Studio Landscape Demo

"Minnesota River Valley Bottoms"

24x36

Oil On Linen Board

Below is the process of the my latest studio piece. The inspiration for this piece came from the Bottom Lands of the Minnesota River Valley. We had access to some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen in my life last fall when working on some other pieces of the area. When I saw this specific place, I immediately saw the painting I was going to paint. The feeling of the evening was of warmth and of peace. The place told a story and the light created the mood. I had and still have a clear vision of that moment and place and wanted to paint in honor of it.

I know I've talked a lot about trees before, and how can one possibly be a landscape painter in Minnesota without having some kind of a love a respect for them but I love the unique character and story each tree has and tells. When I paint a tree, I'm never just 'painting A tree', I care so much about painting THAT tree! As I see it, they are like people. Each has their own unique qualities and it would be quite unfair to not honor those qualities. No two are the same!

When painting on a large scale piece like this, I usually put down some kind of basic grid lines so that I can see where major spaces of division are. It's difficult to see where simple mid lines are when you are up close to your piece. It helps me to stay on track a bit and to avoid major tangents or center lines etc.

I started with a large brush (#10 flat bristle) and washed in my big shapes and composition using transparent oxide red (Rembrandt) and turps.

Once I got the strength or armature in the shapes that I was after, I started massing in the darks, leaving the lit areas open to help create the light effect I remembered that evening.

The dark silhouette in front was primarily Transparent Oxide Red, Viridian and Alizeran Crimson (and probably some Ultra Marine Blue). I kept it somewhat transparent so that later when I build in the next layers, I could have some of the warmth coming through in the shadow. I remember that band of dark almost radiating warmth, however it is a dark in shadow so COOL has to DOMINATE to read as that. That does not mean you have to ignore what you felt (warmth). As the layers move away from you, they get lighter and bluer. (cooler)

The next layer of darks I massed in more opaque color, using UMB, Alizeran and some yellow of some kind. (of coarse white)

The back layer of trees are the coolest and primarily used UMB, Aliz. and yellow but keeping it COOLER.

At this stage I am feeling pretty good. I'm getting my masses covered and feeling I am starting to see where the painting may be going. I like this stage because I now have a strong foundation for what's ahead and I'm never quite sure of 'what's ahead'. Kind of like a mystery you work through till the end.

I like the light effect and the light effect is the mood I wanted for honoring this place. In the foreground I started massing in a magenta like temperature. I remember the night and that the bean fields were an incredible magenta in the shadow areas. At this point I'm going with a 'feeling'. I'll figure out logic later!

Now I'm starting to build on color in the light and develop some structure somewhat in the foreground. I'm not quite sure at this point what I used exactly for color in the greens. I can tell you I did not use green. I only use Viridian for some rich darks with Alizeron.


I put the sky in. Continuing to work the entire painting. That is one thing I will mention, I always work the ENTIRE painting. I concentrate on getting the entire painting working for me before I refine any one thing. Everything is relative to everything else so it's important for me to keep moving around to keep the harmony of the whole.

Now I'm starting to try and figure out how in the heck I'm going to handle this bean field in the front. I did not anticipate this being so much of a problem. I worked and worked this front area until I got what I was after. First, I had to figure out what I was after. :) I had a clear vision of magenta so naturally at first I went over board with that 'vision'.

Ha! It's starting to work! I build and scummbled layers upon layers of warmth juxtaposing cool temperatures to create the sensation I saw that night. I must say, at this point in my painting I have come to realize that there is definitely NOT one way to do things. I believe you have to do what ever it takes to get the effect you are looking for. Let yourself respond to what it is you are painting. Not everything requires the same handling of the brush. I finding out of myself that I paint landscape because I love it. I love the harmony it provides and I love the differences in textures. I love that when the light danced across the tops of those seed pods on the grasses that it reminded me of little flecks of gold dust sprinkled across the tops. And that it was quite different than the light hitting that large heavy, mass of tree above it. They each deserve their own brush work. Some areas of this painting are thick, some thin, some bold, some delicate but all united to create one harmony.

Notice anything missing? How about a dead tree? Yes, I noticed a repeat share in the 'V' of the trees and decided it was best to redesign Nature a bit for the sake of the painting. :) I'll admit the tree went in and out MANY times in MANY different shapes.

A solution! :)

Please keep in mind that when I shot these photos I was in the middle of the painting and was not at all concerned with color etc. This was a really difficult piece to photograph with all the warmth in the greens.

Happy Easter Weekend!

"Pastel Radishes"

Oil on Linen Panel

12*16

$1200.00

Happy Easter Weekend!

This is not a new piece, (I did this a few months ago) but since I'm in the middle of a large studio piece and won't be finished for a few days I thought Spring Radishes would be the perfect Easter Weekend colors to share!

I will be posting the progress on my latest piece in a few days. Until then, have a blessed holiday weekend and happy Painting!

"Winter Song"

20x30 Oil On Primed Board

The process: This is my latest studio piece. I had an entire 2 days to work on this and started and finished within those 2 days. I started by laying in a magenta wash. (remembering the day, it seemed appropriate) That sat over night to set up. Then came in the next morning with the 'big sweep' that I was after in the painting. I drew in the character of the large tree with a dark, thin color to get it's placement and massed in the small bush paying close attention to the placement. I then started right in with massing in the far tree line with the 'average', not worrying about all the variations that would come later. The reason I needed to get in the 'average' is so I had something to relate my sky to in order to put the in sky in one session. I was aware that I needed to get the edges of the sky and tree line done in one session so they were wet into wet and the edges would meld together. (The sky was eating up the land that day creating an incredible harmony so the degree of difference between land and sky had to be very delicate and subtle) I then went in with the sky. I used the palette knife entirely for painting the sky, did not touch a brush. I started by mixing several pools of different temperatures in the same values. I used the play of warm and cool temps to create the vibration of light remembered. I worked the warmer colors on top of the cooler more magenta blue colors and worked warmer moving towards the subtle sun. I then broke in the subtle vibrating temps in the back tree line and worked the edges a bit between sky and trees. The large tree was important to me in this painting and was careful not to over render her but rather capture her character and grace. I then worked my way up to the front of the painting.

The inspiration: for this piece came from a piece of music (Winter Song was the name of the CD) and from driving around near Spring Valley Wisconsin last month in a beautiful hoar frost. We left home with every intention of painting that day and was so in awe of the day and all it's beauty, just continued to drive and photograph. Winter is so harmonious! It was just one of those days that it was simply to difficult to pick one particular spot to paint. Like many paintings I do, I was once again inspired and moved by a tree, I find them fascinating! Look at the grace in this beautiful creature. I would love to know what she has seen. . . I believe this is an old cottonwood but not entirely certain. . . . will find out this summer.

Composition decisions: When seeing this place and photographing it, I did not even notice the little wild plum tree growing in the front of her. It was not until I studied the photograph that I noticed this little imperfect bushy like tree. I had no intentions of putting him in until I began to compose the painting and realized for many reasons that he needed to be there and besides the over all atmosphere this little bush is one of my favorite parts now.

"Winter Light Boom Site"

16x20 oil on primed panel

This is a studio piece I finished last week done from a study I did on location. The light on this particular winter day was very magenta and fresh.

This is not the first time I've painted these trees. Each time in different light and different conditions. Isn't it interesting how 'a place' can draw an artist in again and again. Like the more you learn about it, the more you want to know? And, it keeps you coming back for more, and each time I'm surprised at the newness it offers. I paint these trees because I love their unique character and I love the place they are in. These trees have been through a lot during their time here. Not to mention the obvious ever changing weather elements they endure in Minnesota, but the rising and falling of the water levels living directly in the middle of the St Croix River. What great strength and dignity these trees have, and what graceful gestures in their reaching for the light!

Valentine Demo

"Valentine Bunch" - Demo

11x14 Oil On Linen Panel

This is the demo I did for the still life workshop. It was fun to move the paint around!