San Fernando Valley (V)

Found time to do two more vies of the San Fernando Valley. Sherman Oaks at sunset and a dim light in the Sepulveda Dam, Van Nuys.
Typical winter weather in Los Angeles, my favorite season here for sure. While the rest of the country is wrapped in storms, this weather makes you want to cry it's so beautiful.

San Fernando Valley (IV)

As we finish this 2009 year, I also finish my series on the San Fernando Valley urban scenes slated to be exhibited in La Galeria Gitana this January 2010.
I have read a lot about Vermeer, the dutch master of the seventeenth century . When one thinks "plein air", nobody seems more removed from it than Vermeer. And yet, his solutions and focus could be as valid for a methodical painter , like he was, as for a guerrilla plein air painter armed with a Toyota Prius, aluminum color tubes and a rich palette.

It is winter in Los Angeles and light is fleeting. No snow scenes at hand unless one takes to the mountains. And yet it is brighter outside than in Holland most of the year. Vermeer captured the northern light masterfully. He also captured domestic scenes and simple moments only to bring them to monumental beauty . As I painted these rooftops over Burbank, I kept his "View of Delft" in my mind. Sure, the difference is abysmal, but I wasn't afraid of the passing clouds and muted tones any more. The red trees added accents, the roof workers a little narrative...Cheers to Vermeer and many more discoveries in the new year.

The issue of large scale.

So I've finally taken the plunge and did my first large scale painting, 36"x24". That is pretty large for a guy like me used to do little 8"x10" plain air pieces. I am not entirely happy with it and I am anxious to try it again. But a lot of unexpected challenges came simply from the painting's size. This are some lessons I hope I learnt:

1) A previous study can save a lot of time and pain. In fact, it helps if the study is not just a try-out but a real blueprint in scale, color and mood. I did a study but then changes the ratio in the painting with the result that I had to address perspective issues very soon. The dog, for example, had to be repainted closer to the girl in order to avoid making it look like a chihuahua.

This was the study.

2) Drawing and perspective problems will be more acute by the fact that we need to encompass more surface. Pull back often and follow your study with care. I now have a deeper appreciation of the careful underpainting old masters used to build a canvas.

3) Using larger brushes and more paint is not just an obvious choice for larger scale paintings. If we desire to maintain a certain "freshness" of stroke , we should treat the surface with the precision and textural interest of a smaller piece, not hiding mediocre brushwork in the large area or getting lost in parcels of messy work.

4) In small alla prima paintings, color harmony is almost guaranteed since the palette we use to start is the same as the one we finish with. Not so with a large painting, it behooves me to "plan" the palette carefully.

5) A schedule of work is very useful to hammer out a larger piece. Since it is painted in stages, it is essential to maintain a rhythm.

So this is my final piece. I see so much room for improvement I am almost giddy with impatience to put this lessons to work in my next painting.

Demo Number Two

Last Thursday I did a demo at the San Gabriel Fine Arts Association to a small but very receptive group of members. I was a tad nervous after a long drive from Marina del Rey but I think things went swimmingly. I decided to paint an airplane from a picture I took at the Burbank airport with the intention of not only explaining whatever techniques I thought of but also trying to convey that a painting can be lurking anywhere, even in a seemingly sterile environment like Los Angeles.
My main emphasis painting the piece was the idea of a verbalized "concept" or main idea before starting. Also the avoidance of errors of color, drawing (including perspective) and tonal value while in pursuit of the idea. And finally a few notes of reflections and edges as defining of shapes rather than lines and detail.

Thank you Alice Lee and all the organizers for a nice evening of fun.

Ribbons, ribbons

After all the October events and having a bit more time in my hands due to vacation, I started reconsidering my painting direction. Armando makes me reconsider it *every day* but that is another story :). When I get in this kind of "funk", I find it useful to go stroll in a museum or a good exhibit to stay enthusiastic and even though I have no ego problems, humble and conscious of the way ahead. I also find it helpful to enter smaller events and socialize with artists and people interested in art.

So

a) I visited the Laguna Plein Air 2009 event and let my jaw drop in front of the Ray Roberts, Calvin Liang, Jennifer McChristian, Greg La Rock, Ken De Waard , Bryan Scott Taylor and J. Budicin masterpieces among others. I also took a peek through the "Pasadena, City of Trees" organized by the California Art Club.

b) I entered some paintings in the San Gabriel Fine Arts Fall show -that is where I got the ribbons in the pictures- as well as the Craftsman Weekend in Pasadena where my gallery Jose Vera had a booth. I also entered the miniature show at the Segil gallery which afforded me the opportunity to talk with Jason Situ and Laura Segil for a while.




Here are Tania Verafiled and myself at the Masonic Temple in Old Pasadena during the Craftsman weekend. My paintings separate us, figuratively speaking.


So many questions bubbling in my head. One is the matter of size. Painting bigger and not in just one session as I usually do. I am not a subscriber of bigger is better but it would be interesting to see a painting through in a larger scale. The other is the question of the physical studio. Part of the reason I don't tackle certain projects is a lack of appropriate space. I need to work on a solution and quickly. And of course the question of "quality". That I don't expect to ever solve.... fortunately.

SLO Quick Draw

This is the part of the week when all participating artists paint a 2 hour piece around the Mission Plaza. My painting reached a high price so needless to say I was elated. (Thanks Ray and Elaine!) Here are two pics of the painting and the auction.

San Luis Obispo 2009

I just came back from San Luis Obispo Plen Air 2009. This event gets better and better every year. The selection of artists was amazing. The main benefit any artist can obtain from entering this events is beyond monetary. Sales this year were a little slow and that can damage the validation necessary to "keep at it" for sure. I sold four paintings so I can't really complain.
The main benefit comes from knowing some wonderful people and learning from all. I was lucky to room with Ken DeWaard. This master from Wisconsin is talented beyond words and has a natural ability to tackle big formats with dynamic brushtrokes and a very solid concept. Check out his website.
Some pics form the event. Here are Greg La Rock, Ken De Waard and Mike Rada, three masters I was lucky to meet. Catch them at Laguna Beach next weekend!
A view from the gallery in the Art Center. The paintings in the front are Scott Lloyd Anderson's.And here are Ed Terpening and Chuck Kovacic in front of Ed's paintings.

Here my corner of the gallery....all these are sold!