Journey Back into Plein Air: This, That and the other thing!

It's been a hectic time around here! I have managed to start a painting or two. If not painting, I reviewed some photographs for future paintings!

THIS
On Thursday, June 5th, my one (wo)man show reception was held at the Middletown Arts Center. With all the storms earlier in the week it was a sunny, although windy day.
So windy that the rain soaked land decided that they just couldn't hold some stressed trees around the city. Well, whenever you have that situation, the electricity wires are in trouble! Yep--you guessed it! The reception was held despite that fact the electricity had gone off at 4:00 that day and was still off at 6:00 when the reception started. It didn't stop folks from stopping by, viewing the art (thank the stars for the big glass doors and windows!), and enjoying some great wine and food. Everyone had a good time joking about the new way to view art--using our imagination and creativity in what we were looking at--and at about ten till eight, the electricity came on to which the refrain of "hey--there's art on the walls!" could be heard!!

I'd like to thank everyone for stopping down and to Deborah Rumford for taking the snapshots shown here and for her help in setting up and being the great friend she is. I'd also like to thank my hubby, Tom, for being a great bartender--hopefully his golf game will improve from all the tips he received!

;-)

Linda displays one of Kevin Macpherson's works that was a special surprise at the Opening Reception.

The exhibit called "Places I Remember" will be on display through the month of June. After that, it moves to the Atrium (not all of the exhibit--just some of the paintings) out off of I-75. It will be at the Atrium through July.

All photographs courtesy of Deborah Rumford of Rumford Productions.

THAT
Time is approaching for me to go to New Mexico to paint with Kevin Macpherson and to meet both him and Wanda (his wife). While Kevin, Wanda and I have been in touch via the phone, it will finally be nice to actually see the two of them. My painting gear has been shipped out and now is the time for mental preparedness and last minute nerves to set in! Seriously, I'm looking forward to being a sponge--trying to take in all I can while in the presence of this Master. I won't be updating the blog while I'm gone (unless there are computers at the hotel I'm staying at), but I plan on writing a "blog" on paper that will capture what I learned each day. A sort of decompressing of knowledge on paper so I can clear the mind and get some sleep!
I'll update the blog with those learnings as soon as I can.

THE OTHER THING
There was a sort of study that has been rolling around the head for a while. The Golden Gate bridge in the yellow/purple complements was the first in the series that I wanted to do. The other day I started the second in the series. My intention is to paint the same scene of the bridge from Baker Beach but do so in the three different complement combinations. The second in the series of three is the blue/orange complement combination. The third is the red/green complement combination. I'm hoping that this exercise/series will explain the palette in each of the complement areas and help with color mixing of the two complements that will ultimately "hold" the painting together.

While painting this study, I found myself doing some good things instinctively that I hadn't done before. Even though I'm still at the foundation level of the painting, I notice that I'm getting more confident in my brushstrokes and therefore becoming more painterly. I patted myself on my back (for once!)and noted that Kevin's advice of painting smaller and painting more really does help you improve quicker. (Don't you just hate it when they are right?!