Happy Valentine's Day!

"C.I."

Watercolor on Arches, 22x30"

A 'Special Delivery' for a Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.  Send this card on to a friend.

Best, Fayrene  

WOULD YOU LIKE A FREE CRITIQUE OF YOUR PAINTING?

Critique for an oil Painting sent to me by Eileen

I am continuing to give 'free critiques' for paintings sent to me via e-mail to: fayrene@charter.net

Eileen:  I wonderd about the composition in the front part of the painting? Something just is not happening there.

Fayrene: You have chosen a lovely palette of color and a challenging perspective which makes the piece compelling to the viewer.

1.  Try replacing the blue road with a fence that is is obscured from view behind grass and brush as we ascend the hill. The blue pulls your eye and wants to become the center of attention.

2. Next, define the bottom tree in the second cascade from the right, and the large yellowish tree at the bottom left. If you define these two areas with more seperate areas of color and values, as well as brushstroke rhythm, you will create a 

push-pull' focus of attention to hold the viewer in the center of the painting.

Some great painters to look at for studying brushstroke rhythm: Joquin Sorolla (1863-1923) - one of my all time favorites, and these contemporary painters: C.W. Mundy and Richard Schmid. All vary their brushstrokes, paint loosely with a great deal of rhythm and feeling for the subject.  Hope this helps.  Best Fayrene

Would You Like a Free Painting Critique? I’ll be happy to help the first 15 who respond. fayrene@charter.net

One of my former students, Donna, sent me the following e-mail regarding her painting shown here "Steel Magnolia":

Donna:  Fayrene,  thought you might give me some advice on this painting I just finished....the bottom flower to the left draws the eye OUT of the picture and I recognize that's not a good thing. But I can't figure out what to do that will bring the eye back and yet keep a lighter corner (for variety) in the painting. Do you see a solution that might help me and enhance this painting?

Fayrene:  1.  It's always best to put the center of interest in your painting at least a little off of center. On your next painting, try dividing your canvas into 3 equal portions both vertically and horizontally.  This will give your canvas 9 equally sized squares.  It's then easier to see where you might want to place the center of interest.  2. Consider making each of the surrounding blossoms a different size.

NOW TO YOUR QUESTION...Both blossoms on the left of the painting are pointing outward, thus directing the viewers eye out the left side of the canvas. Try pointing the one on the bottom IN toward the central blossom and softening the definition of the top left blossom....also soften the top edges of the leafs in the right hand corner. If you add a little more variety in color to the shadows of the central blossom and enrich the values so they are a little brighter than those of the other blossoms and leafs, it will 'take the spotlight'...a warmer, brighter pink-yellow place close to just below the left/center of the featured blossom will help attract the eye and hold it.  

Thanks for letting me critique your painting.

Happy New Year!

Wanted to catch the last of the Fall colors before the next storm blew thru. It's the afternoon before New Years' on the Bob Jones Trail along the San Luis Obispo Creek. The weather was mild - in mid 60's, with a lot of people using the trail as they walked and rode their bikes to the beach and back. Working from my quick color study of the previous day I did a more complete composition for a final studio painting. Lots of good cheer among the passerbyes as we all looked forward to the New Year. Let's hope it's a good one. Happy painting!.

20% Donation to Land Conservancy - 3 paintings

"Golden Gift", 5x7" oil on canvas board, Color Study Fall colors along the Bob Jones Trail

"Graves Creek", 5x7" oil on Canvas Board, color study

"Fall Treasures", 5x7" Oil on Canvas Board
Sycamore leaf in a rain puddle

All three pieces are $25. each plus $8. US Priority Mail Shipping. 20% of the sales price will be donated to the San Luis Obispo
Land Conservancy. Contact the artist to purchase.

"Summer Treasures"

20x16" oil on Stretched Canvas

A beautiful flower from my patio I'm really proud of, a good book, strawberries from the garden, a little local wine and one of my favorite treasures, ....an abalone shell.  I can't really see the bay from our house, but put my imagination to work, opened a pretend window and let the summer breeze blow in.  Used a really thick impasto palette knife technique on the flowers.

I just took it to display at the Judith Hale Gallery in Los Olivos.  Go in and say hi!.

From My Tiny Kitchen Garden

My little garden is blooming with delicious vegies. Chard, New Zealand spinach, red leaf lettuce, yellow cucumbers,  and the tiniest of sweet tomatoes. The gophers gave us a chase, but we're now using "Earth Boxes", and do they ever produce. Save a lot of water and weeding time too. There are so many tomatoes in the tomatoe Earth Box, I'm having a hard time picking them. The mid size and larger ones are yet to come. Next to painting and the ocean, I love growing some food. 'You can take the girl off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the girl'. Happy Summer.

Quick Draw in Los Olivos Last Saturday

It was a great day!  Wonderful weather and a grand attendance.  

The framed painting is "Winter Tides" a painting I did of the south end of Avila Beach and had it on display.

The two small paintings were what I worked on.

A value and color study of the San Luis  Lighthouse.

This is an event much looked forward to by a lot of collectors, and the auction seemed to go well.

If you didn't make it this year, try for next.

A New Gallery Represents My Art

Limited Edition Giclee, "Anticipation", 16x20" framed $600.
Seaside Gallery Pismo Beach, 580 Cypress Street, N-4
Boy, am excited! Their emphasis is the Coast, and I
love the beach better than any other environment. The Seaside Gallery’s goal is to ‘become the finest gallery between Carmel and Malibu’. They’re well on their way. The owners Tom and Sherie are warm, friendly and helpful as is their manager Eileen.....just like us old Californians remember it being when you walked into some place new. They make you feel at home. The art is fantastic...check out the florals of Brian Davis. I first met him 30 years ago (yikes, that’s a long time) when we were both first starting to show our works at the large, national trade shows. Seaside Gallery is exhibiting my ocean scenes, coastal landscapes and close coastal hills as well as my sculpture.
Go in and say hi, and mention my name. "Anticipation" is available at Seaside Gallery in Pismo Beach.

Color Study- North Avila Beach

Carried my little 3# Gorilla Painting Box down to the beach the other evening to do this value study. It was a little after 6 pm and the tide was low. Pelicans were just coming around the chalk cliffs thru Shell Beach and cruising for dinner. The Cormorants were sitting on the rocks sunning their water soaked feathers as the sun hit them closer and closer to horizontal. What a peaceful half hour. I’ll be painting it soon. First the color study, then the full blown piece for SLOPE’s show at the San Luis Obispo Lighthouse.
To enjoy the sounds of the surf while viewing this value study to to my new web site and click on "Art To You Blog". Under archive you'll see and hear Avila Beach. www.fayreneparrish.com

North Avila Beach - Color Study

Oil on Canvas Board, 6 x 8"
$100.
The morning started off foggy, but cleared quickly and I was able to get this almost done. It's a small study and I was using my new Gorilla Pochade box. What a delight it is. However, a whole group of us were panting as well as neighbors and friends walking by, so had to finish at home. I gave a demo that afternoon to the group on "The Secret Lives of Our Old Friends - Values". We all had a great day, and will be doing more paintouts together. Hooray!

"The Prayer"

11x14" Oil on canvas
palette knife technique

This painting is a demo I did recently to not only show the things you can do with a palette knife, but also to show the difference between the mist filled background hills and the brightly lighted gazebo with dappled foreground shadows. It is a location at the Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort.

Before the class began their paintings, I led them in a relaxation meditation to ‘center’ them and to demonstrate a method for getting into the ‘zone’ of concentration for painting. It was extremely interesting to see the results of their paintings when they relaxed their control and relaxed into the ‘zone’.

After I took the painting home, I continued to play with it, and realized that the gazebo and setting was beginning to look more and more like a place I go in my mind’s eye when I meditate and pray.

So....because it answered my prayer to be able to share this aspect of relaxing into the painting ‘zone’ with my students successfully, and because it looks like one of my mind’s favorite places, I’ve called it “The Prayer”.

"Let's Go Painting"

Some of my students and friends will be heading down to the beach next week to paint the coastline as it heads into Port San Luis Obispo. We'll be working on this scene. After lunch, I'll be giving a short demo "The Secret Lives of Our Old Friends - Values"
Here's the value study I did of the above site. I used my new 6x8" Gorilla Pochade box for the first time. It's great! Just sat on a rock with the easel box on my lap and sketched away.  You cn see other sizes and more about this great little portable easel at:  www.JudsonsPleinAir.com

I Have A new "Art to You Blog"

 It is part of my new web site at www.fayreneparrish.com. When you get to my website, just click on "Fayrene Parrish - Art To You Blog". All my future postings will be listed there. This blog your are reading will remain for reference. YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEW BLOG THRU YOUR FAVORITE RSS.

"Great White Egret"

11 x 14" Oil on Canvas
These elegant birds are just entering their mating season and as a result are starting to show longer, feathering head and tail dressings. I’m lucky to watch them along the”Bob Jones Trail” running along the San Luis Creek near our home.

$150., purchase by contacting artist. (10% will be donated to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo)

"Intimate Painting Workshop" in FRANCE, 2009

I've been invited to present my "Intimate Painting Workshop" next Spring in France. It will be limited to only 6 students.....Rhone Valley, and includes Lodging, 3 gourmet meals a day. We will be chauffeured to a new location for art painting or drawing each day....9 days from arrival to departure. Contact me now if you would like more information or would like to be put on the list at
fayrene@charter.net, or click on my e-mail listing above to be taken directly to me mail.

Palette Knife Demo for Art Club

This is the finished painting "Break of Spring Along The Bob Jones Trail"

Today I gave an oil painting demonstration to the El Camino Art Club in Arroyo Grande on oil painting - "Palette Knife Technique". Following are the photos of the step by step process and the steps written out follow. Let me know what you think.







1. On a toned stretched canvas I sketched in the basic layout
2. (Using a palette knife only throughout the painting), I next laidd in the sky
3. Laid in the far bank bushes and trees - basic shapes only.
4. Laid in foregound creek bank.
5. Used 'color shaper' (rubber tipped tool to remove color from the egret.
6. Sky was sticky enough now to lay in clouds
7. Using various greens, shaped far bank bushes and created some trees.
8. Darkened shadow cast immediately under far bank.
9. Applied variety of blues and blue-greens to stream
10. Brought in tree branches from far right of painting and added apple blossoms and blossom buds.
11. Tuned details and added 'fiddleneck flowers'.

Try it out and let me know what happens.

Exciting News!

I've been invited to teach my "Intimate Oil Painting Workshop" in France next Spring, May 2009! More news and information to follow. But only 6 students, so sign up early.
Also, changing to a new computer system, so will be off air for a few days. I have high hopes the new system will resolve so many of my computer problems. Talk soon.

Activity Calendar, 2008

Hope you can joing me for some of the following. For more information, go to my web site at
www.fayreneparrish.com

March 15 - “Ladies First” - Judith Hale Gallery, Los Olivos, Ca.

May 8 & 9 - First “Intimate Oil Paint Workshop in Avila Beach
(every other week 2 sessons every other week

May 22 & 23 - Second session of “Intinmate Oil Paint Workshop in Avila Beach

June 5 & 6 - Third and last session of “Intimate Oil Paint Workshop in
Avila Beach

August 16 - Quick Draw” - Los Olivos, Ca.

September 21 - SLOPE Fundraiser for San Luis Lighthouse, Avila Beach

September 20 - Oct 4 Cortona Italy, Workshops: Palette Knife en Plein Air Painting,
Sculpture in Clay - “Building Large Without Armatures ,and Bas Relief”

November 29 - Judith Hale Holiday Show, Los Olivos

"Amaryllis I & II"

Original Watercolors
9-1/2x 18-1/2
on 300# Arches
Buy Now for
$125 each or $200. the pair
fayrene@charter.net




(to enlarg the photo, simply click on it with your mouse)
In the winter, it's sometimes hard to find bright, cheerful flowers. Amaryllis are one of my favorites. Their bright, cheerful faces lift the spirits and seem to say 'Spring is on the way'. They make a great pair. I've painted them on the highest quality archival, 100% rag, 300 pound paper. Shipped via UPS 2nd day air for $18.
Buy now, or take your chance on eBay. If the link doesn't work, send mme your bid. I'm having trouble with 'links' today. Thanks, Fayrene

New Oil Painting Workshop for Spring 2008

I will be teaching what I call an "Intimate Oil Painting Workshop" this Spring. It's 'intimate' because it's strictly limited to 6 participants. We will meet for 2 days every other week for 3 session, giving the participants time to absorb, practice and be full of energy for the next 2 day session. It will be held in my hometown, Avila Beach. We will be covering the 3 'C's - color, composition and content as applied to still life and plein air. Palette Knife Painting will be part of the sessions. The full details and registration information can be found by clicking on "Intimate Oil Painting Workshop" listed under "Direct Links" on the right hand side of my blog page or at my website www.fayreneparrish.com and selecting 'news and events' at the menu bar on top of the home page. We will begin in May. If you can't make this one, join us in Tuscany this Fall.

Happy New Year!

Hope all of you are enjoying the New Year. I've been off line for a couple of months but now have a 'new look'. I've decided to change from a 'daily' blog to one that shows all my work as well as some painting and sculpture instruction. I have also opened an eBay store. You can reach it by clicking on the link to it in th "Direct Link"s column on the right of your screen when your on the blogsite (http://fayrene-parrish.blogspot). Check it out if your looking for a gift or something for your home or office. Good buys there. Here's an interesting thought someone sent me:
"A ball is a circle, no beginning, no end. It keeps us together like our Circle of Friends. But the treasure inside for you to see is the treasure of friendship you've granted to me. Today I pass the friendship ball to you. Pass it on to someone who is a friend to you."

"Center Stage"

24x36" Oil on canvas
This painting may be purchased at Judith Hale Gallery 'South' in Los Olivos, California

Finished this painting last week, let it set up - palette knife paintings take at least a year to fully dry, and then sprayed with retouch varnish. I delivered it last Wednesday in a lovely gold leaf frame that is 5" wide.
The San Luis River/stream passes thru down town San Luis Obispo and by the Mission, meandering South along the old El Camino Real Highway until it reaches Avila Valley, where it makes a right hand turn flowing west into the Bay and Port San Luis Bay.

I've tried to imagine the stories that must have unfolded along this part of the stream. We know the first settlers followed it, and I'm sure the native Chumash tribes must have treasured this area. There are several hot springs here. The weir was built to keep the salt water tides from flowing upstream and entering the wells there.

The Bob Jones biking/hiking trail now follows the stream to the ocean. It's quite close to where I live, and in the mornings, a beautiful light flows through the oaks. There are always ducks, herons or egrets paddling or standing patiently. The deer come down for a drink as do other furry cretures -including bobcats and an occasional Mountain Lion. It's like a well lit stage with a never ending drama.

Morning Light

Oil on Canvas
24x36", palette knife
technique

SOLD
Just finished this painting and it is drying now ready for delivery. Some folks came by to pick up a painting they had purchased from my blog and saw this almost completed on my easel and purchased it. How perfect is that! Busy now with other large paintings, so not many small paintings going up on the blog. Have a one woman show in September and a group show coming, plus promised pieces to my gallery. In addition my sister just left after a wonderful visit and work has begun on a room remodel that sits just across a very small yard from my studio. Very noisy now, and hard to get to my painting space. However, I feel very fortunate and thank God every day for my blessings.
My donation piece to The Friends of Carrizo sold for a handsome price on eBay. Thanks to all of you who support them and my projects.

"Carrizo Glory"

11x14" Oil on Canvas

Sold!
Click "Place Bid" or you can Purchase it now for $95. by sending me an e-mail, fayrene@charter.net.
Bid at ebay.com - Search for Fayrene Parrish
Donation - entire sales price will be donated to "Friends of Carrizo". The Mission of the Friends of the Carrizo Plain is to support the managing partners in the Education, Interpretation, and Conservation of the unique resources of the Carrizo Plain National Monument.
Carrizo Plain is a one of th Nation's newest National Monuments. The wildflowers in the spring are glorious, but it is also home to many endangered species. The scene in this painting is on the road over the Tremblor Mountains. You can actually see the San Andreas fault running through the West side of them. And - Antelope actually still play here. BID A LOTS! IT'S A GLORIOUS PLACE.
Thanks for your generosity.

"Morning Walk"

10x12" Oil on Board
Entire Sale Donated to Woods Humane Society

Please access www.eBay.com to bid search for Fayrene Parrish, "Morning Walk" or item number 260139620238
I will ship to the highest bidder via US Priority Mail. Entire selling price will be donated to Woods Humane Society.
Painted at East-West Ranch in Cambria, Californina. Bid lots! Woods tries very hard to find good homes for it's animals and never puts them down. Thanks for your generosity.Fayrene

Delivery to Gallery Successful....

The frame molding for "Old Friend" is 5" wide, adding 10" each side to the 24x30" canvas. It just barely fit into the back of my car. Piled around it were various bags of stones and pumps for two "Friar Tobey" fountains.
"Old Friend"

Sold!

is the title I chose for the painting I was showing the various painting stages through the last few blogs.

"China Cove, Hanging Gardens" (in Pt. Lobos Park) went along also with a 3 1/2" frame molding so it's outside dimensions are 32x25". And, yes, the water is that turquoise color. It's ice cold though, and the clear day with spring blossoms happen only once in a blue moon.
They are all available for purchase at the Judith Hale Gallery in Los Olivos in her South Gallery next to the Post office. Click on her website in the left hand column of this blog under 'Direct Links'.

Sculpting & Painting...

"Friar Tobey", a bronze fountain piece is having his stone sitting foundation built. A small flurry of sculpture sales has had me scurring all over the county. Foundry, rock yards and to the hardware store for fountain pumps. All this had to be squeezed in between painting and framing. The paintings are large and going to the galleries (as are the sculptures). My small sized paintings for the daily blog have suffered as a result, but to make up for it I will post the large paintings completed over the next few days. I've also readied some paintings to be sold with full price donated to my non-profits listed on the left. I'll post them here for sale with a click thru to eBay. "Friar Tobey's sitting stones are hand selected to fit his position and the fountain bowl size. He's cooling his feet in the fountain's water after his day long walk between missions along the El Camino Real. You can purchase him at the Judith Hale Gallery in Los Olivos. The purchase price includes the bowl, fountain and sitting stones. He's about 12" tall. The bowl is
20" across. $2,100.

View from San Luis Lighthouse

$125. 9x12, Canvas Board
Palette Knife technique

Sold!

Gorgeous day at the Lighthouse! Our painting group, SLOPE will be doing a fund raiser for the Lighthouse,and this was our first day painting. Arrived about noon and by 1 pm the wind was blowing about 20 knots. Blew the paint right off my palette knife onto a passerby who happened to be my husband. Landed on his camera bag and spread to the entire right side of his pants. Yikes!- he was a walking permanent green. You can see the wind billowing up my blouse. Had trouble keeping the palette knife steady as I approached the canvas.


40% of the sales price of this painting will be donated to the Lighthouse Keepers restoration fund. You can go to their website by clicking on their name in my 'Non-Profits' I donate to column on the right top of this page.

Continuing the Demo.....

I've defined the leaf masses now....using about 8 or more colors of green. Also defined the limbs, trunks and starting to shape the grasses. The road has been put in. This is a large area to cover and is absorbing a lot of paint (and time!). Didn't get as far as I thought today. Many interruptions by our scheduled tree trimmer. Sorry about the glare on the palette knife applications. Tried to get around it, but it was too late in the day.
Here is the painting I did with Carol Swinney in Carmel, with a cat added. Sorry, it's sold.

From Our Vacation.....

Shelby and moi enjoying our beautiful Pacific coast.

We didn't go far...just up to Carmel Monterey Bay area. We found a wonderful 'Dog Friendly' inn to stay - "Carmel Valley Lodge", in Carmel Valley. Our dog Shelby accompanied us into the office when we arrived and they had a bag of cookie bones (tied with a ribbon) with her name on it. They were so gracious and welcoming, and the rooms were wonderful. The grounds fantastic - beautiful pool, hot tub and sauna, breakfast room - beautiful landscaping - in fact I'll be painting some of the scenes I took with camera while there. We will definately be going back and highly recommend it to one and all pet and non-pet travelers.

The weather around the bay was clear and beautiful. I stayed at the lodge one day with Shelby and zoned out at the pool. Ted took his camera to Pt. Lobos (no dogs allowed, even in cars) and came back with sensational photos. Some of the spots in the Park look like tropical paradises on a clear day. Here's a photo I took at Pt. L. took over a year ago. Nothing as good as my very talented husband got. I had been up there the year before painting with one of the countries best palette knife painters - Carol Swinney. She graciously invited me to come up and paint with her. What an opportunity! Here's a photo of her painting in Carmel Valley. We both painted the same view. I added a cat to mine....fortune smiled on us - she sold her's immediately, and I the next month at The Judith Hale Gallery in Los Olivos.

NEWS FROM THE STUDIO- I've been on vacation!

The lack of posts on my blog must make that pretty obvious. It's wonderful to be free of deadlines and committments, but now I'm back in the studio. I have a one-woman show coming up in a couple of months and will need some larger paintings than I've done for a while. I've started a 24x30" canvas depicting a valley in our neighborhood. I have a small 5x7 canvas I'm working from done at the end of spring, just as the hills were turning golden. I'm taking a little license with it, but not too much. I'd like to document it here for those of you who have been asking painting instruction questions.
1. I tone the canvas - in this case with yellow ochre
2. I divide the canvas into quarters, horizontally and vertically - using those squares as guides to transfer the painting. I used burnt sienna to draw the image.
3. The picture above shows the first drawi-in. I'm not happy with the top of the old oak tree, so changed it to this. This is better. The tree now looks like the canvas hasn't sat on it's head.
4. I lay in the beginnings of the trees, using a black green first - with a brush - to build my other and lighter greens on as I begin to shape the clumps of growth with my palette knife. The tulip canvas is 5x7.
I'll continue Tuesday after my just arriving house guests depart. Have a great weekend - and Happy Father's Day!

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." Marcel Proust