Demo for Workshop

 Today's class was really inspired. The students had me pick a photo reference where I would teach atmospheric perspective. I chose something a bit boring to them. It was a field of green grass in the foreground and fields of green turning grey blue into the middle and background. Uninspired by this exercise, they chose this view of No Hands Bridge. So I demonstrated the layin and the steps to get a sense of colors receeding into the background tonally.

 In my opinion, the green fields of grass would have taught them something about green under different visual layers. However, they learned that this view , although more interesting, was a lot harder to paint and make the environment feel under a consistant light source. I was in pig heaven though, I loved painting this view.

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More Outdoor Painting

 Braving 95 degree heat at the American River Confluence I was a glutton for Plein Air torment. Luckily, I could dip my sweaty feet in the river to relieve the blistering heat.  Dead fish soon appeared floating ...But Art is a seductive mistress and I needed to paint the bridge yesterday. I gave it a good hour and a half and I was wishing I was the young man in the middle of the cool slow moving lazy river .. can't you just hear Satchmo croon out that tune?

 This quick effort was no more than 20 minutes as the light was changing and I was just going for effect of light on Lincoln Way where the Gallery is located. I'm looking north up the hill. Somehow I really like this one even if the drawing is pretty bad. I painted this an hour ago and I was painting a street that's very crowded around 10 o' clock but at 7:30 in the morning I am King of the Road.

 I was in total painting heaven. I was positioned about 20 feet from the gallery and I had my music blasting out into the street through my open door. It was sooooo awesome. No buddy complaining about the Family Force 5!

Friday Plein Air Class at Placer High

 I took my Plein Air Class over to Placer High School this morning. It used to be Sierra College and the buildings reflect a Spanish/Moorish aesthetic that is fun to paint. I just love all the portals . It made us feel the spirit of Spanish painter Sorolla urgeing us to capture the fleeting morning light.

 This is a 11 x 14 demo. Since the building was flat in surface and the sky behind it was flat in texture I told the class to pick either the building surface or the sky to accent texture by either paint strokes or color differentiations. I chose to add action in the sky. I explained the big mass approach to my students.

 There was another building behind the main tower and I eliminated it and added sky through the window. Why not? You won't miss it and it would have only confused you and it would not have added any production value.

I need Help..

Yesterday proved to be an eventful day but not in the way I could have imagined. Jana was busy converting my old bedroom studio into a normal bedroom for my boy David and she told me dinner would be late.

 So I went across the street to the Club Car Restaurant where every Tuesday drinks are $2 and the Tacos are a buck. Its called a cheap Auburn dinner.

 I was going to work late on a painting and I had a couple of visitors. They wanted a portrait but after hearing my prices they felt they needed to save a little money. They were the nicest people and had relocated to Auburn from L.A. I guess there is more work in Placer County than in southern California.

 As they left a young man walked in. We'll call him Blake. I had known Blake for some time and I talked to his Art Class at a local Christian High School. He looked troubled. He immediately sat down.

" So how's it going Blake?"

Okay I guess. Life is real confusing.

" What do you mean?"

 Well, my parents want me to get a job and go to school ( Blake is 18 ) but I just don't know what its all about. How can I find a goal when I don't know how to start or in what direction to move. MY parents asked me where I wanted to be in 10 years and that really is confusing and disturbs me. How am I supposed to know? Whats with that ? I don't even know what I will do tomorrow.

 Turns out Blake is a gifted young man and turned to smoking pot and other mind altering substances. His parents are quite affluent and decided to intervene. He has  been sent to therapists and a couple of months ago he was sent to Dallas for a Dr. Phil sponsored encounter group. It sounded to me like one of those EST group therapy sessions. Lifespring is another one of those mind bending organizations. As a result of that experience he is now totally disoriented.

 What I saw before me was a young man who had no business being sent to such a mind screwing event. He looked scared and was crying out for land to cast his anchor . He is adrift and knows it ( Thank God ). He told me... They asked us if we were to die right now, what would we we leave behind as a remembrance. He said to me... " How can I answer that... I'm only 18!" His innocence  concerning adults has been shattered . They are phonies ( sounds like catcher in the rye stuff ) .

 It was at this point that young Blake expressed his heart. I need answers he said. His eyes were always darting from side to side. What should I read Mr. Ordaz? Can I come back and talk to you tomorrow Mr. Ordaz? He was starting to sound desperate.

 Of course you can come here to talk Blake.

 I feel depressed Mr. Ordaz? I need to really talk to you. I need help.

 Okay... come back tomorrow after 7pm. We'll talk .

 I lost 10 years of my life looking for answers.

When he told me he is reading Jack Keruoac I told him to hold his horses. Before you go down that road of " Beat" lifestyle  I told him ... lets talk about some of the competeing worldviews that are out there before you go crazy and become a merry prankster.

More Plane ol Air

 When I have a chance, which I did last week, I snuck out at sunset and painted a landmark Auburn is famous for. The ol Courthouse. Its been 7 years since I've arrived in Auburn and I have finally gotten around to painting  our golden beauty. Of course I had to paint it at the most difficult time of year. Summer time. 95 degree heat and fast moving light on a full stomach draining all of my organs of much needed reserve. I feel light headed...So I found some shade right by a lawyers office porch... in fact all the offices around the courthouse are populated by our esteemed counsels of the Law. They are the only ones who can afford Courtside property and work for hire is just up the granite steps.

 In fact as I started, one of the lawyers walked out and our eyes met. " Is it okay if I paint here... your view is awesome?"  " Go right ahead... the light is nice right around now.... " I love lawyers who admire the light and who drive away in a shiny new Porche SUV. Hasta luego amigo ... via con el diablo ....

 I had so much fun. I painted for an hour and a half and I quit when the light started to redden with anger. Paint me Frank ... I dare you said the Sun as it taunted me from afar ... oh no I said ... I've been tricked by you before... I stop now senor and I will wrestle with you tomorrow ... see you again caballero ... hasta la vista.... I ride away in my beaten down Cherokee ... ( Don't you just love the names of our metal horses! )

Good Art vs Bad Art?

 So much has happened thats its hard to find a point where to start. Okay... I'll start with a phone call from my Art Bud Mick McGinty this morning....

Ring Ring ... where's the phone?......

Frank...Hello?

Mick.... Hey Frank... Did you get stabbed by your palette knife? Wheres your next post? Its been 2 weeks and I'm waiting to hear what has happened at the Gallery.

Frank ... Mick its been so wild that at the end of the day I just don't have the time for posting, although its always at the back of my mind.

Mick.... So tell me, Whats going on ? Last time you posted you mentioned that you were bringing in 2 artists.

Frank... Well yes, that's true. However , I've had to let one go. I had a gut feeling that somehow we would be water and oil and it turned out to be true. In fact, I never cashed his check just in case. Man, was I lucky in doing that! The experience soaked up alot of mental energy. I feel that I can breath now.  The other artist is a friend, Maria Sylvester who paints in Pastel and does these amazing botanicals. People are really responding to her use of color and composition. I've brought in another fellow artist friend, Silvio, who loves color and does the Plein Air circuit. His wall sizzles. We are planning an opening at the start of next month.

Mick.... What about your portraits ?

Frank..... Well a client came in last week and really liked my portraits and wanted a portrait of his wife for her birthday. At first I thought that was a little odd but since he was giving me a downpayment I would go with it. He wanted to surprise her on her birthday, which landed on a Sunday, and have her come to the Gallery where I would paint her. I told him that I felt that she might not go for that ... I asked him " Are you sure your wife would want to come to a strangers studio and pose for an hour or so on her birthday? He responded " Sure ". Sure enough he calls me on her Birthday and she does not want to pose. She feels she is too fat and would want to lose weight before she even considered a portrait.
So that was a bummer... well  .... the next day a gentleman walks in a wants a portrait of his grandmother. As it turns out, the photograph of her is one of those excellent 1920 studio black and white. Its so good. He wants me to colorize it , which I have done before. He also loves my flowers and he writes me a check for half the portrat as well as half for 3 flower paintings of irises ... which I love.

 The next night , I'm working late on an illustration job and 2 guys bust in around 10:15. They love my work. He shows me a a dual portrait of he and his wife. He relates this wonderful trip they took to Italy and he shows me the pic. Again its pretty good ( what luck ) He plops down $100 cash for a down payment and also wants some portraits of his children.

 Some days its constant traffic and other days like today, a Monday, nobody has walked in. But I can never tell what will happen tomorrow.

 I've been teaching on Thursdays and Fridays. So far, this helps me in covering the rent. My Friday class is a Plein Air class around Auburn and the surrounding communities. I do a demo at first and then we paint.

 It turns out that Gilbert is far more crazier that I first imagined. Somehow he is convinced that I will be selling his portrait for $1000 dollars and he feels cheated. I keep telling him that its a SAMPLE and that I would be shocked if anyone would buy it. He's not convinced. He refuses to speak to me now. Some people just don't know who their friends are. I feel sorry for him now.

 Ted comes in every day and buys me coffee. He loves art and really is a gentle soul. He looks so beaten down and when he laughs at inappropriate times ... he now makes me laugh. Its a Mad Mad World.

 Last Saturday I went with a friend to a Conference in Folsom called Intersections , Faith and ARt. It went pretty well until the pastor stepped into murky waters. It went something like this. God created the Heavens and the Earth and saw that it was good. God is an artist. He creates , and we create because we are made in his image. So far so good ( according to my Theology ) . He went on to say that God is the ultimate judge of Good Art and Beauty. Hmmm. Then he said because of Humanism Man became the judge of Beauty, in other words " Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" He says that is not a good thing. . Hmmmm. Well I say yes and no. He ended the talk by saying so many Christians create " Bad Art ". I could agree... Hey... who's perfect? But then he added, Please, Please... If you are one of those artists that produce bad Art, Please , Just stop it.  Stop it. Stop it. He then opened the floor for a dialogue. Of course I needed clarification so I asked him, " I'm a bit confused because you made statements that are in conflict. You stated that God is the ultimate Judge of Beauty. You also said that Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder according to God. And then you said that we should stop making " Bad Art ". By what standard do you judge Bad Art vs Good Art and is your comment about Bad Art just an opinion and therefore a negation of your Last statement. Who can say what Art God thinks is beautiful? Nobody of " Good Will " in my opinion starts his day wanting to produce Bad Art.

 Repin

 As you might imagine, that question made everyone mumble and more questions were asked about what is Good Art?

 I called my buddy Tim Solliday, because I have given this topic much thought and he is a sucker for philosophical dialogue.  He was on speaker phone and my teenage boys were enjoying his use of colorful language as we taked back and forth. My thinking  goes like this. Is there such a thing as Good Art done poorly  vs Bad Art done well? We talked about this topic for an hour on the phone... I don't want to see that bill! He said there was no such thing as Good Art done poorly. So I challenged him. Are you better today than 10 years ago? Yes he said. Were you producing " Good Art" in your opinion? I was trying he said. Can it be said that you were painting " Good Art" poorly? ... Hmmmm he said..... This of course is an hourlong conversation condensed .

Fortuny

 The speakers stumbled on this topic  as you would expect because Art is " Man Made ". God does not paint... at least I have not seen a painting he has produced. So therefore, we must " Compare and Contrast" when we " judge" Art . Example. Your son may think he is a great basketball player until he is compared to LeBron James. My wife may think she is a good cook until we go to a fancy restaurant where the chef deals a meal in exotic sauces. We have to compare painting vs. painting in order to develop our standards. Of course, we make matters more complicated when we enter into the equation " Taste" . For example you may LOVE Opera where as someone else would rather be stuck with a thousand needles than listen to " la Boheme".

Edgar Payne

Again, one speaker kept saying that Art is Truth. A case can be made for that as truthfullness is indeed important. In fact, what makes a joke funny is that there has to be a grain of truth in the content to make us laugh. But if I hated  Jesus and wanted to show my hatred and sank a crucifix in a jar of urine. Would I not be truthful... but does that rise to the Level of Art?

 What is Bad Art done well? I would enter the name of Andy Warhol. A man who said that " ARt was anything you can get away with". This is the statement of a charlatan. Yet, I would say his portraits of Marilyn Monroe are executed well. Bad Art done well.

 Many in the Art World seek after the Holy Grail of " What is Art " ? In many ways it reminds me of Einstein who pursued his " Unified Field Theory" which attempted to  explain all Life in terms of Physics and Mathematics. Man is so much like Don Quixote .. chasing after the Wind and fighting Windmills. Of course he went mad... and so may we if we take this Art thing too seriously. Is not man absurd?

 Mick ... So when are ya going to post this...?

Frank ... Like now Mick..... I don't want to see this phone bill man ... are you on Verizon? ;v)

Ted .... some thoughts

9 x 12 oil on panel

 Well, its been awhile since my last post and for sure I have not been sitting around. I've brought in 2 artists that are hanging their artwork on the back walls. Getting all the logistics and info worked out takes up more of my time than I had first imagined. But I'm glad that the work is up and hanging. My next post will be pics of the backroom space. So far , what has happened at the Gallery is pretty much what I had envisioned it would be.... How so Frank? Its like this ... People get real excited and want a portrait. They even leave their name and number. And when you call, the situation has changed. Sadly, I was prepared for this type of activity. It was one of the reasons I did not pursue a "Fine Art " career when I was young. My life was already chaotic and I did not need the willy nilly decision making of the public. That's one of the reasons being an illustrator was so attractive. You essentially work with professionals , and even there it can get pretty dicey.

 In fact, Yesterday a nice couple walked in after they admired my display in the window. We started talking and they were looking for a present to give someone for a wedding gift. They went through my paintings and the husband was enamored with one of my figure paintings . He remarked that he really liked it and he walked around carrying it and looking at it intently. I thought for sure he was going to buy. Even the price I gave him did not make him wince. They left saying they really liked it and would think about it. I'll be real surprised if they return.

 I had a window of time while I waited for a response from an illustration assignment and one of the locals walked into the Gallery. His name is Ted. His story is an unusual one. He has the artists temperment and is a sensitive soul. Early in his life he fell in love hard for a young lady. As it turns out with many early romances their is an unbalance of sentiment and passion. In the end his love went unrequited. He fel into a deep despair and tried to commit suicide. The state intervened and made a deal with him. If he promised not to take his life they would pay for his needs. As a result, Ted has been on Social Security assistance since the age of 20 and will soon turn 60. He seems much older than that to me. He smokes and has that old leather creased face look.

 He sat for this portrait for an hour and 30 minutes. In fact, he was a great poser. He did not move much. I took a photo of the session and part of me wants to finish it off and another part of me likes the crude layin. It works with his character. He is a melancholy soul and is somewhat this side of 51/50 as the cops say. Something will strike his fancy and he will start laughing.

 He came in one day and said to me... I'm haven't decided if we are rivals or friends. I told him life would go well for us both if we were friends. He looks at me curiously and said  " Okay!"

 He bought me coffe after the painting session. He likes it . He asked ... Do I really look that old ?.... I told him that he would look younger if he stopped smoking. He said.. Yeah, I guess your're right.

blessings