Boynton Canyon

Vince Fazio 18x24 oil on canvas $375.00

I did a few plein air studies of this quite awhile ago...a favorite spot to paint in early evening...this is a studio painting.

Betsey Nelson - Horse study

Betsey Nelson - Horse Study oil 9x12 NFS

As a participant in the recent Sedona Plein Air festival i had an opportunity to teach two workshops and talk with some established artist as well as beginning artists and all levels in between. I think the most common misconception that I discovered is that the less experienced artists all thought that reworking or continuing work on either a workshop piece or one of their past pieces was a good idea. All the experienced artists agree that this is a BAD idea a much better idea (with some exceptions of course) is to do another painting. Not all attempts are going to work and usually it is a much better idea to try again either with the same landscape or still life etc. or even an entirely new subject. The idea is the more you paint the more you learn and those ones that work should start to become more frequent. Everyone no matter what their skill level will create bad paintings once in awhile, and more often if they are commited to growing as a painter.

This study was just a search for information on how to paint a horse from life what to look for in the horse and the normal painting relationships i think all good paintings should have. When i had gotten that information i stopped. The study stands on its own as a study and for use when i need to do a painting.

Robert Burridge - Wine Still Life

This painting is a 6x9 acrylic on paper study, showing a strong, overall light source. I'm constantly painting glass wine bottles - and constantly exploring the play of liquid dancing in glass while also showing reflection, the changing light and shadows. 

I paint many of these studies because I live in the middle of fifty-two wineries!

Original painting on paper - $150 plus $20 shipping/handling

Michael Chesley Johnson - Golden Majesty

I'm in Sedona now for the annual Sedona Plein Air Festival. It's been a great but busy week, painting in preparation for the final Gala, which is tonight.

Yesterday, I headed off soon after dawn for Red Rock Crossing. I had one painting left to do, and I decided I wanted something with water and a tree. I'd painted my share of red rocks this week, and it was time to move on to a different subject. I found a quiet spot, and my only companions were a pair of fly fishermen who arrived at about the same time I did. I was tempted to include them, but I knew they'd make my 9x12 too busy. (Sorry, guys!)

Here's the painting. I've made it my number one choice for the show:



"Golden Majesty" 9x12, oil/panel
For sale at the Patron's Gala Friday evening (6-9 pm, L'Auberge de Sedona)

Carol Marine - "Cooped Up"

Carol Marine - "Cooped Up" - 6x6in. - bid

I got these cool peppers in the last batch from the organic farm we get veggies from. They have oodles of personality. I love them. On another note, my husband has been in Houston the past couple of days which leaves me a bit cooped up in the house, with a 3 yr old. I love him to death but he's driving me batty! So that's him inside the cup, in time out, and that's me, outside the cup, trying my hardest to be patient. : )

Sunday Life Drawing III

Vince Fazio 18x24 charcoal on paper $55

Another view of the same pose. Tricky perspective and forshortening. Fun to figure out. Looking forward to my upcoming workshop at the Arts Center. "Drawing Without Fear" We have 6 enrolled so it will be a nice class but there is still plenty of room for more.

Betsey Nelson - Arizona Strip

Betsey Nelson Arizona Strip 6x8 $350
This is the second small piece from an extended painting trip. Several pieces were done at this spot. It was a good exercise to see the changes as the sun was setting so that the changes could be noted and then pushed so the pieces could reflect the differences.

Michael Chesley Johnson - Bernard Pier

I recently taught a workshop in Acadia National Park in Maine. One day, we went out to Bernard, a quaint fishing village on Mount Desert Island. The light was overall cool, which made for some very warm shadows. You don't often see this in nature on a sunny day. I "pushed" the warmth in the shadows a bit to include some lovely oranges and reds.



"Bernard Pier"
9x12, pastel
$100+$5 shipping

Carol Marine - "Big Red"

Carol Marine - "Big Red" - 6x8in. - bid

I've been doing a series of these beautiful, red flowers. I particularly like the red/turquoise color scheme and find myself using it for most of them. Red and turquoise are compliments according to the Munsell Wheel, which I first learned about in the Harley Brown book, "Eternal Truths for Every Artist" (no longer in print). It's a very interesting wheel.

Sunday Life Drawing

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Vince Fazio 18x24 charcoal on paper $55

A twenty-minute life drawing session. This is done at an open studio drawing opportunity we have on Sundays at the arts center. It is such a popular session that we had to create a waitlist on which I am an alternate...so every once in a while I get a call inviting me to come in...Charcoal is one of my favorite mediums, it is so flexible. In my workshop "Drawing Witout Fear" we spend at least an entire day working on gray paper with charcoal and white pastel for a few highlights. Coming up November, sign up now...see my blog for more drawing samples...

Betsey Nelson - Losing Light

Betsey Nelson 6x8 oil on canvas board $350

This was done on a painting trip with several other artists. To minamize the decision factor for picking the painting spots we decided that if one of us was interested in a view we would all paint at least a 6x8. The trip became a visual diary and we probably learned more doing lots of small quick paintings rather than only a few larger pieces and we probably took more chances knowing that it was 'just" a small painting.

Robert Burridge - Tree Study #2

My favorite time of year is autumn, when the leaves turn blazing colors. With this quick tree study, my goal was to showcase a line of glowing trees. My challenge was to use the color in an effective way - and have only one tree be the "star." 

This painting started off as a "mess" and I did negative shape painting to create the treeline first,  then I pushed back the background trees with darker color, then added the brightest colors to the center front tree to create the depth. 

Original acrylic painting on paper, 10x10 $275 + 25 shipping/handling

Carol Marine - "Line for the Show"

Carol Marine - "Line for the Show" - 6"x8" - oil - bid

I got these peppers from a farm share deal we participate in here (Austin). The taste is a bit zingy but they are great to paint! I really loved the colors, especially the bits of blue in the shadows. I get that effect from shining a spot light on my setup that has a yellow cast to it (even though it's a "daylight" bulb), and then having a bit of "white" light bouncing around, lightening up the shadows a bit and turning them blue.

La Terraza

Vince Fazio 12x16 oil on canvas panel $350

This was a lovely morning on one of the terraces at the Villa in Italy where we do our plein air workshops. Next year in Sept 2009 we are offering two different weeks in Italy with Robert Burridge!

Betsey Nelson-Sedona Fall Light

Betsey Nelson edona Fall Light 8x10 oil $460

With plein air festivals in full swing i thought a plein air piece was a good idea.

Even though Sedona's plein air festival held Ocvt.19th-26th will probably not have this silver light of late fall the light can change quickly so the best defense is thoughtful approach and though a quick painting, not a hurried one. Working too fast just multiplies your mistakes but, still we seem to need to learn that again and again.