"Doghouse in Harmony"

"Doghouse in Harmony" - Oil - 12" x 16"

"Here's another version of this oft-painted scene. (I've lost count of the paintings I've done there.) Harmony is a charming, very small town near the California coast. It's buildings and occupants are as unique as the town's name. " --- SFG

NOTE TO ARTISTS: I'm often asked whether a work may be called "plein air" if the artist works on it after returning to the studio. In my opinion, if the concept and majority of the work is done on site, it is a plein air work. Still, I'm careful to conform to the rules of any event or website.

Here are the before and after versions of this painting:





Back in the studio, I evaluated the plein air effort. I felt that the trees were spotty and disorganized. Also, the direction of light on the roof of the building on the right was unclear. After unifying the trees on the left, I lightened the roof. To increase the effect, I darkened the hill in the background slightly and reshaped it to support the composition.

I removed the dark spot in the foreground on the left at the edge of the shadow (I had to use my palette knife to scrape the blob of paint there and restore the surface so it could accept the kind of brush stroke I wanted there. (Sometimes, I use sandpaper to do this.)

I lightened the front of the doghouse to make it stand out a bit more and added more sunlit vegetation on the right to overlap the roof of the building and make the shape more interesting. I changed the dark shape of the shadow side of that shrub, too.

Adding blue hues and sunny clouds to the sky was truer to the day's atmosphere. Lastly, I added Fido, electing to place him in the shadow. This prevents him from taking over the scene.

"View Above the Lake"

"View above the Lake" - Oil - 16" x 20"

"This vibrant painting expresses California light on a warm... sometimes very warm... summer day. The dried grass of the foreground is broken by a pattern of trees and shrubs. The cooling colors of the atmosphere recede to the background that's made up of hills folding on hills." --- SFG

WORK IN PROGRESS:



As I placed the trees, shrubs, buildings, and lake in my drawing, I paid careful attention to the diagonals I was creating. (I must be in my "diagonal period" since this seems to be a dominant part of my landscapes lately.) I broke with my usual practice of laying in the darks first in order to get the recession of the golden grass as the hills receded, which I felt was more important, and difficult.



Next, I worked on the darks, the trees and shrubs and their shadows, experimenting with the shapes and making them varied and interesting. The distant ones are lighter and cooler.



I eventually decided to eliminate the road in the foreground since it led too obviously to the center of interest, the buildings and the lake. I added color to the buildings and roofs and defined the light reflecting from the lake's surface.



To finish up, I added a bit more detail to the buildings and detail in the distance. I also fine-tuned the cast shadows of the foreground trees.

"Circling the Train"

"Circling the Train" - Oil - 18" x 24"

"Where I live, the annual rodeo is a big community event and fun, even for the city slickers in town. Before the parade that celebrates the weekend show, drill teams, bands, baton twirlers, city celebrities, and equine groups of all stripes assemble on side streets. Sometimes the wait is longer than expected. This rider with his mule team made occasional circles to distract the impatient animals. The canvas-draped packs flashed in the sun and made a dramatic visage." --- SFG

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WORK IN PROGRESS:



I'm sure that it has been 20 years since I snapped these photos. It was one of those scenes that an artist tucks away in his head until his idea has gelled and his skills are polished enough to handle it. I don't think any earlier attempt would have produced as successful a result.



After toning the canvas, I placed both the animals and the horizontal lines that divided light and shadow. I made sure that the bottom of the top shadow area was not in the center of the canvas and that the shadow in the foreground was more narrow than the lit pavement.

The figures themselves are roughly drawn. I will refine it throughout the painting process since these shapes are very intricate. If ever there was a painting that depended on "putting the right color in the right place," this is one. The interlocking shapes will be carefully drawn and placed.



I start with the darker animals and the shadow area on the rider's mule.



Next, I use a dark wash to create the background shadows. They will be slightly lighter than the darkest mules.



I also wash in the foreground cast shadow.



I've placed a light area behind the rider since he is the focal point. I developed him enough to keep more detail there as I work on the mules and packs.



Now came the fun. I worked shape against shape... positive and negative shapes... to draw the mules, packs, cast shadows under the team and the sunlit pavement. Almost miraculously, the individuals appeared.



What fun it was to do those characters in the back, peaking over the others and their forest of legs that broke up the space.



Halters, ropes, harness, and hat moved value and temperature changes across the line. Breaking up the foreground with a few accent spots and I was finished.

When a painting goes badly...

"Hydrangeas Near the Window" - Oil - 20" x 24"

"For a few weeks each summer, my three hydrangea bushes offer their color-drenched pom poms. The fully round ones bloom first, so if I miss painting them, I get a second chance with a new strain that has fewer petals and more interesting shapes." --- SFG

WORK IN PROGRESS:

The night before I started this painting, I had given a talk on color that was delightfully well received, so I went into the studio full of vinegar and sure that I'd produce a masterpiece. The expectation and the reality proved to be far removed.

The setup was lovely and inspiring.


However, the composition that fell onto my canvas didn't work well.

That light behind the bouquet was distracting from the bouquet itself and when I put down the color, it was off. (Sorry, no picture survived at that stage.) The folds on the right were awkward, and the composition didn't balance.



When I returned to the studio the next day, the drape had fallen and the painting had not improved overnight. (Believe me, sometimes little gremlins come in and change things.) I felt that the darker color behind the left side of the flowers would work better, so I left the drape as it was.



Whether better or not, I wasn't sure, but I decided to run with this version. I've found that, when unsure, it's better to become more aggressive, making firm decisions and confident strokes, than to wallow in the mess.

I de-emphasized the folds on the right and changed the pink vase to another blossom. For better balance, I added the pear in the lower left.



I developed the blooms in the main bouquet and added the reflections in the glass vase. I was still struggling, but it was getting better.



In the final version, I had changed the pink book - it looked awkward before and did not sit well in that dark corner - and scattered a few more blooms and petals around. Accents and details keep the focus on the main bouquet as the center of interest, but there is a satisfying rhythm through the work now. In the end I got what I wanted, the cool light from the window and how it gives unexpected and appealing color throughout the scene.

The Awakening

"The Awakening" - Oil - 20" x 24" - $2400

"Spring has a special brilliance and these yellow wildflowers rose to the occasion. I painted this with extra passion and energy." --- SFG

WORK IN PROGRESS:

Apologies. I forgot to take a shot in the drawing stage. As I drew, I paid attention to the shapes I was creating and to the perspective of the upslope. Here I've laid in some of the dark shapes of the foreground and the cooler, lighter, more distant hills and mountains. The big shrub in the upper left serves to stop the eye and provides value contrast and structure.



In preparation for the blooms to be laid on top, I painted the green leaves in a value close to that of the ground.



It was important to reserve the lightest, coolest yellow for the top surface of the blanket of flowers, so I under-painted the area with a warmer, darker yellow. I even picked up the red-orange areas that I saw in spots.



In the finished work, you can see the loaded strokes and the texture that I reserved for the finale. The pattern of the large and small strokes moves the eye around and creates a lively display. A little calligraphy for the shrubs finished the work.

A Day of Tears and Hugs

I was privileged to join others who so loved and admired Bill Reese (William F. Reese) in celebrating his life today at services in Cashmere, Washington. For all the fine tributes, nothing matched the poem he requested be read at his graveside in portraying his indomitable spirit and love of art...

WHEN EARTH'S LAST PICTURE IS PAINTED

When Earth's last picture is painted
And the tubes are twisted and dried,
When the oldest colors have faded
And the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest, and faith, we shall need it
Lie down for an eon or two
'Til the Master of all good workmen
Shall put us to work anew.
And those that were good shall be happy.
They'll sit in a golden chair.
They'll splash at a ten league canvas
With brushes of comet's hair.
They'll find real saints to draw from,
Magdalene, Peter, and Paul.
They'll work for an age at a sitting
And never be tired at all.
And only the Master shall praise us.
And only the master shall blame.
And no one will work for money.
And no one will work for fame.
But each for the joy of working,
And each, in his separate star,
Will draw the thing as he sees it
For the God of things as they are.

---Rudyard Kipling

The Importance of Photo-Sketching

Sometimes painting en plein air is more than I can handle, as I experienced on a recent trip. In spite of full-spectrum sunshine accompanied by a banquet of cloud shapes - just pick one that builds the composition - , the wind was howling and the temperature plummeted. Though I was completely absorbed in what I was doing, I finally realized that I couldn't feel my hands and my easel was listing. I had wondered why the painting had taken a turn for the worse in the last few minutes. It was time to fold up and run for the car.

I was in one of the most picturesque spots in the country and couldn't bear wasting any of my limited time there, so I made sure I had a fresh battery, a backup, and a large memory card and hit the road with my camera. In this instance, I was with a fellow artist, so sudden stops and back-ups were not objectionable. We chose a little-traveled back road with eye-popping subjects at every turn and frequently abandoned the car to explore a setting on foot. After all, the masters suggest walking entirely around a possible subject before deciding on a viewpoint.

Similar to thumbnail sketches, these photo series are a great tool for trying out compositions before committing a canvas to the effort. "What if I cropped it here?" "Maybe a vertical composition would be better." "Make the sky more important." "What if I did a closeup?" "High horizon?" "Low horizon?" A two-thirds, one-third split?" "What mass should dominate?" "Where are the subordinate masses?"

As we drove, we found several herds of livestock - cattle, goats, and sheep - and spent a portion of our time shooting (not literally) them. With this resource material, I can rearrange the groups for compositional purposes. I can do this as I paint live subjects, but a dozen shots of the critters as they move about gives me more options. I just have to remember that they were in motion, whether slight or swift, and to paint them that way. No frozen statues, please.

Oftentimes, such photo excursions lead to the elimination of subjects that seemed so exciting at the moment I stumbled on them. Time and a more critical evaluation can prove them to be mundane and uninteresting. Just think how much painting time I've saved by the perspective I gained by experimenting with several views.

After all, I found even better gifts further down the road. Better compositions, better shapes, better vantage points.

REPOST: "A Life Well Lived" 20" X 20" Oil on Canvas Panel

"A Life Well Lived" - Oil - 24" x 20" - $1200

"From sadness to celebration. As I read my mother's journal, I was reminded once more of how much she delighted in flowers, gardens, and the passing of seasons. These brilliant tulips, a thoughtful gift of a dear friend, spoke of her enchantment." --- SFG

http://www.susanfgreaves.com/

WORK IN PROGRESS:

Because of the intensity of the colors in the tulips, I set them against black to take advantage of their vibrancy. They were still tightly closed until I turned on the spotlight. They unfurled as I painted.



As I drew with thinned cadmium red - it doesn't contaminate later colors and leaves a sparkle if I miss a spot when painting over it - I considered the directions of the leaf lines as well as the overall placement on the canvas. The vase and flowers were so dominant, I decided that they should be closest to the viewer. Normally, I have still life objects in front of the vase in a floral that serve to lead the eye into the arrangement. There was no question of where to go with these!



Because I knew that the flowers would change quickly, I established their colors immediately, comparing yellow to yellow, red to red, and white to white. This was a break from my regular method and I knew that I would make considerable adjustments after the surrounding colors were in. Placing a new color next to an existing one ALWAYS changes the existing one.



Here, I've added that dark background. It really intensified the tulip colors, didn't it? I made careful note of the color differences as the light traveled across the tablecloth and passed through the water-filled vase.



I toned down the yellow pot that was behind everything and changed it to look like more of a tray standing against the background drape. I used its curve to repeat those of the leaves. As a pot, not enough of it showed to explain what it was, but I needed something to bring some action to the lower part of the painting. I couldn't eliminate it entirely.

I compared the color on the lighted side of the pink vase to the pinks in the flowers and hit a warmer, somewhat grayed pink. Putting a cool, grayed pink on the shadow side made the lighted side look warmer, too. Notice the warm versus cool on the teapot, as well.

At the end of this session, I turned off the lights and heat in the studio, so the flowers would not open too much to work the next day.



Best laid plans didn't work, though. The blooms were tightly closed again when I opened the studio the next afternoon and turned on the spotlight, but the hour I let the studio warm up was a bit too much. When I returned, the tulips were much more opened and had moved a lot as they chased the light.

Instead of redrawing all, I simply added some of flowers in their new location and state. This filled out the bouquet and added more interesting shapes. The white bloom with red stripes inside is actually the one on its left as it opened and moved. It became the point with the greatest value change and hardest edge.

Note also, how I softened the edges of all but a few of the tulips.




Because of the action in the bouquet, I included all the variations in color and value present in the vase, table drape and other objects. Both light highlights and dark accents contributed.

In Memoriam: Ivie Upshaw Ferguson

"I feel I should mark the passing of my mother, Ivie Upshaw Ferguson, who taught me to love beautiful things. Her essential character, her genteel sweetness, blessed this world for 97 years and now she rests in God's arms. I love you, Mother." -- SFG

"Aaron"

"Aaron" - Oil - 11" x 14"

"Both intriguing and forceful, this model was fascinating to paint." --- SFG

http://www.susanfgreaves.com/

NOTE TO ARTISTS:

I haven't put up a portrait in a while. This piece is several years old and is different in style from some of my current work. However, it serves as a lesson for me. Losing the edges of the hair and face gave more dimension to the head and in doing so, the background works itself out.

"Our Trees, Autumn"

"Our Trees, Autumn" -- 20" x 16" -- Oil

"Color, composition, and lush paint were my focus as I painted." --- SFG

WORK IN PROGRESS:



I based the painting on this photo taken in New Hampshire several years ago and Sergei Bongart's painting titled "Fall in Idaho, Kievtshina". Those of you who have his book may recognize it.




As I drew on the canvas with thinned paint, I was careful with the placement of the large tree since it dominates the painting. It would have been easy, but a big mistake, to place it in the middle. I needed something to come forward so I used the fence shadows, the curve of the driveway, and the mass at the lower right.

I shaped the dark masses, joining those I could and varying the greens from near-blues to reddish. I usually try to keep the color on the warm side in foliage since light filtering through a forest has many warm tones.

Here, I've added the hill in the background. Notice how important the abstract shapes are. They balance the painting and move the viewer's eye around. I did this very assertively. PAINT FEARLESSLY!

Always go for the big shapes. That large tree is not just a bunch of leaves that add up to a tree.

Now the canvas is covered with big shapes and clear value changes. From here to completion, I won't be painting a place. I'll be making a painting.

My palette at this point shows how I compare my colors as I mix them, keeping the lights together and the darks together, the warms together and the cools together. I didn't even think about it as I was mixing. It has become habit after all these years.

As I start to add details and accents, I decided that the repetitious fence shadows trapped the eye too much.

That's better in the foreground. I also decided to break the roofline of the shed by placing a tree in front of it. In the final version, shown at the top of this post, you'll see a few changes I made after I had signed it. I reshaped the top of the largest tree and broke the small but strong horizontal of the weeds in front of the shed. It attracted too much attention.