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 Monday, June 30, 2008
Getting Ready for a Gallery Feature, Part 2
Posted by richard
 In the previous blog, I started a discussion on preparing for a gallery feature—having just recently prepared for one myself (see photo of the gallery interior at left). Here are a few additional pointers on the subject: Make sure to give yourself adequate time to photograph and catalog the paintings. In other words, don’t paint up to the evening before delivery. You need to schedule time to shift from the painting mindset to the business mindset to be organized when delivery is made. Have images ready as far in advance for the gallery as possible. This allows them to begin pre-sales and advanced advertising. It's far less stressful to arrive at an opening with a couple of red dots, signifying sales, than to stand around all evening eagerly anticipating that first sale. There's also a psychology of success that stimulates other collectors to commit if they see works selling quickly. If the gallery has images and prices in advance, they can begin the process of contacting previous collectors and potential collectors, and generating excitement. Showing up at the gallery organized and prepared will make their job easier and endear you to them. The happier they are with you, the better they'll promote you to their clients. Also, think about the framing well in advance, allowing plenty of time for the materials to be ordered and assembled. Communicate with the gallery to find out what their recommendations are. They know their market and can prove to be a valuable guide in presenting your work to its best advantage. If a large body of work is required, a degree of consistency might make for a stronger statement. Not that every painting needs to be framed the same way—something often associated with a museum show—but a little cohesion will unite your work and tie the exhibit together. Don’t over frame. Flatter the painting but be prepared for many collectors to want to reframe the piece. An elegant presentation that shows the work and not the framing, allows the public to appreciate the art without being turned off by the frame. Sales are often lost due to an unflattering frame, one that's either under- or overstated. Provide your gallery with updated biographic information and publications in which you've been featured. Having these on hand allows the gallery to better promote you to their patrons, and helps educate the sales staff about what you have been doing. The better they know you, the better they can represent you. Collectors want to know about the artist. It helps to personalize and validate their purchase. Even though I've practiced these guidelines to the best of my ability, I still over commit at times, leading to late blurry-eyed evenings trying to meet deadlines. But the rewards of seeing the paintings elegantly hung and beautiful illuminated makes all the effort worthwhile.
6/30/2008 11:13:34 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Monday, June 23, 2008
Getting Ready for a Gallery Feature, Part 1
Posted by Richard
 One of the most artistically rewarding accomplishments is to be accepted into a prominent gallery and eventually be the featured artist. Seeing our work beautifully presented and appreciated by the public is a reward. (Pictured are photos of a gallery interior from a recent feature of mine.) It validates all the hard work and effort involved in creating something that connects with another human being. When approached to be the featured artist, it’s easy to be flattered and say yes without fully understanding what’s required in making it a success for you, as the artist, and the gallery, as the agent. Most of us aren’t painting for business reasons, and most galleries are; each needs the other. We provide the work and they the venue. By being as prepared as possible, the experience can be one of mutual fulfillment. Plan as far in the future as possible—don’t set an unrealistic time frame. Each of us works at our own pace and it’s wise to honor our individual process. Depending on the number and size of paintings needed, this can require a considerable amount of time. Set paintings aside and don’t compromise. Our most recent works are always our favorites. They’re the ones we’re the most attached to, and it’s easy to over commit them to a variety of events. If you discipline yourself to set them aside, you’ll undoubtedly have your best works when it’s time to deliver the show. Think ahead and note upcoming exhibits you may want to enter. That way you can have a painting set aside without borrowing from your feature. Don’t convince yourself that it won’t sell, so it’ll be OK to go ahead and use it. Testing this fate has put many a painter in an awkward position, damaging their reputation.  If possible, paint with a theme in mind. It’s never advisable to show everything you’re capable of doing—it might impress your painting friends, but the public will be confused. A little consistency will go a long way in being remembered. All of us associate themes to artists and galleries have an easier time marketing someone who has a style and theme. The intention is not to be held back, or limited in scope. Hopefully, all of us will continue to grow and expand as artists, but who doesn’t associate a certain theme, or style, to any famous artist? Honor what’s up for you—what motivates you to paint. If clouds are your muse one year, and buildings the next, go for it. Everything doesn’t have to be exactly the same, but a reoccurring theme will unite the exhibit, making it far more memorable. Make an effort to attend the opening or reception. Even if this is the most painful aspect of the exhibit, it also may be the most beneficial. You’ll hear the feedback of others, gain perspective on your work and be available to personally interact with those interested in who you are and your working process. I’ll continue this discussion in my next post.
6/23/2008 12:20:54 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, June 16, 2008
Finding Inspiration
Posted by richard
 A Photograph of the stream.As motivated and excited as most of us are to paint, we all go through periods where the muse is hiding. The time is allotted, the pastels arranged, the surface prepared, and the inspiration is just absent. When this happens, a surefire way of recharging those batteries of inspiration is a road trip. As a landscape painter, and one that loves working en plein air, I find exploring new territory and allowing for serendipity, will lead to enthusiasm. This adventure into the unfamiliar always stimulates the senses, allowing new ideas to form. Departing from a preplanned agenda and letting ourselves explore, opens our creative eye to the possibilities lying in wait. Recently, I found myself in a state of low motivation. A series of deadlines and major painting commitments had taken their toll on my energy and had left me uninspired. Fortunately, I had a couple of artist friends who came to the rescue. We gathered one morning and wandered into a remote area of Central Oregon’s high desert. One of the friends was familiar with the region, so we at least had an idea of what might lie ahead - always wise to know if there is gas and an occasional rest stop along the way. As we headed off, we began to visit and even vent a little about the state of the art world. This is our artistic therapy session and something I highly recommend. What is said within the confines of the car stays in the car – so freeing. As we ventured into what was new territory for me, one of the artists made a comment that really resonated: “it's impossible to really see the potential of an area until you pull the car over and wander into the surrounding area.” With this in mind, we took the first pullout that allowed for the car to be off the road to put this theory into practice. Once out, with cameras and sketchbooks in hand, the adventure began. Right in front of us was a beautiful stream, filled with brilliant blue reflections and the stunning contrast of the warm earth complementing it - wow - this was great! Before I could say “Sennelier,” one of the artists had headed off following the bank of the stream, it was as if we were all being drawn to follow it on its journey. Each bend held a new fascination. Cameras clicked and notes were taken as we continued on our mesmerizing journey. Hardly a word was uttered; we were transfixed by the visual scene unfolding before us. After a considerable amount of time, I realized we had wandered a great distance from the car, leaving the doors wide open in our enthusiasm. As I headed back to secure it, I found my energy restored; so many compositions, exciting color combinations, and textures had done the trick. I can hardly wait to see where this newfound inspiration leads.
6/16/2008 8:34:54 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, June 09, 2008
Dealing With Green
Posted by richard
 This time of year it's hard to miss the green. It's everywhere. As spring rains lead to those summer flowers, green is a major part of the package. One of the most frequent questions I receive in a workshop is how do you handle green in your paintings? As an artist friend once said when asked about working with green: “I avoid it at all cost." The thing is; with green, a little goes a long way. If you want to use greens well and keep them in harmony with the landscape, my tip is: “orange is the secret and violet the friend." Adding a touch of red to the mixture of yellow and blue (green) will complete the triad of color, helping to relate it to the other warm tones within the scene. Placing a little violet of the same value next to a mass of green counteracts the harshness of the green, making it appear a little more yellow, again pulling it toward a warmer appearance due to simultaneous contrast (see previous blog post for more on that). We often think we only see blue, green and variations of gray, forgetting that light is made up of all color. The pigments we choose to paint with merely represent what the eye sees. The leaves, for example, are not viridian or cadmium; those are pigments. We see non-absorbed light reflected off surfaces and associate colors. Pastel artists have an especially difficult time because so little blending is utilized in producing individual hues. We rely on hundreds of sticks while a wet painter might have as few as four tubes of paint. Most green pigments, in their raw form, are too blue (cool) and over saturated (bright) to work well unless combined with another pigment. Pastel manufacturers like Unison, Terry Ludwig, Girault, Sennelier, Mount Vision, and Great American have an assortment of greens that are a mixture of pigments. When purchasing individual sticks, don’t select them based on their pigment name. Look at them and ask yourself: Does this stick represent something I would mix if I were painting with wet paint?  My best advice is to acquire those blended green pastel sticks, the warmer the better. Add orange, (the secret) and violet (the friend) to those large green masses (as shown in the image of color swipes at right), even if it's in the underpainting, and embrace the beauty of those natural greens. Soon they will become golden yellow—another story. Pictured above: See how green is handled in this detail of my painting, Layers of Light.
6/9/2008 2:43:17 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, June 02, 2008
Sharing the Experience: The Importance of a Painting Buddy
Posted by richard
 So much of our painting experience is done in isolation. We work alone, lost in our thoughts, one-on-one with our subject and surface. This provides the undistracted focus most of us need. Our studios become private places that others are only welcome to visit upon invitation. When working on location we avoid the intrusion of passersby, often wearing headphones to avoid interruption. But as nice as it is to work unencumbered by the outside world, it is also rewarding to share the experience with someone that understands the process, someone that belongs to the same tribe—a painting buddy. Sharing our painting adventures with another artist has its benefits. By planning to work together, we know someone else is relying on us. It is a commitment, forcing us to show up and paint instead of letting life’s little distractions get in the way. Seeing how others interpret a scene helps guide us in our own choices. We get valuable feedback and the shared experience of having worked in the same environment. Isn’t it more rewarding to share a sunset with someone than to admire it alone? So too is the painting experience. After working the better part of a day on a painting, receiving the feedback and observations of someone else is a pleasure. The validation derived from sharing these experiences helps to strengthen us as artists. As a friend once said, “ We often wonder if anyone else hears the mermaid singing?” Since nothing is created in a vacuum, it is always more rewarding to laugh and cry together. The shared camaraderie of the experience fulfills our need to connect, providing motivation, validation, and sound guidance along the way. I have been fortunate to have a few close painting buddies in my life, friends that have shared the experience of painting with all the rewards and setbacks involved. Sadly, I have lost such a buddy and the pastel community has lost a giant. Glenna Hartmann left us on Sunday, the 25th of May. Glenna was a plein air painter in the truest sense and a dear friend. She shared her beautiful home territory of Santa Barbara, California, with me. It is a region she loved and painted with beauty and passion. I was able to introduce her to my favorite—the Central Oregon Cascade mountain range. Getting to share these locations was a pleasure and something I will always treasure. The evenings spent talking art and just sharing a laugh only added to the experience. Her sensitive and beautiful tonal painting quality has left its graceful mark. The pastel world will now be a lonelier place. Pictured above: Glenna painting her native California landscape. The artist was represented for 18 years by the Easton Gallery in Santa Barbara. For a full obituary, see the post at The Pastel Journal Blog.
6/2/2008 4:58:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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