Highlights from Tom Gilbert's Show at Goodman Center

I got to Tom's show just in time before it came down this week and I wanted to share a few of my favorite paintings in the show.  Overall the show was very impressive despite lighting that was not exactly ideal and I am inspired to work harder on landscape painting this year.  Well done, Tom!!

First Outing of the 2016 Season at Token Creek

Jan with a view from the bridge

Tom painting a view of the creek and field

Reisa hunkered down out of the wind with her pastels

Tricia working on tree trunk

Token Creek Conservancy

We had a cold and somewhat windy day, but it was good to be outside painting!

Joan - thanks for the coffee!!

Wendy, working in pastels

My painting, finished up in my studio (where it was significantly warmer!)  Probably not a keeper, but it felt to good to be outdoors painting again :)

Viking Park Painting

I recently had an interesting experience painting at Viking Park near Stoughton.  As I was painting a person came up to me and told me he had also seen me painting at this park last fall, and had taken a photo as I was painting.  We had a nice conversation and I gave him my email address and he said he'd send me the photo.  In return I then sent him an image of the painting I did that day.  I'm attaching both.  I cropped his photo so it matched up with the scene I was painting.  He used a phone camera and you can see it's not high quality resolution but I like the hazy, almost posterized look of it.  I find it interesting how the mood and colors of the painting and the photo are so different.  I think it's partly because I started painting in the late afternoon while I presume his photo was taken later with evening light as I was finishing up.  I may return to this site again next fall and try another painting more in line with the colors of the photo.

Tom

1st Plein Air Painting Date April 29th @ Token Creek Conservancy - Changed from the 28th due to rain.

Jan Feyzi's Painting at Token Creek Conservancy from last spring.

Where to meet at 8am for painting in the morning.

We will meet at 8am for painting Friday morning.  Please note this is the Conservancy and NOT Token Creek Park.  There is some rain in the forecast so check the blog for update in case of cancellation or change of date.  We usually try not to cancel or reschedule but sometimes Wisconsin weather just doesn't cooperate but Thurs. looks pretty rainy and Friday looks much nicer.  This is a beautiful area with lots of options for interesting compositions.

Training visual memory

Several years ago I took an online landscape class with Texas artist Deborah Paris.  She is a tonalist in the tradition of George Innes.  I am not inclined to paint that way these days but I'm still on her mailing list.  I just wanted to pass along her link because she delivered a paper that is online on the subject of developing visual memory. http://deborahparis-apaintinglife.blogspot.com/ My first choice is plein air most of the time, but I haven't seen or read something as focused on memory for painters as her paper is.

If you are interested in portrait or figure practice, 3 to 5 hour sessions are offered every week at Winnebago Studios on the east side (one block east of Atwood ave.)  Phil Salamone opens his studio for drawing or painting Mondays 5-10 pm, Thurs. 9 am-12, and Sat. 9-12 and 1-4 pm.  $15. drop in or less per session w. 3 month commitment.   He has standing easels and sitting benches on hand but I usually bring my plein air set up.  Phil also teaches at UW continuing studies.  The twice a year city-wide Open Studios on first Friday evenings of May and Oct. always brings a crowd to this multi-studio building.  I'm chasing the dream of incorporating figures into my landscapes eventually.  :)

Landscape oil painting by Deborah Paris

Plein Air Workshops in Madison April 30 and May 21

Kyle Martin is doing a couple one day plein air workshops here in Madison.  Jan F. and I are signed up for the May 21st one.  Kyle always stresses values and accurate drawing using the sight-size method.  Jan and I both enjoyed his still life workshop last month at Pat Dillion's gallery on Williamson St.  It's a very nice small gallery with some great work by local artists.   kyle-martin.blogspot.com/