5 Cities, 30 Days
Savannah, Atlanta, New Salem, Charleston, Reno.
This has been my little tour for the past month. I could add Bradenton, Florida, if I decided to attend the Oil Painters of America National Show, but I am not attending that one.
Instead of going through the details of how I came to be in so many locations in such a short amount of time, I thought I’d simply reflect for a few short paragraphs.
The best part of painting in Atlanta/Savannah this year at the Olmsted Plein Air Invitational was meeting Dan and Pam Martin and seeing friends.
A painting competition is an odd thing. After days and days of abject failure on all levels, I woke up on Easter morning with an idea to abandon my plans and find another location. This is a gut punch, because I had put all my eggs into the basket that was Skidaway Island outside Savannah, Georgia. But I was lost and defeated, so I turned away from my plans and went toward Tybee Island hoping something would stick.
It didn’t.
I plopped down on a fishing pier and failed at a small, warmup sketch of some boats.
I left to take that to the car and, upon my walk back to collect my gear, I saw it.
I saw a painting.
It wasn’t until later that I saw a bit more.
I made a start, and when evening came, I started to mingle my scene with Easter imagery. (This naturally happens.)
I was standing on one side of the water, and on the other side were the silhouetted forms of boats in storage - in waiting.
Those forms seemed to be like those who have passed on and who are waiting for the reunion. They seemed happy, full of promise, though distant and unapproachable.
The light on the water - whose source is out of scene - was to me the presence of God.
Water, light, forebearers, promises, and reunions - I had not missed Easter after all.
Peter Trippi (editor of Fine Art Coniousser magazine and man-about-art) gave it his Judge’s Choice award.
A few images done while in Georgia - some from life, some not.
Next came a stop in New Salem, Massachussetts for the competition there. I was so, so fortunate to have a picture chosen to hang in that building with that company.
There is too much to say, too many names to drop, so I’ll just share a few photos.
(Although, being hung in the same room as T. Allen Lawson just one painting and a doorway between us is totally awesome. Michael Klien, Noah, the owners…so many good people.)
Then came a few days in Charleston. I didn’t paint much, but got to shake hands with great mark-makers, and that’s alright with me.
Doug Fryer uses a lot of different paints (convenience mixtures…). Charlie Hunter…not so much. Larry splits the difference.
Really happy to have spent even a little time with these men.
And finally, I just returned from Reno and the Plein Air Circus, ahem, Convention.
I will not go to back to Reno for any reason.
I was greeted with headaches, loss of voice, and unrelenting brightness. I don’t care how close it is to Lake Tahoe (which was lovely), I’m not going back to Reno.
I still do not have my voice back.
Anyway, I had a picture in a finalist group, so they gave me free passes to watch someone else win.
I took advantage of the time by making important connections with people who may play an interesting role in the future and spent time with good frineds. It’s always about people.
The couple in the center of the stage is Kelley Mogilka and Mason Williams, two good friends who were recognized as breakthrough artists. It was nice, but Plein Air Magazine was behind the ball on this one. They will likely be out front for years to come.
Lastly, ask Kyle Ma to show you his tattoos.
That’s it.
A sub-par summary of a whirlwind span of time.
Next up is the OPA National show and the American Tonalist Society show in September.
