2012 San Luis Obispo Plein Air Festival

The car is packed with 18 frames wired and ready for a wet painting, tons of paint, panels, brushes, easels (2), a case of water, couple of jackets and some snacks.  I am heading for San Luis Obispo to paint for a show and sale at the San Luis Obispo Art Museum.  We are allowed to paint anywhere in the county and must turn in 6 finished paintings Friday morning.  I have been looking online at the county and there is everything from the ocean at San Simeon, inland lakes and vineyards of Edna Valley.  Here is a listing of the events:

30 | Sunday: Welcome Party, 6 – 8 pm, kicks off the 11th annual

Festival. Meet the artists and learn their favorite painting

locales so you can follow their artistic explorations beginning Monday. Reservations required. Party location with event payment. $25 SLOMA members, $50 general

1 | Monday: Artists paint the unspoiled landscapes of San Luis Obispo County. View their diverse painting styles on exhibit at SLOMA. Free

2 | Tuesday: Artists paint all day, following the sun and their hearts. Get your map of the artists’ favorite painting sites at SLOMA. Free

3 | Wednesday: Paint SLO Day. Artists concentrate their talents within the City of San Luis Obispo, capturing the charm of historic homes, parks, outdoor cafés, and creekside views. Artist Richard Lindenberg’s Art Talk “How We Paint,” 6 pm Free for SLOMA members, $5 general  (Richardlindenberg.com)

4 | Thursday: Film and Poetry Night, 6 – 9 pm, enjoy a charming film about the Plein Air life, plus a poetry reading and art show by local poets who shadow the Festival artists during the day, then bring their inspired words and artwork back to SLOMA for a poetry reading and art show. $5 SLOMA members, $10 general

5 | Friday: Exhibition and Sale Opening Night, 6 – 9 pm. The top 100+ new paintings from Festival Week vie for Best of Show. Vote for your favorite! Meet the artists and enjoy first pick of the paintings. Free for SLOMA members, $10 general

6 | Saturday: Quick Draw, 8 – 11 am. Festival artists race against the clock to complete a painting before the bell. Follow the artists back to the Mission Plaza, stroll past the easels of new paintings, and pick out your favorites before the paintings go on the auction block.

Live Auction, 1 – 3 pm, Mission Plaza amphitheater.

Kids Paint Out, 10 am – noon, materials provided, SLOMA lawn. Free Festival Exhibition and Sale at SLOMA, 10 am – 5 pm. 

7 | Sunday  Free Festival exhibition and Sale, 10 am - 4 pm

If you are in the area please stop by and check out the paintings.  It should be a super show!

The museum in at 1010 Broad Street (at Monterey)

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

www.sloma.org

phone: (805) 543-8562

"September Light" ©

The fading light of a late September day adds a warm rose color to all the dry brush that is patiently waiting for rain.  I wait all year for this effect that only lasts a couple of weeks.  Sunday I leave for San Luis Obispo to paint for a week and I am curious to see the difference in the light and terrain up there. 

Oil on panel,  9" X 12"

"Bowman Bay" ©

I was told that Bowman Bay was one of the favorite "unknown" spots for locals on Whidbey Island.  I found the tiny bay late one afternoon and just stood there wishing all my painting buddies and family could see this beautiful place.  I think this little study might grow up one day to be a larger studio piece that I could spend a long time orchestrating the cliff and trees.  

Oil on panel,  11" X 14"

"Rosario Beach" ©

Rosario Beach is near Deception Pass, and the location of the last painting posted.  You can see the islands of Washington offer painters stunning views everywhere you turn.  I wish I could have stayed longer as I only scratched the surface in exploring the area.  My next painting trip in a about a week is to San Luis Obispo, totally different palette and terrain.  I'll be painting in the plein air competition and can hardly wait to get going.  

Oil on Canvas, 18" X 24"

"Afternoon at the Edge of Cornet Bay" ©

Just a few trees had started switching from green to gold in Washington last week.  I found these at the edge of Cornet Bay, near Deception Pass.

Oil on Linen Plein Air Panel, 9" X 12"

"A New Day on Whidbey Island" ©

Painting on Whidbey Island reminded me of how quickly the water moves with the tides.   Painting out I am always aware of the path of the sun and on the coastal islands of Washington the tide was an additional consideration.  By the time I finished this little study the water was all the way up to the cliff bottom.A super tool for landscape painters are the sun bleached trees scattered like giant toothpicks along the shore.  Even from a mile away the logs can create a brilliant white sparkling shoreline.   

Oil on Panel, 12" X 9"

"Painting on Coupeville Pier"

Usually there isn't anyone around to ask if they would be willing to take a photo while plein air painting. Or if there is I forget to ask.  This time I was fortunate to be painting near Christine Troyer, an artist from Mount Vernon, WA and she eagerly "shot" me painting.  Thank you, Christine!  

Many artists asked about my easel set up so I thought I might blog about painting in the great out of doors.  My easel is an EasyL by Artwork Essentials in Irvine, CA.  This one is the 11" X 14", that I have siliconed a piece of glass onto the palette area because I will sacrifice the weight issue for the comfort of mixing paint on a glass surface.  I have sprayed the back of the glass with a neutral dove gray at about a value of 3.  When I wreck this side of the glass cleaning up used paint with razor blade I use Easy Off oven cleaner to remove the paint on the backside, paint the wrecked side and flip the glass.  This way I use each piece of glass twice.  Once side usually last about 6 months.   The easel comes with the tripod and a quick disconnect for attaching the easel to the tripod.   I love the level bubble on the tripod.  When setting up, if your easel is crooked then anything you paint will be too, especially when painting cityscapes.  In my backpack I have a few auxiliary colors and a big tube of white.  Because you can preload the palette with nice big piles of paint, you don't have to carry the extra weight of several tubes of paint.   To ward off bugs a foil pack of "Skin So Soft" by Avon rubbed all over bare skin, keeps any flying winged creatures from finding you appealing.  I know some of you are wondering "whats up with the dark glasses?"  Well, if you start out wearing the dark glasses it's best to just keep them on but frankly you never want to paint wearing dark glasses and I never do.  Only when I am going to post a photo of myself painting (just kidding).  

"Zion Study" ©

Flying home from Washington, California looks so very brown and dry.   While in Washington I had the pleasure of attending a workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School by Kathryn Stats.  I went to the workshop to learn Kathryn's thinking about color, which I did.  The biggest lesson for all of us attending was never, ever use brown in a landscape.  Kathryn exchanges lovely violets in place of the browns.  Over the 5 days we were together she imparted little gems here and there.  I picked up as many as I could.  One of her tips was "Brush Shaper" made by Mona Lisa, to give your splayed bristles new life.  A tip I learned from Jane Wallis was an ap for your ipad or smart phone called "Artrage".  This little ap allows you to upload a painting and digitally play with it  quickly to decide on a direction to take the painting without having to actually paint your ideas, until you are sure of your next move.  Artist Emiliya Lane was great surprise as our artistic lives have crossed paths over the years and I loved catching up with her and painting together.  If you need a painting teacher in Washington, check out Emiliya!  Another tip that I haven't tried yet is using Simple Green to clean your glass palette.  That one came from Delores Jordan, who was the workshop assistant.  Claire Hurey was also a class assistant and I appreciated all of her hard work, keeping thing moving and together everyday.

Oil on Panel,  9" X 12"

"Back Road" ©

I am heading to Washington state in the morning to paint for a couple of weeks.  Next Wednesday I am taking a workshop with Kathryn Stats, one of my all time favorite artists.  Her beautiful use of color, so delicate and bold at the same time, creating a symphony of the landscape has been a mystery to me for many years.  Finally I will have the opportunity to watch her paint and try to understand her process.  If I can get online I will blog about the workshop and what I learn during the 5 days on Whidbey Island.  

Oil on Canvas

11" X 14"

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