Plein Air Convention: Part 7 - The Sargent Lecture

 Behind me, starting at the left, you see more presentors at the Plein Air Convention: Ned Mueller who did a demo, Richard Ormond - grand nephew to Sargent,
and at the far right Alexey Steele, you just can't get away from him.

Mr. Ormond gave a lively and entertaining lecture, in a fine British accent, starting with his connection to the family, and continued with photos and stories about his grandmother, Sargent's sister, evidently, a formidable woman.

John Singer Sargent

Ormond is writing the catalog raisonné on Sargent, in volumes. When I asked for a good book on Sargent for Christmas a few years back, I received three of the current seven volumes. If you haven't seen these books, I've linked above to the Amazon page where you can see what is available. With access to all the family records, and years of tracking down all of the paintings, drawings, etc., the books are a powerful presentation of Sargent's working process. And it was a process of drawings and studies before he ever made one of those large paintings.

This bad photo, is shot from a projection screen and shows you the perspective I had in the conference room. At left is a childhood photo of Sargent and his sister. On the right is a painting of his sister done from a photograph many years later. Thanks to Photoshop Elements, I can take the time to straighten out the photos, if I have the time.

And who doesn't love Sargent? Below is one of my favorite paintings shown by Mr. Ormond during his lecture. I was amazed by his use of that sienna color, and loved the pose. Quite daring for that time, I would think, for a woman to be entwined with two men!

Now I am off for Maryland for a few days, so you are on hold with more photos and stories from the Plein Air Convention. Toodle-loo!

Plein Air Convention: Part 6

Left to Right: Jeremy Lipking, Debra Joyce Dawson, Alexey Steele,

Scott Christensen, Bridgette Turner, and Karen LaValley.

I put links to the rock star artists websites, in case you haven't seen them.
But if you haven't seen Alexey Steele before, heard him rant and rave about art, you should do a search on YouTube for him. He is one intense Artist!

I suppose I could have added the links to the 'gals' websites, too, but I am just trying to share a photo and to let you know that the girls in this photo were thrilled to get a photo with some of the 'rock stars' of art that were performing at this convention

This was most likely the third time I got my photo with Alexey that evening.

All cameramen aren't equal, but we appreciate those that are willing to try.

Alexey is truly the rock star. He knows how to dress,
he knows how to market, and he IS a HUGE personality. In fact, I feel totally comfortable saying
that he was the biggest personality at the convention. I love his look, and would give my right arm for the chance to try a portrait of him. Of course without that arm, I wouldn't be able to paint.

Next year the convention will be in California.
I will be looking for roommates.

Plein Air Convention: part 5

The 1st Annual Plein Air Convention came to an end yesterday after a morning of plein air painting at Bonnie Springs, near Red Rock Canyon, and the amusing lets see if we can get 750 painters in one photo for the magazine. if I can find myself in this photo I will certainly be surprised.

I plan on blogging this convention for real once I am home, but have been putting some of this time sitting at the airport to use in trying to figure how to post from this Xybord tablet.

I figured my photo of Trump Tower would be a nice intro to this Vegas experience. I was driving when I saw this glittering gold tower against the blue sky, and thought, "Yes, the tower does match his ego."

Plein Air Convention: part 4

The convention ends today with half a day of painting.

Each morning I've been getting up at 5:00 am, meeting my friend, Ray, at the bottom of the elevator, walking across the casino and and taking the elevator to the parking garage. Then we drive to Red Rock for the included breakfast and an earlybird marketing boot camp, given by the king of marketing himself, publisher Eric Rhoades.

Just this has been worth it, but the demos by some of the top plein air artists have not only been informative, but at times incredibily funny. For now on this blog, you will have to exercise your imaginations, artists can do that, right? Think Ken Auster, painting a 40" x 60" canvas in 2 hours while being heckled by Gil Dillinger, current President of Plein Air Painters of America! And fielding questions from the audience. it was amazing to watch.

Plein Air Convention, Part 3:

After viewing the Monet exhibition, I sat and enjoyed a rum raisin gelato. Susie, Dino, YUM!

The wonderful sunlight pulled me outside the door to view the pool area of Bellagio. It is quite lovely, complete with lots of ladies sunbathing. How? Not sure, as the wind is extremely strong, but not warm. In fact, it was only with the aid of two girls trying to get outside, that I got back in!

I've already met some convention participants at the exhibition. So now, time to drive to Red Rock Casino Resort and register. No events today, but I expect to meet the early arrivals, who should include my friend, Ray.

Sorry about no photos. I am taking them, but don't seem to be able to upload them here. Could be that cookies was turned off somehow, or that I need to make a Picassa account. Too much technology for me.

Plein Air Convention, Part 2: Bacon, Beach Boys, Monet

This morning was Breakfast with the Beach Boys. It took me several cups of coffee and a free breakfast - coffee I had to pay for - before I could venture up to the 8th floor garage parking and drive anywhere.

Before I left, I checked back at my room to see if the 'to do' list which included a burned out bulb, broken hair dryer and a clogged sink had been resolved. Voila! Everything had been done.

I drove to Bellagio, which is hosting a Monet exhibition. Eric Rhoades arranged for participants of the Plein Air Convention to get a reduced entry fee. $10.00 instead of the regular $15.00. 28 Monets and works by his contemporaries: Troyon, Pissarro, Boudin, Daubigny, and Signac. I took my time, and one of the guards handed me some extra literature, I suppose because I looked interested. He turned out to be a very nice guy, and we shared each others favorites in the show. One in particular, an early one by Monet entitled, "Rue de la Bavole", sparked a discussion on the huge shadow in the painting and whether Monet got the drawing of it correct. We stood looking at it and discussing that the shadow is cast by a building not visible in the painting. It was pleasurable talking to this man and watching the happy expressions on his face. Wonderful to see how the art had touched him and made him stop and think.

Plein Air Convention, Part 1: Getting Here

whew! long day.

My flight to Phoenix didn't leave Columbus, OH until 5:35pm, but it was on time. My next flight was also on time, and I arrived at the Las Vegas airport at 9:30pm, right on time.

I picked up my rental car, by way of a shuttle bus to the 'Rental Car Center', where all the companies are housed in one building. Driving a compact Honda Civic, I think. I used my Motorola tablet as navigator to get me to the hotel/casino where I am staying.

This place used to be Fitzgerald's, and the sign still says that, but it's changed hands and is now called 'The D'. I am sitting at the bar, surrounded by sound. The sound of slots, crowds of people talking, laughing, squeals of delight at times, and all of that a sort of background rhythum for the loud piped in music with a driving beat.

The D is at 301 Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, the old section of town. I saw 'the strip' from the -plane window, and again when I drove by it on I-15. The Malabar, the Pyramid, New York, New York, Ceasars Palace and Bellagio, where I hope to see a Monet exhibition. You see, I am not into gambling. Good thing, as over the yeras I have at times found myself living in casinos, or being 'trapped' in one in St. Louis, Missouri with a friend that didn't want to leave.

I haven't tried my bed yet, but the hair dryer doesn't work.

And, I have never blogged from this tabet before and I can't seem to get it to load a photo from photos stored on here. size could be an issue???? so hang in there with me. Sounds a bit like India, right?