Vermont 2018 – First Two Days!

I just got back from beautiful Vermont last night. A week ago Sunday, on the 23d of September, our group of Canadian and American watercolour painters converged on the lovely and welcoming Highland Lodge, which overlooks Caspian Lake in the Northeast Kingdom. Our generous host, Heidi Lauren, offered us cocktails in the charming bar before we enjoyed a delicious Welcome Dinner together.

MONDAY
The following morning, Monday the 24th, we met in our Ski Hut Studio. I started the painting week off with a slide presentation with two themes. The first segment was entitled Planning Your Watercolour and focused on a sound process. The second part featured the work of acclaimed Canadian artist, A. J. Casson (1898-1992). Casson was a member of the celebrated Group of Seven; a ground-breaking group of Canadian landscape painters. We took particular interest in how he simplified foliage in his watercolours and oils and how he dealt with fall foliage, in particular.

A. J. Casson

A. J. Casson

After our studio meeting, we headed to the famous Greensboro Barn at Turning Stone Farm and were hosted by local artist, Jennifer Ranz. It was a wonderful painting site with a great variety of subject matter including the barn itself and a classic Vermont maple sugar shack.

We settled in for the day. The painters spread out all over the property. It was overcast and cool but that doesn’t stop a keen bunch of ‘en plein air’ watercolourists!

Eventually, it was time to warm up and have a look at the day’s work. It was a short drive back to the lodge and our Ski Hut Studio. Here’s the work from our first day. Click on any critique image to view a larger version.

Monday Critique a

Monday Critique b

TUESDAY
It was a grim day. Cool and wet. Fortunately, we had our spacious and well-furnished studio where we met for a demonstration. Looking again at the work of A. J. Casson, I discussed the simplification of foliage and greens, as well. Do you see the four swatches of green in the lower left corner? They were all darkened with the same wash of Cobalt Blue. Works, doesn’t it?

The resourceful painters found several places to work for the day. The studio, the front porch, the lodge interior and even through the windows of their rooms and cabins. Of course, it helped that the Highland Lodge has a spectacular view.

Ski Hut Studio

Lodge Interior

Front Porch

Undaunted! It was a productive day as you can see from our critique. Stay tuned for the next episode of our creative adventures. There’s lots more to come from Vermont.

Tuesday Critique a

Tuesday Critique b

 

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Plein Air Toronto 2018 – First Three Days!

MONDAY
One week ago, on Monday morning, this year’s participants in our Plein Air Toronto week-long workshop met at the Arts on Adrian studio in the west end of Toronto. We had business to discuss and I provided everyone with information sheets on all of our sites. Carpooling was arranged. I followed the practical session with a Power Point talk which I titled Planning your Watercolour Painting.

I’d been looking at Frank Webb’s book recently and noted the ideas I share with him about planning a watercolour. Frank Webb is one of the most successful contemporary watercolour painters so his ideas are meaningful. The first several slides of my presentation featured his thoughts and artwork. Also, I handed out a sheet of his tips on planning and recommended his book.

Mr. Webb’s work was followed by several other historical and contemporary masters of the medium. The participants enjoyed watercolours by J.M.W. Turner, John Singer Sargent and A.J. Casson, amongst many others.

We spent an hour at the studio before heading to the lovely Sunnyside Pavilion on Toronto’s lakeshore. A thunderstorm threatened, and eventually the skies burst, but we were high and dry under the shelter of the pavilion’s courtyard. The clouds eventually moved off and we enjoyed a productive first day.

Staying Dry

We gathered in the late afternoon for our critique.

Click on any critique image to see a larger version.

Monday Critique a

Monday Critique b

TUESDAY
We visited the Grange Park on Tuesday. The Grange Park is situated behind both the Art Gallery of Ontario and the art school, OCADU. A large Henry Moore sculpture is a landmark and we met in a shady spot with a view of the sculpture. I demonstrated, using the Moore as my subject. My goal was to illustrate a ‘light to dark’ and ‘big to small’ process; simplifying, editing and using value in order to draw the eye to the main subject.

After the demonstration, the painters settled in for a pleasant day in the park.

The sunshine lasted all day long. As usual, we wrapped up with our critique.

Tuesday Critique a

Tuesday Critique b

WEDNESDAY
Roundhouse Park was our venue for Day Three of our workshop. It’s in the very core of the downtown area, right next to the CN tower, the baseball stadium and the aquarium. The roundhouse hosts the Toronto Railway Museum and Steamwhistle Brewery.

Rain was threatening (it never really materialized) so I worked very quickly at my demonstration, allowing washes to run together in places. I used a 3/4″ flat angled brush.

Trains, old railway buildings, contemporary structures; Roundhouse Park has all kinds of interesting subject matter.

Most novel outdoor studio of the week!

Well-earned refreshment at the end of the day.

Once again, we found a fairly private wall for our critique. I was very pleased with the progress of the artists. We’re more than halfway through the week already! Stay tuned for our final two days.

Wednesday Critique