Painting the Park. Happy 100th birthday to National Park Service!

"Never Tired" 12 x 36 oil on canvas by Kathryn Turner

My life and art have been profoundly shaped by growing up on the Triangle X Ranch, surrounded by the magnificent beauty of Grand Teton National Park. This summer marks the 90th anniversary of the Turner Family having had the opportunity to live and work on the ranch. Since as early as I can remember, I would take in the unprecedented views that we enjoy of the Teton Mountains, and I’d become spellbound. I needed to find a way to express my heartfelt response this quiet grandeur. It was early on that I learned that I wished to communicate this love through the medium of paint. In this way, my painting is a love-letter to Grand Teton National Park.

Kathryn painting en plein air in Grand Teton National Park  

Photographer: Latham Jenkins (@lathamJenkins)

The 90th anniversary of the ranch coincides with the 100th Anniversary of the National Park System. This enactment of the US Congress, to set aside land for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people, was a novel idea. Because of it we have Yosemite, Mount Rainier, Mesa Verde, and Rocky Mountain National Park. 

"Thermal Spectrum" 11 x 14 (detail) by Jennifer Hoffman

I share this love of the National Park System with my artist partners at Trio Fine Art. We all gain inspiration from the lands it protects.

“I love how vast and subtle our parks are. I know Grand Teton and Yellowstone best, but even in Arches or the Badlands, Point Reyes or the Everglades, the magic is in looking beyond the obvious. My friend Kerry Butler had a chance to visit Grand Teton [National Park] and Yellowstone National Park recently. He told me, ‘...the real magic is in the the little things. The things that only you and your traveling partners might get to witness. I wish every day that I had the time/opportunity to be there more often; pull over to the side of the road, get out and see what happens if I just hang around for a little while.’  That is what our national parks offer us. That is exactly what I love sharing through my artwork.

I love knowing that these lands are preserved so that my daughter and future generations will be able to have the same experience of wildness and beauty that I enjoy.” 

- Jennifer Hoffman

"In the West" 12 x 12 oil on linen by Bill Sawczuk

Bill Sawczuk’s introduction to the National Parks came in 1972 during a motorcycle trip around the country. He eventually ended up in Yellowstone, and was overwhelmed by its size and wildness. He and his wife now pay a visit there every couple weeks. His favorite area is Lamar Valley and the Northeast corner. 

“In these open, wild spaces I can imagine the past. Where the indigenous people would hunt and fish, or the Hayden expedition explored.”
  

On most other days, one can find Bill in our own Grand Teton National Park painting plein air where he is always encountering the diversity of the landscape depending on the time of day or season.

“Each day we go out to paint and look for something, but don’t always know what we are looking for. When we are struck by a scene that stirs us emotionally, we have found our subject. Then we have to be selective because we can’t paint it all. We must paint what is essential to communicate this feeling.”  - Bill Sawczuk

July 6th, 2016, Bill will kick off the solo exhibition schedule at Trio Fine Art, featuring his latest body of work. This collection, entitled "A Closer Look," refers to how through art we can experience a deeper reflection of the natural world. In these paintings, Bill strives to pay a tribute to it by revisiting familiar subjects in a new way.

The Parks and Inspiration

"Triangle X View" 9 x 12 oil on linen by Kathryn Turner

The National Park Service mission is to preserve the natural and cultural resources and values of the

National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. This  year marks a celebration of the past, and excitement for the future. David Veja, Grand Teton National Park superintendent says “Let’s take time to celebrate our accomplishments and the significant contributions that have been made over the past 100 years. More importantly, let’s embrace the opportunity to inspire a new generation of park enthusiasts and stewards.” We at Trio believe artwork can play a special role in this mission. Through our art, we hope to help others make meaningful connections of their own to our beautiful world around them, leading to a second century of stewardship and care for the natural world.  

“I love feeling a part of the artistic history of land preservation. Artists were integral in igniting the public’s imagination - they encouraged the conversations and created a sense of wonder and intrinsic value in our wild lands that ultimately led to the conservation of our parks. I am honored to be a small but passionate part of that legacy."
- Jennifer Hoffman

Find all three of our work featured in Donna and James Poulton's newly released book, Painters of Grand Teton National Park. A collection of nearly

 four hundred paintings, drawings, and photographs, from Thomas Moran to Edward Hopper, this book is a survey of the long history of artists' interpretations of the Teton Range and Jackson Hole area.   

Visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art this summer to view our artwork that is included in  the Grand Teton Park in Art exhibition. For more information, here's an article on this exhibit and the special installation featuring a plein air time-lapse from my favorite painting spot.

Lastly, we hope you will join us for our summer exhibitions at Trio Fine Art,  as well the much-loved Plein Air for the Parks Show and Benefit Sale at the Craig Thomas Discovery Center, July 13th - July 17th, 2016. Trio will join some of the top landscape painters to celebrate the majestic beauty of Grand Teton National Park with paint and canvas.

 

Kathryn Mapes Turner

"Painting the Park. Happy 100th birthday to National Park Service!"

Behind the Brushes

www.TrioFineArt.com

My Passion for Pastel

Over the years, I’ve dabbled in all sorts of media: pencil, charcoal, silverpoint, watercolor, gouache, oil, etching, monotype, serigraph, acrylic… you name it, I’ve tried it. When I began to take plein air painting seriously, I started working in oils almost exclusively. It takes a lot of effort to become even slightly adept at painting outdoors.  It made sense to focus on one medium and get comfortable using it.

Jennifer L. Hoffman, Lyric, pastel on

paper, c. 2005.

Despite that conviction, after looking at some Degas pastel sketches at the Denver Art Museum, I’d bought a box of 30 pastel half-sticks on sale at an art supply store.  I didn’t have a specific plan for using them, but after they sat on the shelf in my studio for a while, they began to catch my eye.  I felt an increasing itch to try them out.  Just for fun. Though it’s been over 10 years, the day I finally gave into that urge is surprisingly clear in my mind.  It was spring, and I went outside to cut serviceberry blossoms and mountain bluebells.  I put a few sprigs into a small green jar, set them on a white tablecloth, and pulled the untouched box of pastels off the shelf.  Not having an ideal place to set up for pastels, I pulled out a piece of gray Canson paper and a drawing board, sat cross-legged on the floor, and started working.  I recall being instantly engrossed in the process.  Time simultaneously stood still and passed in the blink of an eye.  It was a bit like falling in love.  I knew from the moment I finished that still life that I would never stop using pastels.

Since I was a child, I have loved to draw. Most exciting for me, when I first dragged a pastel across that sheet of paper, were the similarities to both drawing and painting.  My hand was in contact with the surface of the paper.  The pastel stick responded to even the slightest pressure changes.  I could make lines and gestural marks.  There was no drying time – no waiting to apply the next layer.  But I could also quickly cover large swaths of paper with masses of color.  The color was opaque.  I could layer colors to create new ones, create texture, build impasto.  I could blend or not blend.

Details of color layering and blending with pastels.

Jen using pastels in the field.

Color mixing in pastel is a magnificent thing.  Unlike liquid paints, pastel colors can’t be mixed to order on a palette.  I have to create the right colors on the painting.  Most pastelists have huge pastel palettes with every color and value you can imagine.  But even then, the perfect color can elude us.  Pastelists get to employ something wonderful called visual color mixing, which involves putting down layers of color without blending them so the colors vibrate and react with each other on the surface.  For example, from a distance, a field of grass may appear to be a warm green, but when you get up close to the painting, you will see a variety of oranges, greens, maybe even yellows and violets all applied together to the surface.  The effect creates something that mimics the textures of nature and the vibration of light that we experience when we’re out in nature.   

And because there is no time-consuming color mixing involved, I love to use pastels in the field.  As a plein air enthusiast, I often am painting in quickly changing conditions.  Being able to figure out my composition and get straight to work allows me to react more immediately to the experience.  It also allows me to grab a thought, a feeling, a fleeting moment of light in just a few minutes – to record it on paper and in my mind so that I can access it later.  Pastels are the perfect medium for me to record a visual memory. 

Jennifer L. Hoffman, Thermal Spectrum, pastel on mounted

paper, 11x14 in., 2016.

Mary Cassatt (1844 –1926), The Pink Sash 

(Ellen Mary Cassatt), c. 1898, Pastel on paper, 24 x 19 ¾ in

Some of my favorite artists, both historical and contemporary, have also had love affairs with pastels.  William Merritt Chase, Childe Hassam, Dwight Tryon, James Abbott McNeill Whistler, John Twachtman, Edgar Degas, and of course Mary Cassatt were all avid pastelists.  One of my favorite examples of the power and subtlety of the medium resides right here in Wyoming, at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.  Titled King of the Forest by Rosa Bonheur, it is 5 feet high and nearly 4 feet across, a stunning pastel on linen. 

Jennifer L. Hoffman, Gradient, pastel on mounted paper,

10x6 in., 2016.

Today, artists like Wolf Kahn, Ellen Eagle, Mario Robinson, Denise LaRue Mahlke, Skip Whitcomb, Bill Cone, and Casey Klahn (among many others) all use this medium to create diverse, expressive, meditative works that inspire me to keep pushing and experimenting.

But most of all, pastel has helped me access something deeper and more personal.  By using the most ephemeral of media - sticks of colorful dust - to create a lasting image, I make a fragile, enduring mark.  In that way, pastel is a bit like magic, a bit like music, a bit like poetry, and a lot like us.


 

 Behind the Brushes 

"My Passion for Pastel"

Jennifer Hoffman

Trio Fine Art

www.triofineart.com

The pleine air painting and a question from Pope Julius II

Is it finished?

The story is told that when Michelangelo was painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Pope Julius II would look up and shout to him "When will you be done?," and Michelangelo would shout back "When it is finished!" Of course they were talking about physically finishing the paintings of the entire ceiling and not just one particular segment. This, admittedly is a round about way of taking us to pleine air painting and the question of when it is finished. Pleine air painting poses a very different question of when a work is finished versus a studio painting, of course, because of time constraints. One could argue that this statement is not true, as finished means finished no matter where the painting takes place. I will be truthful and tell you that most of my paintings are not alla prima and require some work in the studio to be "presentable." Occasionally, I come upon a scene that is so perfect for pleine air work that I can figuratively paint it before I paint it. These paintings do not need a single stroke after the work out of doors.  For me, this is rare but it does happen.

This is an alla prima piece measuring 20 x 16

The question is, "How do you know when the painting is complete?" The answer lies in another question, "Does your picture represent all that you wished to say of the scene before you?" We know that something can always be added to a painting to "finish" it. We think that we need more detail, some color correction, maybe some composition rearrangement, more design elements, softening of edges, nicer brushstrokes, and so forth. It is at this point that we should lay the brushes down and take a closer look at the painting. What do I mean by a closer look? Analyze the scene before you and revisit your inspiration for choosing it to paint. What was it that made you want to express your feelings in the painting? Was it the mood or the particular subject or the raw emotion? How could you best capture these feelings in paint? Do you still see these emotions in your painting up to this point? Does something else need to be added to express your emotion more fully? I speak for myself when I say that I have ruined many pleine air paintings by answering these questions incorrectly. Sometimes the rather rough appearance of a two-hour painting worries me. I think that I must do more in spite of the fact that I like what I have done, and I feel that it tells the story. Why do I question the completeness of my work when I am satisfied with the result? Is it because I fear it won't sell or others might say that it seems "unfinished?"

I enjoy painting in the vignette style, which leaves some of the canvas unpainted. I have left it that way because, simply, there was no more to say. I don't know at the start of the picture that it will be a vignette because I haven't concentrated on making the whole canvas a picture. I am working at using the space I need to paint the subject. This is a fault of mine, so I shouldn't be sensitive to comments about completing the picture (*expletives deleted*).  Many paintings can be touched up in the studio... but, be careful! This is where the painting is most susceptible to be ruined. Stand back 4 feet and keep your brush off of the painting until you know exactly what you will do to improve it. If you don't really know what to do, leave it alone! You have then made the best decision.

What we have talked about here is one of the most difficult of questions that an artist asks himself. If you have a good, solid feeling for what you are trying to say, then you WILL know when you have said it. A lukewarm response to the subject before you will almost always result in a lukewarm representation in paint. So, happy painting and remember Pope Julius!

 

Behind the Brushes

"The pleine aire painting and a question from Pope Julius II"

Bill Sawczuk

Trio Fine Art

www.triofineart.com

Let's talk about commissions...

Trio Fine Art is back with Behind the Brushes! This issue, I am discussing my own feelings on a subject very near and sometimes a little sensitive to the artist and the client, that is, the commission. 

"Cornerstone, Symbol, Sentinel," the Notre Dame Commission

In the fall of 2015, I was invited by my alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, to return to campus to do a painting of the iconic administration building, the Golden Dome. I was completely honored by this request, undoubtedly a magnificent subject with its Gothic revival design and gleaming top. And yet, this was a project that included some relatively specific ideas of the client’s vision. They wanted it to include the fall colors, a certain angle of the building, and a vertical orientation with certain proportions. 

And so it goes with commissioned work.

For ages, artists have been hired to create images that are the original inspiration of another’s request. Illustrators, portrait painters, and documentary artists have all had to answer to someone else. How does this compare to the imagery that the artist is internally motivated to do?

"Dance," a large 48 x 54 sandhill crane commission

Well, like anything, there is a give and take to both kinds of artwork.  

Quite obviously, the advantage of commissioned work is that there is a paycheck in the end… if the client is satisfied. The advantage of internally motivated work is that those paintings are a free expression of the artist's true heart.  I would like to argue that there are other, less obvious advantages of commissions. 

"Pronghorn Sketch," sketch exploring a commissioned piece

First of all they are an exercise in problem solving. Creativity can still flourish with constraints because an artist must within set parameters. This is not to say that commissions are easy. Quite the opposite! They challenge us on a whole other level. Commissions also afford us an opportunity to work in collaboration. In their exploration out west, photographer Henry Jackson and painter, Thomas Moran teamed up to capture the views of their expedition for the US congress. I have found that when I do commissioned work it becomes a collaborative process with the client. If it is commissioned portrait, I first get to know that personality of my subject and how best to represent it.  For other subjects, I spend time understanding what is important to them in the composition. We explore these ideas through a series of preliminary sketches. Not only does this avoid misunderstandings in the final paintings, but it gives the client a peek into the way I approach the composition of other paintings. Finally, commissioned work is an opportunity to make another person happy. Artists have skills that can be used in service to create a lasting memory of a treasured pet that has passed or to capture the spirit of a beloved child. Our images become a part of their home and their lives, and oftentimes take on a special significance. 

There is a danger of doing too much commissioned work. It is critically important to balance it with paintings that explore the artist’s singular voice with no end in mind. These paintings feel more like play… and that is an essential quality in art!

 

Behind the Brushes

"Let's talk about commissions..."

Kathryn Mapes Turner

Trio Fine Art

www.triofineart.com

So You Want to Be a Plein Air Painter?

(originally sent by email 3/25/2015)

Bill Sawczuk

First of all, what must be considered when undertaking this most noble of artistic endeavors?  Get a job so that you can buy art supplies just in case sales aren't as forthcoming as you would hope after a hard week of painting.  After all, how long should it take to produce marketable art?  

Now that you have a few supplies that you will need: paint, brushes, canvases and boards, portable easel, solvents or other mediums, rags, paper towels, trash bags, stool, sketch pad, bear spray, mosquito repellant , large brimmed hat and possibly a shade umbrella, you will be ready to paint. 

 

Where to start?  

First, find a scene that is calling to you to be painted.  There it is; a beautiful mountain vista!  Let's start!  First we'll set up the " easy to use portable easel. " Now, how does this thing work? You unfasten the right leg and set it on the ground.  Wait, that's not right......it's too short!  You forgot to loosen the thumb screw and slide out the leg extension.  While you're sliding out the leg extension you wish that you had an arm extension to go along with that leg extension.  Fine, now you have one leg on the ground.  Now you do the same thing with the left leg and the rear leg all with one arm as you're holding the easel with the other.

Where the plein air magic happens.

Good, all three legs are on the ground and you're ready to start.  Not just yet.  You have to level the easel.  Remember those thumbscrews?  You loosen them (one at a time) and slide the legs in or out to adjust their length until the easel is level. You will get the hang of it after 5 or 6 times. 

 

Remove the palette from the paintbox and set it on the pullout paint tray.  If you haven't already done this, you must put out dabs of paint on the palette in some sort of logical arrangement; by color temperature, value, hue or whatever looks good to you. Good! Now get out your solvent and medium and put it on the tray, or clip it to the palette so that it will be handy as you start to paint.  Not just yet.  Get out your bear spray and fasten it to your belt or wherever you can to keep it handy (I hope that you have already practiced with the spray so that you don't spray yourself in the face in the unlikely event that you should need it.... the bear spray, not a spray in the face!).  Now get the bug spray and coat yourself with it and you will cut the bug distraction by 50% .  I don't know what  to tell you about the other 50%.

Three extended easel legs - check. Big rock and bungee - check.   Wait...Bill! Your canvas is backwards!!

Now you're ready.  Choose the size of canvas or board that you wish to work with and fasten it to the easel with those little L shaped hooks that loosen with a simple twist of a knurled knob. If you twist too hard, you'll knurl your fingers. I usually tie a trash bag to the easel and weigh it down with a rock (not with a Grand Teton National Park rock!) that you have brought along for that specific purpose or you will be chasing painty paper towels through the sagebrush.  Now it's time to start!  Wait, do you detect the wind kicking up?  This is not good.  The wind causes problems that we wish to avoid such as vibrations in the canvas and flying dust and debris.  If the wind continues to strengthen (between noon and 3 PM) it may even do the unthinkable and blow over the easel, resulting in trauma to the easel and extreme frustration on your part.  Painters have been known to lose their tempers and use bad words at this point.  But don't do it!  Calmly pick up your easel, clean your canvas or board, reattach it to the easel, and try to clean up any paint or solvents that may have stained the ground.  I should have mentioned earlier that your solvents or mediums should be covered until you are actually ready to paint!  Now is the time to prevent the easel from blowing over again. Weigh it down with a rock and use ropes or bungee cords to tie it  to a tree, your vehicle or a fence.  Watch out with those bungee cords as they might snap back and hit you in the face and you will want to use those bad words again. But don't do it.

 

© Bill Sawczuk.

Now you're ready.  First, you should get out your sketch pad.  It is wise to do a few sketches of your subject so that you can determine your composition.  The mountains will be a great subject today, just look at that color!  Look at the clouds above the mountains!  Wait, what about those old cabins? They would be great to paint!  Now you see some buffalo nearby, and they would be good subjects.  What about painting those aspen in their beautiful fall foliage?   You must make crucial decisions here because you can't paint it all .  Pick what you like the best and start your sketches. You should be ready to go after 3-4 sketches. Now comes that great feeling.  You get to make the first marks on that empty white surface........Here goes!  Wait, is it getting dark?  Forget the whole thing.  Pack it up and go home.

 

Kathryn takes Bill's advice to heart.

 

From the paintbrush trail,

Bill Sawczuk