William T. Thurman Plein Air competition

July 17, 2023mayhewjnm 1 Comment

White Chapel, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Oil on panel, 9 x 12 ins

My vantage point to paint the White Chapel. On the first session out, 6/22, I did not think to include my easel in the photo.

This Plein Air competition, the first of its kind in Terre Haute, was run by the Swope Art Museum and the Indiana Plein Air Painter’s Association, 6/22-6/24, 2023.

I have not done much plein air painting, but was keen to join in because I thought it was an encouragement to do more, and support this community event.

All participants had to present their blank canvases (max #5) to the Swope Art Museum for a stamp on the back to verify it was blank.

I was delighted to find that my painting of the White Chapel was given an Award of Recognition!

The winning paintings from the event (including this one) are on display at the Swope Art Museum from July 14-Aug 19, and all others painted over those 3 days are on display at the Arts Illiana Gallery for the same time period.

Arts Illiana ‘Spring’ Show

June 19, 2023June 19, 2023mayhewjnm Leave a comment

This Spring I had three paintings accepted for the ‘Spring’ (any interpretation) Show at the Arts Illiana Gallery. I was particularly happy that my painting ‘A Spring in Her Step’ was juried in.

I am late with this post- the Show ended June 16.

Small Art Show, Arts Illiana

November 9, 2022November 7, 2022mayhewjnm Leave a comment

Small Art Show, Arts Illiana, Terre Haute, IN

This year I submitted 5 entries to the Small Art Show at Arts Illiana and was delighted to have all 5 selected for the Show. All pieces in this Show must be no more than 12 inches in any dimension, including the frame.

We had a very pleasant opening reception on Oct. 7, 2022.

The Show will be up until Dec. 17, 2022. All the works are for sale.

Composition 5

November 7, 2022November 7, 2022mayhewjnm 1 Comment

Sketch book Notans from a photo I took in a NY cemetery last spring.

I liked the lower left design best, so I chose that for my painting.

I applied the paint with a palette knife throughout. I like the sunlight effect in the lower half of the painting.

Composition 4

November 4, 2022November 2, 2022mayhewjnm 1 Comment

8 x 10 ins, oil on canvas board

This painting was painted from 3a, the lower half of the sketch book page. I liked the lower left Notan the best and so used that for my guide. I used palette knives again throughout this one, as for Composition 3.

Spring Tracks

November 2, 2022April 23, 2023mayhewjnm 2 Comments

I painted it entirely with a palette knife.

Under painting of Notan design, 6 x 6 ins

My sketchbook plans of different value structures for this painting.

Composition 3

November 2, 2022November 2, 2022mayhewjnm Leave a comment

8 x 10 ins, oil on canvas board

This painting was developed from the notan on the top half of the sketch book page, 3c. I used the value pattern on the top right, although the tree/bush at the left side of the road really ended up being a dark shape. I thought it looked a better balance as I was painting.

This time I painted entirely with a palette knife. I enjoy the thick and expressive paint!

Composition 2

October 20, 2022October 23, 2022mayhewjnm Leave a comment

8 x 10 ins, oil on canvas board

The painting above was developed from the thumbnails on the bottom half of the sketchbook page, 2c. I have the 3-value sketch on the left and then four Notan possibilities to the right. I chose the lower left one from which to paint.

I think that this time I kept to the value pattern more accurately, but I lost it a bit at the left end of the tree line—the values of sky/trees/field become too similar there. I like these colors better than my Composition I painting.

Composition I

October 17, 2022October 23, 2022mayhewjnm Leave a comment

Mary Gilkerson was an artist and teacher from South Carolina, whose art and videos I have liked for a while. She painted colorful landscapes using a palette knife. Sadly she passed away in April 2022.

The people in charge of her estate decided to offer her video classes to the public on YouTube at no charge. Thank you!

I have been following her ‘Composition, Color and Light’ course and it has been extremely helpful in learning how to compose a landscape, and in fact a painting of any subject.

She makes the process of developing a Notan (black and white value pattern) from a photograph understandable in a way I’d never seen before:

1. Develop a 3-value study of the scene in question.

2. Make several thumbnail variations pushing the mid-value to either black or white.

3. Choose the one that is most pleasing to you as the value pattern for your painting.

Below is my sketchbook showing this process, and indicating the value pattern I chose. But then I didn’t keep exactly to it, and I used strange colors, so I was not entirely happy with the painting above. I have since practiced quite a bit more and have some better results—in future posts!

Plein Air today

December 13, 2021December 13, 2021mayhewjnm 1 Comment

8 x 8 ins, Oil on Linen Panel

I painted this from my front porch this afternoon, an exhilarating experience. It was a crisp, clear, windy December day. My focus was the large maple tree in the middle of the front lawn, and the way the nearly-setting sun was lighting it, although by the time I finished (an hour later) the light had pretty much gone from the tree.

I took a lot of artistic license with the view and completely removed the houses across the street (their complexity and presence did not add to my ideas about the tree), so this is not actually the view from our porch, but my ideas about the tree and the light this afternoon. I loved doing it.