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Off on another adventure

Last year at Eric Rhoads'  "Publisher's Invitational Paint Out" in the Adirondacks all of us were offered the opportunity to sign up ahead of time for this year's "PAINT CAMP".  I had a great time last year and thought it would be fun to do again so I signed up.  I was thrilled when my friend, Laura Wambsgans, said she'd like to go too!

Just a week before we left, the Adirondacks were suddenly front page news because two dangerous escaped prisoners from Dannemora Maximum Security Prison still hadn't been found and were thought to be hiding somewhere in the Adirondacks. 

Emile Gruppe'
We went anyway.   VERY early in the morning we hopped aboard a plane in LAX ending in Burlington, Vermont after a brief stop at JFK.  The next morning we were at our leisure to make our way to paint camp.  We did a bit of exploring.  In a wonderful accidental "find" Laura found the Emile Gruppe' Museum in nearby Jericho, VT.  It was so close by, we decided not to miss it.  As it happened the museum is part of the home of Emil's daughter, Emilie Alexander, and her husband.  We saw some wonderful examples of Gruppe's work on the walls, had a terrific conversation with the Alexanders, who showed us a short film clip of Emile painting and Emilie when she was around 3 years old.  Both Laura and I knew about and own Gruppe's books on Brushwork and on Painting.  Neither of us knew he had a third book on color.    I found it on Amazon, but it's quite expensive and only available used.

Beautiful sights on our way to Paint Camp

We took the ferry from Charlotte, VT across Lake Champlain to Essex, NY.  We had grand weather and saw beautiful sights on our way to Paul Smiths' College where we all stayed for Paint Camp.  On one stop, while we were enjoying a beautiful waterfall, sirens began wailing.  We really had no idea what was going on as we never saw fire engines or police cars.  But this was one of several times during our week-long adventure when the sirens went off during our trip.  They are kind of like our air raid signals used to sound here in LA. many years back.  I imagine they are used to call out volunteer fire fighters or other emergencies. 

Welcome to Paint Camp

As we arrived at the college for check in, we were greeted by Eric and his triplets and some college staffers.  After settling in to our dorm rooms, we headed down to the main dining hall and began to socialize with the other campers.   There were about 120 painters/spouses at the camp and all were ready to have a great time.   Eric set the upbeat tone in his first orientation, and reminded us all that "plein air painting is the 'new golf'".  (I don't like golf, so I'm not sure I agree.)   Later we gathered in the bar for fun.

The next morning all of us headed to the nearby Visitor's Interpretive Center (aka The VIC).  This is a lovely spot of hiking trails and marshes originally run by the state, but now run by Paul Smiths' College.  Although quite a damp day, this year the mosquitoes and black flies were not as abundant so it was a fun day.  I decided not to paint the same things I had last year.  I tried a running stream and then chose a warmer spot up near the VIC museum which looked out over Heron Marsh.  My first day's efforts are below on the left and right:

Rust Colored Waters: The VIC

Heron Marsh Overlook: The VIC

Rain, Wet, Water and Green

On the second paint day, it was pouring rain.  The first day was overcast and drippy, but the second day was simply a downpour!  Laura and I bravely followed one of the leaders out to a paint spot, but neither of us wanted to stand in the rain and paint.  We admired those who did, however.

Instead we explored.  Despite the rain, there were some beautiful spots to see.  I have to say that those escaped prisoners must have been pretty miserable with all of the rain and cold and bugs!

High Falls
By afternoon it had cleared up with blue skies and warm sun, so Laura and I headed to High Falls which I had heard so much about the year before.  I hadn't gone because my friend, Mary Burkhardt, wanted to spare her knees and go elsewhere.  There are over 200 steps on a switchback staircase leading down to the base of the falls.  They were wet but we were careful and it was totally worth it!

High Falls High   12x9  O/L

We happily painted away the afternoon.  I was so entranced I didn't even realize that I was standing behind Eric Rhoads as he was painting on a huge canvas.  I met another wonderful painter, who was standing next to me named R. Greg Summers.  Check out his work.  It's great.  All of us were totally engrossed and the roar of the waterfall drowned all conversation.  Suddenly however, Eric said... "Hey!  I think it's raining!"  Sure enough, we were caught in a downpour.  All of us made a mad dash to clean up our palettes and charge up the switchback stairs.  What was originally 200+ steps seemed more like 400+ going up in that rain!

We were absolutely soaked before we got up to the top of the cliff! 

But what fun we had laughing and screeching all the way up!

It was a perfect end to a perfect day at paint camp!

When I first started blogging I tried to do a painting every day.  I was just starting to paint, so I needed to practice and was really trying to get better.  AND, of course, I loved almost everything I painted.  I didn't know all of the things I didn't know.

Today --  well, today I'm a different person.   I'm a different artist.  My mentor and teacher, David Gallup, often reminds us of a quote by Heraclitus.  “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”   He usually refers to this quote when encouraging us to visit art shows and museums and to really look long and hard at all kinds of classic and contemporary art.  He feels that the more often we immerse ourselves in great art, the more likely it is to become part of us...   to show up in some way in our own art.  In some cases I really do hope that happens.

Today I often take weeks to work on a studio painting.  Of course, my plein air studies are done in a few hours, but in the studio I will work and then put a painting up on the shelf and just look at it.  I'll often have a few I'm working on.  Sometimes I think I'm finished with one for a while.  But then I find things that bother me or that could be just a bit better, so I'll put it back on the easel.  Sometimes I spend more time thinking about the painting or "letting it cook" than I do actually working on it with a brush.   I love trying to add interesting color transitions and depth.    I also enjoy layering paint to achieve a variety of brushwork and improve the surface quality. 

But how long shall I think about it?   How long shall I look at it?  When will it be done?  Will I ever be able to see all of the possibilities I missed? 

San Simeon Spring was inspired by a beautiful spring day I spent on my drive up the coast of California this spring.

I wonder.....   is it finished?

How long does it take?   Does it even matter?  It takes as long as it takes.