The Final Days of the Artist Retreat in Croatia

My Artist Trading Cards

The cards that I received from Karen, Lisa, Marion, and Jenny

On the sixth day of our retreat we spent time painting at the beach and swimming in the Adriatic. All beaches are available for your use, even the ones in front of the fancy hotels.  This lovely spot had many families enjoying the day. The beaches are pebbles, not sand, so I was wishing for some swim shoes I left at home in the interest if weight. I did not produce any art worthy of bringing back to the states. That evening we visited the largest berg on the island, Hvar Town, with a wonderful fortress at the top of the mountain, a good little workout. Our leader, Marion. documented our fine day here.    

All too soon it was the final day of our Art Retreat. Lisa and I spent the morning painting our Artist Trading Cards that we would exchange later in the day. The activity sparked interest among folks and a French couple tried to purchase one of mine. We also chatted with a couple from Stockton, CA, who spends half a year on their catamaran in Europe based out of Sardinia. They were docked in Stari Grad and visiting Vrboska for the day. Later in the day we met in our courtyard to share all the work we had done. 

That evening we went to Pitve, a sweet hillside town with a fabulous restaurant where they do traditional Dalmatian peka, food roasted in a bell over hot coals -- delicious! But first we went to see the Dubokovic's vineyards and new winery where they make their restaurant wine. Johnnie, a family partner, took us on a bit of hike up the hills and we saw fabulous views back to the mainland. With my lack of good sketching materials, I used by tiny sketchbook and pen. Lacking watercolor, I painted in wine from the glass I was enjoying, which pleased Johnnie to no end. The next day I attempted another on watercolor paper with multiple layers. I was not successful at either. In the photo, the top one had faded somewhat by the time I took the photo.

Sketches painted in wine

We also got to try some grappa just made at a still next to the vineyard. At dinner, a group of men, including the restaurant owner, sang beautiful traditional music.

Marion documents our final day here with some fun pictures. Because Bob and I chose to continue our trip in Croatia, there is more to come in another post.

Family Fun

"Faster, Daddy"

15" x 14" watercolor

Gilroy Gardens Family Park

The day our Paintsites group created art at Gilroy Gardens, I did a landscape, begun before the park opened. An hour later the families began to arrive for their Saturday outing. Just below the deck where we were painting were the paddle boats, lovely large swans and ducks with two people on board, usually one parent and one child. I grabbed my I-Pad and took a couple photos. I loved this particular scene with the wake linking the two boats.

I began the painting last Thursday night with my South Side Art Club, laying in the washes over the entire page. I saved the white of the bubbly wake using friskit. There was a row of green and white umbrellas on the hill over the pond. I wanted to suggest the background without drawing attention away from the subject, so I toned down the whites of the umbrella, leaving the pure white for the boats and wake. I also suggested foliage and flowers, without defining them too much.

You can read about our group adventure on the Santa Clara Valley Paintsites Blog.

The Artist Disappearing Act

 

"Morning at Gilroy Gardens"

19" x 14" Watercolor

 

Where is Mary? There hasn't been a lot of time to blog after returning from Europe, with much welcome family visits from back East. I plan to create more entries for my recent trip, but for now, let me catch you up on a touch of recent art.

I  attended a few drawing classes and did a bit of plein air. Our SCVWS Paint Sites group painted last Saturday on a special Art in the Gardens day at Gilroy Gardens, an amusement park for young children with many beautiful gardens. The operational team wants to expose children to the creative process, so we were part of the entertainment! I loved this spot with ponds, rocks, and falls, backed by redwood trees. Just below us were large swan- and duck-shaped paddle boats with parents and children. I have a fabulous photo I hope to paint. It just captures the fun. I reached a point about 3/4 done when I made myself stop. I gave a lot of thought on how to finish the painting at home. Of course, as always, I struggle with values.

The previous Thursday, the group painted at the Saratoga  Historical Museum, a lovely little collection of old buildings and pretty gardens. I loved the artist at work. The color is off here - the sky is blue, not pink.

"Artist at Work"

13" x 10" Watercolor

 

I also attended a few of my Monday morning drawing class. The pastels are not finished because I never have enough time in class.

 

That last one is a hoot, based on a still life with skull, bottle, cup, and teapot. I always need a story. George O'Keefe must have been enjoying a spot of tea with a hit of liquor while creating her masterpiece.

Stay tuned for more updates and finally visits to your blogs.....

Day 5 of the Croatian Artist Retreat

"Blue Door"

Malo Grablje

14" x 19"

We were going to have a  beach day, but cool weather changed our plans. We walked to Jelsa (YELsa) -- well, more like a leisurely hike with photo ops. It's over 6 miles round trip. The day is describe by leader Marion here.

Bob and I enjoyed the walk and seeing a little more of Jelsa where the catamaran had delivered us from the mainland. Several artists sketched in the town. We lingered over coffee and lunch at a cafe and then headed back, needing a bit of quiet time.

The port town of Jelsa

on the island of Hvar

Inspired by our trip to the abandoned town the previous day, I hauled out a fresh piece of paper and created "Blue Door" based on my original start, photos, and memory. You will see on Marion's blog her painting from the inside of the house, where we could not wander beyond the old kitchen area because some of the floors had collapsed. We just loved the lively blue door. I like the painting and would also like to do a more ancient and overgrown version.



An abandoned home

Late in the day we walked to the fields belonging to Dragana and Luis, our landlords, where they grow grapes, olives, and figs. While we sketched, they prepared a lovely feast on their large Dalmatian barbecue. We sipped their homemade wine and Prosecco and watched the sunset.  

Wine on the vine

Jenny, Marion, and Karen

Sunset over Stari Grad Plain

After an enjoyable evening with our hosts, we walked back in the dark to our respective homes.







Day 4 of the Croatian Artist Retreat: Painting in an Abandoned Town

"Morning in Malo Grablje"

12" x 14" watercolor

Day 4 was a fascinating day spent in an abandoned mountain town with a great story. Our sponsor, Marion, describes the day here.

The town was a pretty inconvenient place to live, so the entire population of Malo Grablje (GRABlia) made an agreement to move to the coast where they built a new town, Milne, seeking better economic opportunities. The villagers all agreed not to sell the properties. The old town has been abandoned since the 1960s with the stone buildings in various stages of disrepair. The town has proved to be an attraction, so descendant Bertie Tudor, has opened a restaurant in one of the old buildings for those who hike in or drive the narrow dirt road.

Old houses and buildings in Malo Grablje

Our intention was to hike from Velo Grablje at the top of the mountain, but it was pouring rain so we drove. Bertie was very welcoming with a large table set up near a window and he brewed some hot coffee for us. Many chose to sit at outside tables under a cover, but I was chilled. I set my easel up on the table inside the restaurant with a great view out to the limestone cliffs and mountains. I completed the painting by the time Bertie was ready to serve us lunch, which included fish done on the outside limestone barbecue.

Bertie Tudor preparing lunch for our group

at Stori Komen

A sunny afternoon view from outside Stori Komen

My painting is of a similar view from inside the restaurant

The beautiful sunshine returned in the afternoon and brought a few other hardy souls to town. I explored the empty buildings with Marion and set up my easel. I began another painting and liked the concept. The next day I started over in the convenience of my little apartment. But I save that story for the next post.

The village families return to worship in the church a couple times a year and the building is in reasonable shape. There is an intact olive press in another building. Most are family homes. It is fascinating to stand there in the quiet and imagine the generations of people who lived here.

The local church

In the very late afternoon, we left Malo Grablje for Milne on the coast. We spent a bit of time walking on the pebble beach very characteristic of Croatia.

Jenny and Marion in Milne, the villagers new digs







An Artist Retreat in Croatia

"Marinka's Figs"

8" x 10" watercolor

Where have we been? We spent 22 days in Europe so I could attend the Artist Retreat on the island of Hvar in Croatia. My friend Marion and husband Zdravko own a lovely stone house in the tiny town Vrboska and live there part time. Marion sponsored the retreat, attended by four artist and two spouses from the Bay Area. Marion has a lovely blog that will give you the itinerary. She's also been doing her own summary of each of the days. Marion plans to offer another retreat in 2014, so be sure to check it out. My highlighted links take you there for more information and some really wonderful photos.

We began with a side trip to Berlin, Germany, where we stayed on the East side of the old Berlin Wall. Berlin has put lots of money into rebuilding the area, and it is hip, trendy, and fascinating. While there we spent a day at their history museum which took us from the earliest history through WWII. We also took a bicycle tour of WWII and Nazi Germany sites with Fat Tire Bike Tours. Other days we meandered and took their wonderful public transit to see the city. We stayed in a sweet hotel, Kastanianhof,  run by successive generations of the same family through the turbulent history of the area.

Croatia is the land of consonants, so I will give pronunciations in parentheses when I know them. On September 8, we took tram, train, bus, two planes, bus, and the catamaran to Hvar island where Marion picked us up in Jelsa (YELsa). That evening, we had a lovely meal prepared on their newly built limestone barbecue, a magnificent structure. We enjoyed local wines. Zdravko (SHRAVko) is originally from Croatia, though he and Marion from Scotland have lived in San Jose for over 20 years, so he speaks the language and has a wealth of local knowledge. One artist stayed with our hosts and the rest of us had small apartments in a lovely old fisherman's cottage.

Dragana and Luis' Apartments

Ours is the top floor entered through the door on the left

The following morning we started off with an early walk through the town to find likely art subjects. I spent the day at Konoba (KONoba) Lem, a restaurant on the harbor, and painted while sipping coffee and water. The old buildings have served many generations. Bob used their wifi and relaxed. Late in the day we gathered for critique and then went to a wonderful traditional fish stew dinner at Lem's.

Fisherman sorting their catch

Vrboska Harbor

"Vrboska"

19" x 14"

The second day we ventured out in two vehicles to Stari Grad to paint in an ancient complex, have lunch on a local restaurant patio, and visit Roman ruins and a farm for sketching.  At this point I was frustrated with my paintings and realizing I should have brought more sketching materials, my fault alone because I pared down for travel -- too much. My fellow artists did some beautiful art in their sketchbooks. The Stari Grad Plain is a UNESCO site because it retains the field divisions with stone walls laid out by the ancient Greeks. I used Tombow pens to capture part of the Roman farm ruins.

"Kupinovik"

Ancient Roman Farm

5" x 7" Tombow Pen Sketch

The third day was one of my favorites, a day at the Atelier of local artist Marinka. This is where I reconnected with my personal style and produced a couple paintings that I like. Marinka's group of old stone buildings filled with her art are on the hillside in the small town of Dol. After a tour and some time with Marinka, we shared a beautiful lunch on the patio. Then we got down to painting. I focused on a branch of pomegranates in the sunlight, next to one of the stone buildings.

"Sunlit Pomegranates"

19" x 14" watercolor

My setup

The Pomegranates

 After completing that I work, some time remained so I took a few photos of the fig trees and then drew the shapes of leaves and a few figs. Marinka had shared some paper she enjoys using which has a somewhat resistive surface, though she was unable to provide the brand. I liked the way I could mingle and manipulate colors.

We all admired Marinka's handmade frames, very interesting creations from scrap cardboard and wood glue covered with paper, such as toilet paper, or colored napkins. The frame developed during the war in the 1990s when Marin, her artist husband, was unable to get frames due to a blockade of the island. She said the process is tedious and boring, but oh my we loved the results. In the photo, the top four of Marinka's paintings are mounted in these frames.

We gathered in the evening with the men joining us and we had a delicious meal of fresh fruits, vegetables and lamb from the island prepared by Marinka. I loved the warm figs stuffed with goat cheese. Twas the end of a perfect day.

Life is a Cabaret

 

"Life is a Cabaret"

13" x 18" Watercolor

 

After my David Lobenberg workshop, I was fired up on portraits and had a fun picture of my granddaughter on her prom night. The theme was a gambling casino, but all I could think of was Liza Minelli in Cabaret. I dutifully did my small study in Payne's Grey. It was even less a good likeness than my final product, but it gave me a feel for values, the whole point of the study.



 

My black and white study

 

Here you can see  that Kelly is much more beautiful and wholesomely youthful than I painted her. However, I take comfort in David's comment that he doesn't worry about an exact likeness; he is going for a good painting. I will, no doubt, make a few more adjustments.

 

The model

 

I did the background last and I puzzled over it for quite some time. Suddenly, this one popped into my head as representational of cabaret and celebrations, and I like it. I used tape to mask off places where I would paint in the confetti. Once I had the dark values in the background, I had to rework the shadows and the hat to get appropriate values.

 

I've been wanting to paint a piece for our annual show coming right up. I am off soon on a major trip, so had little time. I have decided to enter this piece.

 



Another Monday Drawing Class

 

"Copper Canister"

15" x 12" Pastel

 

 

The pastel color is off in this photo. The canister looks pretty reflective in the original. This was a fun challenge - values, reflective parts - we worked hard. I liked the way the peach was reflected in the cannister, the plum had reflected light from the lid and diffused the reflected light from the upper right. 

Monday Morning Drawing Class

 

"Mary's Green Vase"

 12" x 14" Pastel

 

I have not posted work for a long time from my weekly drawing class because I seldom have time to finish a piece, and I have missed quite a few Mondays with travel, visitors, and duties with the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society.

 

I actually finished this piece. We had several choices and I was attracted to Mary' small green vase with gardenias on a purple velvet cloth -- lovely contrasting colors. The most challenging part was the mass of blooms. I can get lost in the detail. Instructor Bob Semans always reminds us to squint and see the large shapes. There will be masses of light and shadow. Pay attention to the outer edges which will tell the viewer the mass is flowers. Not much detail is required in the individual blooms. Color temperature is important.

 

Bob will come by and say, "Can I sit down a minute?" That's a sign I need help. He did that near the end of this piece. He added a bit of warm color on the right, and more clearly defined a few of the petals on the edge. Bob is a wonderful artist and it's amazing how a few strokes of pastel by the master pops the entire painting.

 

The owner of the vase is expecting the birth of a grandchild in the midwest within a few weeks. She created a lovely small piece, matted it, and sent it to her daughter and son-in-law for the baby's room.



The Scotsman

 

"The Scotsman"

15" x 16.5" Watercolor

 

 

Just finished the portrait of Bob in his Balmoral hat that goes with his Anderson Clan kilt. Oh yes, I did leave the undershirt, which I am sure early in the morning Bob was not thinking would actually be in the portrait. Somehow the juxtaposition fits his fun personality.

 

 

My early morning photo of Bob

 

I cropped the photo and David Lobenberg, our instructor, really like the shot and the lighting. As we we were taught, I made a Paynes Grey study of the photo. I was rather pleased with the results. The only thing David had to do was help me recapture some of the white fringe of his beard. He did that with a white conte crayon, a wonderful suggestion that I will no doubt use in the future.

 



 

The study

Now it was time to tackle the painting in color. I failed to photograph the important stages, I was so into painting. First I did the "tea" stage, lightly carving out the features in very watery color. I used an orange mixed from Cad Yellow and Permanent Rose, the Rose, some Ultramarine Blue. and Alizarin Crimson, some straight, some mixed. Next I went in with thicker consistencies until I reached a point where I thought I was done. David suggested a light green/yellow as the background, the compliment of the reds. I was overly cautious and the result is a little washed out. Still I was thinking, not bad.

 

Almost done, though not really

 

I had set the painting on my easel and opened my eyes Saturday morning to go, heck no, I'm not so pleased. The colors looked washed out and I had homogenized some of it too much. I didn't have time to work on the piece, though. So finally, Sunday afternoon I hit the paints again. Let's darken that background and get a little more color into the hat. Though the pom pom is bright red, I felt that it would catch the eye too much. Better, but Bob has lot's of Scottish coloring in his complexion.

 

 

Better, but still not done

 

 I bravely went where I had feared to go. If you look at the final piece at the top of this post, you will see I added orange into his cheeks, color into his beard (his grey facial hair still has reds in the mustache and the chin areas). I defined the eye sockets near the nose with more crimson and blue, and put more blue on his right temple. I added those errant hairs to his thick eyebrows. I added a little roundness to his left check.

On Friday, David did a quick final demo and I watched the way he carefully puts down his strokes and does not always blend. He leaves lots of variations and some hard edges. I love his results. Check out his watercolor portraits.

I will save enhancements for my next shot at a portrait.

 

The No Color and Color Workshop

Payne's Grey Study # 2

8" x 6" watercolor

 

This week I am taking "No Color Water Color Portrait Painting - Taking Advantage of Paynes Gray," Sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society (SCVWS).  David Lobenberg is an adjunct professor at Sacramento City College and a wonderful painter of expressive portraits. Here is David doing his demo on Sunday. For three and a half days, we worked just with Payne's Grey to learn value without the distraction of color. David uses unexpected vivid color and the paintings are very "loose" As I found out with Ted Nuttal, "loose" is not the result of flinging paint. David is very deliberate with his strokes and puts much thought into each one. I admire the way he moves the brush around in all directions to achieve variations in his marks.







 

David Lobenberg demo

 

 

A Lobenberg painting

 



Though David, a master at drawing, usually traces his subjects to save time, he wanted us to be able to draw and understand the underlying features of the human face.

 

 

When we did our studies, he had us use photos he supplied -- he uses students and friends as subjects. An important part of the process is understanding the consistency of your paint, which he likens to tea, milk, cream and butter. We would begin by creating the structure of the head with "tea." You are careful to leave the white of the paper and define the shadows. It's a little like Michelangelo's statement "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." He stressed the importance of letting that layers dry, otherwise you end up with a mess.

 

 

Payne's Grey Study

Layer 1 done in "tea"

8" x11" watercolor

 

Next we went in and used the other consistencies of paint to finish the painting. Again, patience to let the paint layers dry is key.

 

 



 

Paynes Grey Study #1

8" x 6" watercolor

 

On the afternoon of Day 4 David had us do a Payne's Grey study of our own photographed subject.  You can, of course, guess that Bob is my subject. Here is the photo I am working from.

 

 

 

David says to photograph your subject outdoors in strong light, but Bob had to squint so much that I didn't like the photo. In the morning, I asked him to throw on a shirt and his Balmoral hat that goes with his kilt and posed him in next to our diningroom sliding doors. I didn't expect him to wear an undershirt, but found it rather charmingly quirky, so I am including it in my portrait. I have now done the tea stage, but I will save the studies and stages to show you when I complete the portrait.