Sammy in Blue, 6 by 6 inches, oil on board

This is an unusual portrait for me in many ways. It’s very small, only 6 by 6 inches. The light source is very cool which isn’t my usual preference. But I loved the way the north lighting played on the child’s sun-deprived skin. I kept the colors much more toned down than I usually do too–it just seemed appropriate. One of the wonderful things about being human, is having free will! I enjoy the look of empowerment that children get when they realize they are free to exercise that will. I enjoy exercising that will as a painter. Why lock yourself down into a specific palette, technique, or methodology? I like having choices, and Sammy does too.

I stuck to a fairly limited palette using mostly Rublev oil colors adding touches of brighter colors only into the areas of the skin and hair illuminated by the cool light.

So! First thing’s first: setting up the palette. I always set my palette the same way. I wouldn’t be able to play the piano if my keys were always moving around. The same goes for painting. I need to know where my colors are without having to constantly look down at my palette. Keep in mind, that I’m always changing which pigments I use depending on my subject. For color block studies, I like to use the most saturated versatile pigments I can lay my knife on.  My choice in pigments lies somewhere between a split primary palette and a secondary palette. Why settle when you can have the best of both worlds? (Alas, another subject for another post…) Since the lighting is so warm on this set-up, I’ve chosen not to use lemon yellow, which I tend to reach for if I want a true full spectrum light effect.

Using a medium with the stronger colors can really help keep them under control. Since magenta, phthalo blue, and green are already transparent, the medium also helps enhance their light effect without deadening the colors with white. I add a little medium to the magenta, and a little more to both blue and green.

Already my colors are looking more luminous. Time to start mixing! I start by pushing over some of my lightest color (yellow) in between it and its adjacent color (light red), then add the light red into my pile of yellow. It’s VERY important to put a healthy amount of paint on your palette, (again, a subject for another post), but please trust me on this one.

I continue to work clockwise on my palette mixing the darker color into the lighter adjacent color as follows: magenta into the red, phthalo blue into the magenta, phthalo blue into the phthalo green and finally phthalo green into the yellow.

Next I make piles in between my new mixtures and the original colors. Again, I put the darker color into the lighter one. I move a bit of my yellow to the right of my main yellow pile and mix some of the orange mixture into it to make a yellow orange–its hue needs to be somewhere between cad yellow and cad yellow deep for you artists out there.

Once again I continue in this pattern working clockwise mixing the darker color into the lighter one as follows: light red into the orange mixture, magenta into the red, blue violet mixture into the magenta, blue violet mixture into the phthalos blue (this give you a beautiful blue), phthalos blue into the phthalos green, phthalos green into the green mixture, and green into the yellow green mixture (twice) so that I have a light green and a yellow green). Confused yet? Just remember to mix adjacent colors, dark into light. My palette ends up looking something like this:

The resulting colors (left to right) are: yellow, yellow orange, orange, red orange, light red, dark red, magenta ( I love that color!), red violet, blue violet, blue (should be a lot like ultramarine blue), cyan, turquoise, blue green, green, light green, and yellow green.

With my palette all set up I am not ready to start painting my blocks. I’ll cover that in my next post.

Path to Nowhere plein air oil painting by Talya Johnson

There are two weeks in June when the Eklutna Flats in the Mat-Su valley are washed with the deep blue and violet of wild irises. Prickly roses, Shooting Stars, and Chocolate Lilies provide lovely touches of contrast to the display. While quite visible from the highway, vehicles zoom past at 65 miles per hour, their drivers seemingly unaware of the miracle quickly passing them by. Last summer, the Painted Ladies and I journeyed into the fields several times to paint on site. As I painted this scene, with the barely visible, overgrown path, I contemplated my own painting journey. There are times when this less traveled journey can seem a “path to nowhere,” yet to those who persevere, the path leads to places of beauty that few others will discover. This is a 9 by 12 inch oil painting on linen archival board. It’s titled, “Path to Nowhere”, and depicts the Eklutna flats in early June. It was painted on site, and completed in my studio. It’s beautifully framed in a dark wide molding with copper foil accents, and is sure to bring a breath of an Alaskan summer into your home or office. The painting is was donated to the KAKM Public Television auction and will be available for bid live on Saturday, February 12, 8 p.m. Click here for bidding information.

Path to Nowhere plein air oil painting by Talya Johnson, pictured with frame.

Detail of Color Block Study

• Open your eyes to the color of light
• Learn to use a limited oil color palette
• Prepare your tools for plein air painting
• Train your mind to see accurately
• Free your soul to express what you see

These workshops are geared toward helping artists prepare for plein air painting season–emphasizing the use of color and knife work to describe the Alaskan landscape. We will be working with water soluble oils.

Artists can sign up for one or all the classes, but  each class will build on knowledge and practice from the class the previous month. These workshops are appropriate for intermediate to professional artists and students. Students should have some experience with either painting or drawing. Each 4-hr workshop will be held on the third Saturday of the month, January through May at Pandemonium in Wasilla, Alaska. The workshops will start at 10 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. with a half an hour break for lunch.  

Workshop dates:
January 22: Limited  CMY palette hue circle and value charts
February 19: Still life block studies
March 19: Secondary palette hue circle and value charts
April 15: texture and atmosphere still life
May 21: Plein air field study 

Each class is $60 and students will need to provide their own supplies.* A supply list is included below, and is also available at dickblick.com under “Color Relations”. 50% payment will be required no later than a week before the class to hold a spot. Space is limited to 10 students. For more information and to sign up e-mail info@talyajohnson.com or call 373-4826.

Supply List
(Required–please obtain same brand unless stated otherwise):
• PAINTING APRON
• PAPER TOWELS
• LIQUITEX PAINT KNIFE/NO17SMALL (or other brand small painting knife)
• 9X12 WHITE OR DISPOSABLE PALETTE (any brand)
• OIL PAINTING PAPER PAD/12X16 (Georgian, Fabriano Tela Oil, or similar)
• ARTISAN OIL/CAD YLW PLE HU 37ML
• ARTISAN OIL/MAGENTA 37ML
• ARTISAN OIL/THLO BLU RED SH 37ML
• ARTISAN OIL/TITNM WHT 200ML
(Recommended–please obtain brand listed)
• ARTISAN OIL/THLO GRN BL SH 37ML
• ARTISAN OIL/FRENCH ULTRA 37ML
• HOLBEIN DUO AQUA OIL/CAD RED HUE 40ML
• COBRA WATER MIXABLE MEDIUM/PAINTING PASTE 60ML
• POCHADE BOX, TABLE SKETCH BOX, TABLE EASEL OR PORTABLE EASEL

Detail of Forbidden Fruit oil painting study by Talya Johnson

It is no secret that that my paintings have layers of symbolism, often consciously unintended on my part. At times the symbolism is obvious. The above painting received its title from the fact the children I was with while painting, kept trying to eat the still life! But there is another layer to the title–one that I do not often discuss, even with my closest friends.

There is an immense prejudice in our society for color. Susan Sargent states in her book The Comfort of Color:

“After being highly highly valued for centuries, color became forbidden fruit,.associated with loose reasoning, slack morals, and unrestrained living. In this extreme climate, reason, conformity, and moral rectitude ruled. Color, like emotion, was to be managed, controlled, and subdued.”

Particularly in the representative artist circles, bright, saturated color is often considered, “too sweet”, “garish” even, “vulgar.” Don’t believe me? Chromophobia has been seeping into western culture for some time. Read the following: scroll down to the next paragraph on page 22 where it starts with, “the notion” down through page 23 ending in the beginning of page 24.  http://books.google.com/books?id=QSu0aLKfdukC&lpg=PA23&ots=wFg6HOmCJW&dq=%22charles%20blanc%22%20internal%20threat&pg=PA22#v=onepage&q=%22charles%20blanc%22%20internal%20threat&f=true 

So! Once again we get to religion! In particular, false doctrine. Color is feminine, beguiling, and we all know that all our problems started with that evil creation of the woman who ruined everything for the perfect man. The fact that I’m a woman, perhaps speaks volumes for my use of color. But I’m not even allowed to object!!! Like my use of color, I must be tempered and subdued, brought in under man’s  restraint and control. How did I suddenly become responsible for the very destruction of all mankind?! My revered ancestors initiated our mortal journey, without which, none of us would even be around! Eve must be thanked for her part of embracing her humanity. As the mother of all living, I am confident she would have painted with beautiful, saturated color.

Additionally disturbing, is the prevalent belief that the use of pure color, even straight out of the tube, is a mark of a beginner. Children, LOVE bright colors, and it is only when they grow older and have been corrupted by our rigid society that they turn away from their beautiful tastes.

With all due respect to all the fabulous artists that hold this believe, and who may very well themselves suffer from chromophobia, I object to this misguided and misinformed idea! Frankly, I have yet, to see a beginning artist use pure, beautiful color (unless they are children). On the contrary, beginners and professionals alike tend to muddy and deaden their paints killing any sense of liveliness and light that can only be described with the proper use of saturated color.

Being aware of this prejudice regarding the use of color, I have devoted the last year to….(cringe)…gray. I wanted acceptance among “those that are in the know”. I have explored the earth pigments, I’ve spent considerable time painting “reality”…in fact, graying down what I see. I wanted to try it “their way” before discounting the repeated professional advice to “tone down” my use of color. The above two little studies were painted at moments of weakness in my resolve to paint the ugly mud that my mentors encouraged me in pursuing. Painting these was pure (and forbidden) delight! Is an artist allowed to adore the fruits of their labor?!

My year of gray is coming to an end (oh, the joy!) and it has not been without its learning moments. I do not regret it, yet, have no desire to repeat it. My paintings have grown. I’ve learned the value of neutrality, of balance, restraint, and quiet harmony. In doing so, I have moved forward in my painting journey. I’ve also gained much needed confidence in my painting voice. Indeed, I do not use bright colors simply because I lack knowledge in controlling them. I use them, because I am no chromophobe. I use them because I am NOT afraid! Not afraid of color, not afraid of mistakes, not afraid of hardships.

I hope you enjoy these miniatures that will be displayed at Artic Rose Gallery for the month of December. They are not simply statements of defiance against conformity, rather, they are shouts of triumph over my adversity. They are not perfect paintings, rather, perfect expressions of my individuality–and hopefully yours as well.   Matthew 20:7 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. In fact, the entire chapter seems particularly appropriate to the subject.

Friday, Nov. 12, 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 13, 11 to 5 p.m.
at the MetLife office of Neal Martin*
Paintings will be exhibited through November 30, 2010, and all visitors are welcome!  

For information contact Neal Martin at 230-8020 or toll-free at 1-888-440-0220.  *701 W 41st, Anchorage (between Tudor Road and Thirty-sixth Avenue on Arctic Boulevard, Arctic Business Park, second building on the left)  

Detail from Gleaning Light oil painting by Talya Johnson

If your mixing pools start to deaden from over-mixing, scrape them off! Who wants to paint with dead colour? Why keep it? Oh sure, I too keep a “mud” pile off to the side of my palette to add necessary neutrals to my paintings, but mud isn’t dead. Mud is a mixture of all sorts of beautiful colours threaded into each other to create needed harmony. Dead colour, however, has completely lost any resemblance to its original pigments. Brush mixing, or the wrong selection of pigments are usually the culprits of dead colour, and we’ve all been victims of it. So! Let’s give it a proper burial and move on.

Gold Lining: Plein air painting © Talya Johnson 2010

In reading, observing, and listening to the many artists I admire there seem to be two opposing views regarding self expression. On the one side (and in the representational crowd I believe these are in the minority) there are those that assert that rendering or draftsmanship is simply the starting point, or springboard to self expression.

“Mastering the essential tool of rendering is somewhat like learning to drive a car. The whole purpose of learning to drive a car isn’t about the car; it’s about going on a journey. And so it is with arts. Once you’ve learned the basic fundamentals, you can do more than just keep the car on the road00you can go on an adventure.” From A Proven Strategy for Creating Great Art by Dan McCaw

On the other side are the artists that believe that correct draftsmanship will naturally result in self expression—that the artist’s voice can’t help but make itself known.

“Expressing one’s self is a form of self-aggrandizment, and is a personal activity. Its rewards are purely self-centered and are society’s rewards: the fame, fortune and the subtler forms of self-esteem or societal esteem reaped by the painter. The painter is society’s child. Therefore, being personal, the desire to express one’s self is anathema to art.”

“…Learning to paint consists of not only understanding technical problems but also … acquiring taste. Not making personal choices, but being sensitive to the remarkable significance of life.  Distinguishing between the temporal (personal) and the essential (universal).” From An Artist Teaches, Reflections on the Art of Panting by David A Leffel.

A quick snapshot I took of the scene before beginning on my painting © Talya Johnson 2010

Or maybe they are saying the same thing? In the above painting, I was simply trying to paint what I saw—to nail down the shapes, value, colour, and edges as accurately as I could. And yet, it was only when I consigned myself destined to utter failure, therefore might as well just enjoy the quality of the paint that this image appeared. At first I didn’t like it much and set it aside for many weeks. But as it has rested there on my shelves, I have come to appreciate it more and more, and decided not only to let the painting live, but work my nerve up to share my failure.

How fun! A fellow blogger, portrait artist, and wetcanvas.com member, Alison Schuchs, has nominated me for the Sunshine Award. The Sunshine Award is a blogger award for creativity and positivity. I’m really flattered that Alison thought of me, obviously she has excellent taste. Wow, this is a lot of work though, hopefully well worth it.
The rules for accepting the award are:
Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they received this award.
Link to the person from whom you received this award.

* Tali’s addition: I think it would be best if you don’t repeat current nominees–donchya think?

Here is my list of favorite blogs (in no particular order). I chose to focus on local artists and artists and/or artist blog that provide artist resources, with the exceptions of Marie Green and Julie Rogers (see below) whose work is just too good to miss.

Marie Green Art Alright, I know, this is a website, not a blog. All the same, Marie’s paintings are not to be missed. They have a spirit about them that will lift your spirits whenever to see them. Make you purchases quickly, her paintings sell fast!

Diann Haist One of my favorite Alaskan artists Diann paints it like it is. No candy coatings, just raw and very real beauty. I also love reading her commentary-just like her art she tells us like it is. The truth in her writing and painting refreshes the soul.

Eric Deeter An amazing Alaskan artist cut short right during his prime. His paintings and encouragement continue to inspire me.

Kimberly Bustillos Though she lives in Alaska, you wouldn’t know it by her art-she specialized in portraiture, still life, and is a fellow art supply junky. We have weekly support group meetings. J Truly cutting edge, Kimberly’s bold approach is a visual feast.

Karen Whitworth A prolific Alaskan artist, Karen’s love for her homeland and Hawaii is evident in her colorful paintings. Her prints are beautiful, but there is a passion in her originals that is impossible to replicate. Better get the real thing!

Kristy Tracy I loved Kristy’s Alaskan paintings the moment I saw them online, but, oh what a treat to see the originals! The attention to detail and colors alone would be enough to motivate me to study the paintings further, but there is more. Look carefully and listen to the stories she tells. And you better not purchase the original of Spring Fandango! I am saving my money for it-just don’t tell my husband

Karin Wells An excellent blog with a wealth of information about oil painting and art from someone who knows. This is one of the few blogs I subscribe to so I won’t miss anything. Karin is politically active, and I rarely agree with her views, but I always enjoy reading them. Be sure to pay her blog a visit. Looking at her beautiful encaustic paintings is reason enough alone.

Making a Mark Artist and author Katherine Tyrrell draws and writes about art for artists and art lovers. Topics include: artists, art exhibitions, art blogs; art history; art techniques and tips; art business and marketing; art economy and making a mark with pastels, coloured pencils and pen and ink. This is a blog that I have not fully explored, but chalk full of information.

Painting From Life Fabulous artist, teacher, wetcanvas member, Larry Seiler is an artist’s artist. There is much wisdom to be learned from him and his paintings. Be sure to look at his “Will paint for Gas” link!

Julie Rogers Yes, this isn’t a blog either, but I have never mentioned her before in my ramblings, and I feel I really must. Few know that my second medium of choice is pastel, and this artist has mastered it. Would you like to see what the human soul looks like? Check out her pastel paintings, they simply move me to tears. My personal favorite: Kirkwood Boys

Douglas Girard  Another plug for the Alaskan painter! Douglas paints the atmosphere of Hatcher’s Pass like no one else I know. He’s a great guy too.

Shane Lamb Ok, I hate to do “this is not a blog” thing again, but I would be such a traitor if I didn’t include Shane in this list! Shane has been painting Alaska’s vast beauty for many, many years, and it shows. Again the originals are much more luminous than the prints, for the fine art collector with the means to acquire them. For those who don’t? His attention to detail makes his giclees some of the best I’ve seen in the industry.