Early Riser, the latest in my Heron Series

I have always been fascinated by herons. Especially by their huge sweeping wings and the curve of their long necks as they fly straight above the water, coming to rest only to strike an equally majestic pose amid the fallen trees and branches along the shore. We are fortunate to have several herons on our lake and I although I always enjoy watching them in flight, I think my favorite heron sighting was at the end of the lake down by the beaver dams. A heron had stopped to rest and had chosen the largest beaver dam to perch on. From there he looked down the length of the lake a if he were King of Grass Lake...maybe he is.

I have painted a few heron pictures over the years; the first two in colored pencil, the third in silk fabric dye and the last two in watercolor. Early Riser began as a watercolor demonstration for Healthy Kids Day at the Y. I was part of the "entertainment" in the Arts Studio. I had started with a light sketch of the heron and the fallen tree. Then I got my paper (300 wt. cold press) sloppy wet and just let my colors run and flow. I was working with the idea of early morning colors, the reds, yellows and pinks that you find in the sky and bouncing off the water as the sun is rising.

I left much of the background vegetation as soft shapes without detail to lend a misty morning quality to the picture. And also of course to keep the emphasis on my focal point: the heron. The heron is just beginning to take flight, beginning another day on the lake. The details on the heron, fallen tree and background trees were all added later in my studio when the paper had dried. I rewet the paper occasionally to keep edges soft in some areas.

This picture has been described as having a magical quality, probably due to the luminous colors. To me, herons are a bit magical anyway. On the day we first saw the camp it was a cold, gray dreary early April day, around 5:00 pm, just beginning to lose what little light we had on that rainy day. As I stood on the dock looking at the lake with chunks of ice still bobbing in the water, I wondered "should we buy this place?" A heron flew past me, in slow motion. I was sold.

Spontaneous Image with Influences from Boom Babies, Old Advertising and SUNY Fredonia!!!

I am currently teaching a Mono Prints class at the Y Arts Studio, so I have been thinking more about how I use the mono print process and where it takes me in my creative work.

For me Mono Prints are a jumping off point toward creating an image. Although I have had a few mono prints which stand alone, as un-altered  images, for the most part I see the mono print as a beginning. I love the spontaneous look of the mono print, but I also love the contrast that comes with pairing that spontaneous image with words and forms defined by precise lines and modeled shapes.

Maybe the Blue was created in response to a themed juried show, but I can not remember what the theme was. I do remember that I was juried into the show, for this image which is based on a trip to Boom Babies to help my daughter choose a dress for her first formal. For my first layer I used a mixture of blue and purple acrylic paint printed on dark blue paper. After it dried, I added the green and yellow acrylic paint and bits of a powdered metallic gold paint. I printed that over the first blue/purple image. When I was sure everything was dry I went into my mono print with colored pencil to create the more precise lettering. The large bubble-like letters used in the word "blue" were inspired by a student graphic design project which I saw at SUNY Fredonia when I was touring the Art Department.  I worked the word "blue" in a diagonal pattern across the paper. The word is meant to be read, but I was really more interested in creating shapes from the letters.

The word "maybe" is an enticement to look closer into the image. An ambiguous word to grab our attention...maybe what???.  I love the lettering used here which reminds me of the fonts used in old-style sophisticated advertisements. The entire phrase "maybe the blue" is very small toward the bottom of the piece, with purple organic squiggles underneath and serves to balance and unify top, middle and bottom of the piece.

I love it when people ask where the inspiration comes from. Sometimes, as in this piece the inspiration comes from several places. Images, colors, forms are stored in my memory waiting to be called upon. In creating an image like this, I am telling a story, but not in an illustrative way. I am using the elements and principles of design to best suit my needs, but not always conscious at that time of where I have pulled a certain influence from. Working with this balance of intuitive and planned is what excites me when working with Mono Prints.

An Interesting Compliment

Someone Who "Gets It"

Last night I had a nice compliment on my work. Not the usual comment about my use of color though.

This person said "when I see you paintings it reminds me of what I want to be doing this summer!"

I really liked that comment because I realized that this woman "gets my work".  I am not a ground breaking, cutting edge artist. I paint what I love; which is the land, the sky, the water, even architecture.

And in my work there are often traces of humanity and what we leave behind as we step out of the scene. Like our canoes resting on the shore taking a break while we explore an island. Or an Adirondack chair waiting in the yard while we retrieve our book, lemonade, sunblock, etc
A hammock just hangin' out by the water waiting for someone to plop down, swing back and forth and watch the leaves fluttering in the breeze.


It is my hope that the viewer sees themselves in these scenes and enjoys the moment captured in paint. And then I hope they let their imagination take over to write the rest of the story.

What's new at Windy Hill Studio

What's new at windy Hill Studio??? Lots!!!

After a long cold winter I am looking forward to the hustle and bustle of my busy season May through December. Although I am busy painting and teaching year round, things seem to speed up once Spring rolls around. Seasonal galleries and gift shops re-open and art organizations hold spring shows.

This year I will again be participating in the Bay House Artisans Co-op in Alexandria Bay. I've been working on some new images for prints and cards. Of course I will have original paintings as well and some fiber art too.

I will be returning to The Thousand Islands Arts Center in Clayton, as a teacher for Watercolor and Acrylic Painting, and also doing a Family/Youth 1-day Workshop. And I plan to have artwork, prints and cards available at their gift shop.

The Gallery in Sacket's Harbor will be opening soon and we will kick off with our Spring Show May 24. I have a couple of entries ready for the show; also some things available in their gift shop.

The View in Old Forge has moved the date for their Central Adirondack Show to May, rather early compared to their usual schedule. I am hoping to get up there to drop off a few pieces next week.

I had a few interesting opportunities come my way in the last few weeks. I was selected as one of twenty women artists of Central New York for the Ignite the Spirit Show at The Syracuse Technology Gardens. Our opening reception was well attended and the food was fabulous!

The Arts Store is putting together a show called Caffeine...Love It or Leave It. As it turns out I have an image that perfectly fits that show! So I am looking forward to being part of that exhibit and seeing what other people will be showing. Should be interesting!

Stone Quarry Hill Art Park is presenting a juried show titled All things Cazenovia. I have a couple of paintings depicting Cazenovia scenes (Painting in the Art Park and Red, White and Beauties) so I plan to enter them and we'll see what happens.

I'm still busy at the Y, teaching and doing a bit of my former job as Arts Studio Coordinator as they search for a new person for that position. We've had two people in the position since I left; hope we get someone soon but it's a good thing I still remember what to do! I am planning to teach a Printmaking class for Youth and a Mono Prints class to adults. Also a colored pencil /gel pens class for adults.

Ok...time to paint!!! More later on what's new....I haven't even started talking about the teaching, the experimental work and the images from Ireland!!!

No Details Today...I'm Painting Atmosphere

Over the next few weeks I have tasked myself with trying to capture atmosphere in my paintings, particularly the acrylic paintings.  I have often worked with misty, wispy effects in my watercolors; they always seem so well suited for that fade-in/fade-out technique for portraying morning fog lifting off the  water and misty mountains.

But the acrylics call for a different approach; one that has more to do with the push and pull of veils of contrasting colors. I have been using my photos from Ireland as a basis for capturing atmosphere. And what better place than a an island full of mystery with crumbling castles, quaint villages and breathtaking scenery around every narrow winding road. A place where the locals say "if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes, it will change". And they are so right. On the day we toured the Dingle Peninsula we drove in and out of rain several times.

Dingle is one of the most scenic areas in Ireland with long fingers of land reaching out into the sea, and misty islands appearing, then disappearing as the fog shifts. Frequently a light rain blows in from the sea, washes the land and then quickly blows back out to sea, leaving behind misty droplets of water hanging in the air. Heavy clouds hang over the land, but the sun peaks through, casting dramatic shadows everywhere. At one particular spot where we stopped to take photos I was completely taken by the quality of shimmering light, not just on the water but all around us. And that is what I am trying to capture when I talk about atmosphere. Shimmering light, little to no details. But how do we achieve this effect?

I have found in my work that the push/pull of veils of contrasting colors and color temperatures (warm, cool) create a sense of subtle movement within the painting. Warm colors come forward, cool colors recede creating a sense of depth and making the viewer feel that they are a part of the atmosphere surrounding the scene. The blue/purple underpainting in the sky and water is still very visible in the finished piece. Shades of gold, rose, yellow, unbleached titanium and white were applied roughly over the under painted surface, leaving plenty of the blue/purple to peak through and add drama. I used a palette knife to apply much of the color. The palette knife deposits paint in a more random method than a paint brush. Areas of built up paint catch the palette knife as it scrapes over the canvas board. The little bits of paint left behind add a textured look to the finished piece, and in this case they also resemble bits of moisture hanging in the air.

This particular canvas board had paint built up in quite a few areas because there was actually another painting underneath: one that just didn't make it. Failed paintings can teach us a lesson and can also be the basis of something new and different. Every cloud has a silver lining...or maybe gold, or purple!

Harmonious Color and Moody Neutrals

In my two recent watercolor paintings "Good Morning Beautiful!" and "Waiting for Spring" I am working with a limited palette. Both paintings were begun in my watercolor class at the Y Arts Studio, with the intention of using each as part of my lesson plan on limiting your palette. But each painting is quite different in subject matter and mood.

"Good Morning Beautiful! started with a simple arrangement of three objects: two eggs and a lemon. The composition is simple and follows the rule of thirds grid and all three shapes are similar in that they are ovals. The colors I chose are cheery shades of yellow, orange and a very pale red with accents of white. Yellow, orange and red are analogous colors, which means they all lie next to each other on the color wheel creating a harmonious composition.

I began the painting by sketching the three objects, then painting the perimeter of the eggs and a small area on top of the lemon with masking fluid. After the masking fluid dried I painted a very light wash of yellow and orange across the paper. After the wash dried, I peeled off the masking fluid and began laying in washes of color on the lemon and the eggs building up shadows and creating depth through successive washes of color.

The grid pattern was a afterthought. I had started the painting with the intention of using it as a study rather than a finished painting. But as I worked on the painting I became more interested in developing a finished piece, rather than just a study. So the grid pattern evolved as a way to unite the elements in the composition. Because geometric patterns are visually strong they can distract the viewer from the focal point. For this reason I kept the pattern light and somewhat fragmented.

My end result is a cheery good morning in the kitchen type of painting, hence the name "Good Morning Beautiful".

"Waiting for Spring" has a more subdued palette dictated by subject matter and time of year. The lighthouse at Tibbett's Point stands bathed in washes of pale neutrals; the February sun tries to peek through the clouds, bits of mist rise off the icy water. This painting is all about that time of year when winter has worn out its welcome: the sky, water and snow often seem to be the same color. Spring is still several weeks away.

This painting began with a light sketch. I masked one side of the lighthouse, the other two buildings and part of the snow to keep the color pure white. The sky, water and snow were created with a sloppy wet-on-wet wash of blues and greens mixed with Payne's Gray. Bits of pale red and yellow were added to create depth. As warm colors come forward and the cooler colors recede (push/pull) we create a sense of space and depth within the painting. All colors, warm and cool, were kept very light, very subdued to lend to that bleak end of winter atmosphere. The addition of Payne's Gray to the greens and blues created a series of moody neutrals perfect for a February sky in Northern New York.

The only spot of color is in the red roofs on two of the buildings and the top of the lighthouse. I tried to carry bits of the red through the painting, so that the viewer would not fixate on the red roofs. There is a light red in the shadows on the snow and a bit in the sky to carry our eyes across the painting. I added a darker wash of Payne's Gray mixed with blues and greens to the water to indicate areas where the ice is melting. Details were kept to a minimum lending a somewhat dreamy atmosphere to the painting. Perhaps to keep the viewer dreaming of Spring.

Each year when winter rolls around I find myself painting at least a couple of winter landscapes. Usually the paintings are in preparation for The Art of Winter Show at the Thousand Island Arts Center. This year is no exception; last week I delivered a watercolor and an acrylic painting to the Arts Center. The show opens on Friday, but there's always a chance that I will miss the reception due to weather conditions. Painting the winter and driving in it are two entirely different things!

The winter light as it sits low and pale in the sky always intrigues me. The early morning light and late afternoon illumination are the most interesting with orange, pink and golden hues bouncing off new fallen snow; trees casting long purple/blue shadows. I never have to go far for inspiration...especially this winter. The snow covers and hides a host of problems turning everything into a winter wonderland.

This year's entry in acrylic paint was started as a demo for my Painting class at the Y. I was scheduled to teach a class called "Painting the Winter Landscape", but due to a clerical error, my class was transformed into an Intro to Acrylics Class. But, I had planned on painting a winter landscape and I still needed something to enter in the Art of Winter show, so I stuck with the winter theme.

I was working from a photo and began by lightly sketching the major shapes: tree-line, a few drifts of snow and a stand of trees near the lower right corner, no details. I omitted distracting details like power lines and much of the partly covered fallen underbrush. I under-painted using complementary colors to add more vitality and depth to the "local colors".  In the original painting some of the orange underpainting in the sky and snow peaks through, but I am not sure that shows up in the photo below. Those little bits of warm color add a dynamic interplay with the cool tones of the winter sky and the shadows on the snow. The sky and snow were both painted by mixing colors directly on the canvas when wet so that the transition from color to color remained soft and diffused, lending a realistic quality to those areas. The tree-line running across the back was painted with a variety of dark hues including combinations of Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue and Pthalo Green. I used a bit of light purple, (almost a lilac color) to lighten and subdue some of the dark tones.

When the painting was in progress the trees in the far background became a temporary focal point, due to the path of shadows leading the eye back to them. After I added definition to the trees in the right lower corner and added the arch of the branch across the path the other focal point emerged: the trees in the foreground, especially the arching branch. The trees in the far background were subdued with less intense colors and no details. I added some bits of stick-like branches poking through the snow to help lead our eyes through the picture. I painted in a few fallen trees partially covered with snow to help transition from the snowy path to the wooded area.

The show opens February 7 and runs through March 31. If you are in the Thousand Islands area stop by the Arts Center located at 314 John St. in Clayton. The Art of Winter will run concurrently with a selection of fiber pieces and weaving artifacts from the Arts Center's Handweaving Collection. The town of Clayton is quiet in the winter, but there are still a couple of nice restaurants open serving lunch. If you are lucky you will see a few hardy souls zipping across the frozen St. Lawrence River in air boats!