Workshop friends

July workshop participants

Finally, I'm home! My husband and kids came up to Idaho for the last two days of the workshop, and we all stayed on in the Jackson area for a few more. Since then, we've been to visit my sister's family and their new baby, and we're home at last so I can post and paint.

Scott's studio sent this photo we took from the final day of the Intensive workshop. We all look like a bunch of happy painters--surprising that we were smiling after all we had been through.....:) Such abuse! Honestly, the positive takeaways will be soaking in for months, and I'm fortunate to have a super-supportive family that allowed me the time to attend!

-julie davis

Study 5 and 7-Lessons in Speed

Study 5, 8 x 6 in.

Study 7, 8 x 6 in.

This morning I headed out to the last day of Scott Christensen's workshop, and it's been such a formative experience, I'm sad it's over. A couple of days ago, Scott had us go out on our own to paint three studies in as many hours (not including travel and set up time), which proved to be a challenging, but very productive exercise. When you're thoughtfully considering composition and value and attempting to not make a complete disaster out of your painting, an hour per study isn't much time. :)

The first of these images is the first study I did that day. The second is not posted (a "complete disaster"), as I painted it in my car in a desperate attempt to avoid the bloodsucking horseflies that filled the air..... The other is my third study--completed in 15 minutes, as I took too much time on the first two and managed my time poorly.

Lessons learned: Painting quickly is an excellent way to force fast decisions based on first impressions and to train your eye to make value judgements quickly. I really found that my quick studies could be more competent compositions than ones I could spend hours on--a valuable lesson for any plein air painter.

-julie davis

Study 4 and hazards of plein air painting

Study 4 "Before", 6 x 8 in.

Christensen Workshop

Tuesday evening after class, several of us went out to paint in an aspen grove--to study what we'd be painting the next day. I did two small studies--I was pretty happy with this one--a little foreshadowing. The next morning we were painting in the same spot, so I had it out for reference--on the ground behind me against my backpack--admittedly not the best spot! As I put the last mark--literally--on my morning study, I backed up to look at it, and yep.....stepped right in the center of my happy little study! :

"After," 6 x 8 in.

Needless to say, I spent the next forty-five minutes in repair mode! (Lesson: never get too happy with something because it can disappear in an instant!!) It did have a nice abstract quality to it....

-julie davis

Study 3

Study 3, 6 x 8 in.

Oh the poor photography! This little study was the first I did yesterday, and I got the mountain plane value too dark--a combination of bright sun and inexperience painting mountains....

Today we spent the day indoors sketching and studying composition, while Scott did a demo in the afternoon. And did I mention it poured most of the day? By 4:00 though, it was sunny and cool, and several of us headed for an aspen grove to paint.

-julie davis

Study 2

Study 2, 8 x 6 in.

Yesterday we watched Scott do a large demo--actually, he worked on two large pieces, so we didn't paint until late--and on our own time. We'll just say that after two days of taking in information and trying to process it all, the painting I did was an odd combination of everything I'd been hearing mixed up and spat upon a canvas. I lost me in there somewhere, but thankfully, today I came back, having distilled some of what I'm learning.

This is the second study I did today--I would've posted them in chronological order, but this one was in front in my little stand and I'm hurrying to meet new friends for dinner! I'm loving these trees--all of them--the pines, the cottonwood, the aspens....but I love darks, and I had a ball with this.

You might check out Scott's studio blog, a thoughtfully written and full-of-good-insights weekly post called "Flow," written by one of Scott's right hands, Kathy--you'll see me painting. :)

-julie davis

Workshop Sketches

Sketches from the workshop

Today was a pretty intense day of lecture and learning--no painting--but all worth it and valuable. We worked a good bit on composition--these are a couple from class and a couple I did after. Again, apologies for the odd photo angles and poor quality....as I look back if you look at the first sketch just the right way, the shaded mountain in the back resembles a wooden roller coaster....hmm......

-julie davis

Study 1

Study 1, 8 x 6 in.

After a long and necessary absence from blogging (end of school, family vacation), I'm happily attending Scott Christensen's July workshop in Idaho and posting again. Today was the first day of the workshop, and I'm taking it all in. We had a little time this afternoon to do a quick study and try out what we're learning. I've included a photograph of the view I chose. Sorry for the poor photo of my work--hotel room photography--have to find a better setup!

-julie davis