Summer School

Summer vacation is a loose term for my busy season. I try to use my short time off to paint and develop new techniques, and maybe even learn a few new things.

This summer I was fortunate to attend the WVWS workshop featuring Z L Feng. I was drawn to his artwork for the depth of contrast in his portraits (check out www.ZLFengart.com ) But I was enthralled by the color and flow of his landscape paintings. I have always been drawn to the emotions expressed in faces, but I believe you can express feelings through landscape painting as well. (I'm just not very well schooled in it!)

Mr. Feng taught "flow" or "CHI" during painting, which was definitely something I could identify with. Above is an example of  one of my attempts at painting a landscape. I am always mesmerized by the fog in the valleys of the mountains, and would love to develop my own way to express that feeling. This workshop gave me some basic tools to build with. I struggled with wet on wet painting until I tried using my technique for my PEARS on the mountains. Turns out, I CAN do that! I've used the Black&White copy to help evaluate the values in this composition. Using what I learned in the workshop, I think I need to go darker in the foreground for a little drama.

I am enjoying working with these landscapes, and hope to eventually produce something I can show. Meanwhile, I am drinking my tea and maintaining my "CHI".