Ojai Workshop Expedition

One of my demos from the April 2009 Ojai Workshop:

'Krotona Library'.......oil on canvas panel..........7x9 inches (SOLD)

Greetings gentle blogaddict,
It was but a little over a month ago that I held my Ojai workshop, the gentle spring breeze coming off the Pacific ocean and cooling my diligent students from the cruel, unrelenting sun. Painter of light you say? Painter of deadly solar death rays I say! DEADLY SOLAR DEATH RAYS!! But we did manage to find some shade eventually at our many fine locations, the St Thomas Aquinas church, the Krotona Institute, Meditation Mount, Happy Valley's Beatrice Woods Center, and finally Mount Meher , real nice people at every turn. Visit them all with paint in hand, easel prone upon your sturdy back, a palette knife by your side to protect you from bears, visit them all! Tell them I sent you, they're all so friendly, and nice.

And the evenings, after our hearty toil, were spent languishing in the soft glow of the Ojai Pizzeria one night, the jazzy haze of the Movina Wine Bar the next. The topping of it all of course was the Deer Lodge, it's fantastical taxidermied Elk, Rams, Owls, and Jackalopes staring glassy eyed, down at our sumptuous repast of wild boar sausage and German beer. Oh, to capture nature in a landscape painting by day and see nature stuffed and mounted at night, there's nothing like it.


Here is a brief yet exciting video that Ben kindly and patiently created for me of my demo at Meditation Mount:



The completed demo....

'Meditation Mount'.......oil on canvas.......7x9 inches


A few pics of the workshop adventures......

Painting at Meditation Mount








Afternoon demo at St. Thomas Aquinas Church








A leisurely day in Happy Valley








Putting the final touches on Krotona Library demo









Sheldon diligently painting at Mount Meher











Luisa contemplating what to have for lunch







Overlooking Meditation Mount








The Ojai Painting Posse









Joel Anderson wrote a small article on me for the 'Ojai Valley and Ventura View' newspaper that was super cool and doubtlessly aided in rousing the locals to my intentions:



That concludes yet another fun-filled blogfix. I hope you've enjoyed the recounting of my tales of lust, greed and paint in Ojai as much as I have.

The whole experience was so amazing and vastly successful that I will be conducting another workshop there in September, 2009. Read on to see the workshop flyer for the second of my five-day upcoming workshop in Ojai!
For more info on this (and other) upcoming workshops, go to ‘Jennifer’s Upcoming Workshops’ on right sidebar. Ciao!




~ TIP-TOP TIDINGS! ~

And last but not least, I'm pleased to announce my painting 'Brand Boulevard' was graciously awarded Second Place in the LAPAPA's (Laguna Plein Air Painters Association) "Less is More" miniatures group show hosted by the Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa! Thanks so much LPAPA, and everyone check out Randy's website kingofframes.com for awesome deals on ready made frames, and tell him hi from me!

'Brand Boulevard'.....oil on canvas panel.....4.5 x 6 inches (SOLD)

OPA, Chicago Jaunt and other stuff...

'Hunter, Gatherers'........oil on panel........19x24 inches

Greetings Blogsketeers!
Another fun-filled span of time has passed since my last blog, let's call this a blogparsec, which would be equivalent to one thirteenth of the rotation of our Earth around the star known to us as the Sun. Much has happened in this artist's life, nay cosmology, during this blogparsec: entire microbiological civilizations having grown, warred, learned to accept each other, and subsequently perished beneath the crumbling cinderblock of my art studio windows. Other, more immediately pertinent artistic occurrences of the blogparsec include my painting 'Hunter Gatherers' being accepted into the OPA's '18th National Juried Exhibition' held at Sage Creek Gallery in Santa Fe, NM. This boldly painted portrayal of three men of easy virtue, street walking in Times Square, clad only in bright fluorescent orange garb, diligently working with the trash of New York's grimy underbelly. They are the neo-hunter gatherers of today's urban society. Thus the title.
‘Hunter, Gatherers’ will be on display at the Sage Creek Gallery throughout the month May.

**NOTEWORTHY NEWS AND NEWSWORTHY NOTES!**

Also of note to the macro-consciously aware beings during the last blogparsec I was honorably awarded an ‘Honorable Mention’ on my ‘Subway Siesta’ whilst participating in the Greenhouse Gallery's 'Salon International 2009' by the venerable judge Mr. Daniel E. Greene. In addition, I also made the ‘Jury’s Top 50’ list.
(to view 'Subway Siesta' go to previous post)

~ TRAIPSING THROUGH CHICAGO ~

Finally, at the conclusion of the blogparsec, I'd just like to mention what a ‘scream’ it was to see the Edvard Munch exhibition, ‘Becoming Edvard Munch: Influence, Anxiety, and Myth’ at the Art Institute of Chicago during my brief and adventurous sojourn to Chicago last month.
Below are two of my favorite Munch paintings from the exhibition. Enjoy!

'Night at St. Cloud'........1890

'Self Portrait With Cigarette'.........1895

~ A few memorable Chicago tid bits ~


Ben in front of historical Chicago Theater










Why I love Chicago architecture










Hustle and Bustle!










The Silver Bean at Millenium Park

Exciting Exhibitions and Upcoming Workshops

'The Sketchbook'.........oil on canvas...........20x24 inches (SOLD)

Hail fellow/fella well met! Wow! This year is whizzing by!!
It was with this in mind that I painted a portrait of my muse Ben for the Pasadena Museum of History’s ‘Contemporary Masters II’ exhibition. Here you can see him portrayed as the veritable spirit of gregariousness, a virtual incarnation of the god Dionysus, as he rests upon a park bench with his sketchbook. Just outside the frame are several nymphs and satyrs prancing with an oversized flagon of wine made from the skin of a cow. Well! Ben was just happy that I painted him with his pants on.
'Contemporary Masters II' exhibition will be on view until April 11th, 2009.

....striking a pose at the opening reception with Ben (the muse) and Linda (the muse's mom)


SALON INTERNATIONAL 2009



'Subway Siesta'.........oil on panel.........14x19 inches

In other news of my whirlwind life I've had 'Subway Man' accepted in the Greenhouse Gallery's Salon International 2009. Yay!
Whilst vacationing in far off Manhattan, I could not help but notice this gentleman fast asleep aboard the local tunnel traveling carriage. What a sight, thought I, the black and white checkered shirt's cool patterns against the warm neutrals and glorious blues and mauves in his skin. I tried to capture the peacefulness he exuded while asleep on noisy train. It was worth dragging my pochade box and paints down into the New York subway system and feeding a local Manhattanite whiskey till he passed out. Ha ha, just kidding.
(Or am I….)
New York, New York! Oh you big apple, riddled with shiny metal worms.
The 'Salon International 2009 Exhibition' opens April 11th through May 01st, 2009.


FIVE DAY PLEIN AIR WORKSHOP IN OJAI!!



I am happy to announce that I will be conducting a fun and exciting plein air workshop in Ojai, CA. This five day intensive workshop will take place in the beautiful and quaint countryside from April 27th to May 1st, 2009.
Go to my 'workshops' page for more info.

Looking Back at the Laguna Invitational...

'Hatch's Market'......oil on panel......14x19 inches (SOLD)

This painting was on exhibit at the Laguna Museum throughout the 10th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational.

Greetings everyone and Happy December! Here is a brief recap of the event.....

We kicked off the weekend with a jovial 'artists only' get together Friday night. Aaaaaah...the warm summer air, fragrant with flowers and salty ocean mist while eating enchiladas at the Strotkamps' yearly barbecue. Jay and Mary Strotkamp, delightful people with a fantastic collection of paintings by luminary painters such as Richard Schmid, Mian Situ, and Scott Burdick to name a few. Afterward, I sat by the pool at our hotel as Ben built an enormous fire in the outdoor fireplace. We lured the curious guests out of their rooms like moths to a...well to an enormous fire.

But it wasn't all just enchiladas and poolside fires. There was serious work to do, paintings to paint, people to meet. Early Saturday morning the participating painters met for breakfast at the Laguna Museum before staking out our 'quick draw' spots. I chose to perch precariously upon a cliff side surrounded by cacti, the colorfully dangerous painting spectators confined to stand upon stairs behind a sturdy metal rail. I felt very safe, like Briar Rabbit in the Briar Patch. No fooling with me. The air horn was sounded by a friendly Australian man in a wide brim hat and we were off and painting! We had a two hour time limit to complete our 'quick draw' paintings. OY! Time has always been my nemesis, and I felt its presence stronger and greater than ever before! I wrestled with it, pulling it's ears and poking it in the eyes with my thin "rigger" brush, used most often for fine details like telephone lines and thin branches but this time mostly for poking ‘Time’ in the eyes. It was fierce. Sweat was upon my brow. The cacti my only friends. I blacked out the last half hour, have no memory at all about it. Think it has something to do with a tangential universe which collapsed upon itself due to the paradox of ‘Time’ being momentarily blind. Not sure. Regardless, I came away with a satisfactory piece of art and it was back to the hotel to clean up and get dressed for the opening night gala, filled with fine art, fine wine and fine food!

And the people! The people I met! So many wonderful people, collectors and painters and fans who made two-hour drives just to meet and support me. Painters I have idolized for years I met and lunched with. All in all, it was an enriching, awesome and exhilarating event and look forward to participating again next year!

Here are a few pics of the fun-filled festivities. Enjoy!

Participating artists Kathryn Stats, Calvin Liang and moi at the yearly Strotkamp b.b.q party on Friday night

Ben working on his fifth enchilada...


Shhhhhhh... I'm concentrating......


Ma'am, please do not throw peanuts at me!!


....delicately perched on the 'cactus bed' ridge....


Okay, I've got 20 minutes left!Yikes!!!


Adding the final touches to my 'quick draw' painting


Mingling folk at the Saturday evening gala


Pictured here with artists Debra Huse and Larry Moore


Jennifer and fellow painter Jason Situ


Striking a pose with artist Clayton J. Beck III


This is where Ben and I hung out most of the evening. The food was exquisite!!!


Hanging out at the museum Sunday afternoon with Matt Smith...


...and award winner Michael Situ


Lookie loos admiring my paintings



Here are some of my favorites. There's more but too many too list!

Award winning painting by Randall Sexton


A very stunning piece by Ray Roberts


A gem of a painting by Kathryn Stats


And lastly, a beauty by Mark Kerckhoff



Signing off with a group shot of the participating artists.
Hope you enjoyed your visit!

Upcoming Fall Shows and Such...

Greetings everyone,
A few goings-on coming up……
I will be participating in the Tenth Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational this coming weekend. A ‘Quickdraw’ is scheduled for October 18th from 9am to 11am. Laguna Museum will be opened to the public on October 19th from 11am to 3pm to showcase the ‘Quickdraw’ paintings as well as some of the participating artists' personal favorites.
Click here for more info.



I will also be exhibiting alongside the Plein Air Painters of the West (PAPW) in our inaugural annual show and sale hosted by Segil Gallery in Monrovia, CA. Artist's reception is October 25th, 5 to 7 pm.
Click here for more info.

*NEW NEWS*

I am pleased to announce my painting ‘Making Our Way Across’ received Award of Excellence at the ‘OPA Western Regional Exhibition’ hosted by Devin Galleries.

*WORKSHOP DEMO*

Signing off with a little plein air demo I did for my students during my July 2008 workshop in Grants, New Mexico. More to come....

'Pink Casita'.......oil on canvas panel........7x9 inches (SOLD)

Feeling Fruity.....

'One Cantaloupe Left'........oil on panel.........12x16 inches (SOLD)

Holy s**t, is it August already?! My apologies for the extended blog absence. I’ve been busily exploring the majestic southwest and devouring tasty meals.
“One Cantaloupe Left”... the words inspire fear and awe in most, tinged with a loneliness that's hard to place. One, not two. One cantaloupe is all that's left. Odd for such a lousy tasting fruit, used mostly in cheap fruit salads. Only one. One cheap, lonely, bad tasting fruit. This is what I was contemplating as I painted this. I was also inspired by the dramatic compositional focus proffered by the white down jacket against the dark Manhattan brownstone. Bittersweet. Just like cantaloupe.
Bon Appetit!


*** THIS JUST IN! ***




I am pleased to announce my painting ‘Making Our Way Across’ has been accepted into the Oil Painters of America (OPA) 2008 Western Regional Juried Exhibition which will be held at Devin Galleries in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, beginning Friday, September 12, 2008, through Saturday, October 11, 2008.

Another Little Slice of New York Life...

Greetings fine art aficionados, it's been a long time coming, but here's a taste of one of my latest fruit stand series. This was inspired by my trip to Manhattan's Chinatown, where the fragrant smells and vibrant colors cried out to be captured on canvas. I also liked the patterns in the Chinese grill fence behind this unassuming, neon-orange clad, fruit-feeling fellow. Enjoy!
'Chinatown Bargain'........oil on panel........8x15inches


~EXTRAS~

My painting ‘Old Hospital Bunker’ recently received an ‘Award of Excellence’ at the OPA 17th National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils hosted by Dana Gallery in Missoula, MT.