What's up with Thursdays???

Rain again...Wow Thursday's weather is getting very predictable....rain again. Plein Air Thursday group met at the Hammond St Senior Center today at 1pm. Thank goodness for the Senior Center.
This was a very productive day. I had a senior moment and forgot my camera but luck would have it I could use my cell phone camera. I apologize for the quality of the photos.
Michelle Walker painted this wonderful painting of Acadia, a field near the golf course that has a beauty all of its own....as you can see by Michelle's painting.Her use of color is so effective in this painting. Great job Michelle.
 Fred painted this beautiful complimentary color painting of San Miguel Allende that was exquisite. Great use of color. Fred's 2nd painting was of a bottle of wine and a glass. He painted it to looked like a wood carving, using the paper that he made the week before which lent itself  beautifully to his subject.
Gloria Painted to the piped in music and came up with a beautiful tree that was 10 times better than the photograph. The painting looked like a Monet. Can't get better than that!
Sue painted a rusty old truck stuck in the field using the paper that we made the week before. Her second painting was of  a coastal scene...no photograph just from memory and it turned out pretty good.
Great job everyone!
Keep painting.

Michelle's Field

Gloria's Beautiful Tree

Fred's painting of flowers on a wall
in San Miguel Allende, Mexico

Fred's painting Wine bottle and glass

Lavender Rocks by Sue

Sue's Rusty ol' Truck

Wow...we're productive and creative and ....

Plein Air Thursday group was held at the Senior Center this week. Part of our focus was on making pastel paper. I brought in the supplies and we had lots of fun making different color paper.

Supplies:

140 lb. Watercolor paper that is HEAT set

Colorfix Primer, fine tooth, made by Art Spectrum ( comes in a variety of colors) 

a sponge rooler

paper plate

We spread out newspaper and cut the watercolor paper into quarters, then poured the primer on to the paper plate, assisted by Fred and Tri-athlete Pricilla who opened the bottles that had been dried on. Evidently the previous user didn't wash the covers after using...bad me!   We then rolled on the Colorfix Primer ( we used Terracotta, Storm Blue, and Aubergine) I had previously make some Deep Ultra which is a bright royal blue. Then we waited for it to dry (10-15 min.)  It was that easy, See the pic below. 

Tri Athlete Pricilla working to get the cover off
and Michelle rolling out the color

Fred sketching out his design

Linda came and worked on a pastel

Gigi painting an abstract

Gloria painting on the Aubergine paper that she just made

Michelle's foggy coast painting

Michelle's floral pastel

Winter Scene by Fred

Fred's abstract painting

Fred's Centurian on Blue Steel pastel paper

Waiting for the Ferry
by Pricilla

Pricilla's Dallias

Gigi tried a new technique on this painting

Foggy coastal scene by Gigi

Abstract by Gigi

Lubec, Me.
by Sue

A Day of Art on the Coast

Gloria, Gigi, Linda and Jean
Photo by Sue

Field Trip!!! I love field trips! The pastel group decided to go hear Carolyn Caldwell's talk and demo at the Camden Library, Saturday at 10am-12. Sponsored by the Pastel Society of Maine, Carolyn discussed her approach to pastel painting, her view on painters block and how to overcome it with some simple exercises. Her demonstration was informative and educational.  Here are some photos of this event.

Carolyn Caldwell demonstration

Carolyn building lights and darks

Carolyn Caldwell's painting

Now on to another Artist . We headed to Rockland's Dowling Walsh Gallery to see the works of Maine artist Connie Hayes. "Her paintings ...are known for their careful compositions - a purposeful balance of geometric and organic forms. Her harmonious orchestration of color, light and mood conveys an almost palpable sense of atmosphere. And her love for the physicality of paint is expressed in her luxuriant brushwork. In Hayes's capable hands, even the most humble and commonplace subjects re portrayed with sensuous beauty" (McAvoy, Suzette."The Canvas" Maine Home and Design Aug. 2010:89.Print)

Then off to the Strand theater to hear Connie Hayes presentation "Up Close".

 Connie was articulate and willing to share her ideas and  techniques. She talked about each individual painting pointing out what made it successful and why. 

We then went back to the Dowling Walsh Gallery( www.Dowlingwalsh.com) for a reception to meet the artist . Meeting Connie Hayes was so special since she was very pleasant  and easy to talk to.

On our gallery tour we decided to go to the Yvette Torres Fine Art Gallery.(www.Yvettetorresfineart.com) We were interested in two artist, Barbara Brady and Francis Grant. Ms Brady's work is abstract while me Grant's work is realistic. They are both very talented artist. This gallery stop is definitely worth a going to.

We arrived home tired and thrilled to have spent such a wonderful day on the coast of Maine. 

Creativity Abounds

Michelle's peaceful garden

Plein Air Thursday group was held at the Senior Center this week. Threatening clouds remained a problem so inside we went.

Michelle Walker worked on a painting of a garden. Instead of working on the garden as a whole she chose to do a segment which made for a lovely composition. Her loose painting makes one want to wander into this peaceful garden.

Michelle Walker

Gigi MacIntosh 

Path through the woods
by
Gigi

Gigi MacIntosh has a unique Style that incorporates her watercolor painting with pastels. The results are a wonderful mix of media that  punches up the color. She first starts with a line drawing and then paints in the watercolor washes then lets that dry and finally goes in and paints on the pastels for a very effective coloration.

Beach Hill path by Gigi

Gigi's paintings are unique as her method. Wonderful Gigi!

Queen Anne's Lace
by Gigi

Last week I painted a cart full of onions that were drying in the sun and  I hadn't finished it so I am posting the finshed piece.

Drying Onions
by Sue

Gigi and I decided to try our had at abstract paintings. Here are GiGi results:

And here is my attempt:

Fred Irons arrived and worked on a beautiful butterfly...that managed to escape my camera. Fred needs to bring it back so I can photo it and then post it on this site...Right Fred?

Michelle and Fred

Until next time....Happy painting.

The Gods are against us!

Rain again on Thursday! We do need the rain however it seems that it always rains on Thursday making it impossible to paint Plein Air with pastels. So we were back in the Senior Center to paint.
With every one's busy summer schedules attendance has been sporadic however there are always a few that come and paint on Thursday.
This week Michelle and Gloria were very creative and painted some great paintings....they are getting really good.

Gloria finished a painting she started on our trip to Corea. It is a Maine scene that captures the working waterfront of Corea. She used color to make here statement effectively. Lopsided buildings make for a realistic painting of a working waterfront. Great job Gloria!

Corea, Maine dock by Gloria

Michelle was very busy painting. Her painting of an Amaryllis with soft colors is very effective.

Michelle's Amaryllis

Michelle's Garden is another painting that reflects color and value changes. She masterly uses the pastel to convey the cosy feeling of this garden.

Michelle' s Garden

Michelle's final piece is a study in color and value. I think you'll agree that it is very effective.

Value study by Michelle

I worked on a paining of Lisa's Garden. The Lisa that lives in Orono that was so great to let us paint her masterpiece. I had taken photos and selected one of a cart filled with onions drying in the sun. It is partially finished as you can see I still have to paint the background.

Onions drying
Painting is not complete

Too hot to Paint!

The Plein Air Thursday group had a weather related glitch...not rain,not wind but heat! Yes, Heat. Bangor is in the throws of an unprecedented heat wave. The group relished the thought of painting inside in an air conditioned room, so we headed off to the Senior Center.

We started off the session with an exercise to loosen up, to get our creative juices flowing. " A six pack in six " is an exercise where you divide you paper in six squares, paint one square in six minutes and then off to the next square. ( (I bet you were thinking that it had something to do with beer!!)
The group was courageous and gave it a try. We all agreed that it sounded more difficult than it was. We had lots of fun with it. Here is the results.

Gloria's 6 pac was a learning cuve for her in painting small images. I especially like her Tea Pot.

Michelle painted the glass coffee pot in her very first square. Wow Michelle, that was great. Her tea pot was also painted loose especially the paint brushes in the pot.

Fred painted this 6 pac and demonstrated his unique style. His spiral bound book and roll of tape was a difficult still life but Fred was able to capture it nicely. His roll of paper towel was also nicely done...in 6 minutes!

My 6 pac. I thought that this exercise loosened up my stroke. I really like this exercise, it was fun.

Fred painted this beautiful painting of Lisa's garden located in Orono. Fabulous Fred!

This is my attempt at a shed on Monhegan. I had trouble painting without an easel. I think I need to do some repair on this one. Keeping the lines straight was a problem. It is a work in progress.