The Painter A painting newsletter from Christopher Leeper J JULY-DECEMBER 2016 A N - F E B 2 0 1 5
The Painter J U L Y - D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 It has been several months since I last published a newsletter. I apologize to those who enjoyed getting a fresh newsletter each month. It is hard to keep that schedule these days. I know I can do better than one every 5 or 6 months! Hopefully, I will keep a better schedule in the new year. Happy Holidays! News Snow Glow received a Merit Award in the National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society International On-line Exhibition. Trail Shadows was awarded an Award of Excellence at the Ohio Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition Watercolor 2016 at the Riffe Gallery, Columbus, OH. March 18-19 - Watercolor Mahoning Valley Watercolor Society Senior Center - Youngstown, OH Contact: rashale@ysu.edu Workshops - 2017 Technical Ecstasy was accepted in the Plein Air Magazine Salon. June 21 - Oil Steubenville Art Association Steubenville, OH Contact: jeannemtd@comcast.net May 18-21 - Watercolor Morgantown Art Association Morgantown, WV Contact: knitwit1120@yahoo.com September 19-22 - Watercolor Logan County Art League Bellefontaine, OH Contact: nbassitt.paint@gmail.com 2
New Work River Dogs This painting is part reality and part fantasy. The photo reference was from one I took at a quarry in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I wanted to create a feeling of danger and daring. I was thinking of the numerous quarries where I grew up in Pennsylvania. They were off-limits but people would sneak in at night and swim. It was a very dangerous activity and every year it seemed there was a story about someone drowning. To create the depth of color and value, thinned acrylics were glazed over passages of opaque color. River Dogs, 22x30, watercolor on Arches 300 lb. cold-pressed paper 3
New Work Blue Cheer Trail Shadows, 30x22, watercolor on Arches 140 lb. hot-pressed paper, Blue Cheer, 44x44, Oil on Canvas This painting is a celebration of summer. Subject is Mosquito Lake in Cortland, OH 4
New Work French Fries and Lemonade French Fries and Lemonade, 18x24, acrylic on linen This was inspired by the sights, sounds and smells of the county fair at night. 5
New Work Stream Glow Stream Glow, 16x20, oil on canvas Sometimes I approach a painting with a more formal agenda. Recently, I have been in cruise control while I am painting. Probably a product of doing a plein air competition. For this painting, I wanted to really concentrate on my oil painting brushwork. Stream Glow was about slowing down and really thinking about how the brush is loaded and how the paint is applied. I gave a lot of thought to what areas were thinly painted (darks) and what areas were more impasto (lights). 6
New Work Into the Light - Rocky Ridge Into the Light - Rocky Ridge, 22x30, watercolor on 140 lb Fabriano cold-pressed paper A desire to create a very specific painting was my inspiration. I chose the Fabriano paper since it requires a gentler touch and develops edges a bit more than other cold-pressed sheets. The tendency to form edges played into all the small shapes that represent the textures and details of the scene. I m not entirely happy with the results. Some areas (foliage) got a bit too layered. Fabriano does better with fewer layers. The light effect, however, works pretty well. 7
New Work Olmsted Falls Sometimes I out-think myself. The top painting was an experiment to change the lighting and value structure to create a different feeling than what was in the photograph. I was OK with the results but curious enough to overpaint it and create another version. In retrospect, I like the top painting much more and wish I hadn t painted it out. Here is the photo reference. Olmsted Falls, 12x16, acrylic on canvas 8
9 Painting progression
New Work The Best Light The Best Light, 12x16, oil on linen This was a paint-along that I did with one of my private students. We worked on our paintings over a couple 3-hour sessions. It was a good teaching subject. We discussed color temperature and intensity as it pertains to the greens and we focused on simplifying the brushwork. 10
New Work Lakeside Plein Air Festival 12x16, oil on aluminum panel 10x10, acrylic on aluminum panel Form and Reflection, 11x15, watercolor on Waterford 200 lb. cold-pressed paper Open at Ten, 22x30, watercolor on 300 lb. Arches cold-pressed paper 11 12x16, oil on aluminum panel
10x10, oil on aluminum panel 9x12, acrylic on aluminum panel 12x16, oil on aluminum panel This is an annual event at Lakeside, OH. Weather was great and sales were even better. Lots of fun. 12
New Work Van Gogh Field Van Gogh Field, oil on board, 14x18 This was a response to the great number of oat fields this summer. They seemed to be everywhere and their bright yellows and oranges were a real treat. As I was working on the field I was reminded of the paintings of Van Gogh. I decided to really lay on the paint and did much of the field with a palette knife - ala Van Gogh. Interestingly, the little bits of violet and blue really helped pull the field together. 13
Workshop Demos Bucyrus, OH Bucyrus, 15x22, watercolor on Arches, rough, 140 lb paper Light Convergence, 15x22, watercolor on Arches, rough, 140 lb paper 14
Workshop Demos Studio 15x22, watercolor on 200 lb. Waterford, cold-pressed 15x22, watercolor on 200 lb. Waterford, cold-pressed 15
Demos Studio Garden Sunburst, 15x22, watercolor on Arches, 140 lb, rough German Village, 15x22, watercolor on Arches, 140 lb, hot-pressed 16
Demos Studio 11x15, watercolor on Arches, 140 lb, cold-pressed This was an experiment in creating a new painting by changing the light effect. The painting on the left (Ohio Winter, 16x20, acrylic) was done several years ago. I recently found the photo reference. The photo was a typical gray winter day. I obviously made changes even to the older painting. I don t recall not putting the house in the painting but do remember making the sky more interesting. 17
Demos Studio 15x22, acrylic on 140 lb. Fabriano Paper 12x16, acrylic on canvas 18
Demos Ashtabula Harbor - Plein Air 11x15, watercolor on 200 lb. Waterford, cold-pressed Taking advantage of the great fall weather, the Thursday watercolor class met in Ashtabula Harbor, OH. As with most plein air situations, the hardest part was deciding on what to paint. My painting above was inspired by the interesting shadow cast by the bridge. (left to right) Millie Hawkins, Lindy McMurray and Brenda Cohen. 19
Plein Air Competition Ohio Plein Air Society - Bay Village, OH This year s Ohio Plein Air Society annual competition was held in Bay Village, OH. I was the chair of the event. We were blessed with amazing weather. Ken DeWaard from Camden Maine was the juror. Passage won an award of excellence and Sunken Garden won the Quickdraw competition. Passage, 18x24, oil on aluminum panel Porter Creek, 16x20, acrylic on aluminum panel Sunken Garden, 12x16, acrylic on aluminum 20
Plein Air Competition En Plein Air Texas - San Angelo, TX I was honored to be juried into the En Plein Air Texas Competition held in October in San Angelo, Texas. The event lasted seven days with four days of painting. The Texas landscape was varied and very different than what I am used to painting. It was challenging but also really interesting and fun. I met so many great people. I would love to return. Texas Infinity, 16x20, oil on linen on aluminum panel Morning Along the Concho, 12x16, acrylic on linen on aluminum panel 21
Plein Air Competition En Plein Air Texas - San Angelo, TX Tree Rhythms, 20x16, acrylic on linen on aluminum panel 22
Plein Air Competition En Plein Air Texas - San Angelo, TX Quickdraw Entry, 12x24, oil on linen on aluminum panel Caboose Nocturne, 12x16, oil on linen on aluminum panel San Angelo Sunset, 9x12 oil on linen on aluminum panel 23
Plein Air Competition En Plein Air Texas - San Angelo, TX Cactus Portrait, 18x14, oil on linen on aluminum panel 24
Plein Air Competition En Plein Air Texas - San Angelo, TX Bus Burlesque, 16x20, acrylic on linen on aluminum panel This was the done during my first night in San Angelo. The bus is a tour bus for a traveling rock and roll burlesque show. It is parked behind the Dead Horse Saloon in downtown San Angelo. Without a doubt it was the most interesting and entertaining night of painting I have ever done. The female performers (sans clothes) would frequently come out to see my progress. I actually debated about putting some figures in the painting but was afraid it would create a tension as to what the focal point would be. Certainly a naked person trumps a red school bus but I really chose this subject based on the bus and light and shadow. 25
Workshops in my studio Workshops for six people or less. Topics can include oils, acrylics, watercolor or drawing. They can be scheduled in 2 or 3 day sessions, 9-5 each day. Classes must be scheduled well in advance. These workshops include demos, handouts and lots of one-on-one attention. I try to provide plenty of information in a short amount of time. I can shape the workshop to the group s needs. You can bring your own reference or we can work together on the same subject. The workshop can also be focused to learn a specific technique or concept. Weather-permitting, these sessions can include plein air painting. There is a Hampton Inn and Courtyard by Marriot just a few miles from the studio and many nearby restaurants and shopping venues. Your workshop can also be combined with a visit to the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio and/or a visit to beautiful Mill Creek Park. I have taken many workshops over the years and you have been the most helpful. I learned more in three days than I have in the past 20 years. Plus, it was so much fun! Fees: 1-2 students: 2 day class: $400 per student / 3-day class: $600 per student 3 students 2-day class: $275 per student / 3-day class: $400 per student 4 students: 2-day class: $200 per student / 3-day class: $300 per student 5-6 students: 2-day class: $175 per student / 3-day class: $250 per student Call or email me if you have any questions or to schedule a workshop Christopher Leeper Studio 4411 Mellinger Road / Canfield, OH 44406 330-793-5470 leepart@zoominternet.net www.christopherleeper.com 26