Day 3: The Baudy Courtyard

Courtyard in France

oil

12 x 12

$400.00

Available

http://www.Durinda.com

For the third day of the 30 Day challenge:  This is a scene from the Baudy Hotel in Giverny, France.  I painted there a few years back while staying in the hotel just up the street from Monet's Garden and Home.  This is where the American artists stayed who had traveled to France in hopes of meeting and painting with Monet.  Today there is a restaurant in part.  I'm not sure if they lease rooms still or not, but it has a beautiful courtyard in the back and a studio where the artists used to work.  Watch for a few more paintings from this wonderful place!

Artists in the Gardens Weekend

Artists in the Gardens at Epcot this weekend!

I am so honored to have been invited back to paint during Epcot's International Flower and Garden Festival 2011. This will be my fifth year to paint in the World Showcase. Last year I painted in jolly old England and really enjoyed the cottage gardens and English architecture. You can find me this year in Italy. The horticultural department goes all out with potted flowers and plantings in the different countries. The feature each year are the topiaries of the Disney characters that are scattered throughout Epcot. Having the artists painting on location just adds to the ambiance of the festival. Guests can watch us paint and even purchase a painting to take home. I would be curious to know how many vacation photos I have been in over the years!

It is so much fun to talk to the guests who come from all over the world. The children are the best with their innocent questions and comments. I end up giving away as many paintings as I sell when a child comments they like it!

This is plein air painting at its finest! Shade if you can find it, level ground, beautiful weather, no "real" animals to bother you, and beautiful surroundings to paint makes this a painter's dream. So I hope if you are making spring break plans, you will hop over to the Flower and Garden Festival this year. Just don't ask me the names of any of the plants, OK?

Ciao for now, will try to post a painting or two while there!

Durinda

The Diva Dilemma

Spring Divas

oil on linen

12 x 9

Available: www.Durinda.com

The Diva Dilemma. If you are a painter, you have surely faced it at least once in your painting career. If you ever sang in a chorus or acted in a play, you faced it. If you even like to decorate rooms, you have probably faced it too. What is it?

It is having more than one Diva in a situation. Like having to decorate a room and you say, "Well, here's a fireplace, a good focal point, let's put seating facing it." And then you see the window in the same room with the great view. "This is such a good view, let's put seating facing it." And then you have two Divas. When you enter the room, where do you face? The fireplace or the window? Maybe that doesn't bother you?

Have you ever tried to watch two performers on stage? In the olden days, Sonny and Cher? Hmm, who was the Diva? Pretty obvious there. You won't see two separate spotlights.

My watercolor mentor was Wayne Wu, AWS. He used to tell us, "There can only be one star. Everyone else is the supporting cast." In other words, have a focal point in your composition. There are several ways to create a central focus and they are not all so obvious. In a floral arrangement, choose one flower or a cluster of flowers to give more color and more detail. Play down the rest. We know they are flowers, let them be cast members. The same for a landscape. Where do you want the viewer to look? Try not to confuse us by having detail on everything unless you are Grandma Moses. Or as Jack Beal says, "Fruit basket painting."

I think the same applies to our appearance. Do you want people to notice your hair, your eyes, your clothes, or your jewelry? Play up your best feature and let the others support it. Wear clothes that compliment your eyes or hair, but if you want us to look at your clothes, fine. Wear something that stands out there. But don't be surprised if people say, "I love your outfit." and not, "Gee, you look great today."

We want viewers to look at our artwork and say,"I love this painting." and not "Gee, you did a good job with all this detail. It looks JUST like a photograph." Get it?

Now, go find your Diva!

From the only Diva in this household,

Durinda

A LOVER-LY WEEKEND

My Mickey Award shot by my 5 yr old grandgirl

Blossom showing my art set up

Front: Barbara Perrotti, Dorothy Gardiner :Back Durinda, and Diane Johnson
at the Artists' Reception on Thursday night

English Doorway, oil on canvas, Sold















The Artists in the Gardens weekend was LOVERLY! The gardens were awesome and that is quite a feat given the cold weather that Florida has had this winter. I enjoyed seeing my art friends at the reception and lunches as well as painting in the "United Kingdom". The Epcot cast members take great care of us, providing water and sodas throughout the day. Friday and Saturday the weather was perfect and then Sunday it clouded up and poured later in the afternoon. We were packed up at lunchtime and didn't go back on the streets. I had a few sales, which is always an added bonus, and talked to some really interesting guests. The children are the most fun. I had two young boys who came right up to me and said, "I'm an artist too!" I just loved that!

If you get the chance, visit Epcot during the International Flower and Garden Festival in the spring. The plein air artists are there only the one weekend, but there is lots going on throughout the festival. I am so honored to have taken part in my fourth year and hoping for a return in 2011!

Now, go play in your yard!
Durinda

Floral Painting Workshop Coming July 31 & Aug 1!

I will be leading a two-day workshop in painting flowers at the Happy Painters Studio on Lookout Mountain. This is a class that I have been thinking about since teaching the Sketching Callaway workshop in April. I envision lots of flowers on a center table with artists circled around it. We will begin with sketching individual flowers to explore the structures. Next, we will work with composition, different techniques, and color with setups. Each artist will complete a larger painting in the medium of his/her choice.

The workshop will be 10 am - 2 pm on Thursday, July 31 and Friday, August 1. Artists will need to bring their painting supplies, supports (paper or canvas), and a sketchbook with sketching pencils. Cost is $100. The class will be limited to six. You can bring a lunch or order from the Mountain Cafe. Email me to register: Durinda@Durinda.com.

Let's Paint!

Durinda

Scenes from Callaway Workshop

Here are some of the participants in the Sketching Callaway workshop last weekend in beautiful Callaway Gardens. We started on Saturday drawing close-ups of leaves and flowers and then ventured into the Rhododendron Trail on Sunday to capture the plants in the landscape. The group was just wonderful to work with and so open to trying new things. We enjoyed having Katie Steinhoff, Interpretive Horticulturist, explain the gardens and plants in bloom for us. I hope that that everyone will continue to use a sketchbook to record their surroundings and feelings.

I am pleased to announce that I have been invited back to teach Perspective Drawing, a two day workshop on drawing buildings, fences, etc in the landscape. Dates are September 20 & 21, 2008. We will work on the mechanics of drawing and use sections in the Garden that contain structures. Registration will be with Callaway: education@callawaygardens.org.

I am also looking forward to teaching another Sketching Callaway workshop next April. I will post the info as soon as everything is worked out.

Just a reminder: The Spring Show at Happy Painter's Studio, Lookout Mountain, continues until May 30. Hours are Tuesday - Friday, 11:00 - 3:00 or by appointment. This is your chance to buy directly from the artists!

Also, coming up is the workshop in France! I am getting excited about the trip and all the sites and images we will see and paint while there. If you are thinking of painting outdoors this summer, see my past posts on oil and watercolor gear to pack.

Have a Marvelous Mother's Day Sunday!

Durinda

Artists in the Gardens- Great Fun!

Photos from the Artists in the Gardens weekend at Walt Disneyworld's International Garden and Flower Festival.

Top left: Barbara Perrotti (portrait demo)Top Center: Barbara, Durinda, and Dorothy Gardiner. Top right: Durinda painting in the U.K. before the park opened (photo by D.J. Gibson, Jr.) Left: Martin Figlinsky at his easel. Center: D.J. (cast member in charge of U.K. artists) and Durinda. Right: Durinda, Linda Blondheim, Barbara Perrotti, and L.Diane Johnson, seated (a few of the Southern Ladies Artists that enjoy painting together regionally).

I was assigned to the U.K. this year. It was absolutely beautiful with the cottage gardens. Other artists with me were Martin Figlinsky, Panama City, FL; Dorothy Gardiner, Clearwater, FL; and Alberto Ortego, Orlando, FL. The other countries with painters were Canada, France, and Italy. We stayed in the cottages of the Boardwalk Inn, enjoyed a banquet on Thursday night, and lunch together daily. And yes, we painted! It is so much fun to paint there and meet all the visitors with questions and thoughts about art. Linda Blondheim does a wonderful job getting everything and everybody together. The Horticultural staff along with the other department cast members really make us feel special. You don't have to be a "art lover" to enjoy this weekend, there are concerts, special seminars, and lots of other activities, but I did meet several guests who said they come just to see the artists paint in the countries each year. It is especially fun to talk to the children who are so interested in art. One small boy in a stroller was drawing little stick figures. I asked him if I could have one and he said, "No!" I told his mom to hold onto the drawings, they would be worth something some day! Another girl stayed with me while I painted a foxglove. When she came back through late in the day, I signed it and gave it to her as my "youngest collector". She was thrilled.

This week has been hectic, getting back to the "real" world! I still need to take my paintings out of the pizza boxes and shoot them. Will post them next week!

Enjoy Spring!!

Durinda