Colorado Reunion Ending into Plein Air at Eden Vale

So I've met up with my dear "sister" in Montrose to wrap up my Telluride Retreat adventure. Karen and I were sister-in-laws many years ago and the deep friendship has lasted many years past that. Those kind of relationships are rare and, for me, very treasured. We chose to have dinner the easiest way possible ... and just across the parking lot was ... "The Red Barn". Sure, salad bar sounds good to me on this hot Autumn evening and we giggle as we catch up. With an early-to-bed agenda to accommodate my early shuttle to the 6am flight out

of Medford, we nest into our beds early and say our g'byes. After one transfer at the Denver airport, I arrive safely into the arms of my honey, Roland and a wagging-tailed golden retriever, Cody. It is good to be back at the "660" address in cozy J-ville.

I'd scheduled and promoted my "Plein Air on Location at Eden Vale" two day workshop and had several participants signed up. Eden Vale Winery is a lovely painting venue, with a historic and elegant 2-story white mansion, rolling vineyards and a mountainous backdrop to savor. And the people are so kind and welcoming to work with ... I can't say enough about them. Above and beyond that ... our class meets for the last afternoon shadows and rich sunset. I select some yellowing grapes for a quick demo ... not too thrilled

with the results ... but plein air can be like that. Next afternoon, I've chosen the peak of the white barn peeking over the deep green vineyards and all that cupped by the budding roses and blue flower pot. This lil' sketch I'm more pleased with ... it feels more clear and complete. Again, some days paintings work, some times it's just turns out to be a learning experience.

And after all, isn't that what life is all about? What we make of our lessons? How we move on from situations, good and/or not-so-good, and what wisdom we squeeze out of the experience? and walk away smiling?

Still on the Planet

Buzzzzzzzzzzz, buzzzzzzzzzz, feel like such a busy lil' bee these days. Most of you know I'm reading for a three month Winter Sabbatical down Mexico way. And ever since I returned from the Lake Alpine Women's Retreat, getting prepared for this trip has been my focus. Don't get me wrong ... the thing that has kept me sane in all this transition - - is my journaling. Creating gets me back to who and what I REALLY am, removes me from all the chatter in my mind and the worrying that it can muster.

So I'll share a few of the entries I've been relishing during these busy times.

First page is an upgrade of one of the exercises from my Women's Journaling Retreat, illustrating that very emotional writing exercise. I'd "seen" the pirate, his ship and the doorway of light just after I'd gotten home and was re-reading my story. I'm really happy with how the darkness I wrote about evolves into the light. Love to hear what your interpretation of the story is before you read the text ...

Next image was from the Eden Vale Workshop ... I'd mentioned the second day which was so grey and monochromatic ... well, this was late in the early evening when the clouds had dissipated leaving brilliant sunshine and rich long, shadows. It was one of those moments that you just know all is well and life is good!

My next journal entry was from a sweet day hiking along one of our favorite trails of the Rogue River. Its an easy meander with lots of drop offs into the shallow river for Cody to go "dunk" in. This time of year offers glorious colors, the bushes go red, the trees drop golden carpets and, one thing we'd never experienced, was the wide spectrum of aromas coupled with all the mushrooms sprinkled everywhere. My sketch is from this wide turn in the river with the cleanest sand beach ... As we hiked further, more near the Takelma Gorge, we ran into a woman with her hands buried under cascading mushrooms that we later learned were "Coral". Roland found even more of the remains from this giant mushroom and we took it home. He ate it (after a well versed mushroom expert identified it, saying, "Its a little old but still edible and delicious!") - and - is still alive :) The smells too, were so diverse, one corner was warm, moist and musty then at the next corner was the sell of dry evergreen needles or a whiff of saffron or turmeric. My lil nose was just sooooooooooooooo entertained. A delightful way to bid adieu to the summer season.

The playful bouquet of flowers just had to be painted ... they were from a friend whom I met in one of my journaling classes. She'd lived and worked in Mexico ... so when I began talking to her about our upcoming trip to Lake Chapala, we became fast friends. Besides the fact that she is one of the most joyous, charming, and fascinating women I've ever met ... (yes, that YOU Cheryl!!!) She and a friend came over to well wish us before we take off for Mexico. This lil cluster of yellow, red, purple and green were "for the Chef" (who is my hubby). Twas a pleasant treat talking about the joys and differences of Mexico and what Roland and I had to look forward to.

As you can see ... I've yet to catch up with all the text ... but I'd missed talking with you all and just HAD to share these lil treats now resting inside my heart and journal. Well, actually I kind of feel they are one in the same. :)

Autumn Plein Air Painting Workshop

It's an new kind of Workshop that Silvia Trujillo and I have concocted, with an "Overview/Preview" talk two days before the class and then, the two day on site lesson. She instructs the oil and acrylic and I do the watercolor. Our end of summer version was a success at Lithia Springs Resort, so we jumped at the idea to do a late evening paint out as Autumn approaches.

We choose Eden Vale Winery(http://www.edenvalleyorchards.com/) not only because its got numerous delectable painting possibilities, but also because the management has been nothing but generous and helpful!

The first afternoon I arrive, the day is warm, sunny with clear vistas out back the tasting room. Everyone chooses their favorite vantage spot and begins sketching. I've selected a view including the Potting Shed and the vineyards with rolling hills in the background. I begin first with a pencil sketch and then sketch a smaller replica for doing my value study.

Here's a participant, busy at work with a strongly successful start accomplished by the evening. We did brief reviews as all work progressed and, after painting for nearly 5 hours, wearily but, satisfied, we packed up and headed home. A good day

with the paintbrush!

The second of the two day workshop dawned with grey, cloudy skies, but at least temperatures were in the 60s, so comfortable. We'd inquired with the management the day before, asking if we could come an hour later, from 2pm-6pm, hoping to catch some of the sunset. They'd agreed so we all arrived a little later that next day.

We all seemed attracted to and challenged by how to approach those dark clouds in the landscape. So we all worked in close proximity looking out over the vines. Once I got my sketch down, I did a brief demo of how I'd work the sky and blend it into the landscape.

I wet my paper from the sky area down to the tops of the grapevines. Then, combining Thalo Blue, a bit of Indigo and alternating dropping in some Brown Madder and Yellow Ochre, I used horizontal bands across the sky. The mixing a purple (Alizarine + Thalo Blue with some Yellow Ochre) and then some muted greens, I began to drop in the most distant mountains. The middle mountains and farthest trees on the right were what came last as the paper began to dry.

We all continued painting as the skies began to clear. It was a challenge bouncing back and forth from the grey muted colors and shadows that we originally started with and the present brilliant sun and sharp shadows that now were in front of us.

But it was a glorious way to close the day, packing up and closing up some meditative hours spent in nature. Ahh, the joys of Plein Air Painting!!

Nights on the Town

Funny how the definition of this phrase changes when your focuses change. It used to be that a "night on the town" was wild, often blurry and barely remembered whereas now, it's beautifully in focus, sensitively felt and a memory I want to savor.

So my journal now gets to hold such fine reminiscences. One such evening, I'd made mention to my hubby, an intriguing sounding talk at the nearby Rogue Gallery in Medford. It was an African gentleman who's written and illustrated children's books. But what interested me more was that he'd done all his illustrations first in ceramic form, some in clay pots, some on flat tiles. We voted to go and hopped into the car an early evening and arrived in time at the gallery to tour the current show that was up. It was "Dancing with the Muse" and had some very fascinating pieces.

I especially was impressed with what the new director had chosen to do to improve the display and presentation in the gallery. Not only did it look more professional, but it seemed to have grown in spaciousness with the changes. The display of our guest speaker, including his ceramic ware and his wide variety of children's books were a joyful collection. African art is so straight forward and playful, how could it not adapt to children's books perfectly. Bubba Wagua's presentation was more educational than I'd anticipated. He included tales of how and where he was raised, Africa, France and finally the U.S. in addition to history and geography of his village in Africa. Following the tender and funny stories he sweetly read from his books, the slide show he presented taught us that Timbuktu (what we Americans use to infer a "nowhere" land) really was, and still somewhat is, a bustling trade center between Egypt and the Mideast. I don't know if it was his intoxicating African accent or the magic of his stories, but I could have listened to him all night.

Now I'll divulge the wilder evening on the town. All summer we'd talked about adding more live music to our life and finally, come August 5th (hey, the summer isn't quite over) we did. We agreed to meet friends at the Eden Vale Winery (also the grounds of the lovely Voorhies Mansion) for their weekly free Thursday music night. This evening presented the powerful and award winning local blues singer, Karen Lovely. We arrived a tad early, and good thing, as the tables with sun shading canopies were all already taken. We positioned ourselves with a nice view of the stage and nested in to indulge in the Eden Vale food offerings. We shared a chicken salad and a salmon en croit. Both pleasant for a winery menu. Mid-meal Karen took the stage and began warming up the crowd. She's brassy, balls-ey with an incredibly beautiful "Janis Joplin/Bonnie Raitt" voice.

Because this was a family venue, there were numerous groups, some families, other groups celebrating birthdays etc. We were seated near the group celebrating a birthday and of course, the aunts and uncles brought their wee ones. Some were all over the dance floor but, there was one adorable lil' dancer who choose her dance floor right next to us. In her pretty, pink and white polka dot dress she swayed and twirled ~ sending smiles across the audience. I couldn't resist sketching her. I have to admit my friend actually did get me up on the dance floor too. Its been awhile since I bounced and swirled around a dance floor - - but honestly, it really did feel good.

And that's about as wild as it gets . . . sorry to disappoint those of you looking for a racy story. But my life is more filled with simple joys that happen on a daily basis. And I find that very satisfying :)

A Day at the Vineyard

I'm in two plein air painting groups, one of which, named PASSO (Plein Air Society of Southern Oregon) had planned a paint-out, show and sale at the local Eden Vale Winery for the 7th of June. We arrived early to thinly veiled sun, got set up and by the time we started painting, the day was gorgeous. You can see here, my peer artist, Linda Evans, an amazing pastel artist, painting in the foreground, just in front of my lil' green booth that I'd set up.

We'd visited there weeks before and for the paint-out I had a plan - to try out this NEW idea I had that bounced up from doing my small 5x5x1.5 inch watercolor paper wrapped stretcher bar pieces. I'd purchased a similar sized 5x5 stretcher bar format, only it was 3 inches deep. I'd envisioned wrapping the entire "box" in watercolor paper, having the image go all around the piece with it sitting on a table. More of an "art object" than a hanging wall piece.

With that in mind, I laid out the format before arriving, plotting where I need paint my visuals, and where would be folded around the corners. Here's the piece I completed that day, with which I was pretty happy. But I needed to create the back side of the "box" and later designed this sketch, another view at the Eden Vale Winery, to fit perfectly on the back space.

So, ok, I have all the images complete and materials ready to wrap the watercolor paper around my box. It's stressful doing this first time thing, especially because I had to wet thoroughly the back of these two paintings in order to stretch the paper over the box. When the paper dried, it would contract, making a nice firm fit over the stretcher bars. I work meticulously and as fast as I can . . . and here's my resulting piece.

Overall, this turned out satisfactory. I learned alot about wrapping this shape, placing the 'feet' and forming a continuous image around a piece. I'm hoping to do more, especially for specific venues. I think perhaps these are charming momentos for travelers as well as quality art work.

What's your opinion/feedback? You know I'd love to hear . . .