Silent Night, Colorado

"Silent Night, Colorado", 8x6" oil on panel

The holiday season is upon us, ready or not!  This time of year, I reflect on how fortunate I am to have fellow artists, students, and friends who have embarked on this art journey with me.  I want to thank you for following me, viewing my art, and perhaps for sending me a word or two now and then.  Just knowing that you're out there means the world to me!

For those of you in the area, I've scheduled a class at the BCAC studio in the Ice House in Barrington on Friday, January 12.  If you'd like to join us, please send me an email.

"Early Snow, Colorado", 9x12"

"Early Snow" is a demo piece I painted for my workshop in Huntley a few weeks ago.  I used this painting to show how to simplify complex scenes into three values (light, middle, and dark)to make the job of painting a bit easier.  It was painted entirely using a palette knife, so simplification was very important!

This painting was purchased by one of the students in the class (thank you Marcie).

"Illinois", 12x9"

Last weekend was misty and damp, but my little group of plein air painters decided to load up our gear and head out into the fields of Veteran's Park in Crystal Lake.  It was worth the effort-- the dampness brought out some beautiful fall color.  

After we set up and started painting, we heard a stampede of runners bearing down on us.  Little did we know we had chosen to paint in the path of a cross country competition.  We scurried out of the way, took a deep breath, and started again.  We hardly noticed the wheezing and clomping going on behind us throughout the morning.

"The Road to Somewhere", 10x8"

Last week, I taught a workshop called "Painting Dynamic Landscapes from Photos" at the Pencil and Palette Club in Huntley, Illinois.  "The Road to Somewhere" is a small demo I painted for the group.

Here is my reference photo-- with WAY too much information for me to process into a coherent design.  I needed to simplify this photo into 3 values (light, middle, and dark) to be able to see my way through it.

Have you heard of the Value Viewer App?  It's a super simple app put out by Plein Air Magazine which allows you to download your own photo into the program, and it will simplify it into 3 values for you.  Artists have been creating value studies in charcoal and monochromatic paintings for centuries to guide their painting process.  This little app just makes things easier and quicker, especially if you're outside with limited time!

I love to paint from the 3 value study-- I often put away the original photo until the very end.  This way, I can play with any colors I like (as long as they are in the correct value ranges).  And I often come up with a painting that looks more exciting than my photo.

I think that the most successful landscapes are actually quite simple and strong.  Using a three value "map" allows me to nail down the composition right from the start.

For purchase information, please click on Ann Feldman Road to Somewhere.

"Thunderheads", 14x11"

This summer, I've been trying to get myself out there and paint "en plein air" about once a week. I have a small group of intrepid artist friends who enjoy throwing all their gear into their cars, then strapping it on their backs and hiking around until we find just the right spot.  "Thunderheads" was going quite nicely until we were pelted by hail in an open field.

"The Marsh", 7x5" oil on canvas

"The Marsh" was painted from a rickety bridge which hovered over snapping turtles.  I decided to forgo any art supplies that fell into the water that day.

"The Pond at Horizon Farms", 7x5"

Life and limb were not in jeopardy for this little study, but I thought I'd share it because it shows my equipment and my method of first completing a little black and white sketch before I dive in with paint.  You can see it above the painting in this photo.  These sketches help me map out what I want to accomplish in my painting.  I may decide to create a larger painting of my plein air piece when I get home, or I may just leave well enough alone.

We remain undaunted, and shall continue to paint outdoors, come what may.  

"The Cottage Garden", 8 x 10"

Last weekend I painted with some friends at the Barrington Country Garden Faire, benefitting the Hands of Hope.  There were so many little scenes to paint, we could stay there for weeks and paint our little hearts out.

I will donate the proceeds from the sale of this painting to the Hands of Hope, benefitting women and children in Africa.  Please drop me a line if you are interested.

Click on Ann Feldman Cottage for purchase information.

"After the Rain, Paris", 20x24"

There was a rare moment of stillness in this plaza near Notre Dame just after it rained.

"A Paris Cafe", 12x9"

The warm days were numbered as fall took hold in Paris.  Cafe goers took their time enjoying the last rays of sunshine in this restaurant next to the Siene River.  I love painting my memories of France.  Moments like this one become vivid, and I feel as if I'm experiencing them all over again.

For purchase information, please click on Ann Feldman Paris Cafe.

"Steamboat Snow", 9x12"

"Steamboat Snow"

oil on canvas, 9x12" (sold)

Snow has been very scarce here in the midwest this year.  I painted this piece after walking in the mountains in Steamboat Springs over Thanksgiving while we were visiting our sons there.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support through the year by following my blog, and maybe giving me a bit of feedback now and then.  One of the greatest gifts to me is when one of you passes my blog on to another friend that you think might enjoy it.  Knowing that you are "out there", reading what I say and seeing what I've painted makes everything I do worthwhile.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

"Autumn in Giverny", 16x20", oil on linen

"Autumn in Giverny", 16x20", oil on linen

At the Petter Gallery, Saugatuck, Michigan

(269) 857-2230

I'm continuing to work from my references from France.  I knew when I saw this scene in Monet's garden that it had many elements which would make it recognizable as Giverny: the lily pads, the little pink and green building, and the purple/pink reflections in the water.  The leaves had just started to turn and to begin dropping into the water like colorful little jewels.  I enjoyed painting this piece so much-- I hope you enjoy it too!

"Tiny White House, Limoux", 7x5" (study)

 "Tiny White House, Limoux", 7x5"  oil on linen

"Early Fall, Vineyards of Limoux", 7x5", oil on linen

Painting in the vineyards near Limoux was so easy with the help of our hosts at Montfaucon.  Penny and Nicolina knew which vineyard to visit in the morning, and which in the evening, because the light was best at those times of day.  They made arrangements with the landowners for us to set up amongst the vines, and plopped us down in the most incredibly picturesque areas we could imagine.  From there, we would hike about and eventually settle on the view that spoke to each one of us.

These two studies were painted on the spot, and I'll be using them to develop some larger paintings.  I tried to capture the feeling of the light hitting the vineyards in the foreground and the misty foothills in the back.

More to come, mes chers amis!  Next, I'll tell you about painting in a secret garden...

"Early Autumn, Paris", 20x16" And Thoughts on Light With Claude Monet

"Early Autumn, Paris"

The light in the city was much cooler than the light in Provence

"Sunday Morning, Aix en Provence"

I tried to capture the warmth of the sun in southern France

The Impressionists are famous for their attention to the light in their paintings.  A viewer can often tell the season, time of day, and sometimes even the geography of a scene when they look at an Impressionistic painting.  When I was in France, I could see for myself how the light changed when we moved further south.  I tried to convey the difference in the light in the two paintings above.  I even went so far as to put a bit of a blue "halo" around the light on the Parisian sidewalk to make it appear cooler.  In Provence, yellow became a dominant color for the light.

Monet spent close to a year in Rouen, panting the front of the cathedral there at different times of day and seasons.  He set up camp in a women's clothing store across the street, much to the dismay of many of the store's patrons!  He didn't see why a male painter in a women's shop should cause any disturbance for a few months.

Here are three versions of the cathedral, as painted by Monet.  Each one is lovely in its own right, but they convey very different feelings through the colors he chose.  

As a painter, I could take a page from Monet's book and paint the same scene over and over again in different seasons and times of day.  What better lesson could there be in conveying feelings about a scene through color?  

The facade of the cathedral today.  

"Sunday Morning, Aix en Provence" 20x16"

Aix en Provence was full of surprises.  We were walking along a narrow cobblestone street when all at once, our path opened up into a town square filled to the brim with flower stalls.  The light, the color, and the fragrance caught us off guard.  A few steps further and we were back on the quiet cobblestones again.

"The Barn Theater", 16x12"

This is a commission that I had to smile through as I was painting it.  It's a wedding present (sshh!) and the bride and groom met as actors at this theater near Kalamazoo, Michigan.  I hope they enjoy owning it as much as I enjoyed painting it!

My Fall Teaching Schedule

My Fall Workshop Schedule has just been finalized, and I wanted you to be amongst the first to know. All of these workshops will be held at Mainstreet Art Centre, Lake Zurich, IL.


PALETTE KNIFE PAINTING, September 12 & 13, 2014.  Bring your palette knife, lots of paint, and a bit of courage to this workshop.  We'll be creating paintings together using only our palette knives.  Participants will learn how to manipulate paint and keep control of the process, ending with vibrant, exciting paintings.

COLOR THEORY, October 2 & 3, 2014.  This two day class will include lectures, demonstrations, and class projects to help to demystify color mixing and theory.  

IMPRESSIONISTIC PAINTING TECHNIQUES, November 3-24, 2014, Weekly on Tuesday Mornings.  Loosen up your painting style and explore new techniques to unleash your creativity.  We will be working with techniques such as "Fracturing" and "Destroy and Rebuild", as well as exploring different surfaces to give our paintings new life and atmosphere.

I'm excited to tell you that I'll be traveling to France in October to visit the studios, museums, and landscapes of the Impressionists.  I'll have so much to share when I'm back.  I cannot wait!

I hope you'll be able to join me for a workshop or two!  

"Homecoming", 12x9", And Artists Beware the Latest Scam

Well, I nearly fell for the latest scam out there, and I wanted to warn my artist friends about it.  I was contacted by a very nice "woman" named "Mary Collins" who wanted to buy three of my small pieces from me.  She loved my art!  Couldn't wait to see it on her wall!  Could I tell her my inspiration for each of these pieces?  I was happily reeled in for awhile, loving her compliments and enthusiasm for my work (what artist can't resist that?).  Then things got interesting.

"Mary" was in the process of moving to a new home.  And she was attending her sister's wedding, so she had her husband's private assistant make out a check to me.  When it arrived, it was a whopping $1,200 more than I had asked.  She told me that her husband's PA made a "terrible mistake", so could I please send the difference to her along with the paintings?  CUE THE ALARM BELLS!

I sprinted to my computer and looked up ART SCAMS.  Sure enough, these people are able to produce very authentic looking checks that get deposited into your bank account.  Your bank accepts the check at first, and puts the money in your account.  In the meantime, you cut a check back to the crooks.  Five days later, the bank finds out it's a phony and deducts the amount from your account, leaving you high and dry.

The only thing I lost was 15 minutes of my time, describing my paintings.  Not too bad.  If you're reading this "Mary", better start packing.  The authorities are on their way!

And now for something a bit more pleasant:  "Homecoming" is a scene from Nantucket, and it is in the East End Gallery in Nantucket.  I will not let the crooks get me down!!!

"Isabella Stewart Gardner Courtyard", 10x8" And the Evolution of A Painting

The highlight of a visit to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston is the central courtyard.  She designed the walls surrounding the courtyard based on the architecture of Venice, and when the sun filters down through the tree branches and rests on the priceless statues that are scattered about, the feeling can be quite transcendent!

I knew I wanted to paint a scene from this courtyard, but cameras are strictly forbidden everywhere in the museum-- only pencils and paper are allowed.  Good thing I never leave home without my trusty sketchbook.

When I arrived home, I went right to work.  I didn't want to forget the colors that I had committed  to memory.

My first "go" looked a bit lifeless, so I took a clean brush and destroyed it a bit to lose some edges and put a feeling of energy into it.

I calmed it down and adjusted the color.  I'm not sure that it's a perfect replica, but it is what remained in my imagination.

For purchase information, please click on Ann Feldman Gardner Courtyard.

"Windsong, Nantucket" 12x9"

I'm on my way today to visit daughter Emily in Boston.  I've convinced her that a trip to the Isabella Gardner museum is a "must" on our itinerary!  I will show you highlights of our visit, if I'm allowed to photograph there.

"Windsong, Nantucket" is in the East End Gallery in Nantucket.

"Job Well Done", 14x11"

Volkening Heritage Farm in Schaumburg, Illinois is an artist's dream locale.  The farm is kept as it was in the 1800's, and all the workers do their jobs in period costume.  I feel just like one of the kids that arrive in droves in school buses when I'm there.  When I catch a scene like this one, my heart skips a beat and I feel very lucky indeed.

This painting is in Saugatuck, Michigan at the Button Petter Gallery.

Teaching Notes: It's Not Easy Being Green!

Over the weekend, I spent some time at Crabtree Nature Preserve with some intrepid landscape enthusiasts.  Our mission: to paint a predominantly green landscape with interesting color and solid values (like us!).

We started our very green project with a bright red wash. Red, as we know, is the complement of green, so we had a nice color vibration underneath our painting from the outset.  We then drew in the major shapes of the landscape using the same bright red color on our drawing brushes.

It's hard to see the forest for the trees!  In order to see the major value areas and shapes, we turned our reference photos upside down. This forces our minds to quiet down and stop commanding us to paint in a certain way.  We can more easily observe our subject as puzzle pieces of value and color.

Instead of painting our landscape in green, green, and more green, we asked ourselves, "what other colors can be used in this value area?" Out came surprising combinations of purple, orange, and blue, just to name a few.

A few of the finished products!  Way to go, artists!!!

AND NOW FOR A PROGRAMMING NOTE:

I'm putting together my teaching schedule at Mainstreet in Lake Zurich, IL for next year, so I'd love to know if there is a workshop or class you'd be interested in.  So far, I've had requests for Palette Knife, Fracturing, and Color Workshops.  The Portrait and Impressionism Classes have also been popular, but I want to offer what YOU are interested in, so if you have any thoughts, shoot me an email or leave me a comment here.

And thank you!