DAAL Annual Paint Old Dublin

Although I do not belong to the local art group, Dublin Area Art League (DAAL), I like to support my fellow artists. DAAL has an annual paint out of old Dublin with a contest open to all artists. This was the second year I participated. Last year was a dreary wet day. This year, it was overcast (until I was nearing completion), and after I finished, we had a rain shower.

I setup my easel near Le Chatelaine restaurant and liked the view of the corner of the building. Once I was finished, I had to frame and turn in the painting on the spot. I did not get a good closeup shot.

"Shady Corner", 8x10 oil on panel

Strike While the Muse is Hot!

I've been posting more on Instagram than my blog! https://www.instagram.com/nancylvance/
Check out my stuff there if you're on Instagram! Makes it really easy to post from my smartphone and then I forget my poor old blog.

I realized I had another painting to show here of the latest barn painting. I was so inspired with the photos I took of the two old barns a couple weeks ago, I had to paint one more scene! Here are some process shots.

I had a bit of trouble with the angles of the barn. In the end, I just settled with what I thought looked fine for my painting, and not a match for the photo. It was a strange angle and not enough of the roof line was visible to show the hip roof correctly. 

I wanted to focus on the corner of the barn where the overhang was sagging and the flowers below that. I got to this stage, and the paint was too wet, so had to let it sit for a day.

Below is the finished painting. I struggled through, and there could be other improvements, but I don't like to overwork at painting.

"Forgotten Barn", 8x10 oil on panel

Studio Painting, "Two Old Barns"

I took several interesting photos last Saturday, so wanted to get right into painting. I printed out a photo, but it printed in black and white, which can be helpful. Then I printed it in color. Of course, the values were extreme in the photo. So, I attempted correct that in my painting.

 Process shots below:

 The shadow of the door crack on the right barn landed right at the edge of the damaged sheet metal roofing that was hanging down. It was confusing.

 So, I wiped it out.

 And eventually put it back in a bit to the right. Below is the final painting. 

"Two Old Barns", oil on panel 8x10"

Finally! A nice Saturday for Plein Air!!

What a beautiful morning we had for our plein air outing to Fairfield County Ohio to Rock Mill. We painted at this historic grist mill in 2013 and it is a lovely location! About 30 painters showed up today and everyone did some really good paintings!

Instead of painting the mill this time, I was enchanted by this small barn, with the purple phlox growing in front.

Before I got setup to paint, this happened:

Yep, that's how it goes, someone always parks in front of our views! But it was ok, since it was a painter!

Since one of my goals is to be more comfortable painting architecture, I gave it a shot.

 I was using the grey under painting technique, and quickly got distracted by this:

The Fairfield County Parks director had brought us donuts and coffee! Thanks Dave! He loves when we come to paint as he loves to see people enjoying the mill he helped restore.

I got this far along, and most people were heading out. Some wanted to go next door to the Rock Mill Brewery Tap Room, where there was also a BBQ food truck! LUNCH!

Once I got home, I worked on refining the painting. I wanted to keep a loose look and feel this is a successful painting!

Spring Phlox, oil on panel, 9x12"

Hosting a Michael Chesley Johnson workshop

I just completed hosting a workshop with my good friend Michael Chesley Johnson. I've known Michael, and his wife Trina, for about 6 years. In that time, I have either taken a workshop, or attended a retreat with him at Lima Ohio, Zion National Park, Taos NM, Lubec Maine, Campobello Island Canada, and Scotland. Now I can say I brought him to my home turf of Columbus Ohio!

This workshop has been in the planning stages for a couple years. And although Ohio weather is very unpredictable for plein air workshops, I am happy to say we adjusted well and had a great workshop for 13 artists, including me! This was for both pastel and oil artists, as Michael excels in both mediums. The group was fairly even with medium, with maybe a couple more pastel artists.

The first day of the workshop was nasty - 45 degrees with wind and rain. We hunkered down inside at the venue, but we had good light through the big windows.

Day One Photos:
Michael's first demo in pastel, with lots of information.

 In the afternoon, he stood by the big window and worked from life looking at the woods outside - no plein air, but same techniques! Oil on panel.

The students worked hard, even though it wasn't plein air!

Here's my work (5x7, oil on Gessoboard):

Day Two:
Day two arrived with clearing skies and sun, although still a brisk breeze and about 45-55 degree temps. We were able to study outside and paint!

 Michael began the first demo in monochromatic fashion to set the values in a grey scale under painting in oils.

 Then began to add color on top to match the values.

 The paparazzi swarmed the finished painting! 

Here is my work, in oil, 5x7. I enjoyed this style of working and will try this again:

After lunch and a lecture inside, we went back out for a pastel demo and lesson on simplification and atmospheric perspective:

I forgot to take photos of my work in the field, but here is a shot with lots of glare from the wet paint - 5x7 oil. I think this was my least successful painting, as I was getting tired and whinny!

 And here is a shot of all three. Color is a bit over-saturated here.

I think we had a successful workshop! I was a bit distracted through most of it. Michael and his wife were staying at my home. Two days before they arrived, my hot water tank quit. I had a technician out and he fixed it, but it only lasted 36 hours - the day they arrived! UGH. This was a tank put in my condo in 2006 by the builder, so not the best quality, and only last 11 years. Luckily, the first day of the workshop the plumber was able to come out and replace it. I am grateful to Trina, who stayed home to work on her computer, for being there to supervise the workers! They did a great job and I am enjoying fresh hot water!!