Show Opens at the Salmagundi Club

Summer Evening, Millwood Pond, 8x10 oil on linen panel

     Today the exhibit "Sunrise, Sunset" opened at the Salmagundi Club, 47 5th Ave. NY, NY.  As I talked about in my last post I have three paintings in this show and all are sunset views of Millwood Pond in Great Falls, VA.   The show is a fundraiser for the Club building fund and sales will be by silent auction.  In the spirit of the event I have made the amount for my opening bid on each painting very low, just $160 each.  I must say my hope is that all three will be purchased as a set.  I became quite used to looking at them in that way while they resided in my studio. However, what will be will be.  All three are framed as you see here.
     This year the Salmagundi is making sure our 1852, historic club house remains structurally and aesthetically sound.  It is the last remaining brownstone mansion on lower 5th Avenue and if you care to take the virtual tour at www.salmagundi.org you will see it is a stunning building.  Recently the television show "Law and Order" used the two parlors on the main floor to shoot one of their episodes.  It was sort of fun to see it in a different context.  Anyway, part of the plan was to return the large tray ceiling in the main gallery back to its original state which was a huge glass and iron skylight.  We were all excited about the prospect of all that natural light!  There aren't many galleries that could boast a ceiling like that.  However, further studies made it clear that the huge expense would have required taking out a loan and there would also be maintenance expenses after completion.  The Board voted to retain the existing ceiling (which is already incredibly nice) and just improve the gallery lighting.  I was a little disappointed but I have to say they made the right decision.  It is wiser to spend the money on less sexy but vital improvements.  Also wiser not to be in debt!  Hence the additional fundraiser.  I say additional because traditionally there is a live auction every fall and spring.  The fall auction will be coming up in October.  The other advantage is that we are back on the annual show schedule which was going to be disrupted because of the construction.  So, I had better get cracking and decide what I am entering and get the pieces framed!

"Sunrise, Sunset"

"Summer Evening, Millwood Pond", 8x10 oil on linen panel

      "Sunrise, Sunset" is the theme of the upcoming exhibit in the main gallery at the Salmagundi Club in New York City.  All three of the paintings shown on this page have been juried into this show.  I have changed the titles from when I showed them in earlier posts because I didn't want to just go with the same title and then #1,2,3.  All were paintings done as studies for the large painting I did on commission in July 2011.  The commissioned painting is titled "Erik's Pond" as it is Erik who owns the beatiful Millwood Pond.  You can go back to my posts from July 2011 to see that painting in progress.  You will quickly see that it was study #3 which was the one Erik chose as the model for the final painting.

"Afterglow on Millwood Pond", 8x10 oil on linen panel

     The exhibit will run from Monday, September 17 through Friday, October 5, 2012.  What is interesting is that the paintings will be sold via silent auction and 50% of the sale will go to the Club BuildingFund.  (More about that in another post) Rather than price the paintings we have been asked to put a minimum bid amount for each painting.  We have also been asked to keep the minimum bid low to encourage bidding and sales.  I have done that.  The opening bid for each of these works will be only $160!  So, if any of you out there have been thinking you would like to own one of my paintings this is a great opportunity to get one at a very good price. 
     The auction will begin on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH.  So, mark  you calendars!

"Millwood Pond, Sunset" 8x10 oil on panel

     If  you want to place a bid you should contact the Salmagundi Club starting on that date.  The address is 47 5th Ave., NY, NY 10003.  The phone number is 202-255-7740.
I will post more information as I receive it and there may be a way to place a bid online.  I will find out.  Meanwhile, I have to hustle and get these packed and shipped in time for receiving up there. 
     I think this will be a beautiful exhibit.  I can only imagine the impact of color upon entering the gallery! www.salmagundi.org

Sunfish Off Daingerfield Island

"Sunfish Off Daingerfield Island", 12x24 oil on gessoboard

     As anticipated it didn't take long to finish this painting today.  I have renamed it preferring this title to the title in my last post.  At the end I found it tricky to indicate the figures on the boats but felt they were necessary.  It was important that they just be tiny gestures.  I also questioned the wisdom of the brightly colored sail on the boat in the foreground and briefly turned it to white but I didn't like it so I went back to the colors.  I started with them more muted but one of the last things I did was amp up the color because I just plain liked it that way.  To support the stronger color I made sure I put more warm tones in the water beneath the boat. I added a pronounced, orangey shadow and allowed more of the orange underpainting show through the blue paint in that part of the painting. Without those additions the boat would have look tacked on.  So, now I need to put it out of harms way.  That is to say I need to put it in the closet so I don't fiddle with it.  This is a happy, spontaneous painting and I want to keep it that way:)

     I received a shipment of frames today so tomorrow I will unpack them and frame some pieces to take to the Art League on Monday.  I enjoy framing my paintings.  I like to put on an old movie when I frame and just relax.  I can't decide what I want to start next but I have a number of paintings in mind and will start sketching them out.  I do need to have a black and white in play because so much of my work time is stretching into the evening. I can work on the black and whites in changing light much more easily than works in color.

     GYPSY UPDATE: She is doing really, really well. I spend the mornings with her and usually get home around 1:30.  We have a routine down and she seems to thrive on it.  I hand walk her and graze her everyday and as I look at her it is as though she is slowly being inflated back to her normal self.  The weight is finally starting to come back on.  I have been taking photos and will choose a good one to upload on my next post.
     www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com

Another Work in Progress

"Sailing School off Daingerfield Island", 12x24 oil on gessoboard

     If you go back to my post on August 16th you will see the start of this painting on my easel at Daingerfield Island on the Potomac.  My desire was to go back to that site to complete the painting but it seems that the only times available to me were ones that weren't very good for working on this piece.  Today would have been wonderful because it was sunny, the skies brilliant and the temperature perfect.  A nicer day than the one when the painting was begun.  So, since there wasn't the time to get to Daingerfield I worked on the painting in the studio and only had to look out the windows to see the sky I wanted in the painting.  The clouds had already been added on the 16th but the colors in them were more intense late this afternoon as was the blue of the sky.I am keeping it loose as I do when painting plein air and you can see that I have chosen to let some of the underpainting show through as it represents the light hitting the water surface in those areas.  The underpainting I used was a wash of cadmium orange.  I often use that for sunny day paintings. 
      As you can see I have begun adding the boats and am pleased with this placement of them.  I won't need much time tomorrow afternoon to finish this.

      My studio is filled with summer paintings and I have them lined up around me for inspiration.  I wish there was a place I could exhibit them all together.  Because of my need to care for my horse Gypsy this summer I didn't paint out as often as I usually do this time of year but somehow managed to put together a good series of paintings.  They are happy paintings.  I wonder how they will look combined with my fall paintings from last year and I will lay some of those out with them tomorrow.  It is a good way to see where I am going stylistically.  I seem to have evolved into impressionism.  Interesting.  How I paint plein air has affected how I paint in the studio and I think it is a good thing!

      Regarding my website.... what began as procrastination has turned into thoughts about rearranging it.  I am glad I didn't go ahead and upload everything as I think I will create new pages to divide the work up more.  I have actually begun to plan it so I should have it completed soon.  If you have never visited it before you can click on this linkwww.jeanschwartzpaintings.com  Also, visit the Salmagundi online exhibit at www.salmagundi.org.  It is the "Summer Potpourri" exhibit of member works.  Go to the bottom of page 13 and the top of 14 for my paintings.

A Day of Inspiration, the George Bellows Exhibit

"The Lone Tenement" by George Bellows 36 1/8"x 48 1/8"

     Today my husband and I spent the afternoon at the National Gallery of Art here in Washington DC to see the huge exhibit of paintings, drawings and prints by George Bellows.  Jaw dropping!  I have seen many a wonderful exhibit here at the NGA but I think this one tops them all! 
     The painting I have posted here belongs to the NGA permanent collection and I took this photo back in January when it was hanging in its usual spot in the American galleries.  Today while part of this enormous,  special exhibit I was unable to take pictures of it or any other painting in the show which is customary in a special, travelling exhibit.  There were so many Bellows paintings here beyond what I have seen in my lifetime either at museums or in books.  The accompanying exhibition catalogue is a gem and was a must buy for me.  It is packed with color plates some taking up both pages and the colors are spot on.  I was relieved because there are so many paintings I want to remember and study.  The River scenes are my favorites and this painting "The Lone Tenement" has been one of my favorites for a long time.  Another thing that struck me was the remarkable condition the paintings are in.  Some of the sea scapes look as though they were just painted they were so fresh.  Happily the show is up until October 8th which will allow for repeat visits and it is free.  It will be travelling to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC next and then to the National Gallery in London.  If you are able to visit any of these institutions I doubt you will be disappointed in this exhibit.

"Evening on the Pond #1" 8x10 oil on linen panel

      So, what have I been up to?  I haven't had time to blog, that's for sure.  I have been taking photos of paintings, varnishing, framing and getting show entries in.  I will upload more photos ( as soon as I take them) of the three paintings I am sending to the Salmagundi Club for "Sunrise, Sunset". Pictured above is one of the three, all of which are part of a series of paintings I did in preparation for "Erik's Pond".  I have been doing some sketching for new paintings and I must say that after seeing the Bellows exhibit I am itching to do some more cityscapes.  I guess you could say I am in organization and planning mode.  I also want to finish my Daingerfield Island painting and it would be great to get back there this week.
      I won't bother to say "more tomorrow" because I don't seem able to keep that promise.  After all painting is the main thing and I am sure you get that.

      Lastly, I want to recommend the Art League Inc.online auction of faculty paintings that begins at 6:00 PM this evening and runs until 5:00 PM on the 28th.  If you go to www.theartleague.org click on the symbol for our blog at the bottom of the page.  A couple of posts down you will find and article on the auction and a direct link to the auction site.  I didn't write it down but I think it might be www.32auctions.com and at least if this doesn't work you will know how to find it.  The opening bids are low and the work is by award winning, prominent artists.  Check it out, you may find something.

Today on Daingerfield Island

Childrens Sailing Class

     Today was a long but extremely pleasant day.  I spent the morning at the barn with Gypsy hand walking and hand grazing her and then headed home for lunch.  Afterwards I headed to the Washington Sailing Marina on Daingerfield Island to paint with Bobbi Pratte who is a friend and fellow ALPAP (Art League Plein Air Painter). We found a wonderful spot in the shade of a large tree on the point and could watch the action around  us.  People were fishing, sailing school was in session and in the distance you can see the end of the runway at Reagan National Airport.  Planes landing and taking off added to the entertainment. 

         This second  photo gives you an idea of what I was after in my painting.  I left out the foreground objects and concentrated on the landscape, river and the boats.  The sailing school reminded me of dancers entering a stage.  They come around the point single file then circle and follow the directions from the instructor who is in a launch.  I did a quick sketch because I knew the boats wouldn't be around for long.                                                                                       
                                                                                 

Currently untitled, 12x24 oil on gessoboard

      Usually I stand when I paint but today I was pretty tired so I sat at my easel.  Having the easel lower to the ground proved to be wise because the afternoon became quite windy and I had to clamp my panel down well.  You can see the little sketch I did illustrating my concept for the finished painting.  Both Bobbi and I agreed that today painting was a good excuse to sit and relax and enjoy a lively conversation in a resort like atmosphere. We did quite a lot of brain storming for future ALPAP events.
        This photo shows the painting where I left off.  Around 5:00 PM hunger proved a strong motivation to head home.  I have a strong start on this one and I know where I want to go with it.  The wise thing would be to leave it until next week and come back to this spot to finish but I am already itching to work on it.  I have enough information on the panel and in the sketch and photos.  We'll see.
www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com  and....That's right folks, I still haven't updated my website.  I am hopeless!  www.salmagundi.org  "Summer Potpourri" is still on exhibit online.  Good show!
  

Storm Clouds Over Morven Park, completed

"Storm Clouds Over Morven Park" 24x30 oil on linen

     As planned, I finished "Storm Clouds" today.  There are a couple of really minor things I might tweak, not even worth mentioning as I don't thing anyone would notice besides myself.  I am pleased with the finished painting and looking forward to the next one.  This view is looking towards Southern Planter Lane in Morven Park.  I am standing in a paddock at the Marion Du Pont Scotte Equine Medical Center with my mare Gypsy.  If you would like to see more of Morven Park you might want to visit their website at www.morvenpark.org

     In the view seen in this painting I  have my back to the subject of my next painting which looks towards the Blue Ridge Mountains.  That will be of a day with a very blue sky and frothy white clouds.  Tomorrow I will start a sketch but most of my studio time will be taken up with framing, gessoing and varnishing.  While doing those simple things I will be thinking of the new painting.  Below are a couple of close up details of "Storm Clouds".  I think both details could stand on their own as finished paintings.  As you can see, I had fun with my palette knives!

detail of ' Storm Clouds"

detail #2 of "Storm Clouds"