Challenge Day 2: The Language of Dreams

"Summer Swish" 8x10 equine oil painting SOLD

Color! What a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams. Paul Gauguin

Day 2 Goal: Capture a hot August day with a bright but limited palette

Hope everyone enjoyed a lovely sunny last August weekend like we had here.  Many thanks to all everyone who visited yesterday for painting challenge day 1! Did you see all the amazing Day 1 paintings? 

Since these will be almost daily postings I’m going to try to keep these postings short and sweet.  Plus, I need to spend as much time in the studio as possible. So today my “color” theme continues with different three pigment palette (plus white):

• Cobalt blue
• Permanent Rose
• Indian Yellow

At first I wasn’t so sure about this combo, but I grew to love it. I don’t use cobalt that often (I tend to avoid the more toxic and pricey pigments). But it's a delicate transparent blue that makes luscious violets so I can see why it's on so many oil painters' palettes. 

I was actually birding in a park a few weeks ago when I saw these pair of horses grazing on a hillside. I'm a lifelong horse lover so I’m happy to report that this piece has already been sold to a neighbor who rides. The best part of a daily challenge? You get a fresh canvas in the morning! Happy late summer painting everyone!

Every Summer Has a Story

 

"Irresistible Iris" 8x10 oil on linen

Please click here to bid on DPW--thanks!

I've been doing a lot of abstract painting lately ,extremely abstract.
No brush, no paint, no canvas, I just think about it. ( Comedian Steven Wright)

Summer is such an amazing adventurous season to be an artist, isn’t it? First, I have to give a huge thanks to all my friends, students, and of course enthusiastic art buyers of all ages who stopped by to say hi and wish me well at the Summer Art Market (SAM) a few weeks ago. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the Market on a beautiful June weekend.

SAM was very successful and now I'm busy working on several commissioned paintings from the show as well which I love to do. Again thank you loyal Denver art patrons!

Early AM shoppers on Grant Street at the Summer Art Market

Tent all set up, art hung, and ready to go!

Whew—the SAM  is always an art whirlwind--both inspiring and exhausting.  Sometimes, it takes me a few weeks to get my groove back. But when I do I always feel like I’m at a new level of awareness since I’ve painted so much to get ready (including very late the night before!).

Speaking of re-energizing, summer is often a “hit the restart button” season for me. There’s something that just makes me braver and bolder in the summer.  Interestingly, I’ve talked with many other artists that feel the same. What works well for me is to explore a new path that feels both natural AND pushes me in a new direction. 

For example, if you love figure painting, maybe try a figure class but with a different medium than you’d typically use. In the summer, I like to work on both nature inspired oil paintings (such as my iris today) as well as abstract painting.  I’m currently in progress on a “master copy” of an Emily Mason color field oil abstract but in acrylic and mixed media.

Emily Mason "master copy" 24 x 24 in acrylic

As many of you who work in both oil and acrylic know, trying to "make" your acrylic paint “mimic” buttery oil paint can be an interesting challenge-- particularly in a warm arid climate. But it’s one of the best ways to really discover, push, explore, and learn new media techniques.

P.S. If you enjoy nature inspired art like I do check out my new Pinterest board this week dedicated to tree related art—it’s one of my favorite boards yet.  Summer cheers everyone!