"From Sketchbook to Canvas"

For a painter, or any artist, the process of creating is the "reason for being", the thrill of trying to solve a self imposed problem.  It's about learning, self discovery, and sharing your personality with the viewer.  Rarely does the viewer get to see anything but the final result.  This month, I'm participating in an exhibition at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation, Lafayette, IN, with three other painters (Therese Lynch, Margaret Hanke, and Susan Doster) in which we'll hang fully developed oil paintings along with their sketches, field studies, and progressive photos.  You'll get to learn how paintings are created. The exhibition opens Friday, September 16th at TAF, 638 North St., Lafayette, IN 47901.  You'll also be treated to gypsy jazz music by The Hot Club of Colfax with my husband, Howie, playing his rhythm guitar.   I hope you can come!!  If you can't make it, the exhibition will be on display through October 21st.  Sept. 16th is also the evening of Art Walk in Lafayette with many other exhibits open to the public as well.  

In this post, I'm going to show you the development of one painting which will be in this exhibit.  "April Morning:  New Harmony, IN" is a featured painting with sketches, a field study, progressive photos, and the final, large developed painting.  

Thumbnail sketch and Value Study

"Field Study" painted plein air in New Harmony, IN, April 2011, 8" x 10"

"Initial Drawing" on  18" x 24" linen, oil primed canvas with a brush

"The Block In":  large areas are indicated with general color

my palette, brushes, rags, and odorless mineral spirits

Finished painting, "April Morning: New Harmony"  oil on linen canvas, 18" x 24", August, 2011 in my studio

This will give you a preview of the Tippecanoe Arts Federation exhibition this month--Oct 21. If you get to see the full exhibition, I'd certainly enjoy your comments.   You can see this and all my paintings on my web site along with purchasing information.  www.kathrynclarkfineart.com

Now I have another treat for you.  After I sent my post about the West Baden Springs Hotel Paint-Out, I found out that the Brown County Art Gallery in Nashville, IN, http://www.browncountyartgallery.org/westbaden/springshotel.html who sponsored the event, created a great video of it.  You'll see Howard playing his guitar and hear him playing the background music at the beginning of the video.  You'll also see me painting along with others, the huge domed atrium of the hotel , the sale of paintings on the veranda, and the very last painting they show in the video is my finished plein air of the hotel.  Here's the link:http://www.browncountyartgallery.org/westbaden/paintout.html

The fall is going to be busy and exciting around here; I trust it will be for you too.