184: Door County Show

I JUST got back from the Door County Plein Air Festival. It was a great experience. The painters in attendance were amazing and the resulting show was by far the best plein air show I've seen. The event was extraordinarily well planned by the staff of The Peninsula School of Art and it was a pleasure to meet fellow artists. My personal performance was good although the overwhelming greens of Door County threw my desert dwelling sensibilities a curve. But after the first painting–which took a record five hours to paint–I successfully adjusted my palette.

By Friday evening everyone had four paintings in the gallery. I felt my work was competent and adequately exhibited my thick style–with perhaps less broken color which I attribute to excessive focus on getting the greens right.

I didn't sell as many paintings as I did in 2010 which was surprising. But such challenges gives us opportunity to review our motivations and methods. I'm not advocating taking counsel from our fears or giving up but setbacks can induce the type of introspection that incites meaningful change.

I embrace the feedback from Door County only to the degree that it confirms my own intuition. Two ways lie before me–retreat to a thinner style with more accurate representation or distance my style even further from conventional plein air technique.

Brad Teare, August 2014

Above: Door County Canopy, 16" x 20", oil on linen, painted en plein air July 22, 2014

Photo courtesy of fellow painter Scott Gellatly

64 Painting Door County

Door County was so beautiful I couldn't resist putting together another video. I once again demonstrate doing a sketch, and using Burnt Sienna to do my initial lay-in of color, two new habits. Also included are a few shots of opening night, which was a lot of fun and very well planned by the staff of the Peninsula School of Art. I was so busy I failed to take a final shot of the painting, so we only see the video which looks washed out. I am always amazed how field shots show very little texture. My footage at the Door County Plein Air Festival tended to be incomplete as I was obviously focused on other issues. But I hope you enjoy seeing a bit more of Door County as much as I enjoyed revisiting the experience.

Brad Teare © 2010

51 Door County Plein Air Festival

A few weeks ago I received an invitation to attend the Door County Plein Air Festival 2010. I was pleased, of course, and after investigating the geographic uniqueness of Door County, Wisconsin, decided to accept the invitation. After the invitees were posted on the festival website I received an e-mail from a previous attendee who is also a reader of this blog. She reassured me that the event was absolutely first-class and that I would enjoy it immensely. Everything I've learned about the festival leads me to the same conclusion.

The festival organizers are incredibly generous and offered me and my wife lodging while attending the seven day festival. Such hospitality is hard to beat and for that reason, and others, we look forward to our visit to Door County. I will be conducting a least one workshop while I'm there. It should be a lot of fun. If you are in the area from July 19 to July 26 I hope you will join me.

Over the last year, due to a hard winter here in Utah, I have focused primarily on studio painting and like an athlete who has dropped out for a few seasons I definitely feel out of shape.

To remedy that I intend to begin an intense regimen of outdoor painting. I hope to fuse some of the things I've learned over the last year in the studio with my former plein air techniques. So over the course of the next two months I will be sharing my plein air experiences with you. I've also asked a few of the best plein air painters in America to share their views and techniques with the readers of Thick Paint.

The first interview will be long-time plein air painter Edward Martinez from Kent, Connecticut. I look forward to learning from such an extraordinary painter. Please feel free to post your questions and comments.

Brad Teare © 2010

62 SKETCHING TO MAINTAIN GOOD DESIGN

MY wife and I recently returned from a plein air festival in Door County, Wisconsin. We had a wonderful time. The event was well planned by the Peninsula School of Art and the beauty of Door County was only matched by the hospitality of our hosts, Alison and Phil.

This video demonstrates a few insights into painting in the field I learned during the festival. Door County had an extremely wet spring this year and capturing the greens was an immense challenge. While this video focuses on using a sketch to maintain good design, a future entry will include several solutions to mixing beautiful greens.

63 What I learned in Door County

PERIODS of intense painting can be extremely productive in advancing painting ability which make plein air festivals, like the one I recently attended in Door County, very productive.This is especially true if the terrain is radically different from what you are accustomed. The lush and humid environs of the Wisconsin Peninsula forced me to break old habits and see things in a new light. Here are some of the things I learned:

GET YOUR GREENS RIGHT

There is no substitute for accuracy when painting greens. The sensitivity of the human eye to greens is more acute than with any other color. If your greens are haphazard or arbitrary viewers can easily detect your slothfulness. So how do you get the greens right? Use lots of red to mellow or soften the high saturation of green. To start a green I usually begin with Thalo Green to which I might add Alizarin Crimson or Cadmium Red. To modify this base I will add Dioxazine Purple to create a shadowy green. To mix a light green I add Cadmium Yellow Deep (a very orange yellow). I use purple and orange to modify my greens because these colors contain a lot of red. If I add Cadmium Yellow Light and Ultramarine Blue (two colors containing little red) I push the green back to a highly saturated green and lose the advantage originally created by graying a base green with complementary red. In Door County I had to radically modify my methods of mixing greens but I found this new procedure to be superior in achieving rich, subtle greens. Paradoxically the more green nuances you can mix the more greens you will see.

DO A SKETCH

One of the best things you can do to create a successful painting is to take the time to do a small thumbnail sketch before starting to paint. The reasons for doing a sketch are to discover a solid composition and lock down the basic design and pattern of the shadows. In a two hour painting session the shadows can change dramatically. By having a sketch as reference throughout the painting session you can ensure the basic design will remain strong. Given the variability of light during a two-hour session there will be moments where you will paint entirely from your sketch.

TRUST YOUR PREPARATION

After preparing the best you can, relax and take your time as you paint. A sense of urgency and haste is antithetical to the creative process. The subconscious mind works best when the body is relaxed and calm. You will always do your best painting when you can muster a sense of profound calm and confidence. Since you have prepared properly allow yourself the luxury of tranquility.


BE FREE TO PAINT MULTIPLE SESSIONS

If the light changes dramatically during a two-hour session don't be afraid to return when the lighting is more to your liking. Doing a two-session painting under similar lighting conditions will allow you more time to make decisions resulting in a superior painting. As long as the paint is still wet there is no downside to extending your painting session. Of course you may run the risk of the paint drying before weather conditions resume. But in most cases extending the painting time to a second session can be extremely beneficial.

PAINT WITH COMMITMENT

Once you have established your composition, your shadow pattern, your pattern of dark and light, stick with it. Don't allow yourself to become derailed by ever-changing shadows and colors. Stay true to the original reason you selected your motif. This discipline will allow you to grow faster even though it may initially appear counterintuitive to the creative process.

NEVER GIVE UP

There are times in every painter's career where it seems you have exhausted your ability to improve. This is a mirage that if believed will detract you from your ability to press forward in a rational, straightforward fashion. Do not take counsel from the weaker aspects of your character but place confidence in your best self and never forget that your potential is inextricably linked to your perseverance.

Brad Teare © 2010

176 New book on Amazon

I have wanted to publish a digital book with Amazon for several months. New developments allowed me to make this happen quickly—Amazon now has a plugin for Adobe inDesign that allows easy conversion from inDesign files to Mobi files (the type necessary to publish on the Kindle).

As the title suggests the book is a collection of 53 paintings along with a handful of woodcuts accompanied by short paragraphs describing the work and in some cases the technique. Be sure to pinch the images to get close-up views of the thick texture. There is a short essay at the end of the book about painting with thick paint.

I made the book so I can view my work in the field. In a month I'll be going to the Door County Plein Air Festival and I find it useful to be able to view a variety of paintings as a means to get into the flow. It's a big confidence booster and I want to give Door County my best effort.

The book is made specifically for viewing on the Kindle reader for the iPhone. I always have my iPhone with me in the field and it should prove very convenient. But the book also works on the Kindle Fire, as well as the Kindle Reader for any Android phone, or PC or Mac computer. It really is a great way to view work away from the studio. If you have a Prime account you can borrow it for free. If you download it I hope you will consider giving it a review.

Many thanks in advance.

Brad Teare—June 2014

61 Mental preparation

LIKE an athlete preparing for a major marathon I have been getting ready for the plein air festival on the peninsula of Door County, Wisconsin. And like many athletes I discovered that the most important preparation is mental. After getting myself worked into a frenzy, worrying about all the incredible artists I would be painting with, some of whom undoubtably paint entirely en plein air, I decided I needed to go back to basics, simplify my process, and stop worrying about competition. Above all I realized that given the highly personal nature of art the only competition is with myself.

Last Wednesday I picked up my painting Road to Eden (see entry 29 Advanced Underpainting 1 of 5) from the Springville Art Museum. As I looked to see if my painting had been included in the catalog I discovered that not only was it included but it had won a merit award as well. It was a well timed confidence booster.

As I went painting last night and came home with a perfectly acceptable painting I noted the changes that occurred in my thinking. First I realized that excessive dependence on formula can cause creative paralysis. Sure, it is good to know certain principles, but there comes a time when these have to be lightly held and not hovering in the forefront of the mind. Second, I have to simplify my process, not make things more complicated in the field. Hone complex painting procedures in the studio, then simplify them, and practice them intuitively in the field. Fourth, there is no substitute for getting the color right. By right I mean achieving a complex and nearly indescribable relationship between value and hue that reflects the color you see but, most importantly, replicates the color relationships seen in the motif. In other words, it is the relationship of color rather than absolute accuracy (which is impossible anyway given the limited nature of paint versus the nearly unlimited nature of light).

Mentally preparing myself was an interesting process, even though I thought I was preparing myself technically. Of course, it had a great deal to do with the fortuitous merit award for which I am grateful, but maybe next time I will understand that the greatest challenges in painting happen within the walls of our own mind.

I will be giving a demonstration of my painting techniques at the Door County Plein Air Festival (July 19-24, 2010). The exact time is yet to be determined but if you are in the area be sure to drop by. For more info call 920-868-3455 or email info@doorcountypleinair.com.

Brad Teare © 2010

157 Return to Door County Plein Air Festival!

I'm pleased to report that I've been invited to the Door County Plein Air Festival again this year. The accompanying image is a field sketch I painted of Cove Point—a picturesque rock outcropping on the East shore of the peninsula. It's an adequate painting but I feel my outdoor work has improved since 2010. In light of such improvement I'm super excited to once again paint the beautiful landscapes of the peninsula. 

In the upcoming months I'll be preparing for the event by sharing improved painting techniques I've developed since the last festival. Painting outside is one of the most daunting tasks any painter can attempt. I hope my ideas will be helpful.

Brad Teare–February 2014

72 First year anniversary

I MENTIONED to my brother Steve that my blog had been on-line for a year. He suggested posting an interview as a way of commemorating Thick Paint's anniversary. Since my brother and I have been bouncing ideas off each other for as long as I can remember I thought it an interesting and potentially productive idea. Here are his questions and my responses:

STEVE TEARE You have a number of Google Followers. Have you ever looked at what they do and where they live? Any stories worth telling?

BRAD TEARE I'm a very private person so I haven't looked too deep into the backgrounds of followers and subscribers. I have been intrigued on occasion by certain photographs of art and checked out the follower's websites. I've been contacted via email by a variety of artists thanking me for posting information about painting and creativity. Recently a writer in Australia wrote that the blog was helpful as she researched a book she is writing. Such emails are very rewarding.

ST There are a few permanent links on your blog. Debra Teare, James Gurney, and a few supply links. Tell us why these are on your blog? Who are these people and places?

BT Debra Teare is my wife and I find her paintings a constant source of inspiration. Her color sense is fantastic and I analyze her color schemes quite a bit. She doesn't paint thickly, in fact she paints quite thinly, but I mention her regularly on the site and felt readers might like a convenient link to her work.

James Gurney was the first artist to showcase Thick Paint on his blog Gurney Journey. Immediately after he linked to my site I had hundreds of hits per hour. That dropped off considerably over the next few weeks but it was enough exposure to give my site a really great launch. In addition to my appreciation for James Gurney's generosity Gurney Journey is a great blog that should be on every artist's favorite blog list.

The Rational Painting site and Tad Spurgeon's website really helped me get a handle on how academic techniques could relate to impressionist painting, which is something I don't think has been fully explored. A lot of my techniques relate directly to what they are doing and they are both fantastic resources.

ST If I google the search phrase Brad Teare, I find you're more than just Mister Thick-Paint. You've experimented in lots of other areas. Like book covers, children's books, comic art, graphic novels, woodcuts, museum exhibits, private art collections, and others. Most of your blog readers don't know these different aspects. Do you think it would upset them to know you're so diverse? They normally only see a serious slice of your interests.

BT We live in an age dominated by specialists. I do think it might be confusing to some that I have roots in so many diverse fields. But since I obviously didn't edit out this question maybe I'm finally ready to own up to my past. A lot of what I did in the past doesn't seem that relevant. For example, I never thought my work in animation had much relevance except as a great preparation for my illustration career. But now that you pose the question it might be useful, especially for younger artists, to reflect on how artists evolve and progress. It is particularly important for young artists to understand that meaningful art is mostly a product of hard work and not necessarily of genius. I've been very conscious of young artists as I've created this blog so maybe it's time to acknowledge my roots. I will definitely reflect on this theme (maybe it will appear in a future blog).

ST You rely on video quite a bit to communicate on your blog. Do your blog visitors enjoy these most? Or do you think there's a fair number who get into the read, too?

BT There's no doubt that my videos draw the most attention. I think a lot of people have discovered my blog via YouTube and I suspect a lot of YouTube subscribers don't bother with the essays. But I hope that the two mediums complement each other. I try to edit out any redundancy. A lot of people do creative work on the computer and they're able to listen to videos while they work so the videos have that advantage. There's no doubt that a part of the genius of YouTube is its incredible search engine. I can monitor how viewers discover my site and the accuracy of the search engine is amazing. I take my hat off to YouTube.

ST You've been blogging for over a year with Thick Paint. You've had success where others have failed. Why do you think your blog traffic is good?

BT I really have no idea how my site compares to other sites. And, of course, success is relative. But much to my surprise the site has attracted nearly 100,000 visitors. That is far more than I ever imagined. I attribute the high traffic mostly to the YouTube portal. Other than that I think people respond to my practical, straightforward approach, an approach that might be hard to find in some art schools.

ST What do you feel are some of the rewards of producing the Thick Paint blog? And how about the downside? Any negatives?

BT The biggest reward for me has been how filming and writing about painting has clarified my thinking. I now know what I want to do with my painting, or a least much more so than a year ago. It's difficult to describe how writing about process clarifies your thinking but it definitely has happened. What remains for me now is to harness that insight and create a body of work that reflects that clarity. As far as negatives go, I can't really think of any except that occasionally the filming process for some reason inhibits my concentration. It doesn't happen often and if it does I just stop filming. Most of the time the filming just gets intertwined in the creative process. Sometimes the editing process gets too lengthy. But lately I've been trying to film so I have less editing to do.

ST Have you had any surprises or serendipity with Thick Paint?

BT I am fairly confident I was invited to the Door County Art Festival due to my blog. And due to my participation in Door County I was invited to exhibit at the Marshall LaKae Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. That was a convoluted and extremely satisfying series of serendipity for which I'm grateful. My detour into encaustics has been a huge surprise and only possible due to previous discoveries, many of which occurred on the videos.

ST Has reader response been helpful in the creation of new blog ideas?

BT Yes, readers have often prompted follow-up essays and videos. I appreciate both the gratitude readers express as well as their questions, comments, and suggestions. I've had readers recommend books that proved quite interesting as well as offering variations on technique. Recently I read an intriguing book entitled The Rational Optimist that basically related how all advances are due to a cross-pollination of ideas. I hoped that Thick Paint could be such a vehicle, although I'm certainly striving to magnify that role.

ST If Thick Paint had a manifesto, what would it say?

BT The manifesto might be The history of painting begins now. Back in the 90s there were scores of essays with titles like The End of Art, The End of Painting, The End of Beauty, or other such nonsense. I had a college professor who basically said to me everything in impressionist painting had been discovered 100 years ago. That just didn't ring true. In fact it sounded a lot like scientists in the past who claimed that every innovation had already been discovered. There is something shockingly small-minded about such a declaration. Yet I also knew that the great majority of painters were churning out images far too similar to what we'd seen in the past. But I know that innovation is still possible. I'm not claiming that my work is outrageously innovative. But Thick Paint is a small attempt to be a part of what I suspect will be the beginning of a very innovative era. There's no better way to share information than the Internet and I think it will revolutionize painting as ideas increasingly cross-pollinate.

ST You created a lot of blog content in December 2009 right after you started Thick Paint. Where did you find all the energy?

BT I did create a lot of content initially and am not sure how I did it except to say I seemed to be on automatic pilot. I'm really a very introverted person. So for me to essentially invite dozens of people into my studio was pretty nerve shattering. Had I known it would be thousands of people watching the videos I'm not sure it would have made any difference. Once I got the idea I just had to do it. I had to see where it would lead. As you've noticed the frequency of videos and essays has diminished quite a bit so the initial burst of energy has tapered off. But I still have a list of great topics I hope to write about and film so I hope in time they'll make it onto the blog.

Brad Teare © 2011

221: Creative Bucket List

Swallow's Nest Rock, Pen and Ink, 14" x 12"

I was intrigued by a recent blog entry by Lori Woodward expressing frustration with the current art market. In the article she describes a radical shift in her career. She suggested that rather than pursue the usual path for artists–find galleries and hope they believe in your work and promote you–she will be pursuing a different path; a less aggressive strategy of pursuing a creative bucket list.

I like the idea. To cease striving to get into galleries, shows, and events is a refreshing idea. Is it possible that the minutiae of art marketing actually distracts artists? Would a more project oriented model serve artists better? In her article Woodward reflects on the oft-heard but depressing suggestion that artists spend 50% of their time with business promotion. Is it possible that such advice becomes a self-defeating burden for many artists?

In my approach to my career I’ve always been more project oriented. Plus I have an eclectic skill set that is hard to sell following traditional business models. Devising projects to accomplish seems a more productive path than the interminable and seemingly trivial detail of typical business solutions. Now that the idea of a project oriented career occurs to me it seems obvious that artists need to pursue a radically different business model than typically suggested.

As a way to shift from the typical business model to project oriented promotion I’m starting a Creative Project Bucket List. Here’s my list so far:

Get a large acrylic into the Salmagundi Club Acrylic show.

Visit museums in England with J. M. W. Turner paintings.

Visit Scotland with the express purpose of collecting sketches and photos to create an exhibit of large acrylic realist paintings. Have a one man show on return.

Be a guest artist at the Golden Colors artist residency.

Have a one man show at my Alma Mater, The University of Idaho, covering all facets of my artistic journey.

Get a return invitation to The Door County Plein Air Festival. But this time do plein air pen and ink drawings in addition to paintings, and possibly a woodcut or two.

Do a Thick Paint workshop in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Participate in the Florence Abstract Biennial.

Get a return invitation to The Maynard Dixon Studio for another week long artist residency.

Go to Antarctica for two weeks. In the tradition of 19th century exploration create a series of sketches, woodcuts, landscape paintings, and abstracts while blogging and posting video accounts of the experience. Upon return mount an exhibit in conjunction with The Leonardo (a museum dedicated to the exploration of art and science).

Visit Iceland and paint a series of realist acrylics of rocks, ice, and sea and give a woodcut workshop while there.

Teach art at least one semester at Southern Virginia University

Will I accomplish all these goals? Possibly not. But I like the list because it energizes me to contemplate the possibilities. Conversely when I think about contacting galleries and buying ads in magazines and all the other ideas suggested by art marketing gurus I feel depleted.

As artists we need to be as creative in our careers as we are with our art. If a business approach seems out of harmony with who we are we need to find a more authentic solution.

Brad Teare–March 2015

163 Why collect art?

The deadline for my ad for the Door County Plein Air Festival booklet is at hand. Once again I feel inadequate to describe why potential collectors should buy my paintings. I believe in my artistic project but how do I communicate that passion to collectors?

Via the ad I have an opportunity to connect with potential collectors beyond simply showing paintings at the central venue during the festival. Everyone will get a booklet and a chance to see my ad. It's an opportunity to tell my story to many people in a way I probably won't be able to do on an individual basis.

As you can see in the accompanying image I chickened out and let my painting do the talking—although in conjunction with the ad I plan to write a compelling blog entry I hope some will read via the QR code. In the entry I will elaborate my painting philosophy, mention a few prestigious venues where my art has been seen, and add a photo so festival goers will recognize me. But will the QR link make connections not made with the ad?

The inability to effectively connect with buyers is a traditional struggle for artists. Many–including myself—wish for a world where we wouldn't have to actively sell our work. But in yearning for a different world we miss a salient point—artists must provide compelling reasons to collect our work.

Art is communication and the responsibility for clear communication sits squarely on our shoulders. Yet when it is time to write ad copy for my own ads I'm still at a loss to describe why potential collectors are enriched by buying my paintings. Many assume the sole reasons for purchasing paintings are the visual aspects of the painting itself. But we fail as artists when we can't communicate why collectors should hang original art on the walls of their homes. Perhaps it's time to collectively articulate the unspoken, intuitive reasons to collect art.

Brad Teare April 2014

182 Getting Greens Right (remix)

I recently did a remix of the popular Getting Greens Right (over 120,000 views). This version is available for free on the Gbox platform, a venue that not only has a great future, but will soon be a fusion of a blog and a YouTube style website. Let me know what you think of Gbox.

To the right is a plein air painting I painted from Sister Bay during the Door County Plein Air Festival in Wisconsin. I painted all my paintings during the festival in the frame which were covered in plastic wrap. After the painting was completed and ready to hang I removed the plastic. The wire hangers were already in place. It worked well although I want to modify the idea for future festivals.



Brad Teare–July 2014