Spring City Plein Air 2020

 

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

Spent the last week painting and getting ready for the annual Spring City Plein Air show. Got a late start because I thought the event had been canceled like all the other plein air events this year. Found out two days into the event that it was still on, so I hurried down to Spring City to get my painting panels stamped and start painting!

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

Went to a place south of town for the first painting. The next day I went up onto the Skyline Drive and did an alpine painting of a group of trees overlooking the valley. I think it's the first time I've ever painted above 10,000 feet elevation. While painting the second day I kept myself hydrated by drinking water from a plastic water bottle I had brought with me. The bottle hissed when I first opened it at altitude. Later, upon returning to the valley, I found that the water bottle had partially collapsed from the change in air pressure. When I loosened the cap, the bottle reinflated itself.

12" x 9" Oil on Panel

The last painting was made at some red rock formations in Diamond Fork Canyon. It's not exactly Southern Utah, but between the red rock formations, the red sand, and some little lizards running around, I felt like I was stepping out of a southern Utah bubble when I was finished and left to go home.

The show will be mainly displayed online for the next couple weeks. For those wishing to purchase a painting from the show, you can click here, or go to springcityarts.com, click on "Plein Air Paintings", and follow directions from there. Last I looked, my paintings are displayed on page 10 of their "Plein Air Paintings" site.

Utah County Plein Air Show

In a year marked by such unpleasantries as a pandemic, recession, earthquake, riots, upcoming elections, and so forth, so many of the plein air competitions, like so many things, have been canceled. But not the Utah County Plein Air Show!

Two years ago was the first year for the Utah County Plein Air Show, and I was part of that, but last year I didn't participate. This year, however, even though I was one of the last to get my panels stamped for the competition, I really did jump at the chance to enter into the event.

There was some confusion when I went to turn in my three finished entries for the show. A Utah County Art Board email said turn in for paintings was June 27 by 11:00 AM. I hadn't checked on the email but was going by what was printed on a form the art board handed out when I registered for the competition, which stated turn in time was 12 NOON. I arrived at the venue on the 27th at around 11:30 thinking I still had time. I was met in the parking lot by a board member who was leaving. She informed me the deadline was 11 AM and that everyone had already left! Luckily I had the form with me and, perhaps with a little excitement, showed her the form and pointed out the 12 Noon deadline stated on the form. The board member agreed and called someone to come open the venue again so I could enter my paintings. The paintings were finally entered into the show.

Unfortunately, I forgot to photograph my paintings before turning them in, so I had to go back later and get these three poorly done photos after the show opened. Hopefully they'll still give you a good enough idea of how the paintings look. The first painting (shown above) was made in the Spanish Fork River Bottoms along a bike trail there. The next painting was made near the pass between Hobble Creek Canyon and Diamond Fork Canyon. Upon reaching the pass, I turned onto a dirt track that ran along a ridge top. I followed the track for a couple miles before picking this spot to paint.

A day or two later I returned to the pass and set up by a large meadow that contained some corrals. There I made the last painting, shown here with a little extra blue added on one side by the show's judge:

Come see the exhibit! The show will be up until August 29th. There's plenty of paintings by several  painters to see. It's located at the Health and Justice Building at 151 S. University Ave, Provo, Utah. Check ahead for hours.

Helper Plein Air 2019

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

On the first of October I traveled to Helper, Utah, to spend a few days participating in a plein air event there. I've been hoping for a plein air event in Helper for a long time. The landscape surrounding the town is rich in subject matter for paintings, with miles of towering cliffs and wide open high desert views. Many of the buildings in downtown helper have the feel of an early twentieth century boom town. I've painted in the area before, and have spent a few days there in the past, but it's been a few years since I've been back.

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

Helper is a small town tucked up against the Book Cliffs, and located on a major route between northern and southeastern Utah; a route used by people generally on their way to and from other places. Because of Helper's location, it's a major railroad town, supplying extra locomotives to help long trains up steep canyon grades. (Hence the town's name.) The railroad, and coal mining, provided the bulk of the local economy. Those industries, however, have been on the wane recently, and the town has suffered economically.

During my most recent visit I was surprised to find that a number of the previously empty buildings in downtown Helper now house art galleries and artists' studios. During the monthly "First Friday Art Walk," main street is closed to traffic. Street vendors and performers set up their booths street side downtown, and crowds of people show up to tour galleries and enjoy the festivities. Helper is not yet a big art center, but there is a sense of optimism, and the town seems to be on it's way to becoming one.

My abode for a few days.

While in Helper for the plein air event, I stayed at a local campground. The first morning there, as I happened to be looking toward the Book Cliffs a few miles away, There suddenly appeared what I at first thought was smoke from a big wildfire that had just started on the other side of town. But the smoke was billowing downward, not up, like smoke is supposed to. I realized it wasn't smoke. It was dust and debris from a huge rockfall, tumbling hundreds of feet down a towering cliff near town! The rockfall then kicked up a giant dust cloud that rose hundreds of feet into the air, and slowly drifted off to the southeast.

A few minutes later, I drove to a nearby corner market. Pointing to the still lingering dust cloud where the rockfall had happened, I asked the man at the checkout counter,

"Are there any homes located over there?"

He replied that no, that area of town is where the cemetery is and there aren't any homes there.

I asked, "Does this sort of thing happen here very often?"

He answered, "More often than you would think." Then after a short pause added, "That was a big one, though."

The big rockfall had been visible from all over town. It was frequently brought up in conversation later when the plein air painters got together after being out painting all day.

The big rockfall happened on the cliff  visible
just to the right of the top of the tent.

That day and the next I did the two paintings shown at the top of this post. After framing my paintings and turning them in at the gallery, I headed out to explore more of the surrounding area. Pointing the 4Runner down various unfamiliar dirt roads, I would drive until the road ended, or I thought it might never end. Then I'd turn around and go find another road to explore. The diverse roads I followed led me into deep canyons or up onto high mesas.

An example of the brightly colored wild asters that
were growing many places along the road.

There was little time available between dropping off paintings and returning to the gallery later that evening for the reception, so instead of painting I simply scouted the area, stopping from time to time to take photographs.

More Asters

Pinyon pines and juniper trees grow in scattered batches on the tablelands below the book cliffs. Most of the area, however, is open grassland and sagebrush. In the higher elevations a wider variety of trees can be found, including aspens and maples.

An Abundance of Juniper Berries

Perhaps more showy than the asters were the large batches of yellow chamisa, or rabbitbrush commonly growing along the edges of dirt roads.

Chamisa, or Rabbitbrush

More Roadside Rabbitbrush

To see my paintings in person, along with freshly made paintings by more than forty other plein air artists, come visit Adams Fine Arts in Helper, Utah. The gallery is located downtown at 115 South Main Street. The show will be up through the rest of October, and the first of November. All paintings are for sale. For more information, visit https://www.helperpleinair.com

An Example of the Kind of Landscape I Was Exploring

Wasatch Plein Air Paradise 2019

12" x 16" Oil on Panel

The Midway Art Association is holding it's annual plein air competition right now. Painting for the main competition began last Saturday. Paintings for the main competition had to be turned in yesterday, but smaller "paint outs" and "quick draws" continue through July 4th.

12" x 16" Oil on Panel

I've entered three paintings (all painted this week) into the main competition, but unfortunately won't be in any of the "paint outs" this year due to other commitments. The show runs through July the fourth (except Sunday) and is free to the public. All paintings are for sale. For more information about the event, contact Midway Art Association.

14" x 11" Oil on Panel

Utah County Plein Air Art Show

16" x 20" Oil on Panel

This Friday, August 3rd, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, is the opening for the Utah County Plein Air Art Show, sponsored by the Utah County Arts Board. The exhibit will be at the Utah County Health and Justice Building, 151 South University Ave, Provo, Utah. The show is free and will be up until the 25th of August.

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

Shown here are the two paintings I did for the show, One painted west of Springville, and the other west of Provo. All paintings in the show are for sale. This is the first plein air event for the UCAB. It's a relatively small show, but I believe it's well worth supporting. The Utah Valley area really ought to have it's own plein air event. Besides, as the event becomes larger and more successful, I'll be able to say, "I was at the first one!" 

Come out and see the exhibit, and if you see any paintings you really like and want, you can buy them! For more information about the Utah County Art Board, click here.

If you have the opportunity, you can see more of my paintings in person at these galleries::
In Salt Lake City: http://www.evergreengallery.com/
In Logan, Utah: http://loganfineartgallery.com/
In Ivins, Utah: https://www.facebook.com/juniperskyfineartgallery/

Today's Painting, and a New Plein Air Event!

9" x 12" Oil on Panel

Went back to the Spanish Fork River Trail, and out into the mid summer heat, for this painting. Colors used were cadmium yellow lemon, cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, cadmium red, thio violet, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, and thalo green, plus titanium white.

I learned recently that the Utah County Art Board is putting on a plein air event. I understand this is the first time the UCAB has held a plein air event. I don't know how well attended it'll be, but it's high time someone held such an event, and it ought to be well attended! I think I'll give it a go!

Painting for the event begins this Saturday, with finished works being turned in the following Saturday morning. The show opens to the public the first Friday evening of August and runs through most of the month. The show will be at 151 South University Ave, Provo, Utah. For more information, visit their website at http://www.utahcountyart.com/

Girl with Ponytail, Also a New Show Opens Tonight!

12" x 9" Charcoal on Paper

A little break from landscape paintings this week. This is a charcoal sketch of a woman who modeled at Howard Lyon's studio last Wednesday. It would have been good to get out the paints and do an oil sketch of her, but after a day full of driving halfway across the state and running errands (including delivering new paintings to a gallery and buying new picture frames), by the time I got to the portrait session I had only enough energy for a simple charcoal sketch. Of course, that's much better than not doing anything at all, and I'm glad I made it there.

For more about portrait sessions, go to "Labels" on the side bar and click on "portrait", "sketching" or "drawing."

Also, there is a new art exhibit opening tonight! Logan Fine Art Gallery's "Fall Salon" begins tonight and runs through October, I believe. I've had a preview of the show and can tell you there's a lot of really good paintings and other pieces of art in the exhibit. One of my plein air landscapes is in the show. For more information about the gallery, click here.

Spring City Wrap Up.

9" x 12" Oil on Panel

On the last day of painting for the Spring City Plein Air event, I was tired and tempted to be satisfied with the three paintings I had completed the previous few days. But there was still time to paint, and it helped my motivation that I had already paid the entry fee for a fourth painting and was loathe to waste that money. Clouds were beginning to boil up as I scouted out a place to paint just a couple miles or so from the gallery. I set up by an alfalfa field edged by some wonderful trees, and with a great view of clouds building over the San Pitch Mountains. It was necessary to lay in the impression of those clouds on the panel quickly, since I knew they weren't going to stay that way. The clouds grew and spread rapidly, overwhelming the blue of the sky and bringing scattered drizzles of rain.The initial lay in and memory allowed me to refine and finish the painting in spite of the variable weather. The picture at the top of this post shows the result of that day's painting.

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

The last post mentioned a third painting I had made for the plein air event. That painting is shown immediately above. The day it was painted was stormy and overcast. Small groups of Canada Geese and some of sandhill cranes flew by during the afternoon. As evening approached the occasional small group of passing geese turned into flocks of forty or fifty. Even though the day was grey, and blustery, and rainy, it was a good day to be out and painting. It had been, in fact, a great week for painting in Sanpete Valley!

Spring City 2016

18" x 24" Oil on Panel

For the last few days I've been painting in Spring City for the plein air competition there. The show opens TONIGHT (Sept. 2) at 7:00 PM and runs through tomorrow afternoon. I've completed three paintings and hope to have another one painted and ready by 4:00 today. The painting shown above is the second one I've painted this week. The first one is here:

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

The third painting I think I'll wait and show show in the next post.

There will be a lot of different painters exhibiting in the show. Sales are usually pretty lively, so if you want a plein air painting to add to your collection (or to start one), come early! If you just like to peruse and enjoy the artwork, come visit and say hi.The show is free. For more information check out Spring City Arts website: http://www.springcityarts.com/news/2016-sca-plein-air-competition

Hope to see you there!

Painting on Decker Road

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

When I did this painting for Midway's plein air competition this year, I took some in-process photographs of it. These photos not only show some of my painting process, but also give an idea of some of the challenges of painting outdoors. You can click on any of the pictures to see a larger image.

At the Trailhead

The day of the painting, skies were partly cloudy. I parked at the gated trailhead in the Wasatch Back and proceeded to walk down the trail to a spot I knew of from previous hikes.

Headed Down the Trail

Some of the Wildflowers Along the Way

Upon arriving at the place I wanted to paint, a mile or so down the trail, I set up an easel with an 11" x 14" panel on it. That's when I discovered I had forgotten paints and brushes! There was nothing to do but march a mile back up the trail to the car and return to the easel with the previously forgotten items.

Headed Back Down the Trail

Might As Well Enjoy More of the Wildflowers

My Set Up

Finally I could get to painting! With everything needed at hand this time, I laid out the colors on my palette and mixed up the dark purple I like to use in place of black. I use a "split primary" palette, and add a cool green. You can read more about the paints and palette I use here. 

The panel is toned with a thinned film of the dark purple mix, then wiped. Before that layer can dry, the painting is sketched onto the panel with a brush, and general areas are painted in with the approximate color and value I want. The darks are placed first, then I work progressively towards the lights, generally - but not always - from front to back. Once that is done, I begin to refine the painting, working from back to front.

In the next photo, you can see that the sky and the mountains have been developed further. You can also see something else. Tiny dark specks. This was the beginning of ...

The flies and gnats were pretty bad that day. The flies were big enough that when they landed on the painting or palette, they usually stuck only momentarily before freeing themselves from the gooey colors. The gnats, however, stuck to the painting like iron filings to a magnet. I was beginning to worry I would have another experience like one I wrote about in one of my earliest blog posts. The little winged pestilences affected my painting rhythm, too. My rhythm was like: paint, paint swat swat swat, paint, paint swat swat swat, This went on for most of the painting. One big horse fly was particularly bothersome. Surprisingly, none of the flies bit me, but the gnats did. Plenty.

The next photo shows how the foliage on the trees was built up. You can also see more gnats stuck to the painting.

In the next photo, the foreground begins to be developed. I've also removed most of the gnats and repaired the damage. That was done two or three times during the course of this painting. 

At this point, the weather had gone from partly cloudy to completely overcast. That caused a shadow across the top of the painting from the easel. There was no way to avoid the shadow, so it shows up in most of the remaining photographs. Hopefully, the shadow won't hinder your ability to see the painting process.

The foreground and other areas continue to be developed, as seen in the next picture. The painting is almost finished. Also, more gnats have stuck themselves all over the painting.

The wind began to increase. I braced the easel to keep it from blowing over. The painting was finished, the final gnats removed (well, most of them), and their damage undone. The painting and equipment was packed up for the hike back. The sky grew darker and the wind increased dramatically. I was sandblasted by blowing dust as I walked back up the trail to the car, but the painting made it home safe and sound. The last photo shows the painting after it had been photographed a day or two later in good lighting, and a gnat-free environment. The painting sold that Saturday at the show.

Decker Road, 11" x 14" Oil on Panel

A Little More About WPAP 2016

9" x 12" Oil on Panel

There's a little more to add about this year's Wasatch Plein Air Paradise, Midway's yearly plein air competition and art show. You can read my earlier post about it here. It's unfortunate for me that after dropping off my entries last Thursday afternoon, my busy schedule kept me away from the opening and Friday's Heber City paint out. Saturday morning I returned for the Midway paint out. 

In the regular competition, painters have all of Wasatch County to paint in, and several days to do it. For the paint outs, painters have a much smaller area to paint in, and from seven in the morning 'till two in the afternoon to complete their painting. 

After looking around a little, I chose a spot to paint near the covered bridge. There, at the edge of a weedy field, was a row of trees. I found a place where a large hole in the tree-wall allowed a view of the mountains beyond. This would be my entry for the paint out.

In the awards ceremony that afternoon, I was awarded second place in the Midway paint out competition for my painting. A photo of that piece is shown at the top of this post. Besides the paint out entry, I had entered three paintings into the main competition a couple days earlier. I had also put an older painting into the "studio" exhibit. One of the paintings had sold Thursday evening and two more sold Saturday afternoon. Besides that, I had gotten a commission for a painting from a couple who were disappointed they had missed buying one of my already sold paintings.

The show ran until Monday afternoon, the 4th of July. I had planned to paint earlier in the day and go to the show early that afternoon, but lost track of time while painting. When I finished and checked the time it was an hour past the show's closing! I tossed everything into the car and quickly drove to the exhibit, where I found the doors locked! I was worried I wouldn't be able to pick up my unsold paintings for a while. Another painter showed up, also late, to pick up his unsold work. Not knowing what else to do, we tried knocking enthusiastically on the door. It worked. The show organizers let us in. There I found I had no paintings to pick up. They had all sold.

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

I always enjoy participating in the Wasatch Plein Air Paradise, and the opportunity it provides to paint, exhibit, and sell artwork in such a wonderful place for painters as Heber Valley, Utah. This year was my best ever there. Many other painters did well, too. So grateful for those who organized and put on the show, and for the collectors who came and left with a little framed piece of Midway to brighten their homes!

The second picture in this post is of the painting that made me late.