!

Autumn- A Time of Bounty... and Thanksgiving!

Autumn is such a brief moment in our seasonal cycle, but despite it's brevity... it reigns with an intensity and radiance which totally captures the eyes and hearts of all of its subjects. There is a liveliness and lilting spirit in her court... that is unmatched (in my mind) in any of the other seasons. There is fanfare... majesty... opulence and unparalleled abundance in all parts of her kingdom.

There is music... dance... fairs and festivals of the Arts to honour her magnanimity and benevolence... performed and celebrated in every corner of her dominion. We kneel solemnly in gratitude to momentarily... yet traditionally acknowledge His... or Her countless blessings in this Kingdom rightfully called... Eden.

It is our traditional weekend of Thanksgiving. Families across the breadth of Canada will join hands around a table of plenty and offer thanks for blessings... small and large. It is my favourite holiday really. It symbolizes the real essence of giving thanks. It emphasizes the importance of families... shifts away from any need for gift-giving and focuses on the reality that our Creator's greatest gift to "Us"... is this Eden.

So on this special weekend for "Me"... I choose to remember Thanksgivings passed... and those family and friends who linked hands and are no longer physically with us. I choose to give thanks to those young men and their families... who made the final and ultimate sacrifice of their own hopes and dreams... to insure freedom and shared plenty for all of us who remain to enjoy it. I choose as well to remember those less fortunate and to offer some of my own bounty.

To all of my Family... Friends and Followers... I wish each of "You" and "Yours" a Happy Thanksgivings and further health and blessings! Today's posted image is a portrait of my maternal Grandfather's wheelbarrow painted... totally en plein air on Wednesday afternoon. I gave it to friends Grace and Rolly Hallyburton to be permanently placed in their beautiful... and lovingly created Eden on Orr Lake. Deb and I were married at the center of the bridge spanning their lily pond. This painting... like an onion... reveals its love of art... whether painted... gardened or just viewed in subtle layers. I hope that you can "read" those layers.... created over generations... and now combined and revealed, I hope... by my brush.

Happy Fall....good painting and Thanksgiving to All!

Beauty... Even in the Gloom

Autumn is a time of ever-changing weather in Algonquin Park. Each day is different presenting new changes and challenges for the plein air painter. One must be prepared to go with the flow and have a willingness to stand "toe-to-toe" with inclement conditions. That means shifting gears and expectations to facilitate success... even if it means setting your goal-setting lower.

I like to work with a variety of canvas sizes ranging from 8x10 inch panels right on up to at least one 30x36 inch major canvas and can usually complete at least two smaller panels and one mid to larges canvas each day. My stay is usually four or five days, insuring a good number of works and some good weather painting days to work in.

This year, our first stay was limited to three days... and as luck would have it... was heavy on the rain side of things. The middle day was a washout... with the rain completely winning out... but we managed to travel about seeing new things and I was able to gather lots of photo reference that will certainly yield some good larger work in the studio. I did manage to make four 8x10 sketches that I am pleased with. One or two could result in major canvases at a later date. So despite the less than prime weather one would hope for... the trip was well worth while. Sketch when the weather is "sketchy". Work large... when weather... Soul and the landscape converge to inspire! Those are the "rules" for the likelihood of achieving plein air success!

I will be returning for another foray in about a week to paint with my pal David Kay from Whitney. We always inspire each other to get down to some good work... and David is an expert in his knowledge of the Park... and a very fine painter to boot. So we'll see what the next adventure yields!

Each of the bottom three 8x10 inch sketches may be purchased for $100 CAN + shipping by contacting dsherman@thepaintboxgallery.ca or later from the gallery Short Strokes soon to appear on our web site.

Good Fall Painting...to All!

Rainy Day Feelings... and Steerings! - Part 2

Tuesday... our second day day out was certainly a day for "rainy day feelings". It was an entire day of off and on again drizzle and cold - certainly not a banner day for plein air painting. I choose not to use an umbrella... just a personal thingy and Deb really hates being cold... soooooooo... enter Plan B!

I have been painting in the Park every fall for over thirty years and few sorties at this time of the year have been entirely rain free. Rain... cold... mist and greyed colour are a part of the Park's wilderness mystique for "Me"... and I love these times as much as the "blue bird days" preferred by most. It is simply a part of Autmn's glory!

I had never in all of those years taken the time away from my painting to visit any of the exhibits scattered throughout the Park... especially one that I had always wanted to visit at the East Gate entrance... The Logging Museum. I have often painted logging pictures... especially those that included horses over the years and have read lots about early logging both inside the Park and in Ontario in general.

Before the Park became destination for fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, hiking and leisure at the turn of the century, it was a wild, untamed, untraveled and untouched part of Canada. The exception was the early presence of First Nations people, namely the Algonkians and Ojibwa, who fished and hunted for their existence, using the myriad of interlocking lakes, rivers and streams to move about by canoe. Their millenia old routes would become the first highways for European penetration, settlement and development and remain today, the routes and portages used for interior canoeing, fishing and back packing.

Ontario... or Upper Canada, as it was called prior to Confederation in 1867 was entirely forested southward right down to the shores of the Great lakes and St Lawrence River with gigantic white pine. Along with the beaver and fur industry, logging and timber export to Europe were to become the driving forces for the rapid settlement and economic development of our province.

Newly laid railroads and rivers formed routes for timber to be delivered to overseas markets. Algonquin Park and the areas abutting it became logging and lumbering hubs in this new industry. Lumber barons acquired... or rather stole vast stands of timber through government favour and wasted neither time nor capital to clear cut these resources almost to extinction. Very few of the first massive forest stands of white pine or oak remain in the Province... and they are once again under threat of the chainsaw in Temagami and Algonquin Park.

We decided to spend the day "noodlin' about"... rather than wasting it with unsuccessful and frustrating attempts to paint... visiting these exhibits instead. I must honestly admit... it was a worthwhile and unexpected successful adventure. The Logging Museum... free to the visitor, except for the price of the usual Park day usage pass ($13.00) was an exceptionally interesting and comprehensive outdoor visual tour. It was a 2 kilometer woodland loop of sites that carried one through the life of a bush logger and included every step a tree took in its harvesting... from its felling... preparation...through to its loading on Europe-bound sailing vessels at Quebec City.

One really came away with a fuller appreciation of the life of hardships, the skills and hardiness of these overworked and underpaid immigrants from the British Isles, Poland and Scandanavia. Their early presence is clearly etched in the fabric of today's Park landscape. Tell tale names of family and place "speak" of their influence: Poland, Wilno, Galaeiry Lake, Bancroft, Pembroke, Rockingham, Interlaken -the list is endless.

We also revisited the Park Visitor's Center, where I had exhibited in the annual fall group show "Mystery in the Park" last season. This Centre has high quality dioramas depicting life from First People times to the present and very natural wildlife, flora and fauna of the Park exhibits. It also has an art gallery, restaurant and gift shop that caters to the souvenir needs of the thousands of Park visitors year round. A "must visit" for any Algonquin visitor!

At this point, I will leave further explanation to my digital images to offer a guided tour for this one rainy day intrusion into our otherwise dry Fall Algonquin painting adventure. Rainy day feelings ... for sure. What painter wants to be "rained on"? Plan B insures one needn't be..."rained out"!

Part three... and more sketches...tomorrow! Stay tuned .

Rained on... But not out! - Part One

I have chosen to post this Algonquin Adventure in three stages... so that I can offer photos of our adventure, as well as images that I painted over the three days. Perhaps the photos might encourage some of you... to "come North" one fall season... for the thrill of a life time!

September in our area and Algonquin Park is outstanding for any outdoor activities... especially plein air painting. The beyond-description change of colour in our deciduous and prominently maple forests is breath-taking and spectacular. Visitors from all over the world congregate in these prime areas to experience this autumnal ritual and to get a glimpse... per chance at the enormous bull moose who are openly "in rut" and ranging widely to challenge other bulls who might venture into an established territory... in search of "female favour".

September weather can be most changing and unpredictable. Rain is always expected... and is accepted as usual fare... and in the northern reaches of Ontario snow can almost certainly be counted on to arrive later in the month in small ground-covering amounts. It is a month of invigorating colder temperatures that sets the tempo for migration and hibernation in the animal and birds kingdoms. Beautiful... but totally unpredictable!

It rained briefly on the Monday afternoon, as we reached the West Gate entrance to the Park. I had been eyeing the long range weather reports nervously... hoping that they were wrong. I had made a plan to go directly to Opeongo Lake Road... knowing that we could at least find suitable material to get off to a good start. That proved to be a good strategy... and both Deb and I managed a decent 8 x 10 in panel in short order.

Painting outdoors successfully during these uncertain weather conditions demands adherence to one strategy. Find a subject that exhibits strong basic structure... and carve it out quickly... in the simplest terms possible. Detail and specific interests can be recorded later when the weather settles down... or back in the studio using data reference from your digital friend. These "extras" can be added more carefully if you wish... to enhance the established structure that is the bones of the painting.

I have included both pieces that we completed on day one. I asked Deb's permission to post her piece to demonstrate what I mean by "getting down the basic structure." In my mind... its unfinished quality is beautiful in its simplicity and starkness. It speaks loudly and clearly to "Me" about the quiet and wildness of this Park. Mine on the other hand... is obviously more finished... but I don't feel hits the mark more than hers. Whether she chooses to liven it up ...or leave it will be her decision. Frankly... I love it... "as is"!

I had not made reservations for accommodations... hoping to scope the scenery along the corridor Highway 6o to decide where we would best be located to take advantage of the best colour. Usually the colour is best nearer the west end where most of the cover is maple and conifers. That was indeed the case this year.

Having noted this fact, we retraced our steps back 60 kilometers towards Dwight... checking for motel vacancies. Luckily, one motel owner phoned around the area for us and we were fortunate to find a reservation for Monday evening. It was quite nice... comfortable... clean and had a lakeside location and restaurant services. BONUS!.... So we booked for Tuesday evening as well... just to insure that we had a place to return to.

The colour is about 75% towards peak... at least two weeks earlier than last year and due to this fact the numbers of visitors and bus tours are in high gear at the moment, putting reservation pressure on those who come expecting to simply walk in. We were exceedingly lucky!

The behaviour of many visitors is often as unpredictable as the weather itself. They seem unaware of the danger they place themselves in when they approach 1800 lb bull moose who are exceedingly intolerant of any intrusion and can administer horrific damage if surprised or cornered. Artists face the same threat as well... so I really try to stay away from the beaten path... easy-to-reach sites. We were fortunate this year!

An above ninety per cent chance of daylong precipitation was posted on the Visitor Centre weather board at the close of the day... so we went to bed hoping that the report might change. It didn't! Time for some "shuffling the deck".... flexibility in planning! If I had been working alone... the decision would have been simple. But I did not want to impose being in adverse conditions upon Deb. She is a real trooper and would support whatever my choices might be... but there is more to having and feeling passion than painting alone! Life has taught "Me" that!

Stay tuned for Part Two tomorrow....

Commission Accomplished!!!... Short Strokes Launched... Algonquin bound on Monday!

I've had many brushes in my hand over the past few weeks... and my head was buzzing with "to do lists" that awakened me at odd early morning hours, but the large commission is complete and my clients are coming to the Gallery today for the unveiling. So most of the pressure has subsided and I can now look forward to the fall plein air painting season.... sans other commitments.

I am hoping that the Short Strokes addition to my blog and our web site will offer people who might wish to own a smaller "piece of Bruce", an inexpensive but miniature version of my style and commitment to quality art. I hope that my mentioning that I don't choose to join daily groups or take on marathon projects insinuated that I thought negatively of these ventures. To the contrary, I laud the efforts of all artists who share my passion and enthusiasm for making art... no matter the differences in which we each choose to work. I have always been a "loner" really in my thinking... and in my development as an artist. I work best alone... even though I relish those opportunities to work with fellow artists that I meet along the way.

I will continue to post these smaller plein air pieces as they are made for your enjoyment and they will be offered here in the Gallery in the Short Strokes Gallery on line at http://www.thepaintboxgallery.ca/ . Hopefully, they will continue to "fly out the door as they have here at the Gallery. They area part of my daily painting process when I am working in the field.

I usually either begin... or finish up the day (after painting a larger piece) by throwing up these smaller panel formats on the easel and doing a flash dance to capture the arrival or failing effects of light. Sometimes I win... other times the clock does! I laughingly refer to these pieces as "my run-for-the-sun" quick draws!

Early on Monday, Deb and I will head north to Algonquin Park together for a three day painting adventure... based either at Whitney at the East Gate entrance, or at Dwight where we enter at the West Gate.... depending on where we find the best colour. The colour has risen to almost fifty percent... my favourite time because the colour when it reaches its peak is too intoxicating...too raw... "too cadmium" if you know what I mean. I much prefer the softer, ambiant fall colours which occur earlier on... or just before the leaves fall. I will post photos and painting images when we get back for your enjoyment.

Deb is, in her own right a fine painter, in addition to her many other talents and interests. On occasion, she loves an opportunity to get "out there" (in good weather) with "Me". I really enjoy her company... and sharing the time together. Fingers crossed... for "good weather! HAHA!! Stay tuned!

Until then...Good Fall Painting to everyone... no matter where you might be painting!

PS Today's Short Stroke addition is "Basking In the Sun" oil on panel 8 x 10 inches $100 CAN+ shipping... it was the study for an earlier commission "Canadian Gothic" oil on canvas 36 x 48 inches.

Short Strokes!... A new venture!

We have enjoyed much success with our Small Wall Gallery here in Hillsdale since its inception two years ago. The wall features my smaller oil and watercolour sketches custom framed to customers who visit the Paint Box Gallery. Although we also made these sketches available to anyone on line... framing and the additional cost and security for shipping paintings framed likely discouraged sales for these reasons.

Several artists whom I admire have recently introduced the sale of smaller works in the "Daily Painter" formats of 5x7 and 6x6 inches and have shipped them unframed, adding the necessary shipping costs to their asking price. I have always firmly believed that despite the usually much higher price of one's larger canvases... artists should offer opportunities to clients who might like to begin collecting good art , or who might wish to acquire a piece of one's work at a lesser price or more apartment sized proportion.

Though I do not choose to join groups like the Daily Painters, or paint "marathons"... I have in fact painted daily for many years... and often when I am painting plein air, I customarily paint in 5x7 ...8x10 and 10x12 inch formats. Therefore... I usually have daily offerings in these formats of the same quality as my larger work hanging framed in the gallery.

We have decided to offer my 5x7 and 8x10 inch sketches in a new Gallery which we have dubbed...." Short Strokes ". Both formats are being offered at the single price simply because they take the same amount of time to complete and in my opinion... as paintings are equal in quality and value. These smaller paintings will be available for $100 CDN plus shipping. Anyone wishing to purchase a posted work can contact my wife and agent Deborah at dsherman@thepaintboxgallery.ca to make the purchase and to receive detailed information regarding the payment methods we offer and the additional shipping costs. We offer payment opportunities using PayPal....VISA and MasterCard.

Paintings will appear first in the blog and will be moved the following day to the Short Strokes Gallery on our web site at http://www.thepaintboxgallery.ca/ for sale from there. This will happen in the very near future when our web master creates the embedded gallery. We will consider the painting sold to the first email received by Deborah. All other emails will be promptly notified that they were unsuccessful in purchasing that particular piece.

I am very excited to offer these paintings to people who might admire my painting style and philosophy about painting. I am proud to sign my name on each one of them because each one registers and records moments and places on my journey that "I" have always wished to share! My blog has increased my ability to "connect" and share with so many fine people who share my zeal and passion for making art.

The first offering is a moody reflective painting which records a time and place when movie going was not colossus driven... but rather had a certain style and class all of its own. This theatre is still operating in the nearby community of Uxbridge... and is titled: "Two For Midnite Madness at the Roxy!" - oil on panel 10x8 inches $100 CDN + shipping

The second sketch is a hay wagon located at John Rumble's farm just east of the village. I saw this at 7:15 am on a morning walk... and tip-toed back the next day to record that very moment when the wagon emerged from behind the barn's shadow to be bathed in the early morning light. It is playfully... but aptly entitled: "Rollin' Up Summer!" - oil on panel 8x10 inches $100 + shipping

The third sketch is "Harold's Gone!"... an oil on panel 8 x 10 inches at $100 CDN + shipping

The fourth sketch is one done in the harbour in nearby Barrie. It is an oil on panel entitled; "Buoy and Girl" and lists at $100 + shipping

The colours are well underway... my commission is nearing its end... so Freedom calls! Lots of work ahead... two fall workshop jobs... a solo show for February and much autumn colour painting is on the horizon! Stay tuned!

Good Fall Painting to All!