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.

Orchard Blossoms II

  The weather here has finally turned and we had beautiful weather for plein air painting this past week! I was able to paint in the orchards three times this week and hopefully again next week unless the forecasted rain puts and end to them.

   With each orchard painting, I felt like I was improving. Painting trees with white blossoms is more difficult than it seems. The trees are a slightly darker value than the blue morning sky. The core of the tree is a darker value than the sunlit grass on a flat plane of ground. The white blossoms are really not white but should appear so in the painting. I used cool and warm tints.

Apple Orchard Reflections, oil, 8x10, $250 unframed

The subject of an orchard and reflections in a pond. The tree on the right was not so pretty, so I used my artistic license and substituted another.

 Another morning, I tackled this difficult subject of a back lit orchard. 

The corner of an apple orchard, backlit in the morning light.

The start of my blocking in the large masses. I was working on the  apple tree masses when I took this photo, trying to figure out the right tone.

Apple Orchard - May, oil, 11x14, $400 uf

This study will translate well into a pastel painting!

Thank you for viewing my paintings! Please contact me if you are interested.
To see more plein air work see my website: www.KalinowskiFineArt.com

Orchard Blossoms

With the beautiful weather West Michigan experienced this past week, I was able to paint two more times in the orchards. The apple trees were just starting to blossom, so I chose plum and pear trees, which are the first to bloom. This is a progression of the painting session which took about two  hours.

My subject, a plum orchard.

A wash of transparent oxide brown and yellow ochre. Then massed in the trees with middle value grays.

I left out some of the grass area, condensed it, to add the road for more interest on the left side of the composition.

I spent a considerable amount of time, probably too much, on the tall back ground trees and the negative space of sky holes.

My palette consisted of T.white, cad yellow lt., yellow ochre lt.,  cad.red lt., Aliz., ultra blue, cerelean blue, viridian, transparent oxide brown and maganeze violet.

Plum Blossoms, oil, 9x12

The Magnolia Tree

    Tuesday marked the first day for my spring plein air fling. I went back to a favorite painting spot to try to improve upon last year's attempt (and the year before that). The magnolia tree is beautiful in all it's glory for a short time...usually about a week. I love this short quote by William Shakesphere: "Rough winds to shake the darling buds of May...". I am happy to report that this was a mild and warm week here in west Michigan, so the blossoms stayed on the tree and the plum trees are in their prime.

   This post includes pictures of the painting spot and progress pictures. Just as I started to paint, a flat-bed truck slowly went by me with honey bee boxes that the orchard farmer had rented. The bees did not bother me until I was trying to open my car to put my painting gear away. Several bees did not like me so much, there was a lot of buzzing about, bees in my hair, bees in my car, etc. I must have looked like a crazy woman trying to flee. Oh, the perils of plein air painting!

The subject

Starting with a light wash of transparent oxide brown.

A notan wash to lay in the masses.

Color block-in

A more developed tree...

The Magnolia Tree, oil on linen panel, 9x12

Stay tuned for the next day's painting spot....

March Plein Air

Today I went out plein air painting. It was in the mid 30's with bright sunshine, I soon felt overdressed!

This place is near to my home and I discovered it last fall, thinking it would be a good painting spot. I am set up on a flat earthen ledge, held up by a tree and the roots. I kind of felt safe, though I was concerned about my sled of equipment sliding down into the river. Overall, I was excited to try this new size format for a painting panel. I am also thinking that this composition will translate well into a larger painting of the same subject.

A start.... using a limited palette of Titanium white, Chromatic Black, Yellow Ochre Light, Yellow Ochre, Cad Red Light, Transparent Oxide Red, Transparent Brown, Alizarin Crimson, Ultra blue and Cobalt Blue.
The panel was already toned with raw sienna and dry before I started. My medium is Gamsol, Linseed oil and damar varnish in a 5-1-1 ratio. The easel is a ProChade box kit by Artwork Essentials. It fits into a backpack!

Making progress....

"River Banks - Spring Thaw", oil on linen, 8x16, $950 framed
The oil primed linen is mounted on a birch panel. A pleasure to use!

As you can see this final picture of the painting was taken in my studio and the lighting is different than the outdoor light. The studio light is more on the yellow side.

Winter Plein Air

Recent plein air work painted from a bridge on Mill Creek.

Mill Creek I, oil, 8x10

Mill Creek II, oil, 8x10

Happy Valentines Day!

Plein Air in Townsend Park

"Bear Creek", oil, 8x10, $500. framed, $250. unframed

"Leaning Pine", oil, 8x10, $500. framed, $250. unframed

Beautiful sunny day, lots of fresh snow, no wind, temps are bearable, time to paint outside!

Day 27 - "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

Fresh Snow - Old Barn, oil, 8x10, SOLD

This is the second painting from the Saturday plein air painting session.  I loved every part of this subject, esp. the unique stone wall. It was nice to have the sun and all of the fresh snow on the trees!
This painting just might be next years Christmas card!

Below is a picture taken by Richard Jordan, the organizer of PAAWM, while I was taking a break in front of my easel. I was having a nice conversation with Sharon Pendula, the creator of Pleinly Speaking blog. If you would like to know more about the PAAWM, read the blog about this past paint out, please check out these links!

Thank you for viewing my paintings!

The easel is an Easy L Prochade box by Artwork Essentials.

Day 16 - "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

Cloud Study I, pastel, 6x6

$195. framed with a custom gold frame and AR glass.
Add $20. shipping and tax if applicable.Send an e-mail if interested in purchasing this piece.

This is one of two studies that I did yesterday from a plein air work and photos of the place. I will post the other one tomorrow. The plein air painting (below) was painted on a windy October day and the clouds were amazing to watch, they changed every few seconds. It was hard to grab onto a pattern of clouds, let alone get the tones and colors close to correct. My intent is to use these studies along with the oil that I did on location and paint a larger studio version.

"October Sky", oil on gessoed panel, 12x12, $600.uf

Day 9 - "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

I am trying something a little different for the next couple of paintings. I also am following along with the AMO challenge of creating an all white painting. Since we still have a little snow, I set up this still life in the front yard. Amazingly enough, we also had sun and it wasn't too cold, so here is my plein air still life!

Winter - White on White, oil, 8x10, $100. uf.

This painting is also part of the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" challenge. To see more paintings visit this blog.

Painting From Studies III

Along the Bay, pastel, 18x24, $1500. framed

I just finished this pastel based upon the oil plein air study below.  I totally relied on the study for most of the painting. I had a few photos of the water, rocks and foreground that helped a little.
I like the vibrant color of this pastel and the loose freshness of the study. It really is hard to capture that same feeling when painting in the studio. That is why painting on location is so important to a landscape painter. To remember the feeling of the day, to simplify and edit, to record the colors and tones that natures gives us that create a natural harmony.

Bell's Bay, oil, 6x8, $300. framed

Plein air study on Bell's Bay, Charlevoix, MI.

More October Plein Air

Autumn Fields, oil, 12x12, $800.

From the Pumpkin Fields, oil, 9x12, $650.

Icehouse and Barn, oil, 12x16, $900.

October Morning II, oil, 6x6, $250 framed

October Morning I, oil, $250. framed

Pumpkins for Sale, oil, 9x12, $650.

River Banks, oil, 12x9, $650.

October Cornfields, oil, 9x12, $650.

I was very happy to get out on those warmer mid-October days to paint out in the field. My duck boots are still mud caked, but soon to be switched to warmer winter boots!

October Plein Air

I haven't been able to get out to paint as much as I would have liked so far this month. Now that the St. James Court Art Fair is finished, I did get to paint with Holly Sturgis last week and I went to the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute just on Friday to join the PAAWM painters. The day was sunny and brisk, very enjoyable!

Cedar Creek, oil, 12x9
Painted on Dowling Road.

Natural Beauty Road, oil, 14x11
Painted on Giles Road, south of 4 mile.

Pond in Autumn, oil, 11x14
Painted on Cedar Creek Road.

September Plein Air

Country Home, oil, 9x12, $650.
Last week I painted with the GVA plein air group at the Frozen Creek Farm. 

Glad Fields, oil, 11x14, $800.

White Farm House, oil, 9x12, $650.The childhood home of an old school friend.

Hope you enjoy my recent plein air paintings for the month of September.