My Last Critique from Kevin Macpherson

"You have been holding back this year, saving all your best work for the end. The colors are very beautiful and I just love those shadows on the rocks." (from my last critique by Kevin!)

Today marks my last critique from the ProDJ Program with Kevin Macpherson.  The comment he made that I pasted above made my day.  And no, I was not holding back all year AT ALL.  But, I have grown and become a better painter because of his critiques and assignments, which, I guess, is what he actually is commenting on.

At times, this was a very difficult program for me to keep up with.  Probably the most difficult, personally, was getting ALL of the work done and on time.  This was one of the main reasons for starting the program in the first place, to get me to paint on a more "regular" basis, which it did.  The other more obvious reason, was to become what I believe to be a better painter.  I do believe this also occurred.  Not only because of what Kevin told me, but because I like my paintings more:~)  Not ALL of them, but more than before.

So, now that I'm not tied to the monthly assignments, I'm hopeing to continue to be as prolific a painter.  But, I also want to paint on a larger scale again, which means more time spent on each one.  And in contrast to this, I want to work more on even smaller, "daily" paintings and concentrating on different pallettes and uses of color and light!  So, I've got alot of directions to go in -- which, in the end, doesn't really matter -- as long as I continue to paint and become the painter I long to be.

"Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway"

"Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway"
8" x 10"
Oil on Canvas

This is something every Virginian does -- usually over and over again!  A beautiful, peaceful place -- both on foot or in a vehicle.

"Woodland Waterway" Oil Painting on Canvas

"Woodland Waterway"
18" x 24" Oil on Canvas

This painting was done of the waterway that led up to the "Cascades" Waterfall in Southwestern, Virginia that I have painted before.  The trip up is a gorgeous as the waterfall at the top!

"Cascading" - Waterfall in South West Virginia

"Cascading"
16" x 20"
Oil on Canvas

This waterfall is located West of Blacksburg, VA deep in the mountains. Of course, it's a vigorous hike up to it, but well worth the effort! The electricity in the air from the rushing of the water, felt even before you reach the falls, is euphoric --everyone radiating huge smiles of happiness...

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Check List For Making Great Paintings

This will be my last month of working with Kevin Macpherson in his ProDJ Program :~(


For part of our final assignment he has asked us to make a check list that we could use from now on, while making our paintings, to keep in mind the important aspects of what makes a good painting.  Below is the list that I have put together of some of what he has brought to our attention and tried to ingrain in our painting process -- things I hope to never forget!

CHECK LIST FOR MAKING GREAT PAINTINGS!!!

Is there a good “abstract” Idea underlying the Picture? 

A controlling idea that will govern the choices I have to make.  Which feelings stirred me in the first and gave rise to the feelings I need to express. . .This picture is about? 

Is there a color strategy used to create harmony?  Which color palette will bring the most harmony to my idea? 

Does the painting have a definite focus? 

       Paint with my eye on the center of interest. 

Does the painting “Read” –is there a route that can be followed to the center of interest? 

Are the Dominant Shapes as strong and simple as possible? 

Have I drawn thumbnail sketches of my idea dividing the space into various arrangements of value – Black, White and Gray value arrangements—dividing the space into 3, 4, 5, 6. . shapes to see what works best? 

Have I organized the painting in terms of clearly stated shapes that are dissimilar with some variety and gradation using subtle changes within each shape? 

Is the subject effectively lit without too many light sources –reduce the subject to three planes, light plane, middle tone plane, shadow plane? 

Have I created an unequal proportion of light and shade keeping my light family of colors separate from my shadow family? 

Do the lights have a continuous flow?  – the picture as a whole should have a sense of orchestration from either dark to light or light to dark – using gradated lights or gradations with an increasing and decreasing intensity. 

Do the shadow shapes describe the form? 

       It should echo the shape of the object—reinforcing the overall shape of the object. Let  the shadow effectively describe the direction of the light.

Have I used foreground material to deepen the space – magnifying the depth of field? 

Does the background recede far enough? – Less color, less visible texture. 

Is there an alternating pattern of hard and soft edges? 

       No edge along a form should continue for very long to be either hard or soft. 

       Beginning edges are hard, turning edges are soft. 

       Hard and soft, lost and found, stop and flow 

Is there enough variation in the textures of the paint? 

      The brighter the light the thicker the paint.   

      Dark shadowy areas use smooth, flat paint.

My Last Limited Pallette Painting

"Lake Monticello Beach"
9" x 12"
Oil on Canvas

For my final painting in this months ProDJ Program with Kevin M., I've chosen to use the limited pallette of Cadmium Yellow Light, Quinacridone Red, Dioxazine Purple, and Titanium White. I had a difficult time getting over not having a true blue to paint the sky and water reflections with, but when looking at the final result, I like the way it both looks and feels.

It's been interesting being so limited to the colors I could use, frustrating at times too, but then being pleased each time with the way the final paintings turned out. I'm guessing that's why Kevin is the "Master" artist--he knew these particular color combinations would bring about pleasing finished paintings!



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"Kevin's Truck" - 9"x 12" Oil on Canvas

"Kevin's Truck"
9" x 12"
Oil on Canvas

The limited pallette I used for this painting is Cad.Yellow Light, Alizarin Crimson, and Ultramarine Blue plus Titanium White. I liked working with these colors a bit better than the other pallettes I've used before-- although mixing with the Alizarin made things more in the violet range than I'd like.



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"Roadside Chickens" 8" x 8" Oil on Linen Board

"Roadside Chickens"
8" x 8"
Oil on Linen Board

Here's another painting using a limited pallette. This used Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, and Chromatic Black plus Titanium White.





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"Approaching the Cascades" 18" x 24" Oil on Canvas

"Approaching the Cascades"
18" x 24"
Oil on Canvas

This is my finished painting using the "limited" pallette of Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, and Ultramarine Blue, plus Titanium White. It was more of a challenge than I expected since I really wanted to put in the bright, vivid colors of the fall landscape. This was impossible because of the Yellow Ochre--it muted every mixture I tried.

Even so, the trip up to the waterfall is gorgeous any time of the year--this is a reminder of just a piece of the vigorous hike up!


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Beginning of 18" x 24" Limited Pallette Painting

I'm using the limited pallette of Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Umber, and Titanium White on this painting! I really am wishing I could use additional-brighter-colors for this beautiful fall scene. But I have to trust the "process" and stick with just the four tubes of paint. Mixing them doesn't seem to give me anything much brighter either. Trudging on to "completion".


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My Newest Painting-"Look Out Below"

"Look Out Below"
9" x 12" Oil on Canvas

As I was out painting, I heard all the neighborhood dogs suddenly start barking at the same time, and then a loud sound that I immediately recognized from the past as a hot air balloon. As it emerged from behind the trees where I could actually see it, it looked as if it would land on the neighbors roof! Well, it didn't, it just kept lowering until it disappeared behind the trees again. This is my interpretation of the scene.

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My Most Recent Painting I call "Heading Home"

I just finished this oil painting of the sun setting on Lake Monticello near my home.  My husband and I decided to go out onto the lake in our boat after dinner one evening, and I quickly picked up my sketchbook and camera before we left.  We knew it was a beautiful evening to be out on the water, but, of course, were totally surprised and pleased when we watched the colors of the sunset explode in the sky.  As we were thinking it was time to go back to the dock, we spotted this sailboat also heading in.  It was a perfect addition to the already beautiful scene.

Somewhere Off the North Carolina Coast

12" x 16" Oil on Canvas

This is one of my favorite places to be and consequently to paint!  Anywhere off the North Carolina coast is fine with me.  I've painted most of them.  No need to specify which this is. . .



Lake Monticello Cove

9" x 12" oil on Canvasboard

I painted this study overlooking a back cove of Lake Monticello near my home.  I used my usual pallette of Ultramarine Blue, Cad. Yellow Light, Cad. Red Light, Yellow Ochre, a touch of Burnt Sienna, and Tit. White.  It was a calm, peaceful day with hardly a cloud in the sky.  Even so, there was enough color reflected in the water to make this a bit of a challenge yet fun.

Preserving Places

Great landscape paintings are hardly just representations of a place.  In fact, the truly best are representations by genre only.  Landscapes are windows by which we measure our own human experience, reminders of time spent and time remaining.  They kindly become whatever we want them to be—a childhood memory of walking in the forest, hills outside a grandfather’s farm, the first rays of the morning sun coming up over the stillness of a lake, mountaintops capped with the first signs of snow.  They are reminders of when others who are gone were still among us living and breathing.  This is, the cycle that landscape painting doesn’t just remind us of, but connects us to and helps solidify our place.

Landscape painting is just as important today as it was 200 years ago.  The need for artists to understand and interpret our environment is something that will never change.  While artists sometimes fret over having to drive further and further out to find the last pristine places to capture, we are happy they can still find them.  Even if we’re not among the privileged few who experience them firsthand, we are happy in the assurance of their existence.  Finding these places is only half of it, however.  Today’s landscape artists are also documenting them for posterity, preserving these last great places for future generations.

Whether a grand place or small, there is beauty found at every turn and direction.  Today’s top landscape artists capture this beauty in a variety of mediums and styles, and they provide glimpses into our memories and experiences.  Ultimately the ability to make us connect to these memories and experiences of land makes a landscape painting great.”

“You’ve got a 12 by 16 inch or canvases not much bigger than a window, but you have vast surroundings you have to focus down on.  You have to get the location, lighting and shadows right and get the essence of the moment down very quickly, especially when the scene includes people.”  Darrell Hill

“I continue to be amazed at the complex simplicity found in nature.  Before I knew anything about color harmony, balance, texture, shape, value or composition, I knew that the sight of a sunset or the interesting shape of a billowing storm cloud brought undeniable emotion to my heart."  Michael Bingham

“I feel the landscape, either as the focal point or backdrop, has been the most harmonious element in my work throughout the years.  It’s an endless network of pattern, design, and color, but most importantly it’s an integrated aspect of the human experience.  We all find a personal connection to the landscape as it relates to us individually.” Joseph Alleman

“My mission, as a painter, is to effectively apply colors in a beautiful combination to transmit the many moods of nature.”  Carole Gray-Weihman

“I look for the overlapping patterns in nature for my subjects.  Often these are more sensed than seen—it takes careful observation of the nuanced colors and the multitude of details to discover the inherent composition in a landscape.  Once these patterns reveal themselves, I interpret them with oil paint.  It begins with the careful choosing and mixing of colors while being sensitive to values and color temperatures…My satisfaction with a painting comes from how well the distillation of the information I saw in a scene comes together to capture the mood.”

From  “Preserving Places”, American Art Collector, #71, September 2011

Under the Crape Myrtle Trees



So I went out into my garden again and painted this "study" under the Crape Myrtle trees.  The only colors I used were Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Cad Med. Light, Burnt Umber, White. I'd like to someday paint a much larger version of this . . .