July / August -Easton Plein Air- Easton MD

Once again, the trip to Easton has already come and gone. My how time fly's.

As always Easton has proven to be a wonderful and productive experience. Thanks to the folks of Easton, hosts of the event, volunteers, collectors, Margaret and Dick Welch our wonderful host family, as well as fellow artists for another very enjoyable year.

I have been going to Easton for the past 4 years now and as always I leave there with more inspiration and insight then I did the year before. I spent a lot of time with my house mate, Greg LaRock which as expected led to some very in depth and entertaining conversations as well as good painting time together. Got up too early and stayed up too late chatting but all worth it.

Tim Bell on the other hand was up to his usual mischief. Strong painter, very passionate, and enjoys a good bout of trash talkin'. We both have very competitive backgrounds from years of b-ball and rugby. Tim continues to push the boundaries and as always helps to get me to think outside of the box.

I really cherish going both east and west and all of the continual influences I am exposed to, all of which continue to make me grow as an artist.

Off to prepare for SLO, Laguna and Sedona.

It truly was a blast and not because Bell was tossing firecrackers all around Talbot County!

As a plein air painter for the last almost 20 years I have used the old standard easel, being the french box. It worked for many years however it has tipped over even when weighted as well as I was finding it difficult to step back, hold my palette as well as keep a hand close enough to keep it from moving in the wind.

The tripod easels do not allow me to be as aggressive as I like to be however . . . . my troubles are over.

This easel rocks, like no other.

I was informed by Tim Bell, very talented and expressive painter in Maryland 2 years ago and finally got one, long over due.

I have taken it out in very windy conditions ( over 35 mile an hour winds) and I was beaten up and knocked around but this easel held its ground and did not budge.

I love it because it enables me to step back.

I even keep my turp cup a good 12 - 15 feet behind me to make sure that I do step back, bad habits are hard to break.

Telluride CO Plein Air Event

Absolutely GORGEOUS!

Any direction, any view, absolutely amazing.
I have painted at Glacier National, been to Estes Park, traveled through Italy painting, and yet Telluride is probably the most beautiful place I have ever been to. It was definitely overwhelming and happy to go back and settle down a bit. First trip out.
I guess that is to be expected.
This trip my inspiration came mainly from nature however Paul Casale, a very fine Jersey painter, good with a joke as well, turned me onto Edward Seago. British chap with a great deal of talent and beautiful use of grays. Very impressive on capturing a particular mood and environment. Thanks Paul!
Everywhere you look there is something to be gained.

Finally - Blogging with a laptop

I wasn't really sure where I would be going with this blog, with 4 young kids, travel, life, etc., however I have had a desire to jot down ideas and influences as they have crossed my path.

This laptop will enable me to do just that.

For example in June I went and gave a workshop at Stone Ridge Farms in Bucks County PA.

Great group, great B and B. Beautiful area with a lot of old east coast charm.

I was given the opportunity to paint and tour at Daniel Garber's studio and home.

It was very inspirational.

I also spent some time taking in a few Edward Redfeild's at the Michener Museum.

Talk about plein air at it's finest!

So much paint and yet such a sense of light and luminosity. To my understanding he would experience a scene and view it many times prior to actually painting it, then dive in and complete it in a single 8 hour session.

Talk about holding an image in your head.

Between Edward Redfield and William Wendt, thanks to my dear friend and wonderful artist Greg LaRock, my CA connection, I am definitely looking at the wold with different eyes and insights. Not being timid, seeing and painting in color, building off of what is presented to me but being ready and willing to interpret, enhance and seeing beyond the obvious.

The Purpose of this blog

At the encouragement of a few friends I have decided to do this blog. Not knowing much about blogs or what purpose they have or how it would serve me, I am actually excited to see where it will lead to.
I began teaching back in the late 90's after spending much time and having many conversations with Irving Shapiro, American Academy of Art in Chicago, who was a fantastic watercolorist, instructor, as well as a very kind person. I was always surprised when he said he enjoyed teaching because of all that he got and took from his students as well as gave them. At first blush I didn't really buy into this but after many years of teaching I could not agree more. I truly enjoy teaching and the continual process of learning. Given that, I do see some real benifits for doing this blog. I guess it may add some clarity or insight into where I am going with my thoughts as well as my art.
After spending much of my early training in the midwest, Palette and Chisel, Chicago, I was delighted when I first traveled out to the east coast. All the new influences, different schools of thought, as well as all the diverse painters really got me to start thinking outside of what I was trained to believe.
Now recently, after finally making a trip out to the west coast, and just as expected, I was absolutely thrilled with all of the California painters both living and those like Rose, Wendt, Payne, to name only a few. Again due in part to the area but also other variables, I was fascinated by the styles and thinking of the west coast painters. So now heading back into my studio for the long winter months, I feel I am in a better place to dig deeper and see where all of this will lead.
So I guess this blog for me will be a place where I can jot down ideas and to dig a little deeper and see what door may open this time. After all every experience is always well served.

Where do I start?

So much to say and so little time.
Not sure where I should even start.
I guess I am going to have to ease into this, maybe tomorrow.
Thank goodness there is always tomorrow.