Pneumonia again

Yes pneumonia again. Second time in less than 4 months. Got it on the 3rd of August and its still with me. I have gotten nothing done art wise. No energy or desire at this time. All I want to do is sleep. Poor me. :)

Paintouts and things

The Ohio Plein Air Society has 2 paintouts this month and it looks like I will miss the one on the 8th since I have something like flu in my lungs. I was working on a studio painting of water lilies on a small pond near yesterday and began feeling bad with cold symptoms which lead to chest congestion and so on. Its time for the doctor and a wonderful health care "system". The lilies are, of course, inspired by Monet but its been an idea that has been nagging me for a while. I want to do some still life foliage works of pitcher plants. Since the pitcher is not a flower you can't call them "floral". They are growing in my bog garden so why not take advantage of them. Robert Mapplethorpe took pictures of pitcher plants but labeled them incorrectly as "jack in the pulpits". I should contact the Mapplethorpe foundation about this some day. Pitcher plants are phallic looking, especially Sarracenia purperia and Sarracenia alata, and carnivorous as well and very beautiful. As you can see in this photo the plants are kept in by an electric fence to protect the local dogs and cats.

Presidental duties and other things

I have been wearing my OPAS president hat alot lately since so many OPAS events are coming up in September. The Annual plein air competition at Lakeside/Marblehead, Ohio this year, the High Road Gallery exhibition and the Columbus Museum of Art Russell Page Gardent exhibition are all in mid September and lots of little details to work on. Emails flying and phone calls to get clear communication between organizers and artists established. And trying to paint. I was in painting at the Inniswood Metro park on the 19th of July and did two small works while a large annual tour was taking place. I was part of the park and the show. A live artist painting in the part was my exhibit, I was the art and making art.

This is a bed of flowers at Inniswood

I did a another of roses Crimson Bouquet

I am trying to use what I learned in Italy. Darks, grays, a feeling of distance.

The Trail to the Mountain

I pushed the darks to almost pure UM blue and grayed greens to push the trail back in to the forest. It worked.

Catching Up

I have been back from Italy for 2 weeks and am still getting my act together. I have been very negligent with my blog. I have been out painting trying to put to use the lessons learned in the Italian country side. Many of the exercises I did in Italy are just that: exercises to learn new techniques and concepts but a some have come out well. One already sold. A couple of other I hope to hang in a gallery in Columbus, Ohio. I could go on at length about how well the workshops were conducted by Maddine Insalaco and Joe Vinson of Buonconvento and how much I learned but that will have to wait till later. It was time well spent. The picture above is myself under a tent on the only day it rain on us located on a vineard near Montalcino. I am apply oil to acid free water color paper in the tradition of Valenciennes and the original landscape painter of the 18th century. It was very intense: up at 7 am, breakfast at 8, out the door to paint by 8:30 paint till 1pm, lunch in style till 2, paint till 6, critique at 7, lecture than dinner, bed by 10 and do the same again. It works.





This monochromatic study of the cottage of La Ripolina, Buonconvento was done with knife only and a mixture of burnt umber and zinc white. Values are everything. The sun is on the right and close to the horizon, shadows are deep and long, the sky reflected and scattered light. It was a challenge but fun.






This painting was done in a small stream near Montalcino in the morning with the sun on the left lighting up the right side of the stream bank and the tops of the trees. The greens contains chrome green which give a mint tone, a softer color.














This paint is the same scene but afternoon and the sun has move over to the right and now the left side is illuminated. It works well.

In Buonconvento, Italy

Well I made to Italy yesterday after a very full day of travel and hanging around airports. All flights were on time or slightly ahead of schedule including the Air France through North West Air to Paris. This flight was interesting about an hour from Paris when a very noise vibration seemed to come from the right engine of the Boeing 777 200. Scared the hell out of me but I tried not to show it as did everyone else. We went lower and the thicker air seemed to do the trick and we arrived 15 ahead of schedule. I like 4 engines better than 2! From Paris to Florence in a 4 engine something and I was asleep most of the way. Florence Airport to train station via cab for 21 euros a distance of about 5 crooked miles through town, than on to a train to Siena, which left an hour early, than a connection to Buonconvento after an hour wait. Got in to town about 4 pm, jet lagged, tired, nervious, hungry. I walked to the hotel Gilbellino about a block away by asking directions in very broke Italian and following hand signs. Checked in with Federina with whom I had been emailing with. The room is small but nice with 2 small single beds, a small shower stall with moving partisons and the heat on. I am hot and the air conditioning systems are not on since is still spring and people are cold here. I like it. I got a shower, made contact with Maddine Insalaco and Jone Vinson, whom live about 200 yards down the street, and they suggested a good local ristorante l Pogglioli (I think that is how its spelled). Sea food is in town and had a spigettie with sea food sauce, non tomato, tuscany style and a tub of minestroni soup 20 euros. Could not finish half of it. Way too much for me. Went back to room, figured out how to us 220 v with laptop and connect to the Internet and did some emails home.

Today I have been out and about fighting jet lag with a nice little walk up a country gravel road and took pictures of the country side. Beautiful in an orderly way. I surprised a ring neck pheasent out of the brush. I didn't know Italy had them. Had a wonder lunch of flat noodles with articoke hearts, mushrooms, and diced tomatoes for 6 euros. Back in room catching up on email and will up load some pics I took of the land and a art exhibit at the Museco d'Arte Sacra della Val d' Arbia just down the street.

This work is 14th century, egg tempera on wood panel. The Humility of Mary breast feeding Jesus with two saints watching. Breast feeding is very common in public in Italy and for some reason no one gets upset by it as the nut cases do in the USA.

This is Buoncovento's city hall. 16th century on the Via Casia from Rome to France.

Athens Paint Out

The big paintout happened. The weather looked like it was going to be bad but it stopped raining, the wind dropped and 33 artists from all over Ohio, Indiana, and West Virgina came and painted. It was the best paintout OPAS has held since the September Competition last year. I painted a grove of Cherry Trees and others did the same or other landmarks around Athens, Ohio.

Two in one day and other things

Well i did two 9 x12's today of the same subject from the same vantage point. It a crabapple tree that is leafing out with small red flowers. I did the first one at 10 am and the second at 4:40 pm and what a difference the light made on the leaves. I will post a picture later. Experiments in brush strokes and colors.

The big one Red Sun: Blue Snow is will hang in the gift shop at Acenet in Athens, Ohio till June. It is also for sale on the Art of Ohio web site http://www.artofohio.com/home.php?cat=310 along with two others: Jeff's World (shown here) and New Philli Sunrise.

Prepairing for the Italian adventure. Packing and stuffing and reducing weight.