Plein-air and me? Oh man… I thought I would share some pics and struggles from the last week.

Recently someone asked me if I had a plan for my career now going forward. Goals for awards, shows etc… in other words, what does success look like to me now?

Chocolate is my friend. Well, maybe we are a bit too close when I see photos of myself.

Last week I was in Iowa City. I took my daughter to college orientation for the University of Iowa. My days with her home all the time are numbered, and soon it will just be my son and I. On the flight this is what he packed…

“Painting a landscape is illusionary…  like trying to catch rainbows…”
–  Phil Salvato

Last week I had the honor of inviting and studying with Alexander Soukas from Denver, Colorado as part of the Master Series of Workshops I am setting up here in Sewickley at Sweetwater Center for the Arts.

Sometimes a painting just keeps tapping me on the shoulder until I confront it, design it and then try to execute it. Sometimes this conversation with an image takes years.

I am always impressed by those artists that try so hard to keep their pastels squeaky clean.

A quick tip for those working in pastels this week…

Do you hate the painting you are working on? Frustrated with it and just wanna get it “over with?” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but anyone looking at the painting will know…

“It’s all in how you arrange the thing… the careful balance of the design is the motion.”
– Andrew Wyeth

Yup… composition is king.

“I don’t think that there is anything that is really magical unless it has a terrifying quality.”
-Andrew Wyeth

“The way I feel about things is so much better than the way I’ve been able to paint them. The image I had in my head before I started is not quite – never quite – completely conveyed in paint.”
– Andrew Wyeth

One of the most prized possessions I have in my studio space is an old book I bought for $6.99 from a second-hand book store.

So when is a color not a color???

Some artists are challenging me about the concept of grey not being a color.

Yes, there is a...

Christine is included in this Master Series learning event at Sweetwater Center for the Arts. Learn directly from local artists in these workshops …

Warning-  if you have an aversion to horror films or are a very tidy artist, you may want to look away…

I found myself complaining recently that I was feeling quite scattered. Starting projects, stopping projects. Throwing myself into events and paintings only to table them soon after…

Some years ago I heard the amazing portrait painter, Howard Sanden, talk about his work. He said the most difficult thing for an artist to overcome is inertia…

Monday night was the second meeting of the new Artist Guild here in Pittsburgh. How do I know? I am running it.

Oh the happiness of a...

I have to say the...

So the painting I...

Welcome to the first blog of the New Year and to the first painting of my New Life…

Nope,  I am not talking...

5 months ago I moved to...

“You can only paint the smell of damp pine needles by being there: a photograph is a poor substitute for working from the real thing when painting a landscape.” -David Bellamy

I have 2 daughters and...

This week I have a...

Just like giving birth...

  It is Halloween...

When I grew up my mom...

Since I consider this...

Using diagonals or...

Just like using color...

Now let's put color...

I had a harder time...

Going back to Sorolla...

So last week I touched...

Another way to...

  Just because an...

While on the topic of...

Sometimes finding a...

One of the best things...

Well,  I did it.  I...

I love meeting unique...

Last weekend I was...

My children get dirty....

I am a big believer in...

Pastel has a way of...

A good portrait has...

Since I mostly paint at...

Over the years I have...

I was digging through...

I was trying  to put together a “cool” artsy blog for this week and I was having trouble. Too many things on my mind…

As long as I am talking...

Hello and Happy New...

Years ago I heard an...

It is time to get my...

So after the best...

Kids are fun. Their...

There was a story going...

Most artists have a...

There is a gremlin in...

Sometimes you just know...

My daughter was home...

"To everything (turn,...

  I am not a weepy...

Composing simple shapes...

Once upon a time there...

Ok. Time for a vent...

I have often heard over...

Pastel can’t be mixed...

My 16-year old daughter...

Blenders Ah......

Gliders are the...

Builders Builders are...

So one of the best...

When I was in 7th grade...

I love little things....

In the past few weeks I...

New visitors to my home...

A few years ago I had...

This past weekend I...

Two years ago I won the...

I was on a date once...

I have a quiet friend....

So I discovered what I...

So, Senneliers….. When...

I used pastels for the...

So why is this blog...

There are 3 reasons why...

I remember always being...