I just returned from an exceptional five day workshop with Deborah Paris at the Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City, Florida. There were 13 students very eager to learn what Deborah had to teach. Probably the biggest effect on people was the realization of the need to brush up on the skills of field sketching; going back to the basics of drawing which most of us lacked in our early years of art education. The artists through the ages up until the 20th century were trained to draw and it became second nature to them. We spent the first two days out in the field sketching thumbnails and value studies. Some people had the courage to put away their camera and draw the landscape learning to look for those values, work up a composition that was acceptable (with a little help from our friend Edgar Payne) and edit the sketch into a design that would make a good painting rather than painting exactly what was there in nature. People really saw the value of Slowing Down and Thinking! Then we brought the sketches back to the studio and started working on underpaintings. Deborah gave a color demo showing the colors she likes to use and explained the glazes and scumbles technique. She brought with her examples of her latest works and shared indepth her growth process in tonalism. She has a vast knowledge of American landscape artists and is able to present a timeline of American landscape art that is so impressive one only wishes they had a tape recording of it to play over and over. Deborah also has an excellent way of working with artists at all levels; beginners to professional artists. Each artist can receive information at the level they are at. (Much like reading John Carlson).
The time flew by and the last day arrived way too soon. We each lined up two to three pieces along the wall and Deborah gave the most informative critique I have ever been in. It was a thrill to see and hear what people had to say and how much they had learned. Everyone left the workshop very fulfilled and inspired to do so much more. I think people became believers in Field Sketching and the value of Thumbnails. Hope so anyway.
It was a Two Thumbs Up Week!
oh lucky you! how wonderful to see the beautiful photographs and artwork you completed during your 5 days there. You really do take a great photo and look at those wee calfs. I was thinking about this 5 day course a lot this week as she mentioned she was going to do it. It looks a very special location and take you so much for sharing it all with us, makes me feel like I am there too! Your drawings are really looking nice I can see alot of information in them and they are well drawn too. I like the first underpainting the gentle earth tones are really good. I wonder if you always work in the indirect way?
ReplyDeleteHello Caroline! Yes, I feel very lucky. There was such an excitement and enthusiasm and eagerness to learn with the artists. It's the perfect environment for Deborah to teach - very hungry students. They drew it out of her. As for your question about "do I always work in the indirect way". At this time I am trying to get a grasp on it and understand it. When learning something I tend to concentrate on just a narrow focus, learn it well and then go to the next stage (whatever that will be). But there were plenty of artists there that paint in the direct way and took away information that they can incorporate into their own style, for example, colors, glazes and scumbles on opaque paint. But, right now, I love the indirect painting look so I'm concentrating on that.
ReplyDeleteHello Phoebe, I can see alot in your underpaintings regarding information. I especially like the way your underpaintings are light and not dark and dead looking which can happen when you build up a lot of dark glazes. Your glazes look fresh yet there are some good darks there too. In the third underpainting there is a lovely area of light on the pine tree trunk, the distant trees look really lovely and have the right colours to knock them right back into the distance. In the second painting you have capture a dark foreground and I can see the light area being in the distance, this is a good effect and it is these subtle things that make for an interesting painting that really makes the viewer stop and look some more. Do you have enough information from Deborah on how to finish these three paintings, I guess you need to keep on glazing. I love how you have the sky and the trees merging in together that is often the most difficult part of all. You have done really well and I look forward to seeing these painting at another stage. Those thumbs have given you a lot of information too.
ReplyDeleteHello Phoebe - I've enjoyed this post so much and wish I could have been at the workshop with you. The pics are beautiful - I've never been to Florida and unfortunately, I have a tendency to visualize Miami whenever someone mentions Florida. Nothing against Miami, but there is a lot more to the state. That's like visualizing tumbleweeds at the mention of Texas. Your thumbnails are amazing - well done! Do you realize it is one year since I last saw you? Maybe we'll get together in another workshop. Meanwhile, keep in painting!
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