Painting on the Road: Fado in Lisbon, Portugal

Fado musicians, Lisbon

We arrived in Lisbon on March 30 and spent 4 nights at Jardim de Santos Hostel, booked through Kayak for €43.80/night (roughly $56.50). We had a wonderful room and the location had great access to everything we wanted to see, including fado singers in the Alfama neighborhood. Here are some sketches I made in a dark fado bar while enjoying a pitcher of sangria. Click this link for an example of fado. And here's another link to famous fado singer Mariza in concert. She gives a little explanation in English. And finally, a link to a documentary on fado that we watched in Portland. This film has not only the singing, but the dancing. Highly recommended.
 

Hands of fado singer Maria Sofia

Fado guitarist

Common room at Jardim de Santos Hostel, Lisbon

Plein air season begins with trip to Minto-Brown Island Park

S. Sedwick, A. Salness, me, J. Reimer, R. Tipton, C. Bergin, C. Marine, R. Armitage

My friend Randall David Tipton recently organized a plein air excursion to Minto-Brown Island Park near Salem, Oregon. It was a great kick-off to Oregon's plein air season. The weather cooperated, allowing us to paint a couple scenes in the morning and early afternoon before it got cold and drizzly again.  Although Celeste Bergin and I often paint together, sometimes at Kat Sowa's Studio 30, I'd never painted with Randall before and was excited to see him in action. It was a treat to meet artists, whom I'd only known and admired "on line" until that day including Carol Marine, Ruth Armitage, Jo Reimer, Annie Salness, and Sarah Sedwick! I hope we'll have many chances to paint together again in the future. Here are my two paintings from the day and those of some of the other artists. Click here to see Celeste's slideshow from the day.

A Calm Day In Early Spring/pastel/7x9

Early Spring in the Floodplain/pastel/9.5x11.5

Minto Brown Winter by Randall Tipton

Path by the Lake by Sarah Sedwick

Minto Brown Park by Celeste Bergin

The quiet stillness of painting in the early morning

Beach Grass/pastel/9x7

To continue yesterday's theme of paths and trails, here are a couple paintings done en plein air during a visit to Long Beach, Washington, in January. We went there only because we had a Groupon, and I have to say that I'll go back if I get a chance as it was a pretty nifty place that had a kite museum, a huge bronze statue of a sturgeon, and a crab festival, just to mention a few attractions.

I got up early when it was very cold and frosty and went out on the boardwalk with some Prismacolors (pretty indestructible while traveling) and a tablet of Pastelmat. When I found a couple scenes I liked, I painted standing up as there was too much frost on the benches to sit down. The palette is unusual for me, as well as the subject matter. I had fun and really like the result! What do you
think?

All Trails Lead to the Ocean/pastel/7/9

 Please remember that if you sign up to "Join this site" (become a Member) your name will be entered in periodic drawings. That means you'll get $$$ as credit toward purchase of painting(s).

Paths

Lavender Path/pastel/9.5x11

 There's something inherently attractive about paths, whether they're literal or figurative. In nature, there are man-make paths and animal trails. While hiking in wilderness areas it is courteous (and frequently the law) to stay on the path to protect vegetation and prevent erosion. Animals make paths to sources of food and water. Gardeners build paths to draw the eye to focal points or for practical reasons. In life we often refer to a career path, a path to fitness, or a spiritual path.

These three paintings are different takes of the same scene, a path at one of the lavender gardens that participates in the Oregon Lavender Festival.

Coral Path/pastel/9.5x11

The original painting, done en plein air, sold long ago but clever me took a photo of the original scene and I've repainted it many times, each time seeing something new.

What's your path? Are you on the main path, and if so do you try to look for something new each time you travel? Are you looking for a new path? Go for it! Have you taken a side trail? Woo hoo! There are loads of divergent paths...they can be fun. What about the path less traveled?

The Path of My Choosing/pastel/9.5x11

I am on a path of self-discovery, adventure and exploration. It's scary sometimes, but that's the way, uh, uh, I like it, uh, uh.

Cleaning pastels

A wide piece of tape at bottom of easel collects pastel dust  

Stray pastel dust lands on pastel sticks and tools  

Artist's Air Filter System

My studio clean up is moving slowly. I decided to begin with cleaning and organizing pastels. I usually work on 2 or 3 paintings at a time, rotating between them as my interest ebbs and flows. Each painting has its own palette (selection of colors and values), so little piles of pastels accumulate as I work. They get dirty from being piled up next to each other, from my fingers as I transfer from color to color, and from pastel dust falling from my easel. My ideal is to clean up as I go along. I am meditating on that goal while engaged in this current massive clean-up project. Dakota Art Pastels sells an Artists's Air Filter System that hooks onto the bottom of the easel and costs $1449. I do not have one of those. I do have a vacuum cleaner and access to rags, water and a pail.

Barbara Newton's Cherry Pastel Cleaner

Low-tech pastel cleaning system w/fresh cornmeal

Barbara Newton recently blogged about her Cherry Pastel Cleaner. They cost $89. I do not have one of those. I use the low-tech/low-cost method of putting pastels in a box of cornmeal and shaking them around to get them clean.

3M particulate mask

A couple years ago I suffered a serious lung problem that kept me out of the studio for almost a year. Although it was not attributed to inhaling pastel dust, my pulmonologist and an occupational health specialist instructed me to use an industrial face mask while painting with pastels.  I wear it whenever I'm in my studio, especially during clean-up. It fits tightly and leaves marks that blend in nicely with my laugh lines. When things are going well in my studio, I am very happy. I don't generally laugh in my studio unless something funny comes on the radio, but my heart often beats with joy and contentment. My 7-year-old grandson has a great sense of humor. A couple months ago he mailed me these jokes: Q: Why was the art dealer in debt? A: He didn't have any Monet. Q: What did the artist say to the dentist? A: Matisse hurt. Q: What is red and smells like blue paint? A: Red paint. Now I'm laughing!

Studio of Horrors

No! No! Don't make me go in there!

Every day I think about painting--about doing the thing I love to do. But I haven't been doing it! Why? Where's the disconnect between my intention and my action? What's holding me back? What's the obstacle? What am I avoiding? I am avoiding going into my studio! Painting clothes and plein air gear are piled outside the door! Inside, every surface is cluttered with pastels, paper, reference photos, finished paintings, paintings in progress, pastel dust...yuck! Today is the first day of the rest of my life, people. It's 3:17PM on Wednesday afternoon, and this is notice that within 24 hours, there will be changes made, and I will be the one making them! Stay tuned...

Art from my heart will help raise funds for nonprofits, school

"Girl in a Green Shirt Grooming Her Horse"/pastel/7.5x5

My professional career prior to art was devoted to public service with nonprofits, schools and governmental entities. I'm a strong believer that everybody has something to give, be it time, talent or treasure and am pleased to support the following organizations through donations of my artwork.

Parenting Now! (formerly known as Birth To Three) is holding its annual fundraising event on February 15, and included in their auction are three paintings I've donated to fit their theme of Midnight in Paris:  "Roses in a Blue Vase";  "Girl in the Green Shirt Grooming Her Horse"; and "Homage to Mary Cassatt's Girl Arranging Her Hair." The organization provides parenting education and support for families with young children and is my favorite nonprofit. I'd like to thank the following friends who also donated works of art to the auction: Celeste Bergin, Carol DeGregory, Maris Cavanagh, and Janet Amundson-Splidsboel. (Please see earlier blog posting for photos of their work.)

"Quiet Hour," depicting a lovely late afternoon on Sauvie Island, will be auctioned off at Oregon Repertory Singers' Vegas, Baby! fundraiser on February 23, along with "Pink Tulips at Dusk."

"Quiet Hour"/pastel/9x12

In support of Holy Redeemer Catholic School, I've donated two paintings, "Monastery of the Precious Blood," and "The Old Rose Motel Sign." The school will hold its annual fundraiser auction, "Reach for the Stars," on February 23.

"Old City of Roses Motel Sign"/pastel/8.5x11