Paint the snow

It's been a while since I updated last time. We've had a couple back to back snow storms in this area which dumped record-breaking amount of snow. Last Saturday I ventured out to Frederick County with my enthusiastic teacher, Lee Boynton, and one other brave soul, Elena, to paint the historic Loy's Station covered bridge and its surrounding areas.

I was apprehensive of painting the snow in this weather at first--it'll be a long day; it's cold; I'm not a very physically strong person; etc. But I found out that if I prepare well and know to take a short break when I feel fatigue, I can do it! Good preparation makes a full day's painting in the snow less daunting. That means have all my gears in order, dress warm, and take a hot drink, food and enough snacks. We also had a lunch break in a cozy restaurant that's actually called "Cozy"! I was prepared to eat lunch in the car but the change of plan made the day easier (bathroom break, anyone?).

Here are what I got:


Loy's Station covered bridge, 11 x 14
Painted this one in the morning.


Utica Park, 11 x 14
Painted this one in the afternoon. We had a little sun which helped.

What I learned from Lee that day: be direct and go right to the point. I usually start my painting with a rough drawing and refine it as I go. But he told me to put down an accurate drawing from the beginning and eliminate the vagueness. It saves time and shows that you know where you're heading. It doesn't mean you can't make minor changes later, but if the light changes drastically, that's another painting. For this painting, you have to make it clear from the get-go what you want. This is useful especially in plein air painting because we don't have a lot of time. So I tried this approach and liked it.

Getting back to the game

I've started painting again. This time doing a small commission for someone who will give the painting to his wife as a Valentine's gift. How sweet!

Yet I've found out, once you stop painting for a while, you do get rusty. It takes a little time to get back to it and remember all those things you've learned previously. It's not quite like riding a bicycle, once you learn it you'll always know how to do it. The question is how to keep it up at a level you practiced before or even better. But after a few days of keeping at it, I do start to feel more at ease with painting.

Here, to help me remember, is a rehashing of some points I should always keep in mind when I paint.

1. 20% detail.
I read a book titled The 80/20 principle a while ago. It says 20% percent of population has 80% of wealth. Or in a company, 20% of employees produce 80% of work. It's a business concept, but the author used it to demonstrate how you can use the principle and choose to work on that 20% of work that will produce 80% of results. It's the same in painting. Your attention should never be evenly distributed to the whole painting. Devote 80% of your attention to only 20% of your painting. That 20% area in the painting is the focal point, where you want the views' eyes go to. Details everywhere means no focus, and it's only confusing to the viewers.

2. Masses first.
Too often I get caught in details (again!), and forget the whole picture. But before painting details, a foundation has to be laid, and masses established. It's the structure of the painting, the underlying pillar, that will hold the painting together even after it's added details and finished. This ties into the value plan of a painting. Establish the value patterns.

3. 20% empty space.
The same 80/20 concept. Not really empty, but a relatively quiet area. A painting needs a calm area for the viewers' eye to rest. It cannot be action everywhere.

4. Paint what catches your eye.
Painting is a response to what I see. I have to feel something about what I paint.

The Plein Air Painting Experience

...First, Happy New Year! The usual New Year's resolutions? For me, a big one is: Be more productive! I tend to go through alternate periods of intense involvement with something (painting) and then complete inactivity (although this time I had the surgery as a cover-up), and put off things I don't want to do for as long as possible. I got the book titled The Now Habit for myself for Christmas and have finished reading it. I think it can help me. It's a really good book--for one, I like the idea of immediate and frequent rewards!

I haven't started painting yet, but have a little project I will do soon. Here is something I wrote about plein air painting (as a writing sample/exercise). Hope it's not too long.

The Plein Air Painting Experience

Ask any artist, it’s a rare one who does not like plein air painting. Because, you see, even for a portrait artist who mostly paints people in a studio, or any other kind of artist, plein air painting is truly a great way to better your craft.

Painting en plein air is a French expression which means “in the open air,” and is used to describe the act of painting outdoors. In the 1870s invention of oil paints in small portable tubes enabled artists to take their paintboxes and canvases out in the field and paint directly from nature. The French impressionistic painters such as Monet and Pissarro made popular this form of painting because they valued the effects of natural light, and the exquisite results of what they observed shine in their paintings.

Ever since then, plein air painting has been an important tool for artists to understand nature and improve painting skills. In recent years, it has gained such popularity in the U.S. that plein air painting events are popping up nationwide. I have to say that the Baltimore area is a pretty good place to be when it comes to plein air painting. There are so many competitions and activities when the weather warms, mostly from May to October, that an artist will be exhausted if she tries to go to every one of them.

The biggest event is of course the Plein Air Easton held each July on the Eastern Shore, followed by Paint Annapolis in September, and numerous other painting competitions in Gunpowder Falls State Park, Havre de Grace, Wayne (PA), etc. throughout the summer and early fall. A major organizer of many these activities is Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painter’s Association, a non-profit organization started and staffed by volunteer local artists. Lee Boynton, a veteran artist based in Annapolis, helped found the association and served as its president for a few years. I took his class at Ladew Gardens in April, 2008, and have been hooked on plein air painting ever since.

So, what is with plein air painting that attracts artists like a magnet? What makes them, willingly, lug all the painting accoutrements, hike up mountains, and put up with the heat, the cold, the critters, and the challenge of rapidly changing light just to sketch one small slice of nature on canvas? I can only tell you what I know. It’s exciting! I experience an adrenalin rush when I see, right in front of my eyes, a splendid view that moves me or a fleeting moment in light that I have to capture. Then I swing into action in a frenzy. Or you could say it’s a communion with nature or an entry into the “zone”—the flow state when you’re in intense concentration. And, really, it’s a lot of fun. Plus, it makes you a better painter faster than any other methods—copying from old masters (although necessary too), painting from photos (the worst and especially if you haven’t had extended outdoor painting experience), and painting only in studio. In this sense, nature truly is the greatest teacher.

Jaw surgery and all

I've had upper and lower jaw surgery. It will be 4 weeks by Turkey day. I still can't chew--have to be on a non-chew diet for six weeks. So no turkey for me, only mashed potatoes and mushy soup. It's hard--can you imagine not being able to eat? And I like crisp and crunchy food. Going through things like this makes one develop new appreciation for simple things that are taken for granted before--that the texture of a food really matters (when you put everything in a blender, it just doesn't taste like that thing anymore), and that being able to chew, eat and not think about it is wonderful. I'm reduced to browsing mouth-watering photos of gourmet food on the Internet. My hubby said why do you torture yourself? I said I can't help it. I foresee a prolonged period of binge eating when I can finally chew.

Going through a surgery is never fun, especially this jaw operation. The first week is terrible, the second week a little better, and then I get a little better each week. The progress is slow although noticeable. I have not resumed painting yet--just recuperating, reading, and doing whatever feels fun at the moment, that is, between my frequent small meals every two hours.

And before I log off--Happy Thanksgiving!

McBride Gallery Show

I will be in a large group show in the McBride Gallery in Annapolis from October 25 to November 15. The Show is called Autumn Celebration of Art. Artist reception is on Sunday, October 25 from 1pm to 4pm. The link to the show is here: McBride Gallery Autumn Art Show.

I just dropped off my paintings to McBride yesterday. The gallery is a very nice one, a big house with seven rooms full of wonderful art, right on the top of Main street. I got kind of busy lately, taking care of personal business and getting ready for a medical procedure...I'll be down for a while but will pick up painting as soon as I can!

Third place winner!

Down to the water, 11 x 14, oil on linen

Went to the preview party/show opening of the Third annual Havre de Grace plein air painting competition this afternoon with hubby. The above painting won me the third place! The judge said he likes the simplicity of it. This is my first time to be in any plein air painting competitions, so I'm very happy about that.

Havre de Grace is really a nice small town to visit. It's quiet and charming. Got many old victorian houses and, of course, the water, bridges, boats, and boatyards. It's a very friendly town, and parking is easy and mostly free. It has a really nice atmosphere. And for us painters, lots of things to paint.

Havre de Grace Plein Air Competition

Been painting in Havre de Grace for the plein air competition for three days. Here are what I got:


Early morning boats, 14 x 11


Down to the water, 12 x 16


Havre de Grace morning, 16 x 20


Drydock sunset, 11 x 14


Red sail, 12 x 16

This is the first time I'm in a plein air competition. It's a very good experience! It's also good to see what other artists did with the same place, same subjects available. Everybody paints so differently! The show opens tomorrow.