m. p i l g r i m (art)

I didn't really get into art for the money.  It was something I needed to, like breathing. After decades of college and raising kids, I finally had the freedom to let loose.  Recently a friend asked me to do a landscape painting of a scene she was particularly fond of.  I was really touched by this painting being something that represented a happy memory and what it meant to her, so I wanted to do a good job.  I started out with an 11x14 linen panel, and drew in the composition with white chalk, as I usually do.  I started with the sky, some quick-dry titanium white, ultramarine blue, and cerulean, mixing more white into the sky as it approarched the "earth".  Initially I did the distant far background hills kinds of greenish. The foreground greenery was sap green and some cad red, and the tree wood was done with a mixture of burnt umber and blue ultramarine, laid in with my palette knife turned sideways.  I started working in the shadows as a blue/gra...

I signed up to be in a holiday art fair locally, and started preparing for it to be an opportunity to sell some art. I didn't expect really to sell any, these fairs are often for gift-giving; people don't show up to buy fine art. However, I wanted the experience to see what it's like to sit in one.  I was stuck with what to put on my banner as a title, other than my name, and finally settled on: I purchased some "grids," which are metal standing panels on wheels where you can hang things. I also purchased a table cloth and a folding print bin. I had cards made of some of my art, and some prints.  I asked my painting teacher how to price my art - it's higher than some of the other artist's artwork; however, it's hard to compare because they aren't doing oil landscapes. Should I drop my prices to be closer to theirs? "No," he said. "Keep the prices the same, but make prints and other low-cost options for people who might like your art....

For painting III not only did I finish early, and do an extra painting, but it seems administration was not happy that the instructor was letting people go early, even though they were done for the day. So, he apologetically told us that he had to dock grades for people who didn't stay until the end of class, but he offered extra credit - a self portrait or an old master copy. I decided to do both. Artemisia Gentileschi  was a Baroque born in 1593, in Rome. She was the daughter of Orazio Gentileschi, a prominent painter in the traditio of Caravaggio. She trained in her father's studio - unusual for women back then, and was exceptionally gifted from a young age.   Self portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 1615 (age 22) In 1610, when she was 16, her father hired Agostino Tassi, his colleague, to train her. Instead, he raped her. Back then, it was hard for women to prove rape, and they would often be tortured to be certain they weren't making it up. Artemisia was subje...

In the community college where I am now, they share space with a nursing school and musical and theater arts, and there’s no ventilation, poor plumbing, so we have to use acrylic paint.   I dislike acrylics for a number of reasons , many of which are the same as why artistis switched from tempera to oils in the 1400s in the first place.  I’ve tried “Golden Open” to get some color that doesn’t dry quite so fast, but it is also runny. I hate the texture. It felt like using liquid acrylic, but it’s the best I could do for what’s required for this class. The class requirements are a series of at least 5 paintings, and Hubs came up with the brilliant idea of doing “ruined landscapes.”  I am a landscape artist, so I decided to do 18x24” paintings of local disasters.  “Le Vilain Paysage,” (The Ugly Landscape) 1. Abandoned textile mill, Cosmopolis Washington.  Title: “ Weyerhaeuser ” This mill, “Cosmo Specialty Fibers” processed wood pulp to create rayon and other wood-...

 When I was in the south of France this past summer (really, this workshop is amazing, "Art in Provence with Jill Steinhaus) all of the supplies were provided and then our paintings were shipped home for us.  Jill was using a "soltek" easel, and I loved it so much I went online to buy one. I nearly threw up when I saw the price. But...having gotten to test it out for 7 days straight, I bought the Soltek 2.0 anyway, ordering it online.  I have not regretted it. I've tried various plein air easels over the years, En Plein Air Pro, Julian half- and full-box french easels, and others. They were fine.  This is more than fine. It is lightweight, sturdy, well-engineered, and can be used on just about any type of terrain. Seriously. I've stood in a rising tide and painted on this thing (see below). I think I now have the perfect, utterly perfect plein air setup.  I got a Patagonia roll-top backpack to accomodate the length of the tripod portion for half price because...