Painting Summer

My focus this year has been improving composition and stretching as a painter. This means painting most every day and not painting with the goal of finished paintings but better painting, not better rendering, but more feeling, emotion, and more complex color. I cannot judge whether or not I achieve this but it is the journey and the challenge to become more educated and at the same time free of expectation. A worthy idea at least.

My normal routine has been indoor painting during the bad weather months and outdoor painting during the nice weather. However I find that this routine really revolves around what life needs. Last year, Peaceful painting Sundays on Sauvie Island attracted fellow painters at 9 am at the Cracker Barrel Store. I would paint until noon and then visit my weeks old. puppy in Scappoose. I brought Stella home in August, hence the past year immersed in extensive dog training.

This is the first year where I have continued indoor still life and figure painting religiously through the summer months. Outdoor painting mow revolving around Northwest Plein Air Competetions coupled with camping, painting, and swimming with fellow artists.

Next event at Umpquoa in September and then joining the Hillsboro paintout & Portland Open Studios in October.