Windy Hill Studio Fall/Winter Newsletter

It's time for the Windy Hill Studio Newsletter!

Setting a Mood with Color

Snowy Splendor?

I recently completed two pieces for Onondaga Historical Association's Snowy Splendor: Winter Scenes of Onondaga County. Yes, in Central New York we've decided to stop complaining about our cold winters and instead celebrate our Snowy Splendor! Ok, not everyone has stopped complaining, and really, there's nothing you can do about the weather....hmmmm unless you are an artist! Then you can paint it, frame it, hang it up on the wall and have a party!

I've participated in this show for the last 4 or 5 years, each time submitting a painting of a different area of Onondaga County. Highland Forest, Green Lakes, Butternut Creek and Downtown Syracuse in the winter have all been subjects of previous paintings.

Cold Day

This year's entries are completely different in subject matter and in atmosphere. In Dickens Christmas Skaneateles, pictured above I've used a limited palette of cool blue, purple and rose tones, mixed with Payne's Gray. The resulting image feels cold, as it often is down by the lake. The only warm areas in the painting are around the focal point, which also happens to be the Dickens characters and the Christmas trim. Our eyes are drawn immediately to this area of warmth. The rose hues draw us into the painting and lead our eyes around the composition. Soft browns guide our eyes over the crowd and into the gazebo. Cool blues and Payne's Gray weave from the sky to the roof of the gazebo and down into the crowd, anchoring the composition.

Warm(er) Day

Baltimore Woods provides the setting for this piece which invites the viewer, or a solitary hiker to stop and pause for a while. The woods are quiet and snow covers much of the ground eliminating forest "clutter". The colors in this piece are very different form the Dickens painting. The rose and purple hues are warmer and color is much more saturated. Although we have strong verticals and diagonals in the picture the mood is still quiet and contemplative. The setting sun casts long purple shadows across the snow and the wooded area in the background is aglow with color. Bits of yellow sunlight play across the snow and a curving path through the tree leads us not just into the woods, but into a warm inviting area. 

Color Temperature 

In our paintings, color temperature can be used to our advantage in a few different ways. Using just a a warm or cool palette can unite a composition and lend a cohesive look to the final results. Color temperature can also help to set a mood and to tell a story. Think of an image painted primarily in cool blues and purples. How does that make you feel? Keep in mind that "cool" colors like blues also have warm and cool versions. Cerulean blue, Ultramarine blue and Thalo blue are all different in color temperature, ranging from warm to cool.

   

In a landscape color temperature often lets us know the time of day. Still life, portraits and other types of painting also benefit from color temperature's ability to set a mood. Subject matter is often the determining factor for how color temperature is used. A portrait of a charming, engaging person will most likely be painted in warm, inviting hues. 

Cold Scene, Warm Colors

I like the challenge of painting a snowy winter scene using colors that are more warm than cool. And I like looking for the color in a season that is usually white or gray. The winter is full of color. We just need to see it.

 "Leave Only Footprints" from Snowy Splendor 2015

For similar posts on painting the winter:

http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-art-of-winter.html

Catching Up, Taking a Break

Joan Applebaum, Barbara Baum, Bobbie Panek and Judy McGinn pose with Gambrinus the King of Beers.

Catching Up

After spending months preparing for two big events I decided to take some time off from studio work to attend to some things that had fallen by the wayside. The events were both wonderful and all-consuming and I was cramming in preparations for each as I was trying to keep up with my regular studio work. Exhausting! 

The first event was the 90th Anniversary of the CNY Branch of The National League of American Pen Women. I should start by saying we celebrated our anniversary for an entire year with special exhibits, field trips and events. And seven of us went to the Pen Women Biennial in Washington DC, an unforgettable experience.

(Above) Five members of our group outside the White House West Wing just after our private tour.

The culmination of our year-long celebration was an exhibit of art, poetry, prose from current Pen Women and artifacts from our 90 years of history. The exhibit was held at Onondaga Historical Association---the best place in town to celebrate history! We also gave out "Friend of The Arts" awards to three members of the community.

I was in charge of the art/poetry show and the exhibit of artifacts. Which means that for a few months a whole lot of artifacts sat in my living room waiting to be combed through and either selected or put back in storage (AKA still in my living room). 

Being a history buff I was in my element when I was sorting through the artifacts and placing them on display at OHA. But alas, the exhibit is over and I still have several boxes in my living room.

Many people were involved in making our Pen Women 90th Anniversary Celebration a success--too many to name here, but essentially the entire CNY Branch of the NLAPW and Onondaga Historical Association! What a great night it was.

And if you would like to learn more about the NLAPW visit  www.nlapw.org

And On to the Next Event

As soon as the Pen Women event ended I started attending to last minute painting and details for my show at Tyler Art Gallery @ Oswego State Downtown. I was delighted when Amy Bartell the director of the gallery asked me back in 2015 if I was interested in showing my work in the Fall of 2016. I had planned on this show being a little different from my other exhibits. I always try to have a general theme (I'm usually all about the landscape and water) but this time I wanted a slightly different twist on my usual.

Land, Sky, Water

Land, Sky, Water are themes I have visited often in my work and this time I selected that theme but with a specific direction. This time I was concerned with painting atmosphere, rather than specific imagery. I had a few images all set for the show but planned on creating a few more. As it turned out I painted seven new paintings to go with seven other paintings I had done previously. I was very happy to sell a painting even before the show went up on display! But by the time I was done I needed a break from painting.

The opening reception which was part of the Downtown Artist Series, was well attended. There were friends from Syracuse, North Country artist friends, fellow Pen Women, friends from church and many students from SUNY Oswego.

The Downtown Artist series also featured the work of two student artists: Graphic Design student Melissa Digiovanna and Poet Milo Licata. Melissa, pictured here with her mom and yours truly,
 created a poster based on the colors of my painting "Daybreak". Milo wrote two poems based on my work. After the student presentations I gave a short artist talk.

Taking a Break

So, after these two big events I decided to take a break from the studio (yeah remember that from the first paragraph???) and concentrated on removing wallpaper, spackling walls, painting and otherwise finishing up the kitchen renovation started way back in the summer. Then I went onto tackle a few more neglected things on my list. And then a few more. Then it was time to put up the Christmas decorations.

All the while I kept thinking of my next painting. Break's over. Time to get back to the studio.

Oh, and those boxes of Pen Women artifacts are still in my living room.


Related Link:
My show Land, Sky, Water will be on display at the Tyler Art Gallery @ Oswego State Downtown until January 20, 2017.
http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2016/09/daybreak-land-sky-water-ive-been.html

"Daybreak" watercolor

10 Days of Walking in the Winter Wonderland, Day 8

"Leave Only Footprints"

It's Day 8 of 10 Days of Walking in the Winter Wonderland and we still don't have any snow here in Central New York!

The inspiration for today's painting comes from the trail around the lakes in Green Lakes State Park. As you can see I wasn't the first hiker on the trail that day; there is a well worn path through the snow. 

Once again I have chosen to paint the time of winter day that I find most interesting, late afternoon as the shadows deepen.

"Leave Only Footprints" was painted for the "Snowy Splendor 2014", Onondaga Historical Association's tribute to winter in Onondaga County. The painting was reproduced in the Syracuse Post Standard Stars Magazine and received a favorable review from Art Critic Katherine Rushworth.

"Along the Towpath", the watercolor pictured below was also in Snowy Splendor that year. I don't know about you but my cross country skis are feeling really neglected this winter!  

And tomorrow we'll look at the Winter Sky. See you then!

News From Windy Hill Studio … New Year, New Directions, New Art Shows!

Well here we are 9 days into 2015! It's cold and snowy outside but I'm in my nice warm studio making plans for the year at Windy Hill Studio. And with my new plans comes a couple of new classes as well…and this time I'm the student, not the teacher!

Next week I will begin a 12 week online Art Marketing class which I am really excited about. In addition to that I have registered for a Blogging class at the YMCA Downtown Writers Center. So, for a while I will have less time to paint, but should come away with some valuable information.

That doesn't mean you won't see my artwork though. I am part of the Winter Recipe show opening January 30 at the Syracuse Technology Garden and the Art of Winter Show at the Thousand Islands Arts Center in Clayton opening February 6. I still have a couple of pieces in the Snowy Splendor Show at the Onondaga Historical Association, which will be on display till March 30. And of course the Spring, Summer and Fall months are filled with shows (more on that later). 

For me the winter months are a time to re-charge, experiment and come up with some new ideas before my busy season, May through October begins. I'm currently teaching classes in Pastel and Drawing (using colored pencils, watercolor markers etc) and hope to incorporate some of those media into my watercolor and acrylic paintings. Teaching always keeps me fresh as I strive to find new ways to inspire my students. And as all teachers know…the teacher never walks away from a class without learning something themselves.

Got to go now, my studio calls…..

Happy New Year!