West of Sedona

Last week I spent a few hours painting with my sister  Joanne Hanson and friend Berta Riniker Ferguson.  It was late afternoon when we found this spot - west of Sedona at a scenic overlook parking area.  I'll remember the spot because the view was gorgeous in the late afternoon light.  My sister will remember the spot to as she was bitten by a no-see-um.

                                      
                                            "West of Sedona"

The Sedona Chamber of Commerce doesn't tell you about no-see-ums...but take it from one who has lived in the area for 30+ years - you don't want to venture out into juniper country in May and June without a liberal coating of insect repellent or Avon skin-so-soft.   They bite your forearms, your ears, around your eyes and in your hair....not that they won't go for any other part of your body that's exposed.  They disappear when monsoons start in July.  As it was only mid-April Joanne must have found the first one out for the season.  The next day her hand was very swollen.  I must take Joanne  painting with me more often....'cause I didn't get a single bite!

This is the 8" x 10" oil (on panel) that I painted plein air that afternoon.    Lately I've been working on canvas panels.  I like painting on them but the image isn't easy to photograph.  When it's 100% dry I'll put it on the scanner and get a better image.

Peck-a-Little

I'm trying to do one little 5" x 7" a day so that I have a backlog of pieces for my upcoming project "75 for $75", starting on May 15th and running for 30 days. 

This little piece is a 5" x 7" oil on board.  I grew up on a poultry farm in New Zealand so it's only appropriate that I paint a few chickens....or 'chooks' as they're called in NZ.   If you like this piece you'll find it on my website  -  click on PAINTINGS in the top navigation bar then go to "75 for $75" or click here to take you directly to the page.   I won't start selling the work until May 15th, but you are welcome to put a hold on a painting.   By then I'll have a little BUY NOW button so you can purchase through Paypal. 

                                            "Peck-a-Little"

The project is growing...

After yesterday's post announcing my project 'Summer Bird Count', my son called and suggested we make this a joint project.    Shane is a graduate of Art Center College of Design with a degree in illustration.  He earns his living as a freelance illustrator but would like to spend more time painting.  You can see his commercial illustrations at  www.blot.com.

When Shane was in college we would go out painting plein air together, but now he's so busy with his commercial work and raising three kids that we've not had the opportunity to paint together in a long time   I'll still be painting 5" x 7" birds and Shane will be doing 5" x 7" landscapes, specifically trees.

                      Trees #1      5"' x 7" oil  by Shane Rebenschied

So the project has a new name, "75 for $75" as the paintings will sell for $75 each plus $5 mailing within the contiguous U.S.     Our goal is to have at least seventy-five paintings posted on my website by June 15th.  We're both painting a few in advance (which we'll post)  so we have extras for those inevitable days when everything gets turped off - or when there's something else on the calendar that day. 

To see the growing collection go to my website then click on PAINTINGS on the top navigation bar, then go to "75 for $75".

This is going to be fun!

An upcoming project....

I've been drawn to the concept of A PAINTING A DAY  as was started by Duane Keiser,  and perfected by Carol Marine and others.   But I already do A Painting a Day as I'm in the studio at least 8 hours a day/6 days a week.   A painting a day is my normal work day.

I've been looking at other blogs and this morning, my sister,  Joanne Hanson, told me to check out Marc Hanson's blog (no relation to my sister).   He is completing an April Painting Marathon.  By my calculations, he's done an average of 3.7  5" x 7" paintings a day for the month of April.  How can this not make someone a better artist?    In the book,  The Outliers: The Story of Success  by Malcolm Gladwell,  Gladwell points out that talent is a myth and that in order to become the best at what you do, you've got to do it at least 10,000 times.

I like the idea of a challenge that will push my abilities and have been mulling over several ideas for a  project along the lines of A Painting a Day  but with my own spin on it.

                                    Egret Study   6" x 8"  oil on board


Drum roll please....

On May 15th I will begin a 30 day project titled Summer Bird Count.
My goal will be to paint at least one 5" x 7" oil a day, hopefully more.   I will paint a variety of species but will repeat some of my favorites.  They will be quick studies capturing attitude/color/light.  Some will be painted in the studio, some plein air.   My friends own a B & B in Oak Creek Canyon,  The Canyon Wren Cabins,  that probably has more birds per square foot than any other spot in Sedona.  So some of the paintings  will be done on location in their gardens. 

This will be a challenge for me as, although I paint many birds - they are painted in detail.  I want to become proficient at spontaneous little birds studies.

Starting on May 15th, the Summer Bird Count paintings will be posted here and on my website - available for sale, unframed.   

And it's not even my birthday...

My sister and brother-in-law are visiting from Colorado.   They surprised me with a new easel that brother-in-law Jim made for me.  WOW!  This means I don't have to sit on the floor when I'm painting the bottom of a large painting as the support that holds the painting goes up and down, but the easel doesn't (unlike my old one).  It's weighted so it's so much easier to raise and lower the height of the painting.

Jim is asking for input from me so he can tweak the design.  He's thinking of custom building easels for other artists.  So if you need an easel.....

Thanks Jim & Joanne.

Journey Into Light

This oil is fresh off the easel....9" x 12" on board.  The location is Ace Basin, about an hour south of Charleston, South Carolina - but it really could be anywhere.

The Colors of Tuscany

I'm teaching a workshop in Tuscany in September.  It's a joint  Earnshaw/Garcia workshop taught in both oil and watercolor.  This is a small 8" x 8" oil of the view from Montelcino.

If you'd like more information on the workshop, go to my website; www.AdeleEarnshaw.com and click on WORKSHOPS where you'll find dates, etc. and a link to Sedona Arts Center.