New @ Plein Air! Workshop, Nocturnes, Classic Cars, Contest

Jill Berry painting in 2012 SPAI

The Southeastern Plein Air Invitational (SPAI) lights up early April with new events and locations. The week begins with a Roger Dale Brown Workshop (details below) with three days of on-location painting, demos, and individualized instruction (April 6-9). Then, over a dozen experienced plein air painters will converge to paint locations in Gadsden/Etowah County (April 9-13). The opening reception on Sunday, April 13, 2-4, will launch the exhibition of their work in the galleries of the Gadsden Museum of Art through May 2.

New this year--

Downtown: Dusk to Dark  The latest trend in plein air painting is the nocturne—atmospheric works of the night often featuring the artificial lights of storefronts, neon, and street lights.  Gadsden’s Broad Street offers the ideal location with a vintage movie theater, period storefronts, and a bustling retail, restaurant, and bar scene.  

Classic Cars on the Coosa  Gleaming chrome, racy styling, and brilliant color combinations make classic cars an appealing and nostalgic subject for plein air painters. Gadsden’s car club members bring their best to the necklace of city parks along the Coosa River for a day that combines natural and automotive beauty.

Dueling Brushes  Prizes, a two-hour time limit, and a picturesque setting make for an exciting contest. In Gadsden’s Historic District, a Victorian house with landscaped garden, a white picket fence, gracious columned porch, and water feature offers the artists many options but they must be quick! Only two hours from start to finish with first, second, third prizes to be awarded and potential sales to me made while the paint is still wet!

The Southeastern Plein Air Invitational for 2014 offers artists, photographers, spectators, and collectors a diverse experience of on-location painting from workshop to exhibition!

About the workshop: Orientation on Sunday, April 6. Painting on location at a working farm, a wildlife park, and a waterfall, April 7-9.  Participants have the option of sending one of their workshop paintings to be exhibited in the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational in the galleries of the Gadsden Museum of Art.

Roger Dale Brown’s paintings have won first place and best of show awards, been juried into national exhibitions, published in Artist Magazine and American Art Collector, displayed in galleries throughout the United States, and collected by celebrities and corporations. He is dedicated to painting from life, on location, as the best way to enhance the ability to see the nuances of a scene. His goal is to capture the emotion what he sees and distill that into his paintings. Roger Dale Brown believes in passing along what he has learned through teaching. To learn more, visit Roger Dale Brown's website at www.rogerdalebrown.com

Workshop tuition: $425 (supplies not included).  A 50% deposit is required to reserve a space, $100 of which is not refundable.  Don’t delay, Mr. Brown’s classes fill quickly and space is strictly limited!  

To register for the workshop or request more information about the workshop or the SPAI, contact Elaine at the Gadsden Museum of Art (256-546-7365 or ecampbell@cityofgadsden.com).

OVER 150 NEW PLEIN AIR PAINTINGS!

Wyatt Waters captures a fast flowing stream in vibrant colors.

With 15 professional plein air painters in town, the walls of the Gadsden Museum of Art soon fill with amazing art!  For locals the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational offers a chance to see sights we see everyday in a new, exciting, and provocative light--light very literally.  The plein air artists seek to capture not just the subject but also the fleeting light effects of a spring day in the south.  For everyone the collection offers the chance to share the experience of being there with the artist, seeing what the artist sees, and appreciating the beauty of nature.

Here is a link to view the over 150 paintings created between April 9 and 13.

http://www.gadsdenart.com/Intro.html

ARTISTS DISCOVER A SOUTHERN SPRING

Jill Berry finds blooms bordering a path--the essence of a spring walk.
















Craig Reynolds combines dappled light and smooth water to create a spring memory.













Wyatt Waters captured the art deco green-and-black front of a White Castle Cafe from the mid-twentieth century.











Ron Bayens discovered a street fair and came back with a painting of a slice of life for the kid in everyone.







Today is Artist's Choice day at the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational--artists can go anywhere in the city/county and find the subject that most represents their style. To see the results of their search, join the artist at the opening reception at the Gadsden Museum of Art, 515 Broad Street, Gadsden--Friday, April 13, 6-8 p.m.

MONDAY: THREE HISTORICAL DOWNTOWNS IN PLEIN AIR

Artists will find the streetscape of Broad Street in Gadsden little changed from that shown in vintage postcards. Many storefronts feature the original owner's name and the date when they were built--the oldest from the turn of the 20th Century with others added through mid-century. The same is true for Alabama City and Attalla--all possible destinations for the first day of the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational.

Artists will find many architectural gems waiting to be painted including:

• Movie palace marquee--the Pitman in Gadsden and the Ritz in Alabama City.
• A prime example of Art Deco style, the former White Palace with its green glass facade banded in black on Broad Street in Gadsden.
• The 50s vibe at the Magic Burger with its turquoise and red color scheme and original sign topped by an ice cream cone (halfway between Gadsden and Attalla).
• The Nichols Memorial Library built in 1899, the first public library building in Alabama and listed on the National Register of Historical Places, it anchors Alabama City's Wall Street.
• Alabama Power got its start in Attalla and the office there has the only remaining Reddy Kilowatt sign, the company's original logo.
• The main intersection in Attalla features the former Walker's Drug with its original sign (now an antique store), a florist and wedding chapel, the city bell and gazebo.
  

What will the artist choose? Streetscape, architectural gem, storefronts with colorful merchandise, street vendors, or people shopping? After Monday night, we will know because the artists must turn in each day's paintings at the Gadsden Museum of Art. Visitors to the museum can see them on the following day. But none will be for sale until the reception Friday night, 6-8 p.m. The public is invited to meet the artists and see Gadsden, Alabama City, and Attalla through their eyes.

For daily information on the Invitational:

Follow this blog on and other information on the Gadsden Museum of Art web site (gadsdenmuseum.com).

Call or visit the museum (515 Broad Street in Gadsden, 256 546-7365)

Nationally Known Artists Coming to Gadsden

Artists will converge on Gadsden beginning April 9-13 for the fourth Southeastern Plein Air Invitational hosted by the Gadsden Museum of Art (GMA). With gallery shows, Web sites, award winning paintings, and eager collectors, these professionals could paint anywhere but choose to come to Gadsden for its scenic beauty and friendly, informal atmosphere.

V….Vaughn (her signature is as original as her artwork) toured the U.S. with her one-woman show of 365 plein air paintings recording the last days of her family’s farm in Texas, a show that ended its run at GMA. She has painted in Gadsden several times and conducted workshops for local artists. Several of her paintings are in the permanent collection of GMA and in private collections here.

Dot Courson of Pontotac, Mississippi, is making her third trip to Gadsden. At last year’s event she won the top award in the Quick Draw Competition, a special feature of the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational where artists must complete a painting in only two hours. In March, 2012, Courson had a solo exhibit at a gallery in Tupelo. As a member of Women Painters of the Southeast her work will be on exhibit at a gallery in Jacksonville, lorida, beginning April 27. Millie Gosch of Roswell, Georgia, who was also juried into the Women Painters of the Southeast, will be returning for her second painting trip to Gadsden.

Two artists will be adding an international flavor-- Dmitriy Proshkin, originally from Russia but now living near Chattanooga, and Ron Bayens, originally from Canada but now living in Auburn. Proshkin has painted in Gadsden many times and his works are in the permanent collection of the GMA and private collections here. Bayens painted in Gadsden at the 2009 event and turned a rainy day downtown into a painting that is now part of the permanent collection of the GMA.

John Guernsey, originally from southern California but now living in Marietta, Georgia, is a favorite of local art collectors. His painting of Noccalula Falls was acquired for the permanent collection of the GMA and fellow artists have voted his work ‘best in show’ for the last two years. Another painter making a splash with a painting of Noccalula Falls, Katrina Weber of Huntsville, will be returning this year. Her close-up view of water rushing over the falls shows how an artist can take scene familiar to thousands and turn it into original
art.

Craig Reynolds of Rainbow City and Gina Brown of Glencoe demonstrate that artistic talent doesn’t have to be imported. Their understanding of the locales, scenery, and history of Gadsden add a special depth to their paintings. Both have paintings in the permanent
collection of GMA but their paintings don’t always stay local: Reynolds is represented by galleries in Charleston and New Orleans and Brown by galleries in Northport, AL and Charleston.

Jill Berry from Pensacola, Florida, made an impression on her first trip to Gadsden last year with her bright, colorful garden scenes and use of the palette knife to add a lively texture to her paintings. She is returning for her second year and will be joined by artists participating for the first time including:

Amy Peterson from Hoover, AL

Karen Weir from Catherine, AL

Amanda Carder from Cummin, GA

Charles Young Walls from Atlanta, GA

Wyatt Waters from Clinton, MS.

Come see Gadsden through the eyes of the 15 professional artists who will be painting in Gadsden April 9-13.

Join the artists on location or at the opening reception on Friday, April 13, 6-8 p.m. All works completed during the event will be on exhibit and awards winners will be announced. All paintings will be available for purchase at the reception and online. The exhibition will continue through May 14.

To find daily information on the Invitational:

Look for the Blue Umbrella on location--volunteers will be available to assist visitors.

Consult the GMA Web site and follow the event on this GMA daily blog.

Stop by GMA at 515 Broad Street, Gadsden.

For online sales go to gadsdenmuseum.com. Or, call GMA (236 546-7365).

ARTIST RETURN FOR FOUTH PLEIN AIR!

River, mountains, historic architecture, and spring gardens make Gadsden an art destination for 15 professional artists attending the fourth annual Southeastern Plein Air Invitational, April 9-l3. Alabama artists will be joined by those from Texas,Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee for a week of painting “en plein air” (in the open air).

Hosted by the Gadsden Museum of Art this year’s event features popular local artists Craig Reynolds and Gina Brown; returning favorites Virginia Vaughn, Dmitry Proshkin, and John Guernsey; and artists new to the event. Locations include parks along the Coosa, the three historic downtowns of Gadsden, Alabama City, and Attalla, and other scenic vistas around Etowah County.

In the five days of on-location painting, the artists will create over 150 original paintings. The public is invited to watch the artists daily. Paintings will be on exhibit and for sale beginning with a reception on Friday, April 13, 6-8 p.m. The exhibition continues through May 12.

For additional information, contact the Gadsden Museum of Art (256 547-7365 or
gadsdenmuseum.com). Watch this blog for news on event planning, the arrival and experiences of the artists, the reception and sale, and the exhibition.

PAINT OUT: DAY 5 + GALLERY OPENING

See the entire Paint Out collection in the third floor galley at The Gadsden Museum of Art (515 Broad Street) through November 11--8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except Sunday.

The last day of Southeastern Paint Out offered perfect weather, fall color, roses, and vintage architecture in Gadsden’s Historic District. Painting ended early so that artists, museum staff, and volunteers could prepare for the gallery opening at 6 p.m. But before the end of the session five artists participated in a Quick Draw competition in Judy and Don Bacon’s rose garden on Reynolds Street—a timed two-hour period where each artist completed a single painting.

At the gallery opening people came early and stayed to closing at 8 p.m. Bidders in the Wet Paint auction began picking their favorites and placing bids as soon as they entered the gallery—three lucky patrons won their choice when bidding ended. The remaining collection of over 60 original paintings is available for purchase beginning on Saturday and continuing daily through November 11 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except Sunday). The gallery buzzed with people discussing the paintings with the artists and selecting the paintings they hoped to buy. Some of the most enthusiastic potential purchasers were the youngest—teens who came to the opening as an artist’s guest or with parents who were museum members.

Craig Reynolds, artist in residence for the Southeastern Paint Out, judged the Quick Draw selecting Kevin Keenan’s painting as the winner. Over $300 in prize money was awarded to participants in the Quick Draw, a donation by Craig, his sister, and his mother. Craig graciously presented the prizes while explaining the difficulties and special skills involved in creating a successful plein air painting.

After an intense week of painting through wind, rain, and finally, fair weather, the results of the artist's efforts hung on the gallery walls. The artists were exhausted but exhilarated by their experiences at the Southeastern Paint Out. Many took time to express their appreciation to the staff and volunteers of the Gadsden Museum of Art for their support and assistance during the week.

PAINT OUT: DAY 4

Vintage postcard offers greetings from Gadsden. The plein air painters offer another way to celebrate the beauty and variety of scenic Gadsden--see them painting today in the Historic Districts and discover a week's worth of creativty tonight at the opening reception at the Gadsden Museum of Art.

The sun finally came out on the artists in the Southeastern Paint Out Thursday when predicted rain made only one or two short appearances. Taking advantage of the favorable weather, painters spent the morning in downtown Gadsden capturing cityscapes and street scenes. In the afternoon they moved to the brow of Lookout Mountain (Scenic Drive) for dramatic overlooks of the city on one side of the ridge and rural valleys on the other.

TODAY’S LOCATION: Gadsden’s Historical Districts

Victorians from the late-1890s, craftsmen bungalows from the 1920s, and other architectural styles await them. Wide front porches decorated with fall flowers and wicker combine with landscaped yards to create a nostalgic street scene. Dogwoods, maples and other trees show off the reds, oranges, and yellows of early fall. October blue skies above—not a cloud in the sky—make for the strong value contrasts and lush colors plein air painters revel in.

Come by and see the painters on their last day of painting in the Southeastern Paint Out sponsored by the Gadsden Museum of Art. The streets are wide and parking is easy. Sidewalks make walking easy, too. For information on the exact locations of painters, check with the museum volunteers at the corner of Walnut and Turrentine Avenue—look for the blue market umbrella. Or, just ride around looking for easels—artists will be scattered along Turrentine Avenue; Haraldson, Reynolds, and Walnut Streets; and Argyle Circle.

SPECIAL EVENT: THE QUICK DRAW

This afternoon artists will participate in a Quick Draw competition. Museum staff will pick a location somewhere in the Historical District and artists will have only two hours to complete a painting of some aspect of that location. Prizes for the winners of the Quick Draw will be announced at the opening reception.

TONIGHT’S OPENING RECEPTION—You are invited!

See the entire week’s collection while enjoying light refreshments at the opening reception tonight (October 14) from 6 to 8 p.m. Selected works from each artist will be featured in a Wet Paint Auction--—HINT! HINT! The best paintings of the week!

EXHIBIT—October 15-November 1

Discover a new way to see Gadsden! The paintings from the Southeastern Paint Out will be on display and available for purchase at the museum through November 11.

PAINT OUT: DAY 2

Tomorrow's base of operations is Lafferty's Landing (off Albert Rains Blvd.) where artists and volunteers are expecting a sunny day for painting.

Artists described their day at Wills Creek Winery as cloudy, breezy, and misty—yet they were elated about the paintings they created. Plein air painters—artists painting exclusively on-location—seek to capture the light and atmosphere of a particular place at a particular time. Artists had two locations to choose from today: one with a winding dirt road into the meadows and vineyards and another with vines and a restored windmill.

The weather provided fog lifting from the valley, clouds clinging to the top of the mountains, and brief shafts of sun breaking through the mists. Sunny days are easier to paint with strong contrasts between shadows and highlights. Cloudy, wet days call for more finesse in handing value changes and subtle color mixes. But wet days reward artists with dramatic skies and shimmering reflections.

Painting in challenging conditions is an accepted part of plein air painting and artists who brave the conditions bring back hard-won victories in the form of paintings and lots of stories. One of the most important parts of any plein air event is the camaraderie that develops among the artists and volunteers who assist them. Craig Reynolds, Artist In Residence for the Southeastern Paint Out, fosters that spirit by combining the roles of mentor, instructor, and cheerleader and still finds time to paint! Several artists talked about how a suggestion or tip from Craig made today’s session more rewarding.

Check out the paintings from Noccalula Falls Park and Wills Creek Winery in the third floor gallery at the Gadsden Museum of Art between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. See the entire week’s collection at the opening reception Friday night (October 14) from 6 to 8 p.m. There will be a Wet Paint Auction that night of selected works. The paintings will be on display and available for purchase at the museum through November 11.

TOMORROW’S LOCATION: COOSA RIVER

After one windy day and one drizzly day, the artists expect a sunny day for Wednesday’s Coosa River locations. Lafferty’s Landing, a riverside boardwalk just off Albert Rains Boulevard, will be the base of operations. Artists will be painting there and volunteers will be available to assist visitors—look for the blue market umbrella for information. Artists may also paint at several other locations including the City of Gadsden boat dock, City Hall, Jack Ray Family Park, and James Martin Wildlife Park. All locations offer easy parking and all but James Martin Wildlife Park offer easy access to the artists with very little walking. Come enjoy the change in weather with the artists and volunteers at the Southeastern Paint Out!

ROBIN ROBERTS AND THE SOUTHERN LANDSCAPE

What makes a Southern landscape? Ask Robin Roberts, an oil painter who has lived in five states but claims her roots are in North Alabama. For her the Southern landscape emerges from the mystery of light and shadow—bright sun set against the deep shade cast by trees. Robin is attracted to each time of the day as a unique combination of color and pattern and captures that fleeting look with color contrasts and vigorous brushwork. By transforming ordinary views and everyday scenes through her paintings, Robin invites the viewer to remember those places closest to the heart. As she puts it:

“I hope people find the excitement I see in light that flickers in the trees. Trees have gestures and that seed of composition requires my response.”

Robin has taken classes and workshops with nationally and regionally recognized artists, many who emphasized the importance of painting on location (en plein air). Now an established artist, her landscapes and paintings of animals are exhibited in the following galleries: Dragonfly Gallery in Fayetteville, Tennessee; Ashland Gallery in Mobile; ARTifacts Gallery in Florence; Renaissance Gallery in Northport; Charleston House Gallery in Montgomery; and Kathleen’s Art in Decatur. This month her paintings from the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational are on exhibit in the galleries at the Gadsden Museum of Art along with those of the 14 other professional artists who participated in the week long event.

DONNA CHIEVES DEMONSTRATES HER VERSATILITY

Top: Oil painting of the course at the Gadsden Country Club by Donna Chieves.

Bottom: Pen and ink with watercolor rendering of the club house, Gadsden Country Club, by Donna Chieves.

Donna Chieves demonstrated her versatility at the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational by creating work in oil, pen and ink, and watercolor. At home in Birmingham she paints portraits of people, pets, and homes but she also frequently paints en plein air as she has for the last three events hosted by the Gadsden Museum of Art.

At this year’s event Donna impressed everyone with her pen and ink drawings of architectural subjects like the First National Bank in Attalla (now Wells Fargo Bank) and the Gadsden Country Club. Mastering perspective is one of the most challenging skills required of artists and one that Donna demonstrates to perfection. But she is equally adept at atmospheric and colorful landscapes that capture the beauty of a spring day.

Donna is both academically and artistically talented. She has a B.A. in Art from the University of Montevallo, a B.S. from Oglethrope University, has studied at the Atlanta College of Art and Georgia State University, and frequently takes part in workshops. Donna found ways to combine academics and art with study abroad. She spent a year in Paris studying at the Sorbonne, soaking up the ambience of one of the great cities for art appreciation, and painting. After winning a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to India she again combined travel, education, and painting. Not content to always be a student, Donna also teaches painting at the Arceneau Art Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama. She is a member of the Alabama Plein Air Artists and Oil Painters of America.

Donna's paintings and drawings are currently on display in the galleries of the Gadsden Museum of Art through June 3.

ART COLLECTORS COME OUT FOR OPENING / PRIZE WINNERS FOR QUICK DRAW COMPETITION

Top: First prize winner in Quick Draw, Dot Courson for "Patriot"

Middle: Second prize winner in Quick Draw, Craig Reynolds for "The Stoop"

Bottom: Third prize winner in Quick Draw, Millie Gosch for "The Patriot"

On-location painting for the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational is over but the event continued Friday night with an opening reception and Silent Auction. Art collectors came out to enjoy music, refreshments, and to buy art—sales topped $7,000. With over 150 original paintings created in one week by 15 professional artists, many paintings remain in the galleries of the Gadsden Museum of Art and are for sale through June 3.

A highlight of Friday night’s reception was the awarding of prizes for the Quick Draw, a special competition where artists had only two hours to complete a painting. Dot Courson took first prize, Craig Reynolds second, and Millie Gosch third--all painting the same doorway! The cash prizes for the Quick Draw were graciously donated by Mrs. Ruth Reynolds, widow of well-known local artist Leo Reynolds.

Come by the Gadsden Museum of Art to view the paintings from the 2011 Southeastern Plein Air Invitational. The next plein air event will be in October and will be open to all painters, professional or amateur. Look for the information about the event on the museum’s Web site.

LAST PAINTING DAY/QUICK DRAW/OPENING RECEPTION

Flowers by Donna Chieves

Landscape painting by Dot Courson

Musical group painting by Robin Roberts

What a week! Artists have painted everyday—even under threat of tornados on Wednesday. By 9 p.m. Thursday, 124 new originals were hanging on the gallery walls at the Gadsden Museum of Art—everything from grand vistas to intimate flower studies, musical groups to garden ornaments, street scenes to charming cottages.

Today the artists paint in the residential historical districts—Turrentine Avenue; Haraldson, Reynolds, and Walnut Streets; and Argyle Circle. This morning they are painting houses and gardens in a leisurely fashion but this afternoon they will switch to “quick draw” mode. A Quick Draw means that the artists get set up on the view of their choice, a whistle blows and the artists have only two hours to complete a painting before the whistle blows again. Ruth Reynolds, the widow of the artist Leo Reynolds and the mother of Craig Reynolds, one of the professionals participating in the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational, has generously donated the prizes for the Quick Draw.

Best of Show and other awards will be presented this evening at a reception at the Gadsden Museum of Art, 6-8 p.m. The public is invited to see the paintings, participate in a Wet Paint Auction (silent auction) of the artists’ choice of their best work (two from each of the15 professionals), and meet the artists.

TWO DAYS ON LOCATION NETS 60+ PAINTINGS

Top: Beverly Ford Evans, Gadsden Country Club

Above: Jill Berry, Gadsden Country Club

Two days of paintings hang on the walls of the Gadsden Museum of Art. The 15 artists of the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational have faced windy conditions, threat of rain, and fatigue to produce truly outstanding paintings. Not content to paint only at the pre-arranged locations, some rise at 4 a.m. to find just the right place to catch the sun rise. Others skip supper to go to the rocky ridge of Scenic Drive to paint until it is too dark to see the canvas. For this week of intensive effort, the artists will go all out to chase the best views and bring them back on canvas to be enjoyed for years to come.

The difference in styles is astonishing from muted tonal palettes with smoothly graduated values to thick, staccato strokes that seem to break the painting surface into shards of color. Sweeping landscapes sit next to closely observed flower studies and old barns show off their gray sides and tin roofs next to manicured golf holes with triangular flags flying. Every artist has a point of view and a personal style—the fun comes in liking every painting but feeling the tug of preference for the special one that seems to speak directly to you.

Come by the museum to see the first 60+ paintings and visit the artists as they set up their easels in downtown Gadsden, Alabama City, and Attalla on Wednesday, on the banks of the Coosa at Rainbow Landing (Southside Bridge) on Thursday, and in the historic districts on Friday (Turrentine Avenue; Haralson, Walnut, and Reynolds Streets; and Argyle Circle). See all the paintings and meet the artists at the reception on Friday, April 29, 6-8 p.m. in the galleries at the Gadsden Museum of Art.

MISSISSIPPI ARTIST GLAD TO PAINT IN GADSDEN

Dot Courson from Pontotac, Mississippi, was the first artist to arrive for the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational and the first thing she said was, “You don’t know how lucky you are in Gadsden to have so much to paint!” Dot’s Southern landscapes depict the scenic beauty of her home state, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina—each of which she says has its own characteristic light, physical features, and atmosphere.

Dot took art classes in college but she became first a nurse and then a Healthcare Administrator. All the time Dot painted part time and studied with the late Billy Kirk, a well-known Mississippi artist who became her mentor. Now Dot is mentor to students in workshops like the one she taught last spring in Gadsden.

Dot is a juried member of Oil Painters of America, Landscape Artists International, Mississippi Painter’s Society, Mississippi Oil Painters Association, and Women Painters of the Southeast. She was the only Mississippi artists accepted into the American Women Artists National Exhibition in 2010, one of 65 artists from across the nation so honored.

While Dot was here for the 2010 plein air event, most of the locations this year will be new to her. It will be fascinating to see her vision of the unique characteristics of an Alabama spring. Visit her on location, April 25-29, and view her completed work in the galleries of the Gadsden Museum of Art through June 3.

ARTIST ARRIVE IN GADSDEN!

The Southeastern Plein Air Festival is underway! Fifteen professional artists arrived last evening at the Gadsden Museum of Art for orientation for a week of on-location painting. Today they are painting at the Gadsden Country Club until 4:30. If you go, look for the Blue Umbrella in the first parking lot after the entrance (the pool parking lot)--volunteers will be there to assist you. Expect to do some walking because the only people with golf carts are the artists!

Tomorrow the artists will be painting at a farm 10 miles north of Attalla--call the museum for directions if you plan to go.

Drop by the museum between 10 and 4 all week to see the paintings that have been turned in each day. Please join the museum staff, artists, and volunteers at a reception on Friday evening, April 29, 6-8. All paintings will be for sale and 30 (two from each artists) will be in a Silent Auction.

ARTIST PAINTING WITH A PURPOSE

Jan Polk paints with palette knives instead of the more usual bruhes. She traces the technique back to the original Impressionist, Claude Monet. While Jan has been studying art since the mid-1980s, she developed her current techniques at a 2003 workshop taught by Susan Sarback, founder of the School of Light and Color (lightandcolor.com). Sarback spent many years researchin the secret of painting the full spectrum of color as Monet did. Monet was self-taught and did not teach students but his contemporary, Charles Hawthorne, did. One of Hawthorne’s many students was Henry Hensche, an American Impressionist who became well-known as an art teacher. Sarback studied with him and now passes the techniques to her own students--like Jan Polk.

How is palette knife painting different? Each painting implement has its own character that determines in the way paint is applied and the final look of the painting. The flexible metal palette knives lend themselves to a thicker application of paint called impasto and an almost three-dimensional surface to the finished painting. By using the point or edge of the knife the artist can draw back into the paint revealing colors underneath.

While bold in execution, Jan’s paintings have a soft, soothing, mellow appearance that matches her philosophy. She sees a connection between painting and people’s behavior: “I want to use art to inspire all of us to be respectful to one another and to work together just as the paints must work together to achieve beautiful results.”

Jan’s art has led to affiliations with well-known organizations including the Cincinnati Art Club (Signature Status), Exhibiting Member of the Pleasure Island Art Association in Orange Beach, Alabama, and the Women’s Art Club of Cincinnati.

Jan has participated in the two previous plein air events in Gadsden and returns this year as one of 15 professionals invited to paint on location, April 25-29. Come watch Jan create landscapes using the palette knife technique and then view her paintings in the galleries at the Gadsden Museum of Art with a deeper understanding of how and why they were created.

FROM AMATEUR TO PROFESSIONAL PLEIN AIR PAINTER

Gina Brown is one of two local artists participating in the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational. The other, Craig Reynolds, was Gina teacher and mentor as she developed her art career. Gina participated in the first two plein air events hosted by the Gadsden Museum of Art as a gifted amateur but she was ready to join the cadre of professionals for this year’s event.

Gina, like many of the professionals in the event, showed early talent by sketching and painting as a child. And, also like many, life put those inclinations on hold while she attended to the demands of education, career, marriage, and motherhood. In 2009 she began studying with Craig and reconnected with what had been missing, the desire to create and share her art. Because she had worked as a graphic designer, she already possessed an understanding of composition and color and now applied those skills to oil painting. She began to paint often, almost every day. That commitment led to a rapidly maturing and distinctive style featuring lush colors, bold brushwork, and a ‘juicy’ look that jumps off the canvas. Gina’s selection of subject matter is also distinctive—like most plein air painters she focuses on landscapes but sometimes switches to more of a still life aesthetic by painting an interesting garden feature or flower-filled container. More than technique or style, Gina seeks to make her work personal. As Gina says, “Every painting has a story that I must share.”

In just a few years Gina went from being a workshop participant to a professional affiliated with the Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, Women Painters of the Southeast, Alabama Plein Air Artists, and 10 Everyday Painters. Her work is represented by the Shelby Lee Gallery in Charleston, South Carolina and Renaissance Gallery in Northport, Alabama.

Thirteen artists come to the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational from other towns in Alabama or from other states. Craig and Gina know Gadsden and the surrounding county intimately—its history, ambience, light, and atmosphere. How will that connection become visible in the art they create during the event? See the artists on location (April 25-29) and enjoy their art in the galleries of the Gadsden Museum of Art through June 3.

A PAINTER WITH ARTISTIC CONNECTIONS

Not many painters can trace their artistic ancestry but Katrina Weber is an exception—her great-uncle Erich Heckel (1883-1970), was a founding member of ‘Die Brücke’ (The Bridge), an influential German Expressionist group known for the vivid color and emotional content of their work. Katrina says she was influenced by early exposure to Heckel’s art. Today she paints in oils, watercolor, and pastels. Her work has been featured in six solo exhibits and over a dozen group shows in the last five years.

Katrina is returning to the plein air event hosted by the Gadsden Museum of Art for the second year. Last year she attracted attention with an unusual depiction of Noccalula Falls, a view that cropped out almost all the surrounding landscape to focus on water cascading off the sharp rocky edge and falling into the pool below. She captured the movement of rushing water with subtle and changing color and solid rock with brushstrokes that sculpt the ridges and striations. This painting perfectly exemplifies Katrina’s goal to “transcend the literal without losing touch with reality.”

Visitors to the galleries at the Gadsden Museum of Art will be treated to two chances to view Katrina’s art. Upstairs in the third floor gallery she is exhibiting with Huntsville’s Sanctuary Artists in ‘The Art of Nature’ through June 13. The exhibit highlights the beauties of a nature preserve donated to the city to save it from encroaching development. Downstairs she will be showing with the artists of the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational. In both venues take delight in Katrina’s arresting compositions, masterful color blends, and expressive brushwork.

PAINTING IN OIL & PASTEL

Greg Little discovered his natural talents for drawing and painting as a boy growing up in north Alabama. Now living in Florida, this self-taught artist uses intuition and observation to capture a moment in time and a sense of place. As he puts it, “The light in my paintings reminds us that even sitting still, time is moving, life is changing, and we are both a witness and a participant.”

All plein air painters deal with the difficulties of changing light and the challenge of sun, wind, and transporting equipment on location. But Greg sometimes takes on the challenge of working in pastels. In a pinch an oil painter can take everything they need in their hands--one or two brushes, a lightweight panel, a jar of mineral spirits, and a small palette loaded with a few colors. A skilled painter can mix every color they see from the three primaries of red, blue, and yellow plus white—even an approximation of black can be created by combining colors. Pastel painters must take the colors with them in the form of sticks of almost pure pigment; fragile sticks that can shatter into dust unless they are protected in foam-lined trays. Because of the difficulties relatively few plein air artists work in pastel. Discriminating collectors understand how rare the works are and appreciate the colors and textures that belong exclusively to pastel paintings.

In the past two events Greg Little has created works in both oil and pastel. He is also well-known to Gadsden Museum of Art staff and volunteers for going to hard to reach locations. While painting at Noccalula Falls during the first plein air, Greg disappeared under the Falls and came back with views of the gorge that no other painter captured. Watch for Greg on location (if you can find him) and see his paintings on exhibit in the museum galleries. Look especially for his vibrant pastel paintings and appreciate the special difficulties required to make them.