Pennies From Heaven

Little Things Sprout Wings and Fly Beyond our Wildest Dreams

The title “Pennies from Heaven” came to me as a way to describe an unusual season in my life. It has been a curious time of struggle seasoned with many surprises, actually blessings that extended well beyond any expectations that I held for each situation. In the midst of my ongoing trials with health-related issues, the pennies just keep coming in a serendipitous and joyful way, where the ordinary becomes the extraordinary. Things have happened and continue to happen that exceed well beyond my wildest dreams. And I just have to write it down and share it with others. Read on, you be the judge. My hope is that somehow, these happenstances, though a bit quirky and fun will bring you inspiration, a sense of joy and hope in whatever circumstances you are in. You never know that some pennies from heaven may fall down on you as well. They may be falling around you now and yet you are not noticing them. So, keep your eyes open. Be willing to say ‘Yes” when they come. You may be surprised by the outcome.

Begin the journey with Part One of the Story:

The Tale of Two Art Shows

Fields of Gold - crop

The story actually begins in early May 2016, when I received a call from a dear person named Penny (perhaps her name played into the title for this series). She called to invite me to be a featured guest artist in the Salon at Art du Jour Gallery for June and July. The call came a few days after I got this terrible headache. I rarely get headaches and was quite concerned, especially because of the severity of the pain. Certainly, the headache would be gone by the time I would need to set up my work at the end of May… or so I thought. Often the pain interferes with my thinking. When the day came to set up, my husband helped me load up the car with over 25 framed paintings, plus prints, unframed paintings and cards. Initially, I could not figure out how to hang them. Penny and other gallery members were there and were very patient with me. Then they prayed and the inspiration came immediately to my mind how to do it.  Afterward the show hung quickly and came out very nice. Doing the show, and the two receptions was a great experience and just what I needed at the time to get out and be with people. Very nice, a true blessing in and of itself, but it was yet to sprout wings.
Little did I know, that during my show, Penny was inspired by my work. She was a watercolor artist at the time, painting beautiful, subtle pieces.

One year later Penny invited me to a reception for her Featured Artist Show. With the inspiration from my work, she quit the gallery to study Old Master style landscape oil painting. In her own words, Penny says:

“In June 2016 I met Sheri Dinardi who was hanging as a guest artist in the Salon at Art DuJour Gallery. I was so impressed with her beautiful oil paintings that I was determined to master oils. I became obsessed.  I began devouring books on oil painting techniques and studying artists whose style I wanted to emulate.  I now paint exclusively in oils...  My only regret is that I don’t have another lifetime to dedicate to my new love of oil painting.”

What a surprise to discover that Penny's inspiration for her new adventure into oil painting came from me. I was amazed at each of the 28 beautiful paintings she had created. Each work is lovely and tastefully framed in ornate gold, perfect for her landscapes painted in the Old Masters style. Here is what the gallery said of Penny:

“Art du Jour Gallery is honored to present in our Salon an exhibit of never-before-seen masterworks in oils by Penny Simmons.  Visitors to our gallery during recent years will recall the breathtaking watercolors Penny exhibited as an Art du Jour member  Now, after a year’s hiatus, she has consented to display for the first time the truly awe-inspiring new artwork she has been doing as an oil painter in the tradition of the Old Masters...
That Penny could take up a new medium and transform herself in a year’s time from a consummate watercolor artist into a fine oil painter, on her own, is a testament to her intense passion, tenacity and intelligence, the compelling drivers that animate her prodigious talent.  She has painted in watercolor for nearly 25 years and has studied with luminaries in the world of watercolor art, but as an oil painter, Penny is completely self-taught.  She devours books on the Old Masters to study their styles and techniques, visits museums and galleries to view their work first-hand, and then she paints and paints and paints.”

In both Penny’s statement and Art du Jour’s article lie the secrets of growing in your artwork… Passion, determination coupled with a work ethic to dive in and study the great works you admire and then paint, paint and paint more!!! It’s a great lesson and inspiration for each of us as artists in our quest to continually grow. I am honored to have been but a tiny spark that ignited a passionate fire in her soul! And what a gift this has been to me during one of the most trying seasons of my life… that my work could in a small way inspire such beauty in Penny. She is now inspiring me to dig in, study and paint, paint, paint and continue in my life long journey to grow as a fine artist.
My take away from these two shows… two words Inspiration and Passion

But that’s not all, stayed tuned for more Little Things Sprout Wings and Fly Beyond our Wildest Dreams.

PS
As I get ready to post this post, Penny, just sent an email to me today. I haven't heard from her for over a year and a half. Funny how things happen. I will reply and ask her to send me an image from her show.

Three Websites?

Yep!!! Call me Crazy. I actually have Three art related websites plus this blog. They came one at a time, each for a purpose. I hope to downsize to one or two instead of three. Maybe you can help me with this dilemma and let me know which is your favorite.

Sheri Dinardi Art
This is the first website that I built. It includes a large collection of my work, as well as prints available on individual painting pages. I kept this site because I can do things on it that I could not do on Fine Art Studio Online.

Sheri Dinardi Fine Art
This website is part of the Fine Art Studio Online community of artists. They have the Bold Brush art competition each month and connections within the FASO artist community. You will find my most recent works, life paintings, complete collections and drawings.

Sheri Dinardi Studio
Why did I recently start this site on Square Space? In my opinion they have beautiful, clean professional looking website templates, with the most efficient, elegant viewing of the artwork.
You will find my most recent works and best works here.

Each of these websites also have a blog and an events page with all the latest happenings ... a lot of upkeep! Time to get back to the studio and paint. So, I plan on discontinuing this blog at some point as well in the interest of simplicity.

Girl with a Crystal EarringGirl

Girl with a Crystal Earring

Girl with a Crystal Earring has been accepted into the OPA Salon to be held at the Beverly McNeil Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama, October 8th to November 5th, 2015.

My Entry Description:
Her quiet demeanor and the lovely way the warm light spilled over her form captured me. Cool soft light filled the shadows; as we painted in the studio that day. I started over again at home fresh with a photo and memories of the experience.

12 x 9
$980
Painted with traditional oils on a Raymar linen panel.

Contact:
Beverly McNeil Gallery

To see this painting on the Beverly McNeil Gallery website along with all the other OPA paintings in the show, see: Oil Painters of America

Painting Moon Dance

The experience of painting this young model was memorable. It began in a group life painting session as each of us positioned at our various viewpoints, sought to capture her. There was something compelling about her gaze that immediately drew me in.

Illumine Artist Guild

Announcing

A New Artist Guild has been born! We are

Illumine Artist Guild

Our first gathering will be at:

Painting at Hanley Farm

Hanley Farm

2:00 PM
Wednesday
April 9, 2014

Good News! We are forming a new art group for the Rogue Valley Area. It is called Illumine Artist Guild. We plan to paint together and get together in small groups on a regular basis.  And at the heart of the group we are Christians who hope to be an encouragement to each other and a light to our communities in the valley when we get out to paint.

“You are the light of the world

 like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.

Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see,

 so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Matthew 5: 14-16 NLT

We have a blog set up:
Illumine Artist Guild

The Blog will have posts with the latest news. You can read more about the Guild under the About tab. You will find upcoming events in both posts and the events tab. For inspiration I have listed links to many skilled, well known artists and top galleries. There are also links to excellent teaching blogs.

The emphasis this month is on inspiration. Whether it is your times with the Lord, out in His creation, viewing really great art or visualizing your next painting.

So meet us at Hanley Farm and come prepared to draw or paint, in any medium! We will have a great time!

Note: There is still time to sign up for the Artist Conference and choose your favorite teacher and teaching track.  Masterpiece Christian Artist Conference has a great line up of teachers.

Snow and Paint

The following are blog posts from my daughter Charity's website. The pictures and narrative are fun and descriptive of the perils of plein air painting:

Snow Painting

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Blessings and warm wishes! 

Her set up

A client has commissioned paintings of her house in all four seasons, all of the other three are done with only winter remaining which has been awaiting a little bit of winter.  We have definitely received our "little bit" today!   Painting in the snow is definitely a new adventure for me.

Once I made it up the long steep drive to her house, it seemed all would go well.  Just as I was set up, it began snowing, well, snowing up a "storm"!  I spent a little over an hour on a little 8x10 that I will use for a color study back in the studio.  I figured out a way to perch my umbrella to shelter palette, painting and my favorite easel contraption. (But there was no so shelter for me, ha!)  Even so, there were snowflakes literally in my paint piles on the palette, all over my brushes, and mixed into the painting itself for good measure.   Every 10 minutes or so my umbrella needed a good shaking out, along with my hood and bodily person.

Would I do it again?  Absolutely, yes!  I always love the mishap, haphazard type of adventure that comes along with the plein aire painting territory.  In spite of my tea spilling multiple times, cold and stiff paint, much slipping and sliding, and a tricky set up and tear down, I did get what I needed. It is not extremely polished, but I've got colors from life that will help me to hopefully capture the correct atmospheric conditions and general feel for the final version later.  

Here is her later post with the final version:

Elkridge in Winter

by Charity Hubbard on 3/21/2014 8:16:44 PMComment on this

Here is the finished painting that I mentioned before in my blog.  The study for this was done on location in the snow, which was a fun haphazard adventure. The other three commissioned paintings from each season are on my website.

Hope you enjoyed her Snow Day. If you would like to see her work go to:

Charity Hubbard 

A Fun Surprise

A friend sent a message to my website saying that she had seen my painting Tory's Smile on Fine Art Views. (I have since changed the name to Quiet Hope.) I am thinking what? My painting that I just posted is on Fine Art Views. I checked and there it was with a nice article written by Carrie Turner and a comment by Brian Sherwin:
Art critic Brian Sherwin commented on artist Sheri Dinardi's artwork, remarking, "There is a soft quality in the way that Sheri Dinardi approaches oil painting -- a certain radiance that projects a sense of spirituality in the way she captures her subjects." Sherwin added, "These works convey a positive message... a reminder of the sacred simplicity, if you will, of the past."

I like what he said about my work... "the radiance, a sense of spirituality... a positive message... a reminder of the sacred simplicity, if you will of the past" What a joy that he said these things as they are what I hope to capture... a sense that will uplift people. We live in a day of such complexity. In my own life I strive for simplicity as much as is possible in our technological, busy lifestyles. Thanks Carrie and Brian for your interest in my work. See the full article: FASO Featured Artist Sheri Dinardi

More about this painting coming soon.

Gerhartz Workshop Day One

Dan's Studio

Day One:

Once we checked in; brought in all our easels, supplies, etc, We gathered around Dan to hear him open the workshop.  It was important for Dan to know what we each of us needed to get out of the workshop. What is my current struggle? He also took some pressure off us by saying that "no one paints their best in a workshop setting". What he hoped for us is that simple principles would emerge and continue when we get home and work.

---

Dan Teaches

Dan's goal to convey to us was to:

1). See the subject's absolute essence  2). Organize values  3). How to organize, to pull out the essential... what is important to the big picture. He warned us that he will say the same thing over and over. What was reassuring is the things he would repeat are the very same things that he tells himself, every day. Values, edges, temperature, good drawing.

He also strongly encouraged us to work from Life. It does make a difference in your paintings and is worth the extra effort. He prayed for the workshop. :)

---

Dan's Color Study

Dan's Value/Color Study:

Simply beautiful isn't it? He recommended that we first do an 8x10 study where we set up a simple light and shade pattern. Put what is essential on there... The biggest thing, is to SQUINT! He wanted us to create a hierarchy of values to prioritize. Certainly drawing and proportion is important; but he was more focused on the hierarchy of values, edges, and temperature. For values first we are to squint to find the lightest light and darkest dark. Put those in right from the beginning to compare all the other values to. Then to squint again to simplify the form into 2 basic values by deciding what belongs to the light shape and what belongs to the dark shape. Next squint to look for a variety of hard and soft edges. Where is the sharpest edge? Put that in. Where are the softest edges? Where are they like vapors, disappearing into the form

---

My Color Study

My color study:

So how did I do? OK, I guess, but not as well as I hoped. When Dan paints and teaches he makes it look so obvious and easy. As you watch, you are sure you can paint better than ever. But this is not bad for a 1/2 hour study on the first day of a workshop. I will improve. Also, the important thing about a study like this is that I get the important notes that I will need to do a larger piece; the simple light and shade patterns, the sharpest and softest edges and temperatures of the light.

Additionally, this was like a quick practice and made the next full size piece go quicker and easier.

---

My Day One Full Size Portrait

My Day One Full Size Portrait:

How did I do? Pretty good as well. It really helped me to do the color study first to practice the drawing as well as  to organize my values, edges and temperatures in the cool north light. (The image looks warmer than the actual painting) Doing the small study first also took some pressure off of being nervous on the first day of the workshop. At home I spent a few minutes to do a few things to improve it. Warmed and darkened the hair in a few places and softened an edge on her right check.

---

Dan's finished full size portrait.

Dan's Finished Painting:
Wow! So beautiful, poetic, so full of emotion and feeling.

To start he tones the canvas and finds shape the best with vine charcoal. It wipes off very easy for making corrections.

Start with the big picture: You don't want the head to be too big. Use the simplest straight angles and lines to get the basic shape of the head. Then a center line and breakdown further to locate the features.

He said "the Biggest Thing is edge variety and simplicity of value". What does that mean? Well, you don't want all of your edges to be equally soft or equally sharp. You want a spectrum of edge variation. As far as the values you want that simple separation between light and dark. Then you turn the form with warmer or cooler color. "If the values are not in range it will kill the effect of light."
Notice there are not lights that jump out of the shadow on her face or neck. Also note: the top left portion of the painting has glare on it, showing up to be blue. It is not in the original painting.

Stay tuned for more...

Dan Gerhartz Workshop

Dan Gerhartz' Studio

I just got back from an amazing five day Workshop in Dan Gerhartz's Studio.

I bought a couple of Dan's video's about 6 years ago, learning so much from them; and adding to principles I already had in place. Then I took a one day workshop in 2010 at Week End with the Masters from each Dan, Carolyn Andersen and Sherry McGraw. What a fun time to see so many well known artists walking about and milling around chatting. They were very approachable and fun to talk to. I also met other attendee's. The workshops and evening programs were really inspiring but crowded and lacking in personal attention. Two of the gals that I met had each been to a workshop in Dan's Studio. Both of them said, "Oh, you have to take a workshop from him in his studio. Since then, I have met two other gals who said the same thing. Four people recommending a workshop in his studio. So now here I am doing the same... highly recommending a workshop with Dan Gerhartz in his Studio!!!

I've seen Dan's video Her Mothers Locket many times. In the beginnging Dan walks up the path and on into his studio. It seems surreal to finally be there, walk up the path and into his studio. Wow, I am finally here, very excited, but determined to remain calm and clear thinking. Dan's wife Jennifer was there to greet each of us coming in. She is a dear person. Later Dan came; he is a great guy. The other fellow students were very nice people and we quickly got acquainted, really enjoying one another during our time together.

What is so different about being at a 5 day workshop rather than learning from a video or one day workshop? For me, it is one thing to know something and another thing to do it... to experience it. As we sat around Dan and watched him paint; he made it look so easy. We were all sure we could paint better than ever. Then reality hits. Now it is me... and the other students each standing in front of a blank canvas and a beautiful model lit up in front of us. We saw the master paint and now it is our turn... our turn to put what he said into practice. I kept thinking of a teaching of Jesus all week as I was painting. He said, "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock." Now it was time to put everything I learned from watching Dan into practice and build a solid foundation, one brush stroke at a time.

I have known about squinting, values, and edges for years and I even though I thought I was using them, I had some growing to do. Here's what really helped me. Dan would come by while I was painting and point out on my own work how I need to squint even harder to separate the light from the shade.  My three hour paintings were not great, but each day I improved. (Except Wednesday... it wasn't so good so I wiped it off and painted over it.) I will do future posts about these pieces and how I was able to work on them at home as well.

Life painting is always an adventure. It has been difficult for me; but I am more encouraged and energized than ever before. This will change my painting and I look forward to the work to come.

See you next time,
Sheri

Leah's Repose

This piece was a break through for me.  It began from a life painting session and was painted on Senso natural linen canvas. They treat it with a clear coat to paint over. I worked on it for only about two hours. It was a good start worth completing at home... using a poor photo, but mainly the memory of Leah's calm gentle expression. Here is what it looked like after the two hour session:

Leah after two hours

I spent many hours on the piece focused on maintaining the separation of light and shade.  I was mindful of the degrees of edge work from sharp to lost into the background. In the end I was pleased with the result, especially the natural skin tones and sense of form.

Leah's Repose Complete


Leah's Repose was one of 6 chosen by Stephen Baumann (of PBS, The Grand View) at a critique to be in the pool for painting of the year with Southern Oregon Society of Artists. 

Charity Won Painting of the Year 2012

Awarded 2012 Painting of the Year with Southern Oregon Society of Artists

Grandfathers First Job

This beautiful work was painted by our daughter Charity Hubbard. She writes the following description about Grandfathers First Job:

"The photo reference for this painting was taken in Madeira Portugal.  This was a very meaningful trip taken with my Grandmother, Parents, Sisters and Aunt and Uncle.  We have family that live in Madeira which we were able to meet, and we were able to see many places significant to our family, including the job my Great Grandfather worked to earn money to come to America. This unique job is still held by Madeiran young men.  We took a gondola ride to a very high place on the island where there is a hotel that operates the sliding baskets that are run down the streets by the men, offering a very unique tour of the city.  Then the baskets are trucked back up the hill for more patrons.  This was very special to see this profession run in exactly in the same way as when my Great Grandfather was a young man in the Old Country."

Frame for Ribbon's in My Hair

Ribbons in My Hair Framed

I just got the paintings for the Small Works Show back from the framer. They came out very nice. Each one was custom framed.

This frame is my all time favorite and it perfectly compliments Ribbons in My Hair. I wish you could see it as it is even better in person. A smooth satin brown curved moulding with a delicate filigree mounted on top!!! Completely custom made and designed... a one of a kind; because this filigree is no longer available.

Close Up of Feeling Pouty

Close up of Feeling Pouty

Thought you might enjoy a close up of Feeling Pouty and zooming in on her cute little mood.

Feeling Pouty

Feeling Pouty 12x9

Feeling Pouty is the third piece for the Small Works Show at Howard Manville Gallery.

This tiny gem is reminiscent of a lovely afternoon with a friend and her two daughters in a lavender garden. We adults were much more enthusiastic than the girls about being there. This little one struck a quintessential pouty pose embodying how we all, especially us women can feel at times... feeling just a little pouty.

Aspen Spring

Aspen Spring 16x10

Aspen Spring is the second painting finished for the Small Works Show at Howard Manville Gallery.

This little piece is a delight and brings memories of a beautiful spring day with some friends and their daughter. We were at a ranch, high in the Cascade Mountains in an Aspen Grove along a creek. The afternoon light streamed through the tree's and lit Britney's hair and the leaves of the trees.

Ribbons in My Hair

Ribbons in My Hair - 14x11

I have been invited to participate in the:

22nd Annual Small Works Show
Howard Manville Gallery
Kirkland Washington,
November 17th through December 2nd.

I will be painting and posting three miniatures. This small piece, Ribbons in My Hair, captures a distinctly feminine moment. She is in a contemplative mood as she fusses with her hair.

Harvest and Bloom

Solo Artist Show July and August at Harmonic Design.
The reception is this Friday July 13th, 2012 from 5-8:00.

Charity Hubbard Featured Artist

Our Daughter Charity is the Featured Artist during July at: Art and Soul Gallery in Ashland, Oregon. The image below is one of her new pieces. We saw these musicians while in Bath England. Visit her website to enjoy more of her new paintings.

Join us for food and live music at the reception. Charity's father, Al Dinardi, will be playing jazz guitar, her son, Andrew Hubbard on percussion and Doug will be playing the dulcimer.
Friday July 6th 5:00-8:00 PM

Envision - Review

The 7th annual Masterpiece Christian Artists Conference  "Envision"
May 30 - June 2, 2012

"Without a vision the people perish..."
Proverbs 29:18

This was a wonderful conference! We had so much fun and left very inspired. There was good teaching and fun people to be with through the four days. The teacher worked with us to learn, practice and move to that next level.

I painted with Thomas Blackshear in the first two workshops. One was a portrait and the other a full figure, beautiful models, poses and very helpful instruction. The last workshop for me was with David Darrow. Chris Hopkins, our resident instructor, and Dennis Lewis are there each year to give the participants a critique of their work. They really helpful in following our progress, suggesting how we can improve and challenging us to make that next step.

A friend emailed a photo of me doing a life painting, along with a group of fellow artists in David Darrow's workshop. David walked us through step by step, starting with very dark colors, which forced me to make darker mixtures through out and I was pleased with the outcome.

"Kim" 14x11

The challenge of life painting is as artists we stand before a beautiful human being bathed in light, with subtle skin tones varying value and temperature. All we have to express this beauty is pigment mixed with oil and whatever skills we have developed. In these workshops the models were lit with incandescent light, giving the light side a peachy orange tone, with the sky light from the windows putting cool tones in the shaded side. I tend to see too much light in the shadow side of fair skin people, the delicate pink and grey tones there tends to fool me into painting lighter. I have to remember to squint and compare one area with another to see the subtle transitions from dark to light, as well as create a separation from dark to light. For now I need to err on the side of painting darker.

Mothers and Daughters

Coming into Spring

I am showing with my daughter Charity Hubbard and
Jhenna Quinn Lewis is showing with her daughter
Kara Q. Lewis.

At:
The Talent Depot,
Home of Harmonica Design and Imaging
May 11 to June 30, 2012

The reception on May 11th was great fun... meeting Jhenna and Kara; and many others who came. The "gallery" was packed with friends, family and new acquaintances.

My work includes the Garden Collection
featuring children and mom's.

---

Summer's Light Reception

What a nice evening! The  reception was wonderful with good food, live music, friends, family and many wonderful people who came to the Summer's Light show. It was a privilege to see them enjoy and find inspiration in my work.

Family helped with the food and greeting. Al, my husband, played jazz guitar with Doug the Dulcimer player. Jazz guitar and dulcimer... how does that work? I don't know but it does. They are good friends and have fun creating music. Our daughter Charity was there with her exhibit. It is so much fun to share this passion with her.

Here is a picture of me with the Summer's Light show.

Summer's Light

Summer' Light is a collection of paintings expressing the light and warmth reminiscent of summer days.

The Show will include paintings from the Harvest or Garden collections. Often in our busy day to day lives we lose touch with the beauty of the created world we live in. These paintings will give you a moment to pause, smell the roses and enjoy the rich beauty of life that we often drive by on our way to somewhere else.

Enjoy the two main collections:
The Garden Collection combines fragrant lavender and rose gardens.
The Harvest Collection picture the wheat and vegetable harvest, set at the Hanley Historic Farm, just outside of Jacksonville, Oregon.
Additionally there are a few contemplative poses as well.

The show will run from September 2 - October 2nd, 2011 at Art and Soul Gallery in Ashland, Oregon.

Join us for a reception with fun, food and live music
Friday September 2 from 5:00-8:00.

Life Portrait completed with a Photo

The usual life painting sessions with a group are three hours long, including several 5 minute breaks. It is a challenge to paint a portrait or figure from start to finish in three hours. You can leave the painting as it is at the end of the three hours and just let it be what it is... an oil portrait sketch.

Or if you capture something special and want to bring it to a higher level of finish, you can take a photo of the model and work on the piece more at home.  With this piece, I wiped off my drawing in the first hour and then only had 2 hours left. So I decided to take it home and bring it to a higher level of finish. If this were something I wanted to keep or sell. I could work on it one more time to improve the likeness. It is encouraging to see the results of  working on it a little while longer (5 hours total). I can by this how to use more life painting with my finished works.

Learning from Each Painting

My daughter Charity and I painted at  Outlook Studios recently. The last time in March, I painted Bill. But I did not paint the values dark enough, giving the skin a light pastey look. Bill has a very fair complexion, so it was more difficult to capture the right color in the shaded area of his face and I didn't squint enough and kept putting the light color I thought I saw into the shadow side. This time I was determined to get darker in the shadow side. So the new painting improved by learning from the previous one.

Also note I did work on this piece later, finishing background, some on the dress and softening edges, so the piece has a more finished look. This is my favorite life study that I have done to date.

Plein Air Painters in Kauai

 We took a trip to Kauai a few weeks ago. What a beautiful Island!!! It looks like a paradise of days gone by.  No wonder Jurassic Park and Raider of the Lost Arc among many others were filmed there. We didn't schedule any tours, but rather each day we took off in the car for another adventure.

 On one particular day we were walking along a beach on the north side of the island and came across three very fun and friendly plein painters... Syme, Kyoko, and Deirdre. They all have good starts on their paintings of this little slice of paradise.

 As it turns out, Syme told us he was instrumental in starting the Laguna Plein Air Painters. Here is a close up of Syme with his start. He has in a nice sky with clouds, his water and nearby sand. For his set up, he uses the same brand plein easel as I do... Easyl, only his is larger than mine. They are light weight and very portable.

Syme (rhymes with time) shows his work on the other side of the island in Hanapepe.

 Kyoko has a beautiful piece in progress as well... sky, water and beach. She has a similar set up... an Easyl prochade type box, palette easel, like Syme's. She also has a brush holder on the right side and her thinner can hanging on the right.

Both of these easels/palettes mount on a light weight camera type tripod. If it is windy, you can take a plastic grocery bag, fill it with rocks and hang it from a hook underneath to keep it stable. I also like her unbrella that is staked in the ground, which makes more sense than trying to attach it to your easel. I wonder how far a stiff wind could carry it? I don't know where to get the umbrella; but I will include a link for the easel.
Artwork Essentials This company has a variety of great products for plein air painting and have good customer service. I am very happy with both of the easels I bought from them.

Life Painting at Outlook Studio's

"Bill" by Sheri Dinardi

Today was life painting in the studio of a friend, Ilene Gienger-Stanfield. Her studio is out in the country and overlooks beautiful valley views... hence the name "Outlook Studio's. We have a varied group and so enjoy seeing one another's way of approaching a piece. The variety is amazing... oils, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, pencil charcoal, sanguine... etc. The sizes range from an inch and a half head to a life size figure. Some of us take the entire 3 hour session to do somewhat of a portrait and others can do several figures. Some of us are working on a traditional portrait and others are joyfully pushing color to the limit. Some are doing caricatures with interesting patterns and colors... even some stray animals can end up in the piece... coming from a vivid imagination. It's a good group and we have a lot of fun! 

"Bill" by Ilene Gienger-Stanfield

Every week, there is a model who comes and poses. Ilene has a variety of costumes and each week presents a new subject matter and challenge. Life painting is definitely a challenge for me and I need a lot of practice at this. But I feel it is the very thing I need to do to take my work to the next level of skill. So I am thankful that Ilene is committed to these sessions every week; whether she is in town or traveling.

My life paintings are not as good as my studio work, so I feel a little hesitant sharing one with you. But thought it might inspire you to find a group in your area and explore this exciting and challenging way of paintings.

My piece today is at the top right and I included Ilene's piece today from the same model. Her piece is very poetic, I just had to have a photo. She captured a beautiful reflective feeling in this portrait of Bill. You can see from these images that not only was our view of the model from a different vantage point, but you can see we captured a completely different feeling and color sense. Hope you enjoy this little post and get inspired to give life painting a try!

How do you begin a Portrait from Life?

So here you are ready to try your first portrait painting from life. Maybe you are at a workshop and wondering what you will learn and how you will grow in your art practice. You have your french easel set up in front of you and are squeezing out paint on your palette as they pose the model and put up various colored drapes behind to form a background. Once the timer is set, the model is still, everyone is quiet and very busy painting, trying to make the most of their time. There is a living breathing human being sitting right there in front of you. Where do you begin? What do you do first? What should you accomplish in the first twenty minute session?

I am not an expert, just growing in the practice of life painting. Here are suggestions gleaned from a life painting workshop I took in 2007 at Scottsdale Artist School... a great school that attracts professional working artists to come in and give workshops. The teacher was Michael Malm. He demonstrated every morning what we were expected to do in the afternoon. He listed his palette colors and showed us how he laid them out. The image above is the third life study I did at the Malm workshop. This drawing took too long to really finish the skin tones, so I wiped off the paint at the end of class. I use it as an example of what a life painting may look like in the early stages. Though there are as many ways to do it, as there are artists. Even the subject may dictate how you will start. I will address that in an upcoming post.

There is a American Artist Highlights magazine, titled Step by Step that I bought at Barnes and Noble. It has many of great artists demos, step by step how they produce a painting. One such demo is Michael Malm, so I will describe the the first few steps somewhat as in the magazine adding what I remember from his workshop as well. I highly recommend to buy the magazine before it sells out, a real treasure for us who are reaching to learn and grow in our art. Besides then you can see the painting he does and how to finish.

Step 1 Malm began his demonstration by toning his canvas with a warm color. (I usually mix a hue close to the skin color, as it looks on the light side of the face in the light the model is in. Then thin it the tone with odorless mineral spirits type paint thinner and loosely brush it on the canvas. You can see this under painting in his skin, under the shirts and background on the example above.)  Then he drew the basic shapes of the models head using vine charcoal. (The sharpened vine charcoal can be drawn right over the toning and wipes off fairly easily, to a degree... but can get messy if you make a lot of mistakes. In my example above I used a warm dark tone thinned with oms and applied with a brush. Mistakes can be cleaned up easily with a paper towel and thinner. I use both ways.)

(When drawing in the basic shapes you can start with the outline of the head, observing the angles of the "curves". Use straight lines and you will achieve a more accurate drawing. Then you can bring in the features. This model with a shaved head made this process very easy. You could also see the various planes, warm and cool tones under the north light really well on his head. So I was very thankful for the opportunity to paint him).

Step 2 Malm blocked in the basic shadow shapes around the models face. Step 3 The instructor filled in the hat and background before turning his attention to the light mass on the face. ( From my observations most professional painters are able to get these first three steps accomplished in the first 20 minute sitting with the model... drawing, background and hat,etc or early into the second session. This is great because it gives the artist the rest of the three hours to bring the painting from a block in to capturing an essence of life. All that said, I am no where near this level of proficiency yet, as it takes me a quite a while to complete the drawing).

I highly recommend Scottsdale Artist School. Both my daughter Charity and I had a great experience there and learned so much. Scottsdale also has over 100 galleries to visit while there for inspiration. I also recommend Michael Malm as a teacher as well. He teaches both at the Scottsdale Artist School and in his studio in Wellsville, Utah.

This year Charity and I both were honored to be in the schools annual exhibit of students, the Best and the Brightest. Charity Hubbard entered a life study she did at a friends house. I, Sheri Dinardi,  entered two pieces, Scent of a Rose, and was pleased that Quiet Warmth sold. Click the links on our names to see the paintings in the show. When you click on the small thumb nail it enlarges to a nice image, where you can better view the work. To see more of our work click on the links to our websites in the side bar.

Hope this will encourage you in your journey in art making!

Have you ever drawn or painted from life?

"Shayna" by Sheri Dinardi

Have you ever drawn or painted from life?

Life Painting is a challenging, but great experience. Especially painting a living human being, sitting right in front of you. I paint from life occasionally at a friends studio with a really fun group of people. It is inspiring to come together and share in the process. Sometimes I work in pencil, charcoal, or oil paints.

Here are a few of the better pieces I have done.

The piece above left  is "Shayna". She was rendered with pencil and white conte on a piece of Canson paper.

"Jania" by Sheri Dinardi

 Here is "Jania" on the right. She was painted with traditional oil paints on a linen canvas.

"Kim" by Sheri Dinardi

This next piece on the left is "Kim", I think. She was rendered with charcoal on Canson Paper. I did not use the white conte, but did put a little bistre in her hair. She had such dark, almost black velvety warm toned hair.

Life Study of a Young Woman- Charity Hubbard

Here is a life painting done by my daughter Charity. This painting was done from life at a friends house. It was accepted in Scottsdale Artist School's "Best and the Brightest" student artwork show. You can find more of her work at Charity Hubbard Fine Art.

Crossing the Finish Line

Finally... the finale... another painting crosses the finish line!

Do you ever feel this way about any of your paintings, like you are not sure if it is going to come together?. Some paintings seem to come easily and nearly paint themselves. One of my paintings that seemed to come together effortlessly is Day's End, shown in the side bar. Though it would be nice if all of them would be that easy; they are not. But if they were then maybe painting would lose it's sense of challenge and adventure. Oh and the mystery of wondering if a piece is going to work or not would be gone. I wonder if painting becomes boring for master painters who knowing everything, have nothing left to learn and the skill to perform all that they know with inspiration and creativity. I guess there is another sense of joy and mastery in being that skilled. For me, learning is a great adventure of life much like wondering what is around the next turn of the trail through the woods, or what is around the next bend in the river. I never want to stop learning and growing. But at some point mastery would be nice. All that said:

Introducing "Fields of Gold".  Though there were difficulties with this piece all along the way in bringing it to completion, I am happy that it is done and I enjoy the image. I wasn't sure of how to paint the wheat, but I started using lots of paint with both brush and knife and had a great time doing it. Then the wheat came together. The paint on this piece is very thick and sculptural, which made me a little uneasy that it wouldn't dry completely before scanning and smash some of the sculptural effects. But it worked out OK.  I hope you enjoy the piece and this commentary. Let me know what you are thinking.

Another Painting Start

This is the start for the final painting in the blog series  Getting Stuck. In the post, To Finish or Not to Finish, we considered the idea, that there are times when a painting just doesn't seem to work or maybe it just gets set aside because of other pressing deadlines. I gave "Quiet Warmth" as an example of a painting that even though it wasn't finished until a year later it ended up being chosen in three separate national shows. It really brought home to me the value in not giving up on a piece just because you don't have all the answers at the time. Look for a later time when you understand how to make that painting come together or you just feel inspired.

I can't remember when I started this painting. It was probably in the spring or fall of 2010. I really like the composition but did  not like the expression in the face and set it aside to do other things. Then I did another smaller piece titled "Bread Basket and Blue" from the same series and finished it in January, with the hope it would help me to finish this one. See the post Finishing Touches.

I needed to finish another piece to enter in a show. Which one of the three starts should I finish? After working on each of the three, this piece began to come together when I was able to improve the face and the background.

Here are a couple shots so you can see how the patterned wrap started as well as bringing other parts together. I started the wrap by under painting values and being mindful of what area's are warm and cool. And asking the questions of what planes were picking up cool light from the sky and hot light from the sun?







See Inspiration and Stages for how I painted the patterned wrap in Bread Basket and Blue. I attempted to do the same here, but because of an approaching deadline, I used alkyd paint in the wrap to help it dry faster. The trouble is, it was drying as I painted the pattern, so it wasn't as wet into wet as I hoped. It still came out nice and fits the light in this scene. Check in next time to see the final finished version and the name of this new piece.  ~Sheri