AIS comes to Kirkland . . .

American Impressionist Society's 2016 National Exhibition opened in Kirkland's Howard/Mandville Gallery last weekend. It is a beautiful show and will be up until October 30th. The entire exhibition has been posted on the ais website.

 Opening reception with Michele Usibelli

and Jack and Obadinah Heavner

 

Calvin Liang's Friday evening demo . . .

Three days of membership events ended Saturday with paint out at Kirkland's Marina Park . . . complete with early morning coffee, box lunch, clouds, sun, clouds, wind and rain! Several hours later an evening reception in Howard/Mandville Gallery closed the opening week events.

I enjoyed the time with old friends and meeting artists from across the country, who came for the exhibition's opening week. 

 

Lyla Jacobsen, Kirkland artist 

and Texas artist Jean Zack

  

Pooh-Bah Himself

The Amazing William, Bill Darkow, visited the exhibition mentioned in my April posts. The gallery receptionist offered to take his photo beside "Pooh-Bah," himself, as seen in the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan production of The Mikado.

47th National River Road Show — Baton Rouge

47th National River Road Show — Baton Rouge 

 

Book Club, posted on July 5th, has been selected by the juror, Bill Farnsworth, to be one of 75 paintings accepted into the 47th National River Road Show. The exhibition opens Tuesday, September 6 and runs through Wednesday, September 28.

 

Louisiana State Archives Building,

home of the River Road Show.

Book Club

12 x 9  |  oil on panel

This was so much fun to paint! The models are Judith and Boris. I thought the way they were sitting, plus the striped upholstery on the chair, would be so fun to paint, I took out my phone and shot an image.

I took the painting to our next critique. Watching Judith's face was as much fun as mixing the colors and making the brush strokes. She had a thoughtful expression for several moments. Then with great excitement exclaimed, "That's my chair!" soon followed by, "That's ME!" 

Perfect Pitch

 

20 x 8"  | oil on panel

I went to a rehearsal several years ago to sketch ideas for paintings and found many paintable moments. Recently, while going through those notes, I rediscovered one of my favorites. Watching Erica was a joy. I loved the way she moved. Capturing her movement in paint was a total joy.

Washin' the Blues Away

12 x 16  |  oil on panel

My intention for this painting: to create the feeling of joyful music-making—a delightful evening in May with family. When many of us get together, music often follows a great dinner and conversations with lots of laughter.

Pineapple Poll . . .

In the Wings  |  12 x 9

Pineapple Poll is a delightful arrangement of music from all 13 Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. The ballet tells the story of the same "bumboat woman" who appears later in life as "Little Buttercup" in Pinafore. 

 In 2004 the Seattle G&S society commissioned Spectrum Dance Theater, directed by Donald Byrd, to perform the ballet on a double bill with the society's production of HMS Pinafore in celebration of the society's 50 anniversary season. I was given permission to shoot reference photos backstage during one of the performances. Watching the long shadows the ballet lighting cast, was as exciting as watching the dancers themselves.

If you enjoy G&S and love dance, DVDs of this production are available through the Seattle G&S Society. Click here for more info. The image below is from the DVD.

 

Pineapple Poll 

Spectrum Dance Theater, Scenic Designer, Nathan Rodda

Mr. G. Waxing Eloquent

Mr. G. Waxing Eloquent  |  10.75 x 8

Gordon Gilbert Gutteridge as Mr. Bunthorne’s Solicitor, the only non-speaking, non-singing roll in Gilbert & Sullivan. Gordon was listed in the program as “Gilbert Grossmith Gordon” - his joke. George Grossmith was the original principal comedian with the D’Oily Carte Company from 1877 to 1889.

The painting is based on a reference photo shot during the society’s 1993 production of “Patience”.  "Mr. G." was Artistic Director of the Company for 35 years. He was also an accomplished artist, actor, designer, leader and an inspiration to generations of performers.

A moment from Act II . . .

Pooh-Bah Has a Word or Two  |  36 x 18

The actor on the left in this scene from The Mikado is the Seattle G&S Society's longtime scenic designer, Nathan Rodda. He truly makes manic happen. 

 

The painting is in the MUSICAL PIECES exhibition through July 1sr 2016.

Gallery hours: Monday - Friday 11am - 4pm

Women Painters of Washington Gallery 

Columbia Center Building
701 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor Atrium
Seattle, WA 98104

The Amazing William as Pooh-Bah . . .

The Amazing Pooh-Bah  |  24 x 12

Another painting in Musical Pieces, William J. Darkow as Pooh-Bah in Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s 2001 production of “The Mikado”. Everything this actor did was paintable. His presence was simply wonderful! The sets were designed by the society's longtime scenic designer, Nathan Rodda. 

MUSICAL PIECES is having an opening APRIL 7, FIRST THURSDAY. 
There will be a PROGRAM AND LIVE JAZZ starting at 4 pm.

Women Painters of Washington Gallery

Columbia Center Building
701 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor Atrium
Seattle, WA 98104 

Musical Pieces

—  an exhibition inspired by music  —

 Yeo Man  |  24 x 12

I have chosen moments from the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s productions at the Bagley Wright Theater in Seattle for my Musical Pieces. They include paintings from: The Mikado, Patience, Pineapple Poll and The Yeomen of the Guard, the latter being a moment from the first rehearsal in theater with props but no costumes. I just couldn’t resist the look of a yeoman in red tennis shoes.

 I will be posting images of the other four paintings later this week.

Musical Pieces exhibition dates:
April 5th - July 1st
Reception April 7th from 4pm - 6pm

Women Painters of Washington Gallery

Columbia Center Building
701 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor Atrium
Seattle, WA 98104 

The Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society will be presenting The Yeomen of the Guard in July. Click here to see their website for more information.

The Creative Muse

Muse Under Blossoms of Gold

 

Muse Under Blossoms of Gold has been juried into The Creative Muse, an exhibition sponsored by the National Association of Women Artists, NYC. I am honored to have one of my paintings be among the 45 works chosen for this exhibition.

The Creative Muse  |  A Juried Open Exhibition at
the Crayola Gallery at the Banana Factory
25 West 3rd Street, Bethlehem, PA

March 12—May 8, 2016

Two Friday Receptions from 6-9pm:  April 1st  & May 6th  2016

Ken Auster

 

Garden Room  by Ken Auster 

I no longer remember when I first saw Ken Auster's work in art magazines, but it was love at first sight. His work was so exciting—wonderful compositions, fabulous use of color, rich warm and cool tones and so many subtle grays!  Thick, juicy paint and loose brush strokes. No matter the subject, his work filled my heart with joy.

I met Ken 11 years ago as a student in one of his workshops in Tuscon. By then I already owned two of his paintings and was eager to meet this man in person. An easel was at the front of the class room. Beside it was large table, the entire top was covered with heavy brown paper. 

He came into the classroom the first day carrying a duffel bag. Many colors of paint had splattered over it. When unzipped, the sides fell to the table revealing the continence: dozens of paint tubes, some without their lids, and a small brown paper bag. The paper bag contained a handful of loose 35mm slides, which were duped onto the table. My thought, this is going to be an interesting week!
And it truly was.

 

Ken's classroom demo palette

He chose a slide for reference, held it towards the light, and started painting.

Watching his demos was like seeing magic happen before my eyes. He would begin with a large brush and loose strokes of thin dark paint. Gradually large areas of color would be added.

To add the people on the sidewalk in this demo, a scribbled mass of dark was added. Then colors to form the people's clothing, heads, and whatever they were carrying. The background colors were then added where needed to finish forming the people and the spaces between them—the sidewalk colors.

Ken Auster's finished demo. 

 This is the demo I purchased. The actual painting is not quite so pink as the last image. 

Ken passed away Friday, January 29, 2016. He was a gifted instructor and mentor, a wonderful painter, and a kind and generous man with a great sense of humor. He will be missed. There will be an article about him in the March, 2016 issue of PleinAir magazine. See also: Celebrating A Long, Fulfilling Career.

 

Port Tack by Ken Auster

 

Lajolla by Ken Auster