Featured Artist

John McCarten

Debby told me about John McCarten, one of her favorite artists. I visited his website and picked out a favorite painting. I was so surprised to see he won the Annual Ray Mar Contest 2013 $10,000 prize with his beautiful piece! Here it is:

Winter Morning Kangarilla

SOSA Critique Juror

Farmer's Daughter

Great news! This quarters critique juror for SOSA this time is our good friend, Ilene Gienger Stanfeld. Her work is fun and very fresh. She is accomplished both as an artist and a teacher... very kind and helpful. Check out her work at: Ilene Gienger Fine Art.

SOSA Critique

Monday Evening
7:00 PM

April 28, 2014 

Medford Library

This is great fun and learning. Come and check it out as a guest or you can join. It is $30 per year. Bring a painting for the critique. To qualify you must be a member, have your painting framed and gallery ready to hang. Your painting must be there between 6:15 & 6:45. Ilene will choose the six paintings that will compete for painting of the year in November. 

The critique was really great! Ilene is a delight, full of joy. It is encouraging to be around her and listen to her speak. Her love for art is infectious. She also had wonderful insight on how to improve our paintings. My take away is to aspire to be more creative... out of the box and come up with original ways to make my work stand apart as unique.

The next critique will be July 28th, same time and same place. Christina Madden will be the judge.

Interview with Johanna Harmon

Good Morning! Just opened an OPA email and found an inspiring interview that John Pototschnick did with Johanna Harmon. Her work is beautiful and I really like much of what she had to say. Thought you would enjoy it as well.

Oil Painters of America Blog

A quote from the interview:

"For Johanna Harmon, art is a beautifully timeless, skillful, poetic, abstract, and deeply felt visual concept. Using her remarkable skill, it’s her desire to fearlessly explore the mystery of her subjects, and to do that with sensitivity, intention, and truth."

I went to Johanna's website and have enjoyed viewing her beautiful work. In her portraits she seems to capture the essence of her subject in a compelling way, drawing you closer to see into their souls. The eyes in some of her pieces speak from the heart. In her figurative, the poses are full of life as well.

The link to her website:
Johanna Harmon

Bless your day

First Day Out

What an incredible day! The weather was perfect... warm with a cool breeze. The light had a beautiful quality to it - almost magical. A breeze stirred... scented with a delicious floral scent... blossoms floated around us like swirling snow.  We felt like Lucy in Narnia with the tree spirits.

Welcome to Hanley Farm

We arrived one at a time and were swept away in the magic. Now, what to paint? We toured the farm, snatching photos at every lovely view point and finally settled down to paint our favorite scene. See our gallery of photo's by clicking the Read More:

Magnolias and Mountains

  

Inspiration

Sometimes the busyness of life can steel away our time and enthusiasm to paint. After a while our passion can fade. That's where a little inspiration helps a lot. Are there some simple ideas to get back on track happy and excited to paint?

Approaching Storm - Kenn Backhaus

Viewing Good Art:
Art Books and magazines are a great source. And now we have the internet!!! Best of course is viewing the actual paintings. The subtlety and nuance that make great paintings is missed in print and on line.  You can go to museums to see old master paintings and galleries for viewing new master pieces of artwork. On this blog look to the side bar for links.

What art styles or artists do you like? Are you inspired by landscape, portrait or still life? Is there a certain painting that really moves you? This gives you direction and will help you see where you want to go with your own art. What can you see yourself doing?

California Art Club

103rd Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition and Sale

Top name artists from all over the country compete to get into this highly revered show. And our good buddy Frank Ordaz is in it with a little piece called "The Prophet".

There are great portraits and super landscapes... Check out Laurie Kersey's piece. How did she make that rock shine in the sun?

Click Here to see the show and be inspired.

Winter Background

The background for this blog is provided by one of our fellow painters Charity Hubbard.

Abandoned in Winter

Just for fun we will change the background seasonally. When I first saw this lovely piece I was drawn to the great color and wintery feel. So well painted. I just had to ask Charity for permission to use her wonderful work.

To see more of Charity's work go to:

Charity Hubbard Fine Art