oil paintings | Cabin Art

A Sore Subject

A drawing student of mine recounted a conversation she had with an elderly artist from here in Tulare County. She told him she was taking oil painting lessons from someone in the area, and the old artist said, “That’s not creative – that’s just copying”.

Ow. That struck a nerve with me. What is or is not “CREATIVE”?

To be clear, it was not the words of my student that caused me to say, “Ow”. It is the subject matter that causes me insecurity and doubt. My drawing student is a lovely person; by reporting this interchange, she opened up an opportunity to discuss it and examine why it is a difficult topic.

I draw from photos, almost 100% my own, and way more often than I like, I have to combine photos to CREATE the scene I’m looking for.

I also teach people to draw, by COPYING photos.

How else can they learn to see?

How can you be CREATIVE with graphite if you don’t know how to see proportions, understand values, drive a pencil in a manner that it is an extension of your hand?

How can you be CREATIVE with oil paint if you don’t know how to see proportions, understand values, mix colors, or drive a paintbrush in a manner that is an extension of your hand?

How is it not CREATIVE to take a color photo (or several) and make a picture look beautiful and interesting in black and white and shades of gray?

Sorry, Elderly Artist. I think you are nice and usually a friendly man, you mean well, and you paint prolifically. Your work may be CREATIVE, but personally speaking (which is the only way I can speak), I think your work is just weird.

So there.

Working from a photo isn’t creative? Working on a canvas of different proportions than the photo isn’t creative? Figuring out the arrangement, filling in the gaps, figuring out a new background–not creative? And turning this ugly beginning into something attractive isn’t creative?? It might not even work out to be worth the effort. . . an artistic adventure. . .

P.S. This topic is reminiscent of the ongoing conflict between studio artists and those who paint plein air. I imagine there is a similar situation between those who read music and those who play by ear. IT IS ALL VALID, PEOPLE, ALL OF IT!

oil paintings Tulare County artist

Squishing a Meadow

How does one “squish a meadow”?

One layer at a time, with oil paint on canvas, a 6×18″ canvas to be specific. Canvases this size and shape have become popular; they seem to fit well into odd spaces for people. I can accommodate this.

This is how Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park looked about 2 weeks ago.

The proportions are different in this photo than on a 6×18″ canvas. Can I squish this into a horizontal format? Can I stretch it out and remain believable? Sure. This is a forgiving subject, not an architectural exactitude where I have to artificially elongate things, maybe shorten the height and add a few windows. That would be neither forgiving nor believable.

This messy and sort of ugly beginning lets me know this will work.

Tucker doesn’t care, because there is something much more intriguing up the hill.

All this discussion about proportion, believability and elongating has put Scout to sleep.

Better sky (it is the farthest element), next grayish green on the trees that are farthest away.

Closer trees on the right, bright yellow ones last.

After this is dry, I will look at it with more critical eyes, add a few more details, decide if the colors are really correct, and then sign it.

And honestly, Dear Readers, my paintings look a ton better in person.

Painting Chickens

I’m never quite sure what to do with these 2×2″ canvases. I thought I was ordering 6 but ordered 60 by accident. (This was quite a few years ago.) They are difficult to paint, and it doesn’t seem right to ask more than $20 apiece. Each canvas with an easel cost me about $3, and each one takes about 2 hours to complete. I probably could find a better paying job than this, but I’d have to put on real shoes and leave the house.

This was the first pass over the canvas. I wasn’t sure whether or not they were worth finishing, and I couldn’t find anyone to tell me the answer to this. Sometimes it might be nice to have a job with a boss to tell me what to do because then stupid decisions wouldn’t be my fault.

Now they are finished, except for signing. That is its own challenge on a canvas too small for a signature. (I sign the edges, and they have to dry first.)

Only the chicken in the middle remains at the time of this post – the other two have sold.

I completed the first pass, waited a few days, and then revisited the painting with my tiniest brushes and strong magnifying glasses (the ones that melted a big divot in my stereo), There is never too much detail in my estimation.

Original oil painting, cleverly titled “Rooster”, 8×8″ on wrapped canvas, $100

Remember to contact me if you bought a 2019 calendar in person – if you bought it through the website, I have your info already.

oil paintings

Growing Some Grapes

A dear friend bought some little fruit paintings for her dining room a couple of years ago.

She decided that another painting would look good on the other side of the window. I agreed.

We discussed the options, and she thought grapes would be good there. I told her that grapes are crazy hard, so we discussed another option, maybe a collage, but the design process made grapes sound pretty good. She and I have been friends since about 5th grade, and I am willing to do crazy hard for her. Crazy hard in painting beats crazy hard in design right now. . . don’t know why, but that’s the way it is.

The pink line is just a weird thing that my computer does some times – it is not part of the painting.

Remember to contact me if you bought a 2019 calendar in person – if you bought it through the website, I have your info already.

commission oil painting oil paintings

Another Harvest Festival Round-up

“Harvest Festival” is a popular name for an arts and craft show in the fall. I have been in 2 this year, and will soon be in a 3rd Harvest Festival which is more of a carnival (not as an artist this time – I’ll probably be making popcorn.)

New show, new location, new faces, and 5 new paintings along with a now-known faulty calendar.

The most recent was at a church in Visalia on Saturday. This was a First Annual Harvest Festival, and the organizers did a good job for their first time out. It isn’t easy to put such an event together.

A benefit of participating in a new show like this is that the organizers are extraordinarily hospitable and helpful. Another benefit, which might be also viewed as a not-so-good, is that with lower attendance, there is plenty of time to talk to each visitor. People are so nice, so interesting and so encouraging at a show like this.

My sales were surprisingly good, but selling oil paintings always boosts the bottom line. 😎 I even presold a non-faulty calendar, along with coloring books, a pencil reproduction print or two, and lots of cards.

I had the privilege of meeting 2 young artists. One showed me some fun assignments on her phone, and we talked about the possibility of an art career. Another was making something during the show and seemed to have an interest in faces. I had the iPad with me and photographed his face so I could teach him about facial proportions. If the show had been busy, I wouldn’t have been able to meet Hailey and Jacob, 2 delightful people who keep me from falling into deep despair over the future of our youths. (Such a middle-aged thing to admit, but I am middle-aged, so there.)

I spent some time coloring in my ag coloring book in between visitors. Coloring is only part of my life during shows; normally I knit, garden or read in my time off. What a life, when coloring feels like work!

Mineral King oil paintings oil paintings Visalia show

Building a Store

Until I began this painting, I never noticed that the sign above the door is not centered.

Now there are chairs on the porch and geraniums in the window boxes.

And now, it is finished! Next, I’ll sign it, paint the edges, wait for it to dry, scan or photograph it, varnish it, wait for it to dry again, and then mail it.

commission oil painting oil paintings silver city store Tulare County art

Pumpkins

This the season of pumpkin spice everything. This blog post is pumpkin, minus the spice.

I posted this photo of paintings in progress.

A regular blog reader said she’d like to buy the painting. I touched it up, signed it, varnished it, and mailed it off to her. I forgot to scan it, so this is the best I could do from the above photo to have a record of the painting.

And here is the email conversation I had with this friend/reader. I found it charming and appropriate for Pumpkin Spice Season.

I collect pumpkins (since I have an October birthday)

It started with my 60th birthday … instead of gifts … I asked for pumpkins … have the givers name on the bottom of each .. so when I set them out, I am remembered of how much I am loved!

I actually started with some of my own, and friends knew I liked pumpkins prior to my 60th.

And some friends gave me multiple small ones… disclaimer that I have sooooo many friends! Ha ha.

For me .. the gift of friendship was most important, and this was a reminder of those treasured friendships. I just turned 64 and at this stage I don’t want (or need) stuff. I want time with those I love.

To top it off, she shared these photos with me, which I like so much that I am sharing with you.

Thank you, Anne, for sharing your pumpkin friendship thoughts and including my painting in your collectoin.

oil paintings

Summer Sales, Part Two

Did you forget that I was showing you the Mineral King oil paintings that sold in Silver City over the summer? Here is the other half:

As before, the sizes shown here are a little whacky in terms of how they are relative to one another. I was shocked by the stellar rise of the Honeymoon Cabin to the top position this year and also shocked by the relative unpopularity of Sawtooth. One, maybe two, are all that sold of that subject, previously #3 in popularity. The second top seller was the view of the Crowley cabin and Farewell Gap as seen from the bridge.

What a year! If the economy keeps clicking along this way, next year I may bring some of my larger pieces. In the past, people admired them, but they didn’t sell and then I didn’t have them when I needed them for other places and events down the hill. But who knows. . .?

THANK YOU, SILVER CITY RESORT!

P.S. I accept commissions for oil paintings; NOW would be a good time to ask if you’d like something by Christmas.

Mineral King oil paintings oil paintings

A Tree Grows

6×18″ Sequoia Gigantea/Redwood/Big Tree, first pass.

While I was growing a tree, this was happening outside the painting workshop.

Sequoia Gigantea II, oil on wrapped canvas, 6×18″, $150 (plus tax)

oil paintings Sequoia painting

Little Boutique in Lemon Cove

Happy Birthday, Jim! (We’re still in the Fs. . .)

Ever been to Lemon Cove? If you’ve gone to Sequoia from Visalia, you’ve passed through it. I think of it as Lemon Curve. . . a few curves on the highway, and you are outta there.

There’s a little boutique at the Lemon Cove Womans Club (yep, that’s the real spelling) on Saturday, October 20, called the Harvest Boutique, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Womans Club is on Highway 198, and it looks like this (if you first vacuum all the color out of life):

For the boutique, I’ve painted some new small citrus oil paintings, 4×6″ and 6×6″ (priced at $50 and $60 plus 8% California sales tax). Although this is LEMON Cove, there is more than one type of citrus art here, and please take note of the highly creative titles.