Napa Valley Art Camp: Calistoga Art Center

Showing posts with label Calistoga Art Center. Show all posts

Monday, September 12, 2011

Notes on Plein Air painting

If you're planning on being a part of the Calistoga Art Center's first plein air paintout (the entry fee is only $25 if you sign up by September 15th), you may want a few tips on painting en plein air (in the open air). So, for you – notes on plein air painting:

Make quick thumbnail sketches of your composition before you begin
Bring your camera to take photos – the light will change, and it will give you a record of what the scene looked like
Wear a hat to provide shade
Bring a mister bottle to keep your palette from drying out too quickly (if you're using acrylic paints – Open Acrylic paints give you more drying time, and work much better on a hot day)
In some places, mosquito repellant is advisable
Don't take too much gear along, especially if you have to carry it a ways from your car

Be prepared for wind – you can tape your palette paper down and brace your easel
Although limiting your gear is good, an old ironing board makes a useful place to put your palette and water, if you are setting up close to your car
If you don't want people to talk to you, and you're in a busy area, ear plugs and a portable radio/iPod helps – even if you're not listening to it.
Most plein air painters work very small on location – perhaps 4" x 5", 8" x 10", or 9" x 12". This is because light and weather conditions can change so rapidly - it's easier to get everything down rapidly when you work small. Often, they will use those studies as the basis for larger paintings later.
You can also return to the same scene at the same time a couple of days in a row, to catch similar light as you work on the same painting.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Calistoga Art Center Plein Air Paintout

Jim Hour painting at our Acrylic Painting class field trip at Judy's house, 2010

The Calistoga Art Center is planning its first plein air paintout – October 7–9, 2011.

(Its what?) The term "plein air," pronounced "plenn air,"is french for painting outdoors. "Painting en plein air" means painting in the open air. It's different from painting in the studio. You have the elements to think about (heat, wind, cold, rapidly changing light, inclement weather) and none of the comforts of the studio as you work. But you also have the great outdoors – you are right smack dab in the middle of the scene that's inspiring you.

Claude Monet painting in his garden, from short film, Impressionists Live, on YouTube

Plein air painting was difficult until the invention of tube paints in the 1870s – and the invention of the French easel, which allowed one to carry the easel off the beaten path and set up outdoors (the wooden easels you see in these photographs are French style easels). In France, the Barbizon School and the French Impressionists began what has become a painting tradition.

Diana, Sharon, and Anitra, painting in last week's Acrylic Painting class field trip

We're lucky that in California we have such good weather – so it may not surprise you to learn that California (the Bay Area, the Central Coast, and Southern California) has been a hotbed of plein air painting for over a hundred years.

Victoria painting in last week's Acrylic Painting class field trip

And with the beauty of the vineyards in the autumn, we'll have lots of beautiful spots to choose from for this paintout.

So what's a paintout?

A paintout is a competition and show (but for us, it also will be an excuse to get out into the vineyards and do some serious brushwork). You begin on Friday, and get your canvases, panels, or papers stamped on the back (that's to make sure you haven't gotten a head start). Then you have two days to paint, en plein air, and you turn your painting, or paintings, in on the second day. On the third day, everyone comes to the show, and you celebrate. Fun, eh?

Sharon painting in last weeks Acrylic Painting class field trip

Most well-known paintouts draw professional painters from all over the country, and participation is juried. But this is a first for Calistoga, so everyone who wants to be a part of it is welcome. Does it appeal to you? You can learn more at the Calistoga Art Center website. There's a $25 fee for participating if you sign up by September 15th – after that it's $35 – so sign up soon!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Moving Day for the Calistoga Art Center

The Cropp Building at the Napa County Fairgrounds, new home of the Calistoga Art Center

Saturday, February 5th, was Moving Day for the Calistoga Art Center. The previous two days were a flurry of packing, and Saturday arrived with record warm weather. Board members and volunteers came to help, and John Merchant sent over five men and a truck from Indian Springs.

Dedication plaque for the Cropp Building, Napa County Fairgrounds

Looking in the doorway – just beginning to get things set up

The new Art Center is located at the Napa County Fairgrounds, in Calistoga, in the Cropp Building, the exhibits hall used during the fair for crafts and baking exhibits. The Art Center will move out during the fair to accommodate the exhibits, but the rest of the year now has a big, open 3,000 square feet for new class and workshop space.

Painting area to the right (see the forest of easels?), commercial kitchen straight back, ceramics area to the back left

The office area just to the right of the standing table, and the painting and drawing area to its left

Children's class area on the far left, ceramics area in the center

Looking back towards the entrance - it's a big space!

The Art Center sign, painted by Sequoia Buck, that used to hang from the balcony of the Masonic Building

View of the fairgrounds from the building

Voila! A space for making art!

Another view of the new painting and drawing space

Zoe loves it, too (notice the wagging tail?)

The ceramics space takes shape

Linda Wilds-Beltz, office manager, debates about where to put the sign

Martha Casselman, Art Center board president, and hard-working volunteer Jorge Rodriguez

It was a good day – and now the Art Center is open for a new session of classes in its new location, at 1435 North Oak Street, Calistoga, California! Here's a link to a good map of how to get there. You can get a schedule of classes at www.calistogaartcenter.org.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Saying goodbye to the Art Center's old space

Looking in from the door at the Calistoga Art Center's old space

For the last year and a half, the Calistoga Art Center has been on the second floor of the historic and lovely Masonic Building in Calistoga.

Looking in from the door at the Calistoga Art Center's old space

I took these photos just before our move to the Art Center's new space, in the Cropp Building at the Napa County Fairgrounds.

While indirect lighting is better for painters, the light and view have been lovely. Some students have used the strong light and shadow in still life paintings.

A view from the balcony of the Masonic Building

A view from the balcony of the Masonic Building

A view from the balcony of the Masonic Building, looking towards the Palisades

Views from the balcony…. It's been a wonderful year and a half.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Spring 2011 painting classes at the Calistoga Art Center

The new year has arrived, and it's time for Acrylic Painting classes to begin again at the Calistoga Art Center. This will be the Art Center's last month in Calistoga's historic Masonic Building, on the main street in town. The light there is spectacular.… Feel like painting objects in light from the windows? This is your last chance.…

Painters at work in the Spring 2010 Acrylic Painting class

The first four-week session runs from January 12th through the beginning of February.

Then the Art Center moves to its new location, in the Cropp Building, at the Napa Valley Fairgrounds, 1435 North Oak Street, Calistoga. We'll have 3,000 square feet of space! With skylights, concrete floors, and a big parking lot! It's going to be a wonderful space for us – I hope you'll join us!

The remaining spring sessions will be:

February 9th through March 18th

March 23rd through April 15th

April 27th through May 20th

You can find more information online at www.calistogaartcenter.org.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Classes begin again on June 16th and June 18th

Acrylic Painting classes begin again on Wednesday, June 16th, from 1:00 to 4:00, for an eight-week session on Wednesdays, and on Friday, June 18th, from 1:00 to 4:00, for eight weeks of classes on Fridays. Look for us at the Calistoga Art Center, upstairs in the Masonic Building.

Questions? You can click on the Art Classes page here on this blog (see the tab above?), and read more, or go to the Calistoga Art Center's website. You can register online there, and download a materials list — or I'll see you on the first day of class. There's a minimum of ten students per class. Give me a call if you need to know anything else.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Spring 2010 Student Show pics!

Left to right: paintings by Cindi Buell, Randa Durell (two), and Judy Revelle

Left to right: paintings by Dan Dinneane, Cindi Buell, Randa Durell (two), and Judy Revelle

Left to right, top: paintings by Emma Klement, Donna Hodges, and Brigitta Weiderhold

Left to right, bottom: paintings by Emma Klement, Diane Kuykendall, and Patsy Hahn (two)

Left to right, top: paintings by Brigitta Wiederhold and Pat Branstetter

Left to right, bottom: paintings by Pat Branstetter and Jennifer Deutsch

Top: paintings by Jamie Zukowski; bottom: paintings by Christina Amore

Left to right: paintings by Judy Revelle, Yvonne Henry, and Sally Briggs

Left and top: paintings by Patricia Campbell; bottom and right: paintings by Corliss Schloemp

Left to right: paintings by Kari Martin, Dan Dinneane, and Kari Martin

Left to right: paintings by Bret Lang, Nanci Smith, Jennifer Deutsch, and Cindi Buell

Paintings by Jay Hodges (from acrylic and plein air painting classes)

Left to right: paintings by Bret Lang and Jay Hodges

Left to right: paintings by Diane Kuykendall, Donna Hodges, Sally Briggs, and Bret Lang

Left to right: paintings by Brigitta Weiderhold (top and bottom), Donna Hodges (top and bottom), and Diane Kuykendall (top and bottom), from plein air and acrylic painting classes

Here are the photos of this spring's painting classes student show!