Love what you do

Approaching storm, south Lido Beach

North Siesta Key Beach, in progress

There's a commercial now for Blackberrys that uses three different scenarios of people overcoming obstacles, a musician, a clothing designer, and a young couple. In the end they are all triumphant and the slogan is "Love what you do." I found my ADD mind saying,"Do what you love." We all know you can't always do that. Sometimes you have to do things you don't really love or like because that's just the way it is. But you can love WHAT you do. Painting is like that. If you don't really care about what you are painting, it shows. When you paint what gives you chill bumps, other people can feel it too.

People have asked me if I find it difficult to sell a painting if I really like it. When I am working on a painting or a series of a subject, I live with that image. It is the last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about in the morning. What does it need to communicate my idea? What is my next step? How much more work is left? Then, wah-la, it is finished. The point is made. I am onto the next image. Painting is really more about loving the process than loving the product. Once the painting is complete, it is ready for someone else to love. I have a "new baby" to care for.

I have to go now, I hear one calling...

F-f-f-un Painting in F-F-F-Florida

Painting at the Myaaka River

Marc Hanson's Demo at the Beach

That's not snow you see there, it's sand, but we look like we could be painting at the Antarctic! Marc brought the cold weather from Minnesota with him so we could experience his same painting conditions. All week in SW Florida it has been 20 - 30 degrees colder than normal. Factor in the wind from the gulf and it feels even colder. Susie Covert called us the "Guerrilla Girls" for braving the out of doors.

Marc was here for a one week workshop in plein air painting through the M Gallery. He has a show there this month also. This was not a workshop for true beginners. We dove right in to working with value, composition, and brushstrokes. Marc kept us working with a timer. Some pressure, huh? Actually, it really kept you thinking about the painting. After all, "our job is to create a good painting" one of the many reminders Marc gave us. His other often quote was,"It is getting warmer, don't you think?" Not! At least it was a way to paint like the midwesterners without having to be there!

The teacher in me was really pleased at Marc's presentations and demeanor. He really tried to encourage us to think about what we were expressing and not just paint what was there. Jack Beal used to call it, "See, Put." You are in control, not the weather, not the paints, not the brushes, etc. My favorite painting of the week was at night- eeks- on a dock looking across the water. Talk about shivering! It was pretty amazing to watch and listen to him talk about keeping the values close. I like my painting looking across at the skyline and can't wait to try more- when it warms up, of course!

It's a wienie bit chilly out this am. After it warms up some, I will retrieve my paintings from the trunk of the car and try shooting a few to post. Marc gave us some advice on that too. Hope I can retain all this knowledge when I am out painting later this week. I am inside with my watercolors right now. Ahhh- it's warm here in the kitchen....

Now go play with some paint!
Durinda

Where in the World is.......?

Durinda? Have you been thinking I disappeared? Actually, I have been on the go! There is so much to see and do and paint in the Sarasota area that I check messages at night and then away I go!

My screened in porch/studio at the house is quickly filling up with paintings!

A few shots from the last 3 weeks: I have been to two watercolor demos at the Venice Art Center with friend and former art teacher from Chattanooga, Christina Anglin, who lives in Englewood now. Dee Winterhalter does beautiful oriental style ink paintings. Her specialty is iris. You can see why.

Ron Sanders is a very traditional watercolorist. His demo was a landscape from the southwest where he combined three photos for the composition.

I don't know how the photos decided to arrange themselves, but if you can follow the flow: I painted outside a new gallery in an area called Burns Court. It was Sunday so it was closed, but the owner Jill Kaplan came by and wanted to shoot me painting there and so I shot her. For you Chattanoogans, she represents John Henry, the sculptor. He has a large work on the Bay here. You can't miss it, it is huge and red! It is part of a peninsula project he has in Florida with works in different cities. I was painting with friends, Susie Covert (in front of the orange building)and Jane Keeling. Both wonderful artists and great gals! Susie is represented by M Gallery here on Palm Avenue.

This area has a very active group of Plein Air Florida called Plein Air Sun
Coast. They paint on Thursdays. We have been to the Powel Crosley Mansion where I painted a lovely window which reminded me of Italy! We also painted at another estate the week before, Phillipi. I set up in the rose garden there. On Mondays, I have been studying with Katie Dodson Cundiff. Katie is a signature member of PAF and teaches plein air out of the Southern Atelier. The first week we painted at the Sarasota Sailing Club where she is talking about her painting of some drydocked boats. Guess what I painted?- a yellow boat (for those who were on Amelia with me, we painted boats). The next week we painted in the Ringling Museum rose garden. I had a young architecture student come by and ask to photograph me painting so I asked if he would shoot me in return!

I put it lots of links in case you want to see some of what's here and some of the great artists around.

Whenever you paint in a new or different area, it can take some time to adjust to the different colors and atmosphere you see. Here on the coast, the light is stronger and changes very quickly. The morning light is very different compared to the afternoon light. The foliage colors and plants are either very grayed if in the sky or very intense up close. I have been working with my double primary palette and then adding some brighter colors of turquoise, violet, and magenta. It is still a challenge to mix what's there! My mantra is "see what you paint and paint what you see."

I leave for Montgomery tomorrow to teach for the Alabama Institute for Education in the Arts Arts Integration workshop for three days. Then, fly back and my family is coming for the weekend. We hope to visit Mickey and Minnie for a couple of days.
Coming up in February- my friends will be coming down to paint, Ginny Stiles from Leesburg, Florida and then the SLAC gals will take over the town. I also have a couple of workshops next month. One with noted watercolorist Tom Lynch and a week with the master David Leffel. Very different artists and very different approaches so I am excited to watch them both! So, I will do my best to post what's happening here.
Wishing you sunshine wherever you are!

Durinda

Life at the Beach

New Year Greetings to Everyone! I hope your holidays were filled with joy. I have been catching up on different blogs and newsletters the last couple of days and really amazed at the determination of artists to make the new year a successful and productive one. Everything from keeping a daily log to writing long term goals, improving marketing, etc. has been in their articles. Good thoughts! I am in my "good place" for two months now; the place I envision when scary or hurtful things are occurring ...the dentist(sorry Jason), etc.. It is also the place where I can let my creative juices flow. No normal routines, no interruptions, nothing to keep me from painting or drawing or just thinking. It also gives me time to self reflect.
I will be working on plans for the coming months: new classes, new workshops, and new paintings, of course. I hope to keep you updated on works in progress.
In the meantime, I hope you will also have a block of time in your life to just enjoy the stillness.
Peace! (that's my message from my "hippie" house at the beach ;>)
Durinda

Parting Shots

I am home to the mountains of northwest Georgia after a wonderful month at Siesta Key. There is never enough time to paint everything, see everything, visit with everyone, and go everywhere while there so that is why I keep going back! This year I so enjoyed painting with the Sun Coast group of Plein Air Florida and with friends who joined me, including Mr Buttons, the neighborhood cat who checked on me every day.

Photos: Lunch in Venice with Fran White and Susie Covert; Susie painting outside the restaurant; Barbara Perotti in the Ringling Rose Garden; Sandra Babb at the Myakka River; Ali Light with her work at the Canvas Cafe; and grandgirls Camryn and Caylea at the beach house.

I brought back lots of plein air paintings and large wet canvases in the car! I am now looking forward to the Wednesday oil and watercolor classes this week and the new watercolor class that begins next Tuesday.

Have a great week and stay warm!

Durinda