Saturday, September 27, 2008

Room with a View


Okay, this has nothing to do with values again. Well, actually EVERY painting has quite a bit to do with values. And since I can't get a photo to illustrate a big mistake we can make in doing landscapes, lets just look at this one, titled "Room with a View" and see how the value structure works. Let's try this one in color for a change.
If you squint your eyes, it's easier to see the major values of this landscape. Sky, lightest value.
Pine trees and beaver lodge (also functions as an upright form) are the darkest. Disregarding the water, because it is composed mainly of reflections of either the dark trees or the light sky, look at the flat grassy areas. They are the next lightest area, as they should be. They give their full surface to the light of the sky. The receding hills are the medium dark, and they get lighter as they get further away. This is part of atmospheric perspective, and that's a topic for another day. All in all, I think this landscape, though it has many elements, stays within the boundaries of our four major value groups, so I will call it a success. That's a real scene, by the way, and there actually is a beaver lodge there. Location, location, location!

Friday, September 26, 2008

Open Studio invitation

I know, I know, I haven't posted again on values, but I had a problem with my camera, and just haven't been able to take the photos I wanted to use for illustration. So, while I'm working on that, I wanted to send out this invite to my Open Studio . This is part of the Monadnock Arts/Friends of the Dublin Art Colony's 13th annual Open Studio tour.
There are 57 artists, and 50 studios in the Monadnock region which will all be open to the public on the weekend of Oct. 11 and 12. I am sharing my studio space with a talented potter, Judy Driscoll, who will be displaying her works along with my paintings. So come and enjoy both two and three dimensional works, plus some light refreshments. (cookies, I'm sure there will be cookies!) This tour is a great opportunity to see where artists work and create, and most of the artists have special pricing just for this weekend, since no gallery commission has to be considered.
For more information on the entire tour, and to download a map of all the studio locations, visit
Monadnock Arts website
I would love to have you stop by and visit!