tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44130127232956912072024-03-17T20:03:23.181-07:00Bill ConeBill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-18956988912663336262022-12-11T09:13:00.002-08:002022-12-11T09:13:51.061-08:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKKmCpZ49QzOFWUoNIBzxF4uOMVZgDDJ6LBbrNz5uOXKF4YLliQ_uC3EqlM9jpfGMKwROUkcktCIZXFdhPWAXsiE3t-hQPNNvhrirbqv2lpSMWusKMxfXPBCmCbBISN8-jt7nrfVZrx512ZxBjtfm9yWRra3ouobmFsfTfH6zQ_E_VdbBRjh63aSX/s1080/Studio%20Sale.1080sq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKKmCpZ49QzOFWUoNIBzxF4uOMVZgDDJ6LBbrNz5uOXKF4YLliQ_uC3EqlM9jpfGMKwROUkcktCIZXFdhPWAXsiE3t-hQPNNvhrirbqv2lpSMWusKMxfXPBCmCbBISN8-jt7nrfVZrx512ZxBjtfm9yWRra3ouobmFsfTfH6zQ_E_VdbBRjh63aSX/s320/Studio%20Sale.1080sq.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Late Notice, but I'm not using this platform as much as Instagram and Facebook. Come on over today between 11 and 5, but also check the page on this blog that says available work 12.22. That is most of what is in the show. Email me at moraga97@yahoo.com for prices. Happy holidays!<p></p>Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-62294497345205427152019-04-20T17:53:00.001-07:002019-04-20T17:53:22.756-07:00Gallery Show and TalkRab Terry and Jennifer Farris, the co-owners of the <a href="http://www.studiogallerysf.com/bill-cone-2019">Studio Gallery</a> in San Francisco, gave me my first solo show there 10 years ago. Since then I have had 7 shows with them, and my current exhibit of pastels will be up until the 29th of April. Thanks to their support I've had a forum about every 18 months to display what I've been up to, what's caught my eye, and where I've been.<br />
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This Thursday evening, from 6-7, I'll be giving a talk at the gallery, and will use my paintings in the show as touchstones to tell the backstories behind some of them, why I pick the kind of images I do. If you want to know why I like to paint rocks, and why birds have started popping up in my work, come to the Studio Gallery this Thursday, and these beguiling mysteries and more will be revealed!<br />
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Afternoon above Ediza</div>
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9 x 11</div>
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Deep in Tilden</div>
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9 x 12</div>
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House Finch</div>
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10 x 11</div>
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The Meadow</div>
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14 x 20</div>
<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-3205371933145727142017-05-14T09:24:00.000-07:002017-05-14T09:24:05.239-07:00Pt. Reyes workshop this weekend, May 19-21I've got spots available in this weekend's workshop out at the Historic Lifeboat Station in Pt. Reyes. I do have a <a href="http://billcone.blogspot.com/p/upcoming-workshops.html">workshop page</a> on this blog, but not sure if folks have noticed it! This is a unique spot to paint and spend a few nights, as it is relatively remote, and has a stark beauty. I imagine it as the kind of place Andrew Wyeth would have gravitated to, had he spent time in California. You can read more about it on the link above, or just click <a href="http://www.ptreyes.org/camps-classes-programs/field-institute/classes/pastels-and-natural-light">here</a> to signup. Feel free to contact me at moraga97@yahoo.com if you have any questions. Hope you can join me!<br />
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-1661605760209416592016-12-09T08:03:00.000-08:002016-12-09T08:03:28.727-08:00 Studio Sale this Saturday, Dec. 10thI will be hosting a studio sale of my pastel landscape work this Saturday in Moraga, from 11-4. The address is 146 Donald Dr. I will primarily have field studies from my regular haunts: the east bay hills, Pt. Reyes, the Sierra back country, and central Oregon. Plenty of water, rocks, weeds, dirt, and atmosphere... The bulk of the work is in the 6x9 to 9x12 size, is un-framed, and un-fixed. I will supply glassine folders to safely transport the art home. I also have a selection of framed pieces that have been exhibited in a show or 2, and deserve a chance at a better life rather than languishing in my studio.<br />
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Here's a wall of candidates undergoing selection and revision...</div>
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Here's some of the work, pulled from storage folders, that will be pinned up. Anyways, please come by tomorrow for some holiday cheer and snacks, peruse the art, and say 'hello'. Hope to see you there.</div>
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Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-21268599721800447342016-08-28T13:08:00.000-07:002016-08-28T13:09:02.782-07:00Summer Workshop in the Sierra ButtesI've been teaching up at the Sierra Nevada Field Campus in the Lakes Basin for the past 7 summers, and feel very fortunate to be able to do so. We sleep in a forest on the headwaters of the north fork of the Yuba river, and have easy access to the vast Sierra Valley, as well as numerous lakes, waterfalls, and meadows. Plenty to observe, paint, and ponder. Though we re-visit many of the same locations, each year is slightly different, due to weather, water levels, and every artist's temperament.<br />
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Here's a few of the demos I did during the week, with some notes and observations.<br />
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We painted in the Sierra Valley twice during the week. The location is about a 20 minute drive from the field campus, on the east side of Yuba pass. It is a great location to study atmospheric color shifts, as well as a range of foreground and mid-ground elements... barns, trees, fences, etc. Here is a demo I did on the second trip down there. The owner of the property we were painting on had graciously given us permission to work in the relative shade among a cluster of trees, which made it more comfortable for everyone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71hfcDDsYFvvs6SXIOO6WSHN45vNXy8P0mkDSR4s2r8L56qGq9deypNny0n6Z9xA5PIvC8t4K9w7pYnv-IdYGgyqcpUnPSGC2wPxQt2lpYvU0b-6MGHaVJ47m1upKA58s3oA_sCQFnJk/s1600/Yuba+Study.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71hfcDDsYFvvs6SXIOO6WSHN45vNXy8P0mkDSR4s2r8L56qGq9deypNny0n6Z9xA5PIvC8t4K9w7pYnv-IdYGgyqcpUnPSGC2wPxQt2lpYvU0b-6MGHaVJ47m1upKA58s3oA_sCQFnJk/s400/Yuba+Study.sm.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_533731880"></span>Not surprisingly, we study water. The north fork of the Yuba river runs right through the campus, in the form of a boulder choked creek, alternately tumbling and winding its way down the grade.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8l93vlx3dGsrnKyulSKeZAvO1mpUKDHslO4lEIcsmnZe2AXm-loCkbIDwlzl-B_Vf6rIN4kB10W8GCOgbf3ODBe8fbPNAsyfp2Bxi4N3OTczCMtqDeSSyX83137QHsB8F-MnwQzV3m0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-08-28+at+12.54.30+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8l93vlx3dGsrnKyulSKeZAvO1mpUKDHslO4lEIcsmnZe2AXm-loCkbIDwlzl-B_Vf6rIN4kB10W8GCOgbf3ODBe8fbPNAsyfp2Bxi4N3OTczCMtqDeSSyX83137QHsB8F-MnwQzV3m0/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-08-28+at+12.54.30+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Setting up to paint at Love's Falls, a few miles downstream from camp. The river is much bigger here.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-NoHjAcgMnZxDev3AW4AFdnjgNjvce3ASxlwDsK2VtM0mRHvY6dzHFtLafxuVe9Ts1MNF5wq5yqATqirHG6j2Lu66YE6En73zH3Z2U39prI_DIXnOCM2hJgtLwr5BBnLvkzIweU1LQY/s1600/Along+the+crest.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-NoHjAcgMnZxDev3AW4AFdnjgNjvce3ASxlwDsK2VtM0mRHvY6dzHFtLafxuVe9Ts1MNF5wq5yqATqirHG6j2Lu66YE6En73zH3Z2U39prI_DIXnOCM2hJgtLwr5BBnLvkzIweU1LQY/s400/Along+the+crest.sm.png" width="377" /></a></div>
One evening we painted up on Packer Saddle, which is a ridge on the northwest shoulder of the Sierra Buttes. This is a spot where we hauled our telescopes to every night to observe when I was taking an astronomy class up here about 10 years ago. The Pacific Crest Trail also runs along this ridge. The trees here are more exposed, which is reflected in the amount of snags and deadfall. The silvery trunks of those trees in shadow beautifully reflect the the range of color in the sky. The study below was painted later in the evening, as the light was getting warmer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8thTFN8X-5pvddVmfCnPPR41aWQoxZTzyOfyg7aaHAcE01b5Bs42quT5l5Y0BrsrnAmY4dl0_mCks_X8btWgmIDqZ9NLUJ4izk_VJ6I5SclqYD_H0SG2PHEFb64dm0GbD2f-a8i8Gnbw/s1600/Buttes.1.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8thTFN8X-5pvddVmfCnPPR41aWQoxZTzyOfyg7aaHAcE01b5Bs42quT5l5Y0BrsrnAmY4dl0_mCks_X8btWgmIDqZ9NLUJ4izk_VJ6I5SclqYD_H0SG2PHEFb64dm0GbD2f-a8i8Gnbw/s400/Buttes.1.sm.png" width="262" /></a></div>
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Another spot we re-visited was a meadow at the top of Yuba Pass, enjoying the range of greens, wildflowers, small, crooked aspen, and the textures of grasses.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeicf3ZvU2WkrsuO6xHbGr3rFmHJtL1C5Zi_1HHQWvlQEdEDmUy4rmdUsYy_2DwB-MtF9oLsbgUtTahMdiYnkYKMkXGD4sJv4jswG4vBRsY6A0x_x1eJekpK98iqNZ22pE2cwurcOhV-c/s1600/meadow.1.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeicf3ZvU2WkrsuO6xHbGr3rFmHJtL1C5Zi_1HHQWvlQEdEDmUy4rmdUsYy_2DwB-MtF9oLsbgUtTahMdiYnkYKMkXGD4sJv4jswG4vBRsY6A0x_x1eJekpK98iqNZ22pE2cwurcOhV-c/s400/meadow.1.sm.png" width="152" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7e2_inSa6EMiqclFHrwC3ywhKtdbU6C35nlw6DlkZhybQYyGgW05uS651bJl6Q1mwinD1GdFnbf8hftDzPlkGHTx-tinLJat9sCfdes5uPe90XyU-eXjWKbphqrJqOOu5iOpPoIbwlg/s1600/meadow.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7e2_inSa6EMiqclFHrwC3ywhKtdbU6C35nlw6DlkZhybQYyGgW05uS651bJl6Q1mwinD1GdFnbf8hftDzPlkGHTx-tinLJat9sCfdes5uPe90XyU-eXjWKbphqrJqOOu5iOpPoIbwlg/s400/meadow.2.sm.png" width="208" /></a><br />
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One source of fascination in the meadow was the color of the white Yarrow flowers in shadow and light, and how close in value the color of the flower in shadow was to the sunlit grasses, as shown below.<br />
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As always we close out the class by pinning up the week's work on the wall of the dining hall, and talk about it. In fact, we had several show and tells throughout the week, as participants are apt to learn as much from, and be inspired by each other's work, as they can from the instructor alone.</div>
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Thanks to all those who joined me this summer. You were a great group, and I hope to see you next year, when we can renew our investigations into light and color in the mountains.<br />
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And for those that are interested in an upcoming weekend workshop in Pt. Reyes, check out the workshops link on the right. I still have room for a few more students.<br />
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-84028911459842745832015-09-07T22:22:00.000-07:002015-09-08T10:52:37.856-07:00Water on the Brain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This summer marks the 11th year that Paul Kratter and I have organized a trip into the Sierra back country to paint with other artists for a number of days. The other artists on this trip were Ernesto Nemesio, Suzie Baker, Lori Putnam, Aimee Erickson, and Carol Marine. This year we chose (for the fourth time) Garnet Lake, which sits on the east side of the Sierra crest between Thousand Island Lake, and Lake Ediza. All these drainages form the headwaters of the San Joaquin River, which ends up in California's Central Valley. Surprisingly the headwaters were still running, and the lake, though down a bit, had plenty of water in it, but the only snow in sight was two permanent glaciers on Mt. Ritter and Banner that have been shrinking in size since the first time we saw them in 2006. This was the warmest weather we ever had, and there was also a fair amount of smoke from time to time throughout the week, a reminder of the fires that were burning north of us around Tioga Pass.</div>
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One of the interesting features of this location is a basin at the upper west end of the lake that sits right below Mt. Banner, and contains a large shallow melt pond, filled with boulders, surrounded by a large meadow. We first hiked up there in 2006, and though we were able to briefly paint there in 2007 before bad weather drove us out, I have long wanted to get back up there to paint again. This year I was able to get up there for 3 days in a row, in perfect weather. The place has a magical aspect to it.... something to do with the range of color in the water due to depth, as well as how the reflection of the sky can impede, adding another range of blue. Of course the overall location is rather spectacular, plus one gets to share it with other artists. After waiting for 8 years, I was not disappointed in either the aesthetics, or the challenge of painting up there. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9E7nrFMLdNYdS_O99tK_42tTHw7HtwfHYrBnGJe4U9gIeHfV6LQF8gsttuG3-p2bVPSRqIGfptyqLjOgqSsHi3PIqmU3aO5fLr9qSHm6_4kS9qSO5RIpTCQ5E9LYRcPMwXZM9DKrT40/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-08+at+9.52.16+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9E7nrFMLdNYdS_O99tK_42tTHw7HtwfHYrBnGJe4U9gIeHfV6LQF8gsttuG3-p2bVPSRqIGfptyqLjOgqSsHi3PIqmU3aO5fLr9qSHm6_4kS9qSO5RIpTCQ5E9LYRcPMwXZM9DKrT40/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-09-08+at+9.52.16+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I did paint other views, some of which are shown below, but my primary fascination was hiking up there day after day to try and decode those colors and forms in that incredibly bright light and clear water. Here's a selection of paintings below with notes. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rKnjd2_V6GIhnDzy35eK2qMyUD7VV2rdgLLjq8hDHf7SxT-muyRzq677ggGJz9a4Dy9QClyppcuKVEOyhCKkfkcNC1lDSE85eUhGzfTlunQNlDizj70V8XIOcDuKCTGHdNSG9_uzWXE/s1600/Alpen+uphill.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rKnjd2_V6GIhnDzy35eK2qMyUD7VV2rdgLLjq8hDHf7SxT-muyRzq677ggGJz9a4Dy9QClyppcuKVEOyhCKkfkcNC1lDSE85eUhGzfTlunQNlDizj70V8XIOcDuKCTGHdNSG9_uzWXE/s400/Alpen+uphill.sm.png" width="260" /></a></div>
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I worked small this year, primarily 6 x 9, painting 2 paintings per 9 x 12 sheets of paper.</div>
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This was an image I did one afternoon, sitting on the ground in front of my tent, looking up the hill. While I painted this, Aimee Erickson started painting me amongst the trees, and Suzie Baker set up and painted Aimee, which is representative of the kind of synergy the entire group had.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVCXWIeSa052mt4GoY1agrGXJ_9s8vMEfoJPY74GL5ZkS1C4MePWoPJ1KuGwLgz0XVag6Lzn9AjryigZJLjbHBc3sU1D4ANI5B27JKStsYPjZsljixcHPKbfE2XNV_duatKqKLTW3ygQ/s1600/Garnet+Morning.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVCXWIeSa052mt4GoY1agrGXJ_9s8vMEfoJPY74GL5ZkS1C4MePWoPJ1KuGwLgz0XVag6Lzn9AjryigZJLjbHBc3sU1D4ANI5B27JKStsYPjZsljixcHPKbfE2XNV_duatKqKLTW3ygQ/s400/Garnet+Morning.sm.png" width="245" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienKIQV1VvuN8MP_A2qQuWPJXEnHwJoLAa5Ep5M2Sx7y7DxF_9M46UH7CAT_0QylhCBdYgy6pK60XqsR7FSgTb13RQMn-uzgx27gCFSRaCh_GL8UArG7XNGbZQksRaR5QjZNrmGIhwrRs/s1600/Ritter+on+the+Rocks.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienKIQV1VvuN8MP_A2qQuWPJXEnHwJoLAa5Ep5M2Sx7y7DxF_9M46UH7CAT_0QylhCBdYgy6pK60XqsR7FSgTb13RQMn-uzgx27gCFSRaCh_GL8UArG7XNGbZQksRaR5QjZNrmGIhwrRs/s400/Ritter+on+the+Rocks.sm.png" width="263" /></a></div>
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The above 2 were painted one after the other, early in the morning on the shore of Garnet Lake before breakfast. As we've done in the past, we have a cook on our trip, and so we are free to work from the time we get up until breakfast. This was the second day in a row I painted these same views, just trying to warm up, and figure out all that was going on. I was especially interested in the soft blue cast shadows of the trees across the shallow water, seamlessly colliding with the reflection of the mountain. More research is needed...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8-Ne4gY8PQ5qecd01XW6B6qtdVUJqyM8TO4cLfPgHTdMYZfy2cMLIVP_CH6RbK5KJu5mWxpCT8FGpUVR0H5N06taB9e5NlzMWDkJfa5fS78Dzi6uNsgpCteutsGN5ZSP6JYfqkEoAPc/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8-Ne4gY8PQ5qecd01XW6B6qtdVUJqyM8TO4cLfPgHTdMYZfy2cMLIVP_CH6RbK5KJu5mWxpCT8FGpUVR0H5N06taB9e5NlzMWDkJfa5fS78Dzi6uNsgpCteutsGN5ZSP6JYfqkEoAPc/s400/Picture+8.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I should mention also that many of us swam in Garnet Lake every afternoon..</div>
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It was wonderful. (photo by Carol Marine)</div>
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The melt pond at the base of Mt. Banner. Carol Marine, Lori Putnam, and Paul Kratter setting up to paint.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q4GdLC-TMXR-0WQOC300NHZw_D5foi_eGDCDxKfxXLTV9XV39F3Io4TMYG0gmonD763QbAkX2YJX_yBDFyLuKb9wtRVnacDEE5BF8b4AAPziTmjkv0nmZ4ji0GQq_TVL47TMFiIoyEQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-08+at+9.51.20+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_q4GdLC-TMXR-0WQOC300NHZw_D5foi_eGDCDxKfxXLTV9XV39F3Io4TMYG0gmonD763QbAkX2YJX_yBDFyLuKb9wtRVnacDEE5BF8b4AAPziTmjkv0nmZ4ji0GQq_TVL47TMFiIoyEQ/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-09-08+at+9.51.20+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Where artists camp, the laundry looks different.</div>
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A few of Aimee Erickson's paintings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF84RgieS1LxQ2Kt8hGuhLsFAOAT0O_8Amkyx0RaP9huLjv0gOq0Aip3VEj8NDz-t3bAhTD2FZpTtcAsj0XgbPU8bFMc552YmbdJsMYtD2KzjfA0wMbZ7tIT147eZXz3ZjjVKtn9X7eo/s1600/Melt+Pond.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF84RgieS1LxQ2Kt8hGuhLsFAOAT0O_8Amkyx0RaP9huLjv0gOq0Aip3VEj8NDz-t3bAhTD2FZpTtcAsj0XgbPU8bFMc552YmbdJsMYtD2KzjfA0wMbZ7tIT147eZXz3ZjjVKtn9X7eo/s400/Melt+Pond.sm.png" width="268" /></a></div>
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Here's the first piece I did at the pond, after 8 years. The rocks under the water are often a very rich red. At the same time, the deeper the water gets, the bottom surface goes from an ochre to a turquoise. Then the sky reflection starts turning all the shadowed areas navy blue... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgxu-ebwA63i_bjat3agayYDhyV1SRBc992pD36psTGjYjMVBhW8OePrW5PWntRHy30jdetUQ2JvyKThX4nSIYR8J5ZeuJBdtR8WTpTWYoyt1Rx0DiZ7vnaqst_zrXVgy4M_IRQGAtMA/s1600/The+Shallows.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgxu-ebwA63i_bjat3agayYDhyV1SRBc992pD36psTGjYjMVBhW8OePrW5PWntRHy30jdetUQ2JvyKThX4nSIYR8J5ZeuJBdtR8WTpTWYoyt1Rx0DiZ7vnaqst_zrXVgy4M_IRQGAtMA/s400/The+Shallows.sm.png" width="286" /></a></div>
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A day or two later, same location, looking at a shallower spot, where you can see how red the rocks are underwater, while the shadows are reflecting the blue of the sky, but the shadow pulls the value way down... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9Tzko_-BrGN1pnuoc9P3BHTztWvgBHAHlEFN3VAxuhhrEYozw-NVsZLzPighIdEREP1gIrypXTEuTICHFpWSyfZ5x84_73EWrv1KRXbsNz0osD3-KQS8gf6OyJdp4hyk_-Z04cBXyCk/s1600/Late+August.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9Tzko_-BrGN1pnuoc9P3BHTztWvgBHAHlEFN3VAxuhhrEYozw-NVsZLzPighIdEREP1gIrypXTEuTICHFpWSyfZ5x84_73EWrv1KRXbsNz0osD3-KQS8gf6OyJdp4hyk_-Z04cBXyCk/s400/Late+August.sm.png" width="256" /></a></div>
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This image is about 20 feet to the left of the one above. The meadow that surrounds the pond is just an unkempt shag rug of multi-colored grasses, with little inlets from the pond cutting in. The boulder has a toupee of vegetation it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6-vehUsxzpkmJ2_kSbuKj_NZlrys7sTVKhjgJOPxSHPDgtV550hhEx-yFJHMKeee4_GgxdbdBYAEyo3snf1JJ_B6zKyeW0nD889EHtOSlSnuJnDUzGJFUCXFo734QtJrSe1DNpnioYo/s1600/Basin+Wall.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6-vehUsxzpkmJ2_kSbuKj_NZlrys7sTVKhjgJOPxSHPDgtV550hhEx-yFJHMKeee4_GgxdbdBYAEyo3snf1JJ_B6zKyeW0nD889EHtOSlSnuJnDUzGJFUCXFo734QtJrSe1DNpnioYo/s400/Basin+Wall.sm.png" width="257" /></a></div>
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We were right near the timberline, and there were very few trees above our position. Many of the pines that dwell up there resemble brooms of a sort, in that they are narrower at their base, and wider at the top, in contrast to the pyramidal icons we are familiar with. Above those regions are primarily rocky slopes, giving way to solid rock. This is a view of a ridge to the south, called White Bark Pass, which leads to the Nydiver Lakes and the Ediza drainage. The smoke from the fires added to the apparent atmosphere in views like this. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMXeBAuv3QEGBg6I7U1lW8ZiUL84eS8dMzh5Dr3sj2UYxyLxwHMvhMCLZThv_GCMWrzaAwJ4E7S-Qks_yisfIsijRXkGulMn68jyp9OPHBkABzYbbNdmt_lN7ThYvf3jK4mXdj38cO5A/s1600/Color+Depth.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMXeBAuv3QEGBg6I7U1lW8ZiUL84eS8dMzh5Dr3sj2UYxyLxwHMvhMCLZThv_GCMWrzaAwJ4E7S-Qks_yisfIsijRXkGulMn68jyp9OPHBkABzYbbNdmt_lN7ThYvf3jK4mXdj38cO5A/s400/Color+Depth.sm.png" width="301" /></a></div>
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Probably the most 'refined' piece I managed to do. This one is 9 x 12, and was painted on the 3rd day of hiking up there to study this stuff. Carol Marine made a very helpful suggestion while I was working: Squint!</div>
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Usually I do that to study value relationships, but in this case squinting actually made it clear how strong the sky color was overwriting everything under the water.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLA9KA16z-myh2TVrmSgnB5Eai-k72kMcvIcNp85np1Uu_A1-yObAsdSg0bd1d-kSrHmKtKNQPomTo0mo9Eb6TAOcICiI_BWIqeQXPidKPzcnyH44m4_c-O3KVs1w87kPb0oHf5mTfAs8/s1600/Picture+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLA9KA16z-myh2TVrmSgnB5Eai-k72kMcvIcNp85np1Uu_A1-yObAsdSg0bd1d-kSrHmKtKNQPomTo0mo9Eb6TAOcICiI_BWIqeQXPidKPzcnyH44m4_c-O3KVs1w87kPb0oHf5mTfAs8/s400/Picture+11.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Art show! Always a favorite (and humbling) part of the trip to see what everyone else has been doing. Lots of beautiful work. </div>
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I should also mention that on our way out, Paul slipped and dislocated his kneecap, leaving him totally immobilized in a matter of seconds. We were about 7 miles from the trailhead, and not on a regularly travelled path. Fortunately one person had a text based satellite phone, and another quickly hiked to a spot where there was cell coverage, so that in short order, 2 emergency calls were made reporting our position and the problem. Unfortunately we had to wait about 3 hours for a helicopter to show up to assess the situation. They circled us for a few minutes, sounded a siren briefly to acknowledge they spotted us, and then flew off. About an hour later they returned, and dropped a first responder named Megan. Following her assessment and guidance, we helped package Paul up, put him on a stretcher, and we all carried him up to the drop zone, where he was essentially zipped up into a giant duffle that the helicopter hauled up and whisked away. It was quite a departure from our usual hike out, and gave us a lot to think about. Everyone pulled together to help in whatever way we could, which was wonderful. In addition, it was evident that technology played a huge role in resolving the situation so rapidly. After the helicopter left, the hike out was quite a lighthearted affair, in late afternoon light, all the way to dusk and moonlight by the time we reached the pack station.</div>
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Another memorable trip with great folks. </div>
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-22386275108569846912015-06-14T13:48:00.000-07:002015-06-14T13:48:22.434-07:00Solo show and talk at the Studio GalleryEvery 18 months or so, Rab Terry and Jennifer Fariss, the owners of the <a href="http://www.studiogallerysf.com/Bill_Cone_15.php" target="_blank">Studio Gallery</a> in San Francisco kindly offer me a forum to exhibit work that I've compiled. As I work full time, it takes me awhile to accumulate enough pieces that are 'gallery worthy'. I primarily work plein air, but the impetus of a show like this encourages me to generate some studio pieces as well. This show is a good representation of my regular painting 'haunts': the routes I take to and from work in the east bay, some coastal pieces from my Pt. Reyes workshops, and work from my annual Sierra painting pack trip, plus the summer workshop I teach up at the Sierra Buttes. <div>
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The show went up a few days ago, and this afternoon is the reception. I'll be heading over soon. I'll also be giving a talk at the gallery, this Thursday, the 18th of June from 7-8. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOenmzfgedpkINSxgSMWCNSYx0xN0it3pO1NBMqxGdzJoJ22c9J7bPLfUlNkh_-ItUXL_7hyINAi_7NZhLW99LTUUKd3byCPs_e25XdN05bozjok2R5iwYQiyyopRktYPFDSFQMDWenk/s1600/studio.1.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimOenmzfgedpkINSxgSMWCNSYx0xN0it3pO1NBMqxGdzJoJ22c9J7bPLfUlNkh_-ItUXL_7hyINAi_7NZhLW99LTUUKd3byCPs_e25XdN05bozjok2R5iwYQiyyopRktYPFDSFQMDWenk/s400/studio.1.sm.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Part of the studio wall where candidate pieces for the show wait before being selected, signed and trimmed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGovFKKn97EUzChdRgs3Usy4oazYWs44Xx1j2nDzh4XFjpLUB0l_Fg80RlHz3vIt4iAlfPZQA9y_cSbCxE5n9eV1bAGpijYcvGwoHgnWqljqOE0WerLROfmPcVZ1ySRiOg6nd3i0V9Vk/s1600/studio.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGovFKKn97EUzChdRgs3Usy4oazYWs44Xx1j2nDzh4XFjpLUB0l_Fg80RlHz3vIt4iAlfPZQA9y_cSbCxE5n9eV1bAGpijYcvGwoHgnWqljqOE0WerLROfmPcVZ1ySRiOg6nd3i0V9Vk/s400/studio.2.sm.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some framed pieces line the crit rail, and a few other 'hopefuls' are pinned above.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbQqLNgT60Tag9vT_4vIEY5LiLd7NR53vJ5OusphPqi4uv77M9KAJlO_b7uCSIwR29SMHiDQe2HH3WR2_14DwtGNeWE7DaLOTkg5HJFR7xiD53Q9d64irCF8WKOlRiZoVlIA9Bjai318/s1600/studio.3.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbQqLNgT60Tag9vT_4vIEY5LiLd7NR53vJ5OusphPqi4uv77M9KAJlO_b7uCSIwR29SMHiDQe2HH3WR2_14DwtGNeWE7DaLOTkg5HJFR7xiD53Q9d64irCF8WKOlRiZoVlIA9Bjai318/s400/studio.3.sm.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The nerve wracking part of this process, after cleaning up all my edges, signing and photographing them, is to trim each piece within about 1/8th of an inch of its border, to fit it to the acid free foam core backing it will be hinge mounted to. </div>
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Here's a few pieces from the show:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX7ctyY8dOWYl2l8Y4NY96m_rLaIiS_o9OR1dyId1AdWqAhJVb_YUfKhRPtv98Y7v26w1v5K8YcYHGXwVBnhZ-XgAcbToB5XaULVNFn7_czSsA7pLUPbUqWnOKxyMP1halTSBp9yiZBo/s1600/Tomales+Bay.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX7ctyY8dOWYl2l8Y4NY96m_rLaIiS_o9OR1dyId1AdWqAhJVb_YUfKhRPtv98Y7v26w1v5K8YcYHGXwVBnhZ-XgAcbToB5XaULVNFn7_czSsA7pLUPbUqWnOKxyMP1halTSBp9yiZBo/s400/Tomales+Bay.2.sm.png" width="381" /></a></div>
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Tomales Bay</div>
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This was painted on site at the Marconi Conference Center during the CAC winter retreat. It benefitted from hanging all spring in the studio, where I had time to ponder how to clean up and organize the sky a little more. I've been studying skies and clouds at work as an ongoing project, so used some of my thinking from that exercise to explore temperature shifts as a way to separate very close values between the cloud and the sky.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pesxRo6lpN_yKae_x6mc6KVP0vC4H_f9MxD551ypqTBaCmzQzGd9HiJ4zFdCFZziIsyqo3q5rT7yyx429LXbbcvRg_ZcEYB3v419Hn0IECp8aonufkVjzAwfA8hfzkDjxbwVyOyCYII/s1600/Headwaters.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pesxRo6lpN_yKae_x6mc6KVP0vC4H_f9MxD551ypqTBaCmzQzGd9HiJ4zFdCFZziIsyqo3q5rT7yyx429LXbbcvRg_ZcEYB3v419Hn0IECp8aonufkVjzAwfA8hfzkDjxbwVyOyCYII/s400/Headwaters.sm.png" width="301" /></a></div>
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Headwaters</div>
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Painted up at the Sierra Buttes last summer, during my workshop. This is Love's Falls on the north fork of the Yuba River, which I've painted aspects of many times. I tried doing a large studio version of this, but it did not have vitality of the original plein air piece, so this one is in the show, and the studio version did not make the cut. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9daqr_bs2Fudcec83x0tdCAxZ-41dpDOpO7ofUaBUUBq5OhjD9xEK41I_wdBQrqY5EyaHSv4kaHv071VpkkuzI9MiMHhlOT8oduCpN5dvnFxefn96Xs0uvQHrsRb9g1yiPRqsDbcw74/s1600/The+Edge+of+Moonlight.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9daqr_bs2Fudcec83x0tdCAxZ-41dpDOpO7ofUaBUUBq5OhjD9xEK41I_wdBQrqY5EyaHSv4kaHv071VpkkuzI9MiMHhlOT8oduCpN5dvnFxefn96Xs0uvQHrsRb9g1yiPRqsDbcw74/s400/The+Edge+of+Moonlight.sm.png" width="351" /></a></div>
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The Edge of Moonlight</div>
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Here's a studio piece that did make it. Last summer's pack trip was up into the Sabrina Basin, to Drunken Sailor Lake. We were camped on almost solid granite, and there were a few other lakes within walking distance, including Moonlight Lake, which had a beautiful emerald/turqouise color to the water from glacial silt. This type of subject is a favorite one of mine because it combines aspects of water, plus a celebration of reflected light in shadow, which on pale granite manifests itself in subtle temperature shifts that vary from the angles of the rock.</div>
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That's it for now. I gotta run to the opening. Hope to see a few of you there. </div>
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Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-57919401799103824882015-04-18T09:53:00.001-07:002015-04-18T09:53:31.983-07:00Pt. Reyes Workshops: A few spots left for May, and a date for Sept.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-G2A2gyLRvDqFncgf0E0MjU0n_MdRDpEhc7kbDw44upNeMy7h6oi8DckE4fukhcvHcqPwagW5IxxoqeZCDcX-BdQ9GtXETizk8KEgtIJQNb_eEHPIUZQ6lHpq-Osl6Ve1pIVMk-mEIok/s1600/pr.10.14.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-G2A2gyLRvDqFncgf0E0MjU0n_MdRDpEhc7kbDw44upNeMy7h6oi8DckE4fukhcvHcqPwagW5IxxoqeZCDcX-BdQ9GtXETizk8KEgtIJQNb_eEHPIUZQ6lHpq-Osl6Ve1pIVMk-mEIok/s1600/pr.10.14.2.sm.png" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
My upcoming workshop out at the Pt. Reyes Historic Lifeboat Station in May has a few spots open. The workshop runs from Fri. evening, May 8th, to Sunday the 10th, around noon. We can walk to several great spots to paint from our storied accommodations, and if necessary, drive to other ones. It is an adventure to stay out on the rim of the continent in a sturdy old building with other artists. We have a potluck on Saturday night, where everyone pitches in with a contribution. There are several lectures and group critiques. We may have sunshine, fog, wind, and more than likely, all three. There is beautiful (and ever-changing) light here. For sign up information, go to this <a href="http://www.ptreyes.org/camps-classes-programs/field-institute/classes/light-point-reyes-en-plein-air-pastel-workshop" target="_blank">website</a>.<br />
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My next workshop at this location will be September 11-13th. This is a Fall session, and sign ups are not yet enabled on the website. I will keep you posted when they are open. If you have any questions, feel free to post in comments.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUZxaO6OOj537SYTe-8E-uGdx4PoDNEo8P7-L-CY4zmencClGZFAPsWXuWF2bxYfbI7XMvO1oFvDneNkrdl2ZLQaBLwOLpixzVKi_3mg41S6g1FB9K2XNtmLFfizsd5VITnoZFOjsS9k/s1600/Golden+Edges.4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUZxaO6OOj537SYTe-8E-uGdx4PoDNEo8P7-L-CY4zmencClGZFAPsWXuWF2bxYfbI7XMvO1oFvDneNkrdl2ZLQaBLwOLpixzVKi_3mg41S6g1FB9K2XNtmLFfizsd5VITnoZFOjsS9k/s1600/Golden+Edges.4.png" height="352" width="400" /></a></div>
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From the cliffs in the afternoon</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUb3o0m_IhV-YVqjadYRRPr5ofPDpHr94ltBSntzhuWkd-ZVfXxaBVCCv3I-198o00RSmQL-Efz5CgNQxGY8H6lKarqj6ZXAlWougn5o4bG4q2rX6ADiZ2xf20-KrzeItuR5HG3hp2dc/s1600/Steepwalk.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUb3o0m_IhV-YVqjadYRRPr5ofPDpHr94ltBSntzhuWkd-ZVfXxaBVCCv3I-198o00RSmQL-Efz5CgNQxGY8H6lKarqj6ZXAlWougn5o4bG4q2rX6ADiZ2xf20-KrzeItuR5HG3hp2dc/s1600/Steepwalk.2.sm.png" height="395" width="400" /></a></div>
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A morning demo </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAMDEkOrq3ar6d98cp1NHsvxeFOx9eMrc1AQEBuPWMoZhJpU_vMUVFo6BarzMx2uaJsmwjHnhNcXhPik855rg-u_OJmNE07oyuP_SJrPBU6n0ZKGFAsvy-yLY0SwsDtFaUWaj6dSyk2o/s1600/pr.10.14.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAMDEkOrq3ar6d98cp1NHsvxeFOx9eMrc1AQEBuPWMoZhJpU_vMUVFo6BarzMx2uaJsmwjHnhNcXhPik855rg-u_OJmNE07oyuP_SJrPBU6n0ZKGFAsvy-yLY0SwsDtFaUWaj6dSyk2o/s1600/pr.10.14.sm.png" height="263" width="400" /></a></div>
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The upstairs classroom where we have our indoor sessions</div>
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Pirate hats are not required, but do contribute to the 'sense of place'...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaf7LdnP9moUs7Dod9kA8ZgT8dNKNItOWELcXCVL9HTv-mmDvV6J6VitOcPUAQmvEnsGK4L496rT2SDBATiu1basmsOkaRi0bQahRM1Tuy8I4ykxBwd4PYsnQofZPu0A0poyOPF3F48c/s1600/pr.10.14.4.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaf7LdnP9moUs7Dod9kA8ZgT8dNKNItOWELcXCVL9HTv-mmDvV6J6VitOcPUAQmvEnsGK4L496rT2SDBATiu1basmsOkaRi0bQahRM1Tuy8I4ykxBwd4PYsnQofZPu0A0poyOPF3F48c/s1600/pr.10.14.4.sm.png" height="228" width="400" /></a></div>
Painting by the old park ranger's residence, a short walk from our accommodations.Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-75692215812952540872015-02-02T00:17:00.000-08:002015-02-03T08:02:02.850-08:00Gear Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in the late 90's, when I thought I would seamlessly transition from pastels to oils. I purchased an Open Box M pochade box, along with an umbrella and a tripod to mount the whole rig on. Once I decided to stick with pastels, I kept the umbrella, which I mounted on the tripod, while I sat nearby on a stool with my pastels laying on the ground in various boxes. That setup explains why I regularly lost so many umbrellas over the years. A gust of wind would periodically blow the whole rig away from me while I was seated on my stool, and when I couldn't grab it in time, would helplessly watch the umbrella transform into a wounded bird with a broken wing, never to fly, or shade, again....<br />
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One cannot blame the equipment for such ineptness on my part.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVkgxMlJWHjEIN8JHDqS4a__-GBEZkIdGftMBDcy_vb78MluKB3oHBwClz4bvyqsoGnWMSTXvdTN2zGQDXZfr-Fbz0JjStvQVmIlnCFcB-pR4WJF9ZRgE489JFhwdGQssxbfrXb2IOvw/s1600/outfit.1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVkgxMlJWHjEIN8JHDqS4a__-GBEZkIdGftMBDcy_vb78MluKB3oHBwClz4bvyqsoGnWMSTXvdTN2zGQDXZfr-Fbz0JjStvQVmIlnCFcB-pR4WJF9ZRgE489JFhwdGQssxbfrXb2IOvw/s1600/outfit.1.png" height="390" width="400" /></a></div>
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About 4.5 years ago, I did a <a href="http://billcone.blogspot.com/2010/06/ways-of-working-gear-talk.html" target="_blank">blogpost</a> on what gear I was then using for plein air work. I've altered my gear considerably since then, so I thought I'd give an update about what has changed, what has remained, and why. The photo above shows the setup I'm currently working with outdoors. </div>
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First off, kudos to the <a href="http://www.bestbrella.com/" target="_blank">Bestbrella</a>, which I'd just started to use back then. I'm happy to report that I've not broken a single umbrella since I started using it. I credit the entire system... the flexibility of the fiberglass umbrella ribs, the sturdy mount, and the poles, which are strengthened at the joints by a sliding tube. A gale wind will likely demolish anything, including this setup, but for most painting expeditions, this works very well. The weakest link in that system is the poles themselves, as they have a short threaded insert that can become loose over time, causing a bit of play and wobble. Patty Kellner, the owner of Bestbrella, advised me to fix that with a specific type of thread locking glue, and it does the trick. </div>
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Next up, I changed from a small <a href="http://www.all-in-oneeasel.com/" target="_blank">All-In-One easel</a>, to a <a href="http://heilmandesigns.com/" target="_blank">Heilman backpack box</a>, both of which will mount on a tripod. I enjoyed the All in One for its light weight, and ease of use, and it came highly recommended. The reason I discontinued using it was that I had developed some problems with numbness in my fingers after about 6 months. I have a full time job, where I daily use a computer with a tablet, so any plein air work with a specific configuration could either ease, or possibly exacerbate, any underlying issues I might be already having. Such was the case, unfortunately, with the configuration I was using at that point. The primary problem was that the image area was only an inch or so above the box holding the pastels. Think of a very small open suitcase with the pastels in the bottom, and the artwork mounted in the lid, set at 90°. In order to keep my wrist and arm out of the pastels, I started raising my elbow up to the height of my shoulder, and within a few months, I was suddenly dealing with numbness in my fingers, and a fair amount of pain in the tendons in my arm, etc. Conversely, the easel for the Heilman box is like a small music stand that plugs into the top of the box and keeps the image area comfortably separated from the pastels. In addition, the easel is slightly tilted, so that one is not, by default, restricted to a 90° angle on the work surface. I should note that All in one has since changed their hinge setup to allow for other tilts. In addition, many artists use their product with no issues at all. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoUZqiNx6n6tiUlGVcvteDP2qeXRzyk2QFHuAqPG9Qy3pu8feyCqUTNLz-hKY_wT5lxMzIhnS73aPYWXnlgVNWlT7Ko7rYMEgI9HhH5uUe1DjWqbRnW3Ej7dqUSF7qo6R9s-Tb9dDSwA/s1600/box.1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoUZqiNx6n6tiUlGVcvteDP2qeXRzyk2QFHuAqPG9Qy3pu8feyCqUTNLz-hKY_wT5lxMzIhnS73aPYWXnlgVNWlT7Ko7rYMEgI9HhH5uUe1DjWqbRnW3Ej7dqUSF7qo6R9s-Tb9dDSwA/s1600/box.1.png" height="205" width="400" /></a></div>
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A view above of the Heilman Box mounted on a tripod, with one compartment open. One of the benefits of this design is the way the foam covered box lids lock down on the pastels to prevent them from moving around during transport.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhcaRii7xvkPDMbUG3j5rtBi4fm5epn08vBScD0fnjsnBDuroVvMEn6uAbr6iRxoVMbm4kOd1Bfdjgb12Fm0nArYck-b0ROOh6vOuEd1e3E9eEjqClIW8abYF8turwCAbsVb_8B2MPfk/s1600/box.3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhcaRii7xvkPDMbUG3j5rtBi4fm5epn08vBScD0fnjsnBDuroVvMEn6uAbr6iRxoVMbm4kOd1Bfdjgb12Fm0nArYck-b0ROOh6vOuEd1e3E9eEjqClIW8abYF8turwCAbsVb_8B2MPfk/s1600/box.3.png" height="382" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is the easel mounted onto the box. It is adjustable, and has the capacity to keep the artwork well elevated above the sea of pastels below. This was the ergonomic remedy I was seeking. </div>
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Here is the bracket that mounts the box to the tripod. It is an Arca-Swiss compatible type, which is a wedge shaped mount that is an industry standard in professional grade photographic equipment. These brackets come in different lengths depending on the weight and size of the equipment to be mounted, and are available from many manufacturers. This one is made by Sunwayfoto.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguesrS1eimC6Y1eanFmB10NpRbD9z9NTFMFYhG1W-6iU0kEoloC1WQt-cYLFTJKewyecGa8wTiVwwjsKqjifEqOBWCYlsaZXSJYYLX0XGdIQ-6RbvNcYOVr-gpPD22fnSOQn6my08FipM/s1600/mount.1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguesrS1eimC6Y1eanFmB10NpRbD9z9NTFMFYhG1W-6iU0kEoloC1WQt-cYLFTJKewyecGa8wTiVwwjsKqjifEqOBWCYlsaZXSJYYLX0XGdIQ-6RbvNcYOVr-gpPD22fnSOQn6my08FipM/s1600/mount.1.png" height="378" width="400" /></a></div>
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For the tripod mount, I chose what is called a leveling base. Also available from several manufacturers, they offer a limited range of tilt, and are used to level equipment when the ground plane is uneven, without having to resort to changing the lengths of the tripod legs. This mount was designed for photographic use, but it serves some useful needs for the artist. First, the limited tilt range of a leveling base means that it is unlikely to unexpectedly flop so far over as to dump all your pastels out of the box. The tilt range of the mount I use is limited to 10° in any direction. I consider this a built in fail-safe mechanism. Like any regular ballhead type mount, it can swivel 360° in any direction, which is useful when a tripod has a non-rotating center column, as mine does. This means you can rotate your art and your pastels to keep work in the shade, or to paint a different view, without having to pick up and move the tripod.</div>
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The mount I use is made by Acratech. Here is another picture of it:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE1ol9GjOT8eroV9pfaGJvu7mU3x6-mV_svmBZbXcZj7kUSU2QZLeiIZ1DT7PVM2QnWVkHd4l-tzJFA9SorEVxTEECHx2h7ih2aX1s0uYKt7YR2hWkxW9sqLJpc_QjnUSeIeXVdrfXZk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-01+at+6.16.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE1ol9GjOT8eroV9pfaGJvu7mU3x6-mV_svmBZbXcZj7kUSU2QZLeiIZ1DT7PVM2QnWVkHd4l-tzJFA9SorEVxTEECHx2h7ih2aX1s0uYKt7YR2hWkxW9sqLJpc_QjnUSeIeXVdrfXZk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-02-01+at+6.16.56+PM.png" height="250" width="320" /></a></div>
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The top element is the Arca-Swiss compatible clamp that grips the wedge on the box. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdrLTWmdSuWc1dvDGtj_uo3tvNo0yWZhiMLKe8Lis9eFx3ELVcnDnpNIsipjue3mc-slw_A1v0Efoe4rni-duLHqlXvhvg-p7WVdQ2W76wvnp9mBhx9qqMGd47lRAPYpNuQGWE1IAjz0/s1600/mount.2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdrLTWmdSuWc1dvDGtj_uo3tvNo0yWZhiMLKe8Lis9eFx3ELVcnDnpNIsipjue3mc-slw_A1v0Efoe4rni-duLHqlXvhvg-p7WVdQ2W76wvnp9mBhx9qqMGd47lRAPYpNuQGWE1IAjz0/s1600/mount.2.png" height="311" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can see in this side view, how the box can be mounted level, while the center post of the tripod is off vertical, and the tripod legs are set at different angles. There are many types of mounts that can achieve this, but I chose what I did for simplicity, ruggedness, and light weight.</div>
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The primary qualities in a tripod that a plein air painter benefits from are stability, ease of use, and light weight. The weight is really only an issue if you regularly carry all your gear a fair distance to paint. Since I periodically hike several miles into some locations, I am always interested in lightening my burden. It is certainly true that I could lighten my load more effectively by going on a diet.</div>
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In picking the Gitzo 1541 I found I reduced the weight of my tripod by half a pound, and gained noticeably more stiffness and stability. The catch is that it cost more than 3x as much. I chose to use professional photographic equipment because it is designed to securely hold thousands of dollars worth of lenses stable, in all sorts of conditions, and still be portable and reliable.</div>
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In about 18 years of using tripods, this will be my third, and possibly the last one I'll ever need. Does that mean it's perfect? Nope. I do wish it had the leg angles I was used to on my old bogen/manfrotto, or the tripod sold by Easyl, that I last used, but I've compensated by setting one leg longer, and at a wider angle, than the other two, so that it has a stance not unlike a Gloucester easel, which gives it a stable footprint. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAb3pd851sAzpj1CnjS32MZ2s1plffKzHjVNIzOO8TFaHwJf1zg8mw2u6qOEZ-pJvCTk9xBhVZkhoPKMOfXhb05k3QrPxkC9V1shoNEseHou_VJ7U2THOI6u8IJA28M7Ue-SNwDi_sVSk/s1600/field.1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAb3pd851sAzpj1CnjS32MZ2s1plffKzHjVNIzOO8TFaHwJf1zg8mw2u6qOEZ-pJvCTk9xBhVZkhoPKMOfXhb05k3QrPxkC9V1shoNEseHou_VJ7U2THOI6u8IJA28M7Ue-SNwDi_sVSk/s1600/field.1.png" height="400" width="308" /></a></div>
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Here's a typical setup with a few other functional elements to point out. First, I do use a small accessory tray (available from Heilman) that hooks onto the side of the wooden box to store pastels that I'm using for a scene. In this picture, I'm also using the wooden lids to lean against the back of the easel to keep direct sunlight off my sticks. This does not work at all in the wind, by the way, and makes me miss the All in one box that self-shadowed my pastels by design. Lastly, I have a rag handy to clean my fingers and pastels while I work. And, like many, I still feel the need to haul more pastels around than will fit in my box, so you can see a Blue Earth box (and lid) sitting on top of my other sticks. What a mess! I can't say this is the 'ideal' setup by any means, but going this route has kept my RSI from recurring, improved overall stability, and lowered weight.</div>
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Addendum:</div>
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During my research, I did look carefully at mini-gloucester type setups where the box is mounted on the tripod legs, below the apex, and the artwork is on a separate easel that attaches to the tripod head. In terms of weight distribution, I think that is one of the most stable of all configurations, as it significantly lowers the center of gravity. Accordingly, I tried the Easel Butler out and also ordered a fitting that allowed me to mount the detachable Heilman easel to the tripod head. I was not satisfied with the result, however, as I was very nervous about the pastel box getting knocked off the 2 bars, as the weight of the box (~11 lbs) was enough to slightly tilt forward the aluminum cross brace holding the bars. Yes, one could bungee it on, etc., but at this point the setup starts to become more laborious, as the shelf has to be assembled and mounted, the box placed on it, then secured, the easel separately put on, etc. </div>
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If Heilman made a version of their box with a fitting that was dedicated to mounting on tripod legs, I would definitely give it a try. There are several such boxes made for painters, by the way, of which the <a href="http://artboxandpanel.com/collections/16679" target="_blank">Coulter</a> is perhaps one of the original, and simplest, versions of such a design. </div>
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Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-49276586916588878072014-12-13T12:28:00.000-08:002014-12-13T13:25:47.762-08:00Light and Color in Film - Winter 2015 Class at the Animation Collaborative<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last winter I taught this class for the first time, and enjoyed it very much, so am happy to have the opportunity to do it again. Though I've taught classes for many years on light and color, with an emphasis on observing and analyzing natural light, this class allows me to focus the curriculum on the kind of problem solving I do at Pixar, and while it may certainly be influenced and inspired by nature at times, it is primarily in the service of the narrative, and uses contrast and color as a means of expression, symbol, continuity, and other mechanisms that underly film design.</div>
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The class begins in late January, and runs for 12 sessions on Thursday evenings from 7-10. If you're interested, go to the Animation Collaborative web page <a href="http://www.animationcollaborative.com/light-and-color-in-film.html" target="_blank">here</a> to sign up. I am requesting a portfolio submission for this class to understand the skill set of the applicants, and to even it up a bit, if I can. I don't wish to discourage anyone from submitting, but I am looking for folks with enough art skill to engage with this subject with confidence. You'll be using your visual and conceptual skills to solve problems in film. It is NOT a beginning painting, or landscape class. We will be looking at film as a sequential structure, and how color plays a significant (and delightful) role in the process. That said, we will be venturing outside to paint a few times on the weekends to examine first hand how nature fits into the equation...</div>
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The image below is a compilation of lighting and set concept studies I did for an abandoned Pixar project called 'Newt', that was to be directed by Gary Rydstrom. The eagle eyes among you might suspect that the final image at the bottom is more than reminiscent of a certain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape,_Branchville#mediaviewer/File:Twachtman_John_Arques_la_Bataille.jpg" target="_blank">John Twachtman painting</a>, and they would be correct! Inspiration can come from anywhere when solving problems for film. The art of the 'dead' is a fantastic resource.</div>
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Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-1850673838182073462014-09-11T08:18:00.000-07:002014-09-11T08:18:12.142-07:00Upcoming Pt. Reyes Workshop Oct. 3-5I've been teaching workshops out at Pt. Reyes for several years, and have enjoyed the immersion into that particular landscape, as well as the camaraderie with the students that comes with a weekend adventure, painting and cooking together. This one is coming up in a few weeks, and I still have a few spots left. We will be staying at the Historic Lifeboat Station, an old Coast Guard Barracks, way, way out on the point, near Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse. Cliffs, cypress, seals, rolling hills, deer, cattle, and the ocean are right outside the door, so to speak. Go <a href="http://www.ptreyes.org/camps-classes-programs/field-institute/classes/light-point-reyes-plein-air-pastel-workshop-0">here</a> for more information, and to sign up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAzIfdwONqG7MiW7Uqj2wz0VtuX3bs2lEqxvWVgVMNX6pVWOgsc_5jpKAwVChsJixJQoXTX6ERBoKe12HE-4HZlE_5Z5v6QO-vfMzHJJmgKMKzIONe4rqaU-VZZ3MORdg7QekVzyRAH0/s1600/Western+Edges.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAzIfdwONqG7MiW7Uqj2wz0VtuX3bs2lEqxvWVgVMNX6pVWOgsc_5jpKAwVChsJixJQoXTX6ERBoKe12HE-4HZlE_5Z5v6QO-vfMzHJJmgKMKzIONe4rqaU-VZZ3MORdg7QekVzyRAH0/s1600/Western+Edges.sm.png" height="400" width="302" /></a></div>
<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-31412695151607582612014-09-07T14:56:00.001-07:002014-09-08T09:54:47.921-07:00Sierra Painting Pack Trip 2014<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A group of 8 artists, Paul Kratter, Terry Miura, Ernesto Nemesio, Michelle De Bragança, Robert Steele, Lori Putnam, and myself, hiked and rode up to (drunken) Sailor Lake in the Sabrina basin in late August. It was a bit of a long grind going up. But, no one was hung over, nor was it raining, so much better than some other years. I am not in great shape though, and the higher elevation of this spot really had an effect. At 11,000', I could only plod very slowly on any incline. If I went any quicker, I simply could not breathe and keep moving. Its pretty humbling. One lesson I learned years ago on these hikes was that I usually could not enjoy much of the view while moving, as I needed to constantly pay attention to where my feet were, to avoid falling on my face, so stopping in order to breathe was a great way to appreciate the scenery as we climbed out of the lake basin. We hiked around towards the back side of Sabrina, roughly level, among many small aspens, and then began to ascend, via switchbacks, and some long, steep inclines over talus slopes, crossing several watercourses along the way. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ahdLoVVjZV9DMOHPq20J2enbUCuY6qt3BConIbAadyGqog4GoYmi99xoM-R34vQ3iRn6L-XIQg73kqI8RO8M0L3FcRul4XhQAoITS1ApVxoFlq7WKaQIrmv4lt0MsU4fiXxhgSx7ZL8/s1600/group.1.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ahdLoVVjZV9DMOHPq20J2enbUCuY6qt3BConIbAadyGqog4GoYmi99xoM-R34vQ3iRn6L-XIQg73kqI8RO8M0L3FcRul4XhQAoITS1ApVxoFlq7WKaQIrmv4lt0MsU4fiXxhgSx7ZL8/s1600/group.1.sm.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The hikers at the Sabrina trailhead. L-R: Lori Putnam, Michelle De Bragança, Ernesto Nemesio, and Terry Miura.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBiSR6oAE_kYURZ1WLk3EzYjTZ_DXoV7nQsd11NssGipCsgV8MtkppEY2_HRh2eBmyB3U7vCOHDmFCu-192tjTnF0-ezihQyu2wVC1LVH34tK3ORcBk2OMgZa_SrgMtEbb69GANt0KSg/s1600/sabrina.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBiSR6oAE_kYURZ1WLk3EzYjTZ_DXoV7nQsd11NssGipCsgV8MtkppEY2_HRh2eBmyB3U7vCOHDmFCu-192tjTnF0-ezihQyu2wVC1LVH34tK3ORcBk2OMgZa_SrgMtEbb69GANt0KSg/s1600/sabrina.2.sm.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After a few hours of huffing and puffing the point of view begins to change. Those are the Piute Crag </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">looming behind the Lake Sabrina basin. Less than halfway there, but progress!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">About 3 miles in, after surmounting the back wall of the basin, we arrived at Blue Lake, which looked good enough to make us wonder why we needed to go any further, yet we were only half way to our destination. We stopped for lunch and a rest, then continued our upward journey through fox tail pines, amid a landscape dotted with huge erratic boulders, granite benches, walls, and numerous small ponds. We often found ourselves hiking over acres of solid granite, with the trail being marked by stones on either side.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00bOwTU_UdLyEYu17UfQawkprDn3WAFbsm434fNIH6h3y1a903TUC8UgZ5jeU5ZfOcvqbBHutSR4WKtDIFqWSx2muSbibi213JJufmP56gdGCoqbnNYAG9xFSfxarBeOL9nx2L_2ON5Y/s1600/blue+lake.1.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00bOwTU_UdLyEYu17UfQawkprDn3WAFbsm434fNIH6h3y1a903TUC8UgZ5jeU5ZfOcvqbBHutSR4WKtDIFqWSx2muSbibi213JJufmP56gdGCoqbnNYAG9xFSfxarBeOL9nx2L_2ON5Y/s1600/blue+lake.1.sm.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At Blue Lake (actually shot on the hike out). Pretty nice scenery and water here.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The mules had passed us at Blue Lake, so the 5 of us that elected to hike in, were strung out somewhere behind them. I straggled into camp in the late afternoon, met the cook, Ally, and her grandfather, Jerome, who was helping her out. They had a full on cook tent, that looked like a small house, with a metal frame, heavy canvas walls, and a large supply of propane tanks for cooking and heating. I grabbed my gear from the tarp, set up my tent, and started to survey the landscape possibilities.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzO4fF2uJRV0yd1ChyphenhyphenXMMhwg3CbdELXyCY74DCq9fJjAPkxHKSDcs6ulqa4DADHlDnsCCaWQ-H4TQ1-tGKS98OObmTPW-Hzd0w5aFgGIRnSsyqPOhfjgJ7zezVW2N-eR5Ysvgt1TGI2U/s1600/camp.1.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzO4fF2uJRV0yd1ChyphenhyphenXMMhwg3CbdELXyCY74DCq9fJjAPkxHKSDcs6ulqa4DADHlDnsCCaWQ-H4TQ1-tGKS98OObmTPW-Hzd0w5aFgGIRnSsyqPOhfjgJ7zezVW2N-eR5Ysvgt1TGI2U/s1600/camp.1.sm.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The view from camp towards Picture Peak. Mt. Haekel on the right, and Clyde Spires over the left shoulder. The cook 'house' to the right of Terry Miura.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> We were camped on the shores of Sailor Lake, which was, in my mind, more of a very shallow, meandering pond, in a descending glacial basin. About a quarter mile 'up' the basin to the west, was Hungry Packer Lake, out of sight over the U shaped ground plane that ended visually in the rocky slopes of Picture Peak, a ragged pyramid that dominated the skyline in that direction. To our left, was a small waterfall, fed from the outlet to Moonlight Lake, which could be reached by a short scramble. A curving wall of cracked granite flanked our north, dotted with small trees, over which some larger crags were visible. If we looked roughly east, down the basin, towards the desert floor, we could see the White Mountains glimmering faintly miles away, while the sloping foreground was a series of ponds, stands of pines, and boulders, which ended in Topsy Turvy Lake. The rest of our horizon was ringed with jagged escarpments and shattered rock slopes, well above the tree line.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G551eRt9O67qkewjW-jKYfKNv1iGrjfdTaTcwnBy_KoA5RMUpekTbfxqswcVY3rARMbUmqEAD4lOEG8KeftxlZxuTrSKIKfeF8v3bqaJI9u6coVUQcMkPUwLO0qDsKB7ezF8YoNga3Q/s1600/morning+shot.1.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G551eRt9O67qkewjW-jKYfKNv1iGrjfdTaTcwnBy_KoA5RMUpekTbfxqswcVY3rARMbUmqEAD4lOEG8KeftxlZxuTrSKIKfeF8v3bqaJI9u6coVUQcMkPUwLO0qDsKB7ezF8YoNga3Q/s1600/morning+shot.1.sm.png" height="251" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A study looking down the basin in morning light. 6 x 9", pastel on paper.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0InI_ZeaZ-hgF-IC0L-zyGzzrRDYxyMtvmy3uk-_aONmLrDaAaa3o-T4dO4txE185MMVCWDdT7UbcfxkJE_NOPVxihm3N09v6titA9fusNVfIw5XELIXD7mgMOkAUZRFiB2xzULyQSjI/s1600/Below+Camp.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0InI_ZeaZ-hgF-IC0L-zyGzzrRDYxyMtvmy3uk-_aONmLrDaAaa3o-T4dO4txE185MMVCWDdT7UbcfxkJE_NOPVxihm3N09v6titA9fusNVfIw5XELIXD7mgMOkAUZRFiB2xzULyQSjI/s1600/Below+Camp.2.sm.png" height="382" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's a wider view, looking the same direction, painted on the last morning of the trip.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrW1e0KRGaWp7RehjCU-ddZHbRxjnrMeWIoji5wnGniK8xMZ40n8nGQjwoX90XFgbsyfZCCGaXswc-1NSRXE72iRy9JzuNJgdaavLjs1abuU-_kCWUflEf6HsOnfDv9-fEllXIVV7KKA8/s1600/camp.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrW1e0KRGaWp7RehjCU-ddZHbRxjnrMeWIoji5wnGniK8xMZ40n8nGQjwoX90XFgbsyfZCCGaXswc-1NSRXE72iRy9JzuNJgdaavLjs1abuU-_kCWUflEf6HsOnfDv9-fEllXIVV7KKA8/s1600/camp.2.sm.png" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Morning Icon worship</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Charles Muench, who painted at this spot last year, had advised Paul and I that he felt the scenery was dominated by this singular view of Picture Peak. As a result, I deliberately avoided painting this view all week, though I did paint parts of the mountain. Others, however, went at the peak every morning from sunrise on. It was very convenient to paint from camp in the morning, as we were served hot coffee at our easels by Jerome. Quite a luxury in such a location. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKniCiQS1QBR1_5cRanLBT9blZH_FtEWrMw1b89lWUh9EAtdPmVD69gacYJ-SYjG-okJ-4vKxMWZ2GtgB_w-VtppeU2mlAqY62u9uD8CflmcrLuAaoN0tSaCaV1UdVOcZzaBK3haN_wg/s1600/North+of+Morning+Coffee.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKniCiQS1QBR1_5cRanLBT9blZH_FtEWrMw1b89lWUh9EAtdPmVD69gacYJ-SYjG-okJ-4vKxMWZ2GtgB_w-VtppeU2mlAqY62u9uD8CflmcrLuAaoN0tSaCaV1UdVOcZzaBK3haN_wg/s1600/North+of+Morning+Coffee.2.sm.png" height="400" width="321" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">North of Morning Coffee, 6 x 9, pastel on paper</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41sqntNm26x__vUdwlP-zQe6B7K42mpxala8PCAyRkMba6lExNUFyMHrdBh6oa0lYyqHrVYjPkA5TzD7rDVPgq3HDY-mV5jtyeTCdv8Ujm2Iuw7c77IeeRMXk1PafPdOzJNJlsjr2gW4/s1600/The+wall+to+the+west.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41sqntNm26x__vUdwlP-zQe6B7K42mpxala8PCAyRkMba6lExNUFyMHrdBh6oa0lYyqHrVYjPkA5TzD7rDVPgq3HDY-mV5jtyeTCdv8Ujm2Iuw7c77IeeRMXk1PafPdOzJNJlsjr2gW4/s1600/The+wall+to+the+west.sm.png" height="400" width="381" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Wall to the West, 9 x 9.5, pastel on paper</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's an example of painting just a part of Picture Peak, emphasizing atmosphere and scale relationships. Not painting the 'thing' or the object, but elements or aspects that can make for an interesting painting.</span></div>
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The first lake outside of camp that we visited was Moonlight lake, which was a 10 minute scramble to the south. It was big, deep, and unusually turquoise. Ernesto and I painted there one cloudy afternoon, then returned one sunny morning with everyone for a delightful day of painting, and even a little swimming, though it was too cold to stay in very long. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hDHf7iKDk1A0qlw9WR7wg0D9sbyz5s3rA84Ns3MKQRJ523aW-aZnUmQIIPMNmKnOenR17R7HCI1S92nnMCDpLnMsNBzd3RTw1lT-dwyjseQETR-mr3bVK-_z9k_C5RXCNRNHLWPFK3A/s1600/moonlight.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hDHf7iKDk1A0qlw9WR7wg0D9sbyz5s3rA84Ns3MKQRJ523aW-aZnUmQIIPMNmKnOenR17R7HCI1S92nnMCDpLnMsNBzd3RTw1lT-dwyjseQETR-mr3bVK-_z9k_C5RXCNRNHLWPFK3A/s1600/moonlight.2.sm.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCI3nbyPxFonZAbRl2j1QNJLkKDyYBVlSa7pyrbIzVxIeZ7uhrGc3cQqvdBhfeFhqQb1RG5ytPXYjWIsVB5KS1Od-cAPhQAoxY_54v2BpJyTMwA-IS3dv5DvUgyeSM06erjXoZ9TzIRk/s1600/Sun+Spot.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCI3nbyPxFonZAbRl2j1QNJLkKDyYBVlSa7pyrbIzVxIeZ7uhrGc3cQqvdBhfeFhqQb1RG5ytPXYjWIsVB5KS1Od-cAPhQAoxY_54v2BpJyTMwA-IS3dv5DvUgyeSM06erjXoZ9TzIRk/s1600/Sun+Spot.sm.png" height="400" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sun Spot, 9 x 9.5, pastel on paper</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My first painting from Moonlight Lake. The clouds built up pretty quick, but small spots of light would would periodically glow and drift amongst the peaks. This is a view of Clyde Spires, which is visible in the photo above, to the left of Picture Peak. I usually don't do very wide views, and this is a good example of how a small section of a scene will suit me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmd1tlWOfEY3U2NA0TtH9CmmbmzE_D0g_Uxz9jG5Eqt-5h3gUt_7Nzcd2pn8MKiQJTWyJzQMSOpSPUVt1l9hiuXZ0yHkGxYENsPjRR5GFW7j1h_rCNkrdWJqoc1VHmNdGlnqzsnpa5fg/s1600/moonlight.3.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmd1tlWOfEY3U2NA0TtH9CmmbmzE_D0g_Uxz9jG5Eqt-5h3gUt_7Nzcd2pn8MKiQJTWyJzQMSOpSPUVt1l9hiuXZ0yHkGxYENsPjRR5GFW7j1h_rCNkrdWJqoc1VHmNdGlnqzsnpa5fg/s1600/moonlight.3.sm.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A great day at Moonlight Lake. We are often on our own, so it is rare, and fun when everyone is in the mood to paint at the same spot. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvP66mZRXp04Or4JhXtREXtdPx-UoqOsCwQbrjGCsQpVP3QQvUx1qtYvkW5BMfjneCviqstUUqxcCocdvHu_llK5clh5W0aQ23g7WlB9kN7BoA_S_0VqK28u80SVlBk0lmxJjJH67l3ec/s1600/moonlight+shore.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvP66mZRXp04Or4JhXtREXtdPx-UoqOsCwQbrjGCsQpVP3QQvUx1qtYvkW5BMfjneCviqstUUqxcCocdvHu_llK5clh5W0aQ23g7WlB9kN7BoA_S_0VqK28u80SVlBk0lmxJjJH67l3ec/s1600/moonlight+shore.sm.png" height="400" width="378" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Moonlit Shore, 9 x 9.5, pastel on paper</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The south shore of the lake nearest us was full of boulders and cliffs that ran down into the turquoise water. I picked a small section of that to paint.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdG4t3dIIr9faIRMY035m8pCq0uCSE9hTxqbQNNdNPG0O2XK7Gm1pPHFEl_XukQ7Jx4wVq7bchLN1g5zKi7_K44JPUToWMgiRJHoZRza4jqdwYl02nOosDwIlchA1VxTIi1vZIHF7kMTI/s1600/Cloud+Study.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdG4t3dIIr9faIRMY035m8pCq0uCSE9hTxqbQNNdNPG0O2XK7Gm1pPHFEl_XukQ7Jx4wVq7bchLN1g5zKi7_K44JPUToWMgiRJHoZRza4jqdwYl02nOosDwIlchA1VxTIi1vZIHF7kMTI/s1600/Cloud+Study.sm.png" height="400" width="258" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cloud Study, 6 x 9, pastel on paper</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had several consecutive days of cloud build up that threatened a big downpour, yet we never had rain, just masses of cumulus looming over the peaks to the west, then dissipating towards the desert to the east. The edge of this mass would swell and retreat for hours, constantly shifting in form and color.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the evening the clouds would create enormous variations of light and shadow patterns on the peaks, from ridiculous and unpaintable to sublime 19th century evocations, channeling Bierstadt and his ilk. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQDvXnEUP3g0VmhUI67awAefNXiiEgB2JSgsJluIR20XhXxV2Rr5Nh7CwvmBba9vRHJOr4W0qN4TEXL2Ozkl7hEFnsmuJBGccqB62kQbW5gEflOT60KwO17nuk-jfwE5_AHa_E4BDtNc/s1600/evening.1.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQDvXnEUP3g0VmhUI67awAefNXiiEgB2JSgsJluIR20XhXxV2Rr5Nh7CwvmBba9vRHJOr4W0qN4TEXL2Ozkl7hEFnsmuJBGccqB62kQbW5gEflOT60KwO17nuk-jfwE5_AHa_E4BDtNc/s1600/evening.1.sm.png" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Don't try this at home...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaHhPPZc_tKg9Lo_l915Lk4GsI0U2eS4RLfSa1NednXYjLOR0Z_M5z1_B2wx2XHfVuKc52qLrR4OHIa5E6pAAJ11bN1ECV0cIZz7oSUL7NgmkR7m82NF1iwMREttSd5Lckb-UFRhfHSA/s1600/evening.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaHhPPZc_tKg9Lo_l915Lk4GsI0U2eS4RLfSa1NednXYjLOR0Z_M5z1_B2wx2XHfVuKc52qLrR4OHIa5E6pAAJ11bN1ECV0cIZz7oSUL7NgmkR7m82NF1iwMREttSd5Lckb-UFRhfHSA/s1600/evening.2.sm.png" height="320" width="246" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Better.....</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had one day of wind on the trip that just wore us out. It started blowing around 5 am, and did not quit until around 9 that night. Gust were strong enough to demolish one person's tent. I don't know how my cheapo, Big 5 dome tent held up, but it did. Maybe because I piled rocks at all 4 corners to hold down the poles. I still did 2 paintings that day. I put rocks in my tripod bag and hung it from the center post to keep everything from blowing over. No umbrella was possible. I just faced towards the sun, and held a board up with one hand to shade my colors, or huddled near cliffs and trees, to keep the light off my work. People think we are in some kind of paradise up there, but it can be really difficult conditions to work in at times. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFao3gXGbnr0Bcnthyphenhyphen7XDHSL7HuDV9Jj-YWpylEYlshk0G3I7H4RYXc2VErPrXtRYvRvue5_p4br_Owbr2sIMFAi12hgNwliCr4oB42j-szNlpLKxoS-JUEvRZsgPITCgWSmGMIfnF9Xg/s1600/Talus+Wind.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFao3gXGbnr0Bcnthyphenhyphen7XDHSL7HuDV9Jj-YWpylEYlshk0G3I7H4RYXc2VErPrXtRYvRvue5_p4br_Owbr2sIMFAi12hgNwliCr4oB42j-szNlpLKxoS-JUEvRZsgPITCgWSmGMIfnF9Xg/s1600/Talus+Wind.sm.png" height="400" width="271" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Talus Wind, 6 x 9, pastel on paper</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The first painting of the day in strong, gusting wind.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliCtN2nzH3ngw-kPp1Bxhv9z4u9Mk37HqxmngTxuhYIE6oFaUih83UuI9E80v7dcD8wuTIAdxJ3OfliumbdW4IY5X31gSNFp-JocqwVk9PKAoLbpILkMwwMX1tNYvEovDZdIXNYEHiok/s1600/waterfall.2.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliCtN2nzH3ngw-kPp1Bxhv9z4u9Mk37HqxmngTxuhYIE6oFaUih83UuI9E80v7dcD8wuTIAdxJ3OfliumbdW4IY5X31gSNFp-JocqwVk9PKAoLbpILkMwwMX1tNYvEovDZdIXNYEHiok/s1600/waterfall.2.sm.png" height="400" width="373" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Waterfall, 9 x 9.5, pastel on paper</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdCDuo5oB-edKF_nVUIM9pSb7ePGYn_BOsLXASgKaLH-RS3-xA3xmnz15iaVjbzUmPDSFsC20pq7HXc0T2cSn2cdt5r_XsuFN0i7KtUvm3kgX51nhtvVbsWfobyOJHT1NlSS2iN1J7sE/s1600/dusktent.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdCDuo5oB-edKF_nVUIM9pSb7ePGYn_BOsLXASgKaLH-RS3-xA3xmnz15iaVjbzUmPDSFsC20pq7HXc0T2cSn2cdt5r_XsuFN0i7KtUvm3kgX51nhtvVbsWfobyOJHT1NlSS2iN1J7sE/s1600/dusktent.sm.png" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The wind blew until well after sunset, so we all crammed into the cook's tent on the last night, which was the best thing ever. It was toasty in there. Nothing like suffering all day, then celebrating with good pals near the end of an adventure.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15HnLINEOtCMmI89Mx7lztlGZcbCAcgoGzp3LRJpDw-4-tYERA8OfoF-FqJtkCHBmGfrNIB0EEibHSu0OstaoLZgMgNVilaCnHGlUTZ_w_xs36vsOq121UaSh-XSyv_GJW9C1v3TUdcc/s1600/Picture+33.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15HnLINEOtCMmI89Mx7lztlGZcbCAcgoGzp3LRJpDw-4-tYERA8OfoF-FqJtkCHBmGfrNIB0EEibHSu0OstaoLZgMgNVilaCnHGlUTZ_w_xs36vsOq121UaSh-XSyv_GJW9C1v3TUdcc/s1600/Picture+33.png" height="400" width="375" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We held a pop up Art show the next morning before we hiked out. It is always a revelation to see the range of work everyone produced. Even when we painted in the same location, we chose different things to paint. Very inspiring. </span></div>
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Comparison with the other locations: I do feel that there were scenic elements common to Iceberg, the Nydivers, Ediza, Chickenfoot on the Mt. Morgan side of the lake, and the upper Garnet melt pond area, all within about a 15 minute hike from camp. So, after ten years, there is a lot of familiar territory to be found in a location like this. That is a big plus. The wind was a negative, but it can be dealt with. </span><br />
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As a postscript, I must add the following:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had the worst toilet EVER on this trip. It was so bad it was funny, and was a topic of conversation throughout the week. It was a kid sized toilet seat that was loosely duct taped to a milk crate with a garbage bag stuffed below. This getup was sandwiched between two blue plastic tarps that would blow into you whenever a breeze came up. A complete ergonomic and hygienic insult in every possible way at every juncture of the process. I finally resorted to seeking other options a discreet distance from camp that were far more functional and comfortable than this setup.</span>Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-89420439086179495582014-07-01T16:21:00.001-07:002014-07-01T16:25:26.393-07:00Spring into Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been able to get outside to paint fairly regularly since January, on my own, as well as during some workshops I've been teaching, and with small groups of fellow artists. Here's a selection of pieces from about February to June with some notes and observations. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oqBoWvypMrlw3gYMrY3wht8nBiQS6IGGMYLbVn14WnZzZORAj5qs5tHh_bi-jWSoIB-Y2aaEOEmLX7KmVXUVNFswo23lwGr7cGi9L19RnlxcMUhRBslC4byE4e34rO-_IVecSmq-Exw/s1600/Caldecott+in+Spring.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7oqBoWvypMrlw3gYMrY3wht8nBiQS6IGGMYLbVn14WnZzZORAj5qs5tHh_bi-jWSoIB-Y2aaEOEmLX7KmVXUVNFswo23lwGr7cGi9L19RnlxcMUhRBslC4byE4e34rO-_IVecSmq-Exw/s1600/Caldecott+in+Spring.sm.png" height="320" width="294" /></a></div>
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The hills around the bay stayed green for several months in spite of the drought. Depending on the position of the sun one may see the rich translucent color of grass as in the image above, or less saturated range one gets from other angles that reflect the light of the sky. Viewed through the curtain of atmosphere, even the saturated greens attenuate towards the blue. Its a range of color specific to those conditions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS0-ZNEzVUSRM1SPgpGcVdVAIEBuwZcXV_UTI8kXYPtYGKdeRkJpcbO84aXuoP7lWPKWCxs_QDoRVG1L6bPPc45hc3g3cQ1LA1Bj1a0pxgOT73Kvk8NrFcGXS41l9gM6UE2Q5S85GxYU/s1600/Ranch+Road.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS0-ZNEzVUSRM1SPgpGcVdVAIEBuwZcXV_UTI8kXYPtYGKdeRkJpcbO84aXuoP7lWPKWCxs_QDoRVG1L6bPPc45hc3g3cQ1LA1Bj1a0pxgOT73Kvk8NrFcGXS41l9gM6UE2Q5S85GxYU/s1600/Ranch+Road.sm.png" height="320" width="299" /></a></div>
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For several weekends in February, I would drive out towards the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse at the southwestern tip of the land, passing all the alphabet ranch properties (Historic Ranch E, F, G, etc.) This area, cloaked in muted browns during fall and winter, resembles one vast Andrew Wyeth type panorama, with windswept hills, old barns, cattle roaming the hills. The range of green in winter and spring evokes other qualities and moods, and driving out there one constantly finds views on the way to one's destination that are tempting to paint. I must have seen this 3 or 4 times before I finally pulled over to paint it. One constant throughout the year is that any tree that has matured will betray the prevailing direction of the wind, whether it is blowing or not. In addition, this tree has been manicured to clear the road. I may still work on this one to push the road going into shadow more, as well some edge transitions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfjyGMdkcngm35yTqg3cSef1fvaaE79zQJQebc21aDSPhXeQjag8nsCTumBJg6cLPwaUlDu2HUmPp7ypx7hsOmHIhwfLg1MhJyN3SgwzHQzuxTHq1a0qg309lWpOIyNuF1e88gqgWndw/s1600/Western+Edges.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfjyGMdkcngm35yTqg3cSef1fvaaE79zQJQebc21aDSPhXeQjag8nsCTumBJg6cLPwaUlDu2HUmPp7ypx7hsOmHIhwfLg1MhJyN3SgwzHQzuxTHq1a0qg309lWpOIyNuF1e88gqgWndw/s1600/Western+Edges.sm.png" height="400" width="302" /></a></div>
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There's alway rocks to paint regardless of the season. This was painted in March during a workshop I taught in Pt. Reyes. We were painting along the edge of a cliff, a short hike from the Historic Lifeboat Station, where one could see the mist between folds in the cliff picking up a warm bounce off the sunlit sides facing away from us. Frequent marine painters must be very familiar with this effect, but from a painting point of view it was a quality I hadn't consciously examined before. One more sublime artifact of facing towards the light</div>
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On a warm day, I will often drive into Canyon to paint. Its a narrow valley with several redwood groves in it, not far from where I live. There's a small creek that meanders alongside the road, rimmed by bay laurel, redwood, and oak, with copious amounts of blackberry and poison oak. I find that even in mid-day, one can find interesting patches of light streaming through the foliage, dappling whatever forms it comes to rest on. The challenge of these scenes is that they have a very short life span, as the dapples slide off whatever they were illuminating in a matter of minutes. Sometimes another patch of light comes along that conveniently substitutes, and other times you are left to your own devices. This is where a field sketch done prior to the start is helpful insurance. </div>
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There's a few reasons dapples are so elusive. A ray of sunlight that passes through a tree has been filtered and cropped by branches and leaves countless times so that a single dapple is a brief, fortuitous alignment of numerous 'holes' before it hits the ground. The slightest breeze, and/or the relentless motion of our planet will eventually eclipse that narrow opening. Another cause is that the field of view in an image like this can be quite small, and the narrower the field, the more rapid a pinhole projection of the sun will appear to move across that space. The same effect occurs when looking at the moon through a telescope on a tripod. The more it is magnified, the faster the moon slides out of view through the eyepiece. It is simply the rotation of the earth that is manifested by these observations, whether through the telescope, or just painting in a forest on a summer's day. </div>
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These are the familiar colors of summer in my part of the world...the 'golden' hills of California which are dotted with manzanita, scotch broom, and the small oaks that find enough moisture in the folds and seeps of the terrain. What can be fun to observe and paint is the range of color in shadow, and how that relates to the warm sunlight reverberating amongst the yellowed and reddish hues of the grasses. In shadow, the washed out, yellow grasses are subject to the cool ambient light of the sky, which can give them a relatively greenish cast on certain folds of the hills in the distance. In addition, near the edge of the shadow/light zones, the brilliant complement of colors becomes evident, which I think is due as much to the strength of natural light as to our own visual process which generates an exaggerated complementary response when confronted with a field of saturated color that changes value and temperature abruptly. I do believe that if one isolated and measured the actual colors between these two areas, they would not be as complementary as we perceive in the context of bright sunlight. So what do we paint? Color as measured in isolation, or our response to color in bright light seen in the context of other colors? I tend to err on the latter choice, as our paintings can only approximate a compressed version of the strength of natural light anyways, and the visceral, physical perception to me is an honest and personal response. Paint the effect. We are not reproducing nature.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WrFZ1vG2KyDsnYdpyTwk57GWiZmMGWJVoSHjdurTTFI_xx46MsOYx3vkm7GALgiQy3NY4FXyEsxlzcIsIhkdnCLdwsEmO9ONayWhIUkdYPZ3fy282P1SDhivPuFmMvxJNsDmZbL_2iM/s1600/Creek+Reflection.sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WrFZ1vG2KyDsnYdpyTwk57GWiZmMGWJVoSHjdurTTFI_xx46MsOYx3vkm7GALgiQy3NY4FXyEsxlzcIsIhkdnCLdwsEmO9ONayWhIUkdYPZ3fy282P1SDhivPuFmMvxJNsDmZbL_2iM/s1600/Creek+Reflection.sm.png" height="320" width="296" /></a></div>
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Here's another one I'll probably work on some more, or head back to the spot and do more studies. I'm drawn towards the modulation of color in the water, how the submerged branches sit 'under' the water, and the foliage textures as a pattern on the upper right. The reflection on the left also inverts the gradient of the sky along the edge of the tree. That's enough right there to convince me to do more, in order understand the play and balance of these elements better. I think there's an idea for a more refined result than what I was able to achieve in one outing. I've been reading the journals of Eugene Delacroix, and he has some very thoughtful observations about painting that are getting under my skin. It is stimulatingto have a voice talking from the 1850's, like some sort of 'art conscience' whispering in my ear.Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-8495597636940019512014-05-15T17:39:00.000-07:002014-05-16T08:35:00.919-07:00Saying Goodbye to TwilightWhen I first started seriously trying to do lighting studies with pastels on the movie, A Bug's Life, back in the mid-90's, I tried working on black Canson paper, as my inspiration for this, Ralph Eggleston, the Art Director of Toy Story, had done the same. However, I found in short order that I could not put down enough color to overcome the effects of the black ground, as Ralph could do so beautifully, so I went looking for other, less 'extreme' color choices. I quickly settled on the color called 'Twilight', as it was a middle value, and the violet grey tone seemed to be harmonious with shadows and atmosphere in natural light, or at least the kind of light I was attempting to portray in my studies.<br />
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During that time, I started taking my pastels with me on bike rides around Pt. Richmond at lunch time, attempting little studies of nature, as I had noticed how fast the medium seemed to be. That violet grey paper worked pretty well outside. As I became more interested in working out of doors, the pastels<br />
came with me on summer vacations to Oregon and Canada, and I incorporated the color Tobacco, a rich, warm brown, in my paper arsenal to allow for the colors of lakes, rivers, and streams I was studying.<br />
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About 3 years into this process, I began teaching periodic classes about the effects of natural light at work, to get folks that were lighting shots on computers, out of their offices to 'light shots' in nature, so to speak. Naturally I recommended they all use Twilight and Tobacco...one for atmospheric views, and the other for creeks. That is my basic history with the use of those two colored papers over the last 18 years, though I have explored, and used, other colors.<br />
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Over the last few years I had noticed that Twilight was in short supply at local retail outlets, and had taken to ordering it in bulk from online sources. As I was prepping to teach a workshop, I wrote an online supplier asking about the shortage. He, in turn wrote Canson, and forwarded me their reply, which read as follows:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 12px;">Twilight just didn't make the cut when Canson trimmed the colors to 50. Purely a business decision based on sales. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Interestingly, I had started trying other lighter valued papers in the last few years, as I had noticed that I was getting a different range of brightness in the results, and perhaps the Twilight paper was making that expression more difficult. That said, I still use it regularly, but am left with a few conundrums to ponder: </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What to do when a reliable item one has been using for years is no longer being made?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">How much of our work relies upon, or is defined by a specific element in our process?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The short answer to both these questions is "Stock up, and move on."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">First off, I did locate and purchase enough sheets to last me awhile, but I am also fine with exploring other colors, and even surfaces. It turns out that Twilight is still in production in the 'Touch' line of lightly sanded papers that Canson produces out of Australia. Meanhwhile, I'm working with Moonstone, Dawn Pink, and Flannel Grey, among others. I don't feel, nor do I wish to be reliant on a single color or surface to produce work that satisfies me.</span><br />
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In closing, here is a selection of my pastels done on Canson Twilight over the years as a tribute to its functional versatility.</span><br />
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So long Twilight!</span><br />
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-47835468972777693432014-02-09T15:12:00.001-08:002014-02-09T19:25:58.941-08:00Rainy Day Notes (and some workshop info)<div style="text-align: left;">
I've been more busy at work this past year, than I have been in awhile, so my personal work gets set aside, or at least takes a back seat to other issues. We've finally got some rain, and it was a good weekend to stay home, watch some of the Olympics, and do some cooking. This rainy morning provided the view of the hill beyond our back fence with a lovely, subdued value range, as well as palette of interesting colors...minty greens, warm browns, violets, and blue greys, everything harmonized by a steady, misting rainfall. I decided to put off cooking more comfort food, while watching young athletes tear up the slopes in Sochi, in favor of painting a view from our back bedroom door. </div>
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I see this view every morning when I wake up and look out the sliding glass door to see what the weather is up to. As we've been exceedingly dry this winter, the young grasses only turned that minty green about 2 weeks ago. Behind our house, there is a slight rise, and then it somewhat levels off for a few hundred feet before a small but steep slope rises up like a wall, covered with small oaks, and one old buckeye tree that shows its lichen covered bony branches every winter. At the base of the hill are a blend of ferns, blackberry vines, poison oak, and a few fennel plants. That's a scotch broom shrub in the mid-ground. All this is habitat for deer, coyotes, turkeys, bunnies, quail, and what have you. Tics are abundant.<br />
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Rain on the Back Hill, 14 x 14, Pastel on Paper</div>
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Since I last posted, I taught a workshop out at Pt. Reyes at the lifeboat station, way out on the southern west corner of the park. This is a pretty stark and dramatic landscape that is also subject to rapid changes in the weather. You can go from fog to sunshine in short order, and vice versa. The Lifeboat Station is a sturdy historic building with a kitchen, and bunks. A perfect retreat and place to stay snug at night. I'll be teaching another workshop out there in April. More information to be found here:<br />
<a href="http://www.ptreyes.org/camps-classes-programs/field-institute/classes/light-point-reyes-plein-air-pastel-workshop">Pt. Reyes Workshop</a><br />
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Sitting in the rain, and thinking about summer, the workshop I teach up at the Sierra Nevada Field Campus every summer is now open for registration as well. Hope to see some folks this spring or this summer. Plenty of info on the Sierra workshop in previous year's posts, as well as on the <a href="http://www.sfsu.edu/~sierra/Courses.html">website</a>.<br />
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-64893368466146367022013-12-20T11:43:00.001-08:002013-12-20T19:32:47.039-08:00Light and Color Design for Film, A Class at the Animation CollaborativeI'll be teaching a 12 week class at the Animation Collaborative, starting in late January. This is not a pastel workshop, it is a class that focusses on developing and orchestrating a light and color based plan for a film.<br />
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While I will be talking about the influence of natural light as part of my process, we will cover other aspects as well. This is a very deep subject, and though I don't claim to have a thorough understanding of it from every angle, I have been working in this area since 1995, so you'll get the benefit of my experience(s). I promise I will teach everything I know about this topic. There will be a series of ongoing assignments and homework. Plenty of lectures and examples. One on one critiques, as well as group. If you're interested, please submit a portfolio (online link to your work) to the <a href="http://www.animationcollaborative.com/light-and-color-in-film.html">Animation Collaborative</a>. All images below are the copyright of Disney/Pixar.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKIUf3dvacG_Kmxgm_IIUcy1TvLZc41OVJvjsGdk7XuL4PnHTs2e9LpJpcUM-zxwziLqqonn37GnMTdcHyxZB3nIjKAMV3mcOUA0clTfiQcYQ22D1FQzayUzv8sXBWwTusK-Zyd8NNso/s1600/ABL.sm.6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKIUf3dvacG_Kmxgm_IIUcy1TvLZc41OVJvjsGdk7XuL4PnHTs2e9LpJpcUM-zxwziLqqonn37GnMTdcHyxZB3nIjKAMV3mcOUA0clTfiQcYQ22D1FQzayUzv8sXBWwTusK-Zyd8NNso/s320/ABL.sm.6.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
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Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-83406099083015385402013-10-02T00:10:00.003-07:002013-10-02T00:11:59.740-07:002 From the Studio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've been pretty busy the last month or so at work, and also prepping for an upcoming solo show at the <a href="http://studiogallerysf.com/">Studio Gallery</a> in San Francisco. Between framing, and also working some weekends for my 'day job' I began to run down the clock to get some studio pieces done for the show, so I ended up withdrawing from the Sonoma Plein Air event, which I have participated in pretty regularly over the last 10 years, in order to free up a weekend to work. At any rate, I was able to finish a few studio pieces, which for me was a minor triumph, as I am still trying to find a balance with that work, between nature, invention, memory, and reference. These two pieces were based on studies I had done this summer, and I believe can be seen in some previous posts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U7rm5uDzq88LaNgMkcR39PWmBDZKjJiYjn5XIVb3efh12mlW_7BOA0UjpEGGdMpVfyIWhXDmyEexSF6I4MSZbt411lFTLTxV3OgB5K0NDxv7zHtkhxx_2M8KVdmjpWLSyLNz3AbqbmQ/s1600/Sliver.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5U7rm5uDzq88LaNgMkcR39PWmBDZKjJiYjn5XIVb3efh12mlW_7BOA0UjpEGGdMpVfyIWhXDmyEexSF6I4MSZbt411lFTLTxV3OgB5K0NDxv7zHtkhxx_2M8KVdmjpWLSyLNz3AbqbmQ/s640/Sliver.sm.jpg" width="409" /></a></div>
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Sliver</div>
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This is from a view across Lake Ediza from our campsite in August. I had abandoned chasing elusive sunrise colors hitting the peaks in favor of sipping a cup of coffee at 6:20, and watching the light roll down the cliffs like a window shade, moving from brick red, through crimson, orange, and yellow. I tried different views each morning, once the light settled down, and picked this one to explore further at a larger scale, in the static and contemplative studio environment. The original study was about 6 x 9, and I felt I could take it larger, and still have elements to refine and play with. I do fully realize that my idea of 'large' is someone else's 'small'. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDLD35QmNclSXAiAml0-tCVC-Sv7lRZIeNrBNYF0dEcWLB6IMe7ts0qUB9b2UxIfXDm6HBcs94SEzOZP2wAUfDskymjHfiFfKvi4pr9cfpUKJsAw_Xjndy8lPmWKW0KR94-_HKbCYoGA/s1600/Below+Yuba+Falls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDLD35QmNclSXAiAml0-tCVC-Sv7lRZIeNrBNYF0dEcWLB6IMe7ts0qUB9b2UxIfXDm6HBcs94SEzOZP2wAUfDskymjHfiFfKvi4pr9cfpUKJsAw_Xjndy8lPmWKW0KR94-_HKbCYoGA/s640/Below+Yuba+Falls.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Below Yuba Falls</div>
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20 x 13</div>
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(you may need to click on the image to see a wider view)</div>
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I painted a few studies from this spot during a workshop in July. The location is in a gorge right below a Pacific Crest Trail footbridge that crosses over the Yuba river, a few miles below Bassett's Station in the Sierra Buttes region. It is a great spot to paint on a hot summer day, as one can go swimming afterwards, or just keep moving around in the shade and painting different views of rocks and water. While I was here with my class, painting away, several groups came down to swim in this area, jumping off of rocks, and whooping away. What first seemed to be a remote and peaceful spot, suddenly was transformed into 'the old swimming hole' for the locals, as well as the overheated artists, and the odd, bearded, 'through-hiker' that stripped to his american flag boxers and partook of the soothing waters amidst the menagerie of painters and whooping, pot smoking teenagers.</div>
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I am convinced one can go into the studio, armed with the outdoors experience, the studies at hand, the photo reference, and get something that can surpass the work done solely in the field. </div>
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My show opens tomorrow, and the reception is this Sunday, October 6th, from 2-6. I'll be there, and I'll also be giving a talk next week at the gallery, on a Thursday evening, the 10th at 7 pm. If you're in the neighborhood, come on down.</div>
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Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-168904918631245432013-08-23T17:59:00.000-07:002013-09-08T12:37:25.532-07:002013 Sierra Packtrip, Part III: Getting down to work.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After hiking to Iceberg and the Nydiver lakes the first 2 days, I was ready to move less and paint more. Accordingly, after doing a morning painting in camp, and having another tasty breakfast from Kelly, our stellar cook, I shouldered up my pack and walked a very short distance over to one of the creeks that runs down from the upper reaches of the basin into Ediza. There were numerous small pools and waterfalls of varying size to choose from as I wandered along the banks. I found one pool that had enough depth to show the shift in water color, as well as having some whitewater, and a nice reddish, submerged boulder. The spot was surrounded by a thicket of trees, so I could work in the shade for quite some time. Just what I was looking for. This was a fun piece, though it didn't start to fully work until I put in the white water moving across the surface to give it a better perspective context. The water was rough enough that the rocks at the bottom were broken up and distorted in the deeper areas, so I had to generally depict them in fragments of the right color. There's an excellent oil by Sargent that I saw at a retrospective in Seattle over 10 years ago. It is about a 6 foot long painting, depicting a ship at a stone breakwater. When I was working on this piece, I started thinking about how Sargent had thrown down such loose and colorful paint to make a convincing depiction of underwater rocks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGdmmaW01nj2BGUkqxLKGgvlpaa7rGU0P2QBAFLK8yCfcdu5YiCKDwbZsN6_roDgFiACRPjhntoD4M3icKROswAAamN0K7Rh-N2d8l1dxXsuzNhRzhbzEIz26j4SJGuOCgaJ9RLQxQAs/s1600/Dropping+Down.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGdmmaW01nj2BGUkqxLKGgvlpaa7rGU0P2QBAFLK8yCfcdu5YiCKDwbZsN6_roDgFiACRPjhntoD4M3icKROswAAamN0K7Rh-N2d8l1dxXsuzNhRzhbzEIz26j4SJGuOCgaJ9RLQxQAs/s400/Dropping+Down.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I took a lunch break, sat down in the shade, nibbling on my usual fare of peanuts, dried apricots, an apple, and a stash of chocolate chip cookies. Then I poked around a bit, and walked down to talk to Julia Lundman, who I spotted working further down the creek. After chatting, I still couldn't figure out what to paint, and decided to head back towards camp, and maybe go for a (30 second) swim. On the way there I stopped and decided the view of the trail, and the lake through the trees below might work, so went at it. It still needs some work in the foreground.</div>
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Ernesto, Paul, and Eric had gone by while I was working on this. I finished up, turned around and spied this view between the trees with the boulders in the mid-ground. Hmmm.... I was getting pretty tired of standing at this point, but re-positioned, and went back to work. By now it was late afternoon.</div>
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I finally finished up and walked over to where Eric and Paul were painting. They were both aiming towards the afternoon light with varying views of the upper reaches of the basin. There was plenty of atmosphere and great shapes to play with. I checked my watch: 4:30, and resolved to come back tomorrow (Thursday) and work from that spot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4Z1pHXB10MzdPMn4f3ESkXPVtdUq-I8T6byGeQKk6xYzY0W-vPHjzbE-jdNbDzY7tYzjwJQDN5foAbGxd7GRWdrd7Jq66EtEDkauwQkZjVqIGMHsrTQdyEjF5qAeg3J0dxGyniFdZIw/s1600/Blue+in+Green.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4Z1pHXB10MzdPMn4f3ESkXPVtdUq-I8T6byGeQKk6xYzY0W-vPHjzbE-jdNbDzY7tYzjwJQDN5foAbGxd7GRWdrd7Jq66EtEDkauwQkZjVqIGMHsrTQdyEjF5qAeg3J0dxGyniFdZIw/s400/Blue+in+Green.sm.jpg" width="376" /></a></div>
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Thursday. This was the last full day before we had to hike out. I got up before 6, and saw Ernesto headed for his sunrise painting spot he'd been going to all week. I headed the other way around the lake, and painted a view looking towards camp from across the lake, which is the last image in my <a href="http://billcone.blogspot.com/2013/08/2013-sierra-painting-packtrip-part-i.html">Part I post</a>. I wrapped up pretty quick, and hurried back to camp just in time to get some breakfast (essential), then cleaned up, and headed out again to get the most out of the last day. Back to the creek I painted the day before, but I instead became interested in some sinuous granite forms running up a hill, in orange and green grass, interrupted by foreground trees, with a hint of a deeper, and higher background... Once again the brightest lights on the rocks were decidedly cool in nature, which I attempted to depict.</div>
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I took a break, moved to the shade for lunch, and took a short nap next to the creek. This kind of working and resting in such an amazing place does not get any better. Though I was tired, I was exhilarated, and in the mood to paint. After about 40 minutes I left my pack, and walked up to check out the late afternoon view. It wasn't very atmospheric yet, so I debated... return to camp, continue resting, or paint something else until the light was better? Between some trees I spied a view of the jagged crest with a snow patch, with a good foreground mass of rocks, plus some bonus compositional tree devices conveniently beckoning... Egad, I had just painted a rock formation. One a day is enough. But time was running out, and I liked the zig zag to the snow patch, the orange grass... Back at it. I used up my energy on this one, as well as the clock, so by the time 4:30 rolled around I packed up and kind of shuffled over to my planned location...</div>
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This was the view I had spotted a day earlier. My eye was drawn to the light and shadow break in the distance, plus the steep, curving slopes running down from the upper right. I was pretty much out of energy and time at this point, but set up near Eric Merrell, who was continuing work on a piece he'd started the day before. I did a small study, that I may work into a larger piece in the studio. The light changed rapidly on this one, as cast shadows came down the slopes from above. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMeV9kar5Zt3HDUQil9ZYnskyce34hyqG0w5lmMFK5fTPhq47GgZDDfNLQ1IX3aCyQpcdZc-RRpoZb9CMug01vqGJtth4qIA2ZE56P1bqMgrqZ02O6So9CWRtuf3FOECYGcMrM1AdGm8/s1600/Upper+Meadows.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMeV9kar5Zt3HDUQil9ZYnskyce34hyqG0w5lmMFK5fTPhq47GgZDDfNLQ1IX3aCyQpcdZc-RRpoZb9CMug01vqGJtth4qIA2ZE56P1bqMgrqZ02O6So9CWRtuf3FOECYGcMrM1AdGm8/s400/Upper+Meadows.sm.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
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That was it for me. I packed up and walked back to camp to clean up and hoist a beverage with the other artists that had been camped together in this great spot all week, wandering around the basin, and painting to their heart's content. Before it got too dark, everyone went and laid out their work, so we could all see what the others had been up to. Its a part of the trip that I truly value and enjoy, as one gets to see the world one has been studying intently all week, through someone else's eyes, and can draw inspiration and insight from the shared, multiple points of view. The impromptu art show had us wandering around the camp looking at groups of work laid on the ground for our perusal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj_K1BBQNnGKxU3eMEhkpC-n19gg9s1nuDSikT4axOtDCpuUH4qisXK-MczuueZKPJQoiXtH-k3HYmTa51wu5dHpqIj7013GIlyE4UMQmxsk5JoGKiWKm_4kBRtZDGYQIPvglEtEpUho/s1600/Art+Show.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj_K1BBQNnGKxU3eMEhkpC-n19gg9s1nuDSikT4axOtDCpuUH4qisXK-MczuueZKPJQoiXtH-k3HYmTa51wu5dHpqIj7013GIlyE4UMQmxsk5JoGKiWKm_4kBRtZDGYQIPvglEtEpUho/s400/Art+Show.sm.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
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Nothing left to do but dig into a steak dinner, with sautéed veggies from Kelly's garden on the side.</div>
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Another great week in the wilderness drawing to a close as dusk settled in. But wait, there's more. </div>
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"Professor" Eric Merrell had been painting nocturnes in camp for several nights with his own unique laboratory setup of gooseneck LED's, dutifully taped with a color correction gel and a diffusing filter (wax paper), augmented by the light of a waxing moon. It seemed a daunting task, primarily because the undisciplined flock of well-lubricated painters who stayed up to watch him work, wandering about and yakking, were likely a distraction more than anything else. But perhaps we unwittingly functioned as a DEW system for the bears. Eric offered to let me use one of his LED's, so I took him up on the offer, and gave it a shot.... a very quick shot. For the astro inclined, that's part of the tail of Scorpius floating above the Minarets.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRREtj1shFrGZ-Ut3GNINKq5pN5GC7o7wKEa-JMQnJAikJG62PpmrCENegiGwZmwHQCKTmiNbj0I7NImOKFAeDgaCPJXZIt6KSTARgycRZ8ERntXNLASVgd5EPSoqSTarTXHkeQInPtHc/s1600/Nocturne.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRREtj1shFrGZ-Ut3GNINKq5pN5GC7o7wKEa-JMQnJAikJG62PpmrCENegiGwZmwHQCKTmiNbj0I7NImOKFAeDgaCPJXZIt6KSTARgycRZ8ERntXNLASVgd5EPSoqSTarTXHkeQInPtHc/s400/Nocturne.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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One thing I immediately learned is that any strong light on your work, under such low light, will kill your vision for the subject you're trying to see. Kind of like the paradox in quantum mechanics...(the act of observing/measuring, effects the outcome of the event) yeah, just like that! I love science. Regardless, I could see value differences in the scene, and the low level of the light on the colors in my box only allowed me to see them as values. I had a general idea of where my hues were, and so, just grabbed values with some bias towards hue selection. I hammered away, then spent a little time trying to see deeper, or adjusting some shapes. Much later, at my tent, I was looking at the stars for awhile, and in the absence of white light, I could get a subtler sense of what color was visible in the scene. I think you could augment observation in the dark, with written impressions, memory, as well as direct effort with the aid of low light, and perhaps get a deeper, more personal color sense going. Or, you could just borrow Remington's nocturnal palette, or someone else's, and paint it in the studio. It is an interesting problem, and I give Eric credit for pushing the perceptual envelope, and setting such an inspiring example for the rest of us sleepy heads.</div>
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That wraps it up for this year's summer adventures. I'm already looking forward to the next one. My deep gratitude to the artists and friends who came on the trip this year, as well as Kelly, our cook, and her son, Cole. It was the collective spirit and good will that made it such a good one. </div>
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Meanwhile I'll be in this years<a href="http://sonomapleinair.com/"> Sonoma Plein Air</a> event, barring any unforeseen complications. 2 other upcoming events are my one man show at the <a href="http://www.studiogallerysf.com/home.html">Studio Gallery</a> in October, with the reception on the 6th.</div>
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And, lastly, I'll be teaching one more <a href="http://www.ptreyes.org/fieldinstitute/classlistart.shtml">weekend workshop</a> this year at the Lifeboat Station in Pt. Reyes.</div>
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-31145004238201011412013-08-21T23:13:00.000-07:002013-08-24T11:04:21.611-07:002013 Sierra Painting Packtrip, Part II: Sightseeing!The first two full days at Ediza I painted in camp in the morning, and then hiked up to higher locations to explore and paint. On Monday, Ernesto and I decided to hike up to Iceberg Lake. I was last there in 2008, and was looking forward to seeing and painting it again. The hike itself, for me, is a humbling reminder of how not in shape I am, (or my age), or both. Stopping to catch my breath was literally true. At times I couldn't keep moving and also breathe. The good news is that the view was great every time I stopped, so there was a reward for being out of breath. Truthfully its also difficult to sightsee while walking up there, as the terrain is so uneven, you need to watch where you're stepping most of the time. Here's a few shots of the area:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqI57rfX-a2v1sGD5VPI0Hso3Rad1qffMJ2_1B6HjaidGfNPzL-D9_IMewbLvdpzViIR3hU3UWqCBF7xY-8w-gpXtUI3I6e-6Jju6U4aQ-CocUqP2TnmLP6B7MElH9b4JEC0VuRo7Xnc/s1600/Iceberg.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqI57rfX-a2v1sGD5VPI0Hso3Rad1qffMJ2_1B6HjaidGfNPzL-D9_IMewbLvdpzViIR3hU3UWqCBF7xY-8w-gpXtUI3I6e-6Jju6U4aQ-CocUqP2TnmLP6B7MElH9b4JEC0VuRo7Xnc/s400/Iceberg.1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Approaching the lake, which is just beyond the meadow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bTO16EH77Awh3QCnRsZKO24VIVyLmQsKHI_y5Zd2IIz7yOPWRU5m68JSemppWM_dxma7marAbX2N939Kk-PsUnl3ZpAffDPwz2DYyBrVf8c3esSoRAeFov7EvVy893Cb9NQU5lUmCWw/s1600/Iceberg.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bTO16EH77Awh3QCnRsZKO24VIVyLmQsKHI_y5Zd2IIz7yOPWRU5m68JSemppWM_dxma7marAbX2N939Kk-PsUnl3ZpAffDPwz2DYyBrVf8c3esSoRAeFov7EvVy893Cb9NQU5lUmCWw/s400/Iceberg.3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The outlet of Iceberg.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrgR2KsrFgU3iLGxey44ox2oTqOpfmwuZh0FoZogxZZKnPVDB9oJ6bvEyibEjvZFIokWR2bcUEJkja2MSPYmHfD8X9QTeHFJ5mMzfgR4bdnwXiIG5CPOph8XE35mGtYdvppOYohHaOTY/s1600/Iceberg.4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrgR2KsrFgU3iLGxey44ox2oTqOpfmwuZh0FoZogxZZKnPVDB9oJ6bvEyibEjvZFIokWR2bcUEJkja2MSPYmHfD8X9QTeHFJ5mMzfgR4bdnwXiIG5CPOph8XE35mGtYdvppOYohHaOTY/s400/Iceberg.4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ernesto, late in the afternoon, after painting all day in the meadow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_RUyVWDWX83uupAK1yPKEDR5WuGKW32Y6xO3eIuBe3qst3zSa4wz_OvioMYWd23iZNg8G4WpRgB25S6cRfr4__HlOi7EO005tL5iLL1jv21iYMFDx2uANhGLuJFWAoPrp_RBIHmGVr4/s1600/Iceberg.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_RUyVWDWX83uupAK1yPKEDR5WuGKW32Y6xO3eIuBe3qst3zSa4wz_OvioMYWd23iZNg8G4WpRgB25S6cRfr4__HlOi7EO005tL5iLL1jv21iYMFDx2uANhGLuJFWAoPrp_RBIHmGVr4/s400/Iceberg.5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Here's a huge erratic we spotted on the way down. The atmosphere was pretty heavy, probably from the Aspen Fire to the south.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP90vxHA1KUmiFLarGHeXsoK_dmawX5GnGkA0hyphenhyphen3nwAHzUK5pQplFwZca0tl2RflWNCZrAAIaDaiXPLCwL5zqBRqN_GbnkiIVRuIL-D0PA7be3UcXYGb4emYmN910FhyA7zv_Y7c5WfPE/s1600/Iceberg.6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP90vxHA1KUmiFLarGHeXsoK_dmawX5GnGkA0hyphenhyphen3nwAHzUK5pQplFwZca0tl2RflWNCZrAAIaDaiXPLCwL5zqBRqN_GbnkiIVRuIL-D0PA7be3UcXYGb4emYmN910FhyA7zv_Y7c5WfPE/s400/Iceberg.6.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The curved basin below Ritter and Banner, across the valley, was to be our route on Tuesday, to get to the Nydiver Lakes.</div>
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I did 2 pieces that day, and here is one of them below, a fairly typical, (and un-retouched) view of the shoreline. For some, it may seem ironic that, surrounded by such alpine vistas, I have a habit of picking these more intimate scenes. I simply find such closeup views to be equally beautiful, and often unique to such an environment. I wouldn't see these colors and forms in the Bay Area, any more than I would see the jagged peaks. I never get tired of the color relationships found in wet and dry rocks, as well as the clarity and depth of water, and the hue shifts to be found there. </div>
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I should point out that the light at that altitude, after sunrise, cools considerably. Much more so than at lower altitudes. The warmth seen on the rocks at the top of the image was local color, while the average rock temperature, and the temp of the sunlight, combined to make a cool result in the brightest areas. It is a somewhat disconcerting effect, as it doesn't match our everyday perceptions in the lowlands. I may have to 'adjust' this one. It may mean adhering to the overcast 'rule' (cool light, warm shadows) for example. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMMZIHsUwsOuHOJP9p-nr-6T6tI8PY2BfbgF1XU1jwqmdDePqcppXAaHok1QbAETRRQXWxsyq2uOpu5nX8KhRhqZ2OICsawUmLOIt3pyOl8OI4Eh_76AZ1euzwAbqDifn8IOfs27_xuU/s1600/Iceberg+Shore.sm.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMMZIHsUwsOuHOJP9p-nr-6T6tI8PY2BfbgF1XU1jwqmdDePqcppXAaHok1QbAETRRQXWxsyq2uOpu5nX8KhRhqZ2OICsawUmLOIt3pyOl8OI4Eh_76AZ1euzwAbqDifn8IOfs27_xuU/s400/Iceberg+Shore.sm.tif" width="377" /></a></div>
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On Tuesday, after doing our morning paintings, having breakfast, and filling up our water bottles, we decided to hike to the Nydiver Lakes. We decided not to go for a shortcut on the way up, and opted for a clear trail up to the basin below Ritter and Banner. From there, we headed east, up a rocky slope, expecting to see the lakes at the top. Instead, we just found a landscape littered with shattered boulders. We had to walk another quarter mile before they came into view below us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfR65z0FQJUmDsvdQdHFH7QjjiQDM-IAGGstlmLt1KyMi_jU5cTXbYi9HfYk98UQJ8tEToHWGUbS4HXK04GvJen3kgChist-GkcfEEPqcP1lTinx9kxmVJywb5nM3UAuPullAfAXBIH8/s1600/nydiver.3.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfR65z0FQJUmDsvdQdHFH7QjjiQDM-IAGGstlmLt1KyMi_jU5cTXbYi9HfYk98UQJ8tEToHWGUbS4HXK04GvJen3kgChist-GkcfEEPqcP1lTinx9kxmVJywb5nM3UAuPullAfAXBIH8/s400/nydiver.3.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our view of the lakes below us. We found 3 medium sized lakes, a couple of pond-sized ones, as well as dried up pools.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4ntoZdaVnozE_y1qLdvYMsKGC3rCdpO1cmUCS3lS06HGJKQ-vZ7HuHiHc_zvBiEC1vU7Xw1bEZwxUUOLFL4Kvtv__z62YQLMfx3QPd0tdYJd8iNQ-i6czfYPiDEQknaS957QwLiAJ80/s1600/nydiver.8.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4ntoZdaVnozE_y1qLdvYMsKGC3rCdpO1cmUCS3lS06HGJKQ-vZ7HuHiHc_zvBiEC1vU7Xw1bEZwxUUOLFL4Kvtv__z62YQLMfx3QPd0tdYJd8iNQ-i6czfYPiDEQknaS957QwLiAJ80/s400/nydiver.8.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Looking back towards the peaks. We had climbed over the mid-ground ridge on the left from the basin.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwEq7DeLbyjWRsgOKG3E8oABRygdB94uC53coJaWlgoxhDJFSNzh51RgZVV24kCgsPgKe3siJkAUbaYR3nkbWACtxP-7hgb2VNo6CtVtIrZXo2sGshgRR3a-BYtjskBg2dCkuunTAHzw/s1600/nydiver.5.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwEq7DeLbyjWRsgOKG3E8oABRygdB94uC53coJaWlgoxhDJFSNzh51RgZVV24kCgsPgKe3siJkAUbaYR3nkbWACtxP-7hgb2VNo6CtVtIrZXo2sGshgRR3a-BYtjskBg2dCkuunTAHzw/s400/nydiver.5.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I modified my setup for painting up there due to strong gusts of wind. I sat on the ground, clipped my umbrella to the tripod, and weighted it down with rocks in my bag, hanging from the center post.</div>
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Water? Check!, Hand Lotion? Check!, Cookies? Check! Go!</div>
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Ernesto did not have an umbrella, so oriented his easel to be in shade. He was painting the meadow and shoreline to the upper right.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPafDMZEvdUvZbKWjP6oVhL9Gog4wBXX2h84IStwQquOW9c1CU6oLjoXFMpgtEtboTeAtd-BT9vRqbNFfQxwh_0Rsk3JJgbuNDTaKVyWNsYK8wMLcBfzSCOOWrHIrEkvlf99nrZXwCO8/s1600/nydiver.2.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPafDMZEvdUvZbKWjP6oVhL9Gog4wBXX2h84IStwQquOW9c1CU6oLjoXFMpgtEtboTeAtd-BT9vRqbNFfQxwh_0Rsk3JJgbuNDTaKVyWNsYK8wMLcBfzSCOOWrHIrEkvlf99nrZXwCO8/s640/nydiver.2.sm.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
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This is a quick study I did from my spot, later in the afternoon. I was compelled to paint this view, partially because it resembled Edgar Payne's penchant for inserting lakes that didn't exist beneath lofty alpine crags. Here it was the truth. </div>
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We didn't want to go back the way we came, as we knew were right above our campsite, so we ditched our packs and walked over to the edge of the plateau we were on to see how steep the descent would be. It resembled a double black diamond ski run, with boulders and weeds instead of snow. The lake in this image is Ediza. On the lower right shore of the lake is a white dot. That is Eric Merrell's umbrella, with him beneath it, painting. If you look to the top of the image, you can see Iceberg Lake, to which we'd hiked and painted the day before. You may also note that we are looking down on Iceberg Lake. We decided it was do-able, went and got our packs, and spent about 45 minutes ungracefully and gingerly picking our way down the slope. </div>
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That was enough climbing and exploring for me. I was determined to stay out of the sun for the next few days, and paint 'locally'. Besides being sore and tired, I was in the mood to spend more time painting, and less time walking around out of breath. It was time to get to work.</div>
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-89241832000565632022013-08-19T23:07:00.000-07:002013-08-24T11:04:21.613-07:002013 Sierra Painting Packtrip, Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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A fine group of artists and friends, of which I was fortunate to be a part of, spent 6 days camped on the shores of Lake Ediza in the Ansel Adams wilderness last week. This was accomplished with the help of <a href="http://www.redsmeadow.com/">Red's Meadow Pack Station</a>, who supplied us with mules to carry our gear up, and a cook to keep us well fed, between sleep and our daily expeditions to paint whatever we could between sunrise and sunset. Even that limitation was somewhat exceeded by those who were up before sunrise to paint the alpenglow on the peaks, or the moonlit nocturnes that were painted well after dinner, spearheaded by Eric Merrell. My companions on this year's journey were: <a href="http://www.paulkratter.com/">Paul Kratter</a>, <a href="http://www.ernestonemesio.com/">Ernesto Nemesio</a>, <a href="http://micheledebraganca.com/">Michelle DeBraganca</a>, <a href="http://hornart.com/">Jeff Horn</a>, <a href="http://julialundmanmidlock.blogspot.com/">Julia Lundman</a>, <a href="http://ericmerrell.wordpress.com/">Eric Merrell</a>, and <a href="http://www.themainloop.com/main.html">Sergio Lopez</a>. I encourage anyone interested to check out their websites, blogs, and other social media to see what they've done from the trip. I may re-write this post over the next few days as it evolves. What follows is not necessarily chronological, but primarily paintings and photos with notes and recollections, in a few categories, and as it is getting late, I believe it will be in multiple posts.<br />
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Morning Studies</h2>
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Virtually everyone did some painting before, during, or right after sunrise, at least a few times during the week. It helped of course to have hot coffee and fresh melon slices laid out by our amazing back country cook, Kelly, prior to beginning our labors, or if we were in sight of the kitchen, to have her come by our easels with a slice of sizzling bacon or sausage as a snack before breakfast.<br />
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"How do you want those 2 hen bullets? Medium? Over Easy?"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvu7JmWLUM1v8nwX_U9_m45xm1M2BEzYl6DxOfSSAlm_dCzvIpcVEk6d8uDgLRN-VtjXPYSEOJbHXCw2_RN2f8Byad-kO1XHQmckUeYeJzGm3eYcQUg_6IQ-VF4lp4ivnubUqO2iMUCg/s1600/Towards+Morning.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvu7JmWLUM1v8nwX_U9_m45xm1M2BEzYl6DxOfSSAlm_dCzvIpcVEk6d8uDgLRN-VtjXPYSEOJbHXCw2_RN2f8Byad-kO1XHQmckUeYeJzGm3eYcQUg_6IQ-VF4lp4ivnubUqO2iMUCg/s400/Towards+Morning.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We were camped on the northern shore of the lake. The image above was painted in the morning from camp, looking roughly southeast to the right of the rising sun, and I'm looking past illuminated air into the shadows of what is called 'Volcanic Ridge' on the maps, a greenish, glacially scarred, steep range that runs a few miles from the San Joaquin headwaters up to the Sierra crest. The Aspen Fire, about 20 miles south of our area had a pronounced atmospheric effect, most noticeably on a few afternoons, but when I could see atmosphere like this in the morning, I had to wonder if the effects of the fire were also coloring the morning haze. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1oKyinTEBlE206gsKYEl38JEG9szWzEgQUHhu34qkTqGChTFGpsMwlgxJsJU1bEpwwqnsQv-X0rYeow-3ppBwrs2xH6oZkHIf1U2w4eggFn5Y1ugoEHCfhlNQYIyjUxfMlmhlq70WrQ/s1600/Sliver.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1oKyinTEBlE206gsKYEl38JEG9szWzEgQUHhu34qkTqGChTFGpsMwlgxJsJU1bEpwwqnsQv-X0rYeow-3ppBwrs2xH6oZkHIf1U2w4eggFn5Y1ugoEHCfhlNQYIyjUxfMlmhlq70WrQ/s400/Sliver.sm.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Here's another study painted from camp, looking roughly south across the lake, as a sliver of light began to invade the shadow. The color range in the water has to do with a change in depth in the foreground. This one is a candidate for a larger studio piece.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdvRuiVz79oy8yQ1Z6GiMq7iA95LX3jccLZuivMeUK5o0CL0aP6P9N0MUgXfP1XMlckBBBabEw1AG9INAwu5_k9l4NoJmUB2AFldrOIlmdNJrWuWxM_-n9ZN0BxNYi56ouAytjbW6Ykk/s1600/Ediza+Shoreline.sm.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdvRuiVz79oy8yQ1Z6GiMq7iA95LX3jccLZuivMeUK5o0CL0aP6P9N0MUgXfP1XMlckBBBabEw1AG9INAwu5_k9l4NoJmUB2AFldrOIlmdNJrWuWxM_-n9ZN0BxNYi56ouAytjbW6Ykk/s400/Ediza+Shoreline.sm.tif" width="275" /></a></div>
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This might be a post breakfast piece from camp, but you can see the range of color that was common at least to looking towards the lake in a southerly direction in the morning.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOxWGHzNMT6NXCKIsGBXFTlxdnnEuw9TeJqobuy5pTZ0bUsBBu_-KhGtdOxYHCHzNSrllSGNkbdu3B2pnLroenmWWWBGk-h34MflNY-oujWon02kjM8lKSv30v6_9V3UFhN5_tJ56y6E/s1600/The+other+side.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOxWGHzNMT6NXCKIsGBXFTlxdnnEuw9TeJqobuy5pTZ0bUsBBu_-KhGtdOxYHCHzNSrllSGNkbdu3B2pnLroenmWWWBGk-h34MflNY-oujWon02kjM8lKSv30v6_9V3UFhN5_tJ56y6E/s400/The+other+side.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After painting morning views from camp most of the week, (it is hard to resist sausage delivered to your easel), I tried walking halfway around the lake and looking towards our camp, and was amazed at the range of color shift to be had. I got up around a quarter to six to get over there. Ernesto and Sergio were up at that hour for several days straight to hike to their own spots to paint before sunrise. I had my eye on a huge boulder by the lake, but by the time I hiked over there and did a pencil study of it, I began looking at these smaller groups of rocks nearby against the reflected colors in the water, from the trees and granite bluff on the opposite shore. While I was working on this, I could spy my cohorts across the lake, sipping coffee and conversing... probably eating bacon as well. </div>
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More to come.</div>
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Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-12555924887012543002013-06-09T22:35:00.001-07:002013-06-10T07:10:07.940-07:00Pt. Reyes workshop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I taught a 2 day workshop out at Pt. Reyes a few weekends ago. We had sunny skies, but a fair amount of wind, which did have impact our activities, but not our spirit. It was a great group and a wonderful location, which I hope to continue exploring over the seasons and years. As the class convened on a Friday evening at the Clem Miller Center out at Limantour, I drove up in the early afternoon to scout a few spots, and get warmed up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJMg6SQa2Ock4DrhY4MCoM7-bzw89XBIWwE0ykVaMNlnIG_WW7sxZXNBsjj6PdHtbsdeKHmNJ_TSy9pFtmFh6yPfgMjSnfPsEx1nFC0ijz-1NixgerQpYrGELMmDY3x45bPiz2jD-uyk/s1600/limantour.5.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJMg6SQa2Ock4DrhY4MCoM7-bzw89XBIWwE0ykVaMNlnIG_WW7sxZXNBsjj6PdHtbsdeKHmNJ_TSy9pFtmFh6yPfgMjSnfPsEx1nFC0ijz-1NixgerQpYrGELMmDY3x45bPiz2jD-uyk/s400/limantour.5.sm.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
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I drove straight to the beach, and hiked out on the spit about a half mile towards Drake's Estero, realizing eventually that I would never drag everyone out this far unless there was something unique about the view. One justification for it is that the further one walks from the parking lot, the less likely others have painted those views. Disregarding the point of view, the light, color, and forms of the world were not appreciably different, so there was no reason to ask people to walk that far. The wind was blowing pretty strong, so I set up facing into the wind, and painted 2 views from the same spot, exploring the textured masses of foliage and grass, trees making sharp silhouettes into the glare of the afternoon sky, and the cooler colors of distant cliffs in relative contrast to the mid-ground. It was very bright out there, so I tried a coral covered paper, as opposed to my usual default color of twilight. I'm currently of the mind that picking an overall value key, as opposed to merely a "non-conflicting" color like twilight is worth trying, especially when dealing with very bright or dark situations. 2 artists I've seen that use a similar ground are <a href="http://www.lorenzochavez.com/">Lorenzo Chavez</a> (pastels) and <a href="http://jennifermcchristian.com/">Jennifer McChristian</a> (Oils). Jennifer's pink ground tends to be a lot more saturated than Lorenzo's.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5u8saZXbEPiT5uEO4RhXU2bmaRCzyrdPMT5opK-mkbGPcP7zhQN5FGfRtrGehpG8xQNLPfe-Pwb0kur0glw2gS-elx9rcovF3nZFtsXmG3di68586jFRU8S0a1eetMM5xeWm6JnfAKY/s1600/limantour.6.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5u8saZXbEPiT5uEO4RhXU2bmaRCzyrdPMT5opK-mkbGPcP7zhQN5FGfRtrGehpG8xQNLPfe-Pwb0kur0glw2gS-elx9rcovF3nZFtsXmG3di68586jFRU8S0a1eetMM5xeWm6JnfAKY/s400/limantour.6.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Just rotating right from the same position, in late afternoon light, looking northwest...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The wind was blowing pretty steady the entire time, and it was getting around 5, so I packed up, hiked back to the car, and drove to the facility, which is located just past the youth hostel at the end of the road. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-pWEnseIMzApP-XVHdFO1gA4cRC6DAs_tdVYfDZobJWR6lcWbMlucxAJCi3a05jxA9qjZuH0R-20OAKJCH3BPUbgOyGGL0h_tlr9dJCcExzanUQINJn-cRSvmk9_mhcIamjFwFPLzkw/s1600/demo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-pWEnseIMzApP-XVHdFO1gA4cRC6DAs_tdVYfDZobJWR6lcWbMlucxAJCi3a05jxA9qjZuH0R-20OAKJCH3BPUbgOyGGL0h_tlr9dJCcExzanUQINJn-cRSvmk9_mhcIamjFwFPLzkw/s400/demo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Several folks were already pulled up and unpacking, so I did the same. As the days are long, and the light was good, I set up in front of the conference center to do a demo of some trees across the meadow. There were a lot of repeat folks from my previous workshop, so it was a pretty jovial and talkative group right off. A relaxing way to start a class.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezs5X2NMqxFsgqIrTYjIlss-yzrkRBgp17B3Flx8kl9NwCbhvv9TsL7ywGMEV_JCTZlasLFIEF_poptUY8vfQ2NjigAeW8nkNybpyW2-cWSH_iVPfHZyQ4nuNt1KxBPanG4aCMnbN17w/s1600/clem+miller.1.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezs5X2NMqxFsgqIrTYjIlss-yzrkRBgp17B3Flx8kl9NwCbhvv9TsL7ywGMEV_JCTZlasLFIEF_poptUY8vfQ2NjigAeW8nkNybpyW2-cWSH_iVPfHZyQ4nuNt1KxBPanG4aCMnbN17w/s400/clem+miller.1.sm.jpg" width="306" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the Friday evening demo, with a fair amount of clean up in the studio.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdztJOsERQuwSUS4n5D0JJ8c6bgkiYYweaYkIjJkOnl6UJCdbQxhLu8MMZf-2cdDs0r8j4gF0fZcbUr0ke7kpUUCVrxeDZM3f5NxrDxrOIRWSd5dCEkx6qqEQSDBGlj-vMwt-E3V2HvOs/s1600/limantour.4.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdztJOsERQuwSUS4n5D0JJ8c6bgkiYYweaYkIjJkOnl6UJCdbQxhLu8MMZf-2cdDs0r8j4gF0fZcbUr0ke7kpUUCVrxeDZM3f5NxrDxrOIRWSd5dCEkx6qqEQSDBGlj-vMwt-E3V2HvOs/s400/limantour.4.sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We got out of camp pretty early on Saturday morning and headed down to Limantour. There was a light haze, most evident when looking towards the sun, so I did my next demo of that, just going for the ragged, graphic silhouettes and the morning glare in the sky. Folks set up all along the path leading to the beach, and for several hours we had very few people come by.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The ever rising wind drove us back to camp around noon. After lunch, everyone put up their work in the conference center, and we had a critique. During that discussion, I was upstaged by a bobcat that was hunting rodents in the meadow behind all the students. One mention of the bobcat, and the critique was abandoned for the next 20 minutes as we watched it twice stalk and pounce, only to come up empty handed.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">There was also an abundance of quail, a covey, a plethora... If you left a building they would come running out from beneath it and scurry ahead of you, seemingly in a panic, then suddenly veer out of your path into some shrubbery, like a car unexpectedly driving off a cliff. The specimen below was strutting on a railing outside the window. Yet another distraction from our serious work. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As it was still windy, everyone spent the rest of the afternoon painting in camp. We had a great feast of a potluck that evening and then called it a day.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sunday morning, we were back at it, this time painting from the bluff off the parking lot, and looking away from the sun. The flatness of the light was redeemed a bit by some atmosphere, as well as the iconic graphic forms of the estero and the cliffs. A lot of perspective in this sort of view. There were some interesting interpretations of this view, some choosing to focus on the serpentine channels in marsh below us, and others looking way out to the chalky cliffs towards Drakes Estero. I worked on my demo for awhile, then abandoned it to do walkarounds. Most of my demos feel a bit unfinished, and this one was no different, as I leave them alone to go do walkarounds. I did some clean up work on it back in the studio.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We made it back to camp for lunch, a final crit, and then it was time to cleanup and say our goodbyes. I hope to be doing another workshop in the park in October, out at the Lifeboat Station, which is way out by Chimney Rock. I'll post specifics when I know them. Thanks to everyone for taking the class. It was a great group, and for Regina and Grace for providing assistance. Quail and bobcat photos by Janet Theilen, and the group shot is by Grace Bourke, I believe. </span></div>
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-86210239374304488552013-04-28T15:32:00.000-07:002013-04-28T15:37:40.101-07:00Warming up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8b-RKfjz-qm_nGQVNsRxNJxxEXtSImpEL9ufPfYOM280XGpUp_GhPg_f7ya3jtdndvXMCBqphpl9EKxc2yzWcCLbVagbvNfyaWC6w8UkZjNMuNIz3dDYcF1H4aEEVmdcGtETu-1Pn-po/s1600/Above+the+Bay.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8b-RKfjz-qm_nGQVNsRxNJxxEXtSImpEL9ufPfYOM280XGpUp_GhPg_f7ya3jtdndvXMCBqphpl9EKxc2yzWcCLbVagbvNfyaWC6w8UkZjNMuNIz3dDYcF1H4aEEVmdcGtETu-1Pn-po/s400/Above+the+Bay.sm.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer around here. Summer is knocking at the door. I painted in the Berkeley Hills on Friday afternoon in front of a film crew from work for an instructional video to tempt people away from their keyboards. This scene must be familiar to anyone who's gone through a body of my work, as I've painted here many times over the last 17 years. In addition, I've dragged probably a hundred colleagues up here to paint with me. Though the shapes are familiar, I always enjoy trying to get the color and light of that specific period. In the afternoon, the sun drops lower and lower, unifying all bg colors and knocking out details, as the glare and haze of the light intensifies. I know the light is always changing, and after 17 years, I've changed as well, so the challenges and pleasures of this sort of scene are renewed. Its always a good workout. Things I contemplate messing with in the studio are the yellow bald spot on the ridge in the upper left, and the edges of the tree silhouettes on top. </div>
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Painted on Saturday down in Canyon, a second growth Redwood and Bay Laurel forest in a ravine, with a trickling creek running through it. I've ridden bikes through there for years, and enjoy coming here to paint, especially when it gets warm out. The temperature in the forest is usually 10 -15° cooler than it is in town. I am intrigued by these types of scenes, and am still trying to get a better handle on controlling them. I tried to stick to a basic pattern of of light and dark, but there's some ambiguous transition areas, and perhaps both tree trunks are too parallel. Overcoming the 'facts' of what lies in front of me in nature is an ongoing challenge. What to leave out, what to modify, avoiding too much detail, figuring out how to 'move the eye', all the while the light is sliding on and off the very objects one is trying to paint. The studio can be an 'ER' of sorts to examine and correct these concerns. This one will need it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJnc0dd1zTEUDGnHbyW1J4BTsVhhSwqVbzqjSbVohiehYcySJlLoM5w_kkYRDvPyAlPOi9K1Djk2omvO3Tbn_ZUO-Fo6s5PnNEvEynTiZ1-EpIRVCgy5rnHErC0XgdCCvy3brhkMn47E/s1600/Fallen.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJnc0dd1zTEUDGnHbyW1J4BTsVhhSwqVbzqjSbVohiehYcySJlLoM5w_kkYRDvPyAlPOi9K1Djk2omvO3Tbn_ZUO-Fo6s5PnNEvEynTiZ1-EpIRVCgy5rnHErC0XgdCCvy3brhkMn47E/s400/Fallen.sm.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
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Sunday mid-morning, back in Canyon, contemplating Redwoods, and their accompanying debris field.</div>
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The light glides across twigs, branches, trunks, and leaves at an alarming rate that I'm resigned to. I used my pencil sketch as a map to where the light and shadow patterns were in the foreground, because they were gone in about 20 minutes, sometimes partially returning to taunt me into changing my patterns. We can't keep up. I think there's some amazing things down here to paint, and I'm just trying to decode it right now. Not even sure of the light level yet, as it could be a lot darker, but I get fascinated by the 'shadows within shadows' as I find those patterns to be of interest. Actually, those patterns are shadow masses that are interrupted by twigs and branches, breaking them into a series of mosaic-like shapes. I think of them as shadows trapped in a web of twigs. The trees are a rich, dark, violet red, but a blue green ambient light bathes them from above and around, and sometimes a warm bounce off the ground creates an almost incandescent effect that reminds of me of light in the Grand Canyon. A warm bounce light hitting a warm colored object in shadow is a treat for the eyes. Are any of these ideas clearly expressed in my painting? Merely hinted at. More research is needed!</div>
Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-79712485454584050752013-04-08T20:41:00.001-07:002013-04-11T08:49:06.128-07:00CAC Paintout in Sonoma, Upcoming show info, plus mini horses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span">I attended a <a href="http://www.californiaartclub.org/about/cac-chapters/san-francisco/">California Art Club</a> event a few weekends ago up in Sonoma. We all converged on 'Old Lakeville Rd. #3', a dogleg section of old road off the Lakeville highway, which slopes west towards the Petaluma River. This section of the road encompasses grapevines, cattle, sheep, and miniature horses, which may be the Llama and/or Chinchilla of their time. Whatever they are, they are cute. I drove up early with <a href="http://paulkratter.com/">Paul Kratter</a>, and we drove the length of the road, looking for where we might begin our day. Following that 'revealing' excursion, we picked a hilly section, lined by eucalyptus, which also had a creek running under the road, that had been trampled by cattle. The shadow, crossing over grass and water, the edges of the grass, and the modulation of color in the water, added up to something I felt worth spending time on, so off to work I went. As I painted, more and more artists, and a few local residents, came driving slowly by. The locals to wave, or warn us not to get run over, and the artists to say 'howdy'. In short order, some of my other Sierra pals, <a href="http://kimfancherlordier.com/">Kim Lordier</a>, and <a href="http://cgmitchell.com/">Clark Mitchell</a> cruised by. </span><a href="http://richardlindenberg.com/">Richard Lindenberg</a><span class="Apple-style-span">, and <a href="http://christincoy.com/">Christin Coy</a>, whom I painted with in Sequoia National Park, were out and about, as were many other familiar faces. Part of the fun of an event like that is running into so many folks you know, on a rather remote rural road, and meeting new ones as well. It was a gorgeous day for being outside in the spring. Green... but with atmosphere, plenty of shade, eucalyptus, to take refuge in the reds and violets, plus miniature horses. You couldn't go wrong, unless of course you were downwind from too many cattle up the hill. It is funny how idyllic views in nature may actually 'stink' in real life. Similar to that are scenes painted from the side of a freeway, that look utterly peaceful, but whose true context is quite noisy and somewhat dangerous. This was a peaceful spot, though quite overrun by artists, who probably outnumbered the local population of that stretch of road.</span></div>
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I wandered up the road from my easel to pick a second spot, and found a eucalyptus view a little ways away. I liked the figurative strength of the tree, the contrasting values and colors beyond it, as well as how reflected light bounced onto the forms of the branches. That one came together fairly quick. After a lunch break at a taco truck on the other side of town, we drove back and went after some afternoon atmospheric views. Though I thoroughly enjoyed painting after lunch, as well as bickering with my colleagues, my results weren't so enjoyable, so all I'm posting are the two morning pieces. Both these pieces are in the show that Paul and I are having at <a href="http://www.waltwines.com/">Walt Wines</a> in Sonoma. The show is up now, and the reception will be on the 21st of April, from 2-5. You can view more of the work from the show <a href="http://www.crfineart.com/events/">here</a>. Hope to see some of you at the reception.</div>
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-81942204318730953142013-03-10T21:40:00.001-07:002013-03-10T21:40:32.170-07:00Along the Napa River<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I spent Sunday exploring a bit of the Napa River that runs south of the Carneros highway for several miles before emptying into San Pablo Bay. I have been driving past this area for several decades, and have never bothered to stop and explore it on my own. I followed the west side of the river all the way to a railroad drawbridge, stopping periodically to pull over and run up to the levee and look around. There's a wide variety of houses clustered along the levee, from leaning, weathered shacks, to something more contemporary, most bristling with No Parking, and Keep Out signs, along with moldering boats and pickup trucks peering out of the weeds. To get to this view, I pulled over at a vacant lot, stepped over a chain, and was heading to the levee, when I was suddenly intercepted by a concerned neighbor/caretaker. I introduced myself as a landscape painter looking for a good view. We then walked up to the levee, to take a look. He seemed rather wary of my intent, so I told him what interested me about the view, he eventually realized I was harmless, and went on his way with a handshake. I spent the rest of the afternoon working on these 2 pieces, as a variety of boats motored up and down the river, creating that smooth patch of water in the center. Gulls</div>
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shrieked and chased each other off of pilings. Planes periodically took off from an airport a few miles away. It was a peaceful afternoon, and a good spot to work. I will probably work on these pieces a bit more in the studio, specifically the upper one could use some work in the tree masses.</div>
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<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413012723295691207.post-5664806263329341442013-02-24T21:27:00.004-08:002013-02-25T12:18:45.364-08:00Joint Sonoma Show in April<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've been having painting adventures with <a href="http://paulkratter.com/">Paul Kratter</a> for almost 10 years. Many is the time at <a href="http://sonomapleinair.com/">Sonoma Plein Air</a> where we've occupied the opposite side of a display wall in the plaza on a Saturday to show our work, after spending a week of painting all day, meeting up for dinner, hanging out in a guest house, listening to good music, and talking about art. Since 2005, we've been on packtrips to the Sierra every summer, spending time painting in some exotic alpine locale. Disregarding the scenery, its basically Sonoma at 10,000'. Years ago, we held a joint exhibit at the Orinda Library, and this April, we'll be having a small 2 man show at the <a href="http://www.waltwines.com/">Walt Wines</a> tasting room in Sonoma, just off the plaza.</div>
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We each have our own visual predilections... I tease Paul about his penchant for barns and certain species of trees, and he gives me equal grief for painting ditches and random shrubbery. Regardless, we manage to get along, push each other to do better.... and periodically to step outside our own comfort zone. Periodically. I've been trying to get up to Sonoma on the weekends to build up some inventory for this show. Paul and I even managed to paint together a few weeks ago. Not surprisingly, in the same spot I could find a ditch, and he could find a barn. Here's a few recent paintings with notes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SKFq9qN5dxW_UoGWfGOPw4pxN29ESaxzt3i5JtVXcyayhRJmnidcLqYRsBg3kqg4k5nf9Jxcr1PSyCfB5r8RH2mrk46xydwqh3fFkNhWkKQTqMtOnYZoRK3YvL9qc_r1MgVkwpCkDlc/s1600/viansa+view.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SKFq9qN5dxW_UoGWfGOPw4pxN29ESaxzt3i5JtVXcyayhRJmnidcLqYRsBg3kqg4k5nf9Jxcr1PSyCfB5r8RH2mrk46xydwqh3fFkNhWkKQTqMtOnYZoRK3YvL9qc_r1MgVkwpCkDlc/s320/viansa+view.sm.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
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Early morning in the Viansa winery parking lot, looking southwest. The light in February is so low, there are great shadowed masses almost all day long. Paul and I were driving towards town when we both started noticing interesting opportunities to paint... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cr3nxbQPMWPUD15WFCr_Liue5I7fuv9znzJfwXoC96xAznIwL9TdPO5Vfmu5ajQPQUfbtz7zv5U0KhDe5p3nWWfCihhPPNUiWml-3r4xccCa43_IU91SiLXExV9sb_HgxCzbcBfSCvk/s1600/Bonneau+Road.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cr3nxbQPMWPUD15WFCr_Liue5I7fuv9znzJfwXoC96xAznIwL9TdPO5Vfmu5ajQPQUfbtz7zv5U0KhDe5p3nWWfCihhPPNUiWml-3r4xccCa43_IU91SiLXExV9sb_HgxCzbcBfSCvk/s320/Bonneau+Road.sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Later that day on Bonneau Road, reverting to one of my 'fascinations'... The obligatory ditch is below the frame, as the fence, foliage, and the side of the house on the right were what caught my eye. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp9V1nvyKrweUp45Dqk403pCuVWNhtFQzOAvkS5Pdec2wpBY6DY-hqNQWXLU8hwGBqdjMEfubMrfFX_zlXsIvKSFZ3E3xWrJZE6e3mjAHWCk_Mf036-WkRGddbxKQec-VYbi6M4uiTrU/s1600/Lakeville+West.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqp9V1nvyKrweUp45Dqk403pCuVWNhtFQzOAvkS5Pdec2wpBY6DY-hqNQWXLU8hwGBqdjMEfubMrfFX_zlXsIvKSFZ3E3xWrJZE6e3mjAHWCk_Mf036-WkRGddbxKQec-VYbi6M4uiTrU/s320/Lakeville+West.sm.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="305" /></a></div>
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Painted Sunday (2/24).Thats not a barn on the left... just a wall of some sort. Mid afternoon, looking west on Old Lakeville Road. The Petaluma River is that blue streak running through the Eucalyptus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzF2yJFObVpSgMqW05BPGSXX9NA7gw8jAZyIQcoqlj0i-UB0HepOQ-THlnzu98LwJ50ktae3eqvQA-kRUgonZ0JUHcrIPBusufyuYptfQ9BJaDEO8y_u0rAd8H2kcXYngr9JijLsjZeo/s1600/Pheasant+Run.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzF2yJFObVpSgMqW05BPGSXX9NA7gw8jAZyIQcoqlj0i-UB0HepOQ-THlnzu98LwJ50ktae3eqvQA-kRUgonZ0JUHcrIPBusufyuYptfQ9BJaDEO8y_u0rAd8H2kcXYngr9JijLsjZeo/s320/Pheasant+Run.sm.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
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Mid-morning, a few weeks ago, pulled off the highway on the way into town. An idyllic view, but cars were whizzing by right behind me. The grass went from yellow to green, to blue green, as the eye moved towards the horizon. 2 Pheasants were fighting with each other in a hedge off to my left.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UGcqUhwagNakFrI2YLbnguHzqPi_kbubiNzzT0948wBwQLgthuSAn_Py_Ufa8MuwwpyEQiXLrwdlgSgBk80cWY37VX_C0IDjsvheBb_UxBfFpXQWXcv_82Xk1TJp-uCJsgUZzTjOhZY/s1600/Post+Mortem.sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UGcqUhwagNakFrI2YLbnguHzqPi_kbubiNzzT0948wBwQLgthuSAn_Py_Ufa8MuwwpyEQiXLrwdlgSgBk80cWY37VX_C0IDjsvheBb_UxBfFpXQWXcv_82Xk1TJp-uCJsgUZzTjOhZY/s320/Post+Mortem.sm.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Something about this made me give it a shot. We'll see... More to come!</div>
<br />Bill Conehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00852367461802236749noreply@blogger.com3