Plein Air Friday, Lake Butler Boat Houses

I have a work in progress painting from my outing today.  I went across Lake Butler to the other side  from my community and started a painting of the boat houses.  I was in a relaxing mood this morning and took my time.  I will go back to the same location to finish it another day.  This is about 2 hours scoping location, drawing and painting.

Trying out some new brushes

I was anxious to try my new toys I got at the Florida Watercolor Society Convention & Trade Show last week.  I've always wanted a travel brush set.  At some point, I will condense my kit even more to have a small one that just fits in my purse,  I can use on occasion, instead of carrying a separate bag.  They just happen to be the same brush type I use all the time plein air painting.  I love the Escoda Perla series.  In addition to the #14, I now have a #10, #6 and a #2, in the travel kit!  The extra bonus is I can use them in the studio too! The smaller brush came in really handy on the spanish moss.  It doesn't show up very well in the photo, they came in a black leather case.

I also bought a #16 Escoda Versatil. I had a #14 and found it to be a bit small for what I wanted. This is a synthetic sable brush.  I like to have a bigger sable like brush to lay in large washes and skies.  This worked out really well!!

To quote Tom Haverford on the TV series, Parks & Recreation, "Treat yo-self!"

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Plein Air Friday, Japan Yakitori House

I went out plein air painting this friday and last,  in the community of Windermere, where I  live and got a couple of good starts.  I will finish them on site or in the studio.  Why didn't I finish on site?  Last week it was still pretty hot and as the sun shifted onto me, with sweat dripping on my work,  it was time to call it quits.  Today, I brought the umbrella, and had a great shady peaceful spot, until about a dozen kids that are home schooled came to the adjacent park for recess!  It became super hard to focus.  Oh well, they were having a great time!

My set up today with the umbrella

The top photo is one I did earlier this summer when the Flower & Garden Festival was on at Epcot.  Every year, local residents loan their gorgeous bonsai, for the festival.  Some are more than twenty years old!  I always enjoy seeing them every year!

As Third Vice President for the Florida Watercolor Society, I will be at the annual convention all next week.  However, I still get to paint plein air one day.  I will be doing a one day plein air workshop with Steve Rogers!  I can't wait!   I am also the Social Media Chair for FWS. If you would like to see what goes on at the annual convention like the FWS Facebook page here.

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Plein Air Friday, "Japan Cascade"

Staying inside today while hurricane Hermine passes through Florida. The west coast and panhandle are getting it way worse than we are in central Florida.  Everybody be safe!  I thought I would post a plein air sketch I did earlier this summer at Epcot.  This one is in the Japan Pavilion.  I loved painting all the different color temperatures in the rocks.  Plus, I also really like doing long vertical formats in my sketchbook.

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New Work: "Gone But Not Forgetten"

I have had such a crazy busy summer, I have been neglecting the ole blog a bit.  Thought I would check in and post a new painting!  This is a big departure from my normal work.  My goal was to try a new technique and push myself to do something different.  The process was so much fun on this one!

This painting is going to be featured in the City Hall of Winter Garden, Florida for a show featuring citrus, since this whole area where I live in Central Florida was a mecca for the citrus industry.  The show will be up from Sept. 12 through October.

When I moved to the area where I live,  17 years ago.  It was very rural and we were a tiny neighborhood tucked in orange groves.  When the trees blossomed in the early spring the smell was intoxicating!  I would always drive with my car windows down and just smell!  I always looked forward to that time of year.

Well things have changed.  All the groves have become housing complexes, shopping centers and high schools.  I guess you can't stop progress or population growth, at least our county commissioners can't because you are hard pressed to find a grove anymore.  This painting is an homage to those times I remember enjoying living around orange groves, hence the title, "Gone But Not Forgotten."  The metallic gold background symbolizes the reverence I feel for those former groves and trees.

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Plein Air Friday: "End of The Line"

Since I try weather permitting,  to paint every Friday morning,  most of the time with the folks at Walt Disney Imagineering at Epcot. I thought why not start a new series on my blog where I post the paintings and sketches! I have been pretty good about posting them on Facebook if you want to follow me there.   This one was done in downtown historic Winter Garden, Florida.  It was done in two sessions.  It has been really hot here and I didn't have the drive or focus to finish it in one go.

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Watercolor Sketching Workshop: The Love of the Sketch

I had a great time teaching my watercolor sketching workshop recently.  I was telling my students how I got into the practice of sketching in watercolor which later led to watercolor being my primary media as a painter.  Years ago I came upon the book, Sara Midda's South of France Sketchbook.  I loved how she captured the quintessential elements of the South of France in sketches with watercolor.  I then started collecting almost every book like it I could find.  I have books by architects and artists who have sketched, Italy, France, China and other countries.  This is way before the Urban Sketching movement.  A lot of my books came from France where the practice of travel sketching is known as "Carnet de Voyage," a travel sketchbook.  There were even dedicated sections in the bookstores in Paris to these type of books. When I lived there and went to these shops,  I was like a kid in a candy store.

A little lesson in color mixing before heading out to sketch.

For me, getting really comfortable painting in watercolor is due to starting watercolor travel sketchbooks.  When I moved to Honk Kong I met artist Lorette Roberts, who has done a whole series of books capturing various areas on Hong Kong with watercolor sketches.  I have every single one and love them.  Lorette and I still keep in touch through Facebook.  She was a big inspiration for me to start and maintain a sketching practice.

Some of my students sketching at Plant Street Market, Winter Garden, FL

As I told my students, if you have the slightest interest in learning to paint with watercolor start a sketchbook!!!  You don't have to only do it when you travel.  You can start with simple things or just do it in your own backyard. You will then  be far more comfortable doing it when you do travel.  For me it took the intimidation out of  creating a "painting."  It's only a sketch and it's only for me.  I can choose to share with others or not.

Start a book and don't worry if some of the sketches suck or you think are failures.  It doesn't matter!  What does matter is that you enjoy doing it and by doing it on a regular basis you can't help but get better!  Iain Stewart, is another artist friend who sketches a lot in Watercolor. He  has a philosophy that I love.  He says never tear out a page from your sketchbook!  Whether its a "fail" or a "keeper," leave it in the book.  Once you fill the book it's a great way to look back on your progression and how much you improved, because you will. :-)  Plus, especially if you do them while you travel, they will become your most treasured possessions.  No photo can take the place of a sketch.  Looking at it will take you right back there.

It was approaching 90 degrees one afternoon, we sketched inside from life.

If you are intimidated by going out on your own, ask some friends, or start a group.  While in Hong Kong, I met a local artists and she and I would set a date to go out at least once a week somewhere.  What is wonderful now is when I look at those sketches I have fond memories of the time we spent together!

Some of the biggest takeaways my students have expressed to me are, learning about perspective to sketch architecture, learning how to break a scene down into simple shapes and compose  it how you like, and learning to use the pencil as a measuring stick and proportion while  drawing so that what you want to express fits on the page.

If you are curious to start a sketching practice, what is your biggest fear or reason for not doing so?  If you do have a practice, what do you love the most about it?  Please leave a comment I would love to hear from you!  If you are curious to see my watercolor travel sketches you can click here.

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First Place at Windermere Art Affair and Are Your Ready to Do an Art Fair?

I haven't done an art fair in over seventeen years.  In a former art life, the one where I made hand dyed, painted and block printed children's wear, I used to do 8 shows a year in the Los Angeles area.  From past experience I know how much work they can be!  When the organizer of the "Windermere Art Affair" asked if I would participate in the first annual event this last weekend,  I couldn't say no.  I love my community so much, so I got the tent out, dusted it off, and borrowed wall panels from a dear artist friend who was so kind to let me use them.  I was thrilled to win first place for overall body of work at the show!  There were some great artists there in a variety of media. I've been preparing for this event for a few months.   I thought I would share my process a bit in case you are considering venturing into art fair territory.  First you must ask yourself do I have the inventory to create a nice display on the three walls of the booth?  Knowing a typical booth is 10 feet by 10 feet, and how much and how big your best work is you can make an assessment.  Notice I said best work,  I wanted to put my best foot forward and display what I felt represented who I am as a painter now. I know one of the goals is to get some sales, if you have older work that you would like to move and perhaps offer at a lower rate than that's great!  But, personally I wouldn't show it if it doesn't hold up to your other work.  Your gut will tell you if it does!  Also consider your audience where the fair is bing held and anticipate what they may be drawn to subject wise and if you are inspired to do new work, add that to your repertoire.

Once I realized I had enough original work for the booth, I started inventorying my giclée prints and note cards. I made more cards, and had more prints run, to offer some lesser price items for sale along with the higher priced originals. I also had to consider how I was going to display the prints and cards.  I then laid out and designed the booth display, and made a list of all the equipment I would need to set up the booth and display everything. I purchased things along the way I new I would need I didn't have on hand. As I thought of something in the 3 month span I had to prep for the show, I would write it down on an ongoing list of stuff to pack.  This way your not trying to think of everything you need a few days or the day before the show.

Imagine your self making a sale, how are you going to record it,  charge tax, accept credit cards, make change and package the purchases.  Figure all this out in advance so you have time to get a Square or PayPal swipe for credit cards  and do a trial run with the software.  You don't want to make your customers wait while you try and figure it all out! Make sure your devices are charged and you have an extra back up battery and you have no problem with internet connectivity.  Plan an area in the  booth where you are going to conduct the sales out of the way of others who may be browsing.

If you aren't a seasoned art fair exhibitor, mock up your set up before the show.  Make sure you have everything you need tent, walls,  signage, and weights to weigh down the tent in case of wind.  I'm not kidding about the weights don't take any chances.  I heard a recent story from a friend who attended and art fair recently that a strong wind carried an artists entire tent and work into a nearby stream and they watched it float away! Plan for in-climate weather if necessary and your art is protected from wind and rain.

Make sure all your gear and your art fit in your vehicle if you have a loving spouse, (luckily I have one of those!) or a friend take a second vehicle if it doesn't fit in one.  Survey the area if you can ahead of time and get all the information from the fair organizers on set up and tear down. It can be very chaotic at set up and tear down, the more prepared you are the less stressed you will be and the smoother it all will go.

Don't forget promotional materials, business cards, brochures, information on workshops if you teach them, a guest book to collect email addressed for your newsletter if you do one  and last but not least, if you have the space some fresh flowers are really nice! Thanks to my husband for suggestion that one!  Organize all your packing materials during set up and stow them away so that everything is ready and it's where you need it for tear down.  Also bring a tool box  and duct tape, you would be surprised how that will come in handy!

Here is a video of my booth set up:

If this was at all helpful please leave a comment and let me know and if you are a seasoned art fair exhibiter I  would love for you to share some helpful tips!

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Japan Plein Air

Another plein air at the Japan Pavilion at Epcot, done mostly on site and another half hour in the studio adding the last few details.   This one is on Twinrocker paper. I use Twinrocker  a lot in the studio and have just started to use it more painting plein air.  Love it for that purpose too!  I love how this paper is sized and how the color seems to float more on the top instead of sinking in right away.  It also lifts very will too.

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Germany Plein Air

Here is a small plein air painting of part of the Germany Pavilion at Epcot.  This one was done in two sessions. I had most of it done on the first day and then returned to lay in the background trees and add the details. I like to plein air paint in my sketchbook ( Stillman & Birn Alpha Series)  but lately I have been doing a few on paper taped to a board.  I ordered a sample pack of a variety of watercolor papers from different manufacturers to try them out.  I normally paint on Arches or Twinrocker. This one was done from an Arches watercolor block, 140 lb. I will be trying out some of the other papers in future paintings and let you know how I like them.

Check out my Travel Sketches and other Plein Air works:

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China Plein Air

This plein air painting was done at the China Pavilion at Epcot.  I had all but the last few details done on site and then finished it in the studio.  The challenge on this one was all the colorful ornamentation and details on the structure.  Therefore, this was a great exercise in indication and not getting caught up on details.  The paper on this one is one of my favorites, Twinrocker.

The day I painted this I was getting hungry I always keep a protein bar or some nuts in my bag for just such an occasion.  I had a bowl of almonds with me that day and as soon as I took the lid off of them, I had a buddy!  He was not shy in the least, as you can tell by these photos.  

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