Blue-water Waterfall

14x11 Acrylic on panel, © 2012

Private Collection

The Internet is a marvelous tool for obtaining instructional content. I have been enthralled by the resources offered for free. I signed up with WetCanvas.com, and as a result, I was offered an opportunity to be a student in live web classes that were recorded for subsequent paid distribution. The process put me "in touch" with Johannes Vloothuis from Canada. Johannes, a professional artist, offered insights that were significant to my development. I can no longer look at paintings without his "commandments" of painting coming to the front of observation. Although I went to art school, I never could make all the connections between what was taught and the application in a painting. Johannes has a way of integrating the two. I don't necessarily agree with everything, but that's because of too many years in art history. I do, however, appreciate him focusing my attention on 15 or so commandments—they tend to grow and morph over time.

    This painting was the result of a class assignment to paint a waterfall.  I had never painted waterfalls, so it was a challenge. I never submitted this one for critique, but I learned from the critique of others' works—we all make the same mistakes. Someone once told me, "If we were all to confess our sins to one another, we would be stricken by the lack of creativity." So it is with mistakes in paintings; we all make similar, if not the same ones—novice and professional. Professionals look for and correct them, while the novice goes on unaware of their existence. Johannes taught us to look critically at our own work and correct the mistakes—if not during the painting process, after our own evaluation. 

    I like this painting that was painted with my artistic license to make it "real" rather than realistic.

Way West

14x18, Acrylic on canvas, © 2011

Private Collection

In the Winter Quarters Temple there is a painting by LaVoy Eaton which shows the Platte River and Chimney Rock in the early evening. It is a beautiful painting that I have enjoyed each time I was privileged to observe it. For those not of Nebraska, you cannot see Chimney Rock and water in the same scene unless it is raining. Nevertheless, with artistic license in hand I made a sketch of the general composition of the painting and decided to take my brush in hand to make a similar painting after his. I chose to have it a little later in the day and with more color on the horizon. One should never paint something just before a webinar on painting skies. You always will find something to correct and then correct again. I loved living in Nebraska, and I had a Great Grandmother born in a wagon bed just down the road a bit during an overnight stop at Ash Hollow. There is always a story to tell along life's trail.

Bullfrog Basin

8x10, Acrylic on canvas, © 2011
Private Collection

In early June of 2011, Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha Botanical Center, sponsored a paint-out in the gardens.  Artists from all over the city showed up on a beautiful Saturday morning with portable easels in hand and paints at the ready. They each positioned themselves along the pathways to paint that which they found most inspiring. It had been a long time since I had painted plein air, so with some trepidation I set up my French easel and started painting. I soon discovered my folly as Marge deserted me for less intimidating places. I had forgotten mosquito repellent. What made me think that Bull Frogs would live where there were no mosquitoes. They don't! I had paint all over my face as I would swat at the dreaded creatures. Well, I didn't contract West Nile Virus or anything of that nature, but I am not sure that the thicker parts of the painting do not contain encrusted bodies of my observers.