Workshop (continued)

Corona Del Mar, Study 2, 8 x 10

available

Another study from our day at Corona del Mar. Nothing fancy, but as Jill Carver says, the stuff I learned probably won't end up on the canvas for another six months. I guess I'll have to wait. . . .

Workshop Work

Corona Del Mar State Beach, 8 x 10

available

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a workshop in Newport Beach, California with Randall Sexton and a dozen or so other acolytes. Randall gave a demo each day and, among many other things, emphasized the importance of squinting down to help, not only identify value relationships, but to help with the overall composition through the abstract patterns made by the large dark masses. He also stressed the benefit of painting in "large puzzle pieces" to cover the canvas, without necessarily mapping in a line under-painting first. This can help keep the painting loose. The study above and the three following are all fairly quick plein air attempts at using these methods, without later going back to "fix" imperfections.

In The Barn II

In The Barn II, 6x8

available

Saturday evening, after a couple hours of painting, Plein Air Austin had our end-of-year party at Westlake Beach and Marina.  The weather was perfect and lots of family and friends showed up for the catered picnic. The scene above is not actually of Westlake Beach, but of the adjacent marina, the name of which I didn't notice. I was attracted by the clear skies and the bright, late afternoon light on the boats.