Today's Work



"6th and Constitution" 16x20 oil on gesso board (in progress)

      
                                                                                          Today I got back to work on
"6th and Constitution" but it was slow going because I was having a hard time getting into it.  I'm not unhappy with it and I do know where it is going but I just felt that I wanted to be at the beginning of something.  So, I put this aside for the day and started something new.
       The lower image is the painting I started and would like to have finished in one session today.  I ran out of daylight and could have continued under the studio lights but I felt the wiser move would be to leave it for tomorrow.  It won't take long to finish. 
       I think I am eager to see leaves on the trees again.  This has been such a pleasant and easy winter but the springlike temperatures make me wish for flowers and greenery.  So, today I indulged myself and printed out a photo of this locale along the Potomac where I have painted several times.  You might remember my Wide Water on the Potomac paintings.  Well, this is where I was standing.  If you go to my October 16, 2011 post you will see this spot in the last image on the page.  It is a photo of my easel with my friends painting behind me.  I was facing downriver and painted that scene but when I turned around I realized how attractive this view was. 

Untitled, in progress 12x16 oil on linen panel

   A word here about working from photographs.  I think the camera is a great tool!  As you know from reading this blog I am an avid fan of plein air painting but I also love working in my studio.  I find I can work well from a photo I have taken especially if it is a place well known to me.  I can remember the experience. It is for that reason that I don't work from someone elses photo unless it is a specific commission request.  I also think it is great fun to go to Photo Shop and crop an image and see something I might have missed on site. I can then make a thumbnail sketch from it for a painting. Sometimes that is more interesting than the complete view.  Ideally when doing studio work I have a plein air study, AND a digital photo of the subject.  I don't think the camera should be frowned upon when creating a painting.  I consider it a bore to replicate a photo and that does not interest me but as part of the process of creating a painting the camera can be a real asset.

Award of Merit at the Patron's Show

"Red Fishing Boat" 9x12 oil on panel (plein air)

     I stopped by the Art League of Alexandria today to see the Patron's Show hung in all its glory.  I instantly regretted not having my camera with me to capture it for you.  It is room after room of beautiful work hung from the floor to ceiling.  Sensory overload!  I think the ticket holders will be thrilled with their choices and I don't envy them having to decide which works they most want.  My list would be ridiculously long!  I mentioned in an earlier post that I had donated 6 paintings.  Three are plein air and three are studio. I gave the titles and link to my website where they can be viewed.  This little painting to the left is one of my donations and I was pleased to see a little gold medal next to it to indicate the juror had given it an Award of Merit.  That feels good!  I remember painting this fron the deck of our house at the Outer Banks and thinking it just needed something when this little red fishing boat went zipping by leaving a bright white wake behind it.  It was all I needed. Originally I had titled the painting "Zippy" but decided it might have been considered too cutesy, but I still think of it as "Zippy".  I wonder who will select it....

      THE SALMAGUNDI CLUB 2012 SPRING AUCTION:
      In my last post I showed you the paintings I had sent to the Salmagundi Club after they had been juried in for the spring auction exhibit.  I now have the information I said I would have for you should you wish to view the paintings online and particpate in the auction by making a bid online.  If you go to the Salmagundi website, http://www.salmagundi.org/  You will see a lovely landscape in the upper right corner and next to it it says SCNY 2012 spring auction.  Click on the image and a page will come up with all the information.  It will give you a link to Live Auctioneers.  It will also tell you that all the works (some 250) will be on view at that site starting Wednesday February 25th.  It will explain that you can bid on the paintings from that site during the actual auction dates.  I am looking forward to following it.  The opening bids on my paintings will be extemely reasonable and who knows, anything can happen at an auction and you may actually be able to purchase it for that opening bid.  The first auction takes place Friday March 2nd at 8:00 P.M. , the second is Sunday March 11th at 2:00 P.M. and the final one is Friday March 16th at 8:00 P.M.  This is the first time I am doing this and I think it will be a lot of fun!

Completed Today! "Camelot on the Potomac"

"Camelot on the Potomac", 30x24 oil on linen

     Today was my third time painting on "Camelot" and I consider it finished.  I will now banish it to the closet as is my habit.  That is to keep me from constantly finding fault and picking away until I finally ruin it. There is a bit of glare on this image and it is fairly impossible to avoid since I am working under lights.  Before I put this on my website I should probably take some images of it with just light from the studio windows.  I think I will save it for a group show I will be participating in this June as the colors will work well with the other pieces I have set aside for that.  I very much enjoy working with this palette of colors and might just do another one or two before resuming work on "6th and Constitution" whos colors now seem dull by comparison.  Of course I could always liven that one up but then it would not be my original concept.  Not that that has ever stopped me!

ON EXHIBIT:  At the Salmagundi Club, 47 5th Ave. NY, NY http://www.salmagundi.org/   from Monday February 13th to Friday March 16th, "The 2012 Spring Auction Exhibit". Auctions will take place on Friday evening March 2nd, Sunday afternoon March 11th and Friday evening March 16th.  The auctions will be both live and online.  I will give instructions on this blog regarding signing in for the auctions and you can also read more information on the Salmagundi website as linked here.  The three paintings below are those that are on exhibit prior to being auctioned off.  This is a fundraiser for the Club and prices will be very affordable should you be interested in placing a bid.  I will explain more later this week after I have received the press release.
                      

"Primal" 16x20 oil on linen panel

"Opalescent" 24x30 oil on linen

"Throught the Arch" 14x11 oil on panel

 

"Camelot on the Potomac"

"Camelot on the Potomac", 30x24 oil on linen

      Today I painted on "Camelot" for the second time and I think just one more session should do it.  Sorry about the glare on the image but I photographed it at night and the studio lights reflect off the canvas.
      I have found my castle.  I am going to transplant the Georgetown Reservoir castle and relocate it here on the Potomac north of the Chain Bridge. I wonder if anyone will recognize it.  The castle is what made me decide to title the painting "Camelot on the Potomac" which seems appropriate since once there was a time when Washington was referred to as such.  I am dating myself.  The Kennedy administration was sometimes called Camelot.
     For those of you who are not from this area you might be wondering how far away from the city this spot is.  The city is not five minutes away.  If you were to turn in the opposite direction, take one curve more of the river you would see Washington appear as a lovely white city rising above the river and the trees.  The sunset turns it to gold. It never ceases to inspire me that we have this incredible natural beauty just a stones throw from one of the world's major cities.  The George Washington Memorial Parkway parallels the river on the left and there are times when I am driving home that I really have to concentrate on the road because the light show over the Potomac can be an alluring distraction.  Fortunately there are a couple of overlooks to pull into to watch the show.  I don't know how many times I have kicked myself for not having my camera with me. So that is why I can pull this out of my head and paint it. It has been imprinted there.

Color, Color, Color!

Just started and no title as yet, 30x24 oil on linen

     This is the new painting I mentioned having started while taking a break from "6th and Constitution".  I had the same desire to paint this as I did to paint "Primal" which I posted earlier.  When I move out of my comfort zone it is relaxing and reassuring to come back to what I know.  The image here is one I have painted lots of times but in this painting  I am taking liberties with the lay of the land.  You know, "artists license".  The view is looking up river from the Chain Bridge.  Below I will show you a couple of my paintings that acurately represent the view.  I live about half way up the Virginia palisades on the left on the opposite side of the road that parallels the wooded curve.
     I am painting on linen that I have coated with an additional coat of gesso letting the brush marks show.  I then tinted the canvas with yellow ochre.  Next, I just got to work from memory and used my own paintings as reference points.  I just had the desire for rich, intense color and unabashed Romanticism.  I have begun suggesting a ruin or castle on the right and will have to look around town for something to model it after or just make it up.  This is just great fun.  Last year a painting like this would be considered small for me but this year a 30x24 is about as large as I plan to go.  Like I mentioned in an earlier post, it's an economic consideration.  I already feel like starting another one with slightly different colors.  Maybe the gray winter is getting to me?

The Potomac in Winter, 20x16 oil on linen

Up River From the Chain Bridge, 40x30 oil on linen

Hanging the Patron's Show

David, John and Janice getting a little punchy

      It is February and once again time for the Art League of Alexandria Virginia's annual fundraiser, THE PATRON'S SHOW!  This year marks the 45th.  I have been hanging this show for years (not 45 of them) with much of the same wonderful crew.  I got home two hours ago from the first day of hanging and we really did an incredible job!  We started at noon and worked until 5:00 and we already have about half the show up.  Volunteers will be coming in to continue hanging the rest of the week and works will continue to be donated.  I am betting there will be around 600 works available.  How it works.....donations of works of art are outright donations on the part of the artists.  Patrons can buy a ticket for $175 which guarantees they will walk out with a work of art.  All works donated must have a value of at least $175 and many works are valued in the thousands.  Tickets went on sale in mid January and almost immediately sold out.  There is a lengthy waiting list.  Those lucky enough to have tickets will be coming in all week to make a list of their favorites so when their number is called they know what work or works they want to claim.  The day of the actual Patron's Show event, when the drawing takes place, they have to pay attention because if one of the works they have on their list is claimed by someone else first they must cross it out and hope they can get their next choice.  This is one of the hottest tickets in town and people have been known to sleep outside in sleeping bags to wait for the tickets to go on sale. Now THAT is an art lover!   
      This year I donated six framed paintings.  Three are plein air and three are studio pieces.  If any of my collectors are reading this I can tell you the plein air pieces are "Red Fishing Boat", "From the Torpedo Factory Dock" and "Capitol Columns, the National Arboretum".  You can find them on my small paintings page on my website.  The studio pieces are "Potomac, Prelude to the Great Falls", "Souvenir du Bal" and "Deep in the Woods". The latter is not on the website but the other two are on Gallery I and People and Things respectively. http://www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com/                            

Bob and Georgia with the cherry picker

You might want to check the Art League blog and website for more information http://www.theartleague.org/        

      I am still working on "6th and Constitution" and have also started a new painting of the Potomac which I will show you in tomorrow's post.     I haven't painted since Sunday because yesterday I was involved all day with framing and packing the paintings I shipped to New York for the auction at the Salmagundi Club.  I will post images of those paintings and tell you how to participate if you are interested in making a bid on any of them.  The auction will be both live and online.
      Now for a cup of tea and an evening of rest!            

Bill and friend (we think she is a volunteer left over from last year, this job can be stupifying)



Lisa and one of her paintings to the left, the one of the seated woman



Tom and Bruce at the hardware table

Working on "Sixth and Constitution"

Thumbnail sketch and first phase

Stage 2

   While I was working on "Lovers Stroll" I was also working on this 16x20 painting that I have already titled "6th and Constitution".  This is an intersection I have crossed hundreds of times over the years.  What you see on the left is the Museum of Natural History on the Mall in Washington DC.  Behind it is the Washington Monument.  What you don't see is the National Gallery of Art which is off to the left.  I had just left the Gallery and was rushing across Constituion Avenue at 6th street to meet friends at the Capitol Grill on 6th and Pennsylvania Avenue for an early dinner.  The inspiration for the painting was the heavy, dramatic sky with the brilliant light below the clouds.  There were narrow, strong shafts of gold hitting the pavement and there were some wonderful lights and darks.  The day was very cold and blustery and pedestrians were leaning into the wind and holding coat collars up tight to their necks.  I was one of them. As I crossed the avenue I held my camera high and got some good reference shots from which I put together a sketch for the painting.

After todays work and starting to take shape

     Tomorrow I will start deciding where I want to put my pedestrians and will add the street lights, traffic light and automobiles.  The green is too green and I will tone that down.  I am painting on Ampersand gesso board which a surface I really like.  It is not absorbent and every stroke shows.  I prepared the panel with some heavy strokes of gesso and then tinted it with yellow ochre.  You can see some of the gesso strokes showing through and I like the effect of the paint gettting caught in the grooves.  I have been layering, glazing and even doing some sanding and glazing.  One of the things I like about gesso board is that it can really take a beating.  http://www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com/