Vienna Nocturne

I'm reading "Vienna Nocturne" by Vivien Shotwell and wanted to share this passage with you (it's part of letter that a young artist is writing to his sister, in the late 1700's):

"There's a robin in the birdbath. For ten minutes together it has been standing ankle deep in the water and making no motion. Does it care about ambition? Does it wish to be more beautiful than it is? No,  it is beautiful as it is, because it is. I will fix it in my mind and paint it in the afternoon".

I love it .......perhaps it strikes a chord for you as well.

Art & Music in the

I recently read about a Hunger Prevention program in mid-coast Maine called "Backpack," that sends food home with children after school so that they do not go hungry during their time at home. Putting the food in a backpack saves a child from experiencing the humiliation of other students knowing they are receiving assistance. 

 

It really hit home for me; just the thought of a child going home to a place with nothing for dinner and breakfast is heart-breaking. Like most of us, I can't write a big check, but I have learned that I can use my work to help with things that are important to me.  And so with your help, I would love to be able to support this effort through donating a portion of the sales of my paintings.  

And so for this event only:  

25 original paintings regularly valued at $500 - $750.00 each will be priced at $350.00 in an effort to raise

money for this effort that is serving hundreds of Maine's school children. I will donate 15% of each sale to the Backpack program.

You may view these paintings on my website: http://www.evelyndunphy.com.

Just click on "Preview Paintings for Backpack Program" on the left hand side bar of the home page.

You may purchase a painting in advance of the August 9th event and pick it at my studio anytime, or we can arrange to ship it to you.

Signed, limited edition Giclee Print

How to Join Planes Together to Unify Your Painting

 

 Plein Air Painting Done at the Workshops at Frederic Church's camp on Millinocket Lake in Maine
Join me August 14 - 17 or September 18 - 21 for an unforgettable experience in an historic setting.

I found that painting scenes such as this were a real challenge as it was all too easy to have the different planes of the painting look as if they were separated by hard lines. After studying Cezanne's paintings of Mt. Victoire over a period of time, I suddenly had an insight that was a life-saver! I realized that by carrying some of the color of the sky into the mountain, then two or three colors of the mountain into the next area of the tree line and so on throughout the far islands that I was able to create a sense of unity throughout the painting. See if you can tell where the blues and greens are carried from one shape to another. 

Of course it's also necessary to create soft and merged edges throughout the painting as well. 

I believe that studying the best painters is a wonderful learning process - look at great books on art, turn it upside down so that you are not intent on the subject and look for interesting compositions and color combinations.

Happy Painting!

This Is Why I Love To Paint!

During my recent watercolor workshop on the beautiful unspoiled Beara Peninsula of Ireland, I found myself standing by this old ruin, just a few steps from the main street of Eyeries. I thought that a demonstration of how I might paint old rock walls and stones would be valuable to the class and so I set up my easel and began.

Behind me was a hedge filled with wild fuchsia, back lit by the sun. Birds swept overhead; the temperature was perfect - I was overcome by a sense of well-being and I think I could safely say - "euphoria".

That night I had barely gotten into bed when I just had to get up and write this in my journal:

 

Standing in the tall grass under a bush laden with cascading fuchsia blossoms - birds are singing, swifts too numerous to count darting overhead. The sun is shining. Paint going down on paper, merging, meeting, blending colors - the lovely meeting of grey-blue, cerulean and bronze- friends nearby - I was struck by such a powerful feeling:

My Unfinished Plein Air Painting

"THIS is why I love painting".

Wild Fuchsias

Keeping in Touch

Painting in our Garden

I'M SENDING MY VERY BEST WISHES TO YOU FOR ALL GOOD THINGS TO COME YOUR WAY DURING THESE LOVELY MAINE SPRING DAYS

I just got an email from a motivational group that I don't seem to be able to unsubscribe to - but they do have a nice daily quotation that is often enjoyable.  

Today it was for a program that would "change my life if I signed up for a set of CDs", and the question was "what are you lacking, what do you want more of, what is missing in your life"?

Once I thought about it, I was really surprised to realize that actually, the answer to all of those questions is NOTHING. Of course we could all use more money, more time, etc. etc. but really and truly, I have everything I need.    

And I want to tell you that you are a very big part of this for me. I never imagined myself as a teacher of any sort.  And it's become one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences of my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.. 

I'm flying away to Ireland in a couple of hours, and I will be thinking of you every step of the way, and wishing that you were there too.

Irish Recycling

There's a group of eleven artists coming from Maine, Sweden, Toronto, California, Michigan, Guam - all gathering at Anam Cara, a sweet retreat center overlooking Coulagh Bay. on the Beara Peninsula.

While I'm away, I hope that you will be finding time to enjoy your painting time. Most of all, I wish you a subject that really excites you; one that makes you lie in bed at night thinking of the colors you'll use, how you'll plan the composition and just how you'll go about it. Enjoy the anticipation! Love  the process, and allow yourself to take as much time as you need. That's what it's all about.

I'll be in touch.

Evelyn

An observation worth reading

A friend who is also a very good painter wrote to me about the story of the cupcake paintings that is posted below. She said that she loved the painting with the gray background. It reminded her that even in gray times, there are sprinkles, frosting and cherries.

I think this is a wonderful observation. It's all in the eye of the beholder!
Til next time, happy painting,
Evelyn

Cupcakes. Pink or Gray?

HOW COLOR HELPS TELL YOUR STORY (or - betrays you!)  

Here's my set-up for a still life studio class. At our local grocery store I ordered cupcakes loaded with icing, sprinkles and a cherry on the top.  Then I arranged them on a cake stand and put birthday wrapping paper around the whole thing.

I thought it was a very happy image and the artists in the class created such great paintings that I was really pleased.

I think you can imagine what colors dominated that subject matter!

Fragments of a Woman's Life SO WHAT HAPPENED?  I always emphasize to my students that having a "story" or a "concept" for a painting is very important. Sometimes I have a title before I even begin a painting and I love it when that happens! Then I can see clearly what colors will help to set the mood. Here's an example: in a small village on the east coast of Newfoundland I walked by an abandoned house that had all of the windows boarded up except one. And in that window was a collection of fancy hats on a hat rack. I was so surprised; what woman had lived in this house and left all of her hats behind? As I looked through the window, the sky and trees behind me were reflected in the glass. I immediately had a "story". This painting was done completely in opaque pigments. Their particular characteristics made it possible for me to create the textures of crushed velvet cloche, a fuzzy knitted bag and felt hat. When you see the painting in real life, you can almost feel the fabrics. Do you see how the soft, muted colors contributed to the overall mood of the painting? I love this painting because of the story that I have in my mind about the woman and her life, even though it is a melancholy image. Imagine that painting done in transparent, glowing pigments of bright, saturated color. It would be an entirely different story. And that brings me back to cupcakes.   During our conversation at the end of the class, I was talking about how the colors we choose can help to support our "story."                                                                                               Happy Birthday by Andrea Galuza           Here's an example of one the paintings done that evening. I am sure you agree that the chosen colors are a huge help in expressing the lively subject, and evoking a feeling of a celebration. GRAY?  As we looked at each painting, I realized that one of them had been painted with a neutral gray background. I do not have a photo of the actual painting, so I've used Photoshop to put gray all around the cupcakes on the cake stand so you can see what the effect was. It was striking. I could almost feel my heart sink when I looked at that gray color all around the brightly colored cupcakes. Later, with the artist's permission, I asked the class what message this painting sent to them. Someone said: "I gave a party, and nobody came". What do you think? Compare the two images and ask yourself how you can use color in your next painting to really make your story come alive. Leave me a comment or a question. I'd love to hear from you. Happy Painting! Evelyn