Finished!

"Different Paths" 18x24 oil on gessoboard

     This painting and the one before it, "Daybreak on the Inlet"  took forever to photograph!  That is one reason I haven't posted.  This is about as close as I could get but the original has a little more blue/purple in the sky, however, not as much as what you saw in the post before.  I tried everything, times of day, camera settings, supplemental light and finally I got this.  I will also post another copy of "Daybreak" as the last one was too purple.  I had great fun painting them though:)

    Since I finally got some decent photos I went ahead with the update to my website.  Yes, wonder of wonders I updated it.  I don't want to get that far behind again.  I think the last exhibit I posted was in May! I still haven't weaned out the older work nor have I made the format changes I thought I would make.  I felt it more important just to get the information up there. All this social media has its perks but it sure is time consuming and I would really rather be painting.  Still, it is nice to be able to share my work, thoughts and experiences as a painter with a much larger audience.  It is also good for me to go back and read about my own experiences just as artists used to do with their journals.  www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com

THE 129TH SALMAGUNDI MEMBERS EXHIBIT is in full swing having been delayed for almost two weeks by Hurricane Sandy.  Although the Club has posted a walk through of the show for members they have not as yet posted the images on the website but I believe there is a plan to do so.  I think they all need a break up there!  Many members suffered damage to their homes and the Club also had to make repairs not to mention not having power for days.  Having a truncated exhibition time pales by comparison.  I am just thankful it got hung at all!  You can read about the exhibit at www.salmagundi.org

I have been busy working with the Art League in my capacity as a member of the Board of Directors for the last couple of days so I have not yet started my commissioned painting.  I plan to do so over the Thanksgiving Holiday and will post as soon as it is underway.  I don't have to cook!  We're going to my son's house:)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

"Daybreak on the Inlet" 20x16 oil on gessoboard

"Different Paths", still in progress

"Different Paths" 18x24 oil on gessoboard

    We are back in town and I resumed work on "Different Paths" today. The only thing I don't like about this time of year is the shortness of the days.  I had to stop work around 4:00 because I had been working in natural light and when I turned the lights on I was concerned I would make changes I would later regret.  This really needs just one more session to complete and then I will let it sit for a time before I consider it finished.  This has gone as planned from the beginning so I think it will be a keeper.

      What is next?  I have a commission I need to start work on.  I have primed and toned the 24x30 gallery wrap canvas and will get it going this week.  The painting will be based on my 8x10 plein air painting "Clouds and Gulls".  Since that is one of the paintings that will be going to the Salmagundi Club for the annual Thumb Box Show in December I want to start the larger version right away since I will be working from the smaller painting.  I can photograph it but I would prefer to have the actual painting in front of me.  I will also be working on some drawings in preparation for two more paintings I am eager to start.  I will talk about them in an upcoming post and hope to have some sketches to show you.

        I know I posted an image of my recent painting "Daybreak on the Inlet" just short of completion so I now want to show you the finished piece.  I have been looking at it long enough to know I will leave it alone.  I debated whether or not to paint over areas where I let some of the underpainting show through but I like the effect and the coloration it gives to the clouds is in fact what nature does.  So, here it is...

"Daybreak on the Inlet" 20x16 oil on gessoboard

A New Painting in Progress

"Different Paths" 18x24 oil on gessoboard

     As for most people here in the Mid Atlantic the time between Hurricane Sandy and election day was an extremely busy one.  There was precious little time to paint and I have a lot of paintings begging for my time. 
     After voting I headed down to the Art League to hang the November show and upon arriving home around 8:00 I found myself immediately pulled in by the election coverage.  I forced myself to turn off the TV and get some sleep as I was pretty well exhausted and it was a challenge to keep myself from turning it back on.  Instead I awoke at 5:00 AM to get the news. I am seldom up at that hour and I couldn't get back to sleep so I headed to the studio to start work on a painting that was in my head.  I was going to photograph it from the very start but I was completely immersed in it and didn't stop until it had reached this stage.  It is well on its way!  The title is "Different Paths" and at this point that does not seem a clear title for this work but it will be.  I am glad I was able to bring it this far in the one session because I am leaving town tomorrow for a few days.  At this stage I am OK with working wet on dry as I have a lot of good painterly wet on wet going on.

THE SALMAGUNDI CLUB ANNUAL MEMBERS SHOW will open this Wednesday the 14th and run until November 30th.  If you are in NYC do stop in to see it and if not you will be able to view it online at
www.salmagundi.org  The Club address is 47 5th Ave. NY, NY.  See the post below to view my painting that will be part of this show.