Evolution of a Work - "Fisherman's Paradise - Early Morning'

'Fisherman's Paradise - Early Morning' by Alice Kelsey (finished painting)

I've just finished this oil painting of a famous trout stream (Spring Creek), and thought I'd share a bit about the experiences along the way. Here's some photos and descriptions of the pastel which I created on location, and the stages which the oil painting based on the pastel went through.

 

Initial pastel, created on site

It was early morning on a chilly spring day when fellow artist Jeanne McKinney and I arrived on the banks of Spring Creek at Fisherman's Paradise (between Bellefonte and State College). This is a well-know, hallowed place for flyfishermen, where large numbers of healthy brown trout reside year-round, and are pretty challenging to catch! This was among the first places where Jeanne and I painted in the year-long stream painting project which is culminating in an exhibition at the Bellefonte Art Museum which opens in one week (May 5)! Standing on the bank, I liked the arc of the stream in to the distance and the rhythms of the big tree shapes, set off with backlighting. I described the experience of painting this pastel in an earlier blog post (see the March 21, 2012) As I painted, a flyfisherman appeared along the distant bank, studying the water, and I added a suggestion of his form in the distance.

Initial oil underpainting of 'Fisherman's Paradise - Early Morning.

After returning to the studio, I liked the composition, yet felt a need for a larger 'scale' (size) to fit the feel of the scene. I chose oil paint, to be able to work with thick and thin paint, and transparent colors in capturing the atmosphere of this place- the feeling of the cool spring morning, and mystery of the stream moving away to the distance. The above photo shows the initial lay-in, where I 'm establishing the basic composition

Early workings of 'Fisherman's Paradise - Early Morning'

Next I started to lay in some color, searching out the lovely, fresh colors of early spring greens.

More color added to 'Fisherman's Paradise - Early Morning'

The above photo shows the painting about mid-way through, with basic shapes and colors established. The main alteration to the finished work (top photo at beginning of post) was lightening the foreground stream, and darkening the left background trees.

Initial pastel and final oil

And here they are together, the plein air pastel, and finished oil painting! The oil painting can be seen at my joint exhibition ('Water Ways- Paintings by Alice Kelsey and Jeanne McKinney') at the Bellefonte Art Museum. I welcome you to come to the reception (May 5, 1 - 4:30 pm), and would enjoy talking with you more about this work and others! See my website www.alicekelsey.com for info. about the show.

Framing & More Framing! Show is Coming!

Mat cutter and mat-in-progress

Wow! It's been a long day and I'm still not done! I've been super busy framing oils and pastels for my joint exhibit which opens at the Bellefonte Art Museum in two weeks. I really enjoy seeing the paintings come off the drawing boards (literally!), and off the easel, and radiate in the frames! Although I'm not fond of the attention to detail with framing (every 1/16" matters), I do enjoy selecting frames which work with each piece. There will be many custom hardwood frames (made by my wonderful husband!) in the pieces in the show, including some hard-to-find PA hardwood species. Many of the oils will be in maple floater frames, and some in closed-corner gold leaf frames- it all depends on what the work needs. For more details about the 'Water Ways' show, check out my website www.alicekelsey.com, and I'd love to share the finished paintings AND frames with you if you can drop by the reception (May 5, 1 - 4:30 pm).

Natural Lands

Last week I explored outdoors near my homeland in eastern PA (Chester County), and am so thankful for the work of area land conservation groups. Thanks to the foresight and coordinated effort by these organizations , many large parcels of land, with mixtures of fields, woods, and streams are cared for, and accessible to the public. Last week I visited Sadsbury and Crow's Nest Preserves, maintained by the Natural Lands Trust (See http://www.natlands.org). I'm grateful for these quiet places to roam, and appreciate. They kindle my artist's eye with color and texture, and unite my roots (boots in the soil of my growing-up) with present day enthusiasm (joy of discovery, wonder) to find what lies around the bend or beyond the top of the next hill. As the weather warms a bit, I'm going back with pastels and oils, to immerse in this land and see what images flow forth.

Linen Canvas Prep

In my studio- preparing linen canvas

Here it is! Another linen canvas in-progress! I LOVE the slightly irregular, criss-cross texture of linen for oil painting. It seems to have some 'life' in it, and this helps me get started with an energetic, free underpainting. The photo above shows the second of two large canvases which I've stretched and gessoed this week. I had some travails with some fabric which I couldn't tame (it had sizing on it which was hard to get off, and the fabric itself was too stretchy so the weave kept distorting when stretched despite wetting and pre-stretching.) SO, after two attempts to stretch this stuff, off I went to our fine local art supply store (Uncle Eli's in downtown State College), and bought a yard of Frederix raw linen, and that's what you see above! I like this linen, and am really pleased with the nice, taut, feel after stretching, which gives it a 'bouncy' feeling when the brushes touches the surface when painting. The white stuff on half of the canvas above is acrylic gesso, used as a ground to protect the linen fibers from the oil in oil paint (which would cause it to degrade.) I'll put 3 - 4 coats of gesso on the canvas, and then let loose on a large painting of Big Spring/ Spring Creek in Bellefonte (based on a plein air pastel.) I'm excited about working on this beautiful linen! Thanks for stocking it Uncle Eli's!