What's Happening

Busy summer - 

I have been taking an on-line course in figurative landscape painting with Robert Hagan. He is a marvelous artist and I’ve always admired his work, especially the way he captures light and action. His objective in this course is to portray the actions of daily life. He supplied us with the subject matter and we all worked together under his guidance.

Below is my first finished painting. Now I look forward to incorporating what I have learned with my own reference photos. His painting course is continuing and I’m excited to be accepted into the next session.

Sisters, 12x16 oil

This month our Virtual Paint Out Group is traveling to Norway. I have done my exploring via Google Street Maps and hope to start a painting today. Norway is a beautiful country and I am especially drawn to the snow covered mountains and glaciers.

It has been an unusually hot and dry summer here in Maine. We have had little rain, the storms seem to go around us, leaving the lawns burnt and the gardens dry. It’s been especially difficult for the hay crop and the local farmers. Our vegetable garden is feeling the effects even though we water it regularly. Last night the deer ate the green beans almost down to the ground. Oh well, that will mean more visits to the Farmer’s Market – and that's okay with me.

We are in the midst of our tourist season and sales are good. My Ebay Store is also doing well. That’s always nice to hear.

I can feel the morning warming up; it’s going to be another hot day. Time to go to Norway and paint snow!

Wishing you a safe and happy summer.

Happy painting.

Celene

My Ebay Store

www.CeleneFarris.com

To see all my paintings from our Virtual Tours   My Virtual Paint-Out

July's Virtual Paint Out - Cambodia

Our Virtual Paint Out Group visited Cambodia this month. For me, this was a difficult region to paint.....

Cambodia, approx. 69,900 square miles (about the size of Missouri), located in Southeast Asia, bordered by Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and the Gulf of Thailand, is mostly lowlands with some mountains in the southwest and northern regions. A land of paddies, swamps, dense tropical forests and savanna grasslands, and dominated by the Mekong River and Lake Tonie Sap. Ancient temple ruins and colorful pagodas dot the region.

Lying entirely within the tropics, there are two distinct seasons - the rainy, monsoon season, May to October and the dry season, November to April, with temperature ranges of 80° to 105°.

An ancient civilization, it’s history is complex and violent. The population of over 15 million is 90% Khmer, 5% Vietnamese, 5% other. The major religion is Buddhism. The present government is a constitutional monarchy.

The Vietnam War extended into the country from 1969 until 1973. 

Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia. As of 2012, more than 2½ million people lived on less than $1.20 per day and 37% of the children under age 5 suffered from chronic malnutrition. The majority of the native population continue to live in small remote villages.

Today the country faces numerous challenges and social issues, including widespread poverty, poor infrastructure, government corruption, hunger and a lack of basic human rights. The rate of deforestation is one of the highest in the world and threatens the country’s future growth. 

But while per capita income remains low compared to most neighboring countries, Cambodia now has one of the fastest growing economies in Asia with growth averaging 6% over the last decade resulting from a expansion in agriculture, textiles, the garment industry, tourism and increased foreign investment and trade. 

Cambodia, 9x12, oil SOLD

Cambodia, 8x10, oil

These paintings are available in my Ebay Store – Virtual Paint Out

To see all my paintings from all of our virtual destinations - Virtual Paint-Out.
 

Thanks for visiting,
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

June's Virtual Paint Out - California's Napa Valley

The Napa Valley is located northeast of San Francisco and is considered to be one of the top Viticultural (wine growing) regions in the United States.

Napa Valley Winery, 9x12, oil

The early settlers primarily raised cattle, grain and fruit crops. By the late 1800’s there were more than 140 wineries in the area. Several of the original wineries are still in operation.

With the great silver rush in 1858 miners flocked to the region. While gold was being prospected in other areas of the state, Napa County became a center for silver and quicksilver mining.

Viticulture in the Napa Valley suffered a setback with Prohibition in 1920, compounded by an insect infestation which killed many of the vines throughout the valley. These two events caused many wineries to shut down and stalled the growth of the wine industry for years. But for some farmers, Prohibition offered a unique opportunity for growing and shipping grapes to home winemakers across the country. When Prohibition ended in 1933, this new industry suffered when the price of grapes fell to below $24 per ton. Thankfully during these years the resourceful farmers had planted over 500,000 fruit and nut trees in the valley and this helped to soften the blows to the agricultural economy.

The years following WWII saw a growth in businesses related to agriculture, cattle and tourism with wine grapes again becoming the primary focus. Today the Napa Valley is home to over four hundred wineries and is visited by approximately five million people each year. 

I always enjoy reading a bit about our destinations. It's a fascinating world. I wonder where artist, Bill Guffy, will send us in July? Only two more days to wait! Join us, new members are always welcome. 

Thanks for visiting,

Celene

This painting is available in my Ebay Store.

To see all my paintings from all of our virtual destinations - Virtual Paint-Out.

www.CeleneFarris.com

Belted Galloways

The Belted Galloways at The Aldermere Farm in Rockport, Maine, is my second painting for this month's Virtual Paint Out trip along mid coast Maine.

A view of The Aldermere Farm with Lily Pond in the background.

Belted Galloways, 9x12, oil SOLD

A bit of history -
The Belted Galloway is a breed of heritage beef cattle originating from Galloway, in SW Scotland. The exact origin of the breed is unclear although it is thought that the white belt distinguishes these cattle from the native black Galloway cattle. Belted Galloways were imported to North America beginning in the 1940s and the Belted Galloway Society in the United States was founded in 1951. The breed is slowly increasing in numbers in North America and globally.

Belted Galloways are primarily raised for their quality beef and are known for their gentle temperament and striking appearance. In the United States, Belted Galloways are often nicknamed Oreo Cookie Cows because their color pattern is reminiscent of an Oreo cookie.

The Aldermere Farm, located just south of Camden, in Rockport, Maine, was established in 1953 by Albert Chatfield Jr. who later bequeathed it to the Maine Coast Heritage Trust in 1999. The Aldermere Farm preserves the oldest continuously operated herd of Belted Galloways in the United States.

The farm is a member of The Belted Galloway Society which is committed to promoting this special breed of cattle and preserving the purity of the breed by maintaining pedigree records and data, also providing official information relative to the breed and the society’s guidelines.

One of the problems with Google Street Maps is that the areas covered usually are the main roads and cities. There is limited coverage of the small towns, rural roads and secluded areas that I love to paint. I was pleased that the road to this farm was included. 

The Virtual Paint Out is great fun and I enjoy riding the roads and exploring new locations without getting in my car. Tomorrow starts a new adventure. I wonder where Bill Guffy will send us!

Thanks for visiting,

Celene


This painting was available in my Ebay Store.

To see all my paintings from our Virtual Paint-Out tours, please click here.

www.CeleneFarris.com

May's Virtual Paint Out - Maine

This month our Virtual Paint Out Group is traveling to the Maine Coast. Using Google Street Maps we start on Route 1 in Rockland, Maine and travel down-east to the small coastal town of Milbridge. There are many islands in our assigned destination, but unfortunately only a few are covered by Google Street Maps. One island, Mount Desert Island, home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park is covered. I'm looking forward to this month's painting trip.

Acadia National Park, 9x12. oil

This painting is available in my Ebay Store.

To see all my available paintings from our Virtual Paint-Out tours, please click here.

Thanks for visiting,
Celene

The Virtual Paint Out

www.CeleneFarris.com

Fixing a Broken Painting

I received this interesting question. “How can I fix a painting that isn’t working? I’ve tried everything, but it just gets worse.”

My thought is, "maybe you can't."

When I have a painting that doesn’t work, I step away for a few minutes and return with an objective eye. For me, the problem is usually the composition or subject matter. If the basic structure of the painting is wrong, no amount of fiddling will correct it. If I’m not excited by the subject matter, I know it will be a battle all the way and I will probably lose. My solution is to admit to myself that this painting will never work and that I need to wipe it off. If I can’t remove enough paint and think the remnants will bother me, I can either throw it out or repaint the entire canvas with a tone that I can work with.

It’s empowering to wipe out a failed painting and start over. Without a new beginning, no amount of fiddling or reworking will succeed. When a painting is working you can feel it. You are in “The Zone”. If the spell is broken by distractions, stop and take a break. Some days painting is easy, other days it is a struggle. I don’t have as much time for painting as I would like, so I’m not going to waste my time on a compromised painting.

If you feel that your painting isn’t working, analyze it for composition, drawing, perspective, tones, colors, mood and all the many components that make up a good painting. Be honest with yourself. Admit that the painting isn’t working and try to figure out why. If you continue to overwork a bad start you will be frustrated and the results will be stiff and unsatisfactory because the basic problems are still there. So have the courage to wipe off your canvas and start fresh.

When composing a painting, it’s not enough to just copy what is before you. A camera does that. You are an artist and should impart a bit of yourself and your emotions into each painting.

Failed paintings are necessary for growth. How can we improve without making mistakes? Learn from them. Accept them as part of the process and don’t let them overwhelm you.  

Another thought. If you have a recurring problem, try to find the solution in your art books or ask an artist friend for advice. I'll often ask my husband for his honest opinion and he often points out things that I didn't notice.

If all else fails, it's a great satisfaction to throw the failed painting in the trash. Out of sight - out of mind. Grab a cup of coffee and start over.

Happy painting.

Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

Little Bird's Surprise

I love canaries and there's always been one in my home. They are charming but delicate little birds and when they get sick, the outlook isn't always good. Last spring I bought a new young bird and after a few months I noticed that he was sick with air sac mites. I went on-line and found an expert to help. I treated him and after quite awhile he improved and finally was completely healed. But he never sang. My on-line adviser said that if his air sacs were damaged it might take some time before he could sing.

He's a great little bird, happy and friendly. I have a small radio next to his cage and he listens to classical music all day. I have even played cd's of canary singing to encourage him. He would listen intently, chirp and dance about.

Yesterday he seemed uncomfortable and sat around looking miserable. Oh no, I thought. He's getting sick again. That evening when I covered his cage for the night I wondered if he would still be alive in the morning.

This morning when I uncovered him, I found him alert and cheerful. And what a surprise on the bottom of his cage.  He....she.... had laid an egg - just in time for Mother's Day. 

And since only male canaries sing I will have to be content with this sweet little girl who just chirps. She is much happier today. It'll be interesting to see how many eggs she lays. They are quite large for such a little bird. No wonder she was so miserable yesterday. Happy Mother's Day, little bird.

Happy Mother's Day to all the ladies in your world,
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com