The elf is lit

   I would not be a good artist if I weren't doing "figure studies" throughout the holidays. All is calm... all is bright into the new year. Happy holidays to all my loyal viewers.   - G.A. keeping my sense of humor into the new year.

Come see how this painting turned out!!

    I was honored to accept a request to be "featured artist" at the Kimble gallery in 2013 of which I will have a chance to share a collection of paintings from this summer's plein air-a-thon (it seemed). Start the New Year Right in 2013 in supporting your local artist by stopping in and sharing the beauty that our area has to offer. 

    Jan 7—Feb 4  at Kimble Esspresso Gallery 6950 Kimball Dr Gig Harbor, WA 98335 

From sea to shining sea

  ("Lone Boat" 9x12 oil on gessoboard)

   As a traveling artist, I painted this scene in an area of the Puget Sound known as Cromwell... quiet, peacefull, private and serene. As the light was moving quickly this was one of those frenzied "fast paint" sessions but a nice balance of representation. This painting can be viewed at the Mallards Landing Plein Air exhibition during the month of October -G.A. scouring the shores and braving the tides for ideal places to paint.

Show and Share

2nd Annual En Plein Air Art Exhibition & Wine Tasting

Saturday, October 6th, 2–4 p.m.

Art Exhibit • Wine Tasting • Appetizers

Featured Artists: Sheila Anderson • Mimi Van Ballenberghe • Myrna Binion, Marilyn Bower • Feather Hilger • Cathy Johnson, Anne Moore Knapp • Lynn Lewis • Mary McInnis • Pat Meras, Carlene Salazar • Donna Trent

For more information or to RSVP by October 3rd call (253) 858-4990 or email info@thelodge-gigharbor.com

Come back Saturday, October 13th at 3:00 p.m. for the presentation of the "Peoples Choice" and "Kids Spot the Art" awards.

7083 Wagner Way, Gig Harbor, WA 98335

www.thelodge-gigharbor.com

Just off Wollochet Drive, behind Mallard’s Landing Business Park

The one that got away.

   Wow, what an incredible morning for painting on the dock last week. The weather was warm, the light perfect, the water gentle and a most intriguing composition of boats, dock, line... it was too good to be true for about 20 minutes! Then 4 seamen came onto the small floating dock and spent the next hour rocking my world as they unwrapped, loaded and sailed off with my model. I've heard those ole salty dawgs tell their stories about "the one that got away"; now I got one to add to the collection. G.A.- never thinking seasickness could come from painting on a dock. 

I'll have an order of alla prima please

                ("Three stages of life" 15"x15" )
   After spending the summer painting en plein air  in other people's gardens, I decided it was time to paint something from my own so I cut some stargazer lilies and brought them indoors to test drive a new north light facing space. The lighting was so different and the pallette still the colors I use for outdoor landscape painting that I found the results facinating and educational. Not a show stopping study in oil but an effort of worth all the same. -G.A. exchanging my current supply for a "new box of crayons" for studio work... and maybe nixing the north light idea.

Taking notes in paint.

   Usually I tend to get way too much information in my plein air studies. When painting this distant location the light was changing quickly so I thought to make a brief representation of the scene by abbreviating the information. Although this is a raw 90 min representation is missing plenty of the scene, the idea reads quickly and if I cared to bring up the image I would know where to go with it. -G.A. still enjoying the plein air.

Couped up at work.

                           (Chicken Coup II 9x12)
When most people speak of being couped up it brings to mind the dreary 4 walls of redundancy at home or work... well it is work but it is far from redundant. The scene differs, the seasons change and the light is constantly on the move. But then one quiet morning you quickly crank out a little study like this and you tell yourself, 'I love my job.' and mean it! - G.A. down home on the farm.

A table for two... with a view!

   I am currently finishing a painting for a client who owns a resteraunt called The Boat Shed. While the outter deck is right over the water with a 180 view of the Bremerton waterfront, it was the owner's whimsical decor of these fantastic colored doors I took a fancy to for this painting "Table for Two" 9x12.

Piering out

   From beneath the old ferry landing there are few times you can paint from this spot as it is usually covered by the ocean tides. Being my 3rd painting of Gig Harbor's lighthouse (out of 4 thus far) I thought it interesting to attempt something really different.- G.A. out, but keeping my feet dry.

Just a fool in the rain

Last weekend was the garden tour where I had the pleasure of painting before more than 1300 people at a local garden. It was 2 days of clouds with intermediate rain the 1st day. While most people would abandon such inconviences to paint, I stuck it out to be rewarded with witnessing 100s of smiles from the ticket holders experiencing what I named "the cracker jacks effect" . As they approached the dutch door to peek inside, this whimsical playhouse shared the hidden prize- a moment of magic from the garden owners past staging a teddy bear tea party scene tucked warm and cozy for adults to recollect thier children or childhoods. And the painting I made wasn't too bad for a day most would consider to be a wash out. -G.A. experiencing the silver lining of a day filled with grey clouds.

Tis the season

Plein air season has officially started begining with a study from the tulip festival in Oregon. An overcast but pleasant day at the Wooden Shoe, I found almost all the tulips up and at peak viewing... it was a gift to be able paint such beauty. -GA, bursting with color.

Something to think about

   Many people think that doing a master copy work is a waste of time but I disagree. I have done quite a few and always feel as though I have gained something more than just a nice replication of a superior artist created by my own hand. In this particular instance I was minimally motivated to work on my own piece because I was struggling with something as elementary as getting foreshortening completly  accurate on an element in a still life. I decided after repeated failure that a little eye/brain/hand coordination needed to be enforced and for me master copy work is about as disciplined as I know to specify such accurace. In the beginning it was more like penance (An act of devotion performed voluntarily to show wrongdoing) but as I kept forcing myself to invest the time each week, I gained better pressure control over the drawing tool, reminded myself of some anatomy ideas and recalled that nothing is too sacred to not correct what you know is wrong. Having one more session with this study, I am determined to correct my own still life, reguardless of the time or effort it takes; it's so much better when it is right. G.A.- glutton for punishment.

Art being auctioned in Seattle

Greetings fellow art enthusiasts. I am proud to report that both of the works Gig Harbor Lighthouse (12x16 oil painting) and The Power of Three (27x36 ink media) have been accepted into the juried art exhibition/auction in Seattle. The "show and sale" will be May 4th and 5th (see www.pratt.org/happenings/artauction.html for more detals ). It inspires me to get more serious work done and always helps to clear work out of the studio to make room for more. In the meantime here is the Kiblinger (12x16 oil) a 20 hour study I finished in February. -G.A. with 2 works on the easel and plein air season begining next weekend.

Little Jewels

In an effort to do a little "cross training" I thought to accomplish 2 things at once. Practice the ear, an often missing (due to hair coverage) or neglected part of the portrait as well as render the same subject in 4 approaches. What I thought would be a boring exercise actually yielded 4 nice little jewel renderings. G.A.- geeking back to how things work in the art world...