Saying Goodbye To Grandma & Grandpa Lindsey

 

This painting I painted as a surprise present for my wife, for Christmas.   This painting has a emotional, poignant  meaning to Donna.  Last September Shaunna (in the picture) and Christina went to the site of where my wife and her siblings combined the ashes of their parents (Sherman & Rae Lindsey),  Shaunna came to say goodbye.

As a artist I decided to use photo editing software to move Shaunna from the right of the picture closer to the tree on the left of the picture (see above picture).

 

 

 I then took the edited photo out to the studio and sketched it onto the Gesso Board I decided to paint onto.  I just did a outline sketch.   Sometimes I do a full shaded black and white sketch, but did not feel I needed it I had a pretty good idea where I was going with this painting.  I anchored the sketch with a fixative spray.

 

I then washed in a thinned paint layer to block in the main compositional elements.  As you can see I was not trying to do any work up of the image.   My goal with this stage is just to recheck the composition and its elements.  I was satisfied with what I had so I then began by painting in the ocean and distant land.  Working forward I began to paint the rest of the painting, taking time to stop and re-evaluate as I went.

Donna was thrilled with her Painting.  Nothing is better as a artist to know you have created something that has meaning to someone.  I painted this painting for my soul mate, and it came from the love I have for her.

Nymph's Prayer at Wonder Lake

NYMPH'S PRAYER AT WONDER LAKE - 20" X 10" Oil on Canvas.  Finished it this morning.   Have to let it dry.  Will take another look to  re-evaluate it in a week to see if I am still happy with it.  I have had this painting in my head for over 2 years now.  My daughter Christina suggested the flower pedals (thanks Christina), that was the perfect addition to the painting.

Nymphs, Nixies are spirits of Nature, they represent fertility.  They also personify the dangerous undercurrents of the depths below.

You will need to visit Denali National Park in Alaska and take the all day bus ride to Wonder Lake, and just maybe you will be lucky enough to spy the Nymph of Wonder Lake.

Test

This is just at test.

Arts & Craft Emporium

Brian Sherwin -- Art Critic: Painting Never Died

Brian Sherwin -- Art Critic: Painting Never Died: "Painting Never Died: Lately I’ve been reading about the past claim that painting is dead. This bold charge still makes its rounds today on..."

Winters Kiss

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Winters Kiss 9 x 6 Oil on Richeson Panel - Small little oil painting.  I really had fun playing with purples, oranges and pinks in this painting.  Captured the mood I was looking for...cold, isolation and a peaceful snug warm cabin in the wilderness. I will more then likely do a larger major painting of this in the future after the holiday shows are over.

Holiday Food & Gift Festival

I will be in booth 1058 along the East Wall, new paintings and prints

At Rest - Step by Step development of the Painting.

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Pencil sketch, then washed in purple over sketch to lock in the design.  This gives me a better look at the composition and allows me to make any changes before I start, sometimes I will do more shading then I have here.  But I want the sky to be the focus so letting that happen first.

Stage 2 sky colors block in.  With a large brush I have put in the base colors for the sky.  Slightly blended with a Badger Blender.  Will work up the sky with finer detail as we go.  Added some of the sky color to the water in front of Mt Susitna ( The Sleeping Lady ).

Stage 3 - The Sky is mostly done.  I have painted Mt Susitna and the Alaska Range behind Mt. Susitna.  Painted in the water colors and shadows.  Started blocking in the Fishing Boat and foreground.   Will definately have to cool down the forground.  But it is time to run some errands and spend some time with my lovely wife Donna.  Will get back to it on Sunday.

Stage 4 - Good start this sunday morning, cooled down the foreground.  Worked up the water to a more complete stage.   Will work the midground unpainted area next, then start on the boat.

Stage 5 - Finished. I cooled down the foreground even more.  Painted in the Midground hills.  Shifted the values so that the distance is the main focus, and the boat secondary focal point.  Adjusted the water more and did some clean up and slight tweeking.

 

My Palette - Shows my palette colors and mixing area.  Being Right handed I keep it on a cart on my right side.  Learning to keep my mixes small areas and not use more paint then I need.

 

 

Gurney Journey: Epoch Times Interview

Gurney Journey: Epoch Times Interview: "Two days ago, the international magazine Epoch Times published an in-depth interview. You can read it in German at this link to the online e..."

Denali Blue

Denali Blue - Oil on 6 x 9 Panel - I orginally started this painting in totally different colors (see prior post).   Was not happy with how it was going, so let it dry and redrew the composition and changed the colors to get the mood I was looking for.  Much happier with it now.  This is painted on a Jack Richeson panel which I had never used before so took a little while to work out how to apply the paint on it correctly.  Painted in a Sydney Laurence style of work.

Autumn Knik River

 

Autumn Knik River - 16 x 20 Oil on Panel - As you can see I toned down the "Radioactive Green" Pond as my buddy Don Kolstad called it.  I also added the foreground foliage.   To tone the water down and not loose the luminosity I mixed up a glaze of Ultramarine Blue, Paynes Grey and Burnt Umber.  I did one glaze over and let it dry 24 hours they did a second glaze using the same mix.  I am pleased how this has turned out.  After it dries some more I will get it to the photographer then to the frame shop.

On Saturday I had the pleasure of demonstrating Michael Harding Oil Paints at Blaine's Art Supply I got to paint all day in the store.  It was the grand opening for the new store, huge turnout, great sales.  What could be better.  I worked up a 8 x 10 painting and gave it to the owner Rene.  The Michael Harding Paints, were awesome to paint with, they are really high pigment loaded, and "silky smooth" to paint with.  So yes I bought some new paints and brushes.  I started a 6 x 9 painting, but was not happy with how it was going (see pictures below)  so I decided to sketch over it and change the composition a little and the color choices to get the desired "mood" I was looking for.

 

Larry Seiler's Blog Post: Aiming for Minimal Essentials

I have posted the link below to Larry Seiler's new blog post.  It pretty much sums up my evolution as a artist. Like Larry I started out with Wildlife painting and extreme detail in my works.  As I have grown in confidence as a artist I realize more  and more that you can leave out certain details and let the viewers imagination fill it in.  The skill is knowing what to leave out and how to "imply" detail.  Read his post it is dead on.  Thank you Larry for putting into words what I was unable to do.



http://larryseiler.blogspot.com/2010/10/aiming-for-more-minimal-essentials.html

Celebrating God's Creations Art & Music

The Alaska Plein Air Painters paint indoors during the winter when it is to cold to paint outside.  The Anchorage Lutheran Church allows us to paint downstairs there.  When asked to display our art with a concert they were planning we jumped at the chance.  Was a great evening of music and art.

3 Week Drought is over....ahh thats so much better

Been 3 weeks since I have been able to spend sometime in the studio and get to work on this piece again. 
Got up early and went out to the studio, started to work the water in the green pond up.  Added the darks to the water and worked in the weeds and reflections in the water, wanted the bright color in the reflection but wanted it subdued, so it would not take attention away from the main interest the trees in the middle ground.   Worked the green Alder trees in the right area.   Will let it tack up over night and then bring in the foreground trees and bushes.  Keeping in mind not to take away from the main area of interest.  I am getting real excited to see this painting finished it has come together really well - so far.  

Painting Adventures In The Rain

20 Mile River Adventure -  On Saturday Scott Thompson, Karen Mattson and I went up 20 Mile River in Scott's boat.  Despite the constant rain we figured we would take our chances and see the country and hope for a break in the rain.  After we got the boat launched and packed, I was about half soaked but a cup of hot coffee and a donut and away we go.


We worked our way up the river and took pictures through the rain.  We went up one last tributary to take pictures.  As we stopped on a sandbar, the rain let up and stopped.  So we quickly set up our gear.  As you will notice we were all "packing", bear country!   Once we started to paint the rain said "Suckers" and the real downpour started.   We gave it a valiant try but alas had to call "Uncle" and pack it up.  Karen was painting watercolors, Scott was painting in Acrylics so you can imagine how well that went.  I was using oils but had a senior moment and did not think to bring a oil primed canvas panel, instead the acrylic panel soaked up the water and the oil paint ran off just like a watercolor on wet paper.   After all these years you would think I would know better.  We had a great time, despite the lack of painting.  Great photos for future work to come.  But we promised ourselves when the weather is sunny next summer we will head up river once again.

Stage 3 Knik River - Work up the mid ground

Mid Ground Area; Gravel, Main Trees, and the small trees on the right back.

Got to paint before the Football Games this morning.  Worked up the dark low treeline on the water in the distance.  Also added darks and lights to the gravel.  Worked up the right trees in the mid distance.  Then went to work on the main trees.  What fun to play with bright colors of fall.  

I have included a picture of the whole painting along with the picture I am working from.  I took this picture with my friend Don Kolstad when we were Plein Air Painting a few weeks ago.

 

100K Trees? Nope Just Implied Them

Stage 2 Knik River Painting - 16x20 on Gesso Panel - I finally got to paint after 6 days.  I more or less have finished the background.   Looks as if I painted a couple 100K trees, nope not a one, just implied the trees with color values.  Took about 3-4 hours to work the background up to my satisfaction.  Will work the mid ground next. Lots left to work on, but so far I am very pleased with how it is coming together.

Including a look into my small studio in the picture below, space is tight, so yes it is crowded. but it is home when I am creating.  Me and Oreo (my dog) head out and loose track of the hours when I turn on the stereo and paint.

Knik River - A Begining

Started a New Painting on Sunday - Sunday as I watched the football games in my studio I sketched out 5 paintings onto panels for painting.  Took most of the day to get them right.  I knew I wanted to start one and get a wash of color onto the panel.  Was a hard decision which one to start I like all the compositions.   But I decided since it was a Sunday and the image I was using was from a picture I tool Last Sunday. I would go ahead and work on this peaceful scene.  The view is towards the Chugach Mountains and Knik River in the distance.  this big flood plane area is a favorite for 4 wheelers, motocross bikes.  It was a nice hot fall day, I loved all the colors and how green the little pond was in the foreground.  The calm water shows the reflected colors of the trees so well.   I included the picture for you to see where I am taking the scene from.  This is just the start of the painting.  I just wanted to get a wash in for a reminder for me of the colors.  I intend to get the other paintings started also with washes then will work them up.  Not sure which will capture my desire as the artist, sometimes you are surprised which ones you can't leave alone.  Feels great to be painting again!!!

It's not Age .... It's the Mileage!

This is a milestone month for me.   I have been working at Medical Park Family Care Inc. in Anchorage Alaska now for 30 years!   Where has all the time disappeared to.   Painting is my passion and second vocation.  Like most artists my "real" job pays the bills.

I can honestly say I find it hard to believe it has been this long at MPFC.   I have managed the Radiology Dept. since 1980.   I still enjoy my job; which is a blessing.   This is a compliment to who I work for, who I work with and to the patients we serve.   Some of the patients I have watched grow up from children to now bringing their own children to our clinic.   Three of the doctors who originally hired me at MPFC have  retired and one of the doctors sons is now a doctor practicing at our clinic.   Only one of the original Physicians is still working, Matt and I are the "Old Dogs" here now.   We have been through lean and tough times and good times at MPFC, through it all, I have come to love the people I work for and with.   The "Family" part of our name is truly accurate, we are a family and it has been like most families, some struggles, and some arguments but through all of that we have always had respect for each other professionally and personally.   I have learned so much about life from my peers at work and from our patients.

One of the gifts of working in Medicine is that you are reminded constantly just how good your life is when you have your health.   your health is so important.   Money and all the material aspects of life mean nothing without your health.   The other major gift of working in Medicine is that you learn how strong and wonderful some people truly are.  I have learned more about personal strength from patients that have faced some incredible hardships in life and how their attitude has helped them through.   Some have battles that they lost, but they never gave up fighting and realizing how lucky they were to have another day of life.   I have always tried to remind myself of these lessons when life's little hardships come my way.  Most of the time I succeed and take the curve balls with a grain of salt.   Sometimes I let them get me down, but usually not for to long.   As my body ages I can't do all of the things physically I could as a young man, and that is okay.  I have learned to enjoy life more as I get older and value family and friends as the true reward in life.   So the mileage has taught me good things.

In art I have a saying about learning to paint.   "It is not always talent that makes a good painter .... it is brush miles that make a good painter."   What I mean is talent will only take you so far, but it you are willing to paint, paint and paint you will become a good artist.   Practice and practice is what can teach you how to become better at all things, not matter at what age you are.

Remember "It's not the Age .... It's the mileage!"

Oil Painters Are Interesting People

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Most of my Artist Friends are very interesting people. Most know how to enjoy life, look for the beauty in life.   As we paint we know the light changes and every thing will look different in 2 hours.  This helps you see the world as a constantly changing and amazing thing.  One of the most pleasurable things is I look and think how that looks now, and what might it look like when the light changes how will the shadows change what will the composition appear like.  In other words sometimes we see the world through a child's eyes, everything is new and exciting.  Or maybe it's just the fumes from the paint thinner?

Below is a painting I have on the easel, It is about half way finished.  No detail work is done yet.  I have the lower half to work up and add more stuff to.  I am thinking about possibly cutting the top quarter of the painting off totally.  What do you think?   Give me your thoughts please.

 

AFAP Award Ceremony

AFAP AWARD CEREMONY 2010 - Last night was the Award Ceremony and First Friday show of the Top 30 entries in the Art For Alaska Parks competition.  A wonderful turn out.  Grand prize went to Robert Clayton for his painting Winters Blanket.   Best Landscape went to David Rosenthal for his painting Stranded Berg.   Best People in the Park went to Robert Clayton for his painting Clamming on Cook Inlet.   Best Wildlife/Bird went to Suzie Althens for her painting Tides That Bind.   People's Choice went to Robert Clayton for his Clamming On Cook Inlet.   Peer's Choice went to Karen Crandell for he painting Portage Glacier.  Honorable Mention went to Mark McDermott for his painting Eagle River.  I personally want to thank all the artists who sent submissions in, they were the best we have had.  I also want to thank our Judges John Van Zyle and Linda Infante Lyons, yu both did a great job and I know how difficult that was.