Not sure what got into me today; maybe it was the rockin’ good breakfast, maybe it was the gorgeous springtime weather. Whatever it was, I did two, count ’em, TWO fun new fauve-a-licious landscapes today! Pink Path © Karen Mathison Schmidt 14 x 11 x ¾ inches • oil on ¾" cradled Museum Series GessobordTM gloss varnish (UV protective) • sides painted dark umber can be beautifully displayed with or without a frame CLICK HERE TO BID or view the auction • ends evening of Thursday, April 9 10% of proceeds to be donated to Mercy Ships ____________________________________________________________ Bodega Bay © Karen Mathison Schmidt 14 x 11 x ¾ inches • oil on ¾" cradled Museum Series GessobordTM gloss varnish (UV protective) • sides painted dark umber can be beautifully displayed with or without a frame CLICK HERE TO BID or view the auction • ends evening of Thursday, April 9 10% of proceeds to be donated to Mercy Ships Back in January I participated in one of Susan Sarback’s color intensive workshops in Fair Oaks, California. I’ve studied and recommended her book, Capturing Radiant Light and Color in Oils & Pastels, for almost twenty years; it’s one of the books I reference again and again (along with my big book of California Impressionists that I’ve had for over ten years). At the workshop I met a bunch of friendly painterly type people, got to see Susan paint first hand, and learned how she builds up a painting by applying layers of color with a palette knife. I was somewhat out of my comfort zone, painting with a knife instead of a brush, but had a lot of fun learning to mix the colors actually on the painting instead of the palette and practicing; by the fourth and last day I was starting to get the hang of it. I also have been studying the paintings of Richard Schmid, another artist whose work I greatly admire, and reading his book, Alla Prima II: Everything I Know About Painting. So, in these paintings I started trying to incorporate what I’ve been learning about impressionist color relationships and technique, painting more thickly and quickly, wet into wet, all in one go. And might I just say: it’s a blast! I felt like I had a “Helen Keller at the water pump” afternoon -- you know, where she finally GOT that the words her teacher had been signing into the palm of her hand actually MEANT something. After I finished the first painting (which was oh-so-loosely based on a photo I took in Norton Art Gallery gardens here in Shreveport) I thought, what ELSE can I paint like this? A few days ago I had come across a photo of Bodega Bay that I took a decade ago and thought that would be a great subject to try. I just kept going and going, and then it was time to feed the dogs and have dinner with my husband. What a great work day! And on Monday I’ll be announcing details of a workshop (maybe two!) I myself will be teaching in Savannah, Georgia next April. And one or two here in Shreveport this fall. Woo-hoo! I hope you all have a beautiful Easter!