Friends and Neighbors (Of The Garden Variety)

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe."
                                                                                            My First Summer In The Sierra (1911)
                                                                                                           John Muir

my maturing yellow variant bell peppers

One of the fun things about sketching in the garden is that, over time, you learn not only about individual plants, and bugs, birds, and even the soil and weather; you begin to learn about how they are interconnected, and about nature's cycles.

sketch hunting amongst the fruits and veggies

During July I went to the veggie garden just after sunrise each morning (in part to avoid the triple-digit heat) and was thus treated last week to the spectacle of a dragonfly swarm in the park; the vision of sunlight sparkling off the wings of hundreds of dragonflies as they patrolled the park's open field was magical!

Since I'm growing veggies for our table (as well as for my art) I'm avoiding the use of harmful (i.e., toxic) and that, in turn, has led me to seek out natural remedies for the occasional pest problem. (Of course, I'm not averse to sharing a little of our bounty with the occasional insect if they're willing to pose for me and/or they are likely to morph into something interesting. (And sometimes the little critters are saved by my tendency to put my art ahead of their destruction.)

the retractable "horns" came as a surprise

A case in point: one morning I found a particularly large and colorful caterpillar on one of my neighbor's quite lovely parsley plant. Should I destroy the ravenous trespasser? Of course not! I carefully put it in an empty pencil box (and, in doing so, learned something quite delightful about its natural defense mechanism) and brought it home to draw. My intension was to release it somewhere near the house (and away from the community garden plots) the next morning. But, overnight, the caterpillar took action of its own -- morphing into an equally picturesque chrysalis. So, now it's residing in my kids' butterfly tent and we're checking it a couple of times a day and waiting for a Black Swallowtail butterfly to emerge.

my pest control partners (interestingly, only the females can sting)

Of course, no pesticides means that I have to maintain a vigil for an excess of pests, picking off the young caterpillars on my kale and tomatoes as they arrive in waves. But it also means that I needn't worry about poisoning my pollinators -- be they honey bees, carpenter bees, butterflies, moths, et al. And, fortuitously, nature also provides me with several amazing allies! For example, while watering the patch yesterday (and harvesting a bag full of cherry tomatoes and peas) I noticed that brown paper wasps had begun to visit my plants. At first I suspected that they might be collecting building material for nests. But more careful observation gave me a delightful surprise; they were inspecting the underside of leaves and, whenever they found one, removing caterpillars! I don't know whether the caterpillars were destined for the wasps' larders or brood chambers, but it certainly was an amazing example of how it's all "hitched to everything else in the Universe."

trying to ignore the heat ("focus, focus, focus")

I hope you have an amazing and delightful week, and that you'll join me again next week (when, weather permitting, we'll do some plein air painting.) See you then!

the heat warped the card, but pressing 
for a few days should take care of that

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Zion NP update --

I am delighted to announce my first two sponsors for this year's artist residency. As with my previous residencies in North Cascades National Park, Sakura of America and Ampersand Art Supplies have generously offered to provide material support. My heart-felt thanks goes out to the folks at both. 

If you haven't done so yet, please visit my Kickstarter campaign page, select a pledge level (and reward) to your liking, and share on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks!   

       

Zion Update 1.0

Zion Canyon, 4"x8", oil sketch on Ampersand panel

When I'm preparing for a new adventure -- one that involves going somewhere I've never been before -- I begin with some research. Oh, I'm not one of those who plans out every moment of every day. I'm too big a fan of serendipity, and enjoy the magic one discovered in the totally unexpected too much to give into regimentation. But it is nice to have a starting point, a framework to hang the unexpected discoveries on.

Zion Canyon (preliminary study for the oil sketch above), 

6"x8", w/c over Sakura pen & ink

Artistically speaking, I like to polish the technical skills and studio practices (even if my "studio" is going to be primarily the Great Outdoors) well in advance of my departure. Oh, I may adopt a new medium, technique, or subject while in the field. But (for me anyway) it would be a tragic mistake to think that I'll sketch or paint everyday while away from home if I haven't already established that habit before I leave.

Sunrise, Monument Valley, 4"x8", w/c over Sakura pen & ink

So, I've been out everyday sketch hunting -- looking for new subjects, drawing, painting, experimenting with different tools and color schemes, and acclimatizing to heat and intense light. Sometimes I work up a piece as a monochromatic drawing, sometimes in color. Sometimes I work a drawing up in color. Sometimes I paint plain air. And sometimes I produce a sketch onsite and create a painting from that sketch once I've returned to the studio. Sometimes the results are less than stellar, either because I'm feeling rusty or because I've attempted something new and missed the mark. But that's OK because it's all intended as an opportunity to learn and grow. And, with practice now, I'm confident that the poor works will be fewer and farther apart by the time I begin my next adventure (not to mention that the honed observation and rendering skills will likely result in a more memorable experience.)

in addition to my regular field journals and plain air panels I'm thinking 

it might be nice to produce a large adventure journal (with maps, 

illuminations & calligraphy entries) and pen & ink portraits of 

some of the folks I meet afield 

I've been putting together a map that identifies particular points of visual interest in the park -- scenes previously sketched or painted by some of the outstanding artists who have worked in the park previously (from Thomas Moran to Franz Bischoff), and venues that are of particular interest to current visitors (such as Angels' Landing, Big Bend, The Subway, and the Emerald Pools.) But I'll also dedicate a good bit of time to just wondering and looking (for picturesque landscapes, flora and fauna) and talking with park staff and visitors.

Zion events --

Dates and times for two events during my Zion A-i-R have now been finalized: I'll be doing a presentation for the Southern Utah University art department and interested public on Thursday, Oct. 29; and on Nov. 4 I'll be a guest speaker for the annual Zion Plein Air Art Invitational lecture series. Southern Utah University is located in Cedar City, UT, while the PAAI lecture series will be held at Zion Lodge.

the poster for this year's Invitational 

(original art by Michelle Condrat)

Kickstarter fundraising campaign --

My Kickstarter crowd-funding project was approved this week (on my birthday actually... a very nice present indeed) and, after reshooting the video and tweaking the pledge rewards, was launched yesterday. I invite you to take a look at my Kickstarter page (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/771542688/zion-np-an-artists-adventure-one-sketch-at-a-time) and what I'm planning to accomplish during the residency, and I hope you will take a look at the rewards I'm offering for pledges. If you like what you see and hear I hope you'll pledge at a level that appeals to you AND, please, tell your friends.

Your financial support could be critical to the success of this art adventure and will be most appreciated.

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Next week -- sketching & painting updates from the garden.

      

Cultivating a Better World

I enjoy raising my own fruits and veggies almost as much as I love making art; and when I can combine both activities the experience is truly sublime.  

a diagram makes it easier to inventory the plot's current layout and to 

visualize changes and/or additions

Shortly after we moved to Benbrook, TX, in June my kids and I decided to do a little exploring of our neighborhood. (Actually, we needed a break from the tedious chore of opening boxes.) We already knew our new house was just a short walk from Timber Creek Park but had no idea that the city had built a community garden in the park just last fall.

our plot and those of our neighbors (the fence is primarily to keep the deer out)

Well, a couple of quick emails and we were the proud resident-gardeners of our own plot. And, as luck would have it, we even "inherited" a thriving veggie patch (The previous tenants had to make a work-related move earlier in the summer.) with several healthy tomato plants, dwarf kale, 3 variety of sweet peppers, chives, a pea patch -- and a splash of color provided by marigolds around the raised border.

If I'd had a culpa tea before leaving home I might had got the 

measurements right too (3" & 1")

We put in a simple (but very effective) seep irrigation system, tied up a tomato plant that thought it was ground cover, pulled out some cucumber & squash vines that had succumbed to squash bugs, put in an egg plant and some strawberries (for my daughter), planted a couple rows of "Mammoth" sunflowers (for a painting or two this autumn and bird food this winter.) We've added Blue Daze to the border for my wife, a pair of bright red Pentas to attract the bees and butterflies, and two dozen marigold seedlings to fill out the cinder block "pots."

thanks to one of our resident master gardeners I've now learned 

just how easy it is to grow marigolds from seed

So, now I'm up at the garden every morning -- watering, removing the bad bugs (no chemicals means more work; but it also means a better knowledge of our garden... and organic veggies for the table.) and doing my best to attract the pollinators and other good bugs.

the Pentas have proven very attractive to pollinators 
(which then visit my tomatoes, peppers and peas) 

When the "work" is done -- I sit back, listen to the song birds, watch the carpenter bees, butterflies, cicada wasps, and hummingbirds make their rounds... and sketch. And, before heading home, I get to harvest whatever's ripe for dinner. (Ah, life is good!)

these "straw" mushrooms pop up in clusters 

and are gone within 24 hrs.

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Next week I'll post an update my plans for the autumn residency in Zion National Park. And in upcoming weeks I'll be posting more news (and journal pages) from the gardens.

Cheers! 

Unplugged & Off The Grid

Sometimes it feels like time is speeding up. With social media, texting, tweeting, and GPS, we seem to always be on, and Life threatens to become a blur. So, from time to time, I relish pulling the plug, leaving the network, and falling off the grid. And that's just what I've done for the past 3 months: no Facebook, no internet, no cell phone, and -- yes -- no blog posts.

I've been roaming Texas backroads and byways with my wife and kids, sketching wildflowers and expansive landscapes (on paper and panel), reading a few books (all printed on paper), listening to the murmur of the cottonwood trees, and recharging my soul. It's been a delight!

the first bloom began appearing on the trees before the final frost was 

behind us, and I was there to record it

For the first time in several years winter rains were at near-normal levels and everyone was hopeful that this would mean the return of lush carpets of wildflowers.

As our depleted pond has gradually refilled the shoreline has been decorated with the wave after wave of wildflowers

Wildflower season always begins along the border and gradually works its way north. So, as soon as we heard the first reports of wildflowers in the San Antonio area, we hit the road.

I frequently find it useful to use my free hand -- to steady flowers against 
the breeze, and to convey the scale of my subject

From Fort Worth our first road trip of the season took us southwest to my favorite small highway in the state -- US 281. Route 66 was known as "Main Street USA" but most of it disappeared with the coming of the interstate system (which bypassed many smaller communities) and it only stretched from Chicago to LA. US 281 runs from the Mexican border all the way to the Canadian border and its route literally runs down Main Street in most of the small communities it passes through (not a fast way to cross the country but, oh!, such a wonderful way to discover it.)

limiting color to the subject adds focus and depth to the image

Our backroad adventures are very slow going. Anyone can call a halt by simply exclaiming, "Oh! Would you look at that?" In fact, if the average traveler's road trip is equated to a brisk walk, our is a leisurely window shopping stroll; we don't get anywhere fast, and there's lots of "oohing" and "awing". (Actually, it could be said that our road trips are less one long journey and more a chain of very short trips: each culminating in an adventure, sketch, or painting.)

     

stages of a bloom are sometimes captured through a simple sequence of images

During our stop-over in the San Antonio area we spent several days circling the city on the 1604 Loop. (Parts of the Loop have been heavily developed over the past decade, but some sections still retain a rural feel -- with only scrub cedar, prickly pear cactus, and rolling stretches of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes going on for miles.) 

I am delighted and amazed at the variety of color, texture, scent, and leaf pattern

and, of course, where there are plants there are insects (such as this fascinating parasite wasp)

On our return leg we made a brief side trip to Buda, TX, to visit the folks at Ampersand Art Supply, where we were treated to a tour of the facilities and a demonstration of how my favorite panels are manufactured. (In addition to all the different surfaces available, I found it interesting that Ampersand manufactures different lines for the U.S. and metric markets, and offers customized service for artists who require panels in non-standard sizes.)

After leaving Buda we also opted to leave IH-35 and find our way west to intercept US-281 (which meant exploring a route we'd never driven before and making lots of additional sketching stops along the way -- Slow Travel at its very best.)

over the years I've gradually lost most of my sense of smell (due, I suspect, to spending too much time with 

volatile solvents in inadequately ventilated studios), but the massive carpet of bluebonnets (only hinted at 

in the photo) we discovered in Marble Falls, TX gave off waves of intensely sweet perfume -- 

a divinely intoxicating experience

I hope spring (autumn, if you're in the southern hemisphere) has been as colorful and enjoyable for you in your neck of the woods. Thanks for letting me share with you, and I hope to see you again soon.

Won't You Be My Valentine?

winter rains and spring-like temperatures have made getting out with my pochade boxes a delight

(I've even added picnic items to my day kit)

Well, I've been off the grid for the past two months -- communing with Nature, prepping for this year's adventures, and working on the second book in the North Cascades series (and having a grand time of it all.)

the warm sunshine has rendered my free-range subjects very cooperative

(after the sketch is completed I can even indulge in a little light reading... or snoozing)

But, while I've been completely unplugged from social media I haven't forgotten my friends. And, with February 14th this weekend, I thought this might be a nice time to send everyone a little Valentine's Day "gifties."

join us as we explore "our" river, or for our grand adventure in Ireland

So, if you haven't had the opportunity to read/experience all of my enhanced ebooks, this week is your opportunity to get a FREE copy of one (or all four!) If you own an Apple device (iMac, MacPro, MacBook Pro, or iPad) -- or, for that matter, if you know someone who owns a Mac device -- and have internet access you can go to the iBooks Store at iTunes and download any, or all, of my titles free beginning Saturday, Feb. 14. The offer ends Monday, Feb. 16, so don't delay.

find words and images that inspire, or join me for 6 weeks in the Cascade Mountains

If you like what you read and see you can even extend the Valentine's gift to your friends too. (And. if you'd like to post a review of your experience, that would be most welcomed too.)

One Hour And Thirty Minutes

The goal: one hour and thirty minutes -- that's how long I have to complete an onsite painting before the light patterns shift to a completely different arrangement (maybe better, maybe worse, definitely different). For the upcoming adventure in Zion National Park I'd like to have that down to 60 minutes. (Canyon Country light can change very quickly, especially when it's at its most dramatic -- sunrise and sunset.) But, for now, I'll settle for an achievable 90.

The solution: get out and sketch and paint every chance I get till it's time to go. (I know, it's a tough job. But someone's got to do it. Right?)

Still Waters: Sunset, Ocean Springs, 12"x9", oils on panel, 

$500 unframed ($550 framed) plus S&H

This week's exercise finds us on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, in the small (and oh so picturesque) community of Ocean Springs.

Composition -- a composing frame, either homemade or commercial, aids in quickly and accurately determining what to include (and what to omit) from the final image.

when the clock is ticking a linear sketch in graphite 

can be the fastest way to go

Identifying the prime shapes and plains -- a quick thumbnail sketch helps me identify the most significant shape/masses and their position in space. (Absolutely no consideration is given to detail at this stage.)

Yellow Ochre-toned gessobord with graphite underdrawing

Underdrawing -- many plein air painters will opt to do this with a brush (and I frequently do too). But, if speed is of the essence, a pencil is faster. (It doesn't require constant "reloading" from your palette and it gives me more time to identify the specific colors I'll want to squeeze onto my palette.)

blocking in the basic tonal areas -- initial stage (above), final "rough" (below)

Blocking in -- the priority here is the shadows, since they will be the first to change as the sun continues its journey across the sky (and the first lost if clouds move in). General shapes and compositional arrangements are also established at this phase.

refining the shapes and tonal shifts within the 3-4 spacial planes 

Fine tuning -- awareness of relationships (of shapes, colors, edges, and space) begin to become more accurate at this stage. Still working working rapidly (i.e., no details). Fine tuning form, shadows, middle tones, and introducing highlights.

adding the finishing touches (boldest highlights, core shadows, and fine-tuning gradations)

Finalizing -- identifying and placing the boldest shadows and highlights, adding a bit more variety to the pattern. At this stage I'm frequently spending more time observing and comparing, less and less time actually applying paint.

Polish and Details -- are reserved for the occasional (larger) studio works (and only a few of the plein air sketches will warrant that kind of special attention). For this one, however, I'm thinking maybe 24"x18". What do you think?

Step-by-Step

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

                                     -- Laozi (c. 604 BC - 531 BC)

In canyon land the most dramatic lighting is usually experienced in early morning and late afternoon. And -- if (either by accident or by fortuitous planning) you find yourself in the right place at the right time -- you may have no more than an hour to capture on paper, canvas or panel that fleeting delight.

Time (and the sun) wait for no man. So, it would be a dreadful mistake waiting it trying to find the right brush, or paint tube, or to figure out where your darkest shadows or lightest highlights are to be found.

So, well in advance of my actual departure I train: I train my eye -- sharpening my observational skills and increasing my perceptual awareness (the goal being to quickly and accurately capture the essential while editing or eliminating the superfluous); I train with my materials, till my brushes and pencils become an extension of myself and I know intuitively precisely what color combination will get me the specific hue, tint, or shade I'm observing.

During my upcoming adventures I plan on producing some step-by-step demos and time laps videos to share with you. And, since reshooting may not be a practical option, I'll practice creating a few of those now too. (Let me know what you think.)

I've used my View Catcher to select my composition and, starting with a 6"x6" gessobord panel toned neutral gray I rough in the shapes with graphite and begin blocking in the shadow areas (working from a cooler, less intense background to a warmer, more contrasty foreground).

With the shadows in place I begin to block in general areas of middle tone and light middle tone (but reserve my lightest lights and darkest darks for the final stages -- when I am most focused and my observations are most accurate).

I am still working on general relationships at this stage -- light/dark, cool/warm, dull/intense, shapes, and overlapping planes.

I haven't introduced the sky yet. But I am now keenly aware of my lights and shadows, five advancing planes, and the split complementary (red/green, orange/blue, purple/yellow) that dominates my subject.

As my awareness of my subject becomes more specific I continue to fine tune colors, contrasts and shapes -- particularly in the foreground.

Almost there. I now introduce the sky (to compete the color contrasts) and begin finalizing the highlights (reserving the boldest and brightest for the foreground).

Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly, 6"x6", oils on Gessobord

Done!

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At this stage of the adventure prep I'm working on 6"x6" and 6"x8" panels. As my skills sharpen (and especially once I've shed some of my desire to include too many details) and scale up to 8"x8" and 9"x12" panels -- making sure to scale up my brushes too (and reserving my #2 round sable exclusively for signatures only).

If you'd like to see more of these step-by-step demos (with the occasional video demo thrown in) during the lead-up to our little road trip how about dropping me a line and letting me know what you think?

Cheers!

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Looking for unique gifts for the holidays? Why not purchase a one-of-a-kind work of art and know you're also helping support my upcoming adventure too? (Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly can be yours for just $250 unframed/$260 framed, plus shipping and handling (and you'll be billed via PayPal for added security). 

Email me for details or to enquire about other available artwork.