Signed It!

"I don't have a title for this piece yet, but it was such a delight to paint. In Igo, a tiny hamlet near our home, my husband and I found this lilac bush on a Sunday drive. It was in unusual profusion this year. Two days later, I returned and painted it with enthusiastic brush strokes." --- SFG

NOTE TO ARTISTS: Whether I paint on location or in the studio, I usually leave the painting sitting in view for a while. Though this one was almost perfect, I saw a few minor adjustments to make. The only time I'd sign it right away would be if a buyer was writing the check. ;)

"Late Blaze"

"Late Blaze" - Oil on Canvas on Panel - 6" x 8"

"California's coastal residents are recipients of a light show each evening, especially if the sky has clouds to provide variety and contrast.  One becomes aware of the stages of the sunset when the sky transitions from green to gold to orange to red. This is the gold stage." --- SFG

NOW ON AUCTION -- Starting bid $55

NOTE TO ARTISTS:

Small paintings are more direct and less encumbered with detail, as is this small seascape. Making many starts, especially if you use a brush larger than you would normally choose, focuses the painter's attention on the essentials of composition, values, and color.

"Autumn Evening"

"Autumn Evening" - Oil - 24" x 30"

"This is a new work, now showing at Art & Soul Gallery in Ashland, Oregon. The show will be up from now to May 1, 2010. This is a richly painted canvas (thick paint) and is a highlight of the show." --- SFG

"Cold Day on the Deschutes"

"Cold Day on the Deschutes" - Oil - 12" x 16"

"Last New Year's weekend, we were invited to Sun River,
Oregon. Though it was cold and overcast, the previous week's
snow was beautiful and the winter colors of the brush and
willows along the Deschutes river was lively. Have you ever
noticed how colors of flowers and foliage are frequently more
intense when the sky is overcast? Sometimes sunshine washes
color out. Just another reason to value each day!" --- SFG

The finished painting can be viewed at Art and Soul Gallery,
247 East Main Street, Ashland, Oregon, through May 3, 2010.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

I forgot to take a picture after the drawing
stage of this demonstration, but I think you can see here
that I've laid in large shapes. I started with the dark trees
making sure that each tree was shaped differently from the
others. Thinking of gesture (what the tree is "doing") rather
than specific branches helps identifiy the species. I also sought variations of color, ranging from dark blue-green to dark
reddish-green to deep yellow-green. The foreground water is
indicated by the large dark and two lighter areas that are
reflections. I was careful to draw the top of the hillside as an
interesting line that intersected the tallest trees at different
points. Notice, too, how those are spaced differently, as well.
Composition at this stage is a primary concern.

Again, I was so deeply involved in the painting that I failed
to take photos of intermediate stages. So sorry. If you look
carefully, I've continued to design each shrub so that it
differs from any similar ones. For example, the red-orange
shrubs are masses that follow the rule of "dominant,
sub-dominant, and subordinate" or three different sizes. I used
the nearly horizontal bank of the river to counter so many
verticals in trees and the fallen log keeps that line from
carrying the viewer's eye out of the picture. Reflections add
some verticals to the water. I deliberately kept the value of
the sky dark enough that the snow would be the lightest area, as
it was in reality. The faint verticals of the dead or leafless
trees keep the eye moving through the work and their irregular
spacing adds rhythm.

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"November in McCloud"

"November in McCloud" - Oil - 11" x 14" - $400

"A cool autumn day rendered this view of an alley in the charming town of McCloud, California. The glowing light set off this delicate color harmony that enhanced the fall colors. There are countless subjects for painters along the alley way such as old garages, tool sheds, wood sheds or wood piles, varied fencing, trash cans, and a delightful jumble of varied shapes and objects." --- SFG

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"Conversation in the Alley"

"Conversation in the Alley" - Oil - 11" x 14" - $400

"McCloud is a small lumber town near Mt. Shasta in beautiful northern California. People often forget this part of California, but that's the way people in McCloud like it. Since the mill has closed, McCloud has become a hideaway for city dwellers who enjoy small town history and friendliness. Since the garages are often located on the alleys, friends meet and catch up there." --- SFG

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"Sunday Sail"

"Sunday Sail" - Oil - 6" x 8" - $150

"When I saw this scene, I was struck by the contrast of the moderately rough waves near the rocks and the relative serenity of the water beyond where the sailboat glided along. I'm sure the sailors felt more movement than I did from a distance." --- SFG

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NOTE TO ARTISTS:

The diminishing spaces between the waves give depth to the scene and the small size of the sailboat furthers that perception. Always pay attention to the size of objects in the background. They are usually much smaller than the artist tends to want to paint them.

"Tied Up"

"Tied Up" - Oil - 6" x 8" - $150

"I went for an unusual viewpoint for this scene north of Boston. By walking out on the dock, I could see the ship set against a beautiful sky and the historic buildings in the distance. What a lovely place to stroll. The pinks in the sky made a useful foil for the sails' masts." --- SFG

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NOTE TO ARTISTS:

I used the masts of the ship to divide horizontal length of the painting by thirds. The vertical was cut into thirds by the horizon line. Such simple considerations will strengthen any composition.

"Farm Below"

"Farm Below" - Oil - 24" x 30" - $1800

"This farm near Virginia City, Nevada, is a great subject and I've painted it several times. This time I decided to include the old cars." --- SFG

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ALL SALES BENEFIT NEW ORLEANS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Work in progress...

The object of this exercise is to use the unusual vantage point from above and design an interesting painting with the unusual objects in it. This is the initial drawing. I've moved some of the objects around to better positions.

I have begun to lay in the darkest areas, the areas in shadow. I've judged their shape and may or may not keep them as they are.

Notice that I'm painting beyond the lines. Those are only guidelines. By painting adjoining areas beyond the lines, I can control the edges better, whether they are to be hard or soft. Here I'm working on making the mass of the building and trees in the middle of the canvas one big shape rather than individual spots.

Here you see all my dark areas are together and interconnected. In some areas they are a little spotty, but that also helps to move the eye through the painting. I may lighten the darks in the background just to move them further back.

I've now put in some of the lights in the painting. In some cases, I've chosen colors that make things recede, and in others I've just chosen beautiful colors.

Here the canvas is almost covered except the rooftop, which is the lightest area in the painting.

This starts the second session on the painting and I saw that the background and ground plane are too close in value. I scraped and darkened the hills in the background, keeping it gray and cool to keep it in the back. Also, the edge on the shed on the right was a little too hard, so I worked on that. Again, I needed a little more contrast in the sagebrush, as well.

Once all the major color areas were correctly related, I added details such as the power poles and the road sign and accents through the painting.

"Sky's Color Dance"

"Sky's Color Dance" - Oil - 6" x 8" - $150

"In this series of cloud paintings, this is my favorite. It catches the drama, structure, and color of the subject and has an effective composition. I also enjoyed the texture of the paint itself." --- SFG

More info about this painting

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ALL SALES BENEFIT NEW ORLEANS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

"Simple Eloquence"

"Simple Eloquence" - Oil - 11" x 14" - SOLD

"Snow scenes are a joy to paint. The clean, crisp air and brilliant light always make a dramatic
statement...simple eloquence. " --- SFG

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ALL SALES BENEFIT NEW ORLEANS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Work in progress:

I drew in my subject in a darker color this time just to provide more contrast in the painting. Also, it might photograph better.

At this stage, I'm playing with shapes... the shapes of the trees, the lay of the land, and the
snowdrifts, and the color of the shadows. I know I will not have the usual
relationship of values in a landscape. With snow, it usually takes over. It will
reflect so much light that the sky will not be the lightest element, as it
usually is. Also, I'm feeling my way, trying to make that background recede and
keeping the foreground in its proper place.

Here I've covered the canvas and established the big relationships of color as big shapes.
I like the big field of snow as the middle ground since it's painted well and I
will build on that and use it to serve as the center of interest and lead to the
mountains in the back.


Well there it is. Keeping it simple really worked for this painting. The
variations in the color of the snow, a little calligraphy, and careful
changes in the values kept it all together. It fell in place nicely.

Simple eloquence.