Shifting Gears

A little over 2 years ago, I closed the gallery portion of my business and moved to a new studio and workshop space. I longed for a schedule that allowed for more time for painting both in studio and on location plus I had projects in my head that had been there for years. The change of pace went a little differently than I expected.

After 17 years owning Schroeder Studio Gallery in Old Towne Orange which had all the vibrancy and parking problems inherent to that sort of environment, I moved a scant 3 miles away to a quiet center where businesses are destinations for their customers. It is adjacent to a city park where ducks and geese gather on the pond. I got exactly what I desired, a space large enough for 12 students yet small enough for my own use as a studio. It is on a ground floor with lots of available parking. There is abundant space on walls for hanging paintings. I was sure I could jump right in to the schedule I longed for - uninterrupted hours for contemplative painting. Imagine my surprise when that didn’t happen for quite awhile.

With this distance of time, I think I understand what happened to my well laid plans. First, I was exhausted from the move, both mentally and emotionally. The new space had required attention since it had been vacant for years. So in one space I was letting go of display pieces no longer needed and in the new studio I needed painting and furniture storage. In addition I was working on a plan for the arrangement of the furniture I was taking with me. There was NO sketching or painting going on for several weeks. After the move I think I was so tired that I just needed time to be and get accustomed to my new environment.

I was embarking on a new adventure where a different approach was necessary and that took me a good amount of time to accomplish. I spent my first weeks in the studio planning workshops, contacting and communicating with guest instructors and organizing my new space.

What I didn’t factor in was that my history had been one of support for others, not the single minded pursuit of art. In fact my high school art teacher had told my Mom that I might be too social for the solitary life of an artist. I listened to that so I earned a teaching credential in college, one with a speciality in art. After I taught for a few years, my children arrived and when they were in school I often taught in their classrooms. Even though I was painting seriously with noted watercolorists, my main hats were teacher, wife, mother, and then gallery owner. All along I was very aware of those I was charged with helping. It definitely fit my personality - I adore teaching and representing wonderful artists was pure joy. I am much more comfortable promoting others rather than myself. 

But here I was, being busy in all the ways that didn’t support my painting goals - working on the business of art first and trying to paint in the afternoon. That didn’t work so well. So, what did I do? First was remembering that I am my best creative self if the artwork comes at the beginning of the day, not at the end. It DOES take energy to paint as contrary as that idea is when you are largely quiet while doing that. I needed that to change so I gave myself an assignment. First thing in the morning, I began doing a series of figures done in pencil and white gouache in a gray sketchbook. I have dozens of photos of people taken all over the world which was perfect subject matter. That began a change in habit pattern. I was moving in the right direction.

My next goal was to review images in sketchbooks. I began by finishing some that were not quite complete. Then I reviewed several which were not to my liking and judged them as a design problem. I use those corrections when I teach a workshop called, “Keeping a Watercolor Journal.”

Then I decided to do a full sheet watercolor of my grand daughter in a fairly constant pose - deep in a book, snuggled beneath a comforter. That was prompted by a weekend when I had my three grandchildren and I got a photo that I knew would make a nice painting. I worked on that every day for a month or more by the time you count the studies for both her face and the comforter.

Once I completed all of the above, I was “reprogrammed!” I put the most important stuff at the beginning of the day and the necessary at the end. I am at the studio or painting on location 5 days a week most of the time. I’ve always had more ideas than time and now I have the luxury of enough time to go after some of those goals. So it’s all worked as I had envisioned, just slower than I had expected.

This post is due to those artists who have shared with me their own struggles to find time to paint. As I commented on this experience of “shifting gears”in recent demonstrations for art groups I was encouraged to write this post. So here it is, it is my wish that it helps someone else!

Shifting Gears

A little over 2 years ago, I closed the gallery portion of my business and moved to a new studio and workshop space. I longed for a schedule that allowed for more time for painting both in studio and on location plus I had projects in my head that had been there for years. The change of pace went a little differently than I expected.

After 17 years owning Schroeder Studio Gallery in Old Towne Orange which had all the vibrancy and parking problems inherent to that sort of environment, I moved a scant 3 miles away to a quiet center where businesses are destinations for their customers. It is adjacent to a city park where ducks and geese gather on the pond. I got exactly what I desired, a space large enough for 12 students yet small enough for my own use as a studio. It is on a ground floor with lots of available parking. There is abundant space on walls for hanging paintings. I was sure I could jump right in to the schedule I longed for - uninterrupted hours for contemplative painting. Imagine my surprise when that didn’t happen for quite awhile.

With this distance of time, I think I understand what happened to my well laid plans. First, I was exhausted from the move, both mentally and emotionally. The new space had required attention since it had been vacant for years. So in one space I was letting go of display pieces no longer needed and in the new studio I needed painting and furniture storage. In addition I was working on a plan for the arrangement of the furniture I was taking with me. There was NO sketching or painting going on for several weeks. After the move I think I was so tired that I just needed time to be and get accustomed to my new environment.

I was embarking on a new adventure where a different approach was necessary and that took me a good amount of time to accomplish. I spent my first weeks in the studio planning workshops, contacting and communicating with guest instructors and organizing my new space.

What I didn’t factor in was that my history had been one of support for others, not the single minded pursuit of art. In fact my high school art teacher had told my Mom that I might be too social for the solitary life of an artist. I listened to that so I earned a teaching credential in college, one with a speciality in art. After I taught for a few years, my children arrived and when they were in school I often taught in their classrooms. Even though I was painting seriously with noted watercolorists, my main hats were teacher, wife, mother, and then gallery owner. All along I was very aware of those I was charged with helping. It definitely fit my personality - I adore teaching and representing wonderful artists was pure joy. I am much more comfortable promoting others rather than myself. 

But here I was, being busy in all the ways that didn’t support my painting goals - working on the business of art first and trying to paint in the afternoon. That didn’t work so well. So, what did I do? First was remembering that I am my best creative self if the artwork comes at the beginning of the day, not at the end. It DOES take energy to paint as contrary as that idea is when you are largely quiet while doing that. I needed that to change so I gave myself an assignment. First thing in the morning, I began doing a series of figures done in pencil and white gouache in a gray sketchbook. I have dozens of photos of people taken all over the world which was perfect subject matter. That began a change in habit pattern. I was moving in the right direction.


My next goal was to review images in sketchbooks. I began by finishing some that were not quite complete. Then I reviewed several which were not to my liking and judged them as a design problem. I use those corrections when I teach a workshop called, “Keeping a Watercolor Journal.”

Then I decided to do a full sheet watercolor of my grand daughter in a fairly constant pose - deep in a book, snuggled beneath a comforter. That was prompted by a weekend when I had my three grandchildren and I got a photo that I knew would make a nice painting. I worked on that every day for a month or more by the time you count the studies for both her face and the comforter.

Once I completed all of the above, I was “reprogrammed!” I put the most important stuff at the beginning of the day and the necessary at the end. I am at the studio or painting on location 5 days a week most of the time. I’ve always had more ideas than time and now I have the luxury of enough time to go after some of those goals. So it’s all worked as I had envisioned, just slower than I had expected.

This post is due to those artists who have shared with me their own struggles to find time to paint. As I commented on this experience of “shifting gears”in recent demonstrations for art groups I was encouraged to write this post. So here it is, it is my wish that it helps someone else!

PAINTING ON LOCATION

Painting “en plein air” or “on location” or my personal favorite “paintabout” is a sure-fired way to recharge your artistic spirit. Is it easy? Oh, no. Is it worth it? Oh, yes! The more you do it, the easier it is to get to cruising speed in your work. If it’s been awhile, the first few attempts are usually, well, uninspired. That is why I urge my students to make a habit of painting on location at least once a week and also to grant themselves several days away once or twice a year to plunge into painting whether it be a workshop or a getaway with a painter friend. Having the luxury to think only about the process of painting is a sure fired way to advance in your work and you bring home ideas for additional paintings.

However, sometimes painting on location can be “interesting,” to say the least.

Painting trips can encompass all the range of emotions imaginable - elation, sadness, fear, delight, amusement and so on. This was the case on a trip that began in Italy and finished up in France. The Drome is an area of southern France that was the home of a couple who ran an art and cooking school. The timing of my visit was memorable, sadly so. I had been in Verona, Italy and during our stay, the twin towers in New York City were bombed. It was difficult to contact family at home and I was disappointed in myself that my memory of important things was definitely interrupted by emotion. Fortunately I went to an internet cafe and the owner was a young man who trained at Art Center in Pasadena. I was able to check in with family and a few days later proceeded to the second part of my trip to France. The day I was painting in Comps, we chose an ancient chapel located in the countryside with no buildings nearby. The wind was blowing and the temperature dropping as I began a painting. I had chosen a spot next to a row of trees to shield me from the wind and there was pasture nearby. Pretty soon a couple of horses strolled over and seemed interested in my activity. After I had drawn and put in the first wash, I looked over my shoulder and my former admirers were sound asleep. There are critics everywhere! 

Going to places that are new brings an excitement that is translated into your work. And because you pause and paint, you are regarded as more than just a tourist. It’s important to find a way to work that makes you comfortable and still makes you open to new experiences. If you don’t want people to peer over your shoulder, then back up to a building or bushes. Get out of the line of sight by sitting on a stool and you’ll be surprised how many people just walk right by. You can also wear earplugs, as if you are listening to music and most will not bother you. As you gain experience, these pauses won’t bother you but it’s important to protect yourself as you embark on this very public way of working. Sketching in a journal which can be closed if people come too close works well too. Just remember that the reason for the interest is that they are absolutely fascinated by what you do and impressed with the results.

Working on location, or en plein air, is a wonderful way to get out into our wonderful world and record your unique perspective. Later as you review your paintings and/or sketches, you’ll be
astonished how the sounds, conversations and fragrances of the time you did the painting come
flooding back as you view the images. Magic! Don’t miss it!

God Bless the Gremlins in the Flat File!

Since I've been painting a long time and know lots of painters I've decided I'm entitled to declare certain artistic truths. This post is about one of those truths that is almost magical in it's concept.

If you are unhappy with a painting or a sketchbook page put it away. Close the book. Just plain get it out of your sight...for awhile. After several days (or longer) take another look and by golly (!) you will see your creation anew. Those wee beings that inhabit the spaces in artist's storage areas have worked their magic and shazam, it's not nearly as hopeless a piece of work as you thought!

The sketch done in San Diego's famous Balboa Park is my most recent example. I was anxious to draw that lovely, complex tower as well as the palm trees which framed the towers so nicely. I was using a new fountain pen which held water soluble ink. The watercolor was added after the drawing. 

Sketch of Balboa Park - Ink & Watercolor

I left the park discontented with my sketch. The ink was much more fluid than I had anticipated and I lost most of the light patches in the top portion. Basically I was a bit grumpy with the whole thing. I closed the sketchbook and had a lovely dinner with my sketching buddy Brenda Swenson at my nephew's restaurant very near the park. I didn't open up that sketchbook for at least a week.

Balboa Park - San Diego

By the time I re-visited the sketch I found my attitude about it had improved greatly. I was able to look at the sketch itself and NOT what my mind had envisioned at the start of the drawing. The simple base of the tower with it's sunlit side was a nice contrast to the complexity of the tower top. I added more dark greens, scattered some of the orange color found on the tallest palm tree in areas around the page, added the border on the upper right corner and included the story. Thankfully I had left that blank so it was perfect for the text. And that important white spot on the tower base? If I had left lots more light on the top portion, that space would not be so lovely. 

I can't begin to recall all the times this has happened and I hear others talk about it too. We need distance to be able to judge what we have, not what we don't have. Until we get to that stage, it does no good to address design problems. I now expect this to happen and stop before I've mucked up the whole thing. Distance is a good thing is many respects and very much so in painting. As for those dear little gremlins? I'm grateful they inhabit my flat file!
 

Loosen Up!

Loosening up is a common topic of conversation amongst my students - as in "I want to loosen up!" When I ask them why, they have a hard time articulating an answer but it has something to do with what they think watercolor painting should be. I suspect it has more to do with the ease of brushwork in experienced painters rather than a method of applying paint. So I try to gently talk to them about the goal of painting - we each have to find our own language as a painter and to find that takes LOTS of painting. As in everything in our fast-paced world, beginners want to "get there" asap. Too bad it doesn't work that way. Or rather, isn’t it lovely that it works that way. Painting isn’t a new craft that you learn and do for a week or two and then move on to the next new fad. It’s such a demanding, fulfilling, fascinating journey that it can last an entire lifetime.

There is an exercise that I recommend if new painters are wanting to find a way to work that feels more unstructured. You really can't get too tight when you use the wet-into-wet application of paint.

After drawing the subject on watercolor paper, either immerse the sheet in a tub of water or sponge water on both the front and the back of the paper. With the former, wait several minutes so the paper is thoroughly soaked. Grab the sheet by 2 corners and let the water sluice off the page. Then turn it diagonally so more can drip off. Then "walk" the paper down the board - a board that is non-absorbent. By walking I mean laying the paper down from the bottom to the top making sure that each area is right next to the board. If there is a soft wrinkle, lift the nearest corner and walk it down again Watch for areas where the paper seems to have a bubble beneath the paper and if you see any, lift from the corner and lay it flat again. Any air beneath the watercolor paper will make it more difficult when you begin to paint. If you have used a sponge to wet the paper, do the same method of adhering the paper to the board.

You’ll need to wait for the glisten to leave the surface before you begin to paint. Sometimes I’ve been successful at hurrying up the drying time by blotting the paper surface with a towel but there is a danger of taking too much water off. You have to experiment with this part…what is too dry and what is too wet. Experience will tell you what the surface should look like for the optimum time to add paint. 

Pewter Teapot & Radish

You want to paint on a flat surface at the beginning - no angle on the board. If you forget, you’ll see the paint run to the bottom so that won’t happen more than once. By remembering that in watercolor the water is our “white paint”, you’ll reach for more concentrated pigment for the first washes. Brush on color in the places you want it to be and don’t worry about the blurring of the areas as this is what you want - undefined shapes. If the color is perfect, add more pigment since the color will fade at least 20% when it is dry. Then you wait for it to dry. No dryers since it will move the paint all over the place. Later on when you are more experienced, you might like to experiment with that but for the first experiments, just let the paint do it’s thing.

After the surface is completely dry, you can begin glazing colors over the initial washes. For this step, having your board at an angle is perfectly fine. The example above shows how the study worked after the first wash on wet paper and the same study shows how it might be finished. It could have been done in many other ways, this is just one example.

Try lots of studies - in each one you will learn something new. Keep a notebook next to your materials so you can jot down things you want to remember. It not only will help you remember, the very act of writing something down helps your recall.

So if looser painting is your goal, then assign yourself a solid week of painting wet-into-wet. Repetition each day is important since you carry muscle memory as well as mental memory when you paint often. At the end of the week you’ll have studies that are much “looser.” You’ll also be much more content with your work since the practice and repetition will cause your brushwork to be more confident. Win win!

Mixed Media Explorations

Mixed Media

Ink, Watercolor, Collage

One of the wonderful benefits of teaching is that I look for all sorts of ways to explain/show my students the concepts I'm trying to teach. And because of that I'm always exploring and that informs my own work even if it was not the goal. Several years ago I was asked to teach a 3 day workshop and needed to come up with a good final project. Day one was subject matter exploration, composition and drawing in ink;  day two added watercolor to the ink drawing and for the final day we added stained paper collage. 

Day One

Sharpie & watercolor wash 

 That beginning day we worked with all sorts of subject matter in sketchbooks. Sometimes the watercolor wash was added after the drawing was done and sometimes it was done before. In this instance,  I used a vertical subject matter in a horizontal format with monochromatic color. That rectangle is 7"x10", which is the same proportion as a full sheet watercolor paper. This way if you want it to translate to that size, you have begun in the same shape. 
By using sharpie, you can't be too careful with details. The goal was to try several different formats, color schemes, etc.

 Day Two

Watercolor Underpainting - Ink Brush Drawing

The watercolor underpainting was done prior to the drawing since the ink brush I was using was water-soluble. I wanted to use this brush since the addition of water creates different values, thereby making it a simpler exercise.  Of course it could be done is many different ways and we talked about that, but to get the concept and purpose across, I wanted the initial painting to be done as simply as possible. 

Day Three

Stained Washi - Ink Brush Drawing

On the final day, we spent sometime in the morning staining rice paper or washi with our watercolors. While that dried, the plan for the drawing could be done. I usually do not draw with pencil first since that is my preference but several students did that as a first step. 
The stained papers were torn is the sizes and shapes according to each painter and then affixed to the heavy watercolor paper with acrylic matte medium. After that has completely dried, the ink drawing was added and water used to create tone.  I have purposely left this step unfinished as an example for my students.  Our eyes do such a good job of completing line, that it would be interesting to see just how much you could leave out and still have a good readable image.

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