Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Ready, set, panels...!

Sometime tomorrow afternoon or evening we’ll begin posting the first days’ events and paintings. Stay tuned...

Monday, December 30, 2019

My 'Why' for A New Year, Two Views... Marc R. Hanson

I'm sitting on the couch sipping some coffee, in front of our windows onto the marsh, and all I see is the fog shrouded short expanse of palms swinging too and fro, and rain drops dripping off of the Spanish Moss, all while the sound of the wind is creating faint freight train type sounds that trickle in through the glass.  And yet... it's 64ºF, perfect painting weather.

In two days we will begin a painting adventure that will mean that every day of January will be a day spent outside painting...'no matter what'!  And I can't wait to get started!  If any of you where reading my blog back when this was the way I communicated socially with artists and others who decided to follow it,  you may recall that in April 2009 I first began doing these month long painting 'marathons' by painting 4 little 5"x7" paintings every day of that nasty month, up where I lived in Minnesota.  I know it's hard to imagine, but that was before we were all on Facebook, don't think I even knew what that was, and the blog was The Way. The reason I started this one had a lot to do with Duane Keiser's  'Painting a Day' blog,  where he became incredibly well known, and collected, by painting one little piece per day.  That sounds like nothing new now, but in 2004 he began it and in 2009 it was becoming a huge deal.

Like so many other artists who were aware of Duane's blog, I wanted to take on a challenge myself, something that would push my painting skills and knowledge, and that would be fun to put 'out there' for other's to follow.  Part of the following along is the educational side of doing this, but it's also about the human interest, especially the interest from other artists, who are intrigued by something that they also might like to try, or can't but want to be there, vicariously.  However, I'm very aware that it's to easy to find something of interest as an artist, that another artist is doing and having success with, and get too close to replicating it.

I didn't want to do that... sooooo... I thought that since I am a landscape painter, at the time primarily working outside from life, that a daily painting project outside would make the most sense.  Especially since it was March when I was thinking about it, and the weather in Minnesota had kept me studio bound for quite a bit.  One painting a day outside didn't get me too excited, there's nothing very challenging about that, so I decided why not try for four a day?  That was followed by a September Nocturne Marathon with 2 nocturnes painted a day, a March Madness 3 painting a day marathon, and the last one A Leap Into February, a 4 painting a day marathon in Colorado in 2014.

To the "why" would one want to do this...

First, it's one hell of a lot of work, and I don't mean the painting.  Most any painter could go outside daily and paint a painting, even three or four paintings.  Many do now on a regular basis.  The work is what follows the each day's outside work is more time consuming than the painting time.  All work is first photographed, edited, and saved.  Then there is descriptive writing, about the day and the work, that is all posted on blogs, websites, Instagram, Facebook, etc..  In our case, Dottie and I both have personal blogs and websites, our Salt Marsh Studios website (where the paintings will be displayed for sale), and a Salt Marsh Studio blog (where we will be posting all of our days work and other 'interesting' news).  We're going to try to keep Newsletters going as well.  So you see that getting the paintings done is only half of the work, or less.  Now, imagine that for 31 days that's all you have time to do... all that you can do or your project will fail.  Meaning that when household, auto or familial events arise, you can only hope and pray that they can be dealt with easily and quickly so that you can stay on track.  So that's the first reason, the challenge of it all.

Secondly, as a painter there is nothing that is more of a self help than a serious dose of concentrated work, for both the mental, and the practice side of who we are... ie... painting without distraction.  How many of us have that in our lives daily?  For a month at a time?  I know that unless I specifically decide to do something like this sort of a project, I don't.  That is the second reason, a selfish self help month.

Thirdly, each of my previous painting marathons, this one included, I had hoped would make me more familiar with where I lived,  and put me more in touch with the area or time of year that I was painting.  I learned fast how to find nocturnes in the September Nocturne Marathon, how to create ways to stave off snowfall by using a tarp off of the back door of my van in Colorado, and more.  Mainly, I found out that I could stay within a few miles of my home, in all of those locations and times, and find anywhere from 112 to 120 paintings to paint... in a month!  That was personally the biggest advantage, learning how to "see" paintings where ever I was painting, when all I really wanted to do was to go inside and drink some hot chocolate.  The third reason, personal growth as a painter.

Fourth, but not necessarily last, is the discovery that many other artists, and non-artists, loved following along as I went through the daily trials and tribulations of this sort of a project.  To this day people tell me that they found out about my paintings via one of these marathons of the past.  It's an education for me for sure, but I also found out that there are many others who also get something educational, and entertaining, out of it.  That's the fourth reason to do it, that it's an art event that can help inform and entertain others along the way.

So on this Wednesday, January 1, 2020, Dottie and I will begin something together that only accents what our lives have become over the last year and a half or so as we joined them, together.  We absolutely love where we live, love painting here, love just being together.  I have enthusiastically and whole heartedly fallen in love with this Georgia coast where I am now fortunate to live.  Like everyone else though, our studio can capture us in it's comfort, our daily 'needs' for all else other than painting can take us away from being out in the landscape, painting, which is such an integral part of life for us both.  We are both very excited to be in a place in life where we are able to do this, and to share it with anyone who wants to follow along as we take on the challenge.  I hope that you find it an interesting look into our daily adventures here on Tybee Island and the surrounding coastal area, and that the beauty that has so captivated us is recognized by you in what we do to put it down on canvas.

If you're interested, you can follow our Salt Marsh Studio blog to see how we do.  Wishing you all a blessed New Year full of love, happiness and peace, but mostly full of the beautiful gift that life is!

My 'Why' for A New Year, Two Views...Dottie T. Leatherwood

New Day. New Year. New Challenges. New Life.

Do all those things give you a new life? Possibly.  Life is constantly renewing itself.  Even our life on a day to day basis changes.  Each decision that we make takes us a little farther down one road or another, leading to more changes that stemmed from that single, seemingly unimportant decision.  While we may seem the same, to others and even to ourselves, we are forever altered.  

When I decided to try and swirl a brush into oil paint and then touch it to canvas, my life was forever altered.  Even though I still looked the same, talked the same and seemed the same to those that knew me.. my life had changed.   And the pathways to be created from that change would be so much different than the ones that would have presented themselves, had I never put brush to canvas.  When I decided, a year or so later, to haul myself and my painting gear outside to try to paint what I saw in front of me, that too changed the course of my life forever. Many years later, I still reap the benefits and the challenges, the elation and the frustration of that day.  The way I see the world has changed.  New life.

In less than 3 days, the year will change.  Millions of resolutions will be swirling through the atmosphere from millions of people around the world.  Silent and whispered prayers of hope and resolution of change. Decisions to change big things, little things in the coming year and in the years to come.  Some people will feel success with their resolutions, some will feel failure.  But it really isn't about "success" or "failure".  It's about the decision.  The hope. The need to see or do things in a different way and the curiosity to see how that will change life as it used to be.  

In less than 3 days, my life will change.  I will pull out my brushes, my paint and my canvases and go outside to paint.  Not just for a couple of hours.  But all day.  Not just for the day.  But for the whole month.  A decision to change my path.   I'm making a commitment to truly "be" in the space I am in and put it down on canvas.  I don't want to just paint a beautiful view or organize what I see in front of me into a good painting.  I want something different.  I want it to change me forever.

A year ago, I moved back to my hometown. The place that has inspired me and haunted me since I left 35 years ago.  I feel this place.  It is alive to me in a way that no place has been since I left. Whether it’s the breeze blowing through the tangle of palms, moss filled oaks and wild vines, the salt water moving through the marsh, the warm heavy fog drifting across the water or that ever changing almost indescribable light that illuminates it all… it stirs my soul. I want to get outside, right smack dab in the middle of it, and try to put that on canvas.  The "feel" of it.  The "aliveness" of it.  The "love" of it. 

It is a huge challenge for me.  To be honest, I have no earthly idea how to even do it.   But I want to learn.  I want to figure it out. Technically, I know how to paint.  I'm comfortable enough outdoors putting paint to canvas to record what I see.   But I want this to be different.  I want my emotions mixed up in that paint on the canvas.  I want a month of love and inspiration and feelings on canvas.  A month of focus and single-mindedness. A month of growth.  A month of not knowing where I begin and the painting ends.  I am sure that I will fail miserably and yet I cannot wait to try.  And try. And try again.

I hope you will follow along this month as Marc and I set out to paint our life here on the Georgia coast.  We will be blogging everyday about our experiences and adventures.  I hope before the month is over, you will be able to feel my paintings as well as see them.  And I hope that they might make you feel something as well. 


Happy New Year!  Here's to New Challenges, New Growth, New Focus and New Life for us all!

Sunday, December 29, 2019

3 DAYS TO GO!!!


Beginning bright and early January 1st, 2020, Dottie T. Leatherwood and Marc R. Hanson will start a very involved, joint painting project. Every day this January, no matter what, we will be heading outside to paint. We decided that we wanted to take on a personal painting challenge, one that would get us outside for an extended period to paint together, to paint where we live in order to share our love for it with others.

So... if you're inclined, please follow along as we take our paints, brushes and easels out onto the marshes, beaches and into the fields surrounding our home of Tybee Island and Savannah, GA, this January 2020! Each of us will be painting at least three 9"x12" field studies a day, every day in January…that's a total of 186 paintings! Chances are there will be more paintings a day than that, but we've set 3 as our minimal goal. We'll re-cap our adventures each day, including images of the paintings, and post it all here on our Salt Marsh Studio blog. Photos of the daily painting sessions and videos will be posted on our Salt Marsh Studio Instagram and Facebook accounts throughout each day.  Every evening the paintings will be posted for sale on our Salt Marsh Studio website

All of the paintings will be for sale for on a collection page on our website for $410.00 ($400.00 +plus $10.00 shipping and handling), but we will be holding them for our show, more to come on that, shipping them on or before March 1, 2020.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Supplies, etc...

For those of you who might be interested in these details, we thought we'd share some about the materials and supplies that we're going to use for this 31 days of painting.  As you can imagine, when you set out to spend a continuous, hopefully uninterrupted, session outside painting, you have to plan ahead and have it all ready to go on Day 1!

Dottie and I don't use all of the same materials, easels, or other supplies, but in many cases we do.

We're both using a limited, split-complimentary palette during the month.  This is the same palette we're going to be teaching with this Winter and Spring.  For the last few weeks we've been out getting used to it and to the linen panels we're painting on.

Below is what we've decided on to simplify things somewhat.

OIL SUPPLIES

PALETTE- (Marc's brand/Dotties brand)
Titanium White (Utrecht), W&N 'Griffon' Alkyd Titanium White (mixed w/titanium for drying)
Cadmium Yellow Lemon (M.Graham/Gamblin)
Cadmium Yellow Deep (Rembrandt)
Cadmium Red Light (M.Graham/Gamblin)
Alizarin Permanent (Gamblin)
Ultramarine Blue (M.Graham/Gamblin)
Manganese Blue Hue (M.Graham)
Ivory Black (Utrecht/Gamblin)

PANELS-
We have stocked up on two different type of panels. Three factors we considered... 1- $$$ Cost (186 or more panels for the month is a lot of panels to either make or purchase.  These Centurion universal primed panels are a good compromise), 2- I will probably paints some acrylics so I needed an acrylic primed surface, not oil, 3- We wanted some with a linen texture and some smooth so we have stocked up on both.  Some panels will get toned with an acrylic wash ahead of time, some left white.
9"x12" Centurion Universal Primed Linen Panels
9"x12" - 1/8" MDF hardboard panels (from Sourcetek) that we've primed with Lacaux Acrylic 'Gesso'.

BRUSHES-
We both use an array of various makes of brushes, both hog bristle and synthetic bristle brushes. Listed are a few examples-
Rosemary Brushes - Ivory, Ultimate, Evergreen, Eclipse & Classic
Utrecht - Rhenish
Robert Simmon's - Simply Simmon's, Signet
Cheap hardware store Chinese hog bristle brushes 1/2" - 1-1/2". (The $.79 cent to $2.00 variety)

EASELS-
10x12 OpenBoxM (Marc)
Strada Standard (Dottie)

MEDIUMS-
Liquin
Gamblin Galkyd Gel
Gamblin Cold Wax Medium

SOLVENT-
Gamsol

MISCELLANEOUS-
Bug spray, Sunscreen and Flip Flops!


...................................................................................................................................................................

                                                              ACRYLIC SUPPLIES

Marc does paint with acrylic from time to time, and probably will during this month long event.  I've been asked to list the acrylic supplies for those of you who also like to use that medium.  Below is my list...

I use two different acrylic brands/types.  My main paint for plein air work is Golden 'Open' Acrylic.  These are the slow drying acrylics which makes them ideal for plein air work, especially if it's warm or the wind is blowing, or both.  They can be spritzed with water to keep them 'open', workable, an advantage for blending, modeling, etc..  These paints solve two of the issues that can be frustrating about acrylics, the fast drying, and the value shift that happens as they dry.  They hold value very well.  A trade off is that they do not have much body as they dry.  To achieve that you have to add a Gel that will hold up the brush strokes.  Some of the palette colors with the color characteristics that I like, have different names.  They do the same job.

PALETTE-
Titanium White
Cadmium Yellow Primrose (This is the replacement on my palette for Cadmium Lemon Yellow)
Diarylide Yellow (This is the replacement on my palette for Cadmium Yellow Deep)
Cadmium Red Light
Quinacridone Burnt Orange
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue
Manganese Blue Hue
Ivory Black

The other brand, Utrecht, is a faster drying, heavy body acrylic.  They're also very good at holding value, and hold up a pretty good brush stroke when dry.  They dry very fast though.  Utrecht palette color names are pretty standard.

PALETTE-
Titanium White
Cadmium Lemon Yellow
Cadmium Yellow Deep
Cadmium Red Light
Quinacridone Red or Crimson (This is a change to my normal palette colors)
Ultramarine Blue
Viridian Hue (This is also a change as they don't make a Manganese Blue hue)

MEDIUMS-
Only mediums I use are Heavy Gel, Satin Glazing Medium, Retarder Gel (And I use them very seldom).

BRUSHES-
I use standard hog bristle brushes in the same sizes as for oil paints.  The main thing is not to let them sit in a water bath for long or they get very soft and lose their shape.
Another brush that I use a lot is the Princeton Catalyst Polytip in the same sizes as mentioned above. They're a very nice, very stiff, synthetic that you can leave sitting in a water bath.

STAY WET PALETTE BOX-
This is the key to keeping the acrylics wet, and for holding them overnight.  I use two, one for the Golden Open, and one for the quicker drying Utrecht heavy body paints.

When painting with the Golden Open paint, I don't use the paper sheets or the sponge that comes with the palette.  I lay them out directly onto the plastic bottom and use that as my mixing area.  They can be cleaned up so easily that the paper inserts aren't necessary.  And they stay wet, especially with the lid on (I've had them in one for almost a year and they didn't dry out), so the sponge is completely unnecessary.

For the Utrecht paints, I don't use the sponge that comes with it, but do stick in a 12x16 waxed paper palette pad that I mix on, then toss when it's too messed up.  I place my paints out on paper towels that I fold so that they're about 2" wide.  Then I wet them, place the acrylics onto them, and the paint stays wet for quite a long time.  An occasional spritzing with water keeps them from skinning over.  When I change out the palette paper I simply lift up each paper towel strip with the paint on it and set aside, change the palette paper, then lay the paper towel strips back down to resume painting.

PANELS, EASELS, MISC. SUPPLIES... Same as the list above for oil painting.
 ANNOUNCING: A Painting Project for the New Year!

Follow along as we take our paints, brushes and easels out onto the marshes, beaches and into the fields surrounding our home of Tybee Island and Savannah, GA, this January 2020!  Each of us will be painting at least three 9”x12” field studies a day, every day in January…that’s a total of 186 paintings! 
 
We’ll re-cap our adventures each day, including images of the paintings, and post it all on our blog.  Photos of the daily painting sessions and videos will be posted on our Instagram and Facebook accounts throughout each day and every evening the paintings will be posted for sale on our website.

We will present all of our paintings in a show on February 14th & 15th at our Salt Marsh Studio located at 51 Johnny Mercer Blvd, Suite A1 in Savannah.  The Opening Reception is on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2020 from 5-8pm.  This show will also be on display February 15th from 10-3pm.  Following the show we will begin to pack and ship all sold paintings.  

Paintings will be for sale for $410.00 ($400.00 +plus $10.00 shipping and handling), but we will be holding them for our show before shipping around March 1, 2020.  If you are interested in purchasing a painting, there will be a... 'Buy Now'... button underneath each painting.  That will take you to our Salt Marsh Studio website where the purchase can be made.  The paintings may be purchased using the PayPal service.  They will be available for sale, unframed, as they are posted, and then shipped, insured via USPS Priority Mail.  

While we're challenging our artistic chops with this month long painting project, we also hope to do our part to raise the level of awareness in others about this coastal environment, it's diversity, and the beauty it holds. In light of that concern, we've decided that a donation to a local conservation organization, still to be determined, will be made from total sales.A donation to a local conservation organization, still to be determined, will be made from total sales.

Media Links:
INSTAGRAM: saltmarshstudio
WEBSITE:  Salt Marsh Studio
Contact: