Fellow Painters, supposedly friends??

I have been doing National Plein Air events since 2006. Over the years I have met many wonderful painters who have be come friends. I have always enjoyed the events since they took me out of my current environment, midwest, and exposed me to new ideas and other influences and schools of thought. This is always a great thing, just like visiting different museums to get inspired by the men and women that came before us.

However with these events there is also a little thing called competition.
I have played basketball since the 4th grade through out my college years and would consider myself to be somewhat competitive. Would even go so far as to say I really enjoy a good bout of trash talking.
So naturally this trash talking usually begins very early in the year. Now remember those "friends" I spoke of earlier, the guys I have met and think highly of ?  Well maybe it is time to find some new friends. I received this the other day via e mail from one of those supposed friends a NEW DVD Release.

Let the games begin!!! :  )

Nicolai Fechin

About a week ago I finally made it up to the Twin Cities to see the Fechin Exhibit at TMORA.

I took the little guys along as well seeing that they were so inspired by the Van Gogh movie "A Lust for Life". I figured they needed to know about some really great Russian art. They were like kids in a candy store, as was I. They took in the show then went and grabbed their sketch pads and went to town, love seeing that!

What a great show, nothing like seeing Fechin paintings in person, they rarely seem to read as well in the reproductions I have seen. Picked up a great Fechin book in China last fall and those that were in that show were actually in that book but again they did not reproduce very well. Nothing beats seeing the originals.

The texture of course always amazes me, as well as the looseness, however the drawing is spot on. So precise and yet so spontaneous, at least it gives that appearance. Also his color harmonies are so lush and yet so natural, such a fine line to walk between. Naturally I went back in the studio a changed man. Throwing on paint and having a ball doing it. Of course that was with some reserve, it is so hard to break habits be it good or bad. It is very liberating to let loose, again as I have seen over the years, it is also the hardest thing to pull off, correctly that is.
That guy knew what he was doing.

Below are some images form the catalog they posted online.