Japanese for forest bathing. The idea that trees and nature can predictably refresh and restore us. It`s a nice concept and a better habit. In my experience, I need to be there awhile, an hour or so. It takes a bath, not a shower, to get really clean.
Well I finally took my I-pad outdoors to see if its fancy app and pressure sensitive stylus would be the revolution in plein air painting I hoped for. Yes and no. It requires shade and isn`t real easy to see even then. In sunlight I think it would be impossible much like taking a digital photo in full sun. Why can`t they get this solved, it`s so annoying!
At dusk I took a folding chair out in the backyard and sat in front of some gorgeous irises and drew. It certainly is fast, my eyes did adjust to so much light on the screen and I once again experienced true pleasure while drawing! This is rare for me, I`m not a patient person. Being able to shade and fill it large areas with color quickly is wonderful. I`m going to take it into a forest soon.
An April painting from ten years ago. This is Johnson Creek as it borders the Eastmoreland golf course. Eastmoreland and nearby Reed Canyon were an oasis to me when I lived in a treeless neighborhood of southeast Portland.
Ive been asked to teach a second workshop on Monday July 11 at the Coos Art Museum. I think there are three openings left.
Because de Kooning is such a hero of mine, I thought I knew his body of work. But not this one from the 80`s. This is before his paintings became much more minimal as his Alzheimer`s advanced. No surprise his landscape inspired canvases are my favorite. The period bridging the late 50`s-early 60`s is his pinnacle of bold abstract landscape painting. The Whitney museum`s 'Door to the River' is especially breathtaking! There weren`t a lot of them but almost every one is a home run!
Here he is in his studio;
work for sale in my studio
3 comments:
Randall,
I had difficulty with my Kindle outdoors-same issue. But, your description of being outside at dusk, drawing, sounded just right. Do more of that!
Both paintings are lovely but I like that second one quite a bit. I enjoy seeing your interpretation of the different areas where you have been.
I did a cursory search for de Kooning works. I like the one you selected but I am also drawn to the ones from the 80's.(???) They seem almost spare to me.
Hope all is well. Good luck with the additional class. I'd like to know too how the first class goes.
Libby
The April Stream drawing is gorgeous. Now, because I am such an idiot with tech stuff, can you now print it out? It's just amazing to me what you have doing with thing.
The two paintings are lovely, especially the first - it shows your color palette today with your romantic take on the woods (I mean, color-wise, I think, hard to explain - nothing soft or weak about these paintings but a romance, loveliness, freshness to them that comes through). And your iris! Such lovely lines!!!
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