"The Eagle Has Landed!"....."

A very appropriate phrase... for a mission completed... on this beautiful sunny 4th of July Holiday! My happy thoughts of good will are sent to all of my American followers who are celebrating... in their own significant ways across the United States!

Thanks to those who sent along encouraging comments when my drawing attempts "failed to ignite"... leaving "Me" in a circling orbit... and a bit discouraged and grabbing for straws to get back on course. Responses indicated that many of us were in the doldrums... and struggling with our separate creative spirits. Thanks too... for the many suggestions and strategies that many of you offered!

I did regain the groove... after my after supper plein air sortie to the 6th Line of Oro-Medonte. That exercise seemed to buoy up my spirits... and I have managed to complete the 24x 30 inch canvas today in fine style... with only a bit of reworking needed in the rock ledge behind the dory. I had it well lit and of a different structure... but it loomed over the dory and dominated the foreground... as shown in the upper jpeg.

I mulled it over in my mind overnight and made the final decision to make the changes shown in the lower jpeg. I think that you will agree... that the dory now has the prominence it rightly deserves... and especially after all of the suffering to make its lines authentic!

That rock structure more closely resembles the actual rock formation in Bell's Cove... layers of limestone dropping into the water. The daisies were there... the dory indeed is a well-weathered red... and the composition is... as it was or... as I care to remember it! HA HA!!! A few "licks and promises" are still to be added to tweek up values etc... but basically... done like dinner!

The title for the piece is "Morning Slipping Quietly Into Bell's Cove, Nova Scotia! I hope that you enjoy this Maritime Canada moment!

Happy 4th of July .... All!

Good Painting!... and Happy Summer!

Fighting Artist's Block!

All creative people in all creative pursuits run out of steam. The flow of ideas may dry up at any time... or lose their creative appeal. It is indeed an especially frustrating occurrence... and especially for those who are prodigious in their production of work, or who are passionately driven by their need to create. This experience visits us all over and over during our careers.

I have offered some strategies that help me deal with... and even break the deadlock... when my mind... heart and hands seem to be "out of sync." - Changing mediums... working with unusual methods or materials... visiting exhibitions... painting outdoors... thinking "outside of the box" by creating unusual challenges for yourself.

This week, I have been working intently on a larger canvas (24x30 inches)... at a subject that has created within me much self-doubt and discouragement. The main part of the painting involves drawing a foreshortened version of a Lunenburg fishing dory on a tilted plane. One cannot fudge the lines of such a beautifully crafted boat... especially when it will dominate the foreground area of the picture. I spent almost two days working and reworking the form of the dory and found myself rapidly losing interest... in the whole concept.

After supper two evenings ago, I created a challenge to distract myself from the block caused by the drawing hangup. I headed outdoors at 6:00 pm with three burnt sienna acrylic toned panels under my arm... determined to make a painting on each within the three hour window before nightfall.

I hoped to accomplish this task... and at the same time try to avoid acerbating the drawing block, by painting the whole painting in terms of abstracted blocks of colour at the onset... and adding only a small amount of detail at the end of each painting. I allowed myself a window of one hour to set up and complete each.

In my first set up... I added another challenge. Years ago, one of my important mentors, Poul Thrane queried my need to drive around for hours at times, in search of the "perfect" subject before setting down to work. He remarked, "Bruce, you will be a true artist when you are able to select and paint a subject of choice... and upon completing that... turn the easel a full 180 degrees and complete a second good picture directly behind you." It was time to put myself to his test!

The first two paintings, shown top to bottom... are the result of that challenge. Poul was right! A true artist... one who learns to "see" and recognize the strong elements in whatever they are looking at... can make exciting pictures... anywhere about them. I feel that these two small sketches do satisfy his challenge requirements. I enjoyed making both paintings... and found myself excited by both the process and the result. I completed all three paintings within 40-45 minutes... well before the light disappeared.

This process required that I think intuitively... making quick decisions regarding colour and careful placement of brushstrokes. The process was akin to putting together a jigsaw puzzle. The structure and content of the painting emerged without the aid of linear drawing in the initial stages. Those small needs were added easily at the end.

Today was spent in the studio... back to my dory "daze"... and surprisingly... that problem evaporated and the painting is past the lay in stage - ready for "rockin' n rollin' tomorrow! I think that Poul's challenged broke the ice for me and restored my confidence substantially. Can't wait to get at it! The paint will be set up enough for me to make the final decision as to what colour the dory will be. In my original sketch... it was red. In most cases in the Lunenburg tradition... past and present... the dory is a soft, off-coloured orange. I'll decide tomorrow.

But that's a story... for another day and post! Stay tuned!...

Good Painting to All!!!

Natural Structure... Simply Stated!

Today's painting... "The Big Zee/Zed" demonstrates very clearly that exciting painting subjects can be found... and successfully painted... despite the predominant green veil everywhere one looks in the landscape. But as I suggested in my last post, the onus is on the artist to "make the scene his or her own." Which often means painting in and out aspects of the subject... and even painting with the palette of colour which supports your vision... or "The Idea" that you wish to capture and present.

There is little question that the challenge to paint outdoors... without the studio support system... facing the elements... insect attacks and the overwhelming visual imagery before you can be daunting... even discouraging to the novice. But like everything else in the human experience... if one persists with determination and desire... learns and is open to the lessons that are only found..."out there"... the pay back is immense and will provide tools that apply and can be used successfully ion the studio as well. One never forgets how to ride a bike... ever. But one must conquer the initial fear... and practise to gain confidence and skill.

I am offering today's painting as an encouragement to a young and very talented artist, Kim Rempel who has very successfully launched into a plein air orbit. What "She" is producing is surprising "her"... but not "Me." I always recognized the potential in her deft brushwork... good eye for composition displayed in her daily 6x6 panels. Having moved to a broader and more challenging space... she has "raised the bar" ... and will from now on continue to do so! Good on "You" Kim!

I pass this site many times in a month... and it never fails top yell, "Paint me!" I have even stopped to get a digital on different occasions. But as is the case with all of us... life gets in the way... and the image gets lost in the visual library... until you get the "overdue notice." I finally decided to "just do it"... and pulled out a longish 12x24 inch canvas which best suited the panoramic feel that I needed.

When I visited the site... I found the field to be planted with grain... likely wheat... which though it was a vast sea of a rich teal blue hue... lacked the interest which I had in my head. So I visited my files and found a jpeg which capture the field... golden and rust clad in ripening canola.

The basic structure was the same in both. It was that huge and elongated "zed" that divided the field so gracefully... so naturally into an exciting prospect. I decided to really "give the deck a shuffle"... and chose to begin the painting process on a white canvas. Not standard practice for this ritual-based painter! Secondly... I simply bled very diluted OMS washes of Indian Yellow across the width of the canvas at the sky level ... beginning at the top. To this, I added thinned bits of burnt sienna as I approached the field level of the canvas.I allowed this to run and form "fingers" that reached down into the raw canvas below... making no attempt to manipulate or remove them. I then moved away from the easel and let this "Idea" set and form a foundation for beginning the real painting process.

At this point... I paused to decide what matter of painting I would employ to actually commit to the painting. I decided to play my "wild card" at this point. I reached into my box and hauled out my dormant medium painting knife - too long ignored and forgotten... except for "executing" my failures when they appeared. The knife took away my predisposition to work in detail... sometimes... admittedly too much detail. It left a loosely painted and fresh rendering of the subject... that pleased "Me" greatly!

The actual painting with the knife was actually a lot of loading and dragging... downward mostly at the beginning. But that motion shifted to a horizontal and smoother and thicker application of pigment as the process continued. I could not at this time tell you how the values and colours emerged... or what their derivation might be. "I" was .. in "The Zone"... transfixed and unaware of any guidance system. It was easy to cease painting. I did so... at the very moment... when I had too think ... "Where does the next stroke need to go?"

Taking risks... working ouside of your normal comfort zone can be stimulating... and create some pleasant surprises! Take a ride on the wild side!

So this one finds itself in your genre and experience Kim. Congrats on the success you've obviously enjoyed! Stay the course! Do visit Kim's site http://www.eatdrinkpaint.blogspot.com/ ... see what she's about... and up to! Also a side trip to Linnyland... http://www.linnydvine.blogspot.com/ will yield another gifted and highly successful lady on our West Coast! Whimsy unleashed! Pure joy!

Happy Summer!... Fair Sailing... and Good Painting to ALL!

Summer's Coronation

This subject is located only minutes away from our Gallery and home. I pass it many times during the course of daily comings and goings.... usually with scarcely a glance of interest. But two days ago late in the day.... my eyes caught sight of this piece of drama. Filled by excitement... I turned around... drove home... grabbed my camera and raced back to try and "capture the moment." But the moment had passed... as those fleeting moments of dawn and dusk have the tendency to do.

I immediately downloaded the image from my camera and sat surveying the "caught" image. At first, I was bitterly disappointed with what was in front of me... but as I surveyed the STRUCTURE... which first attracted me to this place... it was still there.... certainly not with the dramatic lighting effects... and not even without distracting elements that offended my eye.

But the physical essence of what attracted my attention remained.... and the longer I looked the deeper my memory reached back... until the glorious sunny moment flickered... then rekindled the rich colour and pageantry that I sensed in one glance as I drove past.

I grabbed a 20x24 inch canvas and toned it with Mars Black acrylic and left it to dry overnight... knowing that the rich colours and dark contrast would set the tone for the drama that I wished to create. This was one of those paintings that fairly stated...."painted itself"... from start to finish. Many refer to this as a zen state... and in my own mind, it is essentially that.... meditative. At no time was there any hesitancy... or hurdle to be jumped. In retrospect... I believe that this state arose out of the fact that "The Idea" was fresh... and that the process began and ended in almost a plein air fashion.... "done like dinner"... in under three hours.

The other contributing factor was the fact that "I" owned the process... making decisions based upon deep experiential feelings and creative choices... rather than the reality of what was recorded in the photo. The camera is a great tool to assist in creating... but it does not in any fashion possess one single ounce of creative spirit. It is limited by the fact that it will never have emotion to add to the picture-making programmes it possesses.

I am including both the jpeg of the actual site... and my interpretation... "impression" of that fleeting moment. I leave "You" to judge for your Self which is more appealing... regardless of a faithful direct rendering of the scene!

"Some artists show a reverential attitude towards the natural world. Nature is something to learn from and, at best, to emulate, with no thought of manipulating, much less commanding it. The best you can hope for, perhaps, is to, in Thomas Eakin's phrase, "sail parallel."

-The Artist's Mentor
Inspiration from the World's Most Creative Minds
Ian Jackman, editor

Fair Summer Sailing... To ALL!

Thank You For the Music!... and Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day... a special day set aside each year to celebrate and to thank the Dads of the world. That was a ritual in my life... and even when I could not make it home (which was rare)... I always sent my card in advance... and called on the day to wish my Dad to let "Him" know how important his contribution to my life had been.

Both my Dad and my Mom have passed on... so that ritual is no longer physically possible. As a matter of fact, I will not even be able to get down to place flowers at their grave to mark the occasion. That's how I have celebrated for their days since their passing. This year... my youngest son Bryn, aged 14 years is playing in a weekend soccer tournament. He managed to make the "rep" team... and wondered if I "might like".... to see his games on Sunday.

My Dad would understand... and expect "Me" to follow his example and choose "to be" with my son on this important event in his life... and I shall be there rooting in the stands for "Him." Life is indeed about change... and rituals are most important to the living. Rituals afterward do have to do with respect... but the impact upon the living is what passes forward the sense of respect and links generations.

My Dad and Mom created many blessings in our family's lives. They showered all their grandchildren with that same love and gift of their time. When I have to think about Dad's greatest gift to us as a family... it is hard to separate love... loyalty... compassion... generosity and consistency to decide upon that one gift of largess. But I believe... that his sharing of his gift of music... his impeccable and unique piano styling... were shared not only with his family as a whole... but with several decades of his community as well .

Mom simply added harmony in our family of song... and encouraged creator ship... in her homemaking and her personal gift of decorating... using the simplest of materials for all occasions and celebrations. "She" took us to the Natural World... guided us... taught us to observe... understand... respect and assume stewardship for it.

In short.. together... they used music to stitch together a way of life that remains intact... even after they both have passed on. Of all the blessings they offered "Me"... "I" am most grateful for the Music... that continues to soothe my soul. There is a favourite song of mine that best describes my gratefulness... and today, I wish to share it in love with each of "You":

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me

Thank you for the music

For giving it to me...

-ABBA

Thank "You" Dad and Mom... for the many blessings!

I love "You" both forever!!

XXOO

Happy Father's Day Dad!... A salute from my brush and heart to "You"!

... and a Happy Father's Day to all the Hubbies and Dads out there in Blogger land!!!

Good Painting to ALL!!!

Primavera!

"Summer Breeze, makes me feel fine

Blowing through the jasmine of my mind..."

-Jimmy Seals & Dash Croft (Summer Breeze - 1972)

Primavera is a combination word of Italian origin roughly translating as in spring... or springtime. Prima by itself translates first... while vera translates wedding ring. First thoughts about how this combination of two words translates springtime left me puzzled. However... in pondering the question this morning while on my morning walkabout... what I beheld before me, offered some kind of an impression/explanation for "Me."

Wedding rings in most world culture symbolize the joining of two spirits in harmony amd marriage. It occurred to me that Spring in fact joins together the cold of Winter with the heat of of Summer. The richly scented... varied green... and flowered majesty of Spring is the wedding ring in this "nuptial". There is much fanfare... birdsong and rapid growth and energy to ceremoniously herald this union of our two longest seasons of the year.

In my plein outing with Jennifer... I offered that the challenge of painting and capturing this season of transition is possible... provided that one uses the KISS method (Keep it simple stupid). Find strong structure in the scene. Make a thumbnail or two to develop a"map" based upon ONLY three values. Keep detail to a minimum... and good pictures can be made.

Today's jpeg "Summer Breeze" oil on canvas 12x10 inches... illustrates another solution to the "too much green" discouragement. Simply find some man made-structure... a house... in this case, a colourful sailboat and quiet patio on a river and voila... a still life which uses the greenery as a backdrop. I think you will agree... that both methods can work... if you risk... and get "out there"... with a plan!

Give it a try!

"To a person uninstructed in natural history, his country, or a seaside strolls a walk through a gallery filled with wonderful works of art, nine-tenths of which have their faces turned to the wall."

-Thomas Henry Huxley

Looking for the "Idea" and making it your own will produce results at any time... even during the "dreaded" (by some)...Primavera!

Good Painting to ALL!!!

Eden is not just a place...It's more a state or feeling!

A First Plein Air Experience!!!

I had the great pleasure to spend the day Saturday painting in the beautiful garden of good friends Rolly and Grace Hallyburton. I was joined by my minister friend' David Howes' lovely wife Jennifer... this being a special day for her. David hired me to take her out on her first plein air adventure... as his fourth anniversary gift to "Her'.

He could not have honoured her in a more fitting and meaningful way. She came expecting to face the same barriers that she struggled with in her previous attempts in a studio and in a couple of courses to find growth and development. "She" ... was in the very same loop that so many of my students in both my elementary classes and my art workshops shared - a cycle of self-proclaimed failure... before they even picked up a brush. That to "Me" has always simply equated with... low self-confidence... battered down self-esteem in their previous experiences... or from the lack of a system from which they can proceed one simple step at a time towards a seeable and uncomplicated goal.

This beautiful Eden... on the shores of Orr Lake... a Love Garden created over more than ten years by a couple with a vision... and a passion for life and beauty... was also the setting for my marriage to Deb six years ago. Everywhere one looks or walks... one can find "still life" settings created by Grace... where one can pause... suck up the smells... the sight of greenery and sculpture and odd bric-a-brac interspersed... and all the time be chorused by every kind of songbird voice that lives in this Eden.

One could not fail to make a good picture in this setting... and neither Jennifer or I missed the mark in that task! Both of us came away refreshed... enriched... and with a "winner" in hand. Never at any time in the outing was Jennifer "lost". She took charge... asked questions... and painted with the confidence of a seasoned plein air pro!

We began the morning with a leisurely tour about the paths and walkways... contemplating "possibilities" and working out strategies to maximize success. I stressed to her the strong importance of taking ample time to choose a subject based upon structure... that is large masses and shapes... rather than complicated elements that required excessive attention to detail and draughtsmanship. Time is of the essence in plein air work. Light is constantly on the move and thus constantly effects the scene

Secondly, I stressed the need to think about the painting process and subject in terms of ONLY THREE VALUES. I introduced the value and personal practice that I use to address both of these concerns through making one or two simple pencil sketch thumbnails. The first sketch was simply a map that recorded the strongest or dominant lines... through squinted eyes in the scene. This creates a road map... or framework... on which to hang the three values.

In the sketchbook... white of the paper is the highest value... light pencil shading is the mid value... which coincidentally makes up at least 75% of the entire colour package... and heavy dark pencil is the darkest dark in the scene.

After making these preliminary sketches at the scene which Jennifer had selected... we set up the easels and palettes together... with her following my lead... and using the equipment and materials that I provided her. She decided upon a vertical format- Good! Simply because the trees in the painting were integral parts of the composition.

We simply retraced the initial sketching steps... this time with paint used thinly to create a value study and then began blocks of colour... as seen through squinted eyes to isolate the various large blocks from one another. Within less than an hour, we had the 116x12 inch burnt sienna toned panels to the lay in stage. We paused at this point to enjoy lunch on the dock at the lake and to replay the mornings findings and progress.

The next stage of the day's work was to work on values... balancing the myriad of greens to create more a more accurate and defined pattern of darks and lights. I stressed making a firm decision on where the light was coming from... and we took support references... so that changes could be made back in the studio if necessary... that captured "the moment" that we had chosen . We worked feverishly to get as much done as possible... because the wind had picked up and the skies threatened ominously overhead. We finished and packed up... just before the deluge arrived.

We arrived back at the studio... where Deb and David poured praise upon our efforts. David was so very surprised with the painting resulting from his anniversary gift... with Jennifer... justifiably busting her denim britches! Plein air painting is both a salve and tonic for the weary spirit. My piece was completed in full... while Jennifer wishes to take hers back to her home to finish certain areas, but even at this semi-finished state.. it is easy to discern the very admirable quality of her first plein air piece.

It is in every way a form of meditation during which the mind is transported out of reality... to a place where time and troubles evaporate. A place where the Id and Ego coexist in complete peace and harmony.

Have "You"... visited this place/ state called Eden?.... I wonder????

Happy 4th Anniversary David and Jennifer!... Many Happy returns... to Eden and Plein air Painting!

Good Painting All!