Tree Study 7

Tree Study 7, 7 x 5 in.

I think sometimes that I'm a little off.....I enjoy these small tree studies so much. Perhaps I should paint an orchard--ha. Here, I focused on loosening up the edges more than usual, and working with the trunks last--applying them on top of the tree's form rather than exclusively underneath. Still thinking about active and passive sides.

-julie davis

Tree Study 6

Tree Study 6, 6 x 8 in.

Another in the tree study series.... Scott Christensen consistently reiterated variety of line in a composition. No matter the line--horizon line, a stand of trees, the top of a mountain, the edge of a creek, even variety of line in the grasses or shadows of the ground plane. This plays into the active/passive side of individual trees as well.

-julie davis

Tree Study 6

Tree Study 6, 8 x 6 in.

It may seem redundant to do the same subject over and over, but trees are something I adore painting, and their importance in a landscape cannot be underestimated. Any new manner of approaching them that I come across, I want to play with it until it becomes second nature. In addition to the active/passive side I've written about, Scott stressed the importance of the core of the tree being the darkest, and painting toward the core as you address the shadow and light aspects of the tree.

I'm not sure I subordinated one side of the tree here as successfully as I could have, but these studies are learning vehicles for me as much as anything--so go easy on me as I try to absorb and incorporate it all! :)

-julie davis

more tree studies / panel comparisons

Wind River alkyd primed linen, 6 x 8 in.

RayMar oil primed linen, 6 x 8 in.

Several of you wrote and asked which panel (cotton or linen) I preferred from my last post. First, as you know, there are so many variables, and you should really test them out yourself--your personal style and materials will affect your opinion. With the medium I use (refined linseed oil), the brushes (natural hog bristle or bristle blend, mostly filberts), and my paints (generally Gamblin), at first I really liked the way the paint glided across the linen panel, while I noticed the cotton really grabbed the paint. And I always love the way linen looks as a finished product. But, I also love to apply a thicker paint--often with my palette knife, and I felt the cotton held the paint better for that. So, I'm still experimenting, and like them both, perhaps for slightly different approaches.

That said, today I tried two linen panels--the same Wind River 359 alkyd primed linen that Scott Christensen uses and that I tried in my last post, and the RayMar Claessen's double (oil) primed linen that I've used before on occasion. What I noticed today was that the alkyd primed had a little more tooth than the double oil primed (as billed), and I did like that. So, I should try the single (oil ) primed for the sake of completeness--it would not be as smooth and may be a better apples-to-apples comparison. I know both of these companies sell a variety or sample pack, for just this type of experimentation.

-julie davis

active/passive side tree studies

"active" side - shadow side

"active" side - light side

One of the many points Scott made in his workshop was that when painting trees, always subordinate one side of the tree. Obviously, in ideal light, a tree will have a light side and a shadow side. And clearly, the way an artist handles the point at which these masses meet is vital. I think an equally valuable point, which Scott made again and again, is that a tree should have an "active" side and a "passive" side. I believe that some trees are more naturally inclined to reveal which side to subordinate:), but that's where the artist comes in. The eye loves variety, and this applies to trees as well.

In these two ten-minute studies, I was doing two things:

1. Testing panels : the first is a Wind River Arts linen, and the second is a RayMar cotton...

2. Subordinating a particular side in each. In the first, it was the light side that I played down in order to play up the shadow side. I attempted the opposite in the second study. I pretty much did these simultaneously, so that I could focus on both objectives at once.

-julie davis

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

Tuscany

Sketches in Tuscany

Blogging while traveling isn't something I've mastered. Today, though, I've posted a thumbnail sketch I made in Tuscany, where we've been fortunate enough to be for a bit. I know I say nothing new when I describe the area as beautiful in every direction, but truly, there is a painting in every direction. While we're busy touring, I'm finding some time in the late afternoons to sketch, and am taking loads of photographs. Sorry for the lack of paintings lately, but the sketches will have to do for a while.

-julie

Shoulder to Shoulder

Shoulder to Shoulder, 6 x 8 in.
nfs

These peaches were smaller than we're used to here in the Hill Country--these are from California.....hmm..... They sure made a delicious snack after they posed for me here, though. My youngest and I enjoyed them with a bit of sugar on top today. I like the way these came out even better than the last post.

-julie davis

Still Life Studies

Pear and Apple, 6 x 8 in.

Continuing with my still life studies, I painted this study alongside my favorite 7 year-old nephew and my brother (!) who were painting Pokemon and a landscape, respectively. What can be more fun than painting alongside your family?! I loosened up a bit more than usual I think, and I like the results.

-julie davis

Tom Miller Dam

Tom Miller Dam, 9 x 12 in.

sold

Today I had the good fortune to go out painting with my good friend, Laurel Daniel. Both our schedules are nuts right now, but we managed to find a cool spot for a quick painting under the Red Bud Trail bridge (unbelievably, the high in Austin today was 100, so we were fortunate to be out early). I hadn't painted the dam before, though many times I've painted looking the opposite direction, down river. This dam was completed in 1940, after two other dams had proved incapable of holding the floods the Colorado River can produce. It's a sight I pass frequently, as I cross the bridge countless times each week.

(the painted sign reads: DANGER Automatic turbine action may release swift water any time without warning....no access beyond cable at all times).

-julie davis

Accepted

Accepted, 6 x 8 in.

The pear, that is, is accepted by the cherries.... It's been quite fun working with so much red lately, though after painting this one, I think the way in which I've handled this lighter background doesn't adequately balance the impact of such a vivid color. I'll keep moving forward on my experimentation....

-julie davis

Comfortable

Comfortable, 6 x 8 in.

Playing with greens and reds together in this one. I've got to work on getting better lighting for my still life set ups--I have light coming from several directions where I paint them, and haven't developed a good way to limit it to one yet, since I rarely painting still lifes.

-julie davis

Steadfast

Steadfast, 6 x 8 in.

And she liked it. My friend, from yesterday's post. :)

It's kind of fun doing some still lifes after working so intensely on landscape as the subject matter for the Davis Gallery show. It really allows one the time to carefully examine a form, much like the trees I so enjoy studying (except this fruit is much smaller, and the light on a still life doesn't change!)

-julie davis

Close

Close, 6 x 8 in.

I have a very dear friend to whom I owe some time--if she's reading this today, she'll know I'm talking to her. So, pal, what do you think of this one? :)

-julie davis

New Sweden Church

New Sweden Church, 8 x 6 in.

sold

New Sweden Evangelical Lutheran Church (completed in 1923) sits just Northeast of Manor, Texas, which is just Northeast of Austin. I was fortunate enough to be able to join my Plein Air Austin painting friends today to paint there. This copper steeple rises 104 feet, and can be seen for quite a long distance. I was impressed by how beautiful the countryside is out there--I'll be back there for sure!

-julie davis

Light Snow, revisited

Light Snow, 12 x 16in.

sold

This is the last painting I'll post from my current show at Davis Gallery here in Austin, and a tribute to the cold snap we've gotten here in Austin in the last 24 hours. The show ends this Saturday, May 7th, so if you're in Austin and haven't had a chance to go by, please do!

Some of you will recognize this as a larger version of the study I did back in early February. I loved painting the snow so much I immediately went for a bigger one that same day. It's available at the gallery.

One last thing: my apologies for the infrequency of my posts lately. We've had the majority of the interior of our house repainted over the last three weeks, and while the painters have done a tremendous job of minimizing the disruption, our house has been a bit topsy-turvy, and my studio is no exception. I hoped to be outside this week, but now we're finally getting much-needed rain, and it's 50 degrees F on top of that! Soon I will have my postings daily again.

-julie davis

Courtyard Fern

Courtyard Fern, 6 x 8 in.

I worked with a really muted palette today--partly due to subject matter, partly for fun (yes, muted is fun for me....). This asparagus fern sits in the courtyard of our home, and has just been reborn after freezing this winter.

-julie davis

Mid-day Graze

Mid-day Graze, 5 x 7in.

donation to Arthouse 5 x 7 Art Splurge, Austin

Coming back to painting even after a short break, I realize that I will tend to use more palette knife to bring a painting to completion. On something like this, it doesn't take much, but I really love what it adds.

Before I was a painter (four short years ago), the very loose, "edgy" paintings where the brushstrokes were obvious and lush were the ones to which I was attracted. Learning the process of painting and everything that goes along with it takes so much effort, that finely tuning what one truly loves about a result takes a bit to happen. All this to say, I think I'm getting closer....

-julie davis

Late Afternoon

Late Afternoon, 5 x 7 in.

donation to Arthouse 5 x 7 Art Splurge

Oh, for some rain! It seems as if every other year we have too much, and every other, too little. This field should be ripe with wildflowers and green, but the majority is still brown. We're hoping for some rain this weekend, just in time for Easter and all of it's outdoor activities. But I'm not going to complain. :)

It's so good to be back at the canvas again after a couple of weeks gathering my thoughts and energy post-show. It's interesting what a little time away does, good and bad. I feel a bit rusty, but coming back after a break seems to set me on a new and often more focused course each time.

-julie davis

Oak Alliance

Oak Alliance, 9 x 12 in.

If you've followed for the last month or two, you may notice that this is a little bit larger and slightly different version of "Early Morning Oaks," posted on February 16th. I changed the sky to work in the clouds, which altered the entire time of day / mood of the scene. Both of them appeal to me, but I did have more fun with the brushwork in this one.

-julie davis

Guadalupe Fenceline and Show Photos(!)

Guadalupe Fenceline, 9 x 12 in.

sold

A huge THANK YOU to all of you who came to the opening at Davis gallery last night! We had a huge turnout, and many paintings found new homes, including this one of the treeline on our property in Hunt. I'm still grinning! Bill Davis and his staff handled the opening so well--the work is beautifully put together, and I hope if you weren't able to stop by last night, that you'll come by this month. It's all up through May 7th.

You asked, so I've included a few photos from the show below. My dedicated and ever-supportive husband, Ben, took all of these pictures but the first; a big thank you, love.

Stephen, me, Laurel

friends, and...

family :)

-julie davis

Trail at Lost Creek

Trail at Lost Creek, 12 x 16 in.

sold

Austin has many preserved green spaces--greenbelts, and there are so many wonderful walking/running trails that wind through them. This one follows a small cliff for a while and is so peaceful--it can make me feel instantly like I'm out of the city.

-julie davis

River Valley Elms

River Valley Elms, 16 x 20 in.

donation to ARC of the Capital art auction

The weekend is approaching, and I'm getting excited about the opening at Davis Gallery this Saturday night. I stopped by the gallery yesterday with a friend and saw it all up, and I have to say-- it looks amazing!! Bill Davis (I keep saying no relation--but really--no relation!) has done a beautiful job of hanging the work so that the pieces compliment one another and the show really flows.

The two other artists in the show, my good friends Laurel Daniel and Stephen Parker, have pulled off tremendous bodies of work. If you're in the Austin area, I hope you'll have theopportunity stop in and see it. Kudos to Bill Davis and Laurel and Stephen--see you Saturday!

-julie davis

Old Farmhouse

Old Farmhouse, 9 x 12 in.

sold

The thing that charmed me about this old farmhouse was its cloak of trees. The house stood safely tucked behind them, but kept enough distance to allow sunlight to shine across the front yard. This piece is at Davis Gallery in this month's show.

-julie davis