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Experiments in Paint
Painting is one of the most challenging endeavors. With every subject, and every painting there are new challenges and lessons learned. I think of each painting as a new experiment. This journal documents the journey.-
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Category Archives: impressionism
Sycamore Grove
I met up with my friend Jim Wodark, and we explored the dry creekbed for subject matter, before settling on a view of a path through a picturesque sycamore grove. Beyond the grove of trees, is the Santiago Creek which just a few weeks ago had quite a bit of water, but now is dry.
At one of the late stages of the painting, (you can see the difference between slide 6 & 7) I adjusted the blue in the middle distance. By changing the river bank into a cluster of trees I kept the eye interested in the focal paint, the clearing beyond the trees.
Here is a picture of the scene. Latitude: 33.79937912919146 & Longitude: -117.75471568107605
Also posted in friends, Landscape, painting progression, plein air
Tagged GeoTag, painting process
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In the Canyon
The Laguna Canyon runs from Irvine, where I live, to Laguna Beach. It is about 8 miles long. The narrowest portion is near the Big Bend Staging area, a place with beautiful large oak trees that have been painted by artists for a century.
I went with my friends Jeff Horn and Jim Wodark, two fine painters. While they painted the oaks, I hiked up toward the oak trees and faced east, so the variety of trees were back-lit. I knew that the painting’s colors would largely be desaturated, but I was attracted to the subtlety of grays and the rim lighting on the trees.
The houses at the base of the hill give you some idea of how deep the canyon is in that location. The bright colors of the manicured lawn and the chaparral in the foreground, provide a balance to the muted colors of the landscape, and help the viewer distinguish between near and far objects.
The coordinates of this location are: latitude: 33.566089 & longitude: -117.764596
Joseph Kleitsch
Joseph Kleitsch (June 6, 1885 – Nov 16, 1931), a Hungarian born artist who primarily painted portraits, but is best remembered for his depictions of Laguna Beach and San Juan Capistrano. His depictions of Laguna Beach evoke a much simpler time. It is interesting to see the drastic changes in the character of this beach town. The hills and streams in his paintings are still recognizable.
One critic described his his colorful paintings as “veritable singing tapestries of color.” He and his wife settled in Laguna Beach in 1920, and quickly became involved in the Laguna art community. Between 1922 and 1925 he was very productive, he painted many variations of the seaside town. One critic wrote, that he had captured Laguna Beach “inside and out- its hills, rocks, its beating surf, its quaint streets, its lovely gardens, its handsome women.” (1)
Many of his paintings depict “Old Laguna” before the structures were torn down to make way for apartment buildings, cottages, and administrative buildings.
From Top to Bottom:
Old Laguna, c. 1923-24. Oil on Canvas, 18 x 21″. Private collection
Reposer, Pont Neuf, Paris, 1927. Oil on Cavas, 30 x 36″, Reed and Chris Halladay Collection.
Rancho near Capistrano, 1924, Oil on Canvas, 20 x 22″. Private collection,
1. Joseph Kleitsch: A Kaleidoscope of Color. 2007. by Trenton, Patricia
Also posted in biographical note, Laguna Beach, Landscape, plein air
Tagged Biographical sketch
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Aldro Hibbard
Aldro Thompson Hibbard (August 25, 1886 – November 12, 1972), a New England impressionist, best known for snowy Vermont landscapes.
After studying at the Boston Museum School of Art, he won a traveling scholarship to Europe (which was cut short because of the war 1914)
From Hibbard’s diaries, it appears that a visit to Joaquin Soralla’s home and studio where he met the Spanish painter, made a strong impression. Like Sorolla, he certainly agreed with the importance of painting directly from Nature.
According to his biographers, while on his traveling scholarship near Madrid, he was caught in a snowstorm. Aldro noted the temperatures dropped and it “became so cold my medium froze and snow and sleet mixed with my paints.” [1] He would later become one of America’s most admired snow painters.
To prepare for winter painting, he would wear woolen underwear, layers of wool clothing, snowshoes, and gloves. He would use a sled to carry 50 pounds of painting supplies. Why go outdoors? He said, ”My forte is being outdoors. That’s where most of my life has been spent, by choice. That’s where you get the stimulation and the excitement of the unexpected. Nature won’t come to your studio, you must go to her.” [1]
Below are some of my favorite of his snow paintings.
From Top to Bottom
Golden Glow, 36 x 50 inches, c. 1928
Ice Pond, 30 x 36 oil on linen, 1927, Smithsonian American Art Museum
Sawmill, 18 x 24, oil on canvas board
An Essay on Aldro Hibbard written by Thomas Davies 1996 is available online
1. John L. Cooley; A.T. Hibbard N.A.: Artist in Two Worlds (1968)
Edgar Payne – Seascapes
Edgar A. Payne (March 1, 1883 – April 8, 1947), is known for paintings of the American West. He traveled extensively, painting in Europe, Mexico, Canada, and across the United States. In 1918, he made Laguna Beach his home and organized the Laguna Beach Art Association (becoming its first president), although he continued his painting trips.
Painting a seascape can be challenging. Everything is in motion and every wave is different from the last. Probably more so than other outdoor painting situations, the artist must interpret shape, design, and color.
Here are some of Edgar Payne’s paintings of the California coast.
From Top to Bottom:
Surf at Laguna 28 x 32 inches
Laguna Coastline 28 x34 inches
Rough Seas
Also posted in Edgar Payne, Laguna Beach, plein air, Seascape
Tagged Biographical sketch
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Willard L Metcalf
Willard L Metcalf (July 1, 1858 – March 9, 1925) an American impressionist born in Massachusetts. Primarily worked in New York and New England.
He was one of the first artists to visit Giverney, the village in which Claude Monet lived and worked, tutoring two of his children in botany and ornithology.
As a true American impressionist, he didn’t paint the “broken” color that the French impressionists painted, but rather lived by the self imposted doctrine; “Paint what you see.”
Periodically I will post some images of artists whose images are inspiring. I first saw a painting of Metcalf as a reproduction at a doctor’s office. When I tried to find out more about him, I found an image of the painting Giverney, which I found to be compelling and have a challenging composition. I included in this post a reproduction of the painting Ebb tide, which was exciting to me because although it is a seascape, it is almost abstract /color field in nature.
From top to bottom:
Fish Wharves, Gloucester
Oil on canvas, 23.25 x 29.25 in
Ebb Tide, 1895
Oil on canvas, 13 x 16 inch
Giverney, 18887
Oil on Canvas, 26 x 32 in
University of Kentucky, Lexington
Inner Harbor, Gloucester, 1895
Oil on canvas, 19.25 x 23.25
References:
De Veer, Elizabeth. Sunlight & Shadow: The Life and Art of Willard L Metcalf, 1987. ISBN 0-89659-753-9
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