2 oil paintings, after the workshop

Created a new version of the lighted path in Cohasset painting and went out this a.m. to paint in my community, Lake California. Both 6"x8", oil on Yupo synthetic paper which I prepared with 2 coats of acrylic gesso. A smaller size than normal for me; and I like it!
I did drawings first to test ideas, maybe 10 min each. Both paintings were completed using a limited palette of Cad Yellow Lemon, Quin Red, Ultramarine Blue, Ivory Black and Quick Dry White. I tried to pay attention to shapes and intervals and values, oh my. This old dog seems to be learning a few new tricks, hurray!

"Lighted Path, Cohasset"
"Top of River View Dr, Lake California"

Lenn Goldmann Painting Workshop

I attended an awesome painting workshop this week, sponsored by Avenue 9 Gallery in Chico as a part of this year's paint-out event. The workshop was held at a beautiful estate in Cohasset, a tiny community in the mountains about 20 minutes from Chico. The instructor, Lenn Goldmann is a highly qualified successful artist and teacher with 40 years painting experience; as if that were not impressive enough, he brought an artist friend, Waif Mullins, who is an accomplished pastelist and oil painter, to help out. The class was primarily about design; Lenn lectured for 30 or 40 min, gave us some great handouts explaining how to create pathways in our paintings, etc. Then we chose a spot on the grounds and painted or drew for a couple of hours. Lenn and Waif came around to each of us, offering suggestions. After a lunch break, some of us chose another location for a second painting; soon we gathered together for a critique session. There were about 8 people in the workshop and everyone chimed in with ideas, it was a pretty relaxed, friendly group. I feel this workshop has re-energized me in regard to my painting work, am planning to do a lot of painting this weekend. On Sunday I'm going to a paint-out on a ranch in Orland, yippee! The photos are the paintings I did, tho the lamp one I re-worked @ home.

Color permanancy test Hansa Yellow Light

A couple of years ago, I began using Hansa Yellow Light in my paintings. It is semi-transparent and I like the way it mixes with other colors. Soon after I started using it, I heard some reports that this pigment has a tendency to fade, but couldn't really tell from the pix on the web how much. So I decided to give it a test myself. I painted a swatch on a piece of gessoed Masonite; when dry I covered a section with opaque paper and hung it on the wall. The room it is in gets a few hours of sunlight per day, tho I have a translucent curtain over the window, and the sun does not directly shine in. About a year ago I checked the swatch and it looked ok to me; I just checked it again and I am sorry to say the fading is definitely noticeable. Although it just occurred to me that the paint under the paper may have darkened. I'll try painting a fresh swatch nearby to see if it matches either. I may be replacing this pigment on my palette.
The photos do not show the extent of the difference that is discernible by the eye.

UPDATE: I had to paint some gesso over the spot where the scotch tape holding the paper pulled it off, sheesh. Then painted some Hansa Yellow light over the new gesso, below the 2 year old HYL paint swatches. it's had a week or more to dry, and to the eye there is a definite difference. the new paint swatch is very saturated, while the older swatches seem duller and the paint under the paper has become an orangey yellow.
I am now using Cadmium Lemon Yellow on my palette; it is more expensive but has proven it's reliability over time.

Collage Landscape Postcards from Lake California

Postcards from Lake California, small treats made from art, scrap and recycled paper. Each about 4"x6" with torn and deckle edges, glued to 140# watercolor paper. Available in my Etsy Shop, $15
each. Handmade, unique, fun!