Egret

I went through the Horicon Marsh Wildlife Preserve the other day. There were the most beautiful birds just hanging out along the highway. This is an Egret, I think, although it might be a juvenile Great Blue Heron. If anyone knows for sure, feel free to chime right in.

I've been working at a garden center for the last few months, and haven't had much time to do much else, including painting and photographing. I am not giving those up, and hope to make even stronger images. If nothing else, I'm too stubborn.

And being that its summer, the television says we are in atornado watch right now. I think its north of me, so it'll be OK.

Barn

I've been photographing this barn for about 5 years. Every time I go to visit my aunt, who is 103, I stop to record this wonderful old barn. She was a beauty in her day, with scrollwork along her eaves and a yellow stone foundation. Last week I drove up to deliver chocolates to my aunt, and the barn was gone. And not just knocked down, but so flattened that no trace was left. In a few years no one will remember how truly wonderful it must have been in its heyday, and how even its skeleton was magnificent, like some great wooden mammoth still standing on a sand prairie in central Wisconsin. I'm glad I got the chance to see her.

Paul Strisik

My last post was about a painting that I copied from a 8x10 print, but had no idea who had painted it. Stapleton Kearns left a comment saying he thought it was by Paul Strisik. I wasn't sure who Paul was and so I looked him up. Well, the only thing to say is "Wow! What a wonderful painter!" And also "Wow, I need to work a lot harder!" These are two websites featuring his paintings Welcome to Paul Strisik's Web Site and Paul Strisik (1918 - 1998). The sense of light in his paintings is so elegant. He studied with Frank Vincent DuMond, who was a legendary teacher at the Art Student's League.

This is one of Paul Strisik's paintings from Greece.

Waterfall

A copied picture from my new class. I wish I knew who did this originally, but I don't. I used a limited palette to paint this, the colors were Cadmium Yellow light, cad. red light, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, viridian and white. And they were water mixable oils, which was something new for me. The class has about 2 hours painting time, and I raced to finish it just before time was up.

Under the trees

This is a quick sketch of a woman and child sitting under the trees. Its done in an "oh so fashionable Moleskeine" sketch book, that I really, really like despite it being trendy. It has paper with a very nice surface to it. Plus, I look cool when I draw in it.

Copying

I started a class in painting in a more loose, brushy manner. And one of the things the teacher recommends of copying other work to learn technique. In the 19th century, many of the painters like Sargent copied the old masters to figure out how they painted. This is my copy of a painting by John Frost who was a California Impressionist and a wonderful painter. He used warm and cool colors, but also kept (I think) tight rein on his values. He went from light to a mid tone in just about the middle of the picture and then kept it at a mid tone until the very front of the picture, where he darkened again. All the while he also kept his grays under control. Whew!! What a good painter he was. Here is a link to more about John Frost and California Impressionists: Pasadena Society Of Artists: Charter Member: John :Jack" Frost and Spacious Skies: California Impressionist Cloud Studies and Seascapes

At the Museum

This is my drawing of the Lievens painting.  We get two hours a week and its a lot of  fun. I have another couple of weeks to work on this and I sure hope I get it finished.

The Artistic Process

The artist contemplates his work.

Old Master Portrait

There is a new show at the Milwaukee Art Museum featuring the work of Jan Lievens, who was a friend, fellow student and studio buddy of Rembrandt. Its a brilliant show, he did terrific portraits and I was lucky enough to get into a class that allows me to copy one of his works. It was hard to chose but there were two portraits of men in turbans with feathers that were knock-outs. I picked the painting above, a picture of a young man in a turban and cloak. It's pretty when you see it on the web, but in person it's gorgeous. We are only allowed to draw, not paint, I think because of the fear that fumes from paint solvent would damage the paintings. The point is to study the technique and composition of an old master and understand how he put it all together. I made a good start last week and got the basic shapes in fairly well, and since  he doesn't look like a space alien in my drawing, I think I'm doing ok so far. 

Black & White Drawing

This sort of confusing photo is of another black and white cast study. It looks all out of shape, and yet in person it looks pretty exact. Really. No, really. It does. Honest.  Maybe I need to recheck my proportions. Better yet, I am going to stop showing the drawing and the still life together!  Then you will have to take my word for it. 

See, it now has perfect proportions!

Ribbon Work Bag

I can't believe I haven't posted since November! How can that be?I made this little bag and gave it to a friend last week. She liked it and said she was putting her mothers wedding ring in it.

Its a kind of a muslin cotton worked with silk ribbon embroidery, beads and pearls. It came out so nicely that I think I'll make some more. As I remember, its about 3x5 inches square. I found a place that sells small silk bags similar to this so maybe I'l give them a try.