Finding Puffins

Say the word "Puf' fin" out loud. Now say it again with more enthusiasm-PUFF-F inn-n. And visuals of Julie Andrews twirling on a mountain top come to mind...These puffin water birds defy both gravity and sentimentality. They are wise and the entertainers of the bird world. I spent an enjoyable Saturday morning painting their habitat at Como Zoo and little glimpses of them too.

At least I remember that it was overall enjoyable. Remember how I was lamenting in the last post about how human models suffer nerve damage by standing in awkward positions for extended periods of time for art? Well, I forgot to mention just how wacky plein-aire painters are: I was kneeling for 2-1/2 hours on cement with a cushion of fleece jacket under my knees and still called it great fun. The split view I painted of the exhibit tank required that I be lower than the birds. Other painters would never admit to these bouts of insanity for art. These are our secrets....

Please note instructor extraordinaire, Richard Abraham, in "Followers" section. Visit his painting a day to see how its really done.

Juxtaposition Penguins

As a student of art, drawing is the basis of ALL successful results. We spend a great deal of time drawing the human figure. The class with a naked model is called something like "life drawing" and although the title is cloaked with encryption, the model is not. Now you would think that modeling for artists is an easy job. It is not! The professionals (and, yes, there are aging models who indeed make a living taking the bus around town to drawing co-ops to disrobe) suffer from a multitude of maladies including hip problems and nerve damage from standing motionless in a variety of awkward positions for up to 20 minutes for the love of art.

That brings us to plein-aire painters who cannot comfortably paint in temps below 9 degrees F. We seek an indoor experience in these sorts of temperatures and what could be better than the Como Zoo? After a tour of the zoo, it was decided that the models for the day would be penguins (puffins with wild-Einstein-hair moved too fast). At least it seemed like a good idea. They were unpredictable, they needed frequent swimming breaks, and their shape is unlike anything I have ever drawn in "quick-draw" style before. Think about it: bird skeletons in a bag. But there were no animals harmed for science and they certainly did not suffer the ills of nerve damage like their human counterparts.

First Post

Decided to start putting my recent paintings on-line for family and friends to follow my painting journey. It feels a bit like wearing a bathing suit to a dinner party, but let's jump in the water and have a go at it...

I frequently paint on Saturdays at Bruce Vento Park and this is one of my favorites from last summer. My intent is to post a new painting every week.