Earth’s Palette

 I live for fall and winter in north Florida. It is a wonderful subtle palette for a painter of the earth. This palette reaches deeply into my core on many levels. I have spent much of my life on trails and in pastures. These colors bring back many memories of times when I was young, strong and agile, riding horses, running cross country, and of an active life of discovery. 

 

I’ve been watching the bright leaves beginning to fade and the grasses and sedges are turning to red iron oxide and pale ochre. The trees are silver and linear without their foliage, and the evergreens are deep and dark green in contrast. The afternoon shadows grow longer as the winter arrives. I see smoky blues and purples in the distant trees in early morning and late afternoon. The hickories are always the divas, showing off last in their golden robes, striking against the muted winter color. 

 

Country painters love the land…..

Life is Generous

 Hard times can bring out the best in us. It is all about our attitude. If you find yourself obsessing about COVID, politics, the economy, you might want to step back. If you are angry every day, you might want to step back.

 Our citizens have lived through terrible adversity many times in our history. I have been through many economic downturns. One of my gallery dealers once told me that hard economic times weeds out artists who are not prepared and not professional. I don’t know if that is true. I would not wish for failure for any artist. 

There are organizations who are putting in place aid to artists, for supplies and other needs. I am working on these projects with kind souls who wish to improve lives for creatives. There are wonderful people who want to donate to these plans. Blessings for them. Don’t give up your dreams.

 Life is generous for country painters....

 

Artisans Guild Gallery

 I love walking up the steps to the Artisans Guild Gallery. It is in the old Pleasant Street neighborhood two blocks from Main Street. The houses are quite old but in good repair. Most of them have lovely large front porches. 

The Artisans Guild porch is especially inviting. There is a large swing to your left, and small table and chairs to your right. The porch continues around the right side of the house where an old wooden easel stands as a symbol of the treasures inside. The front door is festooned with garland during holidays and has an old brass knob to turn. 

Once inside, the magic begins! Color, design, patterns, surround you in this dignified, timeless space. Beautiful wood floors creak slightly, reminding me of old family homes I have adored through the years. 

The gallery is masterfully curated by a team of two. The art, whether whimsical, traditional, or modern, weaves through the spaces, fitting into the old house making it cozy and inviting for you to stay as long as you like. You will find something you must have or must give to a friend or loved one.

Visit the Artisans Guild seven days a week, from 11AM-6PM at 224 NW 2nd Avenue in Gainesville, FL.

Country painters love a fine gallery……

Love Crows

 Most of you know that the crow/raven family are my favorite birds. I recently did some research and discovered that though they may look quite a bit different, magpies belong to the bird family Corvidae, a group that includes crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws and jays, as well as lesser recognized members like treepies, choughs and nutcrackers.

 Magpies are among the most intelligent family of birds recognized by modern science. I had not known that jays are related, but it does make sense with their similar behaviors. I’ve never seen a magpie but they are very pretty with their white on black markings. I also learned that magpies can recognize themselves in a mirror and their tails are long compared to crows and ravens.

 

Life is swell for country naturalists…..

Celebrate

  

 

 

Celebrate what you are! Your age, your looks, your station in life and your gifts. Be confident in yourself. I know so many who are unhappy about their aging, their looks and their talents.

 This is a waste of our precious time on this good earth. I will never be a master painter, but I have enjoyed the challenge of the masterpiece just around the corner for about sixty years now.  I look like a train wreck compared to my young self but so what? I am a lot happier and smarter than I was in my young, naive adulthood. With age comes a humble and open attitude, grateful for every day. 

 If you are obsessed with politics and the state of the world, don’t spend another minute. Support the causes you believe in with donations and leave the worry to those who can actually do something. Study history to understand that this generation of angst is only one of many since the dawn of humanity. Get out and vote and help others to get to the polls, but leave the worry behind.

This country painter is joyful for life……..

Out on the Trail

 I got my paint box filled and ready to paint yesterday. This morning I’ve been out on the trail for my first location painting of the season. I started with a five x seven painting. 

 It felt great to hear the birds sing and hear the rustling of small animals in the tall grass, while I enjoyed the beautiful October morning. 

 The field that runs along the edge of the trail is so pretty in October. The weeds are waist high, all blooming with tiny flowers, touched by morning light. I enjoyed being in front of my paint box again. This is my first outdoor painting in two years, due to my struggles with ongoing PMR. I consider this morning as a victory. 

 Painting outdoors is so different from the studio. It is much more primitive and basic, but fun. For a long time I was a plein air painter who also did studio work. I have evolved into a studio painter who also does plein air work. I enjoy both but I have always been a better studio painter. 

 Country painters love the woods…..

Helping Hand

  

 

These days can overwhelm all of us, but especially artists. We are in a precarious position in the best of times. As negativity increases, it is easy to begin to lose hope and turn to a “woe is me” mind set. 

 Now is the time to have faith in your own good, hard work. Now is the time to focus on your friends, nurturing them and nurturing your own artists’ communities. Avoid negativity and bad news. Enjoy a life of gratitude, that you have been given this rare gift of art. Reach out to an artist who struggles. A kind gesture goes a long way toward success for you both. If you love an artist’s work, share it on social media and with your friends who might be in the market for a painting. Tell friends about favorite artists.

 If you wish to help a beginning artist, lend him/her frames for an exhibition if you have extra. Most painters like me have a closet full of frames.

Offer to review their work and help him/her select paintings for a show.

Send a gift card to a struggling artist for breakfast or lunch or even coffee. Encouraging them might give them faith to soldier on.

 Buy small paintings from artists to help them financially and give them hope.

Be grateful to those who share your work or comment on your work. I am deeply grateful for my friends who help me in small ways as well as those who can financially support me with collecting. Lend equipment or give a tube of paint, canvas or brush to a struggling artist.Anything you do to further their career is a way to endure hard times. I have had many collectors assist me over my long career.

Most importantly, keep your attitude one of gratefulness and wonder at the beauty of being an artist.

 Life is wonderful for country artists......

Back on the Trail

 

 

I’m back on Deer Woods Trail. Each season I have a lot of clean up. I pick up debris one trail at a time. After the trails are cleaned up, I start trimming the tree limbs that reach too low and far onto the trail. I leave the limbs and debris on each side of the trail to gradually rot away. Since it is a private trail, I don’t have to groom it, as public land trails do. Someday I would love to have a controlled burn, but I would have to have professionals do that.

 

The mornings on the trail are gorgeous now. As soon as I am through with the hard work I will get my paint box ready to set up for the painting season.  I have already picked out my first scene. I set up my box on the trail and tie a large heavy black garbage bag over it. My tripod is metal. Then I move it up and down the trail through the season. It works great.

 

Country painters love the trail……

Time to Get Out

 It’s almost time to get back out on the trail for my fall-spring studies of trees and nature. I’ll set up my paint box and move it up and down the trail. I put a big heavy trash bag over the box, so it can stay out for months at a time, safe and dry. 

 My October series will be done with my favorite winter palette. I use cadmium red light, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, Payne’s gray and titanium white. It is a modification of the Anders Zorn palette. I have loved this palette for years. I’ve always loved single primary palettes. Few choices and endless variations thereof.

 This palette gives a lot of subtle neutrals, but the cad red offers an intense choice if desired. The purples are subtle like the winter atmospheric quality of distant trees. My paintings are gradually becoming more neutral. I rely more on value structure than color saturation. I have a long way to go toward being a fine painter. I’m taking the slow and steady journey.

 Experimenting is swell for country painters.... 

Design

  

 

There are lots of important parts of painting, but the most important to me is design. I always call design, values, and color mixing the BIG THREE of painting. Without good design, the other two have little value.  Many artists use over saturated color as a crutch because they don’t understand good design and value relationships. The vibrancy gives them a feeling of shock and awe! I have seen many wonderful paintings with minimal color. 

 

I had a marvelous design teacher in my BFA program. He had the marvelous skill of using minimalistic subjects and limited palettes to teach design. His pieces were wonderful. Over the years I have studied design extensively as well as values, and Notan.

 

I would love to teach design again if we ever rid ourselves of Covid.  

 

Country painters love design…