Workshop Lessons

I was happy to participate in a plein air painting workshop with instructor and fabulous artist, Marc R. Hanson based at the Crooked Tree Art Center in Petoskey, MI. This workshop followed the weekend opening of the Oil Painters of America (OPA) Summer Salon Show. The show will be in the center until August 31, 2013. If you get a chance to see this fabulous exhibit, please look for my painting, "River Banks - Spring Thaw". 

Marc Hanson's demo on using a simple black and white value study and then painting those same values with color.
Square one on left is the scene with four values in black and white, below that is the same using color.

My attempt using the same exercise of Bear River.

My painting of the same scene using those principles of simple value structure.
"Rushing River", oil, 8x10

Marc doing a demo the next day at Bill's Farm Market. Here the demo is on using the same simple value structure and quickly painting in the large shapes using three - five values and color.

Below are several of my studies from that day of painting.

Painting Tulips

Tulip Garden, oil on linen panel, 11x14
Last Sunday, I met up with Barb Schilling and Barb Berens to paint at Veldheer Tulip Gardens in Holland, MI. As you can see, it was a beautiful sunny day, a little on the cool side. This is my painting, which I hope to use as a study for a larger studio painting, maybe in pastel. This painting will appear on my web site some time this month.

Tulip Beds, oil, 6x6, 2011, $250. framed SOLD
Last years painting at Veldheers in Holland.

Barb Schilling painting the tulips and windmill.

Barb Berens working on a closeup of the tulips.

Another study of a flowering tree and the brilliant tulips. oil, 6x8, $100. uf

Painting Trip to Glen Lake

Last week, I was invited by Holly to go on a day trip to Glen Arbor to do a little painting. The leaves were still on the trees and it looked like a promising day. Holly is very familiar with the area so we stopped at the base of Sleeping Bear Dunes to paint and then drove around Glen Lake. I was interested in painting Glen Lake, so we stopped at Inspiration Point, and it did not disappoint!

Birch and Sleeping Bear, oil, 8x10

Glen Lake - Autumn, oil, 9x12
Inspiration Point Looking West

Inspiration Point - Glen Lake, oil, 8x6
Inspiration Point Looking North

Art Prize 2011

"Sands of Time", oil on canvas, 30x40

My Artprize painting for this year, "Sands of Time", inspired by the dunes along Lake Michigan. Overtime, the shifting sand moves into dunes and valleys caused by winds off of the lake. Visitors walking on the dunes also have an effect on the fragile dune ecosystem. Plants help hold the sand, so care must be taken to tread lightly.

See my painting at Huntington Bank at 50 Monroe, next door to the BOB. It is hanging on the main floor, to the left of the front entrance next to the elevators. Please remember to register and vote for your favorite art works. There are about 1500 works of art within the 3 mile boundry in downtown Grand Rapids.See www.artprize.com for more information on hours and registration spots.