The Impressionist Still Life with John Ebersberger

On the way south I was fortunate to take John Ebersberger's Impressionist  workshop at Maryland Hall in Annapolis.

There where a number of still life table step up for which to choose from.  

The class started with John going over the color wheel with aquatinting us with primary and secondary colors. The first thing we did was to organize our palette using a couple of few of each blues, reds and yellows. 

John maintains that in order to be an impressionist painter you need a variety of colors; we did not use earth tones. At least not until the artist has more experience with color. Otherwise you end up with the "Brown Gravy School" of painting.

From the three primary color we moved on to the secondary colors Orange Purple and Green. John demonstrated that indeed you can make these colors by mixing two primary colors however they aren't pure enough for a full color palette. Once we mixed these colors together we began to make interesting color by mixing colors across from each other and then adding white.

Here are some of the primary colors mixed with  another.  One purple is pure and One Orange is Pure.

Ebersberger then did a demonstration of a still life setup explaining how to interpret the color you see. 

Starting with the color of the jug, John put down a sort of dull orange color and then began to relate the other colors to the orangish vase. Keeping the painting structurally simple is key. By isolating the particular color and comparing it to all other colors keeps the color note legible. Start with a brilliant color and end with the color. 

John pointed out adjusting some colors by mixing across the color wheel brings specific color notes to the painting.

We then started studying our own still life setup. Under John's instruction I gained a new understanding of keeping color notes more legible.
I'm not sure I am willing to abandon all more free falling color expressions, however I am certainly going to be less cavalier with my color choice. 

I find it a rewarding experience taking time out to study with a knowledgable teacher; and it's always fun to be in a class meetingt new people.

Tale of Three Cities

On my recent trip to Europe I visited over 15 Museums of art. Usually when I have gone over to Europe I go with a painting group and do a some sight seeing. On this trip I went alone so that I could see many works of art.

I started my journey in New York visiting the Metropolitan Museum of art which had a show called"Valentin De Boulogne Beyond Caravaggio".

In London At the National Gallery they had another show called Beyond Caravaggio Beyond Caravaggio. 

It was interesting to see these two shows that had many followers of Caravaggio and his influence on their art.  Caravaggio 's paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on Baroque painting. Caravaggio painted from life where others where not pure to this procedure. 

While in London I went to the Tate gallery and the Tate modern. The National Portrait gallery was particularly interesting to me because of all the John Singer Sargents. 

I took the Eurostar to Paris and stayed a few days visiting the Museum O'rsey and the Louve as well as the Pompidou. The Marmottan, has a wonderful selections of Monet's. I also loved the musse de Montmartre. A small interesting museum devoted to the bohemian artist's that worked in Montmartre.

I did sneak a little painting in and had to paint a little cafe scene in Paris of course.

I Returned to London and finished off my art tour visiting the Royal Academy and The Victoria and Albert museum. However I think I felt the visit to the Courtauld Museum was perhaps my favorite. The impressionist's and small works of some great masters was inspiring.

There where was a lot of ground to cover in a short time.  I made the visit about seeing as many great works of art to inspire me. I was never a big fan of Peter Paul Rubens however, I have a renewed admiration for his work in light of seeing such a large variety of his work.

Monet was never my favorite impressionist painter, and I always felt the work of Van Gogh to be over rated. However all that changed due to this visit. When confronted with so many works of these masters you can't help but realize how inspiring and beautiful their paintings are.

Values First

Recently I was able to take a couple days to study with my favorite still life painter and friend Margaret Mcwethy. Mcwethy's no nonsense approach to value is what I needed.

I have been seeing great success with students this summer by making them simplify their paintings to values first then painting  the same scene in color.

The top painting is divided into two paintings on the same canvas. One is four values, the second is using all colors. The difference is the black and white painting only expresses values, whereas the second painting expresses light key. The key in this painting is morning sunlight and has many warm and cool colors.


The painting below is a scene in Chatham and is using the same four values for the first painting.
The second painting expresses the overcast light key by using colors.

It's difficult to get a good expression of light key from only four values, however if you don't have values structure your painting will be confusing.

Simplify your painting and anything under the sun can be expressed!

Summer 2016 News

Hey! You can now find me on twitter, instagram, and Facebook for updates on my latest work and class schedules.

Landscape Painting With John Clayton

Landscape Painting with John Clayton at The Cape School of Art in Provincetown

2016

John Clayton's Landscape Class will meet at the Cape School in Provincetown. For directions check out the website capeschoolofart. org,as well as registration. June 20 through the 26 9 am to 12 PM

Are you interested in honing your ability to see color relationships and create pictorial space? This workshop will introduce students to the practice of painting in natural light, including the set-up of paints and equipment. Instruction will focus on developing techniques to examine the visual components of landscape painting and still life, including basic color relationships, patterns, and the understanding of light and shade. Lessons will be informed by the elegantly simple painting approach of capturing light and color on canvas developed by the artist Henry Hensche. Each class will begin with a short demonstration by the instructors; students will also receive individual instruction within the group to address specific needs and levels of experience. Open to all levels: first-time painters welcome. 

Register at www.capeschoolofart. com

Creative Arts Center. Cape School Color with John Clayton Date: Wednesday - Friday August 31, September 1 & 2 Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

: cacchatham@verizon.net 

Cape School Color, An Introdction to Charles Hawthron's tried and true method of seeing and painting color Each day John Clayton will demonstrate using a palette knife. He will simplify the scene to flat masses and develop values and exciting color notes. Students will learn how to mix key colors, in an expressive creative way. 

Register at cacchatham@verizon.net

Sep 10 & 11-Cape School Approach to Landscape Painting with John Clayton

Join John Clayton for exploration in Plein Air Painting at the Cape Cod Art Association.

Sep 10 & 11-Cape School Approach to Landscape Painting with John Clayton

Register at 

Capecodassoc.org

En Plein Air with A Focus on Color And Light

This workshop will be a chance to learn about Clayton�s techniques for working outdoors to capture the color, light and shade in landscape elements. John will demonstrate during each session and go over all the possibilities of learning to see color. This class is open to all levels. We will work primarily in oils and use a knife to keep color expression simple.
Join John Clayton at The Cultural Center of Cape Cod. Saturday and Sunday September 17&18. Class will meet at 9 and end at 4

The Cultural Center of Cape Cod's website is Cultural-Center.org

Private Classes

John is available for private classes. Contact him directly at jclytn@aol.com 

Clothespin Gallery

While in Key West this winter I painted many paintings on canvas pads. The great thing about canvas pads is you can attach them to a  board with clips (I use clothespins). If you like the painting you can mount them on board at a later time.

Right before my show this winter I hung many of these canvas sheets on a display panel with clothespins. I then decided which ones I want to be shown. The rest I place  in folders.

I use Fredrix canvas pads, 9x12. The Canvas will be glued to a gesso 9x12 board. I glue the canvas to  the gesso board with, Artist's Acrylic Polymer Medium. I put heavy books over the glued canvas and set over night.

Cigar Boxes

Painting on cigar boxes has long been a tradition in fine art. A number of charities hold  auctions of artist's paintings on cigar boxes.

While helping organize my moms move to a new house , I came across quite a number of cigar boxes my dad intended to make into radios, before he passed away.

I started painting on them and really enjoyed to process. I make them much simpler than my paintings. maybe only one image. Playing around with the design of the image is rewarding for me.

I take the labels off the lid of the box only, and gesso them. I'm using acrylic paint and then a high gloss finish. Oils is traditionally the medium that boxes are painted with but I like using the acrylics for this project.