Alice Kelsey - Art in the Making

Thinking of Spring

2012-02-14T19:41:00.001-05:00

Here's a pastel which I finished today, featuring one of my favorite finds of spring- apple blossoms! I know that we're not quite there today, but I was happy to pull out an image which I started last spring from blossoms from an old variety apple tree that came with our farm. It's one of those tall, older varieties, that creates a nice sculptural form at the edge of our pasture. It was joyful to remember this tree and spring while working on this piece today!

Exploring and Sketching at Black Moshannon!

2012-02-07T21:06:00.000-05:00

Black Moshannon State Park

Yesterday, I loaded up my backpack with pastels and easel, lunch, and a luxury item of a thermos of hot coffee, and went hiking in Black Moshannon State Park.

I feel renewed and curious about this unique place. The bog ecosystem seems to suspend season and time- traversing moss-coated, lumpy, rhododendron- lined sections seemed like being in a rain forest- wet and lush, more water than land. In other sections, there was snow and ice, and deciduous trees more typical of central PA. As I walked further into the interior, I passed by springs swelling from the ground, vigorous enough to create small streams heading for the lake.

Reaching a quiet inner rhythm after a while, I realized that much of my connections with the place were with sound and touch, rather than my usually predominant visual sense. I heard the wind sweep the treetops, musical bubbly trickles in the springs, and my footsteps squish in mud and moss, crunch on winter berry, and silent on sandy stretches. Warmth beamed from the sun and coolness from snow. Time seemed hard to finger.... saturated and savored richly in the moment, yet somehow evaporating before I knew it.... I guess much like the wetland itself! I did a few pencil sketches, yet the greatest treasure from the journey was the touch and sounds of the earth here where they are so close to the surface to share in, and fill my heart and spirit.

Handmade Pastel Palettes

2012-01-31T16:53:00.000-05:00

Here's a photo of a wonderful gift from my husband! He used his woodworking skills and ingenuity to create five shallow wooden boxes to hold my pastels for in-progress paintings. This temporary storage system allows me to keep a 'palette' for each painting that I'm working on, saving the time and sometimes challenging hunt for finding just the right color for a given work. It also suits my style of creating, often working in bursts over weeks to months on each painting, resting the work until I'm clear what it needs. The curly maple box (foreground) and walnut box (on left) each contain pastel pieces which I am using for paintings this week. The boxes stack (see three stacked boxes at top of photo), an are easy to store on a shelf away from my working surface- also helpful since my studio space is small. Another nice design feature that Tim invented is the use of different woods for each box- easy to tell apart, and pretty to boot! Thanks, Tim!

Paintings Off to New Home!

2012-01-25T20:16:00.000-05:00

I spent much of the morning today packing two paintings snugly in foam-padded Airfloat crates, and delivering them in to the hands of FedEx to ship to their new home! One of the paintings, pictured above, was recently included in a national juried exhibition in VA. I'm really happy that the works were selected to become parts of the lives of others and reach farther out in the world!

Start and Finish!

2012-01-09T16:10:00.000-05:00


"Field and Fall Woods in Mist", Pastel, 11 x 16 in

In-Progress

Here's a pastel which I just finished (top photo). Looking back to where it started (bottom photo), I'm surprised to see how much it 'grew', and some of the ways in which it needed to change that I couldn't know until I got going with it- kind of like a trek in to uncharted land. Unlike most of my works (which begin en plein air), this one derived from a photo which my husband took at Camp Woodward. I began the pastel as a demo during the pastel workshop which I taught with the Standing Stone Art League this fall, and the bottom photo shows the wash technique which I wanted to teach (see brush strokes and transparent passages). I like to keep starts loose and simple, to establish energy and related shapes, which can be built upon and refined once present, yet are hard to add on as 'retrofits' late in the process. I liked the mood of calm interest (mist and bright colors), and arc forms, and centered the painting around these elements. Part way through, I extended the arc in the left foreground (lower left field) all the way across the image to 'support' the right side and balance the arcs elsewhere in the painting (in trees, background ridges, and the negative space of the sky). I'm pleased with the 'wholeness' of the finished work, and can look at it a long time and still find more to notice. It's fun and instructive to see 'before and after'!

Pears Are Ripe!

2011-12-20T21:41:00.000-05:00

"Three Pears and Reflection", Pastel, 9 x 12 in

Here it is! Off the easel and ready to frame! I enjoyed the powerful color and seeing unexpected colors as I worked, especially in the areas where color reflected. The fruits were influenced by the background color and vice-versa, and the shadows had rich color as well.

Some Snow and Sketching

2011-12-19T20:33:00.000-05:00


Alice Kelsey sketching at Shingletown Gap

I enjoyed hiking and sketching with a friend at Shingletown Gap this weekend. The light snowfall accented the woods colors, and the sounds of the stream were peaceful to be near. We sketched with pastels for as long as the cold air permitted, and I came back home feeling renewed, and with a field sketch and memories of the time and place which may lead to a studio work this winter. I'm so glad to live close to woods and streams and open places.

In the Works

2011-12-14T16:36:00.001-05:00

Yeah! Color on the loose! I've been working on this still life of colorful pears today, luxuriating in the bright colors, and the warmth of the wood stove next to me! I'm hoping to put the finishing touches on tomorrow. The photo shows my portable pastel box, a basic set carefully chosen for a range of values and colors, ready to drop in a backpack and go anywhere to paint!

Time for Still Lives!

2011-12-12T19:56:00.000-05:00

I'm in the mood for color as the great outdoors has turned to neutrals, and spent much time today setting up a still life in the studio. This 'set-up' process, of selecting items, and turning or moving them this way and that, and choosing lighting surprises me again and again in how much time and attention it takes. I don't know of any sure fire short-cut to finding a pleasing arrangement, so allow for trial and error to try things out until I feel an 'ah-ha!' about shapes, and 'oh, look at that!' about color, and then I'm ready to paint! I also cut and mounted paper today, so I'm all ready to start painting tomorrow morning. Can't wait to get at it!

Gratitude

2011-11-26T16:29:00.000-05:00

I'm grateful for the love and sharing within my family, and have been enjoying time with everyone home during Thanksgiving break. As I've spent a few days away from the easel, and the house fills with music, and the smells of special meals and the woodstove, I'm very thankful for this center of home and family. This warmth in my heart carries over to art-making, a foundation for openess and expression. Many thanks , family!

Fall Colors and Light

2011-11-21T19:13:00.000-05:00


"Fall Light at the Little Juniata River- Plein Air"

Here's a pastel which I painted recently outside, and feel that creating it out in the elements helped to capture the sense of light and color, and 'feel' of the place. As I paint outside, I see more and more, often unexpected or subtle aspects of the place, and a sense of connection which I think comes through in the work. I like the poem-like quality of this plein air painting, capturing the essence of the day and place, and framed it without any further modifications in the studio. I'm sitting next to the painting right now, and smile looking at it, remembering the light on the far bank and the current of the river, and I'm glad that I was there!

Painting Outside at the Little Juniata River

2011-11-02T19:43:00.001-04:00


Alice Kelsey painting at the Little Juniata River

Wow! Warmth AND sun yesterday! What a nice time to be out painting along the Little Juniata River! I really liked how the afternoon light, which is very horizontal at this time of year, streaked across the trees, and lit up the far bank. There were a few trees with bright leaves still left, reflecting in the water as well. I started two pastels, and will post them as they develop.

Workshop Wonderful!

2011-10-30T15:32:00.000-04:00

I really enjoyed sharing my love of pastels while teaching a workshop last weekend sponsored by the Standing Stone Art League. Sixteen talented, enthusiastic artists gathered, and explored the wonders of the pastel medium during a full day workshop. I appreciated the well-lit, spacious facility, and advance planning by the art league, so that when we gathered together, everything fell in place, and we could enjoy the work. I loved seeing people connect with this medium, and hope that many will incorporate pastels in their artwork from here on!

I'd love to hear from participants about their completed paintings, and will post an image of the landscape which I started as a demo. as I develop it- stay tuned!

Teaching Pastel Workshop

2011-10-18T07:08:00.000-04:00

I'm excited about teaching pastel techniques in a day-long workshop with the Standing Stone Art League this weekend! It sounds like there's a lot of enthusiasm for working with this medium (the workshop is full!), and I can't wait to share some of my experiences with the wonders of pastel, and the creativity and skills of others!

The Show is On!

2011-10-14T14:19:00.001-04:00


Alice Kelsey with collectors Leslie Smith and Dwight Florence

The show is on! Twenty three of my recent oil and pastel paintings are exhibited and available for purchase in a solo show near Media, PA! I enjoyed sharing my work and discussing it with others at the opening reception, and seeing my paintings in the well-lit, inviting exhibit area. I appreciate the comments about my work from viewers seeing it for the first time, as well as those who have followed it over time. The above photo features two collectors of my work, whose insightful feedback, and support I greatly appreciate. We are standing in front of the large oil on linen which I recently completed, "In the Woods- Light" (see photos section of Facebook for image).

The show continues through Dec. 2, and is open to the public daily from 9 am - 6 pm. For details & directions, see http://www.pendlehill.org/events/690-paintings-by-alice-kelsey Please share your impressions with me if you get a chance to see the show!

Framing For Show (and Slight Cat Incident)!

2011-10-04T20:27:00.001-04:00

Yeah! I've finished framing ALL the works which will be in my solo show which opens in three days in eastern PA, near Media! It's been a busy time, and I'm thankful that I started well ahead of time, since the matboard took two weeks to find in my favorite type of warm off-white, and ditto with two gold-leaf frames for oils. Aside from a cat jumping up on a finished mat (aargh!!!), the framing went well, and I'm VERY pleased with my new work and can't wait to show it as a group, and share it with others! Here's a link for more info. about the show http://pendlehill.org/events/690-paintings-by-alice-kelsey

Evolution of a Work - 'Light After Rain'

2011-10-02T23:13:00.000-04:00

I chose a new challenge for myself to go out plein air painting with watercolours, and it turned into a pastel painting that I'm really pleased with! I haven't used watercolour much, and feel pretty lost with it because the paint is translucent, and colors can not be lightened by overlaying them. So this requires very different thinking and approach than oils or pastels. Here's the finished pastel.

Alice Kelsey 'Light After Rain,' Pastel, 12" X 17"

I felt clumsy while making the watercolour sketch, yet in the process of painting, I noticed more about the scene. This site is about half a mile from my house, where I often hike or ride horses. I decided to make a pastel of this painting since I liked the atmosphere of the scene so much. The sketch was just enough to remind me in the studio of the colors and composition.

Initial watercolour field sketch

This photo shows me reviewing the painting with my husband, when it was nearly finished. The area where I'm pointing ended up being the place that I felt a need to put in a darker line which I felt the work needed to be complete. Compare this image with the final image above, and particularly note the space where I'm pointing, and to its right. Without a darker line there, the parts just didn't feel like they connected to me. When I'm completing a painting, I look for the overall balance in the work, and I feel free to adjust the scene to achieve this sense of the parts fitting together as a whole- It is a bit difficult to describe this process, but it has a lot to do with how my eye circulates throughout the painting, without becoming stuck in one spot (or leaving the image).

Reviewing in-progress work in the studio

Hooked Rug in the News!

2011-09-26T20:17:00.000-04:00


'Sheep and Lambs- At Peace' (Hooked Rug)

Yeah! The Centre Daily Times published an article in today's paper about the hooked rug which I designed and created with a group of fifteen local residents to benefit 4-H. The rug took two years to hook, and was completed this summer just before the Grange Fair, where it was auctioned for a sum of $1500. All proceeds were donated to 4-H for youth scholarships. The article (see http://www.centredaily.com/baldeaglearea/index.html) describes the history of the project, with quotes from several people involved in the project, who ranged in age from 8 to 93! Many thanks to all who helped out- it was enjoyable and successful in so many ways!

Framing Time!

2011-09-19T15:46:00.000-04:00

I feel like the squirrels running around gathering supplies for the winter! I'm busy preparing for my solo exhibition which opens on October 8, and am ready to frame a 'crop' of new pastels and oils. I'm glad that I started to 'forage' well ahead of time, since some of the supplies are taking a while to find..... hand-guilded gold frames are coming from GA, length moulding for pastels arrived from VA, my husband is hand-crafting a floater frame from native PA maple for a large oil, and mat board is back-ordered from the distributor in the soft, off-white tint which I prefer. So..... I've found lots of tasty supplies, and as soon as they land on the ground in my studio, I'll be off and running cutting mats, and assembling framing components. I'm really excited about my latest work, in both oil and pastel, and can't wait to put on the finishing touch of harmonious frames! See my website (www.alicekelsey.com) for more info. about my show.

A Weekend Making Music

2011-09-17T06:33:00.001-04:00

I'm really excited to leave in an hour to participate in the weekend-long folk music gathering at Greenwood Furnace! I play guitar, and enjoy playing together with my husband (banjo & guitar) and son (fiddle), and meeting many other nice people and learning new tunes at this annual event (see http://folkgathering.com/index.html). I especially love old time music- the soulful, simple, rural music of the Appalachian region- it feels like 'home' to me, having heard my grandfather playing it as I grew up. He is the one who taught me to play guitar and to draw, and I feel a special kinship with him in both of these forms of artistic expression. And now I share this music with my own family!

Plein Air, Little J!

2011-09-15T06:59:00.000-04:00


Alice Kelsey painting at Little Juniata River

My friend and fellow artist and flyfisherwoman Jeanne McKinney and I went out painting together at the Little Juniata River in Huntingdon County. The river was up after heavy rains last week, yet we managed to find 'perches' on the banks to set up our easels. The sun light up the river, and a bridge across it, and it felt wonderful to be outdoors immersed in earth and sky and water, and painting the magical colors and movement in this special location, and to share the experience. Here's Jeanne painting at the spot she found at the water's edge:

Jeanne McKinney painting at the Little Juniata River

Here's the Wash Version

2011-09-10T20:08:00.000-04:00

'Honey Creek- Misty Morning' (wash)

A reader reminded me recently that I hadn't followed up with the last version of the Honey Creek paintings where I've been experimenting with the effect of wash techniques. So here it is, the version which involved a 'wash', where early on in the painting, after blocking in major colors and lines, I liquified the pastel with mineral spirits, and brushed it in with a bristle brush. This creates a semi-translucent underpainting. After this dried, more pastel was applied on top.

And for comparison, here's the first version, which was created with dry pastel only (no wash). I'd enjoy hearing from you about the look and feel of the two versions, and if you sense that the wash technique affected the look of the final painting. Comment replies are welcome!

"Honey Creek- Early Spring" (no wash)

Visit toToledo Museum of Art

2011-09-06T20:32:00.000-04:00

My family and I toured the Toledo Museum of Art (OH) this past weekend, and I feel renewed with appreciation for the aspects of works of art which can be seen in original works with greater strength than in reproductions. I loved exploring the touches of the artists' hands in the visible brushstrokes, and build-up of paint on the surfaces (facture), and find so much expression in these movements. I still envision the surface of a large Rothko in the collection, with veils of color, and modulated edges, and large scale (size= about two of me!). Exploring the painting reminds me of gazing in to a pond, contemplative, with both surface and depth to gaze not quite in to or through. A photo of the Rothko is posted on my professional FB page ('alicekelseyartist'). I also really liked the DeKooning which was nearby- also a large canvas, with great wide energetic brush strokes (looked like they were made with a 4" house brush), and masses of color so seemingly simple yet in such pleasing interfaces. I also enjoyed seeing the Monet water lily, with thick and thin passages, areas of bare canvas, and radiant color. Seeing these works in person inspires me to paint freely, 'follow the brush'!

Painting Accepted to National Exhibition!

2011-09-01T22:11:00.000-04:00

I just received the good news that one of my paintings ("Honey Creek- Early Spring") has been accepted to The Maryland Pastel Society 'Shades of Pastel' National Juried Exhibition! The show opens on October 26 and runs through November 20 at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA. I'm very pleased that my work was selected for inclusion in this respected show, from submissions by artists across the country. A really nice affirmation!

Solo Show Coming Soon

2011-08-30T20:37:00.000-04:00

With crispness in the morning air, I'm reminded that we are approaching Fall, and it won't be long until October 8, the opening of a solo exhibition of my recent oil and pastel paintings! I'm looking forward to seeing the work together as a whole, and sharing it with visitors and staff at Pendle Hill, a Quaker residential study center near Philadelphia. Since I have been a life-long member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and grew up in eastern Pennsylvania, it feels especially meaningful for me to exhibit my paintings in this setting.

The exhibit is open to the public, and will run through December 3. A reception is scheduled for Saturday, October 8 from 1 to 3 pm, and I would be delighted to meet with you and share my work. Directions and more information can be found at http://www.pendlehill.org/

Colors in the box

2011-08-22T21:13:00.000-04:00

Here's my box of pastels out in the wild (en plein air, at a painting site). I often find that it's hard to keep these bright, energetic, pure pigment sticks contained...... they're raring to jump out of the box, and on to paper! So I listen to the ones that seem especially insistent that they have something to add to the scene, and pick them up, and lay down the color, and over time, they all get a turn!

Plums Done

2011-08-18T20:52:00.000-04:00

"Four Plums", Pastel

Here's a pastel still life which I completed today, featuring bright, colorful, locally grown plums!

Plum Still Life and Plein Air Forays

2011-08-15T20:58:00.001-04:00

The harvest is on at our local fruit farm (Way Fruit Farm, near Stormstown)! I painted on location there twice this week, chasing evening light, and starting four pastel landscapes. It was beautiful where the slanty late day light streaked across the fields, playing light and shadow across the contour of the land. The challenge was to narrow down a portion of this fantastic scene to fit on paper, and also to paint fast enough to keep up with the changing light. I think that the sun moved faster than me, but a lot of the colors are still fresh in my mind, and I will work on the 'starts' tomorrow. I love the unique colors which I discover as I paint outside, and the freshness and feeling which emanate from plein air works.

I've also been working on bright and colorful still lifes of plums, enjoying the color harmonies in these sweet little fruits. As the paintings finish 'ripening', I'll post images- hopefully in a few days. Stay tuned!

Hooked Rug Finished!

2011-08-11T22:31:00.000-04:00

This hooked rug has been almost two years in the making, and is now donated to the Centre County 4-H Sheep Club to raise scholarship funds. It will probably be displayed and auctioned at the Grange Fair, and maybe you can stop by to see it. I designed the rug from sketches which I made at a friend's farm, and still recall the very cold February day in the midst of lambing season when I made the sketches with my ski gloves on! I liked the way the sheep interacted with each other, and their overlapping shapes. A group of more than a dozen 'hookers' met about once a month to work together on the rug, which is made from strips of wool from garments such as skirts and lightweight jackets. The wool strips are looped through an open-weaved backing, and loops are formed by hand, inch by inch, until after two years it is all done! Many thanks to all who helped to make this beautiful rug, and I hope that the 4-H Sheep Club is able to raise generous funds from it's sale!

Wonders in the Carnegie Museum of Art

2011-08-09T14:25:00.001-04:00

I loved exploring the collection of the Carnegie Museum of Art this past weekend. It was like walking through art history books, since the works are laid out mostly chronologically, and grouped by general art movements/schools. I really love seeing original paintings where the facture (surface texture) and brush strokes are evident, and the colors vivid. I especially liked works by Henry Ossawa Tanner, John Leslie Breck, Jiro Yoshihara, Mark Tobey, John Henry Twachtman, Franz Kline, and Mark Rothko. There is also a large water lily panel by Monet, that I sat and contemplated a while. In the photograph, you can see the large Franz Kline- I really like the strong gestural elements of this work.


Alice Kelsey at the Carnegie Museum of	Art, August, 2011

Evolution of a Work - 'Woods Mystery'

2011-08-07T19:54:00.000-04:00

I really like the peaceful harmony in this painting. It has a kind of mystical feeling to it that I think, in part, is due to how it evolved. In both shows where I've exhibited this work, viewers have told me they see a spiritual essence in the painting- I'm touched by these comments, since it is what I experienced in creating the painting, and it is very satisfying to know that these feelings come across to viewers.

Alice Kelsey. "Woods Mystery." Oil on canvas. 18" X 24"

I started the painting with abstract shapes and colors, with no subject in mind (what artists call an 'evoked image'). Although I often start my works out on location, sometimes I like to work in this other way, where the image comes out in an unexpected way. Here's what it looked like after the first day. The arc forms suggested trees to me, and pretty soon the painting was of woods.

'Woods Mystery' - early stage.

I adjusted the location of the trees, seeking a pleasing rhythm. Some were added, and some were removed. I removed a lot of the green from the left foreground by painting over it, since it seemed to be in the way of my eye entering the image. I also felt a need to simplify and unify the distant woods, and a purple-grey seemed to accomplish this, and fit the mood.

"Woods Mystery" - almost finished

At this nearly complete stage, the main thing that bothered me was the green at the upper left. So I took it out.

Many, many thanks

2011-08-04T16:05:00.000-04:00

I'm very grateful to my husband and best friend, Tim Kelsey for his partnership, and support of my art career. From creative ideas, to woodworking skills (he built my studio and framing room cabinets, and makes frames), to computer skills (he created my website and blog and business Facebook page), Tim has helped immensely in my path as a working artist. Best of all, his consistent belief in the value of art, and the quality of my art in particular, has sustained me through thick and thin. Thank you, Tim, for your help, and the love which we share!

Facebook Debut

2011-08-02T16:58:00.001-04:00

New frontiers! I've started a professional Facebook page to showcase my artwork, and the latest happenings in my art career. I'll post recently completed paintings, upcoming exhibitions, and share some of the journey in my path as an artist. Posts from this blog will also be linked to the Facebook page. I'm thinking about photos and maybe a video of some plein air excursions for viewers to get a feel for the search for a motif, and some of the interesting, unexpected things that happen along the way. The URL is:

http://www.facebook.com/alicekelseyartist

If you get a chance, take a look, and I'd appreciate your feedback! 'Likes' on the main page (click on 'like' button at the top of the "Alice Kelsey- Artist" wall page) will keep you in the loop on future posts, and also help me reach the criteria set by Facebook to customize the URL. Hope you like it!

Evolution of a Work - One scene, two paintings: "Calling" and "Near and Far Fields"

2011-07-31T17:20:00.001-04:00

These two paintings, a pastel ("Calling") and an oil ("Near and Far Fields"), helped give me faith in the process of searching and revising that seems necessary in the creative process. As often is the case for me, the initial inspiration began at a real place, where I loved the pull of the triangular shapes towards the distance, with the near-ground anchored by the round bale. I sketched this on location in pastel, and later added touches back in the studio, leading to the finished pastel painting, "Calling."


Alice Kelsey, "Calling" Pastel 7" X 17" Sold.

I then had an urge to carry the image over to a bigger scale (17" X 40") in oil, and I chose jute (rather than more conventional cotton canvas) with its rough diagonal weave as the support for this earthy scene. However, everything changed at this scale. After I roughed in the composition similar to the pastel, it just didn't hold together - the elements together didn't seem to draw the viewer into the scene as they had in the smaller pastel.

So I proceeded with a number of revisions, adding more bales - it just felt like there needed to be more mass to anchor the composition at this larger scale.

Oil version - first revision. Many bales. 17" X 40"

This still didn't seem to do it. I just felt more stuck about the foreground, so I painted out a bunch of the bales, feeling that the tension between the two remaining bales would draw the eye in.

Oil version - second revision. Only 2 bales. 17" X 40"

But I still wasn't happy. I let the painting rest out of sight for several months, and then when I pulled it out to review, I realized that it really was a different painting at this scale than it had been in the smaller pastel. I shifted focus to the rhythm of the trees in the hedgerow, moving them until the intervals between them felt balanced. I removed all the bales because they were distracting from the overall scene. I think these changes work in helping the eye dance a bit through the foreground, yet still search through the trees towards the farther fields and woods. So that's where the title came from- this search of conveying the feeling of mystery of moving into a landscape.

Alice Kelsey. 'Near and Far Fields." Oil. 17" X 40" Sold

In the end, I think both the oil and the pastel convey this interest between the near and the far, yet in different ways. The pastel feels energized and the oil kind of peaceful. Both paintings share a common origin, but went different directions. I learned a lot about how the scale (same proportional shape but different size) of a painting requires different compositional elements.

Show Season (and a misty sunrise)

2011-07-30T18:18:00.000-04:00

I've been busy over the past several days selecting work to submit to regional and national shows. It takes a fair amount of planning and desk work to attend to this, which I don't particularly enjoy. However, I do find it very rewarding to send my paintings out in the world, and hear from others about what they see and feel when viewing them. I'm especially fulfilled when the emotions or forces in the natural world which inspired the work, and guided me through it, come across to the viewer. I also enjoy seeing others' work in exhibitions. So I took care of the computer and paperwork tasks, plus fit in a 6 am sketching walk, finding a lemon sun veiled by morning mist across the stream which is sifting through my being, likely to develop in to a painting :)

Richard McKinley Presentation

2011-07-28T00:23:00.000-04:00

I attended a slide presentation by nationally known pastelist and workshop instructor Richard McKinley last evening, and appreciated his insights, tips, and examples of his beautiful work. His reminders about the importance of big shapes in the composition, willingness to take risks, and advice to not over-develop a painting by spelling out every detail all resonated with me. I also enjoyed his stories of unexpected circumstances on plein air journeys. Many thanks to the Central Pennsylvania Pastel Society for bringing Richard McKinley to central PA!

Paintings Find New Homes!

2011-07-25T23:33:00.000-04:00

I'm very pleased that four of my recent paintings were purchased last week! There's lots of new ones underway as well which should soon reach fruition!

Plein Air, Thunder Brewing

2011-07-25T21:41:00.001-04:00

I went out sketching this morning, scribbling quick graphite sketches as the sky darkened, and a bit of wind picked up. I was hoping to work on a pastel on location at a nearby farm, where I love the layered recession of fields and hedgerows in morning mist. However, with the sky rumbling with distant thunder, I figured that it wouldn't be possible to get my easel set up and finish a pastel, and there was a risk of lightening, so I adapted to scampering around with just a pencil, small sketchbook, and colors registering in my memory. After eight quick sketches, sure enough, along came rain, and closer thunder chasing me back to the car.

Even though I didn't harvest what I sought, I felt the stirrings of nature itself, and felt connected, and found some other views I'd never noticed. One of these little sketches may later grow in to a painting... too early to know. Even if it doesn't, the bonding with the land renews me. And I'm glad for the rain which we really needed!

Been to the Woods

2011-07-21T17:06:00.000-04:00

I went out on a walk early yesterday morning, and found sunlight streaking through the woods, gently lighting up tree trunks and ferns. I did a a quick pastel sketch on the spot, and may give it a go on a larger oil since I keep thinking about the scene and the colors. I felt grateful for being there, and maybe I can capture some of that sense and that special light on canvas.

Been Backpacking

2011-07-12T08:33:00.000-04:00

I've been out backpacking with my family, and enjoyed being out in the woods, and exploring new places. We hiked a section of the Loyalsock Trail, and traveled through beech and hemlock, reaching waterfalls and a few vistas. Some off-trail exploring also revealed a secluded mountain stream pool, just right for getting wet and cool! Now I'm back in the studio, working on oils developing from the sketches of water lilies and pond, trying to get those rich colors and the wonders of water reflections!

Going Exploring!

2011-06-30T10:20:00.000-04:00

I've completed a series of seven oil sketches of water lilies and the pond, and while these images are 'sifting' and germinating within, I'm going outside for something completely new and different- backpacking! I've learned that I often need to allow images from plein air (on location) sketches to 'rest' a while, to process within me, so that something with a sense of wholeness and depth can emerge in new works which derive from the sketches. It's kind of mysterious, and something that I can't force, but know that I need to allow. I'm excited by the images which are underway, and am looking forward to seeing how they come together.

Meanwhile, I'm going out to explore woods and streams where Ive never been, looking forward to the physical challenges of up and down miles, and discovering what I don't yet know to look for! I'm taking a little sketchbook along too.

Water Lilies

2011-06-20T17:08:00.000-04:00

I've made several excursions to a nearby spring-fed pond appreciating and studying water lilies. On site, I'm struck by so many aspects that appeal to me- color, rhythm, reflections, and shapes (from the details of each lily to the pond as a whole). Most of all, I'm enthralled with the way these elements inter-relate in a very fulfilling whole, and am searching for ways to express this rich and complex balance. I started with pencil sketches on site, and am now working on oil sketches in the studio, searching out ways of expressing these patterns and connections. I'll post images as they come along.

With and Without Wash

2011-06-10T09:54:00.001-04:00

No Wash

With Wash

O.k.- so here they are- both paintings are photographed in the same light so that they are directly comparable. I'd love to hear from viewers about impressions and observations about the look and feel, similarities and differences, between the two paintings. If the 'comments' button doesn't work, you can send your comments to my email (alice@alicekelsey.com) and I'll post them. What do you see?

By the way, the difficulty which I experienced in comparing the images the first time that I posted them (see June 2 blog entry) in the end was a helpful reminder about how lighting affects the colors in photograph of a painting- comparing the Wash painting in this entry (photographed with halogen 'daylight' bulbs) and the previous entry (studio sunlight and daylight florescent lighting) shows profoundly different colors. The real painting looks like the photo above.

Readers Relay Impressions About Wash Technique

2011-06-03T16:57:00.000-04:00

There seems to be a temporary glitch with posting comments to the blog site, so in the interim, I'll add readers' comments as a new post. Here's some impressions which readers have shared, and I really enjoy hearing your observations!

A reader from CO reminded me to follow up the "To Wash or Not to Wash- That is the Question" post from April with this comment:

"How fascinating the question of using a wash or not - where are the results? Now you've got me curious... "

So then I posted an update with photos (see last post), then received these comments:

A Reader from CA says:

"I think there is a very pronounced difference between the washed and unwashed pieces.

You must have used different colors in the composition, or else the lighting for the photos is very different. The washed piece is much more yellow and bright, in the photo looks like an early (~9am) spring or summer morning with the ground mist still slightly hanging in the air. There is bright light on the water and on the ground through the trees. The leaves on the trees are not distinct. The lighter green on the foliage to the left suggests spring.

The un-washed piece has a very different feel. The colors run more to the grey and blue. The water appears lower (the rocks are more distinct) and reflects a deeper brown. One can see the blue-grey sky through the patches of leaves--is that "holey" look what happens when you rub the pastel across rough paper lightly? I assume you could get that look on washed paper also? This looks more like Fall. It also looks more like what I have seen of pastels at shows, whereas the washed piece looks more like a watercolor.

Did you apply more pastel on the washed piece after doing the wash? It doesn't look like you did. BTW, how long does it take the mineral spirits to dry?

I like both pieces.

Keep up the blog, this is fun and interesting to read.

Here's my reply:

Thanks for your comments! I'm having fun sharing the steps along the way to finished pieces, and appreciate your artistic eye and observations!

I share your views about the 'holey' look of the unwashed piece, and the 'watercolor look' of the washed piece- and this trade-off is the core of my struggle with 'to wash or not to wash'. I really like the feeling of light and atmosphere which comes with letting some of the paper show through (the 'holey look' with no wash, and the dry pastel stick dragged lightly over the surface allowing skip areas as you guessed). However, I also like the semi-translucent look, and sense of quiet wholeness which can be made with a wash ('watercolor look'). So, a lot depends on the mood which I want in the finished piece.

The color differences which you described relate a lot to the difference in lighting while photographing. I'll take another photo that puts the pieces in the same light, and post it to allow better comparison. I did not apply additional pastel on top of the wash, but am thinking about doing that (as I often do). Maybe I'll continue the experiment, and let you know how that goes too.

Another West Coast reader relays: "The top photo pictures a painting that to me resembles a snow scene. On my computer screen ,it looks like a sepia print."

I think that I will continue the exploration by photographing the wash painting in the same lighting as the other, and then carry it onward by adding more dry pastel for richer color and texture, and see what happens- will this enrichen it, or lose the quiet understated wholeness of the semi-transparent wash? I'll share what happens in a future post!

What About the Wash?

2011-06-02T07:35:00.000-04:00

Last month I posted my exploration about the pros and cons of using a wash technique with pastel, and a viewer's comment reminded me to add an update about what I found. The top image below was made with a wash underpainting (pastel liquified with mineral spirits), and the bottom was created without this step (just dry pastel). The images were taken in different light, and are not directly comparable, but hopefully will nevertheless show some of the different qualities related to technique. I'd be interested in hearing about what viewers see and if there are differences in 'feel' or mood between the two images. I'll post my own perceptions tomorrow. Please let me know what you see!

Taking Care of Business

2011-05-27T08:38:00.000-04:00

In addition to forays out in the field (literally!) with pastels searching motifs, I've made use of some of the rainy days to attend to the desk work part of being an artist. Although I prefer to work with luscious oils and velvety pastels, time at the computer and in quiet reflection looking in overview of where I've been and where I want to go (and the Spirit calls) is also important. And then I go out with a backpack full of art supplies, or ride my mustang horse, or work in the garden, and fill up and create!

Pastel Workshop- Exploring the Medium!

2011-05-22T20:58:00.000-04:00

I really enjoyed sharing my love for, and experience with the pastel medium in a workshop which I taught yesterday at the Huntingdon County Arts Council! I appreciated the enthusiasm and excellent questions which the participants brought, and delighted in seeing them learn to harness the expressive qualities of pastel! I hope that the members continue to explore this medium and all of their art-making!

Working on Workshop!

2011-05-20T21:41:00.000-04:00

I'm happily busy preparing to teach a pastel workshop tomorrow at the Huntingdon County Arts Council. I'm excited about sharing my love for and knowledge of the medium with others, and I've surprised myself by being ahead of schedule (that's pretty rare for me!). I'll let you know how it goes :)

Lilac Still Life Demo. at Arts Council

2011-05-16T20:24:00.000-04:00

The white lilacs on our farm are in their prime right now, and catch my eye right outside the kitchen window. I brought some along as inspiration and subject for a still life demonstration which I did a few days ago at the Huntingdon County Arts Council. The scent, and connection to home, set in a vase made by a potter friend stir my interest and sense of appreciation, a gift of inspiration for a painting. I enjoyed talking with people who dropped by as I began the still life, and I worked on it some more today, adjusting the color balances. I'll post an image when the work is done.

Painting in Dogwood Grove

2011-05-09T15:30:00.000-04:00

It feels WONDERFUL to be out and about in the land painting! At last, the weather is warm enough to paint without gloves, and spring is rushing in, trees and plants growing and blossoming. There's so many enticing scenes and subjects that I can't keep up with possibilities! What a wonderful problem/challenge to have! I went out with a backpack full of pastels yesterday to a friend's farm where native dogwood trees thrive, and have formed a grove on the hillside. I began one painting, and will return this evening, seeking ways to capture the beautiful rhythm of blossoms on these trees. Here's a photo from this special spot:

Solo Exhibit "Central Pennsylvania Landscapes" Opens!

2011-05-07T08:16:00.000-04:00

I enjoyed sharing my artwork with visitors to the Huntingdon County Arts Council gallery last evening! Twenty-eight of my recent oil and pastel paintings are available for viewing and purchase, and focus on the rural landscape of this area that I love so much. The show is up through May 21, with gallery hrs. on Tues., Thurs., Fri., and Sat. 11 am - 6 pm, and I hope that you can stop by (212 4th St., Huntingdon, PA). I'll be at the show for the following special events and would be delighted to talk with you about my work:

- 'Meet the Artist' and Approaches to Plein Air Painting Demonstration: Sat., May 7, noon - 5 pm

- 'Meet the Artist' and Pastel Still Life Demonstration: Fri., May 13, 3 - 7 pm

- 'Exploring Pastels' Workshop: Sat., May 21, 1:30 - 3 pm

To wash or not to wash, that is the question!

2011-04-08T14:26:00.000-04:00

Perhaps you think that you're seeing triplicate, but there actually are three versions of this painting taking form in my studio today. I'm investigating a question which often crops up as I develop a work- after laying in the rough shapes and values, I often liquify the pastel with mineral spirits, and brush the pigments about on the paper, creating a 'wash' for an underpainting. Sometimes I like the unity, and painterly feel which comes with this technique, and at other times I miss the sparkle of untouched paper which cannot be regained. With this painting, I was on the fence about whether a wash would add to or detract from the feeling of the water, so I created three versions to find out! The painting on the left was created on location (in 28 degree weather!), the middle is the second go, with blocking in but no wash. The third version, on the easel, will involve a wash technique. I'll post the results next week, and share what I learn!

Hooked Rug Exhibit

2011-03-03T16:55:00.000-05:00

The Huntingdon County Arts Council is hosting an exhibit of hand-hooked rugs created by several area residents. The show includes two rugs which I created several years ago for my daughters, and a large rug (about 3' x 4') which I designed, and created together in quilting-bee fashion with a small group of fellow 'hookers'!

Stop by if you get a chance!I love the tactile qualities and soft colors of these unique art/craft creations, and delight in seeing a collection of many rugs by several makers gathered together in an exhibit. Here's a link for more info. about the show, which is in downtown Huntingdon: http://www.huntingdoncountyarts.org

Mood and Key

2011-02-01T18:41:00.000-05:00

"View from the Ridge - Evening" - Final

I shared an early version of these paintings in early December in my posting on "Value and Key" where I demonstrated how 'value' plays such an important role in determining the feel of a painting. In the finished paintings, shown here, the 'Key' (predominance of light or dark color range) makes a huge difference in the mood of the work. The evening image above is in a lower key (darker), and feels more settled, like the end of the day. The morning version is in a higher key (lighter), and feels expectant, like the start of the day.

"View from the Ridge - Morning" - Final

I had fun exploring how key creates mood with these paintings. I think most people are aware of the light qualities of different times of day, and key and value are vital tools for the artist to use in recreating these.

Pretty Palette

2011-01-24T15:36:00.001-05:00

I thought that you might enjoy seeing the bright oil paint colors on my palette, esp. at this time of cold and neutral colors outside. I used these colors last week on a large oil painting of water lilies which I am developing in the studio. I'm savoring the lush colors and slick paint, and the energy that they are adding to the work, and hope that you enjoy them too!

Show is Coming!

2011-01-20T15:43:00.001-05:00

Several of my new oil and pastel landscapes will be included in the upcoming Farmland Preservation Artists of Central PA Show/Sale Feb. 3 - 5. I'm a founding member of this small group of local artists who teamed up with the Centre County Farmland Trust to raise visibility for the Trust's mission to preserve farmland in this area. We exhibit our paintings (primarily local landscapes) at several events throughout the year, and donate a portion of the proceeds from sales to the Farmland Trust and the PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture. I enjoy working with others who appreciate the beauty of open land in this area, and feel excited about this partnership to help maintain open space through my work as an artist. I hope that you can come and see the artwork- please feel free to contact me for more information about the show/ sale.

Evolution of a Work - 'Fields Across the Stream"

2011-01-16T20:37:00.000-05:00


"Fields Across the Stream" - final

This is a scene along Marengo Road, about one half mile from my house. I go on walks this direction a lot, and see this hillside nearly every day. I always seem to be drawn into this scene. I like the composition and warm late winter colors in this oil painting. I began this painting on location with a pencil sketch on a small pocket-sized notebook since it was too cold to stay outside for long. This painting seems to have a poem-like quality which appeals to me, saying just enough for it to feel 'whole,' but without distracting details.

Original sketch, made on location

I made this sketch to remember the composition of the scene that appealed to me with its interlocking arcs. The colors I filed in memory, and noticed them more as I drew and interacted with the scene. I remember sitting there, feeling grateful for this open land, and a touch of warm sun despite the cold air.

Grisaille oil sketch

After getting back to the studio, I wanted to lay in the tonal masses to make sure that the values would work as a composition (and not just the lines). I decided to work on canvas paper so I felt free to experiment, and then later use this as a reference for the final work. Such a sketch is called a Grisaille, and is a time-tested approach to beginning a painting. I don't do this too often, but I've been paying close attention to value-masses lately to see what I can learn from it. I liked this sketch, so I then used it as a reference for the final painting on canvas.

The Value of Value and Key

2010-12-14T10:43:00.001-05:00

I've been exploring how value and key affect a painting's mood in two recent works-in-progress. Even with identical compositions, paintings will look and feel very different depending upon the value and key used.

Here's an example. Based on a sketch done at a nearby farm, I created several 'thumbnail' sketches (small, quick, images of major compositional shapes) to test out what values (grey scale lightness and darkness of each shape, like the note in a scale), and key (overall placement of values, mostly darks or mostly lights, like octaves on a piano) work best in creating the feel of the place. The composition of all the thumbnail sketches are identical- only the value and key vary between them.

Colors have value, and to focus in on this quality, I often follow the time-honored approach of squinting at the image, which narrows perception down more to a grey scale (dark to light range), temporarily factoring out other delightful aspects of color (hue and intensity...more on this on a later post). Give this a try, look out the window and watch what happens!

Thumbnail images of a scene, to explore value and key options

I decided to develop two images, the second and third from the top. Note that the composition (placement of shapes) is the same, but the values and overall key differ.


Value Example 1 (painting in progress)

Value Example 2 (painting in progress)

Example 1 uses the higher (e.g. lighter) key and closer value range of the third thumbnail, and I think that it creates a lighter, relaxed, harmonious mood, and the feeling of morning. In example 2, which follows the second thumbnail, the key is lower (darker), with more dark and middle values, and I sense more solidity and weight to the shapes, and a bit more solemn feeling, like dusk. I'll be working on both paintings later today, and will keep you posted!

Value and key play critical roles in a painting's structure, and the feel it conveys to the viewer. I've learned time and time again of the importance of making deliberate choices about how to use these elements in each painting I create. When viewing works by other artists, I realize what an impact value and key have in the painting. Try the squinting method to see the 'forest' rather than the 'trees' the next time you're in an art gallery, or try it out on my website paintings.

Holiday Art Show and Sale - Opens Tonight!

2010-12-03T10:11:00.001-05:00

'Found Apple,' 2009 6" X 5" Pastel

Here's "Found Apple", a bright little pastel which is exhibited for the first time at the Faustina Gallery's Holiday Art Show and Sale. I love the glowing colors of this painting, and remember the excitement which I felt in finding this apple out in the wild. I was driving on a back country road, saw the apple, stopped, jumped out and picked it up, and created this painting with appreciation of it's rich and unexpected color. I then got on a roll with a series of paintings of apples from local heirloom trees which I found on horseback rides, walks, and on our own farm. Four other works from this series, as well as paintings by several other area artists are featured in this exhibit and sale. These are smaller works, bright and affordable, perfect for holiday gifts!

I'll be at the reception tonight (6- 9 pm), and would enjoy talking with art appreciators and sharing my work. Here's the gallery info.: Faustina Gallery, 229 Market St., Lewisburg, PA 570-24-5080. The show continues through December. I hope that you can make it!

Drawing Family

2010-11-30T09:35:00.001-05:00

I enjoyed a big Thanksgiving meal and a few days of vacation with my family. With the gift of more time together, I made several sketches of my husband, kids, and father-in-law. Although I am primarily a landscape artist, I cherish these small images of the people that I love, and in the process of drawing them, I appreciate my family all the more. Drawing people also helps to hone my drawing skills for landscapes.

Paintings Find Good Homes!

2010-11-26T08:55:00.000-05:00

I'm really delighted that seven of my recent paintings have been purchased! I hope that these works on paper and canvas will share the sense of gratitude for and connection with the natural world which I felt as I created them. I feel very fulfilled in knowing that my paintings connect with other people's lives and experiences in these ways.

I hope that you had a happy Thanksgiving and time with family and friends.

Consolidating in the studio

2010-11-18T15:43:00.001-05:00

For the past few days, I've been working in the studio, developing new works from the sketches I made outside last week. I loved exploring the 500+ acre farm nearby, and have several pastel sketches which interest me. I'm working on a long distance view from the farm, and experiementing with different 'keys' in value (how dark and light the colors are- kind of like octaves on a piano). I'm developing a darker version, and a lighter version, and will see what I can learn in the process, and how the moods of the paintings differ with choice of values. I'm also excited about working from other sketches on this farm- many interesting compositions and colors!

Evolution of a Work - 'Drifted Stream in Valley'

2010-11-12T16:12:00.000-05:00

I explored a neighbor's farm in the coldest part of winter. I'd really been missing painting on location, and it was too cold to take along my full supplies, so I just took a very small notebook and pencil in the pocket of my winter coat. Because the snow was up to my knees, I also had to figure out how to get around. So I hauled out my cross country skis, threw them in the back of my pickup (four wheel drive to get around in the snow), and I was free to roam!

Finished - 'Drifted Stream in Valley'

I followed the course of the stream, and liked the contrast of the dark water against the frozen and drifted-over sections. I noticed something new about shadows in snow, where the most shaded bank on the left was a cool blue, while the shadows on the right were a warmer blue, reflecting the color of the sky. I also really liked the zig zaggy path of the stream, really drawing towards the distance.

Original graphite sketch in pocket sized sketchbook

It was so cold, that I couldn't even take my hand out of the gloves, so I sketched in pencil still wearing them, recording the bare essence of the composition. Meanwhile, I was learning and absorbing more in the process of sketching, filing away in my memory.

Oil sketch completed in studio to 'capture' the colors

When I got back to the studio and warmed up, I made an oil sketch on canvas paper to record the colors that I had remembered. I really like how the transparent blue on the left stream bank gives the feel of drifted snow and coldness. With the colors and my memories of being there, the 'mood' or feel of the place that drew me to it began to take shape in the painting.

In progress on canvas

I then began the final painting on a larger, 18" X 24" stretched canvas. The photo above shows the under painting, where the composition is laid in, and I played up the warm/cool color contrasts. By the time I began this work, the season had changed, but my preliminary studies and the memory of having been there in the elements and what I'd observed were all I needed to complete the work

Painting outside today!

2010-11-10T19:12:00.001-05:00

I found some beautiful, rolly land today, and walked it and painted it. I appreciated the feel of the warm sun, and sense of discovery passing through harvested corn fields, finding hedgerows and farther views. The leaves are mostly down now, but even in the grays of the woods there are many surprise color accents, and light and shadow play across the hills. I started two pastels, and am going back tomorrow in the early morning- still much more to discover, and to see literally in the 'different light' of morning.

The Show is On!

2010-11-09T21:40:00.000-05:00

I'm really pleased seeing my new oil and pastel paintings displayed together at the Faustina Gallery in Lewisburg! The gallery owner/director (Jody Horn) has done a beautiful job hanging the exhibit which features twenty one of my landscapes along with oil paintings by Simonne Roy. The lighting, and spacious and relaxed setting are a beautiful place to see and savor the exhibit. I feel very pleased with the quality of these works, and enjoy seeing them as a group where they do show the marks of the maker, and relate to each other as a group.

The exhibit/sale continues through Nov. 20 (gallery hrs. Tues.- Sat. 10 am - 5 pm; phone 570-524-5080)- stop by if you get a chance, and let me know what you think!

Alice Kelsey at Faustina Gallery viewing her paintngs

Let the Show Begin!

2010-11-05T06:58:00.001-04:00

The opening reception for 'Ridges and Valleys' takes place tonight, 6 to 10 pm, at Faustina Gallery in Lewisburg. I delivered the work yesterday, and am really excited about seeing it displayed as a group- 7 new oil paintings, plus 14 new pastels will be exhibited along with work by Simonne Roy. All the paintings are landscapes of Central Pennsylvania. I feel very connected to the natural world, and am pleased when my paintings can convey this feeling and my sense of gratitude.

Alice considering color on in-progress oil painting

This photo shows me doing a fairly typical process when oil painting- most of the colors I use in my oil paintings I create by mixing from a few standard primary and secondary tube colors. When I mix a color, I often hold a bit in front of the painting so I can consider how it would work with the colors already in the painting- I then can 'tune' that color so that it has the effect the painting needs. It is amazing how colors interact with each other, and this always fascinates me (there is so much to learn!).

Evolution of a Work - 'Summer Morning, Farm Lane'

2010-10-31T20:40:00.000-04:00

I really like the atmosphere of a hazy, early morning in August that comes through in this pastel. The place is also special to me- it is a few miles from where I grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania. I had returned to my 'homeland' on a painting expedition, wanting to connect with some of the beauty of that area, which certainly led me to be an artist.

'Summer Morning, Farm Lane' - completed
(collection of Linda and Dave Miller)

For a week straight, I got up with the sun and painted all day. This particular scene presented a practical challenge, because I only had a limited set of pastels with me, and could not find the full value and temperature range of colors that were crucial to the painting. I had the correct colors in oil paints with me, but did not have a canvas of the right proportions for the composition that I wanted. So I decided to do an underpainting on pastel paper, establishing the values and drawing the full composition. The spacing between the trees I also felt was really important, and I paid careful attention to the drawing aspect in this underpainting. After completing this underpainting on pastel paper, I then also painted a second oil sketch (on canvas) to establish the correct colors - I could only include part of the composition due to the shape of the canvas.

"Summer Morning, Farm Lane' Oil Sketch
(collection of Tim Kelsey)

In this full color plein air oil sketch, I really wanted to capture the strong dark shadow masses in the trees, contrasting with the bright, sun lit area. The greens in the ground area also differed greatly in temperature and value as they receded into the background, and I really wanted to get these right because they were so important to the atmosphere. I ended up liking this sketch as a finished work.

After returning to the studio, I followed up on the studies I'd done outside, and using the oil on canvas as a color reference, I returned to the monochromatic painting on paper and applied pastel over the oil. I'm really pleased with having found a way to get the spacing of the trees and colors as I wanted them in the finished work. It really did take some improvising on the spot!

If you compare the two paintings, you'll see that the pastel's composition includes more of the scene to the left.

Framing away!

2010-10-29T22:25:00.003-04:00

I've been super busy framing pieces for the show, which opens in one week. It takes a lot of time and attention to detail, and is very different from the skills required to create the art. However, I'm finding it really gratifying to see the pieces glow in the frames, and hanging side by side as a group.

I really like each of the pieces in my upcoming show, and seeing them together, I am pleased how they bear the marks of the maker, and clearly were created by the same hand.

In this photo, I'm doing one of the final steps involved in mounting a pastel in its frame - the piece is already 'sandwiched' between a mounting board and mat, and I am securing these layers in the frame with little metal 'points'. Right after this, I put on black backing paper, and add the hangers and wire. I do use archival methods and materials, and pastels are known to last a long, long time.

Alice in the framing room, affixing the back to pastel.

Frames sighted!

2010-10-22T21:23:00.000-04:00

Yeah! Thanks to leads from a friend, I found several frames that I like very much!!!! If all goes well, they will be here in time for my show opening in two weeks to add the 'icing' to my oils on canvas. I can't wait to see them ready for exhibition!

Evolution (Resurrection?) of a Work; "Round Bales- Cluster of Four"

2010-10-20T21:57:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when a piece is done, it isn't really done. I 'completed' this painting, 'Round Bales- Cluster of Four,' about seven years ago, and framed it. But every time I looked at it, something just didn't feel quite right to me about it. So earlier this month, I took it out of the frame, and dramatically reworked it, and finally, I'm fully satisfied with it.

"Round Bales - Cluster of Four" final version, 2010

As a point of comparison, here is how the painting almost looked when I first framed it in 2003. Several things didn't feel quite right to me about that earlier version:

As originally framed in 2003

I realized there wasn't enough value contrast, and the colors were pretty blah. I remember being pretty tired when I was last working on it, and must not have noticed those things. So I took it out of the frame, and decided to see what I could do about the short comings I'd noticed, and either 'make it or break it.' I stroked in some bright colors, and then began to like the animated marks, which seemed to come to life. I also realized the focusing in on the bales and cropping out some of the sky made the composition stronger. In the original version, there wasn't enough to keep the eye circulating throughout the piece, so my eye tended to either just focus on the bales in the center of the painting or wander off the top of the paper. By cropping in from all sides, I emphasized the clustering of the three bales close together, and the one bale off in the distance. They now seem to relate better to each other. And now I really like the painting.

Initial start of the painting

This is what the painting initially looked like when I came back from the field where I first sketched it. This is hard pastels, with a wash to blend the colors a bit. I then reworked (and reworked) the painting in my studio.

After filling in more details

At this stage, I backed up, removing pastel from the trees and foreground, because I wasn't happy with the placement of the darks. Taking them out, I hoped to see them in a new way.


Pastel removed, softening trees and foreground

I added the diagonal line in the left foreground to try to counter balance the strong diagonal of the hedgerow, but this ended up seeming like a 'blocked' area, too.

Reworked again, shortly before 'completing' it the first time

So I ended up softening up most of the darks and added a new dark patch on the left bottom corner (the photo of this 'final' stage is the second photo from the top of this post). The piece still felt kind of lifeless to me, so I stroked the pastel loosely throughout to animate it, but overall, it still lacked value contrast. I'm much happier with the reworked version.

Frame hunting

2010-10-18T20:36:00.001-04:00

Today was filled with art-related chores. I'm in the midst of selecting frames for several of my recently completed canvases, and drove 80 miles searching for just the right moulding. The 'hunt' is still on, with several possibilities under consideration, but the magic 'ah-ha' still eludes me.... keep on searching!

I'm excited to be just over two weeks away from my joint exhibition at the Faustina Gallery in Lewisburg, and am about to begin a 'blitz' of framing to prepare the works for exhibition. My husband builds most of the frames which I use, and I cut the mats myself- a rather exacting activity (every 1/16" counts, and there are many ways to make critical mistakes!), but I find it gratifying to bring the works through this final stage. I enjoy freeing the finished pastel from the drawing board, making final cropping decisions, and mounting it in a compatible frame, where it can then glow brightly on the wall! Very satisfying!

Evolution of a Work - "Autumn Evening, Round Bales Uphill"

2010-10-17T22:25:00.000-04:00

I started working on this painting about six years ago, but most of the time it rested between stages, until the composition felt right to me.

"Autumn Evening, Round Bales Uphill" - completed

This painting began with an initial pastel sketch on location. Back in the studio, I thought it would be fun to make an oil version on linen, with its beautiful texture. Below is my initial start of that oil. I like to begin loosely, and let the shapes and colors get a force of their own. At this stage, I ran into a problem where the triangular shape in the bottom left corner just didn't relate to the rest of the painting, which had more arc-shaped forms.

Initial oil sketch on canvas

It took a while to find the answer, but I ended up removing the triangle, and brought more light into the foreground. You can see that the background now has more depth as I've layered on more color. However the painting still lacked unity, so I remembered back to what I connected with at the time I first sketched the scene outdoors- the patches of bright light striking the ground, slanting in during late evening. So I made the colors more neutral to harmonize with each other (see the image below).

At this stage, it had to rest quite a while because I wasn't sure what else to do to fix it. The foreground seemed not to hold the eye, so I took the drastic step of adding more hay bales to balance the masses, and to move the eye from foreground to background, with places to investigate on the way in a circular motion. Compare the image below to the final version above- in the image below, my eye tends to zip right to the row of bales and freezes there- in the final version, my eye circulates around and things feel in balance.

Second stage - triangle removed

Evolution of a Work - 'Morning Shadow from Woods to Field"

2010-10-17T21:18:00.003-04:00

I recently completed this painting of a scene I often pass while driving a tractor.

"Morning Shadow from Woods to Field" - completed

I started this painting on location, and as you can see from the initial sketch below, it originally had different colors in the foreground. I added more distinct dark masses to 'ground' the foreground, setting the space distinct from the background. I also played up the red area on the right a bit, to set off the green areas a bit (since red and green are complementary colors). I softened the shadows, since although the purple color was beautiful, it kept drawing my eye to that spot alone, rather than allowing my eye to circulate throughout the painting.

Early sketch, cropped with tape from the larger painting

More fundamentally, this painting originally began as part of a larger piece (see the image below), which I didn't feel held together well as a complete composition. Yet I liked both sides of that painting, so I visually separated and cropped them using artists tape and worked on each separately. It is only when both paintings were done and ready for framing that I physically cut the two apart. The painting on the left I call 'Windy Day, Fall Fields."

More developed - but with only tape laid over the paper
separating it from the original composition

Evolution of a Work - "Back Field in Summer Sun"

2010-10-17T09:31:00.004-04:00

This is a pastel painting of a hill on our farm. I've always loved the clusters of white pine trees, with their big masses, how they anchor the hillside.


"Back Field in Summer Sun" completed

This is the initial start of the painting, begun on location. You can see that my initial efforts in a painting are to establish the placement of forms in their relation to each other. I usually carefully consider the overall composition before I start feeling out the masses and movement. When I start, I usually like the mark-making to be free and loose, not thinking too much, but instead feeling until it takes shape. In choosing the blue color, I needed its darker value to 'hold in place' the big shapes of the trees, and to create a sense of coolness. The foreground fields were a warmer, lighter green, with early spring grasses just coming through. As I laid these in, I then noticed the slightly reddish tint of the dried winter grasses remaining, and quickly put that in so I could remember this when working on the painting in my studio. I really love this sense of discovery while working on location, which is a big part of why I begin many of my pieces en plein air.

Initial sketch

Back in my studio, I added more foreground color, and then used a wash (solvent and bristle brush to liquify the pastel) to unify the colors and shapes. I often do this to help create the background of a painting, and then later layer onto this specific details. The clouds started to appear to balance the composition. The cloud on the top left in particularly helps balance the composition by returning the eye throughout the piece (rather than drifting off the top left). I feel these decisions intuitively- it is only retrospectively that I think of them as 'action steps." If I think too logically at the time, the painting becomes stilted and doesn't grow.


More developed

To finish the painting, I layered color over color in the foreground, to create a rich texture of visible strokes and to give the feeling of winter and spring grasses meeting. I darkened and unified the pine tree shapes, restating the dark masses and value contrasts which had first appealed to me with the subject.

"Blue Sky, Orange Tree"

2010-10-17T08:47:00.006-04:00

I've been working on my painting, "Blue Sky, Orange Tree", since late spring. I started this while painting in our pasture one evening, as the sun raked sideways across the field. The 'orange' of the tree is the sun light, not the tree itself.

Currently, I'm trying to bring out the sense of evening light catching the woods, coming in from the right. But first I had to tame down too much color in the woods. Initially I used translucent paint to allow the canvas to come through - like on the orange tree - but the rest of the woods was a translucent red which was over powering. It needed to be toned down to set off the orange tree. So then I did the hard step of using an opaque paint to cover over the red, making the background trees a neutral gray, quieting the other areas. This morning I'm coming back with more of the accents of the light in those trees, using burnt sienna and purples.

I like the effect in the woods, but now I'm trying to resolve the foreground, and I keep feeling that the left hand side of the woods drops down too much. I want to raise it up and then get the 'catch' of light coming along that flat plane.

Evolution of a Work - "Valley in Bright Light"

2010-10-16T22:40:00.008-04:00

Here's a recently finished painting that will be in the show. I still remember the feeling of sketching in the field on a nearby farm. The sun was bright but the air was cool, and I loved the shapes and colors of the fields stretching down toward the valley. The light was clear and bright, accentuating the shapes of the hills.

"Valley in Bright Light" 2010 Pastel 11" X 15"

This painting began with a sketch I made on location in early spring, using hard pastels. I hiked into this location, after talking with a local farmer to get permission to work on his land. I loved the sense of exploration and feeling free, and in-the-moment as I walked the land with a handful of art supplies, mostly grateful for the warmth of sun on my back, and connection to the land. It is in this that physical and spiritual worlds unite, and I feel uplifted with connection and gratitude.

The strong value contrasts between the woods and fields were a major appeal to me on location, and I played them up in the final work by making the darks strong, yet a mysterious blend of purples and blues.

Initial sketch

Show is coming! November, 2010, Faustina Gallery, Lewisburg

2010-10-16T22:26:00.003-04:00

I've been immersed in a flurry of completing paintings, bringing a series of oil and pastel landscapes to completion. It has been fun, stressful, challenging, and rewarding to see these works "ripening". With about two weeks to go, there is a bunch of framing ahead for me. And then fun at the opening reception (Faustina Gallery, Lewisburg, PA, November 5, 6 to 10 pm).

The theme of the show is 'Valleys and Ridges," and I'll show about 20 landscapes of central Pennsylvania in both oil and pastel. I'm really pleased with the quality of the individual paintings, and how they fit together as a series. I can't wait to see them hanging in a beautiful gallery setting.