Fresh Paint, Fresh Ideas, and Auctions

 "There is an undeniable urgency when painting outdoors – nature's so grand, the canvas so small. It takes the human mind with all its grand abilities and complexities to sort through the overwhelming visual feast set before it and re-create on canvas the essential components of such beauty and wonder."

 (Jan Blencowe)

  2014 is the year of trying new things. That's been a goal, and it's been challenging at times and fun as well. I started this blog, began sending a regular newletter, put up a facebook page, a pinterest site, and rebuilt my website. Whew!

  Last weekend, participation in the Cape Elizabeth Fresh Paint Event was part of this "new things" list, although I had done this event once before a couple of years ago.  A "Fresh Paint" event is a group of artists, in this case 30, who are juried into the event and paint on the same day at the same start time and bring that painting to an auction that night-usually for a charity. The Land Trust in Cape Elizabeth was the organizer of this auction and the recipient of a large percentage of the proceeds; so the artist and the buyer both are supporting the charity.  Here's my start sketched in.     (I think I have had that LLBean bag since 1920.) 

  These events can be really stressful, as you have only a short time to complete a piece of art, and that is not how I usually want to work. I like to be with a painting and tweak it before I send it out into the world. But it's a chance to meet people, other artists, collectors, and the curious general public. Below is the painting after about 2 and a half hours. 

Jordan Farm

  CELT assigns the artist a spot to paint and provides a map of the 30 sites to the public. I was at Jordan Farm, and great spot with a lot of different views and things to paint. I drove up there the day before and noticed the strawberry fields with all the different pickers, professionals with an old truck, couples, families, and many kids. I did a quick sketch that day. I came back as early as possible the next day for the event and set up near the strawberries and it really smelled great there! (I bought a quart before I came home.) There was no one picking that Sunday morning so I was glad I had taken a photo with my trusty Ipad and had that with me to add a small area with the truck and pickers to my painting. I had fun with the converging lines of planted rows and the long view across the fields in the many shades of green. As the morning progressed the wind picked up speed and was howling so I had to weight the easel and hold onto it. I was done by 12 pm and took a quick break before starting another piece. The painting delivery to Breakwater Farm for the auction event was 3pm.

  My painting friend at Jordan Farm was Colin Page. He did a wonderful painting of the barn, the old school bus, and tractor for the auction and was a delight to have around. He was in a wind tunnel.

  It's a top notch and incredibly well run event by CELT at the gorgeous saltwater Breakwater Farm with a view of Ram Island in the distance and a jazz band, munchies, and the art. My friend Pat Rossi (above) looking lovely. Paul Bonneau was also there, unable to paint this time with his wing in a sling. Glad to see them both.

The auction went very well and all paintings found a new home. A very long day.

 

"Jordan Farm"

  Everything that is painted directly and on the spot has always a strength, a power, a vivacity of touch which one cannot recover in the studio... three strokes of a brush in front of nature are worth more than two days of work at the easel. (Eugene Boudin) b.1824

 For more about this auction and the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, click

Quotes about plein air painting courtesty The Painter's Keys

  Next week there will be a guest blogger! Elizabeth Kelley will be talking about her art here and showing some paintings from Santa Monica and Maine. Stay tuned!