Color and Reasoning about Simplicity

"Drawing is feeling. Color is an act of reasoning." 
         P. Bonnard


I am thinking of adding this above quote to my list of quotes on this blog. Bonnard is one of my favorite colorists. He was able to take daily life and infuse it with emotion, in a large part through his choice of color.

" Back Yard View" 4"x 7" Pastel

I've been working on some miniatures. Not so easy with clunky sticks but challenging. Some simple scenes. 

"Spring at Rancho de Taos" 4"x 7"  Pastel

As it happens these were all  drawn or painted at different times in different locations with a common unrealized theme until I began to work on them in the studio.

"Sanctuary Chateauneuf, FR" 11" x 8 1//2" Pastel

All I could think about as I worked on this last piece was those warm beautiful stones. It was a lovely day in late June when I saw them last and I longed for that day once more.

Ahh September Respite

September came in as if it really understood the artificial dates we humans had posted on 30 new days of a proscribed period of time. Whooee the heat spell was broken here in Colorado. All of a sudden the tip tops of trees sported 10 yellow leaves portending a golden future and the temperature actually allowed one to comfortably wear jeans.( I know the teenagers are still wearing shorts but  they will be doing so in December.) Thank goodness those of us of a certain lovely age  finally get it. (one hopes) Or they've given up hope.

"The Smoke bush on Delgado Street"

So I have some catch  up to do. I saw a great pastel show at the Abend gallery and got to meet some fine pastel artists. I will share this with you , I promise.
I have been painting flowers for an invitational at AUM Gallery and I will give you dates and information later. All the flower painting got me into a rash, throe, consumed in floral painting so here I share a couple with you.

"Next to the Reading Lamp"

At the moment these are the also rans, I have three others I  have selected for the AUM Gallery show. What is really terrific news- Check out one of my all time favorite pastel blogs www.landscapesbychristopher.blogspot.com and pick up the September Pastel Magazine you will see a cool article written about Tom Christopher an Iowa pastelist. And to all of my Iowa pastelist friends with whom I visited Beaune with this summer you have a treasure!

Part 2- Found Color on 2 Continents

In June I discovered the color of Beaune , France. I did this in the company of 7 other artists participating in a pastel workshop led by the artist Mary Muller www.marymuller.com. Mary lives in DesMoines, Iowa and the majority of the participants also were from Iowa. This workshop was sponsored by Phil Levine Workshops Inc.. Phil has organized workshops in Europe and Mexico with a variety of artists. He has some cool workshops coming up and if you are curious check out this website.www.paintingfrance.com.

                                                     We painted in the town of Beaune

                               and in the famous vinyards in Meursault and Chateau Chateauneuf.

Hospice de Beaune

Polydiptych by Rogier Van der Weyden in the Hospice de Beaune

We painted, critiqued, communed, saw sights and drank wine for 11 days. At the end of that time we layed out our collective work and were amazed.
We all knew that we would carry this experience back into our art on our return to the US. Mary offered to open her studio to the Iowa artists on Saturday afternoons to continue to explore there vision formed in Beaune. Because I live in Denver I said I would participate by painting at the same time on Saturdays but here in Denver. A virtual paint out. More about this during my future  posts.

Artist Michelle Torrez, master oil painter represented by Saks Galleries...

Last month a remarkably colorful exhibit occurred at Saks Gallery here in Denver. Although it is over and another cool exhibit is mounted (more about that in a coming post) I couldn't let the month go by without giving you the opportunity to hear Michelle Torrez talk about how she thinks about color. Take a moment and listen to Michelle and then look at some of the images she has created with her passion for color.

Take a trip, Go on a Vacation!

Vacations have long been known to be good for the soul, body and intellect. I am going to send you on a vacation to my virtual friend Casey Klahn's blogsite. http://thecolorist.blogspot.com/ Once you get to this new terrain - enjoy looking around but your destination is the button in the right hand column entitled "Art
and Physics". Get something refreshing to drink- sit back and watch and interesting lecture. I guarantee your enjoyment as you contemplate - space, time and color.

To see you on your way I am posting these paintings for you.

Have fun! Let me know how it was - Au revoir et bon voyage!