Carmel Art Festival and plein air painting.....

Plein air painting or painting on location has become a "thing" for landscape artists.  All the talk, the term plein air, has trickled down to the masses.  Competitions, workshops and so on have reinvented the basic idea of plein air painting.  With rare exception until recently the process of painting on location was to learn, create studies, explore ideas, to then take into the studio for a work of art that would eventually find it's way to the gallery wall and then on to a collectors home.  It was a long journey that took time and thought.  

With the last 20 year or so, reinvention of the plein air movement, artists, organizations and collectors have put on the pressure to create finished, super paintings.  With all the "painting process plates" of value, composition, design, color, edges etc. in the air, it's tough in the field not to drop one or two.  For the beginner it's almost impossible.  With that pressure the simple pleasure of painting on location can be lost.  

Admittedly I enjoy the pressure of a plein air competition.  It forces me to finish each painting,  knowing I will be judged by the formal juror and all the other artists.  

During last years event in Carmel I made an effort to paint scenes that offer the collectors a nice selection of local views with the mood of the day, highlighted.  Below is an example of catching the incoming fog bank off the ocean as it drifts up the rural Carmel Valley.  

Carmel is a tough plein air event because you never know what the day will bring as far as the light.  It's not unusual to wake up the morning, a thick layer of fog hanging over the trees.  Tempting as it is to tuck down in the warm blankets, I jump up and dash off to paint.  I didn't mention yet and some may not know, time is fleeting.  In this event we have 2 days to finish as many paintings as possible.  Most artists finish at least 4, often as many as 6 or 7.  

Here is one morning set up of all my gear and the view I picked to work with.  

At this point the painting is pretty well figured out and nearly finished.  It's time to move on to the next location and start again.  

Talk about a change in the light!  Just a little while longer and bright sparkling light is bouncing off the sand and sea.   While painting on location it's a good idea to at least have a guess where the light is heading and the weather in general for the day.  This way you can  paint where the light is headed, not what you see when you first set up.  Then you have a bit more time to paint the scene before it's entirely gone.  Again, this is very tough for the artist first starting to paint on location, unexpected clouds can ruin their experience.  My advice to them would be to take that sunlit canvas off the easel put up a blank one and create a new study of the cloudy day.  Think of the learning possibilities, not the fact that your original scene is gone with the light.  

At the end of a plein air competition all the artists frame and hang their paintings.   You can see two of the paintings that you saw in process, framed and on the wall in this photo.  

If you decide to venture out painting, give yourself the freedom to explore, enjoy and paint with pleasure.  Sir Winston Churchill, wrote a lovely little book "Painting As a Pass Time", on the joys of plein air painting, saying eloquently what we all feel struggling out of doors.  

"Around the Bend on Hwy One"

One of the advantages of camping along the Big Sur coast, is that you can stumble out of your tent as the sunlight comes streaming though the mountains at dawn. Without another soul around, accompanied by the singing of the birds and just absorb the cool quiet beauty of a fresh new day.  That is the inspiration for this new painting, for an upcoming exhibit featuring California's Highway One.  

Oil on canvas, 24" X 36"

"Along the Pacific Coast" ©

Over the last few weeks I painted twice in the area of Carmel, California.  Part of that time was during the Carmel Art Festival, which hosts a plein air competition for four days.  60 artists have two days to paint and two days for the judging, auction and final show.  It's not an event for sissy's.  While painting, I plowed though rain, fog, wind and a dog using my back pack for a fire hydrant.  One time while painting my water bottle started whistling in the wind and I knew it was more then just a little windy.  It's such a beautiful area, the light shifting, clouds drifting that you really don't care about the adverse conditions.  Every moment is a surprise, as the ocean changes from dull gray to brilliant turquoise.  

Oil on Canvas, 18" X 24"

"Crystal Cove Evening" © #crystalcovepainting #seascape #laurawambsgans

Keeping cool, painting the ocean as the sun sinks.   A big thank you to Esther Williams for the inspiration to this view.  

Oil, 16" X 20"

"Cloud Chasing"

Purely for the fun of it, I painted this warm soft sky today.  The location is on the coast in the small magical seaside town of Malibu.  Todays rainy weather had clouds gathering together quickly and separating just as fast, reminding me when painting a moving sky, you just have to pick a pattern in the clouds and stick to it.  

Oil on canvas,  14" X 18"

"China Cove" study

China Cove in the Point Lobos State Reserve is a tough spot to paint.  It's hard to find a place along the trail that won't interfere with hikers and at the same time offers a good view of the cove.  The trail sweeps around the cove and out onto the land mass so you are looking back at where I am standing for this painting.  The pristine water and pure white sandy beach, untouched by humans lets you dream of what this hidden cove would have been like to discover 100 years ago.   This painting is the "first draft" of an idea.  Lately there has been a lot of discussion online of the value of plein air paintings versus studio work.  Every artist works differently but I need a balance of both painting outside, observing nature first hand and studio work.  Without the direct study paintings I think my studio pieces would suffer.  

Oil on canvas, 12" X 16"

"Wild Surf" ©

Today I had the pleasure of watching Ruo Li painting a seascape at the Keystone art center.  He talked a lot about the process of painting and what he felt was important for artists today.  Interestingly he suggested that every artist should know how to use photoshop and be able to manipulate images to paint.  I came home from the day inspired and even though the paintings and show stuff from last weekends show in Thousand Oaks is still not put away completely, I painted.

Oil on canvas,  11" X 14"

"Estuary of Carmel" ©

Twice I have stood on the sandy beach beside the spot where the Carmel River greets the ocean painting as the sun sank behind me into the Pacific Ocean capturing this view.  It's a tough scene with all the rocks and shifts and yet so very inviting I can't help but try to get it down on canvas.  I used the little plein air pieces to work out this larger canvas.  Those little babies are worth their weight in gold.  One time I was told to never sell the plein air pieces because of all the information they contain and I understand the thinking better now then ever.  Meanwhile I am preparing for a trip to Lake Arrowhead to paint in the event "Paint the Lakes" starting Thursday morning.  I can't wait to meet the other artists and explore the 3 lakes we are allowed to paint.  

Oil on Linen,  18" X 24"

"Art Alfresco and El Matador Beach" ©

Today was the monthly California Art Club paint out, hosted by George Malone.  George picked El Matador beach for our gathering spot and the day couldn't have been more perfect.  With most children back in school the parking lot and beach had plenty of room.  So you don't think I paint with sun on my palette and shade on the painting you should know I turned my easel for the photograph, since I had my back to the sandstone cliff as I couldn't get back far enough for you to see the whole spot from where I was actually painting.  One thing I learned today is not to set up so close to the cliff as the wind blew sand off the cliff onto my painting.  It's covered in sand and the paint as some chunks floating on the surface.  The other thing I learned today is Gamblin's new warm white is a luscious and good replacement for Titanium white when painting outside.  I can't wait to try their other newly introduced colors.

What grabbed my attention was the lone big rock lit from above with the shadowed bigger rock behind it adding to the drama of the scene.  

Oil on panel, 9" X 12"

Last weekend I showed paintings at the Ventura Museum for their event "Art Alfresco".  Below you can see my booth set up, before they opened the doors to the public.  I was able to meet several new art lovers and collectors and the weekend was a success for everyone.  I'll be back in two years for the next event.  If you are ever in Ventura looking for a dinner spot, try out Sushi Marina.  The service and food couldn't have been better.  

"Point Dume" ©

Point Dume is one of the many beautiful beaches in the Malibu area with long stretches of white sand  rimmed by majestic cliffs welcoming long walks alone or a day at the beach with friends and family. 

Oil on linen, 11" X 14" 

"Coastal Cypress" ©

The Museum of Ventura County is planning their 3rd bi-annual "Art Alfresco" fundraising event on Saturday August 17th.  I was invited to exhibit my artwork for sale, so all of the construction work on the home front will have to wait a bit, while I paint new work for the show.  Looking at my collection of available paintings I decided a few more coastal/water scenes would compliment the group for the event.  

Oil on linen,  16" X 20"

"Coastal Cliffs" ©

Home from Colorado it was nice to get back to the ocean.  Next month I'll be exhibiting at the Ventura Museum and thought a few ocean scenes would be nice for the show.  

Oil on Linen,  16" X 20"

"Sand Shadows" ©

As painters we get pretty comfortable painting what is around us, for me that would be oak trees, dry riverbeds, dusty trails and sycamores.  Sand dunes are not something I have the chance to paint regularly and they are a challenge.  I will take this little "idea" of a painting for a larger piece and move the ice plant decorated dunes so that I can really make the sunlit sand sing.   My family makes fun of me moving trees, mountains and rivers and I have to remind them that my job is to create a peaceful painting, editing nature just a bit.

Oil on canvas,  11" X 14"

"Beach Day" ©

One of the many advantages of making paintings is that you can paint a picture of where you would like to be.  Even though it's cold and raining outside, I could emerse myself in a sunny day at the beach, creating this little painting.  I popped a couple of children in the scene and may take them out in the morning when looking with fresh eyes, again one of the advantages of painting in oil.  

Oil on canvas,  14" X 18"

"Rocky Cliff" ©

Painter, Margot Lennartz told me once that often rocks look like potatoes in paintings.  During her many critiques of artists paintings, over and over again she would mention the potato problem.  It was one of her common comments that seemed to pop up on so many artists paintings.  Today I am posting my "don't paint potatoes" practice.  

Oil on Canvas, 16" X 16"

"Carmel Sunset" ©

While painting in Carmel one evening, the fog lifted, the clouds broke apart and for about 15 minutes the sun had one last hurrah for the day.  I was toasted from painting all day, looking forward to a hot shower and dinner but thought why not and broke out my easel to just paint color notes of what I was seeing.  Maybe someday this little study will become a painting in the studio, who knows?

Oil on panel, 8" X 10"

"Return to the Sea" ©

The tide rushes out to sea in minutes on the coast of Maine. My thought with this painting was to capture the rivulets of water receding from the shore and the emotions one feels at the end of the day as the sun is sinking, the air is cooling dramatically and it's time to pack the gear, heading home for dinner.

This painting started out with just a rough line drawing to locate the major players, trees, cloud, horizon line and so on. I know the feeling that I want this painting to convey and if I can pull that off, I'll feel pretty good about it. I am working from a couple of photos I took while painting in Maine, near Acadia National Park.

Laying in general colors into big areas, I know in the end the trees need to have some lovely deep reds coming though as if backlit, so a wash of transparent yellow earth and transparent red oxide did a nice job.

In this photo it's much easier to see the photos I am using for my resource material. Not great photos but enough information to remind me what the scene looked like standing there on the shore, watching the tide water quickly recede. If your painting in Maine it's a good idea to have a tide ap on your phone, so you can plan where to stand. In a couple of hours you can be underwater if your not careful. Another good ap is the sunrise / sunset ap, again great for planning your painting day.

Oil on Canvas, 20" x 24"

"Sunny Afternoon" ©

Today it was 84 degrees in LA and Malibu was the place to be according to the radio announcer. Painting this scene from "Sunny Afternoon", 9" X 12", (you can see in an earlier blog post) I thought about the warm sun and the sound of the water gently lapping the sand.

Oil on Canvas, 24" X 30"

"Rolling In" © studio

"Rolling In" on the easel, shows a good example of taking a small oil "sketch" and creating a large painting from the idea captured in the sketch.

Oil on Canvas, 30" X 40"

My small painting is on the little easel to the right of the larger canvas. I knew I wanted the same proportions for the canvas but didn't have a fresh canvas on hand in that size, so I pulled an old canvas with an idea for a commission (long since finished and delivered) turned the painting upside down to lessen the confusion of waves vs. ducks and starting laying out the seascape.

At this stage the ducks are completely covered and I have laid in the general shapes and color patches, here and there. This is the fun part for me, feeling my way around the painting, making decisions and adjustments.

Here is a close up of the palette. I know it looks like a mess and I am constantly scraping down the glass starting over with a big clean space. The palette is custom. Sounds fancy but in honesty a quick inexpensive solution to needing more palette space. My husband cut a piece of wood and I had the fellow at Newhall Glass Co. cut a piece of glass to fit. I painted the back of glass gray and with not too much trouble I had a terrific palette. I have to give a little shout out for the Gamblin Radiants on the lower right side. Love them!

Oil on Canvas, 30" X 40"

"Morning Clouds" ©

Quiet and cool in the early morning watching the dusting of pink arrive upon the lavendar clouds I imagined most of the world still asleep.

Oil on panel, 6" X 8"

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