Shoemaker's Forms

My partner Paul found these in a market in Argentina. They are for a child's shoe, the mark says size 6. I love the feel of old tools like this, I get a sense of connection with the persons whose craft went into making and using them. This is the first painting I did at the Peter Van Dyck workshop I blogged about last time. This painting is actually oil on treated illustration board, a different surface for me. I enjoyed using it, it grips the paint, and invites a looser, more free brush stroke.

I apologize for going so long between posts! My desktop computer blew up just before we left for our painting trip to Denali National Park, so when I got back I had the task of recovering what data I could and getting set up with something new. I decided to switch to an IMac, which was difficult at first, but I don't regret it one bit! My photo editing software took forever to get here, but it arrived today, so I am back to the blog. Thanks for your patience!

9" x 12" oil on linen panel

To purchase, contact me at info@carollambertarts.com
$410 plus shipping, unframed

Workshop with Peter Van Dyck

While I was in Seattle last month I attended a wonderful seminar at Gage Academy with visiting instructor Peter Van Dyck. Links to see some of his work are here and here. He emphasized basic concepts rather than any particular technique, so I can apply what we learned not only to still life, but also to landscape, interiors, and figures. He also showed us some neat, simple tools to make for ourselves to help with drawing and composition.


Painting by Peter Van Dyck


Here is one of his demo pieces. He is interested in the flow of energy across the picture plane, and in using values to both connect and differentiate big areas of the painting. His approach to drawing is to work toward accuracy gradually, both by trusting one's eye, and by also using tools to measure the angles, connections, and masses as they really occur in the composition.

His tools are simple and easy to use. Here's how he measures the comparative size of different elements: he doesn't hold up his thumb or a pencil, he holds up a measuring tape! He uses a viewfinder to double check all the angles, and also a simple device like calipers, made of two long pieces of wood he holds up to his eye. When I got home my buddy Paul made me a set.

Next post I will show some of my work from the class, but for now my PC is down and I am using Paul's. Also, we are heading out to Denali next week where I will paint some Big plein aire. I hope to have something worth posting in a few weeks.

Finally, the Veg Van

Actually the van project was completed a while ago, but I was out of town for the last 3 weeks so today I saw it for the first time! Glad that it is out there glamorizing the world of vegetables. I hope people take it in, even if only with peripheral vision, and think about going to get some really good veggies.

More posts soon. Just now am still trying to unpack!