From Behind The Easel: Reverence

“Reverence", 24" x 36" oil on canvas

Sunsets on the Pacific Ocean are so magical because you really feel like you’re standing at the end of the world. This painting is from the high cliffs near Elk on the northern California coast. It’s at these moments when I am overwhelmed with the beauty of nature and need to grasp what I can through my painting.

From Behind the Easel: Descending Shadows

“Descending Shadows”, 24”x18”” oil on board

As some of you may know, our family has recently decided to make some shifts in our perspective and attempt to follow our own path.  What that means is we sold our house, took the kids out of school, and started accepting what the world was offering us.  Our plan is loosely structured and we make our decisions together.  The kids are all homeschooling (or as I like to say “lifeschooling”) and we are finding truly wonderful learning experiences outside of the traditional model.  This is something we have contemplated for many years and have finally had the courage to attempt.  We feel blessed to be in a position to take hold of this opportunity.

Our most recent excursion was moving ourselves eastward for nearly three weeks to house/kitty-sit for dear friends who were away in Europe.  We had the fabulous chance to experience living in the Okanagan valley, affectionately known as Napa North for the many world-class wineries.  The valley is the northern tip of the Sonora Desert and is a richly bio-diverse environment.  We were treated to amazing views of clouds rolling into the valley below while mule deer and bighorn sheep grazed the property.  Needless to say the inspiration for painting was prevalent and I look forward to what will come from our stay there.

Here is a painting I did based on previous trips to the area.  You can see the beautiful rock outcrop as a backdrop to the understated beauty of the sagebrush, all backlit by the beautiful Okanagan light.  You can see another painting I did from the area in my post from May 17, 2014.

From Behind the Easel: Pacific Rhythm

 Pacific Rhythm | 18”x36” | acrylic on board

This coming week we will be in the San Francisco Bay Area to help celebrate my youngest brother’s wedding.  As we return to our home of seven years, I am reminded of many wonderful times.  We loved to hike along the coast where the primordial elements come together in sometimes harsh, but always fascinating and beautiful ways.  Storms rolling in across the ocean inspire both awe and respect for the power you can literally feel as waves crash against the shore.

My painting “Pacific Rhythm” is from reference gathered near Halfmoon Bay just south of San Francisco along Highway 1.  Our planned hike originally had us continuing along this stretch of beach for a while, but as the storm rolled in and the tide rose quickly, we didn’t go beyond the rocky point seen here in the painting.  We were warned by some local folks that we would likely get stranded until the tide receded after midnight if we did.  Worse yet, we could easily get swept out to sea by the rising swells and crashing waves.  We opted for a hot chocolate at a cozy café instead, and I lived to paint the picture you see here.

The Pensive Palette: I Am Robert Genn

As an artist, I feel a part of a greater community, a brother and sisterhood of creative people searching for beauty, truth, and meaning.  While I work by myself, I know I’m not alone in these pursuits.  When I see art that touches me, or a song that moves me, I feel connected to that artist because we have shared a part of the journey together.  I take a little part of that person’s spirit and place it within me, hoping to pass it along to someone else.  This is the greatest gift of art.

I recently wrote about the passing of artist Robert Genn.  His love of painting, and especially his exploration of the why’s and how’s of making art, live on in everything he touched.  A little piece of his spirit is carried by all of us.   

Here is a small study I did a few years ago in Genn’s style.  It is not a copy of one of his paintings, but an exercise in taking my own reference and trying to think like he did.  In making choices that are different from my own tendencies, I learn how to see outside of myself. 

Inspiring Image: Celebrating Artist Robert Genn

by Robert Genn (1936-2014)

On Tuesday May 27th, the art world lost a friend and inspiration.  Robert Genn was a Canadian painter best known for capturing the landscape of his homeland and many travels around the world.

His personal style was heavily influenced by the Group of Seven painters, as well as the iconic Emily Carr, whom he met when he was a boy growing up in Victoria, BC.  His career began in illustration but evolved into full time fine art pursuits when his passion could no longer be held in check.  He went on to enjoy a long and commercially successful career garnering international acclaim.

Despite his successes, Genn never lost sight of his love of painting.  The physical act and ritual of starting from a blank canvas fuelled his desire.  His passion for travel and painting outdoors only grew over time, and his art is beloved by many.

Perhaps his greatest gift was the free website he started many years ago to act as a meeting place for artists.  He brought like-minded people together, gathered art/inspirational quotes from around the world, and provided a semi-weekly newsletter about his ideas for making and selling art.

Robert Genn was an inspirational pillar in our artist community.  His generous spirit will be missed and never forgotten.  His legacy lives on as his daughter Sara Genn, a highly successful artist herself, continues the tradition of the weekly newsletter.

To see more of Robert Genn's work and check out his free resource website for creative minds, please go to www.robertgenn.com and click on the Painters Keys Community.

The Pensive Palette: The Value of Mirror Image

‘Stillness’ (Study) | 16”x20” | oil on canvas

We all have a natural bias when creating a composition.  Our brains feel more comfortable leaning one way or the other when looking at the visual weight of a design. 

Usually, we aren’t aware that this is happening and will only see it when someone else’s “fresh” eye point it out.  How can we catch it before this happens?  The easiest way is to look at the image in reverse. 

If you are working digitally, simply flip the image over and you will immediately notice if the piece is unbalanced.  If you are working on something physical, look at the image in a mirror.  I like to get at least 10-15 feet away from the painting and use a hand mirror over my shoulder.  If your studio is small, take the work outside.  You can also take a digital photo and reverse it horizontally. 

In time you can start to notice your tendencies and address them while working, but old habits die amazingly hard!

From Behind the Easel: Morning Has Broken

'Morning Has Broken' | Okanagan Valley | 24" x 36" Oil

I am not by nature a morning person. I have always loved working late into the night when the quiet stillness somehow makes you feel like you are the only one still awake in the world. I love the idea that I am squeezing some extra hours out of the day. Consequently, getting up in the morning is hard. However, when I do get up early and have a productive start to my day, I can completely understand why people love packing in a few hours of quality time before the world has awakened. My painting “Morning Has Broken” came from a very early morning plein air painting trip I took near Penticton, British Columbia in the Okanagan Valley. I was working on a small painting of the mirror reflections of the distant shore, when the first rays of sun crested the hill we were on and poured through the valley opening to my left. It was such a moving and joyous experience that I knew right away I had witnessed a future painting. Perhaps if I didn’t work so late into the night painting, I could wake up early more often! This piece is available through Harrison Galleries: http://www.harrisongalleries.com/artists/CLE112/artist-art-list1.asp

Inspiring Image: Across the Moorland by Bracht

Inspiring Image: 'Across the Moorland'

'Across the Moorland' (1890) | Eugen Bracht | oil on canvas

 Artist Website: http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/list.php?m=a&s=du&aid

Eugen Bracht (1842-1921) was a German landscape painter who traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East for his subject matter.  He was best known for his depictions of the Alps, the desert, and the burgeoning industrialization happening in Europe at the end of the 19^th century.

In his painting “Across the Moorland”, Bracht has romanticized the steam engine which he relied upon for his travels to distant lands.  He has captured the fairly unexceptional landscape beautifully, enhanced by the heavy, dramatic sky and mood lighting.  The train, despite being rather small in the painting, is made the focal point by the contrast of the black engine next to white steam. 

From Behind the Easel: In the Style of...

From Behind the Easel: In the Style of...

 

1) Untitled | 7”x12” | acrylic on board by DJ Cleland-Hura

2) ‘Little Island’ by A.J. Casson: http://groupofsevenart.com/AJ-Casson-Group-Of-Seven-Art

I love art!  I’m a fan of art.  I love to look at art as much as create it.  The more I study art and artists, the more I appreciate what is possible.  

Sometimes the work of another artist will inspire me to learn more about what makes their work different from mine.  In certain cases I have done small paintings in their style or manner.  By working this way, it breaks me from my normal way of seeing and frees me to explore within my own style.  I also gain a new level of understanding and respect for that artist.

Here in this work (first image above), I have done a study in the style of A.J. Casson, a Canadian artist from the early twentieth century.  Casson was a member of the Group of Seven who were known for their stylized depictions of the Canadian wilds.  These artists were heavily influenced by the Scandinavian artists with whom they had studied before immigrating to Canada. 

Casson is known for using strong, front lighting and depicting trees and foliage as solid, stylized shapes.  In his painting “Little Island” (second image above), Casson shares his reverence for nature with dramatic lighting and bold, monolithic shapes.

The Pensive Palette: Call of Beauty

The Pensive Palette: Call of Beauty

(personal photo reference)

“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

I love this quote and try to heed the message, which only seems to grow in importance as I get older.  It’s so easy to become weary under the weight of “worldly cares” and sight of our higher purpose. 

 Making a point to include a little beauty in our lives helps counter the drudgery of the mundane.  In fact, consciously adding beauty to our daily routine leads to the habit of looking for it in every aspect of life. 

From Behind the Easel: On Colour and Design

From Behind the Easel: On Colour and Design

‘Into the Black Forest’ | 12" x 8” oil (sold)

The design of a painting encompasses many facets: composition, weight, scale, movement of the eye, texture… and colour.  Colour is often overlooked or underutilized as a design element.  Many artists feel that the use of colour is simply intuitive (though intuition certainly has value) when in fact it can be one of the most powerful tools in conveying the artist’s intentions. 

Bringing colour under conscious control is a fantastic device for creative communication and expression.  While I’ll design a painting using my own approach to colour theory, it’s also inspirational to see how certain colour combinations appear in nature such as the particular green of stem and leaf complimenting a red rose. 

During a family trip to the Black Forest in Germany, we went for a hike in an alpine meadow and came across this lovely scene of a mountain stream carving its winding way down the slope.  I was taken by the natural harmony of the various greens in the grass enhanced by the analogous blue of the distant hill and reflections in the water as well as the hints of yellow in the setting sky.

For all you colour nerds/enthusiasts, these colours work well with each other because of their close analogous placement on the colour wheel.  In other words, it is the third of the colour wheel between yellow and blue.  Despite the dominant colours being green and blue, I feel I achieved an overall warmth in the painting through the use of yellow.

In the design of this piece, I consciously used colour (and saturation) to help move the eye through and around the various elements of the landscape. For example, the use of the two blues near the top and the bottom of the composition, move the eye back and forth between those areas.  The yellow of the sky reflected in the stream and then played up in the bottom left hand corner creates another path for the eye.  These keep the painting interesting and gives the viewer a sense of movement, despite the scene being idyllic and restful.

The Pensive Palette: The Value of Plein Air Painting

The Pensive Palette: The Value of Plein Air Painting

Sea Ranch | 9”x12” | oil  (available) - painted on site

These days, it’s easy for artists to gather reference with digital cameras or clicking around on Google. Photoshop can assist in perfecting that composition or combining multiple images into a single dynamic reference.  But ultimately, our best tool is our own perception, our senses in the moment in the space where we are.

Our eyes see three dimensions, colour, value, the quality of light and air differently than a camera, and the place we are in makes a deep impression on us well beyond the digital film plane.  The camera can help remind us and jog our recall, but the experience of capturing the moment, the mood, the emotion, and sense of space is invaluable in understanding and then interpreting out into the work. 

An artist’s experiences help generate their unique view of the world and the resulting art that they create.

While a plein air painting is often less refined or more raw than studio work, it has a sense of energy and immediacy.  Whether it's in preparation for a studio piece or just for the fun and satisfaction of capturing the essence of the moment, adding some plein air expeditions to your life brings richness and reward.

Introducing: 'Moon Rise'

Introducing: 'Moon Rise' | Okanagan Valley | 12" x 8" | oil on board

Small study in preparation for a larger studio piece.