Hello everyone. I am a newcomer to plein air painting as of this summer. I love it. I had quit painting about 25 years ago, when I was doing watercolors. Last fall I began again in acrylics, painting from my photographs. I joined the High County Artists in Cle Elum in June and we paint out every Friday. Much fun.

I really love that one you did on HWY 10...it also rates high with Bill :)

thanks so much for coming. I am glad you got some painting in, it is so lovely here. cheers

June, thanks for your complements, am having trouble with adobe photoshop so when I'm able to update that I'll most certainly post some of my paintings on this site!

Thank you for your kind words as far as a sense of humor it is a key ingredient to surviving in this business.

Fellow painters - I enjoy looking at all the artwork here, but I have never been able to see them all or watch a slide show because i have a dial up connection that is soooooo slow! I would make more comments if I could see more paintings! Maybe broadband this winter?!!

Hi Jane--hope to see you sometime up in Cle Elum. I really enjoyed the paint out up there in August--Kathryn

Jane... thanks for writing. It would be great to get a bunch of SD painters out for a day in the sun, or fog or what ever God brings our way. You ask if I sketch first or just jump into a painting... yes.
I do. Both sometimes, and sometimes neither...but it is always fun.
Lets do it. I paint around town every Sunday and Monday.

"If you were to give out one special tip on how to stick to large color masses or values, and not get lost in detail...what would it be? What size brushes do you use? Do you do any touching up in the studio?"

Jane--I often do a quick, small (on the order of 2x3") value sketch as first step in a little sketchbook. If nothing else, this gets me out of my head and in touch with the subject. The idea of the sketch is to make the large shape divisions with 3 values--dark, light and gray. This is called a notan sketch described by Arthur Wesley Dow in his book, Composition. I use a pen because I can get dark value masses quickly. I sometimes do more than one sketch using different frames, square, vertical rectangle, horizontal rectangle to get the best composition. These are maybe 1 minute sketches. Once I make the decision about the big values of my 2-D design (the dark, light & gray) on the sketch, then I stick to that on the painting and I keep my sketch in view, as least in the beginning, so I don't get off course. I try to keep those basic big shapes in their correct value range whatever the detail or color. I use 8 and 10 inch bristle brushes, filberts or rounds. I sometimes work on an outdoor painting in the studio but I find the chances of making it worse rather than better are pretty high--other people are probably better at this than me. --Kathryn

Thank you June. You have beautiful work as well.

The miniatures are productive. I just sold two of mine at a Holiday Show, an 8 x8 an 10 x10. I'm enjoying viewing your work. The way you capture the essence in large masses of color. I do hope we have a chance to meet. --Ann

June, thank you. I appreciate the comment. It was a very HOT mid afternoon when I attempted that piece!

I have the original in the studio. I have not considered giclee prints yet. Thanks for the interest.

Hi June,

I haven't heard anything about a possible date--don't know what the weather is like there right now. I will be gone the first half of February. I really like that area over there but its probably about a 5 hour drive for me.

Hi June, Yes we can meet anytime you can get time off work. Since it isn't probable every artist will make it the same time I am going to post the times that you and Kathryn, Mike etc on the East side will be coming and then others can join us on those times. First come first serve sort off. PS I adore your work. I will be thrilled to paint with you. You pick the time and Loretta and I and maybe Greg will join you at Dry Falls. Then we will do it again with whoever couldn't make it that trip. Sound reasonable. Maybe you and Kathryn and Mike should drive over together?

June - Thank you for sending me this link. I just joined and will post some artwork. I'm back in Seattle as of last night. So glad that you did get to paint on that gorgeous day Tuesday. We moved on to another spot, with our packed lunch as first item on the agenda, it was a spot on the river up the Teanaway River road, and beautiful in that sun. Then we did a second and third little painting.
Yesterday we left the cabin early and before we hustled back to Seattle, and Patsey back to Idaho, we did two more paintings in the gorgeous sunshine. It was a great week over there, and I came back with 13 small watercolors, can't yet tell if they're good or bad or somewhere in between, but oh so much fun to do them. I froze the first 4 days, and got a tan the last two. But so good to have a week painting in your fabulous area. And it was good to meet you. I know our paths will cross again.
Cathe

thank you June! I love sketching and pen and ink is my "first love" so it just sort of evolved with the watercolor washes added over the last few years. Saw you are from WA state! ... I went to school at Cornish Art Institute in Seattle and lived in Tacoma for seven years before moving back east. We come west to Montana and Washington every chance we get.... beautiful country.

June,

Thanks for the comment. I agree with Donald... do more watercolors!

A friend asked me to post it. I didn't realize it would help so many painters.

June,

I am planning on participating in the paint out if i can swing it.

Mike