Mango

Mango Still Life, 11X14, oil

Mango was completed during the Kurt Anderson workshop last week. I may have mentioned this before, but if you get a chance to take a workshop or see a demo by Kurt, don't skip or hop - be sure to leap at the opportunity.

One of the most important things I learned from Kurt was the essential role that cool and warm color notes have in paintings. I tend to go way overboard in the warm department, as you can see from works on my web site with my use of oranges, reds and yellows. By working from real life rather than photography, it is easier to see the cool notes that lie in the shadows, even in the brightest, warmest colors.

Kurt explained to us that photography tends to erase a bit of the spectrum and takes away those important subtle visual cues. So here is my painting "to do list" - look for the cool notes, work from real life setups, paint outdoors more often, and most of all, have a stern talk with that pesky inner artist about this excessive noodling. It has got to stop!

Rubbing Elbows With the Masters

I learned a new thing not to do this week - noodling! Today was my second day at a workshop taught by OPA signature member Kurt Anderson in Dallas. Kurt showed us how to make effective use of the side of the brush to draw in lines against the form, rather than follow the shape ad infinitum, aka "noodling." As you can see from just about anything I've painted, I am a master noodler. I have some unlearning to do! Also in class today, speaking of legendary painters, I had the honor of painting with Ann Hardy, another OPA dignitary and someone who lives not so far down the road by Texas standards, right down yonder in Colleyville.

Kurt's knowledge base is extensive, as you can see from his web site. He is a very giving teacher, and is friendly and approachable. Here is a quote from the master teacher Kurt Anderson (this stuff just falls out of his mouth; this guy needs to write a book!):

"Get beyond tactile preconceptions of the objects we're painting and think abstractly and allow the truth about the objects to come through." -Kurt Anderson

At left is a picture of one of the most gifted painters I have ever met, Ann Hardy. Ann has an eye for subtle, beautiful color that really can't be explained in words. Take a look at her web site and you will see why she has won so many awards. Ann is currently working on her master's and teaching young people the wonders of art.