Columbus Museum of Art Exhibition

The CMA is hosting a plein air exhibition and art auction for the Ohio Plein Air Society beginning Sept 10 - 18th. Members of OPAS, myself included, have made plein air painting of the Russell Page garden which will be destroyed to make way for a new museum expansion. We have submitted our painting to a judge who will decide who will be in the exhibition in the museum. I submitted one which took about 3 hours last Thursday. First real painting since I became ill.

It looks it too :). I call it Garden as Teacher for there is a lot to be learned in plein air by painting this garden with its shape angles, solid geometry, sculptures, and foliage. Not at all like the gentle feminine landscape features of Italy or Ohio

Its Monday

Well its Monday. I look at the calendar and I see so much time gone and little to account for it. Too many sick days and recovery days to get much done. Over the past week I have been cloud studies using oil paint on water color paper. I like the feel of it and they dry fast. Turner and Constable did this in their oil sketches and studies. September is coming up and OPAS has a lot going on.

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.