Hello and welcome to July! I enjoy reading art history and how the artists lived, worked, and produced their art. I share what I think is interesting and today I'm going to uncover a process many artists used, along with the significance of...painting in a series. The masters typically chose subjects for their paintings based on personal interests, patron preferences, religious and historical significance, and market demand. I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, the incredibly wealthy Medici family patronized many artists of the Renaissance period where the Roman Catholic church sponsored artists in the Baroque period. And the artists lived very well. Those artists who painted their inspirations might choose to work in a series. I found a couple well known artists and their subject matter. Let's take a look: Recognize Van Gogh's sunflowers? He painted them for five years!!! Yep, I'd call that a series. He used a favorite vase but would also pick a bunch and lay them on his table to paint. He would go out into a field and paint sunflowers there. I looked at many of his paintings and was struck by the differing colors, structures, values, and... actually, everything. More on why, soon. And of course, Monet's waterlilies! The pond is located in his garden in Giverny. This gave him unlimited access to paint... approximately 250 oil paintings of waterlilies, which was his focus during the last 30 years of his life! That is definitely a series...and what a series, too! So, there are several reasons artists choose to work in a series. To EXPLORE and EXPERIMENT. This could be a theme, subject or depth of a concept. I think a deeper understanding of all three eventually develop over an extended time of practice. To DEVELOP and GROW. Working in a series can help artists build upon and refine their ideas over a series of works. To TELL THEIR STORY. When you have multiple pieces of work, the pieces can convey a message and create a layered narrative that can engage viewers on a deeper level.. For COHESION . Working in a series that is interconnected can help artists develop a consistent body of work that demonstrates a style, theme, or concept. And for EXHIBITION. Creating a series allows artists to present a body of cohesive work for exhibition. Last month I introduced two of my new paintings to you. I have not been eager to share on social media or in the galleries yet. Many of you have been with me for years and I want you to view them first. Please feel free to email me your thoughts and comments. [email protected] "HER CAREFREE LIGHTNESS OF BEING" 30x24x1.5 with gallery wrap. Oil on canvas "SHE CHERISHES THE TRANQUIL WATERS" 30x24x1.5 with gallery wrap, oil on canvas I'll continue on my series and post two more paintings next month.
Part of my inspiration is getting out into nature and experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells I genuinely hope your summer looks bright, sounds delightful, and smells like sunshine feels!
0 Comments
The Unexpected Value of DevelopmentHello Everyone! It's June 3rd already and we are starting to transition from Spring to Summer. I love these seasonal changes and also have interesting tranformations occuring in my studio. I started an intensive one year art program in January with the intention of experiencing a full range of artistic techniques that would broaden my current painting practice. It's been quite the journey and I'd like to share some of the classic to contemporary art instruction through my study work. Ready? Here we go... Drawing...drawing... and drawing with pencil charcoal, pastel, and paints Painting...classical techniques with still life, limited palette and multiple layers of oil paint. Oh how I loved this section of practice work! My choice of subjects. Pure play! Mixed media....contemporary painting utilizing paper, collage, acrylic, spray paint, oil pastel and inks! What I thought would be a joyous experimental playtime... stressed me. I actually whined and cried to my husband Bill, that I wasn't a real artist because I just couldn't appreciate this type of painting! Yes...I experienced the good, bad, and the ugly. And then, something interesting occurred. Part of the curriculum focused on Artistic Voice, which is... who I am, artistically, and how I want to say it through my work. I learned about archetypes and the characteristics they portray and could see myself strongly in three of them. But not until I spent time studying and acknowledging my temperament, did it make sense why I preferred classical over mixed media art making. Who I am affects how I lay down paint and which materials I gravitate towards. Some artists approach their work with passion and multiple layers of mixed media and will bring it all together in the end with minimal finish work, and it looks unique and masterful. That's not me.. I am a conscientious painter and enjoy deliberate well placed brushstrokes. I put my paint on my palette the same way every time. I love working with light, rendering form, and am drawn to traditional processes. So that is why I freaked out, laying down multiple differing media and creating a hot mess. I was relieved to know this was not the best process for me. I have loved my past watercolor competitions and most recent acrylic river and waterfall hiking series. What I know about my artistic self, is now leading me down a very different path of exploring and painting the feminine power and strength through symbols, archetypes, and nature. All my art is blending together. I have been painting my Women of Worth for a couple of months now and have enjoyed keeping them to myself in their tender development. Would you like to see them? "Enjoying Her Secret Inner Beauty" 30x24x1.5 Oil on canvas "Blossoming Hope"
30x24x1.5 Oil on canvas Hello again! It's been a wonderfully busy past month for me and I have some interesting information and images to share with you. We're going back into the Baroque period today. There is a painting method called 'chiaroscuro' which is a technique that emphasizes the contrast between light and dark... to create a sense of drama, depth, and emotion, in artworks. The subject matter of that time was also contrasted and intense...life, death, heaven, hell, spirituality and materialism. Caravaggio was one of the leading Italian artist of the time. He mastered the chiaroscuro method and is well known. I am not fond of his work. He was a belligerent man who painted religious violent depictions of torture, and murder. Not my cup of tea. The only painting of his I appreciate is...'The Narcissist'. Google it...quite lovely. And a perfect example of his mastery of the technique I am going to be discussing. My favorite Baroque artist is a woman...Artemisia Gentileschi. In an era where woman were not accepted or acknowledged as artists... she was the first to be accepted into the Florence Academy of Art! Her paintings are moving and beautiful and she painted in the chiaroscuro method. Darks and lights help to create the drama and emotional interest in this painting. Want to see how Artemisia did it? I mixed a black and purple oil paint. It went onto the canvas thick and dark and when I subtracted the light shapes of my image, it left a purple staining color. I can adjust this to any color I want for a blue, red, turquoise, etc, under painting. I can even remove all of the paint with thinner to get down to the white of the canvas. The more I remove at this phase, the brighter the colors will be when I start adding paint. The masters would lift less amounts of paint to get a moodier feel. And here I am starting to add color....Transparent color. I work from the top back with cooler tones and work my way down, and to the front, with warmer colors. This gives the depth. And next comes the magic... Opaque paints! I add them being careful not to cover up the yummy transparent color and darks that are so important with this contrast method. The focal area are the light bright colors mid and upper right of the hydrangea. Once I had those in I picked up bigger brushes and got loose...allowing my intuition to play. I added a light background... which is not representational of the Baroque painters....but I'm not living back in that time, and I can add my own flair into the painting. Take a look at Artemisia's painting above...it's dramatic, moody, and questioning with a limited palette of color. Light, dark, color, and subject positioning. Now take a look at this up and coming contemporary artist... Cameron's painting... contrast, with a fresh and uplifting feel and loads of color! Ha! My take on Baroque methodology..... influenced then, and painted now. I am already halfway through the classical art portion of this curriculum. I have learned, and enjoyed, so much! One of my best decisions!
Spring is coming because my daffodils and hellebores are all blooming in the front yard. This is a time for me to start preparing for my art exhibits and sales. I have 7 new oil paintings I'm going to introduce at the April exhibit, along with my Panther Creek waterfalls, which I have not yet shown. (No lesson work... I work on my original paintings when my lessons work is done.) More information will be coming your way next month. Enjoy the beauty everywhere. Life is a living art scene...allow yourself to be immersed in it. Blessings, Patrice www.patricecameronfineart.com [email protected] SALEM ON THE EDGE GALLERY 156 Liberty St NE Salem 97301 CURRENTS GALLERY 532 NE 3rd St McMinnville 97128
A month has gone by, finding me focused on art lessons and that delightful feeling that anything can, and will happen. Many of you who have been following my art, know that I will explore mediums while developing my own technique and voice. A dream opportunity presented itself to me in the form of art school, and it did not take me long to gather supplies and put on my novice hat. Part of my life learning curriculum. I've committed this year to formal online training through the Milan Art Institute! So let's move on because I have some interesting lessons to show you This subtraction and glazing technique was used by the old masters from the Renaissnce through the Baroque period. Using tools to remove wet oil paint then when dry adding transparent paint followed by opaque paints to finish. Btw... the school chooses subject matter to learn from, but I think he's sorta fun. For the next three months I'll be focusing on drawing and oil painting. Here's a charcoal portrait...to be followed by my first portrait in oil. Oil painting is different than the acrylic painting. Oil paints have linseed oil as a binder in the pigment so it takes at least a day to dry, between layers. I did not complete this portrait in one day...there were half a dozen sessions, and layers painted, to achieve the finished portrait. You may notice that paint has been laid down in brush strokes, not blended. I like that look! Acrylic paint is synthetic and although I love how it dries quickly, oil paints have a dreamy quality to applying and moving around. I have one more painting progression to show you..... This was fun. I used a graphite pencil to draw my subject on the canvas. Then I added some yummy thinning medium to my paints and applied to the canvas. While it was still wet I subtracted the areas of white or light areas, and let dry. With light areas I can now paint in my dark values and the horse starts emerging. After this dries I can complete the painting with some warm and cool whites, leaving lots of color to show through.
So, that is a very good start to the year, don't you think!? Every morning I wake up thinking about what I'll be learning in the studio. And yes, I still have a life I attend to, but I am fortunate to have Bill as my best critique person, and supporter! I look forward to sharing more with you next month Feel free to email me comments. Blessings, Patrice The world is busy. We all are busy. I don't need to give examples as I'm pretty sure everyone acknowledges the fast pace and technology driven nature of the world. One activity though, reliably soothes the spirit of those seeking calm and peace...yes, hiking in nature. For me, hiking near water augments my experience in nature. I am a water woman and am naturally drawn there. Had breakfast on the Salmon river while sitting on a boulder and watching the sun coming up. As you walk into nature you are entering an environment that encourages self reflection and deeper thoughts. When I'm not distracted with life, ideas and insights flow. When hiking near the rivers I am filled with the sights, sounds, and smells encountered on these journeys which ignite my imagination and stimulate creativity! The changing landscapes, vibrant colors of flora, and diverse wildlife all serve as inspiration for artists, writers, and musicians.
A fun hike with Bill and Angel, our wonder dog, around Lost Lake. Other photos of the Metolius River hike this Fall. Hiking, and immersing oneself in the beauty of nature, we tap into a wellspring of creativity, gain valuable insights into our lives, and develop appreciation for the world around us. We can rejuvenate our souls, find inspiration in the simplest of things, and discover a renewed sense of purpose and wonder. So as the year ends and 2024 insists on new goals and health reforms, consider lacing up and hiking in all this incredible nature, that surrounds us! Your experiences will be unforgettable and you'll find yourself returning time, and time again. I do! PANTHER CREEK FALLS 36"x48" Available It's been 6 months since I hiked up to these falls in Washington. Since that time I have painted six large paintings and eight 12x12 paintings! This has been challenging yet filled with artistic growth and understanding, with appreciation for these powerfully surrendering waterways. Here are my 12x12's which are framed and now showing at the "SALEM on the EDGE" gallery in Salem now until December 24th. They are $350 each and you can contact Melanie at 1(503) 884-0635 in the gallery, if you are interested in purchasing. THANK YOU
for your continued support of me and my work this year. I am entering my painting season and will have many more works to show you in the new year. Visit my website to view my work now. http://www.patricecameronfineart.com I hope you are enjoying my newsletters. Please feel free to send them to other Art lovers you know. That would be awesome! I am very involved while painting and there is alot of good juju that is brushed onto each canvas. I like to think this positive energy is present and adds the joy into the room. This is true for me in my home. Have a blessed holiday season. Patrice So what's the difference between Oil and Acrylic paintings? I've been asked this often and it sounds like a good teaching moment. But ahhh... my title indicates I have a preference, and I do; having worked with both popular mediums. The big difference between the two is drying time. Oil paints can take weeks to dry thoroughly where acrylics dry quickly... sometimes too quickly. I'm fond of a glazing medium I add to the paint which allows me to blend and work with extra time. Since oil paints have linseed oil in them they produce a glossy finish and acrylics are more of a matte. Glossy varnishes help to obtain a rich finish when both paintings are done. The reason I chose to stop oil painting was because of the toxicity and clean up. I had to make sure I painted in a well ventilated area and needed turpentine to clean brushes. Watercolor, and now acrylic paints, are water based so clean up with soap and water. Oil paintings have been around for hundreds of years. The German chemist, Otto Rohm, synthesized a water based polymer emulsion in 1901. Eventually acrylic paints were developed commercially in the 1940's and became quite popular due to drying times, water solubility, and characteristics that mimicked both oil and watercolor. This flexibility provided artists with unlimited possibilites for expression. Anyone recognize this American artist? Of course...ANDY WARHOL. He was one of the first in the Pop Art movement to embrace acrylic paint. He explored relationships between artistic expression, advertising, and the celebrity culture...hence, Marilyn, here. DAVID HOCKNEY, an influential British artist, also recognized the potential of acrylic paints, utilizing it's versatility to capture Vibrancy GERHARD RICHTER, a German acrylic painter, is well known for his freedom to explore various techniques from realism to abstract with amazing textures and effects. And finally, PATRICE CAMERON, a contemporary painter of PNW rivers and waterfalls. (I just had to do this) Art is always evolving. Artists experiment and create. Acrylic paint is a diverse medium available to enable inspired expression. Keep your eyes on contemporary artists as fresh new works make their way into the art scene. A big Thank You to those who attended the Local 14 Exhibit & Sale at The World Forestry Center earlier this month. It was my pleasure to meet some of you.
NOVEMBER 29-DECEMBER 24 These framed 12x12 waterfall paintings will be part of the artist's group show sale at Salem on the Edge gallery featuring Small Works. It's been an amazing Spring thru Fall exhibition schedule for me. I look around my gallery and studio... and where the walls were once filled with artwork...now are kinda bare. No worries though, Winter is my focused painting time and I'll be in the studio daily. And yes, using my Acrylic paints! I'll be posting new paintings in each upcoming newsletter, or you can pop onto my website! Have a turkey-iffic Thanksgiving! Blessings, Patrice Artificial Intelligence has been around for years and we've been using it in forms of Google searches and Netflix recommendations. About 10 years ago, art creating AI emerged and were able to process images, recognize color, texture, and text. They edited existing images or generated new ones. Last year they created original images from language prompts, to generate unique art, influenced by previous art movements. I found one that is abstracted with Expressionism. How do they do that? Keep in mind, I'm a curious artist, interested in AI and artistic outcomes. Here's what I understand... It's a machine that learns mathematical algorithms. It is trained using an incredibe vast amount of computer image data. Humans collect and input the data or written instruction, but the power of creation comes from the process of the machine. How's that for taking a complex topic and defining it 'simply? And yes, I'm glad you asked... there are pros and cons using AI in art. It's definitely faster to type in specific prompts and have an image create within minutes. And there are many more variations that can spark inspiration and ideas in an artist. I like that collaborative function. But, since the machine is creating from an algorithm...there is a lack of 'soul' created. AI can't express themselves. For artists, we are pretty big on authorship of our work and the ability to have it copyrighted. AI has been denied copyright by the government and there is controversy as far as who created the painting... the data input personnel or the AI. Sounds messy and glad I don't have to worry about that. There are AI specifically for writers, movie industry, musicians, illustrators, architects, and the various artists and many phone Apps and all this makes AI available for everyone's use. SWIRLING WATERS 24X36 Here is a recent painting I completed. Thought I would use specific prompts to see what AI would generate. This is what I put in: Diagonal ,rapid river movement, light blue, swirling water, white water, foreground boulders I think it turned out quite nice. As most of you know....I hike the PNW rivers and immerse myself in the experience by listening to the surroundings and water, feeling the warmth of the sun and resultant peace and contentment. This is all part of my story when I paint. All those appreciations and emotions are brushed onto my canvas. The intensity of my hues altered to reflect the well being I still feel, in the studio. That's the secret sauce of fine art, my friends....emotion, depth, and meaning. There is so much more on AI and art. Will write more in another newslette Some of my river paintings can be viewed at:
SALEM on the EDGE Gallery 156 Liberty St. NE Salem, 97301 www.patricecameronfineart.com [email protected] Have a wonderful Autumn, Blessings, Patrice What art movement do you see in my work?
This will be a fun newsletter to write and I'm going to start with an historic art story. Monet and Renoir were friends and during one summer they painted plein air, (or outside) the Seine River. Back then, they had bathing establishments where people would gather, connect, and swim in clothing that covered most of their bodies. They sat side by side and painted the same landscape. Bathers at La Grenouillere by Claude Monet, 1869. La Grenouillere by August Renoir Monet paints wonderful, tiny details. Some say he paints with an urgency to what he views. The landscape occupies the top half of the painting and the waterscape the lower half. This painting does have a human element with women chatting and small figures in the water, but Monet's painting is always more about the water, wind, light, and reflections. He is a systematic, loose painter, and paints with big brushes and makes the same strokes with thick paint and covers the entire canvas. Look at all those horizontal and vertical strokes. Renoir's version has many more figures which is his preference. This particular bathing establishment is where gentle folk would go to drink and party the afternoon away. Renoir captured the softness in the receding landscape and flowey materials of his subjects clothing. His paint strokes are rounded and plump and he utilizes a variety of strokes. He has a much more controlled style. They both were Impressionistic painters using light brush strokes, everyday subject matter, and movement. Which brings me to a contemporary comparison. I rather enjoy writing about myself and my river hiking artist friend, Sarah, in the same context as Monet and Renoir! Ha! Please allow my folly. Patrice paints with acrylic paints on canvas and utilizes a glazing technique to add watery dimensions to her paintings. Sarah is a watercolor expert who paints shapes in spectacular colors on high quality paper. Her weaving of shapes creates the movements she experiences in watery scenes. Sarah and I are in our third year of exploring all aspects of water flow and falls, movements, reflections, and calm. We arrive at our location early and have breakfast and coffee at riverside. We do not set up and paint plein air as Monet and Renior but will each wander off our own ways to observe, take photos and videos and make notes, for studio painting later. One morning Sarah sent me the above image she had just finished. I immediately recognized the very place and sent her the image of my version, which led to discussions, which led to the both of us obtaining a two person show at the Dee Denton Gallery in Lake Oswego this coming July. We will display our work and although our approaches are quite different... we do share the desire to paint our world, appreciate, and recreate near some of the finest waterways. I think that makes us more alike than different! If you are in the mood to see art up close...
my art is at the following locations: Salem on the Edge 156 Liberty St NE Salem, Oregon 97301 Emerald Art Center...May 2 thru June 2, 2023 500 Main St Springfield, Oregon 97477 Dee Denton Gallery... July 1 thru July 30, 2023 368 S State St Lake Oswego, Oregon 97034 Painter's Showcase Exhibit & Sale Grand Hotel Bridgeport... August 25-27, 2023 7265 SW Hazel Fern Rd Tigard, Oregon 97224 www.patricecameronfineart.com Have a wonderful May! Blessings, Patrice My (art) life review...It was a cold and cloudy morning. (Ha!...what a great way to start a newsletter!) I had been out walking Angel, the wonder dog, when I saw my neighbor friend, Kathy, jogging towards me. We catch up and share our lives often, on local residential streets. She asked me about a recent Open Studio & Gallery I had and I eagerly told her about the group that attended the scheduled art talk I gave. She told me I was courageous. It's always fun connecting with her. My mind kept revisiting our conversation. Was I really courageous? I know I can be laser focused when I'm interested in something. Now if you have been reading my newsletters, you know they sometimes contain my vulnerable perspectives. Warning: here I go again.... I sat back and experienced a mini (art) life review. I was in my studio two years earlier and viewed my watercolor paintings with appreciation. Then I decided firmly to give up this area of expertise... and become a novice painter of acrylic on canvas. A huge re-direction. My last watercolor painting. I just began, and quickly progressed through trial and error. I knew all the elements of art so it was a matter of re-applying them to a new medium. These new beginnings were fun and joyful but I couldn't help but compare the new me with my established art groups, and feeling how much of a novice I was! Very uncomfortable. Back in the studio, my joy would return as I focused on landscapes, brush work, blending, and every day I painted. One day I hiked down to a stream and challenged myself to go from painting a 10"x10" canvas to a 24"x30". I figured out a different way to sketch that large, and created a real beauty. Actually, this first large painting was recently purchased by Multnomah County for the downtown Portland's permanent art collection! This is the painting Multnomah County purchased for their permanent collection. My confidence was boosted and I was in the studio all the time. Bill would come down and ask, "Are you going to eat today?" My life review was very quick now, creating a large body of work, successful sales, Open Studios, speaking opportunities, and prepping for gallery representations. Is this courage or perhaps the willingness to bump into discomfort and make more forward progress, in spite of it? Well, I certainly have focus and believe in myself. My art has lovingly brought out characteristics which I have exercised to my advantage and ability. Kathy calls it courage. I accept and appreciate that kind compliment. So, how courageous are you?
If you let your mind wander a bit...you may reveal some wonderful surprises you have taken for granted. Enjoy that reflection! Hope to see many of you at the Lakewood Center for the Arts Show & Sale April 21-23. Blessings, Patrice |