Ontario Plein Air Society

OPAS A YEAR IN PICTURES

2011-04-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

Of Art and “Art”– A discussion of what is and isn’t

2011-02-24T17:26:00.000-08:00

A Facebook friend brought up a thorny subject the other day, and I thought I would start a discussion here about it. In effect his questions fell into the subject of “What Is Art?” A question that is probably as old as art itself.

The nuance of the question is when does art become less or more than itself. When does commercialization sap it of its genius and when does genius or experimentation transform it to something other than art?

Put another way:

Why is the work of Thomas Kinkade not considered art? One friend compared his work to dollar store Christmas ornaments (ouch). Mind you it looked lovely in the Disney movies, but something happened when these works started being sold as collectors items and people actually started to collect them. We all know how that ended.

Why does the work of Robert Rauschenberg (white painting for instance) create such controversy? As one blogger explains “Rauschenberg painted the White Painting as an intentional attempt to see how much content he could strip out of a painting and still have it have meaning.” this sense of “meaning” though, is it art? If it is, is it visual art or experimental art? Is the use of a canvas meaningful or incidental? Is it, in other words a “painting”?

We could discuss of course people like Bob Ross and other TV follow along individuals. We can also discuss the handful of method artists out of the mountain area in the USA who all seem to have breath taking works until you see enough of them and start realizing that you can’t tell one from the other because they all follow the same “process”.

Or we can stay away from the negatives and discuss what makes art art for you. After all, that is what matters, the rest lives around the edges and behind the canvas.

I’m opening this up both here and on Facebook, so take a stab and please… why don’t you let us know how you really feel

About Painting Trees

2010-12-02T19:39:00.001-08:00

Trees are a ubiquitous element in plein air painting. They represent a major part of most works whether they are the focal points or a part of the general landscape. As an element in nature they also represent the most prolific group of growth out there. It is therefore worth while studying them and their growth and characteristics so that we can portray them convincingly in our artwork.

When it comes to studying tree one of the best sources is an Eastern art that is focused on trees: Bonsai. Bonsai is the art of growing trees in pots. These are normally small to medium sized dwarfed trees – kept small but constant pruning of leaves, branches and roots. The art form is highly stylized, but offers a very helpful categorization of tree forms and types. Each style of growth in Bonsai is derived from careful study of the tree types, how they grow and what characters they develop from youth to old age. Trunks and branches are carefully pruned and shaped to comply to natural growth patters in normal trees so that these small trees echo their older larger cousins in every way, and form a stylized, but true representation of them.

There are many aspects to pruning and branch placement and development that if studies carefully would be very helpful for the artist interested in depicting trees, but we will focus on the general styles or shapes of bonsai and try to relate them to our art-form of painting nature for now.

In Bonsai there are several formal types that represent the classical characters that trees take in nature. Each type tells a story of growth and life. I have taken each of these types and matched them with a painting of a tree so you can see how these Bonsai stylized forms actually work with our art form:

Formal upright

Tom Thomson, The Jack Pine

Broom

Vincent van Gogh Mulberry Tree

Slanting

Claude Monet The Esterel Mountains

Informal upright

Tom Thomson, The Pine Tree

Windswept

Fred Varley, Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay

Driftwood

Arthur Lismer, Pine Tree and Rocks

Literati

Claude Monet, A Meadow at Giverny

Forest

Charles Warren Eaton, The Last Gleam

Twin-trunk

Claude Monet, The Olive Tree Wood in the Moreno Garden

Multi-Trunk

Tom Thomson, Autumn Birches

Clinging-to-rock

Arthur Lismer, Old Pine, McGregor Bay

Cascade

Frank Carmichael, October Gold

Each of these styles would be worth a lot more study and understanding both from Bonsai and from nature itself. There are key elements in these styles that work to achieve believability and representation of a living natural trees. They come from centuries of careful observation and minimization of the forms. By studying these Bonsai tree styles and keeping them in mind, you can ask yourself the next time you are faced with a tree to paint: What Bonsai style is this tree? What is its form? How does it grow? What story does it tell?

For more on Bonsai styles look here:
http://www.bonsaiprimer.com/styles/styles.html
http://www.bonsai-bci.com/b_styles.htm
http://www.why-bonsai.com/bonsai_styles.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai

Retreat at the Opeongo Mountain Resort

2010-11-29T17:11:00.000-08:00

Last month I had the pleasure of taking part in an Ontario Plein Air Society weekend art retreat at the Opeongo Mountain Resort on Lake Clear in the Ottawa Valley in Ontario. The retreat was an unbelievably generous invitation by Chris and Bob Peltzer, owners of the resort to OPAS members.

I got to the Opeongo resort and met with Chris and Bob for the first time. A lovely couple who run the own and run the resort as a family business. I dropped my stuff at one of the cabins that I was sharing with David and went for a walk along the lake. The lake itself is worthy of many days of painting. It sports several islands with lots of character and has a road that goes around it giving you many view points to chose from. Here is a view of Lake Clear from the Opeongo Mountain Resort:

OPAS members started showing up slowly throughout the afternoon and that evening we had a feast courtesy of the Peltzers. Wine was flowing and we talked about art and painting and simply had a ball.

The next morning we woke up to a dusting of snow. That was not going to deter us. We headed out to the hills above the lake. After viewing a private painting of AY Jackson at an undisclosed location (the owners are very private) we scattered and painted at a local farm overlooking another private lake. It is amazing to see how several artists looking at the same view would interpret it so differently!

Noon came and I was reluctantly opening my cold canned lunch when a warm VERY WELCOME soup was delivered to all the artists courtesy of Opeongo Mountain Resort again. Talk about hospitality! WOW!

After finishing my unsuccessful sketch from that spot, I headed back down to Lake clear and did another so-so sketch from the side of the road looking east towards the islands.

The sun was coming down, but there was time for one more from a spot that AY Jackson painted at with a view of “Big Rock”. I was totally spent! tired but satisfied (despite not coming up with anything to show, I headed back to the cabin and took a small cat-nap.

The night was full of comradery and fun as we gathered in the Opeongo den around a cosy fire and drank wine and shared a pot-luck feast. We then had an informal critique of our day’s work with Mikulas and Kathy leading the discussion.

The next morning I was hoping to do a painting or two before heading back home, but unfortunately we woke up to wind and rain. We gathered once again in the den, said our goodbyes and headed back home. What a weekend!!

It is amazing but somehow I have learned to accept that if I manage to get one good plein air work out of three or four attempts, I am very happy. This weekend was not going to have keepers, but what was a true treasure was making wonderful friends. Worth more than anything else that could have happened that weekend

A Boxcar Anyone?

2010-10-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

”Well, James, my boy, down on your knees and give great gobs of thanks to Allah! Sing his praises, yell terrific halleluiahs. That they may even reach into His ears – we have a car awaiting us on the Algoma Central!!!”
(Peter Mellen The Group Of Seven, P.80)

That is how Harris broke the news to JEH MacDonald about the boxcar that they were to use on their painting trips to the Algoma

At the end of WWI, a group of painters who later called themselves the Group of Seven, loaded their gear on a train trip from Toronto to Sault Ste Marie. There, they were to meet up with another train on the Algoma Central Railway that was to pull and then unhook and park their specially equipped boxcar at various locations in the Algoma wilderness of northern Ontario. They would stay there for several weeks painting and sketching the pristine views, from The canyon near the Agawa River, to Hubert near Montreal Falls, to Batchawana.
Thanks in no small part to Harris and the invisible hand of Dr. MacCallum, the Algoma Central Railway furnished this boxcar, namely boxcar A.C.R 10557 with the painters’ every need. It was in fact a studio on wheels. It was fitted out with windows, lamps, bunks, stove, water-tank, sink and cupboards was their home away from home. A true luxury in the middle of the wilderness.

The works that they produced on these trips – yes they made a few from 1918-1925 – would become national icons and would etch their names in national Canadian history.

Last month a train retracing the same route took a group of tourists as well as art workshop enthusiasts through a trip in time. This event, sponsored by The Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains sparked my imagination. While this is a wonderful event for their cause and indeed opens the Algoma area to added tourism, I had often wondered if it was possible to recreate the boxcar trip for plein air artists. Not as a day trip, but as a sketching trip for a week or more of painting in the Algoma wilderness.
So after reading about the tour train I went googling and finally stumbled across the answer.

YES

You can actually book a boxcar similar to the one that housed the group of seven on their trip. A train will take you to several locations on the Algoma Central Rail and drop the boxcar and you in camping grounds in the Agawa Park. The boxcar can accommodate up to four passengers and can be booked for 5 days (4 nights) for a reasonable rate of around Cdn$800 per person. Now when you add a flight to Sault Ste Marie and back, the trip becomes a bit hefty but it is not one that you do every day.

I am hoping that someone reading this blog post will decide that they would like to sponsor 3 or 4 OPAS members (Me included of course) on a trip like this next summer. We could arrange for payment through works painted up there and an exhibition to recoup some of the costs. Anyone interested in becoming a true patron of Canadian Art?

OPAS HAS A NEW WEBSITE

2010-10-03T05:22:00.000-07:00

We finally got ourselves a .com address and moved the OPAS site to a more robust platform. The new site allows everyone to look in on the activities of OPAS, but you have to be a member to participate.

So visit us at www.ontariopleinairsociety.com and see for yourself. Come join us at Rouge Park for a fall paint-out on Saturday October 9th, and don't forget to join us for our first show at the JEH MacDonald house November 12-14!

Images of the True North come back to historic JEH MacDonald House

2010-10-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Plein Air Painting Day at Rouge Park – All are welcome!

2010-09-23T16:47:00.001-07:00

In conjunction with the Rouge Park management, OPAS is having an open fall paint-out at the Rouge Park on Saturday October 9 from 9am to 6pm. The park authorities will be promoting the paint out to their huge database of contacts and it is a high visibility paint-out for OPAS and OPAS members.

We will meet at Pearse House, 1745 Meadowvale Road, Toronto, across from the Toronto Zoo. The house itself is a worthy subject for painting, but the Rouge Park is the largest urban park in North America and features a wide array of subjects for your painting pleasure, from the meandering Rivers to the hills and large vistas and trails with century old trees. It is all here.



Pictures curtsey of Sean Gracey

As we grow as an organization and we start working with other groups such as the Park Authorities, City Governments and Tourist Bureaus on events, it is important for us to show strength in numbers of participants. This encourages organizers to work with us and gives us the ability to organize more paint-out and shows throughout the year. So while we usually have good turn out for our paint-outs, we would like to urge all members plein air enthusiasts within reasonable driving distance to the park to join us for this important and fun event. Bring a friend, student, spouse or partner along. Make this your fall plein air event.

If you need transportation, let us know. If you are willing to pick-up fellow members living in your area who don't have transportation also please let us know. We would really like to have a high level of participation for this event.

Our thanks to Keith and Helen for their big effort in organizing this wonderful paint-out opportunity. We really need more such involvement from all members in all parts of our wonderful province.

You are welcome to come last minute and there is no cost to the paint-out But please RSVP to Keith at Keith@capstonecomm.com so that we can plan the day better and wait for you.

For more details on the Rouge Park click here:
http://www.rougepark.com/index.php

OPAS First Show and Sale: The poster preview

2010-09-20T18:11:00.001-07:00

As the days get shorter and the colours start to turn, we are working feverishly to get ready for our first OPAS show and sale.

Stay tuned for more, but mark the dates and don’t miss this first OPAS show.

If you would like a press release or invitations to the show, please email opas@sympatico.ca

Painting Fall Colours En Plein Air

2010-09-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

Fall is almost here. The kids are getting ready to go back to school and there is a nip in the air and a crisp feel to the colours and sky. Fall is a tempting season for painting outdoors. The natural display of magnificent colours that we are privileged to witness here in Canada plays no small part in this of course. We are all tempted to dip into pure colour and record the dazzling display of yellows and reds all around us. And here lies the problem.

Fall is - in my experience - one of the more difficult times to paint convincingly and in an unsentimental manner. In J.F. Carlson's classic book: Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting, John Carlson lays down one of the most enduring principles of value distribution in painting landscapes. Simply put, he divides the landscape into planes with varying degrees of light hitting them and affecting the values on a simple 4 value scale.

The sky of course is the lightest value since it is the source of light
The flat land is the second lightest since it receives the most uninterrupted light from the sky
The sloping planes (Mountains/ hills) are the third lightest because they receive less direct light than the flat planes
The upright planes (Trees/ cliffs) are the fourth on the value scale because they receive the least direct light since they are perpendicular to the light source in the sky.

Of course there are many assumptions that mitigate the principle such as time of day and water/ snow etc...

Fall is one of those tricky mitigating times where Carlson's principle has to be carefully navigated. Below is an image of a field with three of the four planes showing (1 - 2 - and 4). As you can see from the graphically rendered image, the division of planes corresponds nicely to Carlson's principles.

Even where there are highlights in the trees, the values are lower than those in the flat land making the separation of planes neat and tidy and the composition simplified and easy to capture.

Now let's look at a similar image in the fall. Again I tried to find an image with three of the four planes showing. The distant hills value 3 will remain the same. As you can see here, the values in the upright plane 4 (trees) and the flat land plane 2 (land) are almost the same with the highlights in the trees actually lighter than the ground.

In my personal experience if you stay true to the values that you see here in the fall picture, you will end up with a jarring pretty picture but not a true representation of nature. The oranges and reds will pull forward (warm colours tend to come forward) and the image at best will be flat and won't read right. In my opinion (and I am sure others will have their own ideas) you have to dull the colours down and push them back to Carlson's order while keeping the colours as true as possible and rich. Confused? Yes it can be very confusing and tricky. That is why Falls is a tough time to paint en plein air. It is beautiful and in your face but also hard to render and tricky to translate at the same time.

OPAS First Weekend Retreat and Invitational

2010-07-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

Chris and Bob Peltzer, own and operate Opeongo Mountain Resort on Lake Clear in the Ottawa Valley . They are also members of Ontario Plein Air Society (OPAS) and of The Ottawa Valley Artist's League. Chris will be involved in the Art on the Beach show as part of Renfrew County 's Rural Ramble in September and the Madawaska Studio Tour.

The Opeongo Mountain Resort is magical for painting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, camping and hiking. A quick look through their website will show you what kind of trophy fish you can catch from the lakefront resort. But it is the painting on and around Lake Clear that is magical for us. This area was the favourite stomping grounds for AY Jackson in the 1950s and 1960s. Jackson, a member of the Group of Seven, along with Maurice Haycock and Ralph W. Burton frequented the area, painting many plein air works and staying at the lake area homes of friends along the way. A.Y. Jackson also moved to the Ottawa area to stay in his late years.

The area is full of sites to paint and Chris and Bob as well as Kathy and Tom know them all.

It is with great pleasure that we announce that Chris and Bob Peltzer have extended an invitation to OPAS members for a plein air invitational weekend October 22-24. OPAS members will be guests of the Peltzers for the weekend who have offered to open up their resort accommodations free of charge to registered members of OPAS only. As guests of the Peltzers we will be expected to share accommodations and to provide our own meals and drink since the kitchen staff will be off at that time. We will arrange pot-luck and supplies with those who wish to attend. We will also try to car pool for those who don’t have the means to travel to Lake Clear . BYOB of course and let’s be the best of guests. More on all of this later.

If you are a member of OPAS and wish to participate in this invitational, please RSVP as soon as possible to opas@sympatico.ca Accommodations are limited so please don’t delay. Only RSVP’d registered members of OPAS will be expected at the resort.

Chris and Bob have secured several breathtaking locations for us to paint at including locations on private properties. Specifically Chris and Bob have received an invitation for our group to paint at the Jack Kitts property. The view form the Jack Kitts property is famous because A.Y. Jackson painted the Big Rock from the same vintage point. There are A.Y. Jackson sites in the area and by the time of our paint- out there will be a brochure and map showing their location for those who wish to follow in the brush strokes of one of Canada's greatest plein-air artists.

Of course that is not the only location. Many places around the lake and further off are available for us as well. Chris and Kathy are working on a list of the best locations for us to set up our easels and paint away.

Credit must be given to Kathy Haycock, daughter of Maurice Haycock, who painted with A.Y. Jackson. Kathy has written a book about her father's life and travels as an artist. She plans to attend this event and would be happy to share some of her father's stories with the group. Kathy has worked with local writer Tom Adamchick and John Almstead, a local artist to develop a brochure and website dedicated to A.Y. Jackson's Ottawa Valley period.

On behalf of OPAS I want to thank the Peltzers as well as Tom Adamchick and Kathy Haycock for planning this invitational and for their very generous and inaugural offer. To receive this level of support for our young society in our first year of serious membership is a huge boost and one that we are all grateful for. In extending this invitation Chris and Bob continue a great local tradition of supporting the arts and especially plein air painting. We are indebted the Peltzers for their generosity and love for art.

To readers who are not OPAS members but who support and appreciate Canadian art, I would ask that you consider spending time at the Opeongo Mountain Resort on your next vacation and patronize our benefactors. It is a great way to reward and encourage businesses that support art in Canada . I have to tell you that neither Chris nor Bob asked for this endorsement or the ad that we have for them on the site and blog. They did not expect anything in return for their invitation except the company of fellow artists. We at OPAS made the decision to wholeheartedly endorse their business and encourage everyone to reward and congratulate them on their commitment to Canadian art.

Plein Air Painting In the Rain at Scotsdale Farm

2010-06-17T08:22:00.001-07:00

The mist and darkened sky over the vast hills and fields of Scotsdale Farm were punctuated with the hushed figures of six painters huddled under trees and umbrellas ready to paint. Strange, but what nature takes away in terms of colour and value on a rainy day, it gives back in aerial perspective and harmony. The subdued colours of the trees, sky and fields sing together in a grayed and blued dance.

Our paintings were interrupted by occasional downpour but all of us knew what we were getting into long before we slept the night before. We were determined to come away with, at the very least, some well earned experience. That, I know we all did.

I came out with a dud of a painting to be perfectly honest. Nothing about my sketch of the pond was worth while, but the experience and the understanding that I gained of the atmosphere of the day was worth every minute of it. Others were much more successful as you can see from the pictures in this post.

Every moment that we spend painting outdoors feeds our observation and expands our understanding. Not every paint-out will result in masterpieces for everyone, but every paint-out will be one step closer to another successful work.

The practice of plein air painting does not need to be cloaked with the mystique that seems to engulf it nowadays. It is simply the study of colours in nature and the act of painting or sketching within the environment. That is not to say it is easy. The senses are heightened and the bewilderment of colour, light and motion rakes havoc with ones senses, but the experience has no equal. I urge every artist who has been dwelling in their studios for the winter, to take their easels out - even to their back yard - and paint from nature. It is exhilarating.

A Brush With The Highlands - BE THERE OPAS!

2010-05-19T04:15:00.000-07:00

Ontario Plein Air Society is pleased to endorse A Brush With The Highlands, one of the premier plein air festivals in Ontario. The 3 day festival takes place in the Haliburton Highlands around Wilberforce, Ontario from July 31 to August 3 (August long weekend). This area is among the most stunning, unique and dramatic landscapes on the Canadian Shield. You will be painting around some of the most intriguing environmentally sensitive and significant areas in Canada.

Last year’s inaugural event was attended by many OPAS members and we won 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th place in the juried competition and show on the last day. The event is very well planned and catered with constant flow of fresh cold water, bug spray and other comforts brought to you while you paint! These folks are phenomenal. The nights are planned as well, with a bonfire, BBQ and prizes set for the first night and plenty of generosity from the hosts of the event on their private property around the clock. The festival entails two complete days of painting with nightly events around the camp fire and a juried competition, show and sale on the last day. Each artist is allowed to show three paintings for the juried competition and sale at no additional cost.

We would love to see a strong showing for this event. OPAS is giving away a wet-panel award on the last day for a juried work done on site during the paint-out events. Please make plans to attend and let’s make A Brush With The Highlands the OPAS “must-attend” gathering of the year. Wear your OPAS T-Shirt or show your OPAS Button and let’s make this festival the one to talk about all year!

Please go to A Brush With The Highlands or
contact Tracey Green for more details.
Cost = $45 including 3 paintings entered in the show
Dates = Jult 31-August 3
Location = Wilberforce, Ontario

Steering committee report and announcement

2010-05-14T05:33:00.000-07:00

The Ontario Plein Air Society (OPAS), through its members and affiliates,
works to promote plein air painting in Ontario. The Society is a non-commercial
group dedicated to serving its artist members and educating the general public
about plein air painting.

As of June 1, 2010 membership in OPAS requires a signed application form
along with annual dues of $25.00. These dues go to funding:

Annual exhibition and awards.
Awards and publications
The cost and maintenance of our website,
Mailing costs and other administrative costs

The annual membership runs from June 1 to May 31 of each year. All members
joining between these dates still have to pay the full membership dues.
Membership renewals are due in the month of May. We will send out a notice early
in the month as a reminder.

Membership cards will be sent to paid-up members. All members who have not
renewed their membership by June 1 will be considered non-members. Access
privileges and participation are only given to OPAS members in good standing.

The benefits of membership:

Full participation in the new OPAS website including :

Member's bio with picture.
OPAS Blog where members have full participation rights.
Members' Gallery.
OPAS Forums where you can have discussions in a private OPAS
setting.
Links to your blog and/or website.

Participation in paint outs.
Participation in the Annual OPAS public Art Show and awards.
Participation in OPAS future painting projects such as "Painting
Ontario".
Participation in OPAS challenges such as monthly challenges that may be
run from the web forums.
Participation in 'members' only' workshops.
Other members' privileges including art store discounts and group
discounts where applicable.

The membership drive for OPAS begins now. Free members wishing to maintain
their membership in the 2010-2011 year (June 1 2010 - May 31 2011) will need to
complete an application form and pay the $25.00 annual membership dues. This
will immediately give members access to the new website and confer on them the
benefits stated above. Membership cards will be issued and mailed to paid
members that will make them eligible for discounts at art stores such as
Curry's. As a point of reference, Curry's discount when you show your OPAS card
is 10% so a purchase of $250.00 from Curry's will alone recoup the membership
dues paid by an OPAS member.

Inactive and non-artists free members who do not wish to become full OPAS
members but wish to maintain a limited level of communication with OPAS can join
the OPAS fans page free of charge. You will not have access to any of the
members' only portions of the site and you will not be able to follow our paint
out schedule. You are welcome to attend our annual exhibition, but you will not
be able to add your work in the exhibition.

Please email your request for membership to opas@sympatico.ca we will email
you back the application form and instructions on how you can pay the $25.00
membership dues.

Businesses, Organizations and friends of OPAS:

OPAS is looking for sponsorship and donations from local and arts businesses,
organizations and private donors. If you are interested in making a donation to
OPAS or sponsoring an OPAS activity, please visit our fundraising link on the
OPAS website.

You can purchase OPAS merchandise from which $5.00 of the purchase price of
each item goes to fund OPAS activities, or you can make an outright donation
electronically or by cheque. Donations of $250.00 or more will be awarded with a
FRIENDS OF OPAS certificate and mentioned on our honour role on our website
home page with a link to their websites if they so desire.

Alone with a Brush

2010-05-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I went out on my own to paint along a dirt road off of 6th Line road and 5th Side road in Milton. I wanted to sketch mount Kelso across the highway and I thought that dirt walkway to the edge of the highway was a good vantage point. It wasn't, but that is not the story.

I parked where 6th Line road ends and took the foot path to the edge of the highway. There, I put my backpack down and started to sketch the scene. All of a sudden, I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise. I was not alone. I looked back at the pathway to see a big man with a sizable stick walking in my direction. I felt trapped and uneasy about the situation. Here I was alone in the woods literally with a stranger approaching me with a menacing stick in hand. The only way out of the area was to go past him, and I was not about to test his willingness to use the stick.

Instinct took over and I called out a big hello.
No answer. He kept walking towards me.
He stopped about 15 feet away and asked me what I was doing.
"I am waiting for some friends to arrive" I said. We are sketching Mount Kelso from this spot.
"Why?" I added to engage him.
No answer.
"You shouldn't be out here alone." He finally said.
Gave me a long look while tapping the stick on his leg and finally walked away.
Needless to say, I waited for this man to leave, packed my stuff and headed back in a trot to my car. The spot was too close to the face of the escarpment to see a good vista, and anyway, I was too perturbed and conscious of my surroundings to let myself enjoy the creative flow of colours and strokes.

Painting is a solitary endeavour of course, but being out in the wild alone is not a wise thing to do. In my years of painting outdoors, I have not had such an experience before, but this one time was enough to convince me that unless I am heading out with others, it may be wiser to stay close to well trodden paths where one is likely to meet many others. Better the many interruptions of curious onlookers than the single one from a menacing visitor… Human or other.

There are many values that a plein air group like the Ontario Plein Air society can bring to its members, but un-interrupting silent company; the knowledge that while you are painting alone and focused on your work, there is someone that you know who is close by, is by far one of the most important benefits that a plein air society can bring.

Hot Times Ahead

2010-04-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday I decided to paint early on the Bruce Trail. The jacket I decided to wear at the last minute was welcome. It was 5℃, sunny with a breeze. On the way to the site my mind wandered when I realized there would be interesting patterns of light and shadow. Inside the car it was quite hot. Then I got out standing in the sunlight. Warm until I stepped into the cover of the woods. That refrigerator effect will be welcome in the months ahead.

I rarely sit to paint, but I decided to take on that perspective. Much cooler sitting, walking back to get a better look at least stirs the blood. Maybe I should do more sitting in July. We have been defeated more often in the heat than in the dead of Winter. My short walk raised my body temperature just enough to get started without feeling the cold. I was in complete shade, a good practice for the heat. That also keeps the glare out of your eyes and off your palette. Shadow motion in the lit forest floor areas caught my eye. Looking up I saw them. Turkey Buzzards circling over me trying to determine if I was alive.

After I had my start in place and entered the zone I came back to reality with a steady stream of solids falling into the wet paint. Then the sound came through. A wood pecker was working on a dead limb overhead. Sure gave body to the paint. Combustible at that. On the side of the road in summer, gravel is the culprit. I did not want to move, neither did she/he. So we had a stand off. I reached for the only food I had - a cold apple. Biting into it I realized I was cold and so were my hands. Inappropriate for the cold. I got up and took a quick walk, hands in pockets. Didn't want the patterns to move too much. At that time of day had only an hour or so.

Six Gliders Circling, 12x12, Oil on Canvas

After this experience in the transition period (going to 26 today) I began a check list for outfitting myself for the coming season.

Water, snack

Towel

Peaked hat (standard for me - keeps the sun off my face) one without a top is great - for me

Sun protection clothing

No sun glasses - want to see full colour

Sun screen (standard Winter and Summer)

Set up in the shade

Work in the woods or from the edge of the woods looking out - or work in the water

Sturdy foot ware - especially important when venturing into un-manicured surroundings
The standard pack of easel, paint, boards and canvas, garbage bag

From this you might think I am preoccupied with the heat. You would be right.

So why do we do this to ourselves in all seasons? Here is a short list.

Can be a social gathering after going solo in the studio

Sharpen the eye after studio painting

Train your eye to see what is really there
Do rapid smalls with chunking concepts for training
Test materials, brushes, paints, mediums
Practice composition sketching
Learn to "see" edges and ways to duplicate them
Learn to squint for value and put that down in colour

Increase stimulation with a new motif and place

Learn from others

Enjoy and understand nature (Trilliums coming out, umbrella plant, Jack in the Pulpit, bamboo grass....)

Avoid cutting the grass
Exercise (then you are too tired to cut the grass)

Additions?

OPAS in 2010! Where We Go From Here.-UPDATE

2010-04-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

Just to let everyone know we have 8 hardy souls who have stepped up and offered their time and energy to be part of the new OPAS lead team for 2010(See the older post below).

We are just in the process setting a date in early May that works for everyone. Just to remind you the agenda for that meeting will be:

Review the members’ survey above and set objectives to turn the goals toreality
Determine roles and responsibilities and hopefully allocate folks to areas of
interest and expertise
Discuss the prospect of yearly OPAS membership dues and frame our value proposition
Discuss growing OPAS beyond the GTA and how we might do that
Discuss OPAS participation the 2010 upcoming Brush With the Highlands and other plein air festivals
Begin to frame out a monthly calendar of activities including paint outs, workshops, member shows and other events.

Minutes of this important meeting will be shared with the entire membership via the OPAS blog.

If we missed you somehow and you're interested in coming to this meeting and being part of this new organizing committee, please email me at davidsharpe@rogers.com

Look for a new and even better OPAS coming soon!

SUN ACROSS THE OTTAWA

2010-04-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

I did this quick little 10x12 study last Spring on the dock waiting to cross over to the Quebec side to old fishing camp at the base of that mountain in the right hand distance.
I was honored to have it win first place in the inaugural juried Ontario Plein Air Festival 'Brush With the Highlands' north of Toronto last August.
The plein air festival is happening again this summer and promises to be bigger and better than last year- so stay tuned for more details later in the Spring.

Letter to the Student of Painting-Words to paint by...

2010-04-09T00:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sure a lot of us welcome getting Robert Genn's 'The Painter's Keys'.

This week's edition has a terrific letter that Robert calls 'a classic'.

The writer-painter Charles Philip Brooks runs a teaching studio in North Carolina. He focuses on the American Tonalist and Impressionist schools of painting.

Words to paint by for sure....

"Letter to the Student of Painting"

"Your day contains a great measure of freedom. Your responsibility as a painter is here within the walls of the studio and in the setting of the landscape. You have the opportunity to exercise genuine mastery at every step, and it is in this spirit of grand possibility that I hope you will reflect on the advice made plain here.

Do not grieve too long for the troubles of the outside world. There is important work to be done here. We can best express our care for all others by attending to our work well.

Allow yourself the peace of purpose and the knowledge that to make another attempt with the brush is a noble thing. If you accept the discipline of the truest principles of art, then yours is the reward of an unbroken line of tradition.

Therefore, you may earnestly free your mind of all heartaches, sadness, and transitory despairs. Creation is above these things.

Your vocation is as real and as true as any other. Those who denounce the artist as idle manifest a deep ignorance of the nature of art. Have faith that the civilized will somewhere, at some time, value your well-wrought works. It is a miracle that the world keeps its havens for art and yet it does. Know that to create art is to do a necessary piece of work. The most noble pleasures and measureless joys result from such endeavors. True art is undeniable and it is a gift for all humanity.

The threefold responsibility of the artist is: to creation, to individual talent, and to humanity. For creation - the whole of nature - we must cultivate prayerful awe. This is our source of work and our refuge as well. We should seek harmony with nature. For the individual talent - long hours and years of steady industry hope to find our abilities fulfilled, our minds, hearts, and hands put to valuable service. In this way, we maintain the sanctity of art. Lastly, we make to humanity a willing gift of all we do. Our control over the material world lasts only a lingering moment and it takes a generous soul to build the ambition of a lifetime and then to hand it over in trust to the future.

Painting requires the bravery of solitude. Painting requires disciplined labor. To be a painter is to search the world with a benevolent eye for every subtle beauty that the infinite world offers.

Here is the opportunity to give your honest effort and to add in any small way to the legacy of art. Cultivate patience in your heart and you will improve. Learn to see well and your hand will become sure.

No pain or doubt can invade the honest soul engaged in the communion of creation. We artists must love the world with our deepest selves and forgive it at every turn.

To paint even a little passage with a measure of quality is to achieve a life's triumph.

Spend your days wisely with the best thoughts and works of those who have walked the road before you. Search their paths, their timeless inspirations, and the lineage of their genius. Learn your craft well and your talent will mature into its full possibility. Keep an obedient heart before nature. She is the master above all other masters. Nature is the concrete manifestation of all that remains true and sublime. Let us always be thankful for her abundance and hopeful that we might approach her in our art. Nature will renew every generation of painters, ready to illuminate the minds of those who practice the art with what is calm, rational, beautiful, sublime, and eternal.

Such is the purity of your vocation. Treat every moment before the easel as a quick and tender opportunity. Invest your most noble self. Give your most noble self. To be a painter is to enjoy a precious state of life." (Charles Philip Brooks)

Bringing your own supply of firewood to the park this summer?

2010-03-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

Please read this.

Firewood often contains insects and plant diseases. Campers who bring firewood from home may accidentally spread those diseases that threaten Ontario's provincial parks and the health of our forests.

The Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer are of particular concern. They are both recent arrivals to Canada and without natural controls here.

While the emerald ash borer is currently believed to be confined to southwestern Ontario and southeast Michigan, where it has killed millions of ash trees, the movement of firewood has been the main culprit in its rapid spread in both the U.S. and Canada over the past year. As a result, a quarantine has been imposed which prohibits the movement of firewood from Essex, Middlesex, Lambton and Elgin Counties, the municipality of Chatham-Kent and the U.S.A.

New: Norfolk County and the City of Toronto were regulated in 2008

The Asian longhorned beetle has been found attacking hardwood trees between Vaughan and Toronto. Both insects can be easily spread in firewood, which may look normal, but still be infested with the insects.

How you can help:

Do not move firewood, especially firewood obtained from areas under quarantine such as Essex County and the U.S.
Buy firewood from the area you're visiting.
Ask your supplier where their wood comes from.
If you have questions, check with park staff, call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 or go to http://www.inspection.gc.ca/

Asian Long-horned beetle - pdf
Emeral Ash Borer - pdf

© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2010.

Scotsdale Farm, Saturday March 27, 8:30am on

2010-03-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Spring is here... well almost but we are not waiting.

This time of year the colours are starting to get more vivid with reds and golds and a touch of greens even!

Dust off your pochade and your french easels and lets all meet at the Scottsdale Farm and make some art this Saturday.

There is so much to paint and see at this wonderful Ontario Heritage site. We will probably be back here several times this year. It is peaceful and full of vistas just waiting to be painted.
The weather will be better than the last time we were there. Still a bit crisp with a high between 5 and 10 Degrees but sunny and with no wind.

We will meet at 8:30 am at the farm parking lot and spread out from there.

Directions: From hwy 401, Take Trafalgar Rd. North. Trafalgar joins hwy 7 for a stretch just past Georgetown. Make sure you stay on Trafalgar. Once you pass 27 Sideroad, look out for the farm entrance on the right. (See map below)
Please RSVP OPAS@sympatico.ca so we can wait for you.

View Scottsdale Farm, ON in a larger map

OPAS in 2010! Where We Go From Here.

2010-03-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all OPAS members!

It's finally Spring and we are all looking forward to paint outs where we can actually move our feet and fingers right?

But it's also time for us to step back from our easels and look at what we accomplished in the first full year as an painting club.

Let’s look at the list of the great things we've accomplished in year one of OPAS:

Set up a members Facebook page and Google Group facility to help us communicate
Set up members and maintained members blog
Started to 'brand' OPAS with a new logo and promotional materials (business cards, sell sheet, OPAS branded merchandise via Cafepress)
Paint outs at great locations like Scotsdale Farm, Glen Williams, Riverwood, Lowville Park , Rattle Snake Point, Wilberforce and Algonquin Park .
Great tips and articles on how to make a wet panel carrier and canvas panels, how to pack your gear for travelling, how to paint in Xtreme cold, how to judge values in your painting
We are working on getting the members discounts at local art supply stores and other venues.

We also:

Sent out and tabulated a members survey via Survey Monkey on the Net. (See your answers below)
And OPAS members cleaned up in awards at the first 'Brush With the Highlands Plein Air Painting Festival' in August
That's quite a list! One we can be proud of for a group just getting out of the gate! We did all the organizing pretty much on the single minded initiative, energy and enthusiasm of 3 or 4 people, and of course all our members who came to the paint outs - rain or shine! Thank you all.

In year one, we were really just a bunch of plein air painters who connected on the net - flying on the groups' energy and love of painting outdoors - without any real stated objectives.

It is now year two and while our main objective is still to have fun painting outdoors and raising the profile of plein air painting, it is time to expand our list of OPAS objectives so the society can grow and prosper.

So what do we all want from the club? Here's some of the highlights from the results of the members survey that most of you completed a few months back. By the way, - most of us paint outdoors more than 10 time a year and most of us are intermediates who paint in oil).

Here is what you said you wanted:

More than 50% of you joined to take part in paint outs,
34% of you joined to learn more about your craft,
46% of you joined to find out what other outdoor painters are doing, and
69% of you joined to become part of an outdoor painters community
53% of you said OPAS would be a great group if they organized monthly organized paint outs,
34% wanted one or two organized provincial paint outs with a juried show and prize money,
42% of you wanted OPAS to work with other organisations to plan, sponsor and promote paint outs,
91% of you were interested in painting workshop classes organised by OPAS,
70% of you want to go to paint outs but don't have the time to be active in any organizing committees etc.
26%of you said that you would be willing to help on committees

Good news! We believe we can deliver on most of these for our members! But to do it, this year we need one major thing: Organization.

We are looking for two things from all members this year:

Active Membership: Coming out to plein air events and initiating events in your communities,
Active Participation: Willingness to actively help in various capacities, working on committees and taking on some of the responsibilities of a
growing society.

We realize there will be many members who can’t commit to active participation. That is fine too, but where you can, we hope that you will volunteer. It doesn't have to take up a lot of your time. We think most of it can be done through email and over the phone with just a face to face meeting perhaps once a quarter.

If you plan to be an Active Member by coming to the paint outs and enjoying OPAS’s growing member privileges or if you plan to do more and participate in organizing and growing OPAS, we invite you to a lunch meeting (Place and date TBD)

We realize this meeting is in the GTA and folks from afar probably won't be able to make it in, but we have to start somewhere. Ontario is a large province and our hope is that we will have chapters in all areas of Ontario as our membership grows. If you are a member outside the GTA do not be disheartened. If you wish to organize a local chapter we will help you in every way we can. Just let us know.

In this meeting we will:

Review the members’ survey above and set objectives to turn the goals toreality
Determine roles and responsibilities and hopefully allocate folks to areas of
interest and expertise
Discuss the prospect of yearly OPAS membership dues and frame our value proposition
Discuss growing OPAS beyond the GTA and how we might do that
Discuss OPAS participation the 2010 upcoming Brush With the Highlands and other plein air festivals
Begin to frame out a monthly calendar of activities including paint outs, workshops, member shows and other events.

Minutes of this important meeting will be shared with the entire membership via the OPAS blog.

If you're interested in coming to this meeting and being part of this new organizing committee, please email

Zan Barrage at artezan@gmail.com
or
David Sharpe at mailto:davidsharpe@rogers.com

Thank you,
David Sharpe
Zan Barrage

KIM ENGLISH'S WINTER LIGHT

2010-03-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

My feeble efforts on ' Winter's Last Light' pale next to this painter-Kim English of Nova Colorado.

Look at this 7x12 sketch he did called 'Grant Street'.

Absolute mastery of colour and composition. And I'll bet he knocked it off in 30 minutes.

The total essence of plein air and why we all do it right?

Look at those colourful grays. I try and try and still can't even come close.

And a couple of nicks of his brush defines the hard edges of that distant steeple.

In my humble opinion Kim comes very very close to Sargent's handling of light ,colour and surface handling of his paint.

I had the honour and pleasure of doing a week's workshop with Kim at the Donner Art Workshops Ranch outside Taos New Mexico a few years back.

To watch this guy work made me feel like a piker and want to toss my kit.

Looking back at my notes, here's a few jewels of plein air wisdom he dropped on us

I hope they can help you as they did me:

-Spend time up front mixing all your colours first --getting the correct colour and value-then paint.....not the other way around where we dive in wasting time musching a lot of paint around trying to get the correct colour and value.

-Keep the piles of colour on your palette squeaky clean- don't let other colours get in and muddy them.

-always base the temperature of your colour on the light-not the shadow.

-Remember you're painting 2 pictures- the object and your illusion of the object

-Paint shapes of things-not things..and make those shapes interesting to look at.

Kim is a great teacher-quiet, patient and totally focussed on helping students understand and paint the light we see around us everyday.

Go to his web site and galleries that handle his work if you want to see , in my opinion at least, one of the top 10 painters of light working in North America today.

We'd love to hear what you think of his work...and If you have your favorite plein air painter-any season- post a few pictures for others to discover!

THE OPAS STORE IS ALWAYS OPEN!

2010-03-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

If you haven't clicked on the OPAS SHOP logo on this page, have a look.

There's a lot of cool -and useful- branded OPAS merchandise you can buy on -line like sweatshirts, ball caps, painting aprons, tote bags for gear and------- non PVC water bottles like the one shown here on my palette.

I bought it recently to test out the company that provides our merchandise.

I was looking for ease of ordering on line, speed of delivery, packing , quality of the merchandise etc .

I was impressed.

The bottle arrived after about 3 weeks at my door via UPS, bubble wrapped (twice) and well protected. The quality of the printing of the OPAS logo is excellent, SIGG is a great brand name and the stopper is leak proof. I use it in my plein air pack as my drinking water bottle.

(I wouldn't use it to put solvent in as it would probably take the ink off the bottle in a New York minute)!

Have a look and see if there's something you can use. Remember $5 of every purchase comes back to OPAS.(The rest of the money goes to Cafepress to fund the whole online operation. Very slick idea.(Thanks Zan for sourcing them).

If there are items you'd like but don't see them on the site- let us know and we'll see if Cafepress can source them for us.

LAST OF THE WINTER LIGHT

2010-03-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

This is a quick 10x12 sketch I did out of my studio window of my backyard after a heavy snowfall.

(The only really heavy one we've had this winter in Toronto)

I'm pretty happy with the late winter afternoon feel of the light and the play of warm and cool that I saw.

It's not finished yet- I want to define the light on the left side of the foreground tree better , define the background behind my neighbour's tool shed and nick in the hard slivers of intense light that were peeking through the spaces between the fence boards. More to come!

Coping With Value

2010-03-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

Managing value in the bright outdoors is a difficult thing to master. I have seen accomplished artists fall pray to a bright day and lose control of value in their work. Of course you can always adjust things when you come back to the studio, but what about a devise to help us cope with value in the bright and colourful outdoors? Here is an easy and simple solution that I came up with:

Orangeville in the bitter wind!

2010-01-17T20:16:00.000-08:00

It’s the wind, stupid!

Yesterday a bunch of OPAS painters headed out to Orangeville to paint en plein air. The weatherman had promised a mild and partly sunny day. Just what we need; a thaw to help us paint without our fingers falling out. Orangeville is an hour's drive from my home so I headed out early to meet with David for a coffee before the paint out. As soon as I stepped out of the car Orangeville I knew what the weatherman forgot to mention. Yes it was going to be a warmer day and sure the sun will shine, but the wind was going to make this day tough one for us.

We headed out north of Orangeville to the escarpment area and stopped on top of a hill that looked down on a dream valley below. There were two trees on top of the hill that really caught my attention and imagination. I was hooked, but this was the top of the hill and the wind here would be HELL! We drove around for a while. The others decided to double back and find another venue, but I decided to brave it and paint the twins. I decided to sit in the hatch of my car and paint from there. I could protect myself from the wind a bit that way. That didn't work too well. The wind was blowing from the west and straight into the hatch. I tried moving the car, I even parked diagonally to the street but there was no escaping the wind.

Twins, Orangeville, 6"x8" Oil on canvas board

Given the situation, and not wanting to head back defeated, I pulled out a 6"x8" panel (smaller than I usually paint on) and began painting. I decided to do 10 minute streatches. Using my egg timer I set it to 10 minutes and every time it rang, I took a break in the car and a shot of hot coffee. The wind made it very difficult to work though. My eyes were tearing and my four layers of clothing were no match for the wind chill. Still I toughed it out. Shaky hands and rattling teeth and a few hours of unrelenting wind later I packed up and headed home with a decent result. What happened to the others? I will let them tell their stories. I didn't see them on the way back!

Lesson learned: It’s the wind stupid! I have painted on very cold days but I have been blessed with calm winds. From now on, I will listen carefully to the weatherman and if the wind is blowing... I am not going!

Cold Weather Plein Air Tips

2010-01-14T17:18:00.000-08:00

As we learn new tricks and tips from each other, I plan to document them here so we can all have a peak at them and hopefully use them in the future. Over the last few weeks here are some ideas that we have shared with each other:

George and Vic taught us to use an egg timer to control the time that we are out there exposed to the elements. The idea is to decided based on the weather how long each stretch is (10, 15, 20 minutes) set the timer to that time and when it goes off, stop and spend at least 5 minutes in the car warming up. It is a hard discipline to keep especially when you are in the zone and working away at a significant section, but having experienced the process - and ignored it to my detriment once - I can assure you that it is better to stick to it and enjoy a longer painting session.

David shared with us the idea of using woollen socks as hand warmers. This is a practice that The Group of Seven used to employ to keep their hands warm. The idea is to pock a hole through the socks and thread the arm of the brush through it. This way you can feel the brush with your bare hand inside the sock while that hand is nice and warm inside the sock.

I shared my idea of using hand warmers placed inside mittens (or woollen socks). You can buy these hand warmers from most hardware stores or outdoor outfitters. They come in packages of multiples of two and once you expose them to the air, they will keep giving out heat for 3-10 hours depending on the brand you buy.

Have ideas or tips to share? Please write a comment and we will keep the thread going and post all ideas with credits in the future.

Starting 2010 with a BANG! An OPAS Winter Paint Out

2010-01-04T16:40:00.000-08:00

Despite the bitter cold temperatures that South Western Ontario was experiencing last Saturday, a group of OPAS members met at Scottsdale Farm (see previous post) for a plein air day. The group consisted of 8 members: Chantal, Christine, Christy, Jeannette, David, George, Vic and myself. We all braved the cold and started the year with a bang.

The day started off with a spectacular bright sunrise. The snow was golden yellow and the shadows a fresh cobalt blue. We met early and headed for an area where I had painted before. I knew this spot had many options sure to please everyone. We didn't venture too far from each other and there is so much more of the farm to discover, but that will have to wait for another day.

We barely had time to block in our first painting when the weather changed. Sunlight and long shadows gave way to clouds and snow. Most of us just put away the first painting and started a new one. There is no rule that says you can't finish paintings at the studio and trying to work on a sunny painting in an overcast atmosphere is hard at the best of times. We tried to observe the egg timer rule that Vic and George tough us. It was the only way one could last long enough in the bitter cold. Next time, I plan to do much if not all my painting in my car. I have a drop cloth which I purchased specifically for that purpose. I will drape it over the whole front area of the car and sit in it with my pochade on the passenger seat. I will figure out a method and share it with you here.

There is something exhilarating about painting in the cold. It is not about bravado, although we do hype it up for fun. The crisp air, the crystal colours are so hard to duplicate if you are not there. Then there is the silence of the cold and the padding of the snow. Peace is something you can literally taste out there.

Hopefully we won't get bitter cold temperatures for our next paint out. We may have to set a severe weather trigger for an alternate date or place so no one has to suffer. Frankly though, we had fun. Wish you were all there.

First 2010 Paint Out: Scottsdale Farm, Saturday, Januay 2, at 9am. BE THERE.

2009-12-29T09:23:00.000-08:00

Let's start 2010 with a bang! We have all been eating a lot and drinking a lot, what better way to burn this all off than to be out in the cold painting? Let's all meet at the Scottsdale Farm and make some art.

There is so much to paint and see at this wonderful Ontario Heritage site. It is peaceful and full of vistas just waiting to be painted.

Dress up in many layers and bring warm stuff to drink. While alcohol may sound good, it actually makes the body more susceptible to cold

Tip for Watercolour and Acrylic Artists: Use a bit of glycerine in your water and on your paints. It will help avoid icing. Also avoid using metal palettes.

Tip for Oil Artists: Use wood or fibreglass/plastic palettes. Leave the glass and metal ones at home.

Tip for Pastel Artists: You can buy single finger gloves (used to cover cuts when taking a shower). They come in a box of 50 at any pharmacy. You can wear those over your mittens. They are less restrictive for hand movement.

We will meet at 9:00 am at the farm center and spread out (or huddle) from there.

Having experienced George’s method of using an egg timer and painting for 20 minutes at a time with warming breaks in between, I highly recommend that everyone bring an egg timer along. You will be able to paint longer and enjoy the day more.

Directions: From hwy 401, Take Trafalgar Rd. North. Trafalgar joins hwy 7 for a stretch just past Georgetown. Make sure you stay on Trafalgar. Once you pass 27 Sideroad, look out for the farm entrance on the right. (See map below)
Please RSVP so we can wait for you.

View Scottsdale Farm, ON in a larger map

Winter Plein Air at Scotsdale Farm

2009-12-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

Three hardy souls made it out on Wednesday December 23 to Scottsdale farm north of Georgetown Ontario. I had never been to the farm before, and was really amazed at the beauty of the place. It is definitely a location that we will adopt at OPAS as a regular outing spot. There is everything here: Barns, old buildings, fences, creeks, ponds, forests, elevations and pastures. You name it, you've got it.

Here is a short video of the day:

Making Linen Panels For Outdoor Painting

2009-12-02T06:11:00.000-08:00

by Armand Cabrera
Published with permission

I’ve been asked to show how I go about making my panels for painting. It is a fairly simple process but I will explain it step by step for those of you who are interested in making your own.

I start by laying out a roll of linen, in this case Claessens 820 from Utrecht. I place the panels out, spacing them with enough room to leave an edge of about a quarter inch larger than the wood.

Using a pencil, I draw a line as a guide for cutting the linen with my utility knife.

Since I'm making these on my studio floor I slide a cutting mat under each panel before cutting the linen.

I cut out all the panels I’m going to make that day and stack them for gluing.

Next I pore out some glue on a panel being careful not to use too much.

With my putty knife I spread the glue evenly across the boards surface and if I do have too much I scrape it on to the next panel so I don’t waste it.

I use an ink brayer and starting from the center roll all the air pockets out from under the surface of the linen.

When I am sure the linen is completely flattened out I flip it over and place some weights on it to dry.

Once the glue has dried overnight, I trim the edge of the board and the panel is ready.

Preparing for Cold Weather Painting

2009-11-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Once you have painted outside in winter, and enjoyed it, you will know that your addiction is mature.

We regularly invite a list of people to join us painting once or twice a week. Most cannot make it for one reason or another. And the day chosen is random and with little notice. No wonder we get an interesting array of excuses. The "its too cold" excuse can be eliminated with a little training.

We begin to prepare for the winter by hardening the body to cool mornings in the fall. You know, bare hands, inadequate layering etc. until it warms up. The body makes amazing adjustments. So much so that the recent warm spell here in November required us to remove some early layers to accommodate the over heating body in its early winter adaptation.

Here is an assortment of items that help sustain a motionless day in the snow.

Selected Winter Gear Items

From the rear, left to right, long ones (somehow red is the warmest Long John), wind pants - not shown, poly pro top - not shown, long sleeve T shirt, flannel shirt, fleece, vest (yup layers), coat - not shown. Middle row, fingerless gloves, block heater (head warmer / toque), sun visor cap, and in front a kitchen egg timer.

The egg timer is very useful. As the keeper of the timer steps out on to the painting site, he or she makes a determination that this is, for example, a 20 minute day. That means that every 20 minutes the bell rings, you step into the car to top up your heat supply. This is extremely important since the body once cooled is not good at replenishing its heat bank. Of equal importance is the second responsibility of the keeper of the timer. Set the clock! And, reset the clock after each warm up in the car. It seems we have to retrain the keeper of the clock each year!

In terms of materials we have found the following to be appropriate.

Winter Oil Paint

For oil painters, consider an oil change and a short palette. Graham oil paint is very loose (formulated for glazing). Indeed it slides off the palette in hot weather. In the winter it gets mellow and behaves like other oils in the warmth. I use an assortment of makes of oil paint and some of it becomes difficult to coax out of the tube and equally stubborn to make a mark with unless treated with medium.

For water colourists, I am afraid you just have to get rid of water and turn to vodka. It also provides nourishment and is a source of heat.

For those using acrylics the addition of glycerine to the paint is not nearly so exciting, but it works.

These preparations make it bearable to paint in the winter. We fall into the same number of interesting adventures with people we meet. Last year we had a hot chocolate around a roaring fire with people celebrating the Christmas Tree Ceremony in the Hockley Valley. The rewards are endless. Here is a more memorable excursion.

And sometimes the sun prevails - always have the sun screen available.

For painting tips and experiments see; www.paintersevolution.blogspot.com

Traveling Light Part I - Flying High

2009-10-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

Traveling Light
by
Armand Cabrera
Republished with permission

If you can afford it I recommend having a couple of different setups to paint with. I like to paint from 4”x6” up to 36”x48” outdoors. There is no single system that is the perfect easel or Pochade box and that is why I have different equipment for traveling as light as possible. The recent popularity of outdoor painting has made buying equipment more affordable. Whatever your preferred medium whether it is watercolor, pastels or oil painting there are great solutions for your outdoor painting needs There are many fine Pochade systems on the market now to fit your budget.

Part I
Flying High

Painting getaways are a great way to renew the spark of creativity. When I travel to a painting spot for a week to ten days I streamline my painting setup. Flying can be hard on painters with new restrictions. Whenever I can I ship my equipment. Fedex has now partnered with the airports to help ship your luggage because of tightening weight restrictions Or if you have somewhere to send it you can ship your supplies in advance.

As an oil painter carrying solvents on a plane are out of the question. With the new security regulations paints are no longer allowed as part of your carry-on items. For checked luggage I switch to water based oils or watercolors for the trip. A collapsible brush holder works great for cleaning brushes.
I limit the size of my sketches to 12x16 or smaller. I cut a number of pieces of oil primed linen to size and only bring one board to clip or tape my paintings to saving on weight and space.
I place the blank panel in the Pochade box. My collapsible brush holder slides under the panel in my Pochade box.
I roll up my linen and place it in a clear mailing tube. When paintings are finished and dry I roll them up and replace them in the tube.
All my brushes, clips and paints go into the tube also. I do this to make it easy for inspection at the airport.
The mailing tube and Pochade go into a high impact plastic briefcase. A pistol case is perfect for this. You can buy thin rolls of foam rubber to line the inside with to cushion the equipment.

Hazel Valley Overlook Demo

2009-10-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

Hazel Valley Overlook Demo
by
Armand Cabrera

This site is on my friend Palmer Smith’s Property. Palmer who is also an artist, is in the process of building a house at this site and this is the view from what will be his front yard. He was gracious enough to let me come out and paint. What attracts me to this scene is the energy of the lush spring growth here and the chance to paint the varied shades of green moving into the distance. I start by quickly laying in the drawing with a large brush. I’ve already decided to leave out the deadfall on the right and continue the grasses and flowers in its place.

I’m not sure which way the sun is going to go so I block in my darks next, locking in the shadow shapes.
Working from the back I lay in my large masses of color and value in the dark and middle ranges. I finish massing in with the lights in the trees

Working all over the painting I build forms and add details.

Right now the sky holes in the trees in the top left are too distracting for me. I want my center of interest toward the center of the painting just behind the road.

The finished painting
Hazel Valley Overlook 20x24 oil on linen
Painting time for this canvas was two hours.

Road side painting

2009-10-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

Cold fall days and winter days are no reason not to go out painting, the trick is to stay close to your car and get warm when you can. I have an SUV and it helps a lot when you want to paint on rainy or bitter cold days. I have even set up inside the trunk with the hatch closed and just the hatch window open to look through.

Whatever your method, there are a few safety tips that you should observe:

Shoulders are dangerous places to park. That is especially true when the ground is covered with snow. What looks like a wide shoulder, could actually be a ditch and you could end up stuck... yes I did. Don't ask LOL. Shoulders are also dangerous because of traffic. So unless you can c;early see a wide shoulder where your car is going to be completely off the road with a safe margin, look for another place to park.

I find farm entrances are the best places to park and paint. You can usually drive up to the farm and ask for permission. Very few farmers will reject your request, and I have had a few come down to check out the work in progress with a warm cup of coffee. Basic Canadian hospitality.

More safety tips coming, but for now, here is an 8x10 that I did from a wide shoulder on 5th side Rd and Heritage Rd in Halton early this morning.

Farm Land, Fall, Halton, ON. 8x10, Oil on canvas board.

October 17, Rattlesnake Point, Burlington, 8am

2009-09-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

On Saturday October 17, OPAS will resume our paint outs with a trip to Rattlesnake Point.

The Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area has some of the most inspiring scenic viewing found anywhere. Five breathtaking lookouts dot the edge of towering cliffs of Ontario’s striking Niagara Escarpment. With excellent hiking trails, this natural environment park is perfect for that therapeutic walk in the woods during any season. It is also a great place to paint the colours changing below and around.

We will start early to capture the light and feel of the place. Be there by 8am for a group start, or come at your leisure to catch up afterwards. There is a minimal cost to enter the park, but it is well worth it.

How to get there: Follow this map to get to the site. The entrance to the park is just north of Derry Rd on Appleby Line.

From Hwy 401, take Hwy 25 south to Steeles Avenue, head west on Steeles to Appleby Line, drive south on Appleby Line for 3 km

From Q.E.W, take Appleby Line north; 1 km north of Derry Road on top of the escarpment

We have had mixed success this summer with the awful weather we were experiencing. We are hoping that the wonderful fall weather we are having will bring a lot of us out for this event.

On another note, we need more people to get involved around the province. We need members who will be willing to organize locally and lead events in their areas. Can we get some active members to raise their hands and start organizing please? There must be members who love painting plein air enough in Ottawa, Kingston, Peterborough, Niagara, Guelph, London, Berrie, Sud berry, Thunder bay and all points in between. Who will take the lead? Who is committed to this passionate art form enough to start?

EVENING PLEIN AIR AT U of T

2009-09-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know it, the grounds of the University of Toronto are a great place to paint plein air. Why? Lots of treasured old heritage architecture and great light, and a very peaceful academic feel no matter where you set up. And in any season.
One of my favorites is Convocation Hall. I love the beautiful copper domed roofline and late in the day the low sun hits the ivy on the side of the building at a prominent raking angle design giving a nice warm/ cool color palette.
Also there is the CN tower peeking over it in the background which gives a nice old /new juxtaposition. And the buildings downtown can be added in if you want more.
You'll see it in my picture.
I set up right beside my car and at that time of day(7:30 pm) there's lots of parking in the circle.
Getting the drawing down is tricky as the dome has to look in proportion to the rest of the pillared building and that takes up valuable painting time.
The light is also elusive- moving quickly into the west.
You'll see in my set up I didn't get it all down but enough blocky color notes(I hope) to finish it in my studio.
If it works, I'll post it . If it's a scaper, I'll go back and try again!
Either way it's a great place to paint as we move quietly into the Fall and the huge maples on the campus turn.
Also I find these university paintings tend to sell well as they are recognizable icons in the city.
I sold one (of Convocation Hall) to a Chinese student who was buying it as thankyou gift for her parents back home for paying for her very expensive education in Canada! Is that a nice present or what!

Cheers

(And if you get hungry you can literally leave your set up and pop into the Hart House
cafeteria for a healthy soup and sandwich!)

2009-09-18T19:08:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the last minute posting on this one but a new member to our society brought this event to my attention.

The second annual Awenda Inspired! is a partnership between Quest Art School & Gallery and the Friends of Awenda Park. Artists will spend the day in beautiful Awenda Provincial Park, capturing its glory in the media of their choice. Park patrons are welcome to enjoy free art activities, to view art demonstrations and to join the artists at the activity from 3 to 4 p.m. for an informal art show and discussion of the work created during the day. Each participating artist will be invited to exhibit the works produced in an exhibition in the spring of 2010.
An exhibition of work created during Awenda Inspired! 2008 will be on display at the Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Archives, 13 Burke Street, from May 8 to 26, 2009. Please join us for the closing reception on Sunday, May 24 from 1 to 4 pm.
Artists who are interested in participating in Awenda Inspired! 2009 may download a registration form .

At this late hour, I would suggest that you email or phone them here:

Phone (705) 549 - 5425

Fax (705) 549 - 3794

Email Us

Plein Air vs Photos

2009-09-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

Posted by Donald Maier

View Donald Maier's blog

I was looking through some old photos today for some subjects to paint in my studio. As I was doing so, I was so turned off by the dead flat colors in the photos and was thinking about each image in the stack and trying to inspire myself as to how it would look as a painting, with lots of color put into it that I just did not see in the photo themselves. As I thought about it, I remembered how much better some of my paintings turned out that were done by redoing ones done on location. The plein air watercolors usually have much more information than the photos do. I am not talking about detail. The photo obviously has all the detail, except of course in the shadows where the shadows tend to turn black and loose all the subtle colors that the eye can see when your there. The subtle color changes are captured by the plein air painting and then later, in the studio, you can pay more attention to the composition and execution of the piece. I am posting three paintings here.

The first was painted just north of Key West in 2002, as a thunderstorm was passing over. I was driving south and the sunlight had just hit this little yellow bungalow, catching my eye, and made me turn my truck around so I could sit on the tailgate to paint. You can see the rain spots in the gray sky as the rain began again as I was just finishing up the painting. On the horizon was a pinkish light in the sky and to the left of that you could see a dark patch where the rain was coming down still. This image stuck in my mind and the painting was my record of it. I never took a photo of this spot, and usually don't. For some reason, I can't seem to remember to do so. Or maybe I would just rather get my information from the painting. I do shoot lots of photos with the intention to paint from them, but when I do a plein air painting, I don't confuse the issue with a photo.

A few weeks later, I brought out the original watercolor and did a series of studio watercolors from it. I changed the composition and intensified some of the colors and stylized the clouds a bit. This is the one I liked the best from the studio watercolors.

Finally, I decided to use these paintings as inspiration for a large abstracted oil. This is 36"x48". I really think if I had taken a photo of this scene, I would have referred to it and it would have changed the final outcome of the piece. I just sold the large oil this Sunday on an online website.

So obviously, most of the plein air work I do I consider a finished piece. Many people feel that their studio work and their location paintings should be segregated, the later being inferior to the former.This practice goes way back for me. I used to go out sketching when I was 10 to 15 years old and draw houses, trees or boats by the river, then bring them back home and do oil painting from the sketches. Then in high school, I was introduced to watercolor and began adding color to the sketches. As I got better with the watercolor, they became the finished product as I was then doing "plein air painting", although I simply called it painting on location up until just recently. Around one out of every twenty watercolors would become an oil painting. These paintings are extra special to me.

Tomorrow, I will put away my photos and choose a plein air watercolor to use as a color sketch for a large oil painting.

7th Annual International Plein Air Paint Out

2009-09-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

While OPAS will not participate officially in the the 7th Annual International Plein Air Paint Out this year due to planning needs, we would like to encourage all members individually or as a group, to join in the global event and go out there and paint. The 7th Annual International Plein Air Paint Out is happening on September 11-13.

We would love to feature all works done on those days by our members here in our blog. Please post photos of your works to the OPAS Google Group or the OPAS Face Book Group and we will compile them and post them here. Please include your name and details of the painting in the name of the file (eg: "John_Doe_Rain_8x10_oil_on_Canvas.jpg")

Last year's event drew artists from all over the Globe. Many new plein air painting groups were formed directly from this event.
IPAP, who has members who reside throughout the World, is the blanket organization for individual plein air groups and was created for the sole purpose of advancing the execution and enjoyment of plein air painting without limitations of borders or regions.
IPAP's members are the silent activists in the ongoing environmental struggle.
They call attention to the threatened urban scene and the vanishing farmland for history.
Its members share inspiration and encouragement both on the Internet and at "paint outs".
They encourage other artists to get out and do it, to paint with other artists and share ideas.
This event is happening simultaneously around the world.

Talkative Onlookers Tip

2009-08-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Interesting idea Jamie Wyeth uses. But you don't have to go to all that trouble of crouching in a 3 sided box.

If folks coming up when you're painting distracts you like it does me at times(mostly when I'm struggling with getting the color right!), here's a neat idea that works every time: buy a cheap $10 pair of headphones and wear them while you're painting.

You can either have them connected to your ipod or just shove the end in your pocket like I do. Folks see the headphones, have a look and move on. If you want to talk to the person-simply take them off and chat!

Paint, Easel, Bug Spray, Gun . . .

2009-08-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

Artists find that working outdoors can be a struggle against nature

From the WSJ August 28, 2009

By DANIEL GRANT
The 19th century was the great age of plein-air landscape painting, when artists left their studios and took to the outdoors to capture not a romanticized vision of nature but the real thing. To help along the process, easels became more portable and paints were fit into small, squeezable tubes. However, other technical problems were not so easily overcome, such as the wind that could blow dirt onto a canvas or the canvas off the easel. The glare of the sun, rain and snow, biting insects or worrisome wild animals, as well as interruptions caused by fellow humans, all add to making what should seem like a delightful experience—drawing or painting in the fresh air—into a battle of wills. The struggle proved too much for Nancy Howe of East Dorset, Vt., a current member of the Society of Animal Artists, who used to bring her art supplies outside but now takes only a camera to capture forms and a sketchbook to record color values. "I can't get comfortable outside, and I get too distracted," she said. "Even if I have bug stuff on me, I can still see flies buzzing around me. I can't work like that."

Perhaps cameras should be included in portable paint sets, since so many wildlife and plein-air artists rely on their photographs to capture the out-of-doors back in their studios. For that matter, one might include guns and flatbed trucks as plein-air accouterments, since a number of artists use one or the other (sometimes, both) when they set out to paint. John Seerey-Lester of Osprey, Fla., and Linda Tippetts of Augusta, Mont., both painters, bring revolvers along for protection—he (primarily) from animals, since he is a wildlife artist, and she from people who might bother her. "I've been in places where I put my pistol on the easel," she said. "I've never had to use it, but I want people to see it's there." Another artist, Walt Gonske of Taos, N.M., carries a mace gun, which he also has never used, but he has known human-caused danger. "Once, I had a beer can thrown at me from a car going 50 miles an hour," he said.

Dangers of painting outdoors can be quite real. In 1996, painter Stephen Lyman hiked into Yosemite National Park and fell, dying of exposure; and wildlife artist Simon Combes was killed by a charging cape buffalo while walking in Kenya in late 2004. Framingham, Mass., painter Ben Aronson had a shotgun aimed at him by a farmer on whose land he had been trespassing ("I was in a field where there was nothing to steal, but I was clearly an oddity"). Asking permission before going on private property is always a good idea. So is not provoking animals. "I threw stones at an elephant to get good photographs of an angry elephant," said Bernardsville, N.J., wildlife artist Guy Coheleach. "That was a stupid thing to do. I got a better sense of what a terrified artist looks like." And Ken Auster, a plein-air painter who lives in Laguna Beach, Calif., learned the hard way that purchasing a tides book made sense after he got caught on a beach between two rocky points when the tide was coming in and there was no way to get out other than to swim—he had to hold his easel, paint box and canvas above the water for several hours until the tide went back out.

With many years of painting on beaches under his belt, Mr. Auster cautioned against using large canvases outdoors ("the wind blows them like a sail"), wearing flip-flops ("they kick sand up at the paintings as you walk"), and trying to pick off grains of sand that have been blown on the canvas by the wind: "Don't touch it," he said. "Just wait till it dries and the sand will fall off on its own."

Artists are by nature problem-solvers, and painters who work outdoors find that they need to come up with a variety of creative solutions to the difficulties they face. Attaching an umbrella to an easel may block rain and sun, although a gust of wind once filled up Linda Tippetts' umbrella like a sail, carrying her easel into a ravine. Santa Barbara, Calif. pastel artist Glenna Hartmann has used her umbrella largely to scare away mules and horses ("the noise and action of flipping it open and closed a few times disconcerts them").

The travails of painting outdoors, while frequently discussed among plein-air artists, are never mentioned in histories of landscape painting, nor have great artists described these problems in their diaries or correspondence. One might imagine Claude Monet, standing outside and painting picture after picture of the same French haystacks, swatting the flies he undoubtedly attracted, but he apparently never brought up the subject in letters. Vincent van Gogh complained about everything under the sun in letters to his brother, but mosquitoes never entered into the correspondence.

Mr. Aronson, on the other hand, recalled at length his experience being crop-dusted while painting in a wheat field ("the painting was destroyed, needless to say"), the day after being chased out of a different field by a bull and the day before setting up his easel on a red ant hill ("I did quite a dance when I saw what was coming up my leg").

But perhaps the oddest sight of all is Jamie Wyeth, who kneels inside a four-foot high, seven-foot long, three-sided wooden bait box when he goes outside to paint on Monhegan Island, Maine. (He puts a heater in during cold weather.) "My box is mainly for privacy," he said, noting that "I find it extremely bothersome when people talk to me while I'm painting. If I don't say anything to them when they ask a question, or if I tell them I don't like to talk while I'm working, then I feel terrible that I've been rude. Inside the box, people see that I clearly don't want to talk, and they eventually scurry away."

—Mr. Grant is the author of "The Business of Being an Artist" (Allworth).

Port Dover Plein Air

2009-08-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I packed my gear and headed to Port Dover. Port Dover is a small town on the shore of lake Erie. The sky looked grim and gray, but by now I have grown defiant of weekend weather. We have been going through a miserable summer (Call it monsoon season) in Ontario, and if you enjoy plein air painting you have to find a way around it or else change your stripes.

The storm hit as I exited Hwy 403 on to Hwy 6. It came hard and heavy, but I pressed on. I have come to realize that the heavier the summer storm, the shorter lived it is. Although at some point I was doubting my beliefs, by the time I crossed the Port Dover bridge and headed down Walker Street, the clouds had broken up and the sun was shining.

I stopped for a quick lunch and scouted the beach for the best view. There is so much to paint in Port Dover, that I probably will spend a few sojourns going there to do it justice. I decided to paint the cliffs to the west looking towards Turkey Pont. I set up my gear on the pear, took in the scene and started painting.

Cliffs at Port Dover, Oil on canvas board, 8"x10"

Painting on a pear where weekend walkers are bound to stop and comment is not for the shy or insecure. I stopped counting at 24, but I must have had twice as much people stop by and comment. All were of course very nice and polite. There was a gentleman who wanted to talk about the Group of Seven and get my opinion on their works, but I very gently convinced him to read more about them. At about 4:30pm, I was satisfied with what I had on the canvas, I carried my gear and headed back to the car. On the way, I saw a magnificent view deep into the harbor looking back towards the bridge that leads into Port Dover. It was too late to start another oil painting, but I went back to the car, dropped my gear and took my watercolours out. I had not done a watercolour in a while and no time was like the present I thought.

Port Dover Bridge, sketch, watercolour on 140lb paper, 5"x7"

I bought a bottle of water (I didn't have any left and didn't plan on painting in watercolours), and settled on a bench and painted a quick sketch of the view. I was glad I didn't have my camera with me. Normally, I would have taken a shot of the view and skipped sketching it, but the sketch helped me resolve a few issues with the scene that will come in handy when I go back and paint it in oil.

I am running out of weekends where I can spend the whole day painting outdoors, but Port Dover will get another visit soon I am sure. It was a great day at a great place to paint.

HOT PAINT OUT AT CHERRY BEACH AUG 11!!

2009-08-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

It was a hot and very muggy day down at Cherry Beach on Sunday morning as Zan and I pulled into the very busy parking lot. There were dogs, dads , moms, grandparents, kids and teens everywhere looking to beat the heat down by the water.
I left to do a personal errand and came back to find Zan ensconsed in the shade sketching under his very cool painters straw hat .

We hauled our gear along the beach looking for good painting angles on the old lifeguard shack and finally found a view under the trees and near the water.

We painted for the afternoon trying to capture a very hard lighting effect of a dense bright heat haze in the air over the water. The tricky painting part was getting the values very close together in a high key to get the brightness just right.
And the sky- was that tough!
It wasn't white and it wasn't blue ..there was a hint of clouds and there wasn't.

As you can see by my 10x12, I'm not sure I captured it- but it was a great day just to be outside painting and sharing the day talking landscape art and working with another painter- definitely enjoyng the plein air!

We invite you to join us at our next location if you can!

David Sharpe

A Brush With The Highlands Paint-out Report

2009-08-11T17:24:00.001-07:00

A Brush with the Highlands- First Prize
Juror's Choice Award- David Sharpe
'Sun Across The Ottawa'
10x12- Oil on Canvas

At the end of July, three active members of OPAS, Jeannette Kogeler, David Sharpe and I joined around 40 plein air painters in Wilberforce close to Algonquin park in the first annual "A Brush With The Highlands" - a three day painting event for the true nature lovers. Dave and I roughed it, camping on the property of Daryl Sands and Tracey Lee Green in Wilberforce, while Jeannette wisely found a wonderful B&B to settle in for the nights. Of course Jeannette missed out on the rowdy evenings around the camp fire, but she did have good night sleeps!

After a delightful campfire evening the first night we woke up to a beautiful day on Saturday. Jeannette painted lower down in the region while Dave and I lost most of the morning heading closer to Algonquin park and then doubling back and scattering to regain the day.

A Brush With The Highlands - 4th Prize,
The Hawk River Log Award - Zan Barrage
'The Credit in Spring'
8x10 Acrylic on Canvas

Saturday night was BBQ night at the Daryl Sands and Tracey Lee Green's. Everyone was there for a great steak dinner and we spent another delightful night around the camp fire.

On Sunday all three of us painted in Wilberforce. Jeannette and I painted in an old camp ground called Brigadoon, while Dave painted at an old farm a short distance from the property of Daryl Sands and Tracey Lee Green. We then went back to camp and spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying the wild area around. I know Dave took a lot of reference photos and so did Jeannette and I. Another evening close to the camp fire and another sleep among the trees.

A Brush with the Highlands- Fifth Prize
Sleeping Woman in the Forest Award- David Sharpe

'Gray Day at Lowville Farm'
10x12- Oil on Canvas

Monday was show and competition day, and boy did OPAS do well! Out of 9 winners, OPAS took one third!!! Dave won 1st and 5th place and I won 4th place in the competition. Jeannette, Dave and I had our OPAS fliers and cards next to our works and we talked to a lot of painters about joining our group. The show was judged by Lee-Ann Martin - curator of Contemporary Aboriginal Art at the Museum of Civilization and Man.

This was the kind of event that OPAS needs to support and be involved in creating and organizing. We hope that all members will look to get involved in their communities and let us all know what is happening around you so we can as a group get active in plein air events across the province

Lowville Park Plein Air paint out

2009-07-18T16:24:00.001-07:00

From today's Plein air paint out. Lowville Park, Oil on canvas board, 9"x12"

July 18 Plein air day at Lowville Park (Reminder)

2009-07-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

Get ready for a true summer day at Lowville Park. You will never forget the shallow Bronte Creek that meanders through the length of the park. Every corner is a painting every curve a place ponder the possibilities. You can even set your easel in the middle of the shallow creek if you are so inclined! If you are not into river scenes, this park has much more to offer. The old stone one

room schoolhouse is an interesting site, but the park also features steep nature trails through dense vegetation and a mature forest. You can also paint lovely views of the surrounding farmland. There is something for everyone here. 7 picnic areas and a rain shelter round off our needs! Oh and there are running water facilities in the park!!

This lovely rural park is located on Guelph Line, six miles north of Dundas St. (Hwy #5) in North Burlington, in the quaint village of Lowville.

We will meet at the park on Saturday July 18, starting at 9:00 am. Why so early? We will be there later for the ones sleepy heads who want to sleep in, but if you want to catch the best views and beat the heat, 9:00 am is good, earlier is better!

We will meet at the rain shelter in the park. It is a short walk inside the park (see map) and the kind of place it is nice wait in.

Environmental Health: Giant Hogweed

2009-07-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

Notice from Peel Region Public Health Services:

What is Giant Hogweed?
Giant Hogweed is an invasive plant that looks similar to cow parsnip.
The plant can reach a height of approximately 15 to 20 feet.
The plant has hollow stems with dark reddish-purple splotches and coarse white hair.
The leaves of the plant can grow up to five feet in width and have hairs on the underside.
The plant also produces flattened oval shaped fruit and in the summer, small white flowers form.

Where has the plant been found?
Giant Hogweed has been found in all three area municipalities in Peel.

Is Giant Hogweed a risk to human health?
Yes.
A clear and watery sap is found in the stem and hairs of Giant Hogweed. Contact with the sap can cause a skin reaction whereby skin becomes sensitive to the ultraviolet light in sun light.
Reactions can occur up to 48 hours after contact, and sensitivity can lead to painful blisters and burns.

Blisters can lead to pigmented purple and black scars that may last for long periods.
In addition, contact with the eyes can cause temporary and sometimes permanent blindness.

What should I do if I come in contact with Giant Hogweed?
Wash affected areas immediately
Keep the affected area out of the sun
Seek medical advice

What do I do if I find Giant Hogweed in my backyard?
Wear protective clothing, including gloves, long sleeves, pants, and eye protection, rain coat and boots
Avoid getting sap on your skin
Immediately remove any flower heads to prevent seed growth and dispersal
Sever the plant roots 8 – 12 cm below the soil surface
Dispose of all plant parts in double-bagged garbage bag, seal the bag and DO NOT COMPOST or put it in your yard waste
Return to plant site periodically to remove any new plant growth
Wash the clothes you wore to remove the plant afterwards

Plein Air Oil Setup and Gear

2009-07-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

	I have been asked to share my plein air setup and gear several times now, so I thought I would post a few pictures of my setup with some explanation. What you see below is my pochade setup. The whole kit fits perfectly into my backpack and is light enough to walk with for those out of the way spots. I built this pochade to fit my Mijello Artelier Peel-off Palette. I like this palette so much, I have one for acrylics and one for oils. My acrylics stay wet for weeks in this palette and of course the oils are fresh for weeks as well. I am not sure about the peel off idea. It doesn't work for me, but that is a minor issue. I can always scrape my dry paint off. The palette fits perfectly inside the pochade when open and sits snugly in the back when closed. This saves me space in the backpack. The gear that I carry for painting is listed in the first image above. One thing that is not listed and that I find I really need is a bubble leveler. I really like to have my painting level so I can avoid a tipped horizon line. Aside from a folding chair and an umbrella, there is nothing else I need to paint. When it comes to carrying my wet panels (paintings), the carrier below (I built it today) is a must have if you are painting in oils. It took me less than an hour to build this carrier using a miter saw, wood stapler and a screw driver. It holds up to seven panels for those long trips that I hope to go on soon.

A Brush With The Highlands August 1 - 3

2009-07-11T02:35:00.000-07:00

On behalf of the The Highlands East Cultural Association We cordially invite all Plein-Air painting enthusiasts to participate in "A Brush with the Highlands" August 1-3, 2009.

This three day Plein-Air Event will encompass the stunning Ontario Haliburton Highlands and surroundings. Many of the site locations offered are privately owned properties working in Partnership with A Brush with the Highlands, and are only accessible to participating artists and public each year for this festival.

The Haliburton Highlands is a region known as "a natural work of art". Granite outcrops stand majestic; coniferous, broad-leaved and mixed forests spread their limbs over the rolling hills; and thousands of lakes and ponds shimmer in the moonlight of a Haliburton evening. This region offers some of the most dramatic, and stunning landscapes on the Canadian Shield with some of the most intriguing geological and mineral landforms in Canada. Should you choose, you will even have the opportunity to paint the nude in the landscape.

The third and final day of the Festival will be a large show and sale of works by participating artists. The works do not need to be created during the Festival, instead we are here to support you and the pieces you choose to hang. The show will be juried by Lee-Ann Martin and prizes will be awarded accordingly. Registration for the festival is only $40.00, you will receive an acceptance package with accommodation listings ranging from 5 star to free, and maps of the area once your completed registration form is received.

Please feel free to call Patricia Currie (705) 447-2575 or email abrushwiththehighlands@gmail.com for more information or a registration form.

A Brush with the Highlands is brought to you by The Highlands East Cultural Association (HECA). HECA is a non-for profit group committed to the revitalization of small communities through out the Highlands East and Surrounding Areas.

OPAS Plein air day at Lowville Park, July 18, 9:00am

2009-06-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Plein Air, Where It All Began

2009-06-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

As natural as it may seem today for artists to venture outdoors to paint en plein air, the practice is relatively new. To be fair Albrecht Dürer took his watercolours and sketched on his travels as early as the 15th Century, and many artists through the centuries have gone out doors to paint, but no one followed systematically in these footsteps. Until the mid-1800’s, painting was the domain of studios only. The practice was to sketch in ink outdoors and paint in the confines of the studio. Part of the reason was simple convenience. Until the mid-1800’s artists had to mix their own colours from pigments and medium, easels were heavy and inconvenient to carry around, and partly it was a widely held conviction that no serious art was considered possible en plein air. Paintings had to be staged with elaborate sets including, in some cases, horses and casts of models posing for the painter.

Among the first to take art outdoors were the English artists Richard Parks Bonington and John Constable. Their romantic watercolours gained high regard in France where they worked, and they influenced others to follow in their footsteps. In the mid-1800’s, a group of artists gathered in the town of Barbizon in France at the edge of the forest of Fontainebleau just south east of Paris. Here, a few decades before the Impressionists first joined them and then surpassed them - in a departure from the academic norms of painting that were prevalent at the time - they began to paint nature exclusively en plein air.

The Barbizon school, as they were later named, were Led by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Théodore Rousseau, Jean-François Millet and Charles-François Daubigny. These artists and their followers chose to break with the romantic tradition that was dominant at the time and to start painting the ordinary as opposed to the idealized scene. Influenced by the Dutch painters of the 17th Century, and using direct observation, and choosing as their subjects the local landscape and people, they sought to capture the atmospheric nature of light and colour. Their method, later called romantic-realism, was in retrospect a shift away from the academic establishment, but not a revolt against it.

The revolution truly took hold with the coming of the impressionists. This group, more than any other, has changed the way we see art. Their influence is broad and far reaching. Their love for the plain air, indeed their insistence on painting in nature to capture its colours, makes them the group that is most associated with the practice of plein air painting.

Many events and innovations were to converge as the impressionists started painting their colourful plein air pictures. All of these events and innovations contributed to the success of the movement and its eventual acceptance by the art establishment. Colour theory, specifically those of Michel-Eugene Chevreul revolutionized the way people understood and used colour. But that was not all. Technology was creating a myriad of new colours for artists to use. Oil colours were now also conveniently prepared and came in tubes that could easily be carried along for plein air trips thanks to the innovation of John G. Rand. Easels were changing as well. The idea of a portable easel was also born out of necessity at this time and continues to be improved up to our present day.

Led by Claude Monet, who insisted on painting en plein air, the Impressionists risked academic ridicule and repeated rejection from the sought after Salons of Paris to paint what they perceived as the truth before them. They shunned the academic systems and the formulaic and grandiose themes of the accepted artists of the time, and proceeded to paint nature and life around them in its unfiltered rough form on first impression. Two incidents of criticism of his work, reported by Monet in his memories, serve to tell the story of Impressionist direction. The first happened while Monet was a student at the atelier of Charles Gleyre. Commenting on a study that Monet was making of a live model Gleyre said:
“That’s not bad, but it’s too like the model. You have an ugly man before you and you paint him ugly. He has enormous feet and you reproduce them as such. The whole thing is ugly. Always remember, young man, that when executing a figure you must always think of antiquity. Nature, my dear friend, is all very well for study purpose, but is otherwise of no interest. What really matters is style.”
The second was a comment by the critic Louis Leroy who ridiculed Monet’s work The Boulevard des Capucines this way:
“Now this takes the biscuit! If this isn’t an impression, then I don’t know what is. Only be a good chap and tell me what all those little black dribbles are down there?” “Why those are the passers-by.” “Ah, so that’s what I look like when I walk down the boulevard des Capucines! Well I never! Are you trying to pull my leg? ... these blotches have been obtained in the same way as marbling – in splodges, any old way. It’s outrageous, appalling! It’s enough to give a man apoplexy.”

Painting en plein air was a deliberate exercise for the Barbizon and Impressionist artists. In its simplest purpose it aimed at capturing light and its effect on nature. These artists did not step outdoors to capture local colours or painstakingly render the details of the landscape, they ventured out to recorded their “impressions” of light through colour for which the landscape served as a conduit. For painters like Monet, this even led to the masterly simplification and abstraction of form and an aversion to laborious rendering.

Upcoming Plein Air Event Sunday , May 24, 12- 5 Williams Mill

2009-04-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

An easy drive north of Mississauga is where this May 24th ( Victoria weekend is the weekend before) paint out will take place. The location? Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre will be our home base and the picturesque, historic Glen Williams, the surrounds.

I have booked Studio M8 in the yellow Lumber Mill from 12- 5pm for $20 (a $1 contribution would be appreciated on the day) for us to use as a common place to meet, use the washroom, shelter from the weather as well as a place to park. Here is the map. Please note: On receiving the lease, I have learned that no garbage is to be left at the mill & there is no cleaning staff. This applies to their own artists as well. Please be aware you are to take your own garbage home, etc.

If you have not yet been to the Williams Mill or the glen, you are in for a treat.

The Williams Mill is a non profit arts centre comprised of over 30 artist studios in beautifully restored 1850's lumber mill, stone power mill, and newer buildings. It sits at the centre of the village and backs onto a large park by the Credit. It's neighbours are the Copper Kettle Pub, The Glen Oven bakery and a 2nd Hand Bookstore. It is a few houses away from the Bruce Trail , an historic graveyard on a cliff overlooking the Credit, and a field that often has cattle.

The mill itself is picturesque, is surrounded by woods on one side, and has plenty of parking. I think what ever you like to paint - you will find it here- nature, architecture, gardens, etc.

I was fortunate to have the studio we will be in as my personal studio from 2004 - 2006. This 400 sq. ft. studio is inspiring itself as a subject. Three large and low windows look out at the trees beyond. There are two sinks and its own bathroom. The wide plank floor is the only original floor left in the building and the ceilings are very high.

Glen Williams (glen as in a valley with a watercourse i.e. the Credit River- running through it) is an 1850's village with a myriad of 1850's buildings, a historic graveyard, the Credit River, parks, corner store, lovely bakery, 2nd hand bookstore.

Here is the map to get to the mill.

Note: I personally used to drive straight up Winston Churchill. At Mayfield/River St. you can turn west/left. River St. curves north & becomes No. 10 side road. Turn left at Prince St. (there is a small Glen Williams sign) . You will drive down into the glen. The mill is just pat the stop sign.

For a more straight forward and dramatic first entry to the glen, I recommend straight up Winston Churchill until 22nd Side Rd (on the east side it is Old School Rd) . Turn west (left) on 22nd siderd which will wind its way down into the glen and end at the Mill. The mill is about 15 min. north of Hwy 401 and Winston Churchill. It takes exactly a half hr. from Winston Churchill and Britannia and is a pleasant rural drive.

Plenty of free parking. There is parking on the main lot by the gallery. Access to the lower parking (the mill sits on a hill) is just to the right of the gallery. If for some reason even that lot is full, parking is available in the public school opposite.

Mississauga Riverwood Plein Air Paint out Day APRIL 19

2009-04-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

We will have our first spring paint out at Riverwood in Mississauga on Sunday April 19 between 1 pm and 5 pm.

The park is big and there is enough space for all of us to have plenty of elbow room. Bring your gear and let's meet in the parking lot at 12:30-1:00 pm. After 1:00pm we will scatter in the grounds and paint away. We can then meet up again in the parking lot for a recap and an optional group critique at 5:00pm

Please RSVP to opas@sympatico.ca and also note it here on Facebook.

Some things to remember:
- While it is not freezing, the temperature is still cool so please dress appropriately to avoid discomfort
- If you decide to set up near another member, please remember that painting is a quiet process that requires a lot of concentration. Please refrain from chatting it up unless you both wish to make it so.
- Leave the smallest footprint you can on the environment at Riverwood.
- Bring something warm to drink.

How to get there:

The entrance to Riverwood is located at the intersection of Burnhamthorpe Road West and The Credit Woodlands, conveniently serviced by Mississauga Transit. Upon arrival, you will find a new main entry drive on the north. Following the driveway, you will reach the new 132 car parking lot, That is where we will meet.

Plein Air Painters Painting Plein Air Painters En Plein Air

2009-04-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

Recently I had a conversation with a plein air friend who also enjoys painting portraits and figures. We were discussing going out for a paint out, but he was more in the mood for painting people. It got me thinking about paintings of artists doing their work en plein air.

Perhaps the artist who did the most paintings of plein air artists at work is John Singer Sargent. Below is a gallery of his works in this vein:

Paul Helleu Sketching with His Wife	In the Generalife, Granada
Dennis Miller Bunker Painting at Calcot	Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of the Woods
Artist in the Simplon	The Fountain, Villa Torlonia, Frascati, Italy
The Artist Sketching	Reconnoitering

Checklist of Plein Air Gear

2009-04-02T04:10:00.000-07:00

This will obviously not be a comprehensive list. I have tried to remember everything that I take with me in all weather conditions, but frankly, I have been known to take everything and forget to take white paint! So if I am missing something here, please add a comment and let's make this list complete.

Personal Items

Hat: The wider the rim the better to keep the glare of the sun away from your eyes and to keep your face from sunburn.
Gloves: Even in the spring or fall, you will need to have some protection for your fingers. I use cheap mittens from the dollar store. I cut out the finger tips and they roll back on my fingers as I use them.
Sun Glasses: You shouldn't paint with sun glasses on. When you are out in nature on a bright day though, you should protect your eyes by wearing sun glasses until you are in the shade and ready to paint. Some people do use neutral tint sunglasses, but I try to avoid those. I am out there because I want to see natural colours.
Layers of Clothes: make sure you carry several layers of clothing on you so that you can take them off or add them on as the temperature or whether conditions change.
Two garbage bags. Use one for all your garbage. Make sure you leave the smallest foot print on nature that you can. Please respect nature and take care of it. Keep the other bag as an emergency anorak for wearing in case of rain. Just cut a hole for your head, and two on the sides for your arms and you should be in business.
Change of Sox and Shoes: If you have the space and can carry the additional weight a change of sox and dry sneakers are always welcome additions to your gear. You may be hiking through mud and puddles; you would find the extra set a heaven sent once you are back at the car. At least you won’t muddy your car that way.

Other personal items:

After bite: For taking care of itchy bites that you may suffer
Deet: For avoiding the bites in the first place
First aid kit: If you should get into deeper trouble than bug bites
Hygiene items: For when you need them…
Water: The drinking type, not for cleaning your brushes or using for paint
Snack: I usually take something sweet to keep me going. Avoid snacks like chips, they are messy and will oil your fingers needlessly.
Food: I usually take a can of ravioli with me for my lunch break in the field.

Painting items:

Easel/ pochade boxes/ Tripod/ board:
For watercolours I usually take my tripod and a light board that I have fitted with a knob (tee knob) to screw it on the tripod.
For other mediums a pochade box is usually the best option.
I would not recommend using an easel unless you are working close to home or car or you are working on larger canvases, in which case by all means get a French easel and have fun.
Folding stool or chair. Even if you like painting standing up, you will need some place to sit when you are taking a break.
Paints/ brushes:
For watercolours I use half-pan metal box. I spray the colours before using them and let them sit for a while to soak up the water.
For other mediums, try to limit your palette and squeeze only enough for your needs. For plein air work, avoid using glass palettes. Look for smooth cutting boards or a sheet of plastic. If you are working in winter avoid aluminum or metal pallets as they will freeze your paints faster.
For Pastels and Oil Pastels, carry a limited palette as well. It is a good challenge!
Bubble leveler. I use this to make sure that my pochade/easel/board is horizontal. It helps me keep lines clean and correct on my paintings.
Compass to make sure you know how the light and the shadows are moving. It can also help you get back to the car if you make a mental note of what direction you came into the woods/marsh/park from.
Pencils/ Eraser: For sketching, I use a 2B pencil and a kneaded eraser.
Charcoal: I love working in Charcoal on the canvas before painting. Charcoal is very forgiving.
Pens: For sketching, I use Pilot pens with re-wettable ink.
Water/ Turps/ Mediums/ Glycerin:
You don’t need large quantities of water for painting. Just a flask will do in my experience.
A small container of Turp or turp substitute is ideal to carry along for oil painting. If you are going straight home after the plein air work is done, you can wrap your brushes in plastic and clean them at home. Just make sure they remain wet (oil only).
Using a medium to keep Acrylics from drying in the heat and wind
Glycerin works wonders on watercolours to keep them moist and in cold weather will help retard icing.

Almost spring... A time for fresh starts.

2009-03-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

Spring is around the corner in Ontario. Already the grass is not as whited-out-ochre as it used to be and some brave bulbs are starting to push through the newly uncovered soil. It is almost time to rethink the colours on the palette again. Warmer, yellower and yes, brighter moving forward I hope.

OPAS started in the middle of winter. After years of going out there alone, We needed to gather the lone-wolves, and make a society for plein air artists in Ontario. Plein air painting is a solitary endeavor of course, but we, artists, humans, are pack animals and there is something about being in a group of like minded people that creates positive energy for all. The camaraderie of fellow artists is bound to help us all reach higher and do more. There is also the issue of safety. While we respect the space of every member when we are out there en plein air, we also look out for each other and make sure that the plein air experience does not carry unnecessary risks with it.

If you are one of those lone-wolves plein air painters living in Ontario, join us. We welcome all artists no matter what your medium or level of expertise is. We are a non-commercial group focused on promoting plein air painting in Ontario.