Bryan Mark Taylor

Online vs. Onsite Art Education

2012-01-24T23:02:00.000-08:00

The other day, someone asked me how the online program at the Academy of Art University compares to the onsite program. Tuition is the same but the cost will likely be cheaper if you do it online. This is primarily due to the fact that you won’t have to deal with the high cost of living in the San Francisco Bay Area. The AAU online program also benefits the working professional who doesn’t live close to a good art school, have health challenges or live in a part of the world where art education isn’t possible. The online program allows these individuals to get a degree while still maintaining their employment and their place of residence. Furthermore, online classes are more flexible making it easier work around a busy schedule.

Having taught classes in both the online and onsite programs, I’ve noticed some challenges students face along with the mentioned benefits. Although online tools are getting more sophisticated, interactions with the teacher and other classmates are not only less personal but also make it more difficult for the student to develop lasting professional relationships with their peers and instructors. Additionally, there is a difficult barrier to climb when demonstrating technique. Evaluating a painting online is not much different than onsite but it is difficult to demonstrate the tactile nature of paint and address technical issues that each student faces (color temperature, impasto, glazes, etc.). This is because the teacher doesn't have the ability to watch the student paint or see their process. Furthermore, a technique that could be shown in five minutes using the student’s brushes and paint takes much more time to describe in words and/or audio alone. The other disadvantage is that you don’t have a formal class time. Just like effective exercise habits, (you tend to exercise more if you have a set time and a jogging buddy) a formal class structure will push you to develop your skills and voice as an artist. Having a live class helps motivate you to do things that perhaps you wouldn’t do alone. Online classes are still working to develop better methods in order to stimulate the same dynamic.

The self-motivated student who already has a working knowledge of materials and techniques should be fine in an online environment. However, a student that doesn’t have much experience will struggle figuring some of the assignments and instruction. My personal recommendation is if you live close to a decent art school I would attend onsite instead of online but if you don’t have that luxury then online is perhaps the next best thing.

Artist Materials and Techniques

2012-01-23T07:42:00.000-08:00

Each semester at the Academy of Art University we have a class where we talk about materials. It is a fun topic at times but it can also be exhausting as well as a big time and money waster. That is because there are so many choices out there and it can often be confusing on what to buy. In an effort to help save you time and money I will periodically review some products that I recommend. For convenience, I have begun to list some books and products on my blog sidebar.

Last week I tried a set of Fastmatte colors made by Gamblin. The Fastmatte colors primary advantage is the quick dry time. This is especially nice in the winter where paintings can take weeks to dry. They are a touch stiffer and stickier than regular oils but have a nice body and potency. (One thing to note is that they have a slight odor due to the alkyd resin additive, so use adequate ventilation.) These paints work well for initial paint layers, especially if you want to start dry brushing and scumbling an hour or so after you begin. If you like a bit longer dry time, I have found that just using the FastMatte Titanium White with regular oils helps to speed up and even out the dry-time of the entire painting, allowing you to “oil up” in subsequent painting sessions without worrying whether some of the areas in the painting are dry or not. I also recommend trying the Windsor and Newton Fast Drying White to see which one works best for you.

Edgar Payne: The Scenic Journey

2012-01-18T09:17:00.000-08:00

Edgar Payne: The Scenic Journey will be opening February 11, 2012 at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento. There will be a PBS documentary and book published along with the show. I've been looking forward to this one for awhile.

Watch Edgar Payne: The Scenic Journey on PBS. See more from KBDI.

Beauty and Belief

2012-01-06T11:04:00.000-08:00

A friend recently asked me how my beliefs influence my art. Articulating subtle impulses and emotions is a difficult thing to do. However, in an effort to bring a bit more clarity to what I personally consider an important topic, I will attempt to express some of my thoughts on the subject.

The question isn’t new. Great artists of the past such as Corot and Inness had a deep connection to nature and saw their art as a spiritual pursuit. George Inness said: "The true end of Art is not to imitate a fixed material condition, but to represent a living motion,” and added "the intelligence to be conveyed by it is not of an outer fact, but of an inner life." In the painters mind these Swedenborgian beliefs of “inner life” and “living motion” are given a higher priority than ocular observations and other temporal aspects of nature. These beliefs had a profound influence in both Inness’s choice of subject and manner of painting. Although our beliefs don’t completely match up, I do believe that there is a spirit in all living things and it is this spirit that animates and gives life, meaning and significance to the forms, textures, colors in the natural world. However I don’t stop there, the inner light and significance of these form is coupled by the equally significant what I call the “outer light” given by our sun. The additional focus on outer light adds for me an extra layer of meaning and study in my work and inspires me to see beauty in even the most mundane things. In this sense I’m not trying to see beyond the temporal world toward a more transcendent beauty but instead seeing the spiritual and temporal as a marriage where both play an equal and important role in my work.

Corot expressed similar feelings when he stated: “Beauty in art is truth bathed in an impression received from nature. I am struck upon seeing a certain place. While I strive for conscientious imitation, I yet never for an instant lose the emotion that has taken hold of me.” The balance between the “conscientious imitation” and “emotion” is where I feel significance and beauty lie.

Some wonder why, at the beginning of the 20^th century, serious art was no longer made to be beautiful and in many ways beauty in art was to be eventually despised and rendered insignificant. Perhaps it was due simply to a loss of belief.

I understand in a post-modern world where secularism is king, my belief in God, spirit, and beauty could be seen as heresy or at best naïve. However, if we wish to advance as a society and turn the tide of pollution and ugliness that exist today, perhaps we need belief and beauty as never before.

Central Valley Painting

2011-12-08T14:33:00.000-08:00

Valley Floor 30" x 40"

A couple months ago I flew over the Central Valley near Sacramento to capture views of the agricultural fields. Up until that point I did all my field paintings from a mountain or hill vantage point. Most of those pieces were done from Salinas, Utah, Idaho, and Colorado. The central valley in California doesn't have many nearby hills that have views of the valley so I needed to find a pilot to get me there. In painting this subject I wanted to capture both the light and color I saw from life but I also wanted to blend modern and traditional elements in the painting. Combining an abstract design quality with a dimensional sense of space is what I was after in this particular piece. This painting is the first large piece that I've done on this subject.

Oh Be Joyful Gallery in Crested Butte, CO

2011-11-29T14:01:00.000-08:00

Water Music 24" x 30"

I intended to do a larger waterfall painting after spending three weeks in Colorado a year ago but never got around to it. It was quite a hike to get to this particular set of falls and I have wanted to do a larger piece ever since. I spent another three weeks in Colorado this year gathering more reference and finally made the time to work on this studio piece. In this particular spot the rock formations were dark, rough and jagged and I loved the juxtaposition to the white cascades and sumptuous foliage. The painting will be available at the Oh Be Joyful Gallery Holiday Show in December.

Photographing Artwork

2011-11-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

Photographing artwork is tough especially if your work has a painterly quality and subtle color relationships. I'm always looking for ways to improve the digital image quality and recently, the folks at Oh be Joyful Gallery in Colorado did a nice job photographing my work. It is difficult for me to know from one computer screen to another and before I go and buy a new lens and polarizing lights let me know if you like the look as much as I do. Thanks!

"Overlooking the Town" 9" x 12"

"Long Term Parking" 9" x 12" (Sold)

"Sacred Stones" 8" x 10"

"Nestled Cabin" 9" x 12" (Sold)

"Rainy Nights" 8" x 10"

"Judd Falls" 12" x 9"

"Between Rain Storms" 9" x 12"

Plein air Convention in Las Vegas April 12-15

2011-11-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

I will be one of the instructors at the Plein Air Convention and Expo April 12-15. It will be a great event with artists like Clyde Aspevig, Scott Christensen, Matt Smith and Jermey Lipking as well as a number of other great artists participating. Richard Ormond the great grandson of John Singer Sargent will be the keynote speaker. You can resgister here: http://www.pleinairconvention.com/Register/11068678

Use the coupon code: PACBMT to get a $100 discount!

Also this week, Outdoorpainter.com did a Artist profile on me. Here is the link: http://www.outdoorpainter.com/artist-profiles/profile-bryan-mark-taylor-424.html

Laguna Plein Air Invitational

2011-10-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Dana Point Overlook 16" x 20"

Watch Your Step 11" x 14"

Bathed in Light 9" x 12" (Quick Draw)

This year's Laguna Plein Air Invitational was well organized and sponsored. The weather was perfect but unfortunately in the rush, I didn't get images of all my paintings including the award winner.

Fields and the Factory 24" x 30"

Life has been particularly busy these past couple of weeks and I have been working on a number of new pieces, a few of which are for the California Art Club Gold Medal Show. I'm not ready to show them yet but I'll be posting them soon. Here is a larger piece that I will be showing this week at the Zions Bank Art Show in Salt Lake City, Utah this Wednesday evening.

Taking Plein Air to New Heights

2011-09-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

I love painting fields of farmland. I'm fascinated by the complex geometries, subtle atmosphere and rich history. To me they stand as symbols of the industry, strength and beauty of our nation. Areas in Utah where I grew up have inspired many of my field paintings. However, I live right next to the largest agricultural valley in the country. You may be wondering why you haven't seen many paintings of this epic sized farmland. The reason is that unfortunately there is virtually no way to appreciate its beauty unless you got in a small airplane to see it. So I found a competent pilot, bought some life insurance and we took off at the concord airport and flew over the central valley. The view was breathtaking and I took hundreds of photos of the farmland and Sacramento River. I then came home and did a couple of studies of the color from memory so that I could get an accurate palette along with the details of the photo reference. I know this isn't plein air in a strict sense (if I hadn't already painted this subject multiple times from life I would have never attempted it) but I had to do it! After all, isn't art supposed to push boundaries? Here is one of the paintings I did right after I came home. I had fun with this so there will probably be more to come.

Valley from the Sky 12" x 16"

Weekend with the Masters

2011-09-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended the Weekend with the Masters sponsored by American Artist Magazine in Monterey, California. It was a fun and informative weekend. I attended lectures by Jacob Collins and Dan Gerhartz and went to some great demos and plein air workshops. Here are a few pictures from the event:

Joe McGurl demonstrating the site size method

Joe Paquet doing a monochromatic under-painting while discussing a prismatic palette

Panel discussion lead by David Leffel. Panel members from left to right: Dan Gerhartz, Rosemary Frantzen, Richard Schmid, George Gallo, Jacob Collins, Quang Ho

Richard Schmid painting Alexy Steele

Daniel Sprick and Quang Ho dueling with the brush

The result of Quang Ho's demo (Daniel is understandably a much slower painter so he didn't have as much to show.)

Budding Connoisseurs (my kids) at my show opening last Saturday evening

Fall Newsletter

2011-08-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

One Man Show at Elliott Fouts Gallery

2011-08-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

I will be having a one man show at Elliott Fouts Gallery in Sacramento. The show opens on September 3 and will run through September 28, 2011 and will be featured in the September issue of American Art Collector magazine. I had a great time painting these works over the course of the year in different types of light and seasons. A catalog will be available at the show. The opening is on September 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. I look forward to seeing you there!

A Day in San Francisco 30" x 40"

A Thousand City Lights 24" x 30"

Bay View Drive 9" x 12"

City after the Sun Goes Down 9" x 12"

City at High Noon 30" x 40"

City Fog 18" x 14"

Coming Down from Coit Tower 9" x 12"

Commuting off into the Sunset 18" x 24"

Cruising Around Chinatown 30" x 40"

Deer in the Headlights 16" x 20"

End of Day Start of Night 18" x 24"

Farmer's Fields 9" x 12"

Harbor Harmony 18" x 24"

Heading to the Giants Game 16" x 20"

Heavy Rain Downtown 16" x 20"

I Street Sunset 9" x 12"

J Street Evening Glow 18" x 24"

Evening Tranquility-Napa Valley 12" x 16"

Rainy Grays 9" x 12"

Soft Bay Sunset 16" x 20"

Spring in Sonoma Valley 9" x 12"

Springtime Barn 9" x 12"

Street lights Just Came On 9" x 12"

Sun and Sea Breeze 16" x 20"

Sunset after the Rain 9" x 12"

The Bay From Above 14" x 18"

The Grand Canyon 30" x 40"

Tide Pools 16" x 20"

Time for Sunglasses 9" x 12"

Traveling up the Coast 18" x 24"

Up to the Highest Heights 12" x 9"

Napa Valley Art Festival

2011-08-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

I will be participating in the Napa Valley Art Festival this Saturday August 20th from 10:00 until 4:00 located at 6516 Washington Street Yountville, CA 94599. The following painting received the "Juror's Choice" and will be exhibited at the show.

Distant Farms 24" x 30"

Easton Quick Draw Award and Crested Butte pieces

2011-07-23T19:18:00.000-07:00

Hi, it's me again. Today was the quick draw at the Easton Plein Air show and Bryan won first place. Here is a photo of the piece. Also, here is a link to the Bryan Mark Taylor work created for the Crested Butte Plein Air Invitational at O Be Joyful Gallery. They did a great job photographing all the work the day the artists turned in their paintings and probably spent all night putting up the website. It was a nice touch for a plein air show. In other news, Bryan will be getting back home on Monday night. Hopefully he can take it easy for a day or so.

Aspen Pieces

2011-07-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

So it's the 'wife of the artist' here and I'm covering for Bryan while he is off painting at the Easton Plein Air Invitational. Here are a few of his pieces he completed on the Aspen leg of our Colorado tour.

Sunlit Aspens

Falls at Maroon Bells

Maroon Bells Afternoon (SOLD)

Aspen Morning Light

Maroon Bells Glacier

Rushing Water

Afternoon Lunch

Red Umbrellas

Afternoon Shopping

Aspen Plein Air

2011-07-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

This week I'm in Aspen and have spent the last few days painting the Maroon Bells and the surrounding area. The lower lake is very full and the waterfalls and wildflowers are spectacular! I'll have images up later this week.

The Aspen Business Journal did a feature on me and the festival today. You can see it here:

http://www.aspenbusinessjournal.com/article/id/781/sid/4

Telluride Plein Air

2011-07-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

Here are my paintings on display in the park next to the Sheridan Theater

I just finished the Telluride Plein Air show. I spent most of the week painting in the town but did a couple of paintings at Alta Lakes. Weather was great this past week and my two-year-old caught her first fish! The Fourth of July Parade yesterday was a lot of fun. Here are some of the works I did this past week.

"Evening at the Bookstore" SOLD

"Cafe Conversations" 9" x 12"

"Butch Cassidy Was Here" SOLD

"Falling Waters" SOLD

"Hot Little Number" SOLD

"Little Blue Bike" 9" x 12"

"The Sweet Life" 12" x 9"

"Town Icon" SOLD

"Goldking Colors" 8" x 10"

"Flower Boxes" 10" x 8"

"Waiting for Butch Cassidy" 9" x 12"

Spring Snow Fields 9" x 12"

Josh Been and I painting Alta Lakes

Plein Air Iron Man

2011-06-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

I'm currently in Telluride, Colorado participating in the Telluride Plein Air show. I will be doing four plein air shows in a row starting this week with hardly a day in between. (It seemed like a good idea in January.) I decided to bring the family along as well so they can share in the adventure. We barley fit everything in the car and drove into Telluride Sunday evening. I will be posting photos as soon as I can find a store with a USB cable for the camera (Unfortunately, I left it at home but at least I remembered the kids).

Pacific Edge Gallery in Laguna Beach

2011-06-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

Overlooking Dana Point Harbor 14" x 18"

I'm now represented in Laguna Beach at Pacific Edge Gallery. They are located at 540 Pacific Coast Highway. It's great to now have an excuse to travel there more often!

Crystal Cove, Laguna Beach and Victoria Beach

2011-06-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

I spent last week painting in Laguna Beach and the surrounding area. The color was beautiful due to a very wet spring. The sky was overcast in the mornings but burned off in the afternoons so I have examples of overcast light, partial light as well as full sun. Here are the pieces I did while there:

Tide Pools 16" x 20"

Surf at Victoria Beach 16" x 20"

Crystal Cove Overlook 9" x 12"

Victoria Beach Sunset 8" x 10"

Sun and Surf 8" x 10"

Stacked Houses 8" x 10"

Spring Color 8" x 10"

Heisler Sunset 6" x 8"

Playing on the Rocks 10" x 8"

It was nice meeting the group of artists and patrons that came out to the painting demo on Saturday. If you want to see how this painting developed you can follow this LPAPA link: http://www.lpapa.org/paintouts/061111BryanMarkTaylor/paint01.html

Memories of Laguna Beach 11" x 14"

Laguna Plein Air Paint Out

2011-06-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

I will be Flying down to Laguna Beach on Wednesday to go paint for a couple of days. I will also be doing a paint out in association with LPAPA on Saturday June 11, 2011 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

Crocker Art Museum Auction 2011

2011-06-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

"To the Top of the Mark" 16" x 12" Sold

This past Saturday I attended the Crocker Art Museum Auction in Sacramento, California. I met lot of nice people including Scott Shields, a young and talented museum curator. It was amazing to see the support of the museum as many works went above market value. A good sign that the economy is getting stronger. The Crocker has expanded to more than double it's size and has beautiful new works and an expanded collection. I've included the piece I had at the auction.

Martyn Chamberlin recieves the Young Artist Plein Air Scholarship

2011-06-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

"Ranch Study" by Martyn Chamberlin

Martyn Chamberlin is a talented 18 year old from Oklahoma who received the Young Artist Plein Air Scholarship. He chose to come to California to take the Bay Area plein air workshop this past May. It was great getting to know Martyn. He is an energetic, inquisitive, and intelligent young man with a bright future as a painter and writer. Additionally, he is now represented by Zantman Galleries in Carmel, CA.

I've asked Martyn a few questions so you can get to know this rising star:

How did you first get into art?

I did paint-by-number acrylics ever since I was in diapers. It was a pastime I never outgrew. At 13, a friend suggested I break away into "freestyle" painting, although that's kind of a spooky term. He bought my first oil kit. Once that happened the damage was done, and I haven't put down my brushes since.

What are your personal aspirations? Where would you like to see yourself in 10 to 15 years?

I would love to be doing exactly what you're doing. I want to be in the galleries, in the magazines, winning the competitions, teaching the students. I want to eat regularly. I want to make it big. Or at least big enough to paint on a full stomach.

Why do you paint from life?

Painting from life is the only surefire way to paint the truth. The moment you stray into basement painting - working from photographs and other artists' work - you get into trouble. Photos get old and fade. You make stupid mistakes in perspective. You spill turpentine on your laptop. You lack the inspiration only possible in alla prima painting.

I hate it when I'm arguing some minute detail of a photograph when a simple glance at the real thing would solve the mystery. There's nothing to debate when you're painting from life. You must simply accept it and paint accordingly.

"November" by Martyn Chamberlin

What inspires your work?

My subject matter inspires me. I never get excited about painting until I'm a few strokes into it. Then something happens. Anybody who's played an instrument, written an article, or painted a scene knows what it's like to lose yourself in making art. Your sense of time vanishes - kind of like drugs, but probably more addicting. It's awesome.

Who are your favorite painters?

Haha you could answer this question as fluently as I. We all know that Richard Schmid is the greatest painter who has ever touched the sacred pigment. But I'm also a fan of J.M.W. Turner and Thomas Moran, although they've been kind of dead for a while. Concerning those still breathing, I'll mention John Cogan and Daniel James Keys. And I really like your work, so we'd have to include you in the collage at some point too.

I don't like photo realism or abstract. I like to find a sweet spot somewhere in the middle. I think that's why I enjoyed your workshop so much.

What was most beneficial to you at the workshop?

Three things. The first was to block en masse before you add detail, because that ensures your composition looks stable and well-constructed. Before the workshop I was a dabbler.

Second, to use a limited color palette. I never realized how many colors you can get from seven tubes, or how unified the painting looks with just those seven tubes.

Third, to create better aerial perspective. I'm using twice as much ultramarine blue as I did before the workshop. I think that was the biggest reason my pre-workshop paintings looked so flat.

What was most memorable part of your trip to California?

I'm embarrassed, but the most memorable part was flying. I've never flown before. I was actually thinking on the return trip about being a flight attendant when I grow up. You feel so pure in the air away from the grit of everyday life. I was talking to the passenger beside me, and he said, "It's probably an unusual job that gets old like any other."

I guess I'll just stick to painting.

"Sunset on the Rim" by Martyn Chamberlin

To view more of Martyn's work go to his website www. martynchamberlin.com
To read more about his recent trip to California visit http://twohourblogger.com/career/

Sonoma Plein Air

2011-05-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from the Sonoma Plein Air Festival. I had a productive week and won an award for the painting "The Day it Rained". Here are a few of the pieces I did during the week-long event.

"Barnyard Vineyard" 9" x 12"

"Certified Organic" 11" x 14"

"Front Porch Roses" 8" x 10"

"Sign of the Bear" 9" x 12"

" My Other Car is a..." 8" x 10"

"The Day it Rained" 11" x 14"

"Ready Mix" 8" x 10"

"Green Turns into Gold" 11" x 14"

"Just Add Cows" 11" x 14"

"Eating at the Swiss Hotel" 8" x 10"

Carmel Plein Air Festival Recap

2011-05-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

Carmel Plein Air Festival Crowds

Paintings: "To Infinity and Beyond" 16" x 20" and "Deep Blue" 16" x 20"

Painting at Pacific Grove

I took the whole family down to the show this year and we stayed with some friends in Pacific Grove. The weather was sunny but windy and unfortunately I was fighting congestion due to a bad cold. But things worked out and I was pleased with the work I produced. I decided to challenge myself and paint a little larger than usual. There was a pretty good crowd at the show and I sold both pieces but overall, sales were slower than usual. The top painting is overlooking River Road in Salinas Valley and the bottom piece was done in Pacific Grove. I won an honorable mention for the Salinas Valley scene. Congrats to Thomas Kitts for his first place award as well. I had to leave the Carmel Plein Air show a bit early this year because I was teaching a youth Sunday School class so anyone who was there...please fill me in on the Sunday events.

Carmel Plein Air Festival

2011-05-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Light Through the Fog 16" x 20"

Tomorrow I'm diving down to Carmel to participate in the Carmel Plein Air Festival. We are only given a day and half to paint so it is a bit of a rush. I'm planning on painting in Pacific Grove on Thursday if the weather is good. Stop by and hi if you are in the area. Next week, I'll be teaching a workshop in my backyard (i.e. the San Francisco Bay Area). We will be painting in San Francisco, the Berkley hills and on Mt. Diablo. I'm looking forward to working with everyone including a talented young artist, Martyn Chamberlin.

On a side note...my wife just started a blog (today) about what it's like to be an artist's spouse and other juicy art related topics. So if you want the dirt on me and the art scene in general check it out at: www.wifeoftheartist.blogspot.com

Anders Zorn

2011-05-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

This week I attended a lecture about Anders Zorn at Stanford University's Wallenburg Hall. His art and life were presented by Johan Cederlund, Museum Director of the Zorn Museum in Mora, Sweden. I learned that Zorn's favorite meal was Squirrel Soup but more interestingly that he didn't exclusively use four colors (White, Ochre, Vermillion, Black) as is popularly believed. The most exciting part of the lecture is that Mr. Cederlund is working with the De Young Museum in San Francisco on an exhibit for Zorn's work in 2013!

Sacramento Workshop

2011-05-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

I just got back home from teaching a three day plein air workshop in Sacramento. The temperature was ideal but we had a some breezy weather and LOTS of pollen in the air. But with watery eyes and runny noses we endured the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. We painted locations in the downtown area and worked on some urban and city park scenes. Here are the three plein air demo's I did for the class.

J and 9th Street 9 x 12

Capitol Rose Garden 9 x 12

Across the Pond-Sutter's Fort 11 x 14

Spring Festival at Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art

2011-04-27T16:50:00.000-07:00

View from the Olive Groves 18" x 24"

An Evening in Italy 14" x 18"

Colors of the Coast 9" x 12"

The Good Land 18" x 24"

I have four new pieces for the Spring Festival at Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art in San Antonio, Texas. The reception is May 13th but the show is now up online and has a lot of great work from the gallery artists including Kathryn Stats.

Bakersfield Outdoor Painting Workshop

2011-04-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

I had a great time painting with everyone at the Bakersfield workshop. The weather was warm but comfortable. Special thanks to David G. from the Bakersfield Museum of Art and Jan T. for getting us private access to some great old farmyards in the area. Here is a picture of a critique we had after the first day of painting.

Plein Air Workshop in Tuscon

2011-04-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

I just returned home from Tuscon where I taught a three day plein air painting workshop at the Tuscon Art Academy. I was very impressed with the way Gabor and Christine Svagrik run the school. Their treatment of the instructors and participants is top notch and it is a gorgeous place to paint! I really enjoyed working with each student. Here are a few of the demos that I did for the class. It was surprisingly cold and rainy on the third day but we made the most of it and worked in the studio. So the last painting shown here (Fall Cottonwoods) was a studio piece I did from a small 8" x 10" sketch.

Warm Desert Ground 9" x 12"

Tuscon Valley Overlook 9" x 12"

Afternoon Peaks 9" x 12"

Fall Cottonwoods 12" x 16"

Opening Reception: California Art Club Gold Medal Show

2011-04-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

The California Art Club 100th annual Gold Medal Show opening was this past Saturday. I flew back home last night (on Southwest Airlines...thank goodness no holes in the plane) after spending a couple of days in Pasadena. I was very impressed with the overall quality of work and it was fun to visit with a number of the Southern California artists. Great to see that representational painting is alive and well. They printed a beautiful catalog along with the show.

My cityscape at the show.

Mian Situ receiving the Guy Rose Award for best mult-figure composition.

Nancy Guzik with her lovely still life

The maestro Richard Schmid gave an entertaining and informative lecture at the Blinn House the following day.

Pochade Box

2011-03-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

I started building this pochade box over Christmas vacation and haven't had a chance to finish it until this past week. I wanted a box that was a bit larger and sturdier than what I've used in the past and designed it so that it has as few movable parts as possible. (I've gotten tired of replacing things on my other equipment. ) I find that most boxes on the market today have too many bells and whistles that add unnecessary bulk and weight to the box. As a result, this painting box has a larger mixing surface without adding a whole lot of weight. I also wanted to make sure the palette could angle downward so I could have both surfaces in shadow. Another thing I considered was the desire to have an unlimited size to the horizontal dimension of the canvas. It's also nice to have a pochade box that fits my backpack and suitcase perfectly. This still has to be field tested in order for me to give if the stamp of approval but overall I'm pleased with the result.

California Art Club Gold Medal Show

2011-03-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

City at High Noon 30" x 40"

Second Street Rain 9" x 12"

The annual California Art Club Gold Medal Show will open in a couple of weeks. This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of the club and will feature a number of special events including a power point presentation titled "Great Expectations" and live lecture by Richard Schmid. Schmid will also receive the honorary Centennial Gold Medal Award at the event. The show opens to the public on Sunday April 3rd. I will have the two pieces featured here at the show. They will be available for purchase at the opening.

Retrospective

2011-03-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Maroon Bells Landscape

2011-03-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

Maroon Bells Outlet 24"x 30"

Ever since I visited the Maroon Bells last July I have wanted to work on some larger pieces. I recently finished this piece and I was pleased with how this particular one came out. For those of you who know the area well this is the outlet of the lake as you enter the trail head from the parking lot. Although I went up further into the trail to do some more plein air work you don't have to travel far to see a beautiful view! I will be back there again in July and am looking forward to doing some more field work.

Plein Air Workshop in Tuscon

2011-03-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

I will be teaching a plein air workshop April 7-9th at the Tuscon Art Academy in Arizona. As you can see from the photos it's a beautiful place to paint! There are still a few spaces available. Please contact the academy at [E] info@tucsonartacademy.com or by phone 520.903.4588

Jean Stern Lecture "The Art of Looking at Art"

2011-03-04T09:21:00.000-08:00

Sycamore in Autumn by Edgar Payne

Jean Stern who is the director of the Irvine Museum and world expert on California Impressionism will be giving a lecture at the Academy of Art University at the Fine Art Building, 4th floor Media Room located at 60 Federal Street, San Francisco. General admission is $10 but is free to academy faculty and students with ID. Hope to see you there!

Maui Plein Air Invitational

2011-03-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

I just got back last night and am still feeling the effects of "beautiful island" withdrawal. We stayed in near Honokawai on the beach and except for a day in the up country, I spent most of my days painting West Maui. The weather was warm and atmospheric due to the volcano on the big island but the colors and light were stunning. Here are a few plein air paintings I did during the week.

Marina Walk 9" x 12"

Sugar Cane Fields 9" x 12"

Lahaina Morning 9" x 12"

Up Country 9" x 12"

Day at Kapalua Beach 9" x 12"


Just off Front Street 9" x 12"

Between paintings I spent some time snorkeling, whale watching and eating large quantities of shaved ice.

I wasn't the only one "hard at work". Here are a few pics of the other fine painters in the show.

Painters (from left to right) Scott Burdick, Mike Carroll, Colin Page, Larry Moore and Dee Beard Dean painting the model

Randy Sexton and Scott Burdick dueling with the brush.

Ken Auster Getting his palette ready

Ronaldo Macedo finishing up a fine piece

My home website is working again!

2011-02-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

Whew! Everything is back to normal.

Recent Works

2011-02-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

Daily Traffic 16" x 20"

Distant Farmland 12" x 16"

Walking Downtown 11" x 14"

The Long Road 12" x 16"

Here are a few new paintings of a San Francisco cityscape, a street scene from Healdsburg CA, and a couple farm paintings form Northern Utah.

The spring newsletter has arrived!

2011-02-16T09:58:00.000-08:00

Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational

2011-02-15T17:25:00.000-08:00

I'm flying out to the Maui Plein Air Painting Festival this Friday. It will be my first trip to the Hawaiian Islands and with all the cold and rain we've had here in the last couple days, I'm looking forward to a nice red sunburn. The Lahaina newpaper has been putting out a couple of articles previewing the event:

http://culogin.lahainanews.com/page/content.detail/id/501741/Country-s-top-plein-air-painters-coming-to-West-Maui.html?nav=14

Laguna Plein Air Invitational Signature Membership

2011-02-14T08:58:00.000-08:00

I was recently invited along with five other artists to be a Signature Member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. Other artists include John Burton, Debra Huse, Paul Kratter, April Raber and Jeff Yeomans. Congrats everyone!

Heisler Sun Oil on Canvas 8" x 10"

I was invited to participate in the Laguna Museum Auction, you can see the other participants artwork by using the link below.

http://lagunaartmuseum.org/art-auction-online-gallery-1

Young Artist Plein Air Scholarship

2011-02-09T16:12:00.000-08:00

My first plein air painting experience-1995

Fifteen years ago, I was invited by Gary Carter to come to a workshop by the Cowboy Artist's of America in Montana. As a kid just out of high school, it was an eye opening experience. I believe it is important to give back as others have given to me. Therefore, I'm offering a scholarship for free tuition to a plein air workshop (of your choice) that I will be teaching in 2011. Any student between the ages of 16-25 is eligible to apply. (Minors will need to be accompanied by an adult.) If you know of anyone who would benefit from this please let them know. I will be collecting entries until March 30th, 2011. To apply, please email haley@bryanmarktaylor.com with four images of your current work and a brief paragraph of why this workshop would benefit you and your future.

Thanks and happy painting!

Bryan

Masters of the American West

2011-02-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

I flew down to the masters of the American West show Saturday morning and went to all the day's events. There was a great presentation on the Wind River mountain range by Tucker Smith as well as a nice tribute to Howard Terpning by Harley Brown. I'm not really a huge cowboy or wildlife art fan but I appreciate the exceptional skill by many of the artist's participating in the show, including Bill Anton, Morgan Weistling, Mian Situ, Matt Smith, Clyde Aspevig, Len Chmiel, T. A. Lawson, Dean L. Mitchell, Jim Wilcox and Z. S. Liang. I think the most impressive piece in the show was "Rejecting the Metal Shield" by Z. S. Liang. Liang is a master of natural light and for such an ambitious painting has an amazingly un-labored quality to his work.

BYU Idaho Lecture Highlights

2011-02-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

I put together a condensed version of the hour and a half lecture I gave to about 400 students at BYU Idaho. I was very impressed with the student body and faculty and they have one of the best art facilities I've seen at a univeristy.

Brigham Young University Idaho Guest Artist Lecture

2011-01-24T22:05:00.000-08:00

I will be flying out on Wednesday to give a presentation of my work at BYU Idaho. I'll be presenting a lecture on the school of plein air painting as well as the pivotal moments of my life and reflections on my personal development as an artist. This will take place Thursday evening from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at the Joseph Fielding Smith Building. Friday morning from 9:00 to 12:00 I will give a demonstration at the Spori Art Building.

I have many fond memories of fishing, backpacking, hiking and painting trips in the Idaho wilderness and am looking forward to the trip. (However, considering myself now a fully assimilated Californian, the only thing that worries me are the frigid temperatures.) This painting is from one of those trips.

2011 Plein Air Workshop Dates Announced!

2011-01-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

I will be conducting several three day plein air workshops in 2011. The Tucson Arizona workshop will be held April 7-9. The Sacramento workshop will be held April 28-30 and the Bay Area workshop will be held May 19-21. Other workshops that are still in the planning stages are for Bakersfield and Paso Robles.

Go to my plein air workshop link for further information.

New San Francisco Cityscape

2011-01-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

I had fun filming a the creation of a few studio paintings this fall and winder. However, as soon as the weather gets better I'm planning on doing a few outdoors. This particular piece is being made into a limited edition giclee print and is available through Elliott Fouts Gallery

The Objective and Subjective in Art

2011-01-07T17:29:00.000-08:00

Last semester a student asked me how I balance the objective and subjective in my work. It was a nice thought-provoking question and I responded that there are several layers of selection that I use to balance the objective and subjective. For example: In a cityscape, I tend to select subjects and views that have a harmonic quality that often divide themselves into thirds or fourths. I only include an object if it adds compositional interest and harmony to the whole and stay away from details or subjects that exist for their own sake. (Like words on a sign.) On a deeper level, I want to have an abstract quality to the work in order to satisfy my own intellectual interests but depict representational subject matter as a way to connect to the viewer. However, I'm interested in visual poetry more than prose. Also, I tend toward the positive and optimistic attitudes of life instead of the negative. I want a wholesome quality to my work but I also want to avoid the sentimental. Walking a fine but distinct line between the two, I tend to focus on the subtle play of light, atmosphere, color and shape, instead of the more overtly gritty or sentimental aspects of the city. I look to depict "things as they ought to be" and not simply as I find them but try not to be obvious, petty or preachy in the handling of details. I find myself prizing subtlety over extremes and refinement over the need to be eccentric. These are a few thoughts that help me balance the objective and subjective in my work.

Southwest Art Magazine Calendar

2010-12-16T15:47:00.000-08:00

Southwest Art Magazine recently published a calendar for 2011 featuring some of their favorite works of art they published in 2010. The painting below is featured in the calendar for the month of June. Check it out at: http://www.zazzle.com/southwest_art_2011_calendar-158555884072019371

Happy Holidays!

Sonoran Desert

2010-12-16T15:37:00.000-08:00

I had a great time painting the Sonoran desert last week. It was my first time there and certainly not my last! Here is one of the small 8 x 10 studies I did while there. There was some great fall color near some of the streams and the weather was near perfect. Always nice to get a sunburn in December! I'm traveling to Utah today. I'm looking forward to some winter skiing and some snow scenes. Tomorrow night I'm having a private artists reception at a gallery in Salt Lake City.

Scottsdale Arizona

2010-12-03T17:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a 16" x 20" painting that I recently finished depicting 2nd Street in San Francisco. I did the plein air study during the world series. It was the evening where the San Francisco Giants won game three. At the end of this street you could see the stadium lights poking just above the bridge. (I didn't include them because it would have been bad design!) As I was painting, there was a certain electricity and anticipation in the air as people were walking to the game.

I am going out of town for a week to go paint the Arizona desert. The light here in Northern California is pretty dark, overcast and rainy this time of year. There are still a lot of nice paintings that can come out of this type of light but I need a break from it. I'm powered by the sun and so like migratory birds that need to fly south for the winter I find I must do the same.

San Francisco from Day to Night

2010-11-19T08:37:00.000-08:00

I have recently been working on a series of paintings exploring the transition from day to night in the city of San Francisco. The light changes rapidly from one moment to another and offers some stunning yet subtle color relationships. It has been exciting to work on new harmonies, color schemes and compositions. Here is one of the pieces of Market Street (16" x 20") that I recently completed. The new work will be shown and I will be giving a lecture and demo tomorrow 1:00 pm at Elliott Fouts Gallery.

Demonstration next week at Elliott Fouts Gallery

2010-11-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/You-re-Invited--Join-Us-For-An-Afternoon-Talk-Given-By-Bryan-Mark-Taylor-.html?soid=1102092773643&aid=rjHRhGJltng

Greenhouse Gallery Painting Demonstration

2010-11-10T19:01:00.000-08:00

San Francisco Cityscape from a Plein air Study

2010-11-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Elliott Fouts One Man show Recap

2010-11-02T11:27:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the recap of the Show in Sacramento:

http://efgallery.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-blog-and-recap-of-september.html

You have to see it in person

2010-11-02T11:19:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges of presenting painterly work online is that it often doesn't translate well in a one dimensional format. I was made acutely aware of this again when I saw Clyde Aspevig's show in Santa Barbara. Although his images look great online his work was so much stronger in person. There is a sculptural quality to the paint that adds magic to the piece and offers a stark contrast from the images presented on the internet or in a book. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons why traditional oil painting has not become obsolete and will still coexist with the computer. Somehow we will always respond to the tactile nature of things. (I certainly do!)

Just to illustrate, I have included a close up picture of the texture on one of my larger pieces. Too bad you can't virtually run your finger over it!

"Great Impressions" Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art Show

2010-10-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

My show at Greehnouse Gallery opens this week online. The opening is on November 5 and on Saturday November 6th I'll be doing a demo at 1:30. You can go to: http://greenhousegallery.com/cgi-bin/mp/getworks.pl?artistid=6,640

Clyde Aspevig

2010-10-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

I went to Clyde Aspevig's show this past weekend in Santa Barbara. It was an amazing group of work and well worth the six hour drive to get down there. He did a demo the morning after the opening. I had a good seat and was able to get a photo of him before he started.

Laguna Plein Air Invitational

2010-10-19T11:45:00.000-07:00

This past week I participated in the Laguna Plein Air Invitational. I didn't see the sun much during the course of the week but enjoyed painting the fog and overcast light. Every so often the sun would peak through and add an interesting effect of light and atmosphere. I was very focused and felt pleased with the overall body of work. During the Soiree I was awarded the "Collectors Choice Award". Here are a few pieces from the show.

Laguna Plein Air Invitational

2010-10-11T22:23:00.000-07:00

This week I'm participating again in the Laguna Plein Air Invitational. It's a great show and a great place to paint. Today the weather was very foggy and atmospheric in the morning but there was an incredible glare from the water and I almost burnt out my eyeballs looking into a back-lit scene of Hotel Laguna and the surrounding beach. I liked how the small painting turned out and think I will do the scene again on a 16 x 20 canvas. I rarely do a scene that large plein air but I'm feeling a bit more ambitious this week and believe the scene needs a larger size. Hopefully, this won't necessitate cataract surgery later in life.

San Louis Obispo Museum of Art

2010-10-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend I particiated in a plein air show at the San Louis Obispo Museum of Art. The weather was extremely hot on some of the days so I alternated between the coast and the town. As I anticipated, I found some great new views to paint. Here are few I did during the week.

San Simeon and the Central Coast

2010-09-22T19:22:00.000-07:00

Next week I'll be traveling down to the central coast to paint for a week. I will be participating in the plein air event in San Louis Obispo and am looking forward to painting the coastline as well as the farms and towns in the area. Each time I travel there I discover some great new territory to paint!

Plein air and the Studio

2010-09-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

I spend a significant number of days each year outdoors studying and pondering nature, effects of light, atmosphere, weather conditions, seasons, as well as movement caused by light, clouds or a busy street. These moments out of doors are for me, an essential muse. When painting en plein air, I spend about one-and-a-half to two hours on a given piece. If I spend any more time, I find the light on my subject is so changed as to cause me to loose my original inspiration. For these pieces I use a canvas 11” x 14” and smaller so I have plenty of time to address the subject properly. These pieces are often loose, fresh and spontaneous. Although I am often very satisfied with the work I have produced in the field, at times I don’t feel the cycle is complete until I take my best observations and create a larger, more refined studio painting. There are times, however, I feel completely fulfilled with a piece painted out on location; I decide not to take the idea any further but leave the work in its state of freshness. Usually though, I go out and paint in order to bring experience, observation and emotion back in the studio to do more finished works. For certain stunning subjects that aren’t conducive to painting on location: a busy street, a quickly changing sunset, a narrow pathway, or a windy cliff, I have to be content with taking photographs and rely on my experience to create the same mood as if I were there. I have found the more time I spend outdoors painting the better I am able to glean the important aspects of a photograph. I can then create a similar freshness whether indoors or out. As I look back over any given year, perhaps more of my time is spent painting in the studio than on location but it is the times spent observing mother nature directly, however, that inspires all of my works.

I am often asked, “Was this done plein air?” by patrons and connoisseurs at various art shows. Perhaps this question is asked merely because of curiosity but more often I believe there is the perception currently that a piece done en plein air is somehow superior to a piece that was completed in the studio. Some may believe this because they are more interested in the means of creation than the end result. However, painting en plein air is simply a means at studying and capturing nature, as the eye perceives it and the mind and heart experience it. It is up to the artist to assemble these impressions into a cohesive whole that could resemble a work of art. At times great work can be created on the spot (much like a virtuoso giving an impromptu concert) other times, and more often than not, the inspiration needs to be digested and worked over before it can become a work of art. This process can often only occur in the confines of the studio. Therefore, I believe a painting is a good work of art, whether it was painted outdoors or in, as long as it captures a true and sincere human emotion and is the creation of a diligent and caring craftsman.

The top painting is 30" x 40" inches and was done in the studio. The lower painting is 11" x 14" inches and was done on location at San Simeon California.

Article in Southwest Art Magazine

2010-09-13T22:24:00.000-07:00

Taylor Southwest Art 0910

Wayne Thiebaud

2010-09-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

I just learned that one of the giants of the art world, Wayne Thiebaud came to see my show in Sacramento yesterday. It was a real honor to have him there!

Sacramento Bee Reviews the show!

2010-09-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Bee did a review of the show in today's paper. Check it out at: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/10/3014881/art-review-bryan-mark-taylor-captures.html

Fall Newsletter

2010-08-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

Hot off the press! Here is the latest newsletter. Enjoy!

Feature Article in Southwest Art Magazine

2010-08-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

My life and works are currently being featured in the September issue of Southwest Art Magazine. Gussie Fauntleroy is a writer for several notable publications including Southwest Art and did a wonderful job on the article. If you don't have a subscription you can pick up a copy at Barnes and Nobles or Borders book stores.

The painting featured here is one of 29 pieces for my one man show in Sacramento at Elliott Fouts Gallery.

One Man Show in September

2010-08-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

I will be having a one man show at Elliott Fouts Gallery in September. I'm happy to say that all the work is completed for the show. Whew!!!!!!!! For more details on the show, see the review in the September issue of the American Art Collector magazine. Here is a low res PDF of the article. Last year I couldn't attend my opening because my wife had a baby girl the night before. Not a bad reason to miss it! This year I'll be there. See you at the opening!

Scene on the Strait in Martinez

2010-08-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

I will be participating in the Scene on the Strait show in Martinez, California tomorrow. I was hoping to give everyone a little more lead time in this post but had a number of things come up including finals week for the Academy of Art summer semester. I will be showing a number of smaller works mostly depicting the city of San Francisco. The show has a nice relaxed setting and some great artists participating. If you live in the East Bay and are looking for something fun to do tomorrow, come check it out!

San Francisco Chronicle

2010-08-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

This past week I was featured in the San Francico Chronicle in connection with the Sierra Conservancy Plein Air Event in the Embarcadero this Saturday. Click on the title and see the article to get more information about the event.

Crested Butte and Back Home

2010-07-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

I painted in Crested Butte the during the wildflower festival and as a quest artist at the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters national show. The town had a great flavor to it and I enjoyed meeting a number of talented artists from the group.

This week I'm back home and painting San Francisco cityscapes. Some very talented friends John Burton and Jesse Powell are coming up and I'm looking forward to going painting with them in the city.

Paintings of Aspen and the Maroon Bells

2010-07-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

Here are two paintings that I did last week while staying in Aspen. One thing that I found particular about the town is how many street signs there are out in the walkway. It makes for an interesting composition and is a signature part of this well known town. I also enjoyed painting the Maroon Bells and its emerald green crystal clear lake while watching the large clouds moving slowly overhead and casting their broad shadows over the ground.

Aspen Plein Air

2010-07-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

I had a great time in Telluride and won first place in the Quick Draw competition. Here is the winning painting of main street. The scenery in Telluride and the surrounding area is majestic to say the least. Telluride also has a fascinating history of all the mining that went on the last 100 years or so. Maybe with the price of gold going through the roof they'll open up some of these old mines again.

I am now in Aspen doing some more painting. I'm staying in the nearby village of Snowmass and working on some paintings of the town and surrounding countryside. It is a pretty ritzy place, kind of like a La Jolla, or Laguna Beach at 8,000 feet above see level.

Telluride Colorado

2010-06-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

I am in Telluride Colorado this week working on a series of plein air pieces. The mountains here remind me of Switzerland with every possible shade of violet and green. The town is quite interesting itself with a small historic main street. Each day starts will a cloudless sky then around 2:00 pm the clouds gather and there is a bit of rain. The moisture in the air makes for a great sunset. Here is a picture I took yesterday late afternoon. The town sits right at the bottom of the converging peaks.

Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art

2010-06-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

I am now being represented by Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art in San Antonio, Texas. I have 13 new pieces at the gallery mainly depicting the Tuscan landscape from my recent trip. Many of them are larger studio pieces 16" x 20" and 18" x 24". You can see them on my website or at www.greenhousegallery.com.

Cortona Sunset

2010-06-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a painting that I recently completed from a photo reference that I took on my trip to Italy. This moment only lasted about 5 minutes so it would be quite impossible to capture plein air. Even with it's obvious limitations a photo can be very helpful if used wisely. This is a color scheme that I haven't used before so it was fun to take a risk and give it a go. Every once in awhile we need to do things like that in order to grow.

Plein Air in the Studio

2010-06-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a lot of painting outdoors the last couple of months but have decided to switch gears a little bit and do some work in the studio in order to complete some larger stuff. I am working on a one man show that will be in September at Elliott Fouts Gallery. I'll show a number of cityscapes as well as some rural and coastal scenes of northern California. I find that working in the studio for long hours can be tough on the body so I treat myself to a deep tissue massage every couple of weeks in order to keep me and my paintings loose.

Sonoma Plein Air

2010-05-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

Last week I participated in the Sonoma Plein Air event. The weather was crazy all week and I started the week by hydroplaning off of a freeway exit. Fortunately, a truck must have done the same thing before me and obliterated the large sign that I would have crashed into. Lucky for me there was no damage to myself or my car just a huge adrenalin rush. During the week we had all four seasons of weather much like it was when I was painting in Tuscany. It made for a very interesting week. I particularly loved painting the views from Gloria Ferrer winery in Sonoma valley and appreciated the tip from a fellow artist. Here are a few pieces I did during the event.

Carmel Plein Air

2010-05-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

I will be driving down to Carmel tomorrow for the the Plein Air Festival this weekend. Also, I am now represented by James J. Rieser Fine Art in Carmel and will be bringing down some new work to show in the gallery. Hope to see you there!

Plein Air paintings of my Tuscany Italy Trip

2010-05-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more paintings that I did from the trip. I'm excited to develop some of these pieces in to larger studio paintings. Still I think there is something special about the plein air studies. These pieces are like pages in my personal journal exploring not only what I saw but perhaps more importantly my feelings while painting them.

Back Home and Off to Bakersfield

2010-04-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

We finally got back home from Italy on sunday and then had two days to attemt to adjust to the time zone and then off to Bakersfield, CA to teach a three day workshop at the Bakersfield Museum of Art. On my drive down central valley it was interesting to note the contrast with the tuscan landscape both in colors and atmosphere. My perception of this area has changed a bit and has been refreshed after my trip.

I'm working on getting the images to all the paintings from the Italy trip and will post them next week on the blog. Since our flight was delayed we made the most of it and visited the cities of Volterra and San Giminiano as well.

Olive Groves of Cortona

2010-04-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last several days painting in the olive groves on the terraced slopes of Cortona looking down on the Valdichiana. The farmers have been pruning the olive trees and then burning the branches. So the valley is a bit smoky. The farmers don't seem to mind my presence but also keep their distance. All the ones I've seen are later in years and dress up for the occasion. I saw one Elderly man dressed up in his suit and hat and and was working the ground with a hoe. Great to see some gentle traditions like that still going on.

Volcano in Iceland

2010-04-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

All the flights out of Italy including flights out of Florence have been affected by the volcano so we might have another day in paradise...or two. The weather has been a bit crazy here the last couple of days. But today has been beautiful. I went to paint in some olive groves just below cortona today. It is sunny but the atmosphere is thick! I just had a nice bowl of pasta and am on my way back out to paint. I'll try and post some more images this evening.

Montalcino and Siena

2010-04-15T23:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I decided to travel a little further and go to Montalcino. Presided by an imposing fourteenth century fortress, the town has some spectacular views of the Val d' Orcia. Driving in the historic center was a bit challenging as I had to move in both side mirrors on my car and with an inch or two to spare passed through some very narrow streets looking for parking. I finally found it in one of the parks. I enjoyed the tour of the city and got some good reference photos. In my effort to get back to Cortona I got lost and ended up at Siena. (Not a bad place to loose oneself.) En route I found this scene with some white cows.

Pienza and the Val d'Orcia

2010-04-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

There was a lot of fog this morning but I want out and painted Chianciano Terme. As I began painting the fog lifted and I had some nice partly sunny conditions that would light up certain areas of the landscape. The spring in Tuscany has some magnificent clouds but they can be frustrating to paint as the sun comes and goes but it can also be an opportunity to create a more dynamic painting by using light and shadow patterns moving over the landscape.

I then traveled to Pienza and met a very friendly old woman who showed me were to get the best cheese and meat. I had some fresh pecorino and salami with bread and then went out into the Val d'Orcia and did a painting looking up at the city. The Val d'Orcia is a perfect example of how man and nature can work in perfect harmony, visually and practically.

Lucignano

2010-04-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

Today I explored several different hilltop towns incuding Sinalunga, Bettolle, Monte San Savino and Lucignano. Of the towns I visited I liked Lucignano the best. It has nice views leading up to the city and the city itself has a great feeling to it. The gardens were well tended the the historic center was well kept. The city is unique in the area because it was built in an oval shape. So all the streets go around the center, which has a number of churches and a nice piazza. So far, of all the cities I've seen in this area, besides Cortona, I would be interested in staying in this town. As I got out to paint today I realized that I was out of Titanium White paint. I tried to give myself a mental reminder on Saturday but completely forgot. I had a little left on my canvas. Just enough for a little 6" x 8". I spent the rest of the day photographing and exploring the area. I asked a couple of stores if they had any paints but couldn't find anything. That is typical of both the inconvenience and charm of Italy.

Lago Trasimeno

2010-04-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

Today I spent the day exploring Lago Trasimeno. There are some great castles and old towns around the lake. Access to the the lake's edge is a bit tough because there are farms and fields that surround most of the lakes edge. I did find some access on some dirt farm roads however. I did a piece looking toward Castiglione del Lago and the castle at Passignano. I've included the piece that I did at the second spot. Today the lake is very tranquil with a wonderful aqua green shade but the old castles surrounding the lake offer a reminder of a more turbulent past. Legend says that this area was the scene of a great battle between the Romans and the great general Hannibal. In one of the greatest ambushes in history, Hannibal's army took 15,000 Roman lives in about four hours. This piece is just south of the battle site.

Often it can be a challenge getting access to certain views. Sometimes I'll drive around or hike for hours in the hunt for a good spot. It is always harder when dealing with private property especially in a foreign country. So far nobody has gotten mad at me but I've gotten a few bewildered looks. Hunting for the good painting spots is very different from the "normal" daily toil.

Etruscan Wall and Montefollonico

2010-04-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was a perfect spring day. A great relief after the two previous days of cold and rain. I got special access to stand on the top of the Etruscan wall that surrounds the city of Cortona and paint the view. It was quite daunting to select only a portion of it since it was all so amazing but you have to make sacrifices if you want to make a good picture.

Today was another perfect spring day and I drove over to a small town called Montefollonico and got a great view of Montepulciano from the back side. While I was painting a lady stopped to see what i was doing and was asking about how to create depth in a painting. I told her about overlapping, atmosphere and I tried to explain to her about softening the edges but I couldn't remember what the word was in Italian so she got pretty confused at that point. Anyway it was pretty fun to try and give an art lesson in Italian I just need to brush up on my technical vocabulary. I forgot to take a picture of the painting that I completed on the site but here is a picture of the view.

Tuscan Countryside

2010-04-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

I stayed near Cortona the last couple of days painting the town and the Val di Chiana from different views. They are going to cover the clock tower in the Piazza Della Republica after the Easter holiday in order to give it a face lift, so I did several paintings of the square. I met a lot of people from all over the world here celebrating the holiday. I also been out in the valley painting some of the old buildings and churches in the area. One of the churchyards (Santa Catarina Fratta) was a lot of fun and after I did the painting I got a private tour of the church. My guide Bruna now an elderly woman said that this church was once full of priests and was a bustling community but now there is only one priest and he lives down the road. This area has changed because the big farmers have come in run the little guys out of business. So you see a lot of vacated 15th-18th century villas and farmhouses in this particular area.

Foiano della Chiana

2010-03-31T12:10:00.001-07:00

I spent today painting near Foiano della Chiana and the tiny farm towns of Farneta and Chignano. This area has an endless array of hills, villas and farms. The day was beautiful but very windy. Painting in the wind is probably my least favorite of painting conditions (second only to the clouds of mosquitos found in the Wind Rivers in Wyoming) I hung in their though and did several studies. Here is one of the pieces looking at city Foiano from a distance.

Castiglion Fiorentino

2010-03-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the weather was quite a bit warmer and I painted from the neighboring hill where the Castello di Montecchio sits looking toward the city Castiglion Fiorentino in the distance.

Montepulciano

2010-03-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Today I'm in Montepulciano, a small town surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. For those of you who are into stories about vampires, this city was the setting for the recent film "New Moon". The scenes are quite different from Siena and Monteriggioni which are surrounded by more pastoral views. Many aspects of the countryside are like areas in Northern California where I live especially Sonoma or Napa. As I compare the two I think that the thing that makes this area so special is the way the buildings harmonize with their environment. Part of it has to do with the "patina" of the buildings and another part is the way they are designed. It lends an air of authenticity to the place, something that is very hard to find these days. It is something I think modern life has forgotten how to do. Aside from being much older their design and placement on the hills appears to me more thought out. The weather has made it a bit difficult to paint today because it's sunny one minute and rainy the next. They say around here that the week of Easter is always stormy so I'll just have to work with it. I have a couple of small studies that I'll post later this evening.

Arrival in Tuscany!

2010-03-25T13:44:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, my wife, kids and I arrived in Cortona, Italy just as the sun was setting. The countryside warmed by the orange light looked dreamlike, almost too beautiful to paint. The city is set on a hill and as you drive up to the city you get a number of stunning views of the surrounding countryside. We parked our car at the base of some formidable Etruscan walls and walked up a steep street to get to the Piazza Republicana. We found our landlord Simone there and he took us to our apartment. After some serious rest we’ll begin to explore this area and make it our home for the next four weeks.

Painting Plein Air in Tuscany

2010-03-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'm leaving for Italy to stay in the town of Cortona for a month of painting. The town is located in the southern part of Tuscany and has beautiful views. The book and subsequent movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" were based in this picturesque hilltop town. I have a strong connection to Italy since I was a missionary there for two years. I learned the language and learned to love the people and culture. I'll be traveling all over the region and we'll be posting updates regularly. I'm not looking forward to the flight but can't wait to get there!