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Sunday, May 10, 2009

“Heart of America” Artist Rendezvous and a Blonde Gaffe!

"A Peel-ing Tree"
©2009 Vicki Ross Oil on Panel 9x12"
I was so busy doing art related 'stuff', finding the perfect frame for a big show I was chosen to participate in...working on updating my website...getting paintings ready for another show submittal...well, I just felt like I had too much on my plate to 'art'.
But, Leslie Newman called me and shamed me into coming out. And it was a pretty day...cool temperatures, in and out sun (that complicated things). The other artists had been out since 9am when I finally came in around 3. One thing I have learned about painting outside and from life is to relax and take my time. I have gear that sets up in minutes when I find my 'spot'. I walked the grounds and waited for inspiration.
By 5 I had a pretty good painting...one that I was proud to show. I'm at the place in my development where I have trouble 'finding the painting' in a location. My source photo is below...

Friday dawned to a ton of thunderstorms in the area, and it was dark outside. Surely the others wouldn't get out in this! But they did. So, once again, I arrived around 3 and was able to find a subject for the 'Quick Draw' at 4pm.
It was still drizzling on and off, so I was able to set up in the dining room of the house...the staff was SO flexible about these messy painters and all their antiques! Problem was that the area I was in had no natural light. That is fine for your subject, but when it comes time to see your palette you can't see green from grey mixtures.
I finally turned up the overhead light a bit. Added some chunky streaks of color to the frame and called it quits.

"Peel's Red Lamp"
©2009 Vicki Ross
11x14 oil on panel
Saturday was a race to get my show entries ready to postmark by the 3pm post office closing...got a panic call from Leslie and Theresa Rankin about needing frames, so I put the top down on the car (the only way I could get 2 floor easels in my car) and took off like the Beverly Hillbillies to Hobby Lobby. Hoping the rain would stay away for another hour...hoping someone wouldn't steal my easels. Then stuck in traffic with sprinkles...felt like I was playing beat the clock! Had to keep turning down the stress level.
Arrived 30 minutes before the judge was to start...slammed my 2 paintings into frames (duck tape works great), filled out my cards and set my easels up just in time for the the event. Left to take my entry to the post office, ate a fast food lunch in the car on the way back to learn that all artists had been requested to leave the grounds until 3pm. The show organizers promised to move everything under cover and move it back if the rain stopped.
Beautiful around 2:30...cool, dappled light, and the public. The turnout was very good for a first event, and when the weather couldn't decide whether to be sunny or stormy I'm sure that kept some away.
New friends, old friends, artists of every level, and the chance to socialize. Chris Crossman, the curator for Crystal Bridges treated us to a slideshow of some of the museum's acquisitions and acknowledged the top 6 paintings from the perusal of Jack Hetterich, a local artist.
You'd have thought I was trying to hide a beer the way I am holding that coke! Sure did nothing for my posture...
OH, The Blonde Thing? After the event and all the public left, I got ready to load up. The two easels over one shoulder, held the tree painting carefully in my left hand...AND...are you ready?

PUT THE RED LAMP PAINTING SNUGLY UP UNDER MY LEFT ARM. Realized it half way to the car, but the damage was done. And, funny how things work...the chunky lights on the frame smeared right into the glow of the lamp on the wall...might actually be better! I'll re-add the chunkys and modify that 45 degree line from the door reflection to the cabinet reflection and declare victory on this...

A slideshow is below:

6 comments:

Art By Erika said...

Can't thank you enough for asking me if I'm coming (guess you sort of did a Leslie on me). We don't get the paper so I was completely oblivious about when this event was to take place even though it would have been impossible for me to participate with my rotator cuff pains! Next year I'll join you! Don't you look cute standing big as life next to your paintings Red! So good to see you and our friends you did good on your pieces!

VickiRossArt said...

You got the big thing right! 'Out standing in my field"

red

Vern Schwarz said...

Vicky, what a weekend! Sounds like fun in between all the holy crap parts. Now I can see myself tucking that painting under my arm, but definitely wouldn't be that lucky with the results. I'm with you, there is some interesting break up in that wall and frame. Good work.

VickiRossArt said...

What a hoot! My first thought was 'awww s&*t'. Then I laughed at me.

Diana Moses Botkin said...

Love that tree painting, Vicki! It's very lively and fun.

VickiRossArt said...

That's me...lively and fun! I need to paint outside more often!