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I just couldn’t paint fast enough!  This was my first visit to Amnicon Falls, WI but definitely not my last.  The park was filled with white water cascades and everywhere were paintings to be done.  Oh, where to start.

As mentioned in my last blog post, this park was recommended to me by a ranger from Pattison State Park, due to my desire to get up close and personal with a waterfall.  I knew with all the recent snowfall the creeks and rivers would collect copious quantities of water, so I took the long drive up to these parks with the hope I could capture the literal “rush” I knew that I’d be feeling.  I show here the fruit of my labor, I was numb by the end of the day and the drive home was extremely tough but a large bag of popcorn and flipping through the talk radio shows helped keep me going. 

I thought I would share my latest works done yesterday at Pattison State Park in northern Wisconsin.  Actually, I think I will do this over a couple of posts instead of just one…no not an advertising trick, but I am just a bit tired and I promised to share this before the paint dries.   I would like begin with my second piece, little Manitou Falls.   Before doing this painting I did get one of big Manitou, but that one got away from me…I think primarily because I was informed that I was not to climb closer to the falls.  So, I lost interest because it was just too far away, but here, at the small falls, I got to climb down and get the angle I was happy with.  That angle composition with a dramatic high horizon line allowed the falls to really sputter out its beer colored water right at you.   As you can see from the photo’s I was right at the waters’ edge…actually looking at the photo’s, I think I was a bit over that edge…anyway, the rocks were slippery, the mist was cool and in my face, and the water from the recent snowmelt was just blasting out over the ridge.   Ah, it was great!

As you see there is still a bit of snow there, so the trip down was a tad slow, and the trip back out, with a wet painting..well, actually, that was a bit easier for some reason.  It probably had something to do with the fact that when I was trying to decide where to set up, it a bit long.  You know the story…I got to see it from here, and then there, and over there further…and each time of course, I am climbing the rather sharp wet rocks.  So the satisfaction of coming out with something I was happy with, especially after my earlier disaster, made climbing around a bit easier.

Here I am painting in our version of the Hollywood Bowl, Lake Woebegon style.   Painted a bit ago, but posted now with the hope to encourage you to go to the events section of my website and consider participating in my summer outdoor painting classes to whatever extent you are able to.   Come join me along with others as we paint the overwhelming beauty of the historic Chaska.  I am offering my outdoor classes “a la carte” to allow for maximum flexibility and variety.  My pricing for the sessions and dates can be found there and any further questions can be addressed by contacting me with a quick email.

What makes this so exciting are the beautiful varied subjects to paint that lie so close to the studio.  To top it off, the annual Taste of Chaska, will be held Wednesday, May 15^th  from  5 – 9pm.  So along with your paints, bring an appetite.  Vendors set up a close block from the studio door with their tents, stainless steel cookers and grills…and while they are preparing for the evening festivities, with their canopies, cook tops, checkered tablecloths, and carnival type constructions, we feast on the visual smorgasbord of imagery in the setting of our glorious Town Park.  How much better does it get?

So, think about it.  It’s a great way to get a” taste” of several things at once.

I should have looked out the front window first rather than out the kitchen window, because I would have realized sooner that we had some frozen fog shrouding the landscape.  Well, maybe just as well…I did have some quiet time and I was working on the second cup of coffee, so had I realized sooner, I wouldn’t have taken my time to begin the day softly and slowly as I did.  You know, as I think about it now…there were a number of things I did that led me to my final painting that had I followed a preplanned route, would have not brought me to where I finally ended up.  Hmmh, well thank you God!

Come to think of it, I wasn’t even sure that there was fog, and if there was, just how spotty that fog may be.  But when I had polished off my second cup of Joe, I decided to head out to some of my favorite spots to see what I could find.  It’s a curious thing though I got sidetracked along the way.  Oh maybe it’s just me, but I bet a few of you might drive as I do.  As I approached my first traffic light the signal turned red.  A quick glance over my shoulder informed me that I could just make a move and turn right instead…and keep moving.  So I did.

With this method of driving there is an obvious problem however.  Yes you are still moving but…you might be a tad late… arriving.  But we’re talking about landscape painting here, and it’s a big world out there!  My big break came a little later when a large truck pulled in front of me and lumbered slowly along, obscuring my view and spraying me with unidentifiable particulates.  A double yellow line on the country road prevented me from passing so; you guess it…another right turn on a small, half plowed, driveway? No, road…I think… But I’m moving!

So I end up, well to be honest, I really don’t know where I ended up, but it was great.  It was foggy or had been because of the hoarfrost, and it was beautiful….and it was…right.  It had to be right!  For providence had seen fit to have me make all the Right turns.  Hmmh

It all started with good intentions.  A new restaurant is opening next month just a block away from my studio.  This building that had sat vacant for months was now coming alive.   And it had a different name, Eggs and Pie…or was that Pie and Eggs.  Well either way the menu already looked pretty complete to me.  No French names here, just the short simple words and that your eyes receive and your stomach answers to.

But somewhere my food recognition system was hijacked by my mind.  Wouldn’t it be neat, to paint that stuff as well as eat it?  You know, fill the walls with pictures of oozing pie, or the complicated layers of  meringue, or a close up of an egg, sunny side up, smiling from the wall next to the booth.  Yes, this was all I needed to see in my mind’s eye and get the egg rolling.

So I had to get a pie and paint it, then pitch my idea to the new owner.  Food shopping is always a venture for an artist.  Yep, we touch evvvverrry piece of fruit or vegetable in search of best candidate!   And then we ask the grocer if he has more in the back…no, not the fresher stuff…maybe the riper items or the more interesting one’s with all the stuff hanging on to it…stalks, leaves.    Pie shopping is a bit easier than your run of the mill still life shopping though, especially when you’re already seeing red, as in cherry pie.

Next to paint the pie, so out comes the first slice.  Emmhm   Well, perhaps ingesting this slice may connect me better with this project, so the first slice is…sacrificed…no, a business loss…wait…general  office supply.  Yes, much better.  You know, maybe I should have painted that slice instead of the pie, hmmh.  Slice two, is out before I think it through too much.  But the slice is so small and the big pie now looks much better to paint.  Maybe I‘ll take it home…for my wife…yes, I was thinking of her, sort of.  Now how am I ever going to get that slice home and what do I say, “Honey here’s a slice of a pie from my paint studio?”  Right…why waste it.  Who’ll know?

Well the above picture is the final result of my pie disappearing act.   I’m going to have to do more paintings you know, and that is going to have to involve some research and visual digging.  Somehow I think I’ll be spending some more time in the gym also.

I thought I’d get the word out about my upcoming class in Grand Marias, MN on April 20^th and 21^st.  In this class we will… Capture the beauty of flowers by simplifying the complexity of their structure and communicating the essential components. Working in either watercolor or oil, students will begin with the selection process and careful regard to lighting in order to see the massing of flowers as relevant painting passages. Special care will be taken to control chroma, depict various edges, and understand the importance of color temperature and value and to draw carefully as we aim to see and paint flowers as life-like as possible.

Yes what better way to shake off the chills of this past winter and start the spring season painting this magnificent tender blossoms.  I’ve included a couple of my recent works in oil and watercolor done as examples for my classes.  Currently I am running classes on Wednesday's, in the  morning and afternoon.   Just hit the contact button to ask any questions you may have regarding these classes.

Carrots contain beta-carotene which converts to Vitamin A and is important to eye health.   So I use a painting of carrots wrapped in cellophane produced in one of my Friday morning paint along sessions to announce what I hope will increase my visibility and be important to… “ I ” health.   This week I am moving into my new studio in downtown Chaska.

Coming in at 950sq ft, sporting large north facing storefront windows, constructed entirely of Chaska brick, and sitting in the heart of historic district of Chaska itself, the studio will allow me some much needed elbow room, a larger space to work on some projects that hither fore were impossible in my small old studio.   Having these roomier quarters will allow for me also in doing instruction from here, an upgrade in art instruction by allowing me access at my fingertips former studies, images and/ or books that can help amplify and accentuate points made in the instruction.

To this end, I will be winding down my over 25 years of teaching at various locations around the Twin Cities and exclusively instruct from this beautiful location.  Being that this space will serve primarily as a working studio, classes will be limited in size and short in duration.  This will allow for more targeted instruction which will benefit those who are seeking answers to specific artistic questions.  Personal one on one instruction can also be arranged simply by contacting me.

Just go to the “Events” button on my home page and see what I have laid out for the first go around and to sign up for a class.  I look forward to welcoming all interested to share with me in this new adventure.  The weekend of Nov 16-17 I will be having an open house but don’t wait till then, because I will begin classes on Election Day, Nov 6^th.  Give me a call or an email to arrange a visit and to see what this offers you in your artistic pursuit.

I just returned from the Plein Air competition held at Grand Marais, MN this past week.   This event saw 53 artists participating in various aspects of painting.  Especially fun for me was the Quick Paint affair that caused most of the participants to be climbing over Artists Point, a rocky spit of rocky terrain that forms the northwest corner of the harbor.  It seemed that individuals and easels were scattered here and there over the entire surface of this craggy peninsula in order to get just the right orientation to paint the perfect canvas.

It took me some time to settle on my view, and stake claim to a piece of rockbound turf.  Rather than look out towards beautiful Lake Superior, or the woods that somehow clawed its way onto the boulder field, I decided to turn my sights on the dead end gorge of blue water that had cut its way into the point.  Admittedly, it seemed a bit odd to be the only individual to be looking down and in as opposed to outward, but, oh well, that’s what grabbed me.  Yes, I had numerous onlookers clamber down to my nest, puzzled that I faced awkwardly in what seemed the wrong direction.  I believe however that they were rewarded by seeing the relentless unremitting waves slap into the cut in the rock, moving from the open blue into a pinched deep purple note.  Over and over the undulating waves from the vast fresh water lake were here squeezed into a dead end gorge which ended their agitated voyage in a petulant poof and dying splash.

I could go on to metaphors this brings to my mind, but, I will spare you.  Suffice it to say that rock and water are engaged in a constant battle here.  The dug in, seemingly unchangeable stone as immovable and massive as it appears will eventually be worn down, over time, yes, over the long course, over continual and consistent slaps of water that ever flow at it.  So shall we persevere till the victory is ours.

It’s a blue moon night.  It’s gorgeous, simply gorgeous.

I’m attracted to the moon, especially the full moon.  I mean, who isn’t?  It makes the heavens so touchable.  It’s like the vaulted lid of glowing sky blue has been lifted, and the emptiness of space descends to your feet.  Space everywhere, implying bareness, yet occupied everywhere by tiny points of light, sprinkled overhead and down to the horizon.  Tonight the most brilliant heavenly body holds court, dominating the night’s voices with a quiet coolness.

But let’s remember, in just a few hours we’ll spin our way back to the sunlight.  As brilliant as the moon seemed, it pales to sun’s energy output, for the moon just mirrors the light.  The sun, well the sun, it initiates it, overwhelming our ability to even look to see it.  It’s too powerful to gaze upon; one must look to the things illuminated to judge its glorious presence.  The sun allows no other celestial bodies to speak, only can they whisper and wait for it to go away.

And here’s what we do.  We painters, we take the objects that are slapped by the sun’s powerful reach, and on canvas or paper portray it to others.  This is so they feel the strength of its reach.  Sense the embrace of its warmth in the world we call home.  Here we feel its constant companionship.   It’s day long presence till once again it marches back below the horizon taking with it the agitation of yet another day and allowing the moon to creep quietly skyward.  And the moon and its friends play again as we sleep.

I was reminded recently about the fact that there are not too many plein air painters working in watercolor.  It seems that the vast majority of work is oil, followed by acrylic, and now I’ve been noticing pastels...but watercolor, well, not too much.  I can say that I have not brought out my watercolors lately either.  Well, I am going to try and change that because they convey nature so well.

It’s funny, but watercolor is perhaps the simplest of all mediums and requires the least equipment.  Its portable and completed works can easily be placed in a folio and transported.  Why then isn’t the medium seen in the field more?   Let me venture a guess.   I think that the medium is deceptively simplistic.  One must be decisive, immediate, and bold with color and value and be able to translate visual material into a jig saw of puzzle pieces with a knack for seeing the “edge relationships” between all the pieces.  And then you have got to learn to walk away-quit-stop…leave it alone.  Don’t niggle! 

If any of you are interested, I will be teaching a watercolor class this fall at the Savage Art Studios.  (Check my events section for dates and time)  It’s been awhile, since I’ve taught watercolor, but I am looking forward to sharing some of the things I’ve learned over the years.  There’s probably no better way to learn the interactive nature of pigment than watercolor.  Also, seeing nature in patterns; connective, interactive patterns, as a watercolorist does…helps you see the edge relations in your subject.