Kath Schifano-Sharing the soul of my painting

Spring in Buffalo

2012-02-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

Now that I have returned to weekly paintouts at the Buffalo Botanical Gardens, I see signs of Spring in every greenhouse. All the plants are stretching, greening, budding and turning to the light. The volunteer gardeners are furiously trimming before the big growth spurts crowd out the visitors.

Each week, I walk around, nodding to familiar plants, noticing reorganized displays, new splashes of color and seasonal installations. The desert cactus room is grumbling and plumping, buds are just barely showing on new shoots and flowers. A massive Prickly Pear cactus in the center garden display looked fatter and happier than ever stretching to sunlight and longer days.

The narrow viewing halls make it difficult to set up for drawing or painting, but I was able to snuggle into a doorway and capture some new and old paddles on this mature cactus. Despite the needles and thorns, it is a beautiful thing.

No Leaning, pastel 9.5x12.5 2012

Partners in Art Gallery show

2012-02-26T09:44:00.003-05:00

NFPAP, the Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters, group show at Partners in Art Gallery in North Tonawanda is under construction.
I visited with Paulette Jurek as we waited for our fellow artists to deliver and sign in their plein air paintings. We enjoyed seeing the works they selected especially when they were sites that I had also visited and painted. Being at the receiving desk gave me a chance to talk to everyone and catch up after a winter of studio work. Artist friends are the best!
The show opens with a reception March 3, 4-6:00 and continues until March 23.
Partners in Art Gallery
74 Webster Street
North Tonawanda NY
11am-5pm Tues-Sat

My 'November Plume' (1/6/12post) and 'Rock of Ages' are on the left side of photo.

One more curve of the Horseshoe Falls

2012-01-28T22:36:00.000-05:00

I seem to never tire of this view. Two years ago, at my November open house, Marian & Bob Granfield purchased a pastel with a similar view and later another customer was also interested. She asked if I would please copy it for her.

It was a plein air, painted in midsummer heat as I scrunched myself and art supplies under my big white umbrella attached to the guardrail. It would not be possible to recapture the same heat and energy of that day without returning to the falls in hot sunshine.

It remained on my 'to-do' list, but the light or time was never right and two summers passed. However, during the Worldwide Paint Out in September 2011 I had set up on the state park lawn with a friend, Joan, to capture the Saturday afternoon light over Canada. Without thinking about it, the curve beckoned me and this is the result. A little closer view than the first painting, I was surprised that it was similar in colors to the first painting and sure Jennie would be pleased when she returned to the studio. Well, this past November she came in and liked this painting but went home with another view. That was fine with me, I was not quite ready to part with the first one and now this is on my gallery wall for a while and we are all happy.

September Energy, pastel 12x18 2011

Original Artworks from gift givers

2012-01-24T18:59:00.001-05:00

Christmas was an opportunity for gift paintings to take up new residences and leave my walls. Each January I start new art files on the computer but I still have a few paintings listed in multiple years. It depends on when the photos are taken and sometimes I forget when a particular piece was completed. If I really love it, it seems more recent than ones that have less of my love.

As a result of this filing system I may discover some photos that still need to be shot - it is not easy to catch up because when I shoot my own the weather and light has to be just right, morning with no wind, not too bright out but not cloudy either. (Yes, I miss the amazing setup I had with strobes and a darkroom) I sometimes find that a picture has entirely evaded the camera and this post is to honor those sold paintings that went out silently to live on new walls. I had planned to post a series of paintings that were sold late Fall for December gift giving, but I missed the final shot of one pastel lovely. Good thing I know where they live!

Time to get ready for the Spring gift season, all made in USA.

American Falls from Secret Garden, pastel 12x18, collection of Jennie Henderson

Listen for the Loon, oil 8x10, collection of Mr & Mrs. Alex

Olympic Ice, oil 12x24, Linda Koester, gift to Nebraska family

Return to Serenity, commission, pastel 15x12.5, Emily, gift to her California family

Above the Clouds, oil 5x7, collection of Alan Hastings

December 10pm, oil 24x24 collection of Mr. & Mrs. Glen Altman

A tale of two house portraits.

2012-01-24T16:31:00.000-05:00

Several years ago, I painted a newly landscaped DeVeaux home (shown below) for Michele Altman, she wanted to surprise her husband for Christmas.

She called me this Fall to paint it again, same size, same view, this time a night painting and with snow on the now grown trees and bushes. Of course, this was the year that the first snow came in January, so I had to fake it. Having lived through 40 1/2 winters here I did not have difficulty with the snow, its colors or reflections, but I was challenged mightily by the colors of night, what happens to white as the lights go on, the trims and wall colors of a building that is light in daylight.

It took about 6 night trips to establish the values by sneakily sketching from my car and the last time I went I thought the jig was up. Glen had sauntered out of his house, very slowly, then sat in his car in the driveway for a long time as I guiltily waited in my car across the street. Since my car was off, I thought I was safe, but realized the headlights had remained on with a key in the ignition. Finally, he drove away. SLOWLY. Then showed up driving right next to me, I didn't look up, just pretended to be writing instead of drawing, but it really spooked me. His car went back in the driveway and Michele hurried out to the car, head down. They sat in the driveway longer than you can imagine with the engine on, finally backed out and verrrryy slowly drove down the block. Seconds later, their car was stopped next to mine. I didn't look up as she should probably recognize what I was doing. Adrenaline racing, vigilantes gathering, pistols drawn, police called, my imagination was racing and I was more than stressed. I was a stranger in their neighborhood, looking in people's windows, watching for...

They turned left and I went right, to head back home, obviously upset, when I realized the car was following me. I waited for the sirens as I followed every traffic rule and tried to casually race myself home and lose the tail. Hooray for red wine and a sympathetic husband at home, hours later I was finally composed again with that bad memory.

Finally. I spoke to Michele who said "Oh, then? We were admiring our Christmas lights."

WIth a little research I gingerly added the correct constellations for December in the night sky. The wet painting was delivered on December 24 and made a great Christmas more special for all of them. And I am promising myself AGAIN, not to paint any more surprise commission paintings from my customers.

December 10pm, oil 24x24 2011
Altman Home, oil 24x24 2007

The eye sees more than the camera

2012-01-06T22:19:00.000-05:00

Why I do not like to paint from photographs.......

Painting outdoors sometimes brings the weirdest comments, the worst of which is 'What are you doing?', followed by 'What are you Painting?' and 'Do you know my aunt in Ohio, she likes to paint, too.'
More often, people are respectful, interested and pleasant to talk to. Observers will sometimes ask about the composition or notice details that they missed in nature, but some commentators ask about a concept known as local color. It has to do with the actual colors that things are, what one sees. The best example is to look at tree trunks, I have yet to see a really brown bark, it is often greenish or yellowed or gray, yet ask someone what color a trunk is and hear the answer 'brown'. Since I tend to use fairly bright colors and contrasts there are questions. I can show them my view and the colors of my inspiration and they easily see why I choose my colors.

On a quiet November day, after all the Maid of the Mist boats were in storage I painted with Jacq Baldini near the Canadian docks. I took this photo of my painting on the easel in progress. The near images are fairly accurate, but the camera was unable to record the colors in the weeds, Fall foliage beyond the waterfalls or the depth of the gorge walls. The light shining in the plume of the Horseshoe mist did not create shadows in the photograph, but in real life they are rich and colorful. If I painted from the photograph the canvas would be nearly gray and white while in nature my eyes could see so much more variation and color.

Being an artist allows me to study rich contrasts and details and record them better than any camera. It is a bonus to spend hours in nature, appreciating and recording the feel and sounds of the land.

Niagara Plume in progress, 18x24 oil

Link to ordering calendars

2011-12-09T16:10:00.005-05:00

This Paypal button will work for ordering calendars by mail. It is the same as on my website, www.Kschifano.com.

Go right ahead and forward this to your friends with lots more shopping!

Buffalo's Wheeler Grain Elevator Requiem

2011-12-04T15:10:00.000-05:00

RIP Wheeler Grain Elevator

The photo of this pastel painting was taken today. I don't shoot every painting but this one became 'famous' this week, after it was framed. In August the plein air 'Fairweather Paletteers' painted in the new downtown Buffalo area called Festival Park. It is a reclaimed area that has been landscaped with paths, benches and trellis enclosures right on the river.

From a comfy new bench in Festival Park I painted the GLF grain elevators and buildings across the river. The center forner Wheeler grain building was undergoing demolition inside while we painted, with lots of racket and activity indoors. This weekend it came down, with a crash, some of it falling into the water.

Now that this painting is posted we have one more structure that exists only on paper and in our memories. It's significance lies in the fact that it may have been the last elevator of its kind, a transitionary style between frame and concrete towers. Only one. In the world.

Our overworked preservationists are not fooling. The historical remnants of Buffalo's glory days will bring glory back. I have studied and taught enough architecture to truly appreciate the breadth of history here as the former gateway to the west and the thriving metropolis Buffalo was. Yup, they are old rusty buildings, but they have the historic beauty and value to bring tourism. Shame on us for losing so many significant buildings to strip malls and flimsy warehouses.

Festival Park's Elevators, pastel 12.5x9.5. August 4, 2011

Niagara Holiday Market

2011-11-27T21:09:00.000-05:00

Downtown Niagara Falls has a new look, the Holiday Market is blooming, the ice is ready for your skating and there is a tree lighting every night. On black Friday Carl & I went to the market, I had delivered some art there on Wednesday and the carpenters were still assembling walls and installing windows and doors. On Friday it was still in progress, but many of the shops were open and doing a lot of business, the crowds were amazing.

464 Gallery has a double sized white tent-with heat-and they are carrying a number of my printed works, framed and in mats, calendars and cards. I plan to restock some things this week and expand the number of framed prints on the wall. The original Gallery is located at 464 Amherst Street in Buffalo, so this annex will be a whole new adventure for my Niagara Falls friends. Don't forget to stop in, come back to the market several times and shop these small businesses!

Fall Painting

2011-11-27T20:51:00.000-05:00

Lower Mountain Road Fields

A recent NFPAP paint out was on a lovely and mild Fall day with our organizer and chief, Joan Shaw, at her home. If I lived there with her flower and vegetable gardens, neighboring barns and vineyards, out buildings and fields then I wouldn't ever run out of subjects to paint. In previous years I had tackled the crooked old tree, some barns and her studio which was formerly a barn. A group of us gathered underneath her comfy cowshed to paint. It kept the bright light off our work, but also we were out of the breeze and possible rain, yet close enough to keep up the artist chatter..'did you see that rabbit, look at the color of that shadow, there aren't many birds today, this yellow just isn't working for me.'

I sketch before painting and chose to make a small painted sketch before I used large canvas. My first little picture was horizontal and it was a bit overcast. I became interested in the distance, where a field appeared to continue between some clumps of trees. By the time I started the taller painting, the light had brightened, there was more light on the fall trees and I was in painter heaven.

Halfway Down The Ridge

If you usually read my posts on your phone, please take an opportunity to look on a standard computer and see all my posts at once, with enlarged images. You can easily post comments, and you do not need an account.

Lower Mountain Road Fields 7x5 oil 2011
Halfway Down the Ridge 5x7 oil 2011

Open Art Studio 2011

2011-11-14T00:41:00.000-05:00

My 4th open studio is coming up next weekend, the busiest art weekend of the year in WNY, lots of shows and gallery walks, big shopping opportunities all over. I have prepared my studio with new shelves, they are just 4" deep so I can stand paintings and easily move them around, artwork has been up and perfect for a few days and I am ready to start moving them already.

I am planning on showing the Adirondack series all together downstairs, they are framed and waiting for set-up on Thursday, my big gallery wall is now full of Niagara scenes and I love seeing them all together. This photo is from 2010 Open Art Studio, everything is different this time!

2010 Open Art Studio View

Find an hour next Friday or Saturday and join me, there will be cookies and my special fudge.
1575 Huth Road
Grand Island, NY

Letchworth State Park Plein AIr

2011-10-29T18:00:00.000-04:00

Kath Schifano

When I am asked how I am, my answer has been 'wonderful'. Sincerely wonderful.

There have been many opportunities to paint this Fall in a variety of locations and I have not wasted a moment. These three were painted at Letchworth State Park at our annual overnight paint marathon. I missed the first day and night because I was in Houston, but drove down in the morning and painted two from Wolf Creek overlook. This was a new location for me, previous trips had brought us to many overlooks and 'Kodak spots'; this is a tributary to the Genesee River. The water passes under the road in a wide stream (a lovely view that needs to be painted on my next visit) and then condenses to rush through rocks.

Later in the day I turned around to the east and captured afternoon mist and shadows in the gorge, trees leaning into the late afternoon light.

The third tall image shows everybody's favorite Letchworth falls from Inspiration point. This is a tiny painting, on stretched canvas, so I painted around all the edges to continue the picture, it will remain unframed. Now just imagine me standing in the parking lot, holding a wet oil painting -on 5 sides- and figure out how I got it home without ruining it! The famous railroad bridge that passes over the falls was omitted, imagine what western New York would have looked like before trains and towns cut into the landscape.

Kath Schifano

Wolf Creek Moment 16x20 oil, 2011
Wolf Creek Mist, 10x8 oil, 2011
Inspiration Point at Letchworth, 12x4, 2011

Houston Painting Op

2011-10-29T17:59:00.000-04:00

Kath Schifano

A warm sunny Fall week in Houston, while it turns chilly and rains at home. Could I ask for more? The big-happy-knee-grabbing-hug I got from little Amelia made the hours flying in a metal tube across the country worth it, but meeting the Katie Prairie being restored in Northwest Houston was a close second.

Watching suburban sprawl gobble up farms and old buildings, traveling on 12 lane highways and seeing endless stores and malls jaded me about this area. There was little to paint that looked different from anywhere else, Target, Walmart and Appleby's all look the same everywhere.

At Lone Star College, the extensive landscaping is totally a prairie restoration in progress and I had a wonderful experience making my own paths as well as following the suggested walkways. Standing under a live oak for shade while I painted, the water here was slightly misty in the morning. It dried quickly as the sun rose and the colors brightened.

I plan to go back here in different seasons and time of day to continue to enjoy an oasis of nature and paint the prairie as it expands and grows, hopefully inspiring similar natural restorations.

Katie Prairie Mirror 14x11, oil 2011

2012 calendars

2011-10-14T22:41:00.014-04:00

2012 is printed, packed and ready! The new calendar returns to the original format of monthly images with dates below. The past two years we used some innovative layouts with several months having full page paintings with the dates on the picture. That was a designer's challenge unless there was a lot of white mist to print over.

Since I chose to include just plein air paintings, most of my work was horizontal which made the traditional format a natural choice. They fit into wallet size photo frames; many customers have told me of favorite pictures preserved this way. I have also heard of the pictures used as bookmarks, coasters or inserts in a friendly note. The most flattering use was explained by Frank DiGaudio in Long Island, he rebuilt his kitchen and put in a heavy glass counter top, then mounted a whole series of calendar pages under the glass. Fantastic!

Calendars are sold at 464 gallery and the Niagara Holiday Market as well as The Book Corner, Castellani Art Museum, and Studio One.

Mail orders, $15 for one, $28 for two, 5 for $65. $12 for refills without a case. Prices include sales tax and shipping. There is a paypal link on my website or just comment her to get my attention!

Individual calendars may be purchased for $12 at The Book Corner or at Studio One, Niagara Falls, the Castellani Art Museum or at my Grand Island studio.

photo is back page of calendar, showing illustrations for 12 months of 2012

"Painting for Preservation" Exhibit in Buffalo

2011-10-14T22:21:00.000-04:00

Kath Schifano

I have lightly aligned with a group called "Painting for Preservation" in Buffalo. I say lightly because most of their paintout events are on Saturdays and I can rarely paint then, although my heart is with the group. I have always felt a need as a painter to record changes around me, and as I look over my archived art works I am astounded at the number of things that no longer exist, lovely old barns, The Wintergarden, grain elevators and that lovely old ship that we loved to paint every year in the inner harbor of Buffalo.

[Copied from their website at] PAINTING FOR PRESERVATION

P4P is a group of eclectic and inclusive artists and preservationists that gather at historic places to make art on-site. We create positive awareness of distressed and under-utilized buildings; we create a record of current building conditions through the artist's point of view; we spark new and innovative preservation opportunities. We are inspired by our historic urban environment.

Painting for Preservation (P4P) will host its first show during the National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference in Buffalo, New York in October.

Kath Schifano

I am pleased to have these three plein air paintings included with a number of other artists at the Statler Hotel Exhibit of P4P artworks this month and the exhibit will remain in the stately Statler Hotel in Buffalo until December. A percent of sales from art in this show will go toward the restoration. There will be a private opening and a public one to be announced. I am thrilled to be able to go back into this historic building, I always loved the grand spaces, chandeliers and staircases and the sense of history that pervades the building.

Froze in Time, 9x12 oil 2011
Shadows in Elevator Alley, 9.5x12.5 pastel 2011
Tugs and Grain Elevators, 9.5x12.5 pastel, 2011

Kath Schifano

Artist update!

2011-10-12T20:09:00.000-04:00

This Fall has been spectacular for me, returning from a week in Houston I woke the next morning, repacked and drove straight to Letchworth to join NFPAP painters for an overnight paint out. The colors gently changed as I painted. It wasn't too cold and the sun was brilliant so I completed three plein air paintings surrounded by nature. Where there were green trees with golden flashes on my entry, overnight the reds and oranges appeared on the mountainsides. The frost overnight made a big difference. My favorite finished painting Of the three is just 4" by 8" & 1" thick, a dimensional canvas with two waterfalls in the distance, minus the railroad bridge.

There is something about placing manmade structures in great expanses of nature. It is always a dilemma to include or exclude items in paintings, so often I choose to omit built structures. I will post them all as soon as the conditions are right to shoot the dry oil paintings. That means morning light, not too sunny, no wind and I am not otherwise busy. Fat chance of that happening soon! Life is good, but hectic.

9th Annual International Plein Air Paintout

2011-09-27T01:00:00.001-04:00

On the second day of my 9th annual International Plein Air Paintout adventure, I crossed into Canada to paint. Little did I expect that my favorite parking lot in the park would be gone, and I would have to pay big bucks and still have to walk forever with my cart, lunch, painting supplies and more. I was thrilled to pay only $7 at the Skylon, later it was $10, and when I left it was up to $15. I didn't find the other painters there, either.

I intended to paint the American Falls, and set up my easel and supplies in the shade by the railing. I happened to look through a small hole in the trees to my right and found the gorge full of dense mist, curling around below the river and rapids. Fortunately I had a small board with me and painted that tiny bit of bright water quickly, before the light and wind changed. Then I turned back to my original composition. The Bridle Veil Falls and Luna Island look quite the same, but there is now a 'dry spot' on the American Falls. There seems to be less water going over every year and I had not seen any water from the powerful cataracts course over this prominent rock all summer. Perhaps some rocks have fallen on each side, but I remember there being a trickle there 2 years ago.

Marshmallow Mist, pastel 6x12 2011
Split in 3, pastel 9.5x12.5 2011

Niagara, again

2011-09-27T00:43:00.000-04:00

Still fascinated by the massive curve of the Horseshoe Falls, these two paintings were created 3 weeks apart from 2 entirely different locations. I am amazed that the colors are so close, but the weather and light were almost the same.

The first is from a bridge at Three Sister's Islands. I used my 'eagle eyes' to see this from more than a half mile upriver, choosing just a piece of the falls, west of the area I often paint. It was a brilliant sunny day and the mist stayed low.

The second painting is from above Terrapin Point, close to Top of The Falls restaurant. I have painted near this same spot for 5 years now, and have noticed frequent changes in the flow of water, the size and number of islands, and the fact that the trees growing there are starting to block my view! It started as an overcast day, I worked on the sky as the clouds started to break up and it turned into solid sunlight, similar to the picture above. This was painted during the International Plein Air Paintout, September 9-11.
Curve from Three Sisters, oil, 12x24 2011
International Mist, oil 12x24, 2011

BNAA Fall art show at Artsphere

2011-09-24T01:11:00.001-04:00

The Erie County Fair is supposedly the largest fair in America. Two years ago, the fair's plein air contest did not conflict with the Lewiston Art Festival weekend and so I competed.

I had four hours to create and return a finished, matted painting and spent a good part of that time looking for a location and racing back to the car for supplies. While I sat on a bench painting, a hawker behind me was screaming 'Guess your weight, your age, your birthday!' for the entire day. After a while it was pretty hilarious because he was making a ton of money guessing birth months within two months, (meaning 5 months of the year were covered), with similar conditions for weights and ages. The cable company's Roadrunner is a giant blow up next to their trailer , with classic fair food behind it, and riders screaming in the distance.

The picture is hanging at Artsphere Gallery and Studio, 447 Amherst Street Buffalo, this month along with the Youngstown pastel I made this summer. This is the Buffalo Niagara Art Association Fall show of small works; this one is framed at the maximum size, it is 16x20 with a maximum impact!

It won a 2nd prize, but mostly my process cemented the sensations of the fair in my brain. Permanently.

Guess Your Age, Your Weight, Your Birthday, pastel 12x18 2009

Lewiston with Sherrill Primo

2011-09-24T00:05:00.000-04:00

Summer. Painting season, a chance to plan multiple dates with artist friends to paint outdoors and capture that day's joy, to listen to birds and boats, kids and campfires. Plein air is such a pleasure, to actually experience one single place for the better part of a day, record feelings with vivid colors and have a beautiful product to preserve that memory. June seemed mostly wet and chilly, I missed several great locations due to weather, distance and other appointments, but it ended with my week in the mountains and a magic experience with painters from all over, people who are now my friends with shared experiences.

On the last day of June I joined Sherrill Primo for a stolen day, a last minute decision to leave other responsibilities and get out with my easel. Meeting in Lewiston, it was natural to head for the water. I just wanted to sit and swivel my head 360' to drink in the view, indecisive about choosing my composition. There was so much to select from, piles of colorful stones, blossoms bursting, seagulls, boats, underwater rocks, miles of Canadian shore were all in my view.

After a period of sketching ideas, I selected a small canvas and laid in the shapes of the Silo above me and the craggy hill of wildflowers. I was most interested in the horizon with seagulls soaring and distant clouds rolling along, perhaps from Lake Erie, yet underneath the Silo Restaurant on North Water Street.

As that was completed more people arrived on the waterfront, calling to friends, fishing and eating lunch. Mostly they remained for a short time and then moved away. One young man, perhaps 10 or 12 patiently fished the entire time, someone who was enjoying the beauty of calm winds, clear skies and soaring seagulls at the same moments as Sherrill and I. Painting the second image calls attention to the peace and pleasures of solitude in nature the three of us experienced.

It was a long day with a lot of painting, a perfect start to a great summer. I have completed several new falls and water scenes that may eventually be posted here as well as parks and city life. Now that the first of Fall has arrived, I am watching the tinges of color and have my sights set on another Buckhorn meadow picture as well as many other forest and field scenes of crimson and gold.

Above the Clouds, 5x7 oil 2011
Lewiston Dock, 5x7 oil 2011

Lewiston Art Festival tent photos

2011-09-05T16:03:00.000-04:00

People ask me 'How was the art show?' and my response is usually 'Which one?' The term art show can refer to a gallery opening, an exhibit of my work or of others or a museum.

Recently, that question refers to my annual Lewiston Art Festival exhibit. It is the ONE big weekend show that I have my tent at annually, with the most people. I consider it the social event of the summer season because I get to see so many friends and acquaintances that I may not have seen otherwise.

It is also the release date for my calendar, you can see the 2012 displayed on the table. All of the new monthly paintings are horizontal this year, if you have collected them there are different formats each year. For some reason I did not choose any long or tall paintings as I have been trying some new sizes recently.

The next outdoor event I participate in is a one day show, Music is Art at Delaware Park, across from the Albright Knox. It is a celebration of music like no other, with a small number of artist tents and activities, a food section and organized especially for families. It is a fundraiser for the music in the schools programs, so come on over, Saturday, September 17, 10am to 10pm.

Photos, Kath Schifano tent at Lewiston Art Festival, 2011

Whitesville House

2011-09-03T22:36:00.000-04:00

Mike White turned 50 this summer, Carl designed an invitation to the planned pig roast birthday party, and I had an opportunity to bake a crazy birthday cake, camouflage icing, pig relaxing on a chaise lounge, dirt (almonds) around the sides. I just copied Carl's invitation and treated frosting like paint, mixing various muddy colors with my spatula. Off we went to Wellsville with cooler and my paint sets.

I always liked the view of Monica's pond and the woods behind it, but this hot afternoon it was particularly moody and cool looking. I settled myself in the shade of the house with my pastels to capture the scene, hoping that one of the balloons from the balloon rally that weekend would soar overhead and be reflected in the pond. That didn't happen, although there were balloons to be seen.

Several people came over to watch my drawing evolve that afternoon. Later in the evening we got into a conversation with Linda and Buck who have been updating and restoring the Whitesville House restaurant, tavern and hotel since 1992. I remembered this building from a great meal we shared with Monica and Mike during the snowiest winter. It is right on the Pennsylvania border and I had known Whitesville as a town occasionally mentioned on the TV weather.

They asked about painting an architecture portrait, so the following weekend I packed a variety of my materials and canvas sizes, spent 5 hours drawing and planning the painting in unbelievable heat and worked a bit more back in Wellsville. I returned the next day and 7 hours and gallons of water later went to my car at 6pm to see that the shade temperature read 101'. No wonder the paint was so sticky!

This old lady has great architectural bones and details and they have done an amazing amount of work to develop the porch, outdoor area, stone wall and waterfall, flower boxes and even more indoors. The hardest part (besides the heat) was the foreground, every time a car pulled out of a space, a truck would pull in so I could not ever see the entire front. I just ran back and forth making sketches and taking pictures. Although it was started as a plein air, I had to bring this into my studio to paint the rest of the wonderful details, the windows with beer signs, the flowers, red and white sign, porch rails. I am very pleased to have created a wonderful record of an historic building, it was built in 1826 as a hotel and you can still get a nice room there.

So if you are in the southern tier of NY, do stop at the landmark Whitesville House, a bit of history, great character, excellent food and wonderful caretakers.

Afternoon Delight 18x24, oil 2011

Upper Rapids, the fury of water

2011-08-19T17:22:00.000-04:00

I am working on the perfect painting to capture the sound and fury of the upper rapids of the Horseshoe Falls. This is meant to be a really loud painting, I want you to hear the water crashing as it races to become a cascade. A blend of Plein Air and studio work, it woke me last night with the sound of water running, not as loud as I expect it will be, but loud enough for me to have to check water faucets!

I know that paintings can be powerful; I am putting enough power into this that it may dribble.
To be continued!

In progress (Untitled) painting on location, 12x24, oil on canvas 2011

Music is Art 9/17/2011

2011-08-19T17:07:00.000-04:00

Please join us as we celebrate the talent and culture of Western New York Saturday, September 17, 2011, 10 AM-10 PM @ Delaware Park behind The Albright-Knox Art Gallery!

I'll have a tent there, it is my big fundraising supporter effort for the Fall; so take a chance on winning an artwork submitted by selected exhibiting artists. Music is Art supports the instrument drive for instruments in the schools program as well as new musicians. The September 17th event is an amazing chance for everyone in the family to have a good time. It is totally all ages, lots for the little ones to do for free and at least four stages of continuous music for everyone. FOrmerly on the grounds of the Albright Knox art gallery, now it is now across the street in Delaware park, Shakespeare hill area.

WIne On Third Art Exhibit still on the walls

2011-08-08T00:20:00.001-04:00

Wine On Third is a neat bar & restaurant downtown Niagara Falls, a little jewel of a spot that is like nothing else downtown. The small plates are delicious and the wine list has a nice variety, there is a secret restaurant tucked around the side. My display was scheduled for July, a very nice opening reception was held on July 5th, right after the holiday weekend.

The exhibit has been held over into August. Try to stop by, it is great to see so many of my large paintings displayed together. Besides, there is a daily happy hour and 40+ wines by the glass with inside and outside seating.

July Saturday with Monica

2011-08-04T23:38:00.000-04:00

A great party in Wellsville for Mike White's 50th involved a bit of cooking and packing for a crowd-olive & feta salad, a crockpot of beans and a big layer cake.

Arriving from our two hour drive we sat right down to eat, the roast pig had been cooked and carved and all sorts of wonderful creations sat outside in trays of ice on a blistering hot day. The salad and beans were ready for those just starting to eat and more who came up for seconds.

Walking around the house, I found a big patch of cool shade overlooking the pond that reflected the sky and encroaching woodland. Since this was a balloon fest weekend we hoped to see a few, and I was hoping one would fly over the pond, putting my speed painting skill to the challenge. A set of pastels and supplies was in my car and my after lunch rest involved recording this idyllic scene. Obviously no balloon went over or it would have been painted. There was one sighting to the north near sunset, and several ready for morning flights on the parade grounds as we drove home late that evening. All together, a perfect day.

This painting was hurriedly added to my 2012 calendar as a summer scene.

Pig Roast Siesta, 9.5x12.5 pastel c.2011

Youngstown & Used Sailboats

2011-08-04T00:35:00.000-04:00

I missed the first scheduled date, but a second Youngstown marina paintout brought out many artists, they spread out on the docks to capture sky and waves, sailboats in the Niagara River and on land as well as the Youngstown Yacht club area buildings. Already in love with this area for inspiring compositions, I searched for a spot with shade and parked myself in the lee of a giant sailboat on a drydock rack. I had a giant tractor wheel next to me to serve as a table for piles of colorful pastel sticks.

After a moment of studying the sailboats moored in front of me, I turned and caught sight of a small but lovely wood work building with a wide open door, colorful cans for gasoline and oil stacked inside the door. That would be my picture, so I turned my easel and supplies away from the water. As the day passed, sunlight started to sparkle on the red metal roof, followed by windy enough weather change to convince me it was time to stop.

This one is now on the 2012 calendar, going to the printer tomorrow.

Sailboats for Sale, pastel 9.5x12.5 c.2011

Last Part, Adirondack Publisher's Invitational

2011-07-28T21:43:00.000-04:00

I drove for nearly 7 hours in the sun to register for my week in the Adirondacks; I checked in, moved in, and met many painters before, during and after dinner. I had come ready to paint ~ Paul Smith area is gorgeous and I was promised spectacular sunsets like the Hudson River painters had recorded.

Well, I really had come to paint, so I prepared my first oils and a small canvas on a rickety table on a 2nd floor deck. It was becoming more cloudy and overcast, but I took my chances because I was so ready to push the paint around---of course the skies would turn brilliant orange & gold, reflecting on the lake below. I chose a composition, laid in my shapes and underlying colors, waited for the spectacle of glorious color to arch into the clouds so I could fling paint at the waiting canvas at the absolute best moment of colors blasting a blinding sunset at me.

Nope, never happened. In fact the pink that did appear in the sky was so dim and fleeting that several people asked me if I made it up. Nope. But I did exaggerate the minor spectacle I witnessed, and if you have been following this, then there is no surprise that I was denied rich sunsets for the entire week.

This sweet little oil was set aside to dry, then left on the bottom of my collection. Only recently did I reexamine it, finding the simplicity, as well as my memories, strong enough to consider it for my 2012 calendar.

Listen for the Loon, oil 8x10, 2011

The Moon is A Balloon, 2011 & Wine On Third

2011-07-13T00:15:00.000-04:00

Years ago I started this rose painting, it was one of my early large floral pastels. It was matted & framed under glass-until the glass broke. I adjusted it to have a double mat after reworking the naked image in 2006, when I added blues to the previously white sky as well as more values of yellow in the petals. The rose peacefully settled in a quiet corner of the living room for several years.

This summer I took it down and re-reworked it. The sky gained more blues, greens and a bit of violet, the petal shadows were made richer with violet and orange and I finally completed the stem; poor rose only had sepals without a stem. Under glass, it is finally ready to show.

Invited to be July 'artist of the month' at Wine on Third, Niagara Falls, this painting is the first on the wall in a series of large florals and food paintings there as well as 6 Niagara Falls paintings. It is finally in public along with other studio works. Having mostly painted and shown smaller plein air paintings recently, I enjoy seeing the display of large works together, and it will be up until August.

The Moon Is A Balloon, 24x30 [framed to 30x36] 1995-2011

Part 3- Publisher's Invitational Paintout 2.0, Ampersand Pastelbord

2011-07-12T23:52:00.000-04:00

Gabriel's Farm, 6x18 pastel, 2011

Ahhh, the mountains, an example of how they move and dance in the clouds. A nice breeze chased large rain clouds which mostly stayed away from our final location, Gabriel's Farm, only 7 minutes away and our closest paintout location. I had been using pastels for several days and was eager to try a new panoramic museum series panel from Ampersand, called Pastelbord. It is absolutely smooth and flat with a fine texture and can be worked to the edge without marking. I spoke to Jim Markle about this new board and he liked the superflat surface as well, going off the edge to finish a stroke left no stripe and made us both happy. I think this is perfect for soft pastels, using their grey undercolor was perfect for the day and this composition. Afterwards I brightened the foreground as it was clear and bright overhead, the storm stayed in the distance, alternately covering and revealing the mountains. A field of wild flowers had all of us admiring the beautiful varieties, it seemed to have been planted for color.

Part 2- Publisher's Invitational Paintout 2.0

2011-07-12T23:15:00.000-04:00

Continuing the Adirondack adventures.

After painting a few pictures in oil, carrying them fresh and wet into another person's car and looking at the results that evening in a dorm, I realized that pastels would be a good choice in the mountains. The pastels are heavy, but require less space and equipment to carry. It was a good decision as I was caught in the rain and had to work very quickly. My yellow Fantasy Island slicker stayed waterproof, but my plein air umbrella wasn't totally waterproof when it stayed wet. The first painting here is successful because I stopped early and the pastels captured the image I wanted and will allow me to paint it again on canvas without the distraction of details and with the richness of experience. That won't happen soon, it's a possibility for winter, so in the meantime, it is NFS and I like it just as is.

The second was painted from the dock at night, oh! how I love to paint at night, it was quiet and peaceful, and it is always a treat to see later in room light when finished. My hat batteries held up, so I could see my palette box and picture quite well. That evening was like 'yoga painting', peaceful, comfortable, healthy and calm.

Splashing water at St. Regis Falls really is orange, this is a study for another pastel made the same day. I decided to add more of the rocks to my second painting, in the meantime, the light changed and it seems like the amount of water crashing had increased. Three of us were under a pop up tent and had a wonderful time protected from weather. The foreground rock really looks like a seal from my location and a big turtle from the front. It can be seen in old photos and paintings and helps identify the exact location.

Slippery When Wet Flume, 12.5x9.5, pastel, 2011

Night on the Lake, 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011

St. Regis Falls Splash 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011

St. Regis Falls Monitor 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011

Slippery When Wet Flume, 12.5x9.5, pastel, 2011
Night on the Lake, 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011
St. Regis Falls Splash 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011
St. Regis Falls Monitor 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011

Life Changing Adirondack Event?

2011-07-07T16:16:00.006-04:00

Painting for a week in the Adirondacks exposed me to a few art concepts.

1) I can climb up or down slippery slopes with an easel, 6' umbrella and wearing a yellow Fantasy Island rain slicker.

2) It's okay to paint in the rain. Not perfect, but okay.

3) I'd rather paint without the rain.

The Publisher's Invitational Paint Out 2.0 in The Adirondacks was a unique professional opportunity to paint alongside over 80 nationally known outdoor artists, to share rocks, experiences and turpentine. There were no lectures, classes or schedules, just a quick breakfast, packed lunches and all day on the road chasing waterfalls, rapids, flumes and mountains with paint and pastel. Sponsored by Plein Air Magazine, this was open to invited artists.

The original Hudson River School of painters packed their supplies and trekked these sights and made a name for themselves capturing 200-300 painted vistas and scenes that you see in museums and books. Now renamed the Adirondack Mountain Painters (founders) our group painted 700-800 scenes in one hectic adventure, carpooling and caravaning, parking alongside creeks and farms to capture new scenes with oils, acrylics, WC, pastel and camera.

Listen to the Loon at VIC, oil on board, 12x18, 2011

High Falls, pastel 15x12.5 2011

Rivershore colors

2011-06-19T22:34:00.007-04:00

This Cayuga Island home portrait has been in progress on my easel for nearly 3 months and it is leaving me as a surprise gift to the homeowner. I had promised myself to never do another surprise house painting because there is little opportunity to spend time sketching the building and generating a personal relationship to develop the composition. Cameras flatten images and the eye is more honest. It happens to be cited on the water, surrounded by mature majestic trees so it was easier to select a view.

However, there are many details to any house and I did several 'drive-bys' to take pictures. The neighbors wondered what was going on, the kids playing hockey in the street just stared. It felt like I was lurking and clicked photos from the window of my car since someone always seemed to be home.

I took the first pictures in early Spring when trees were bare; this let me paint the sky, lawn and entire house and place the trees and significant branches. As the foundation plants grew in and trees claimed their shapes the portrait could continue. A fairly large painting, this is a lovely heirloom that commemorates the energy the owners invested in creating a lovely home.

There is always a little feeling of loss when another painting leaves. Now, what's next!!??

Rivershore Colors, 22x28 oil, 2011

Erie Canal Locks in Lockport

2011-06-19T22:05:00.003-04:00

Two consecutive weeks were scheduled on the Erie Canal in Lockport, NY with Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters this month. We listened across the canal as children on field trips screeched and exclaimed waiting for their tour boat rides and the cruise narrator repeated his prepared speech about the history of the Erie canal, the height of the locks in Lockport and the upcoming 'widest working bridge' as well as train whistles and passersby. This was followed by the natural quiet of a park and the regular opening and closing of huge lock gates to change the water level.

Huddled under my giant paint umbrella, straddling a picnic bench, I relished each moment as I painted. The network of paths and bridges and stairs engineered under the level of the city of Lockport was fascinating. Both paintings are from the same location, the park across from Market Street, but painted one week apart.

Waiting for Tour at Noon, 8x10 oil 2011

Opening the Lock. 16x20, oil 2011

Delaware Park Rose Garden

2011-06-19T21:44:00.006-04:00

Slipping off to Buffalo to paint the beautiful Delaware Park Rose Garden doesn't bring the Albright Knox Art Gallery to mind. All of the other painters-there were about 8-headed for the beautiful colonnade, surrounded by steps, columns, roses and trees. I had spent a full year painting only roses, so I was up to this challenge and liked the idea of varicolored bushes, clusters, longstems and bunch roses.

As I perused this lovely location, the sight of the Albright's E. B. Green 1905 building peeking over the end of the gardens grabbed me. I turned my easel around and accepted the challenge. Having painted on the grounds and having a profound respect for the institution, I did appreciate this distance view.

However, I ended my visit with about 50 new rose photographs, with all the varieties and colors one could imagine.

Look What's Growing in the Rose Garden, 11x14 oil on masonite 12x18

Photo; in progress plein air painting

Margaret Louise Park, Amherst, NY

2011-06-15T15:22:00.002-04:00

My second visit to this jewel of a park was a perfect Spring day. We had been through a spell of cold and rain which caused a few paint-outs to be washed out.

The painters kept murmuring 'what a lovely day' as we drank in sunshine, listened to geese clattering over territory and birds celebrated their varied chirps.

Painting on a masonite panel reminded me how important the surface is to a composition. My oils slide like butter on warm toast but dry more slowly so each brushstroke must be carefully placed to avoid muddy effects. In this case, the tannin in the water created deep dark browns, but the sky and scattered clouds reflected themselves in all the light areas.

If this is the best plein air I create this year, I will still be happy. It is named for the turtles basking on the log in the water to the left of the tree trunk.

4 More Turtles, oil 16x20 2011

Olmsted Parks paintings.

2011-06-15T15:07:00.003-04:00

It's unusual for me to paint from a photograph, but I was indoors, painting an Olmsted Park. I used a dull photo and my memory to capture the day I was there early last Fall. This Spring I spent a day with representatives of Olmsted Parks of Buffalo, painting at the 'Plantasia' event on the Hamburg fairgrounds.

The varied Olmsted designed parks in Buffalo include several traffic circles in the system, including at McKinley, Kleinhans, and Richmond as well as South and Delaware Parks. I donated this painting to their fundraising and by a roundabout way it remains much loved in

the office of Otis Glover, Director of Communication and Outreach at Parkside offices, 84 Parkside Avenue Buffalo

Olmsted at Delaware Park, 9x12, oil 2011

collection of Buffalo Park System

Chasing the sun from the shadows

2011-05-15T21:42:00.003-04:00

My previous post showed a finished painting drying in the sun. Actually, painting on a canvas that has sunshine on it creates a very strange painting when brought indoors, sometimes it is positively garish and other times it is incredibly dark. It took me 3 ruined paintings to learn to ALWAYS have my canvas and my palette in shade. Therefore I bring a 60" artist umbrella to our paintouts as well as choose locations with abundant shade trees or overhangs. Standing in sun for hours, sunblock or not isn't a healthy practice either.

It helps to have a good sense of direction or a compass when plein air painting. In this case, I put a straight edge on the ground at the edge of the shadow and watched to see the sun move over the marker-it only takes 2-3 minutes to plot a good spot.

photos by Bobbie Peters

Working Weekend!

2011-05-15T21:00:00.005-04:00

I managed to paint and visit Long Island & NYC over a recent long weekend. I painted one early morning and one afternoon on different days at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories and Education Center where Bobbie works, probably the prettiest site for a lab and a career. This is the view near the top of the hill and close to her office doorstep. The paintings show adjoining areas of the village of Cold Spring Harbor, across the bay; both were painted in glorious sunshine but the harbor photos were taken when scattered clouds changed my view and I took a break.

The painting below, on the easel, is set to dry in the sun as I relished the view and waited for a ride home, I have it home now having gingerly carried the still wet painting in my JetBlue carryon. The Library painting stayed at the lab in her office, I painted until 5 minutes before leaving for the train and it was entirely too fragile to move.

I plopped the wet picture on the shaded ground and took a snapshot to test the light. It needed more light for true colors so I moved the picture to shoot it again. Dead camera battery. I have no painting, nor do I have an accurate photo of it, but I did have the opportunity to spend hours with this view, the changing colors and shadows of morning, the moored boats changing direction with the breeze, pansies and flowering trees and a nearby fountain attracting a variety of birds.

Can you believe my sister works in this spectacular place? And she has the painting? I expect a comment as to how this photo of the painting compares to the real thing!

Photo Cold Spring Harbor

Cold Spring Harbor Library, oil 14x11 2011

Photo of easel, 'Mapping My Genome at CSHL, oil 11x14 2011

A Stir in the Mist

2011-04-07T16:40:00.004-04:00

A Stir in the Mist has been out for a few months now, it is the wonderful hard cover cookbook published by the Niagara Falls Boys & Girls Club. I am proud to be a part of such an ambitious project, the committee was aware of every facet of cooking, writing and printing this lovely book.

My painting, 'Masterviews' was selected for the sidebar of the menu pages, and it was purchased by Diane Cimino at the cookbook kickoff last November. In the cookbook it is printed in blue as a screen. A few minutes later, I had another customer wanting the same painting for an out of town gift-for a former Niagara Falls resident. It is entirely unusual for me to paint a copy of my works, and the original was purposely softer in contrast to allow cookbook comments printed over the mist. I told the Koester family that their 'copy' would not be the same, it would have different color and less mist. Also different in balance of the composition, I am surprised how close the two paintings are. It will be a lovely addition to its new home in Missouri.

Click on A Stir in the Mist to see the book and turn the pages. I also drew the illustrations of food and provided Niagara Falls paintings for the divider pages.

Masterviews, 24 x 8, oil 2010

Masterviews Too, 24 x 8, oil 2011

Giant Croton captures me

2011-04-07T16:20:00.006-04:00

Spring comes first at the Botanical Gardens, the cactus start to swell and palms put out huge new branches, ferns thicken and unfurl from their centers. Intrigued by the changing leaf colors as winter wanes, I found a crowd of colorful Croton plants and moved them around a little to isolate this one.

There was a lot more color after studying the plant, and this painting took longer than I expected. 'Some green, a couple of orange, a bit of yellow, leaves aren't that hard.' Or so I thought. The light on each waxy leaf created new hues and shades, the shadow of one leaf onto another created more.

I was positioned in a narrow aisle and the best moment of the day was a toddler who considered pebbles on the raised beds delicious. His stroller brought them right to his reach; he waited until Mom admired the Venus Fly Traps and grabbed a handful. We warned her, but he was determined to have his souvenir. Apparently he had been practicing this grab for a while, not a healthy place to eat, and he probably went home with a bit of extra weight.

Greenhouse Croton, 12.5 x 16.5 pastel 2011

Begonia in bloom

2011-04-07T15:47:00.003-04:00

Thursdays at The Botanical Gardens continue to attract me....and my pastel boxes. As the winter flower shows were removed, and few Amaryllis remained, the begonia room's incredibly diverse leaf shapes and soon-to-be exploding flower buds were attractive, but not as interesting to me as the fish. I spent a day sketching the huge koi as they lazed in the waterfall's ripples, but soon realized that they were not going to stay still. As soon as I chose a fish, he hid. Frustration! I went home with many drawn pages of incomplete koi in my sketchbook, all in conte crayon.

The following week I went back to the begonias and found this brilliant orange bud bursting open, surrounded by vari-colored leaves draping themselves like servants to the royal bloom.

My drive to and from the gardens includes the Skyway. It's my favorite road here, with views of downtown Buffalo, huge ships below, the lake and Canada, leading into active and abandoned grain elevators, ice fishermen, Tifft Preserve, marinas and finally South Park.

I don't actually look at the street when I drive, I can see over the guardrails and I swivel like a bobblehead to look out in every direction. Here are two videos I found of my drive-with too much road, not enough lake.

Eastbound, with music

Westbound in the sunshine

Long Leaf Begonia, pastel 9.5x12.5 2011

Amaryllis

2011-03-14T10:10:00.004-04:00

The botanical garden's recent Amaryllis show was a riot of color, strap leaves & thick tall stems topped by gaudy trumpets marching along the greenhouse paths.

This beauty was buried with sprays of tiny orchids at the entrance to the ivy house. I was attracted to the red, green & white colors as well as the way it reached into the path.

Untitled, pastel, 9.5x12.5 2011

Cattleya Orchid

2011-03-05T16:07:00.003-05:00

Last weekend's Botanical Garden's event featured the glorious blooming orchid room and the Orchid Society Show.

Leading up to this event, the orchids have been casually unfolding from balls and ovals and even zigzag bundles from their host of strap leaves and air roots. Otherwise unremarkable plants have become riots of color, and each week we painters spent time checking out the buds and new colors.

I had worked at a popular florist when all women wore gaudy corsages for Easter so it was the biggest work weekend with hours right through the night. Everyone's Mom & Grandma needed to have a color coordinated flower and bow on their Easter finery.

This cattleya puts the smaller cymbidiums and phalaenopsis to shame by its sheer size, as a corsage it was a favorite but I never understood why the big flopping petals that reached halfway across any women's outfit was so popular, in those days the color to wear was purple.

For me, sitting in the orchid room with these screaming yellow flowers for a morning of mark making was wonderful!

Not My Corsage, pastel 9.5x12.5 2011

Springing into Spring?

2011-02-19T19:43:00.005-05:00

Two days of sunshine & warm wind obliterated January's snow into puddles. I was ready to pack my paints & declare an early Spring. Wrong. Winter is back, but we are in the midst of art show season, so I am looking forward to art openings & sharing winter art stories & accomplishments with artist friends.

Last week, the 'Traditional' part of Art Dialogue Gallery's Western NY Artist Group juried membership show opened. My juicy tomatoes are hanging near the window-it seems my extra bright colors always have a hard time being placed in art shows, they are front & center, or on a single wall, or at the beginning or end. Sounds like I covered all the bases, but my paintings are rarely hung within the line of artworks on average gallery walls. I kind of like it that way! It will be up until mid-March when the 'Contemporary' part opens.

'On the Waterfront' at Artsphere Studio & Gallery, Amherst Street in Buffalo, opening reception is next Friday, February 25, 6:30-9 pm and will remain up until March 25. I had a hard time choosing only 2 paintings for this show, of all the tugs & grain elevators, downtown skylines and ships that I have painted in the last few years I could have had my own show altogether.

The two landscape paintings are plein air.

Karpeles Tomatoes, 11x14 oil 2009

Tug in a Cool Dock, framed to 19x21, pastel 2008

Lights under Michigan Street Bridge, oil 14x11 2009

Art is back in season

2011-01-24T22:13:00.005-05:00

Finally, indoor plein air season! I have been going to the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens in the winter to paint over the past five years.

Everything changes quickly there, and seasonal displays of flowers add to the riot of color on the permanent plants. Amaryllis will be lining the walks soon.

Choosing to sit with my canvas on the same bench weekly would still result in very different paintings every time. This lemon tree has been my subject at least four other times, deep green fruit hides under big leathery leaves and tangled branches until subtle color changes to lighter green. The little white flower buds have a wonderful sweet scent.

Lemon Hide, pastel 12.5x9.5 2011

A Winter jewel

2010-12-29T22:39:00.004-05:00

No. I have not been painting outdoors. This bit of winter is from last year, a sunny day with a lot of snow, enough to sink in it down to my knees in snow-I almost had to paint UP to my easel because it was braced on a fence. Getting chills just by remembering. Looking forward to painting some more purple shadows on the snow, which means we need to lose the clouds soon.

It was painted at the old canoe launch in Buckhorn State Park where I often paint in Fall, when leaves and shrubs hide the trees in the distance.

Creek Shadows, oil 8x10 2010

Open Studio 2010

2010-12-24T10:29:00.003-05:00

My annual Open Studio event has evolved over the years and I look forward to seeing friends, sharing stories of my paintings and eating holiday cookies. Claudia Capolupo joined me for the day on Friday, its always a treat to have time with a good friend, wine & conversation.

Rearranging the studio for visitors involves framing new work, varnishing paintings from spring & summer and deciding which artworks are unfinished or need to be overpainted [not everything is a keeper!].

2010 was a Friday/Saturday event & the weather was warm and sunny, so there were many people out and the light streaming in the windows brightened the darkest corners. I'm pleased to show these photos of 'Holes in the Walls' studio at its best. Since that weekend is followed by so many holidays & preparation for them, visiting & parties, the studio stays clean & neat. I don't usually start any major works now but I am looking forward to some big projects for the new year. My 'need to paint' is satisfied by painting a few small works and drawing plans for upcoming projects.

Find peace & joy in whatever you do.

Letchworth State Park Weekend

2010-12-06T15:08:00.005-05:00

After a minor whine/ rant last post, I have to admit to a two night get-away camp adventure in Letchworth State Park with Sherrill Primo, Joan L. Shaw and other NFPAP painters in October. Yes, I got cold 'camping' with a cottage, and it also rained. No matter, it was wonderful. I've returned to this Letchworth site & now have three pictures, one an older photo of my kids & Carl in front of this train trestle, another a little painting of the same scene with watercolors from a paint trip with Sherrill 2 years ago. This time, I was ready and the train trestle was finished-when the incredibly long train motored by, slow enough to capture the light glinting on the roof and slow enough for me to paint it from life! Actually, I can paint VERY fast.

The photo of me was taken by a tourist to the park, who happens to be from Buffalo, watched me paint for a while, took my photo & my card & sent the photo to me. Thank you John Gross! I'm wearing all the clothes I brought, I think there were seven layers, two pairs each of gloves & socks, but my smile is genuine. We went to paint the majestic Glen Iris Inn, but I happened to turn around & liked the shadows & light at edge of the meadow near the gorge. I stood under a tree that partially protected me from the constant mist and wind that started to get quite ferocious by the end of our adventure.

Are You Allowed Up There?, 24x12 oil 2010

By Glen Iris Inn, 8x10 oil 2010

TIfft Nature Center & Sanity

2010-12-06T14:46:00.002-05:00

Those of you who know me understand the turmoil around me over the past few months. I have maintained my sanity by grabbing all rare occasions to paint, certainly not as often as I would like, & I haven't posted many new works that I have completed. My 'business of art' is set aside for now, but the studio is clean and serves as a sanctuary for music, sketching and thought.

Well, our first snow arrived & I finally spent the morning converting images for publication & hope to post several times in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

These two were painted at Tifft Nature Preserve in South Buffalo which is an idyllic park run by the Buffalo Museum of Science. It was reclaimed from abandoned railroad yards and factory dumps in the early years, when Buffalo was a huge port and transportation center.

Each year that I paint there I see nature overcoming the spoils of industry. As I painted the creek, a pair of deer frolicked in the distance, giant water birds came & went and the painting earned its title.

The little marshland portrait has a huge set of grain elevators in the distance; abandoned, trees and grasses have sprouted on the paths and fields, the buildings appear to recede as the trees gain height.

4 Turtles on a Log, oil 11x14 2010

Reclaimation, 5x7 oil 2010

Art to Print?

2010-11-29T23:36:00.006-05:00

I received an email this week because a Google searcher found me and my cloud paintings when looking for posters. I was impressed because I had only published two of the 40 paintings from my year of preparing for 'Skies over Buffalo, Wait a Minute'. It slowed down my posting this year as it kept me busy doing my favorite sport-painting! Actually I purposely held back those images just for a show.

Anyway, it made me realize that they would make super posters.....thinking......

Don't Bring Me Rain, oil 10x20 2010

Off the Lake, oil 12x16 2010

Open Art Studio Show is Over for 2010

2010-11-13T22:37:00.004-05:00

At the top of the staircase I placed this large oil painting, painted from a beautiful bouquet, my birthday gift. It was an introduction to the upstairs gallery and a complete change from the water, rocks and skies of downstairs Falls painting exhibit. I think the transition was effective. Guests stopped on the top step to look at it, then walked the hall left and right to look at other paintings.

Next year, I will create a display of the flowers downstairs, as I only used a few of them anywhere this year. There were many Fall landscapes en plein air in the studio and I was pleased to see them all together. I'll probably emphasize bridges somewhere too. I surprised myself at how many different bridge paintings are here.

After I picked up the cookies and paperwork from the open art studio event, I went out for a quick errand. Returning, the ceiling spotlight still shone on this painting, giving it an eerie glow it deserves, I could see it from the road.

There is a difference in the right and left sides that is only evident with a careful introspective observation, it is bright and optimistic on the right, fading on the left.

Perhaps I will put it in the living room near the window. I always felt it belonged over a breakfront or a server, to appear as a bouquet placed on that piece of furniture.

If you missed this sunny and busy show weekend, I'll be back next year, or call for an appointment anytime.

It's a Lot Like Life, oil 28x22 2010

2010 Open Art Studio

2010-11-04T01:24:00.003-04:00

Next week will be my 3rd annual open art studio, Friday & Saturday 11-5. Saw a friend who purchased my Great Lakes gardens picture (September 2010 calendar image) last year at the open house & told him about next week. I thought his head would fly off when he whipped it around to say-'What! That was a year ago?'

Time flies when we are having fun.

This oil painting has been on and off my easel all year. I started it because of an earlier pink flower painted in pastel from a similar view-the back. It was called 'Looking Back on a Decade' because the painting coincided with one of those landmark birthdays.

What! That was TEN years ago!!

Just another Decade, oil 20x16 2010

Tuscarora State Park

2010-10-24T19:08:00.004-04:00

Every paint-out is a mini vacation. A few weeks ago my mini vacation was in Northern Niagara County outside Wilson, NY, so I was home by 4pm.

The Tuscarora State Park on Lake Ontario has a lovely beach area on the west side bordered by a small outlet. Standing in sand, protected in the shade of a massive cottonwood, I could see across the tiny bay to thirsty trees reaching down to the water.

The shallow water here can float small sailboats and inboards, but there were none at this plein air paintout-just Canada Geese families.

Tuscarora Caribe 9x12 oil 2010

THE ELECTRIC TOWER paint out

2010-10-23T17:03:00.005-04:00

This summer I had the opportunity to ascend 'The Electric Tower' to paint, it's the dramatic building where the outdoor New Year's Eve party & fireworks is centered in Buffalo. Built as the terminus for long distance electricity from Niagara Falls for the 1904 Pan Am Exposition, most of it has served as offices, the first two floors used to be an elegant store for electric household tools-vacuums! Waffle irons! Electric lamps!

The current owners (ISKALO) have been restoring the dignity of this round building and converting it to offices & condos. We were invited to paint on the 15th floor & quite a few Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters took this opportunity to 'see the sights' 2/3 of the way up the building where the white section starts. This level was due to be renovated, so we were able to explore original boardrooms totally carved and decorated with dark wood, built in furniture and secret doors in the panels. Each painter selected a different window, our floor was small enough with all the walls and dividers removed that we could talk to each other about whether it was really plein air painting or not! The windows were huge, but we were protected from the wind and sounds of the city.

In addition, few of us had ever painted anything by looking down for the whole painting. This created perspective & compositional challenges; most buildings were much lower than us, roofs full of electrical systems, the lake and Canada in the distance, hockey & baseball stadiums within a few blocks.

I selected to paint a long view-the old first ward and grain mills with windmills & Lake Erie in the distance. As an outdoor painter I have discovered so many new streets & hidden treasures in downtown Buffalo, side roads off Ohio Street take me to 'Elevator Alley' a majestic remnant of 19th century glory when Buffalo was one of the largest cities in North America and the gateway to the west. Now these river alleys are quiet with age and home to geese, boaters and tugboats instead of crowded with great lakes ships.

Where I Like to Paint, oil 15x30 2010

The Electric Tower photo from website http://www.electrictower.com

Is this an old church in Canada?

2010-10-17T23:50:00.004-04:00

A summer weekend at Artpark with the Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters during the wine trail tour was a perfect place to paint. Surrounded by artists and wine, lots of people who were all in a great mood and not in a hurry--who could ask for more?

This is a Canadian building, perhaps a church, across the Niagara River in Ontario. I am not familiar with it by driving along the Niagara Parkway so it must be nestled in Queenston, behind those lovely historic homes and businesses. The river had a Caribbean color to it that day, reminding me of Cancun.

Canada from Artpark, 20x16 oil 2010

Phyllis Stigliano Gallery

2010-10-17T22:52:00.003-04:00

A Jetblue airfare sale and a quick painting trip to NYC enabled this plein air of a lovely Brooklyn brownstone in the historic district of Park Slope.

The image will be used by Phyllis Stigliano for cards at her art gallery on the first floor. The title was inspired by the large number of serendipitous events that brought Phyllis, Charles & I together, as well as the ambiance of the afternoon that I painted. The sun shone and neighbors gathered as I was challenged to capture decorative details, fleeting light and the elegant mood of this grand old building with a quick brush.

Accustomed to wide open spaces and infinite vantage points when I work en plein air, this was painted from across the street by perching on a neighbor's wall, the only spot that afforded a view between towering trees. It might have been more difficult if the recent tornado that blasted this area had not torn down small branches and many leaves to give me a better view.

This is my second longest (time) on site painting; learning the scale and proportion of protruding windows, multiple columns and solving perspective from close range was a genuine challenge that I enjoyed all day. Now that I have challenged and conquered brownstone style architecture I'll find additional opportunities to paint in the city.

8th Avenue Serendipity, 14x11 oil 2010

Escarpment Drive Painting

2010-10-06T20:48:00.004-04:00

Answer: Exactly one month, plus about 20 years of practice.

Question: How long did it take to do that painting?

I put brush to a gessoed canvas on September 5th, after several visits to take pictures, choose lighting & a bunch of drawings to choose composition & resolve scale for this commission. Although I plan to add a signature & a few dots & dashes for depth, it is a finished painting on October 5.

So,all things considered, including prep and framing, the real Answer: 2 months, + drying time to be varnished [3-6 more months].

Escarpment View, oil 12x24 2010

That's really a LOT OF WATER!

2010-10-06T20:37:00.003-04:00

A plein air paintout on a late September morning resulted in a successful capture of one small piece of the American Falls. The photo was taken early, the water turned greener as the light changed. I placed it here to share my awe of the tremendous power at Niagara Falls. This was a joint paint out with Naiagara Frontier Plein Air Painters and Genesee Valley Plein Air Painters, so we all had an especially lively lunch discussing techniques and turpentine.

I toyed with the idea of including some tourists----it would emphasize the scale of the cataracts, but have instead decided to title it with a tremendous fact.

8,000 Cubic Feet Per Second, oil 16x20, 2010

'Music is Art' at Albright Knox Art Gallery

2010-09-14T23:27:00.006-04:00

What was it like at 'Music is Art'? The title 'Magic Mayhem' suits Saturday perfectly---beautiful weather, lots of people, wild costumes, multiple bands & stages, delicious food, kids & more crowds.

It was fun to paint & have little kids light up when they recognized that my painting was of the roofline peeking out of the trees, I watched them look from my canvas to the trees over a

& over before they grabbed a parent to share their discovery. I had a wall display of work from local places & people of all ages asked questions and commented on places that were familiar.

The day was a feast for the eyes and ears, so I have included a few sights from my tent area.

For more pictures, go to Buffalo.com, even I am featured in the photo news as I was captured painting during the day. At Flickr, a photographer [pharaoh8] has posted individual images of many performers and spectators.

I painted in the afternoon-it is the house roof next to Albright Knox Art Gallery, peeking through the trees, catching afternoon light on the yellow brick chimney.

Music is Art 8x10, oil 2010

Music is Mayhem at Albright Knox

2010-09-11T07:26:00.003-04:00

Today's the day! The all day feast of music on multiple stages surrounding the Albright Knox Art Gallery, book-ended by food and artisans is here. Participating in this event is the culmination of a summer as an an artist and audience member......so many bands were featured outdoors this summer from Lewiston to N. Tonawanda, Niagara Falls & Buffalo that some evening's entertainment was a difficult choice. As a listener, I often wished I could sketch or paint during the entertainment, but I will have my tent, my easel set up & plenty of music all day to celebrate the end of summer and a wonderful listening season.

This festival celebrates all the arts & their value in education, giving many bands opportunities to perform before huge audiences as well as having a big dose of magic today. Guinness book of records representatives will be there to see the 'highest straight jacket escape' at 300' in the air......where does a 300' crane park? Magic? It's all a wonder. I'll pack my juggling kit.

Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters at Niagara Falls

2010-08-18T17:17:00.004-04:00

Here is a peek at an oil painting that is drying right now...a morning that started with a rainstorm turned wonderful by a 9am start for the NFPAP paintout last week. The hardy painters who arrived at the Falls gathered at the top of Terrapin Point to capture the Horseshoe Falls, while I chose a spot midway between the staircases. I thought I would be safe from too many tourists; boy was I wrong! I actually welcome an occasional interruption as it gives my eyes a break and allows a little mind shift from paint. However, entire busloads of visitors gathered round my easel---and then started asking me to turn and pose for them. My photograph is traveling around the world on many tiny memory cards as I write.

I'm thrilled with how this piece of Niagara turned out, it's hard to see well with the light glare on oil, but it is mounted on my portable french easel which is folded closed. The big plastic bag holds odds & ends, camera, lunch, canvases and such. At the Falls a plastic bag is mandatory-I never know when the wind will shift and drench everything with mist.

photo by Joan Shaw

Picture Postcard!

2010-07-31T00:52:00.004-04:00

Summer is TOO busy-but so much fun. We go to many gallery openings that include our work or to see artworks by others, but this was a particularly special show. My painting was selected for the postcard, and you can see both sides here.

The opening was spectacular-and crowded-and the work submitted under the theme 'Garden Mystique' was varied & interesting. Doreen DeBoth at Artsphere Studio & Gallery hangs this show to coincide with the Buffalo Garden Walk. Each year it is better and more inclusive of art forms, so I am doubly pleased to have been selected to grace the invitation. Marcus had openings across the street at Gallery 464 and Blink, so Amherst Street was hopping happy with art, music & people.

Shadow on the Pulpit, oil on canvas 30x15 2008 [Postcard]

Back to Glen Park in Williamsville

2010-07-31T00:18:00.004-04:00

Last month, on a 'threatening to be rainy' day, I returned to Mill Falls in Williamsville, NY. I had planned to paint the waterfall to capture the power of that falls from a different angle. However, trees & brush were quite heavily filled in compared to the earlier visit; my view was blocked.

I noticed & studied this nearby area of white water when I had painted there in the Spring. The ominous gray weather gave the underwater rocks more definition, so I parked myself on the edge of the walk & used just 2 large brushes. I had been reading & researching about artists' processes recently & was influenced by some of the old masters.

I am pleased with the results....each stroke is deliberate. The colors were mostly premixed. Middle values determined the darker & lighter values. Thinking about how I wanted this to look abstract without losing the quality of fast water was important to the process.

Finishing this painting, the rain started-in great big plops that soon turned to buckets. Fortunately the car was parked nearby & it didn't get my french easel or painting too wet. The wet easel story is saved for another day's post about 'Rock of Ages'.

Noise, oil 16x20 2010

A Weekend in Artpark

2010-07-31T00:05:00.002-04:00

My painting group, Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters, will be at Artpark in Lewiston this weekend for a very public paint out. We will start around the lower level parking lot, but will probably start moving around the park as inspiration guides us! It is also the Wine & Culinary Festival and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing Beethoven on the indoor stage.

I'll be painting near my white tent 12-8 on Saturday & 12-6 Sunday, trying to make up for a lot of painting days missed this summer for all sorts of ridiculous reasons. Since I will be there for two days I am bringing several large canvases, with hope that I can find the perfect compositions & the right size canvas to push the paint around on.

Winter projects need Summer varnish

2010-07-13T00:03:00.005-04:00

It takes about 6 months for oil paint to dry thoroughly, so I have been varnishing & framing artwork from Fall & Winter recently, but neither project is helped by the recent heat. It turns out that I often select paintings to work with, take a nice seat & then watch the birds or start to read.

When I began to frame this winter painting I had a burst of cool air as the ice at the horseshoe falls blew off the picture. It was pretty cold in the mist so this is not a plein air-I took a series of photographs and made the painting in my studio with the wind on my mind. Kath Schifano is not that dedicated or crazy enough to try this outdoors!

The walking area here is closed in the winter, those tall viewfinders are buried under several feet of ice. Not in this painting, the only way to see them in January is to know they are there-making small bumps buried under the huge, deep ice sheet.

It's aptly named for it's mammoth dangers as well as the Winter Olympics were held during my studio adventure with ice. You only get one try when you slide on this hill.

Olympic Ice, oil 12x24 2010

Sunny Day's Bonus Painting

2010-06-30T19:19:00.004-04:00

On May 13 I posted a painting "Spring Rapids from the Second Bridge" of an upriver view from idyllic Three Sisters Islands at Niagara Falls State Park. I spent a long time on it & was going home happy with the results. Just past the islands, on the way to the parking lot, dappled sunlight lit up the path and brilliant patches of wildflowers in the lawn. It was stunning, and a quiet respite from the thundering water I had just painted.

I sat on the stone wall & reopened my french easel to experience the afternoon light on the path-I had an abundance of premixed Spring greens on my palette that I could use for this picture, as well as several well used brushes that were put back to work. I came home much later than planned, but sitting in the calm shade while I painted was a big contrast to standing on the breezy bridge and seemed like a completely new day.

Goat Island Path, 10x12 oil 2010

September Art Show Preview

2010-06-26T23:00:00.003-04:00

Although I am saving the pastel sky paintings for the show 'Skies over Buffalo, Wait a Minute' at Quaker Bonnet in September, I mentioned in the last post that I was painting skies from a single location.

I'm putting this up as an early weather warning post! First Fridays in Buffalo feature openings at many galleries, so save the evening-September 3rd-for my new solo exhibit. This is the first oil of the series which are from Grand Island, looking south to weather in the distance, my view. These perky clouds were dancing lightly on a perfect Spring adventure, but not all the skies are this cheery!

Sky Series, 4-12-10,'Off the Lake', oil 11x14 2010

WIlliamsville Waterfall

2010-06-26T22:34:00.003-04:00

I'm not a fan of the color blue in my home. However, blue paint is another story altogether. Since September 2009 I have been painting skies--actually the same sky view as the weather & seasons change. That's a lot of blue, and a lot of gray as well.

Now that I paint plein air outdoors more, I have been returning to close ups- an inspection of single elements or parts of a whole. The sky paintings fit that category as well. This is a April view of the waterfall behind the red mill in Williamsville. The vertical composition was painted in the morning, while I had afternoon light for the horizontal oil. Same water, but the sun had moved.

It was pure pleasure to paint again with Sharon Fundalinski & Peggy Walker; each of our paintings captured the day, but each view was completely different. Painting with varied blues is a whole different category from living with blue in my home!

Red Mill Falls Vertical, oil 7x5 2010

RedMill Falls Horizontal, oil 8x10 2010

A Tourist in Houston

2010-06-23T23:51:00.003-04:00

Packed my paints, brushes & canvases for an extended visit to Houston TX & found that I couldn't paint plein air due to high heat & humidity---not me, the paint was entirely too tacky! I did a fair amount of sketching, read several books, spent too much time on FaceBook and just loved being with baby Amelia.

On a single day as tourist, I managed to visit the famous Beer Can House, Japanese Gardens downtown, & The Car Museum. By far, the best visit was to Museum of Fine Arts in Houston & the John Singer Sargeant exhibit of marine art painted when he was 18-24 years old.

Simply astounding.

Simply intimidating that so much planning went into a single final composition-full size individual figure drawings & paintings for a group composition on the beach as well as a maquette of the painting-and he was still a kid!

Sargeant, always loved his work, now I appreciate & respect it even more!

Spring Greens from a Three Sisters Bridge

2010-05-13T23:22:00.003-04:00

On May 5 I published my new portrait, with an in-progress painting on my easel. Here is that finished painting which accurately portrays my experience that day---EXCEPT---there is no roar of water hammering rocks & racing downhill. It doesn't even LOOK like much noise here, but behind me, the water continues to cascade towards the big falls, and to my right all the water that is destined to go over the great Horseshoe is pounding boulders beyond the next little island.

So, dear viewer, when you see this painting please add your own sound track, as when I see it I definitely hear the tumultuous thunder of our water, all 50,000 cubic feet a second racing to the precipice.

Spring Rapids from the Second Bridge 10x20 oil, 2010

Winter Projects

2010-05-05T15:43:00.003-04:00

Painting outdoors is so different than indoors. As a plein air painter who likes to stay warm, I meet with Sharon & Peggy at the Buffalo Botanical Gardens in South Park as often as possible in the winter. On 3 consecutive Thursdays, I sat by the same giant cymbidium orchid bush to draw-in the Florida Everglades display. I originally planned to experiment with different colors of paper, but I am pleased to see how the same branch developed in the time I was there.

These orchids twist & turn as they grow to the light until the entire branch has a series of flowers facing the same direction. This is the branch I would love to have in a vase, they last for months, except they are pretty hard to find in a florist unless it is wedding season. By then, my own garden gives me its bounty.

Not able to purchase a single orchid branch, in February I bought a mini orchid plant which has been celebrating life in the kitchen. The tiny balls on the end of the spray slowly enlarge until one morning they pop open to a full size-mini-orchid flower of the deepest magenta. It's kind of miraculous.
[3] evolving orchids-12x15, pastel 2010

Spring at Three Sister's Islands

2010-05-05T15:41:00.002-04:00

Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters met at Three Sisters Islands to paint yesterday & it was exhilarating! It's nice to be painting outside again with Sharon Fundalinski, Peggy Walker, Joan Shaw, Manning McCandlish and more! We were settled on each of the islands painting our own views. In the end, some of the same blue/gray/greens were in each artist's picture, but they were all completely different.

I finished this scene on location. As I dragged my tired self & painting equipment to the car, balancing this big wet picture, I was struck by flowers growing wild in dappled sunlight along the path to the parking lot. I pulled out my used brushes & palette and sketched the shadowed path on a small canvas with oils remaining from the first picture. Both new paintings will be posted soon, they are too wet to photograph.

Tugs at Elevator Alley

2010-04-27T21:51:00.003-04:00

Last summer we [Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters] painted near 'elevator alley', a series of waterways leading to various grain elevators in South Buffalo. We always seem to have a good time there with nearby geese floating & fishing, an occasional kayak, in a generally quiet neighborhood hidden near Ohio Street.

As I recently sorted files of paintings, I realized that I have chosen to paint boats of various sizes many times, but have especially selected tugs when they appear. These two are usually moored here, I don't know if they are city owned or their names and have asked around for the information.

Last week I was privileged to be invited on the antique Buffalo fireboat 'Cotter' for the 2010 BoomDays celebration at the Peace Bridge. The firehoses were aimed to create huge arcs of Niagara River water saluting the bi-national event while a huge orange ball was hurled over the edge of the Peace Bridge by the mayors of Buffalo & Erie. Needless to say, there is no dry spot on a fireboat squirting in all directions so I hunkered in with the captain. I brought art supplies but besides a pile of photos, all I did was sketch the prow.

Tugs at Elevator Alley, pastel 11x15 2009

Map is Less Red?

2010-04-13T00:45:00.003-04:00

My normal 'cluster map', shown below the links on the right panel of this page details visits from various countries to this blog. Just when I determined that the reds were starting to connect the map was archived. The large dots from my previous map is shown here. Still waiting for the 'China connection', although the previous long list had shown visits from countries that I had nearly forgotten.

I particularly like the red visit dots from Pacific island viewers!

New look at my website

2010-04-13T00:16:00.001-04:00

Updated the website recently with Jeremy in Houston. This is the new Home page image, assembled by Carl. Comments are welcome & encouraged! You can comment below or directly to me.

www.kschifano.com

Market Sreet Art Center BNAA show

2010-04-11T01:18:00.003-04:00

Market Street Art Center in Lockport is host for the Buffalo Niagara Art Association 2010 Spring show this month. Everyone was pleased with the strength and range of the work which filled the downstairs gallery.

It's hard to choose when a snow painting should be displayed! After winter, I look for light & bright & colors like green, but in Fall, I thought the snow looked so 'last year'. I was determined to show this view of Huth Road from our upstairs window & it was mighty cold when I sent the application last month. It was downright hot when I delivered it last week, & perfectly lovely today for the opening reception. I now believe there is no right time for a snow picture, just enjoy the colors & composition. Long trunk shadows are created by streetlights, so they are the same all year long--but sometimes with leaves.

I adapted this scene from photographs I shot before dawn last March as the light started to change. We had a late snowstorm which silently continued all night & it was truly lovely even after a long winter. Then it took two long months to paint in my studio. This March there was no snow at all following a rather mild winter season.

The second painting in the show is a pastel, 'Not a Lift Bridge on the Erie Canal', showing a section of the canal near Widewater in Lockport.

Winter's night Dawn 36x24, oil 2009

Niagara Falls Boys & Girls Club Cookbook

2010-03-01T22:49:00.004-05:00

I have been working since last summer on illustrations for a hardcover cookbook to be published late this year by the Niagara Falls Boys & Girls Club. Volunteers have been testing recipes & preparing the chapters for a long time already.

Each page has a 'sidebar' that may contain information about this area, the restaurant a recipe is from, or some cooking information. This painting will appear there - gray-scaled & as a screen so that the type will show clearly.

My challenge was to find an image that would work in a format that is 3 times as tall as it is wide! They are considering using two different sidebars, so the next will be 'more mist, less land'. This scene took a few tries, but I am thrilled with the result. It is from Prospect Point looking across the Niagara River to the Horseshoe Falls.

Masterviews, oil on stretched canvas, 24x8 2010

Raghava KK

2010-03-01T22:43:00.002-05:00

"I hope you will join me in this Magic Carpet Ride, and touch children, and be honest."

Passing along a link to a Ted Talks video, it's less than 20 minutes, but Raghava shows how he has passed through 5 avatars as an artist, but remains true to himself & his art. I would like to be able to say I have been true to my art as well. We'll see. Thanks for the link from Charles.

http://www.ted.com/talks/raghava_kk_five_lives_of_an_artist.html

Sweet tooth

2010-02-12T17:30:00.002-05:00

I couldn't resist the close up - this is about 1 foot of the painting. Time to celebrate.

Detail- 'My Mixer is Pink' (see next post)

Inspired by the Cupcake Queen

2010-02-12T16:48:00.005-05:00

Delivered today, this painting just jumped onto the giant naked wall it was made for. Sometime ago, Cupcake Queen Amanda DiCesare mentioned that she wanted to 'do her kitchen' in the cupcake theme that had already manifested itself in cookie jars, candles and more. This kitchen already has a major collection of PINK appliances-toaster, mixer and more. She liked the old fashioned desserts shown on the tray here, so I took it for inspiration & an example of what she might be thinking about.

I drew about ten different plans, including family items like the teapot & bowl before I found a good composition for a 'larger than life' painting-it is three feet wide, the cupcakes are huge.

As I painted, I thought. [That's what I do when painting, even when the music is loud.] How could I put a picture full of sugared foods in the kitchen of a home with three children? Besides, my teeth were hurting from painting so much frosting. That's how the cookies turned into apples & the milk replaced other sweets. This is the milk bottle that I had asked around for, but eventually found & borrowed from 'Kelly's Country Store' on Grand Island.

It's not what I usually paint, but I had a lot of fun doing it, & it was worth it just to hear Amanda when I delivered it today. I brought the tray back, too.

My Mixer is Pink, 24x36 oil, 2010

Can't keep the small ones, so I'll work large

2010-02-01T02:06:00.005-05:00

This is another large painting that lived on & off my easel for months. I have drawn this scene & painted this curve every year plein air & decided to try it in plain brain. I used some photo references, but mostly worked with the familiarity of having spent so many hours balanced on the edge of the park walkway studying the water.

I enjoy painting large, contemplating the composition & working on it over a period of time. On the other hand, I also like finishing a painting!

Thinking on Curves (Sound of Water 2) 24x48 oil 2009-2010

Not just a pretty picture

2010-01-26T09:05:00.005-05:00

This is quite big for a bouquet & took 3 months on & off my easel. It started as a flat presentation & gradually developed depth & light. I visualize it over/behind someone's buffet or server, or perhaps in an entrance hall, acting like a huge bouquet on the table it is hung above.

The light & fresh life is on the right & the flowers there reach into the brightness, while the other side has a bit of wilting, past their prime. Little bits stretch to get out of the jumbled interior, struggling with the confusion of stems, leaves & flowers.

I appreciated the story telling quality as I painted, giving life & portraying death in what appears to be just a still life of cut flowers. The lights & darks symbolize a relationship. It will be easy to live with, hard to inspect.

I think it is not done. But almost finished.

More or Less Like Life 28x22 oil 2009-2010

Great Lakes Garden at NYS Parks

2010-01-26T08:46:00.003-05:00

In the Fall, Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters [NFPAP] met at the Great Lakes Garden. It was planned for dramatic landscape color, so I paint there a few times a year. This day was chilly, and turned into rain as we ate lunch-outdoors, on the park benches. I finished the painting in the rain with aprons & an old Maid of the Mist raincoat over the easel to protect the painting.

Then I misplaced it. A few weeks ago, after it had dried, I took several paintings downstairs to be lightly varnished & left them there. Since I usually varnish outdoors, I forgot about this batch of paintings. I wondered where one of them was every time I saw its empty blue frame, but they were all small & I assumed it was under or behind something else in the studio. Well, out of sight, out of mind-I just found four paintings & they are all very dry.

This is still not varnished-apparently I realized it was too soon & set it aside!

Skyline from Great Lakes Garden, oil 10x14 2009

Lights in the Garage-a Tonawanda portrait

2010-01-05T15:17:00.003-05:00

Commissioned as 'the house I grew up in', Colleen Sullivan's parents still live here. The house faces north, so it took a number of visits to figure out the best sun light. It turned out to be 6:30 pm in August, when tree shadows appeared on the side walls & as a bonus, the flags are shading the entrance. However, I wanted the trees the colors of Fall so it is a creative jumble of references. As many times as I drove by, the car was always in the driveway & I felt like a stalker taking reference photos while her parents watched tv in the summer room/garage. Therefore, they are here & silhouetted in the painting.

The second dilemma to create this painting was...what color is the house? Seeing the photos taken in evening light added a lot of gold, but it looked very true blue as well as nearly black at other times. Imagine my surprise when Colleen said it was a greenish charcoal--and I had painted it dark blue. It was an easy change which worked out better than if I had planned it, glazes of cadmium yellow toned the blue to green & emphasized the elusive light while creating additional texture. Success!

Lights in the Garage, 18x24, oil 2009

Still waiting for these orchids to bloom

2009-12-22T00:27:00.003-05:00

Now that winter is official with the solstice, I am thinking about the Botanical Gardens in South Buffalo. Last winter I was able to go only twice to the weekly Thursday paint outs. Both times, I spent more time walking around admiring the gardens & new layouts than I did painting.

This is a branch of Cymbidium or Dendrobium orchids, before opening. There were plenty of fantastic open examples, but I had hoped to come back in a week to see these blossoms open & paint a pair of pictures. It began as a plein air, but I continued to work on it in the studio for several long sessions, the depth represents the distance I feel from the Botanical Garden when I cannot go back to paint regularly. The closed blooms symbolize a promise of something special.

This is an expressive & dramatic painting in my studio, I feel fortunate to be able to paint like this.

Not Orchids Yet, oil 11x14, 2009

Open House at Earl Brydges Library in Niagara Falls

2009-12-12T22:10:00.005-05:00

Niagara Falls Public Library held an open house on December 5th, cookies from Howes, punch & several local artsy people showed their work, including me. I chose a small table for my prints & cards right next to the tree so I could rearrange the ornaments for them.

I'm showing a print to Fran Volpe & Joe Carosella as their Aunt Helen-a dedicated Library Volunteer-checks out Niagara Falls paintings.

I've been busy with shows like this, calendar orders, mailing artwork, now I am going to slow down & figure out how this photo got into my folder!

I have prints & cards for sale in the library gift shop which specializes in images of Niagara Falls including wonderful historic black & white photos from the Dunlop collection. It is always a treat to go & see the volunteers who work to keep the shop full & the displays changing. I am confident it should be named the best North End gift shop for variety & history. The library building is impressive as well!

Hyde Park Golf Course Niagara Falls

2009-12-09T23:30:00.004-05:00

Last year I was given a cart ride-with my plein air easel-out onto the golf course in Hyde Park, Niagara Falls. There were no golfers as it was late in the season & chilly, but the maintenance men-who gave me the ride-checked up on my progress several times.

This is a par three, the tee is off to the right past the little bridge. The painting stood drying in the studio for a long time, unsigned, & unfinished, because I had not chosen where to put the flag & hole on the green. The trees painted by the green were too wet & thick to draw the flagpole straight outdoors. By the time I decided on the left front, I had forgotten whether it was on the black or the red course. If I had played this course one time then I would have known the answer. Of course, painting on the golf course is more fun than chasing a ball. Well, I do know a bit about golf, the players, rules, but I do like to paint best!

Outdoor paintings in Fall

2009-11-29T15:03:00.005-05:00

Fall started out cold & rainy, but most of the leaves stayed up to change color slow enough to paint them. These two paintings were blessed moments in the 'church of nature' on completely different days. Laurene Buckley's backyard on Lake Ontario was cold & threatening, but a warm lunch by the fire was promised. It's so nice to paint with friends, I stood on a huge flat rock-with my french easel-nestled against the cliff as critters climbed around the crevices. The biggest chipmunk I ever saw.....fat orange tail......Marian Granfield painted up above & missed all the nutty action.

The second painting is in Buckhorn. I keep trying to capture my favorite tree, but it is sinking into the marsh & didn't have the majesty it deserves on this day, so I looked East to the woods. Love my own juicy brushwork here!

Fall paintings give me the opportunity to use colors we don't see much during the rest of the year. What a wonderful November! Two solid weeks of sunshine.

West from Old Lake Road, 10x14 oil, 2009

Buckhorn Meadow Creek in Fall, oil 11x14, 2009

IPAP paintings slide show

2009-11-16T14:05:00.003-05:00

http://www.i-p-a-p.com/

The link above is for the International Plein Air Painters website. It is a great place for me-I have made friends & connections with artists around the world & our message board contains workshops, news & comments about artist issues. Jacq Baldini, the IPAP 'leader' has posted a series of paintings by members; it runs on the front page of the website, starting with the green & black logo. It's a great representation of plein air artists, around the world, including my 'Dam Leaves in Elma' oil painting. Enjoy! If you go to the website, you won't need to click anything, it loads itself.

November 21 invitation

2009-11-04T19:17:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, November 21 I will have an art open house from 11:00 am until 5:30 pm at my Grand Island studio. It has been exciting getting ready as I will have artwork displayed by subject-boats & lighthouses, fruits & flowers, local landscape and Niagara Falls.

Because the 2010 calendar features 12 new Niagara Falls paintings, I painted plein air in the park often over the past year & have a variety of oil & pastel Falls area paintings that will be shown for the first time. I'm looking forward to seeing them together myself.

In addition, I have new beautifully matted prints in two sizes & the 2010 calendars. I invite you & your friends to see my new paintings & perhaps get an idea for yourself or a gift for a special event in the future. All original art is discounted 20% in the studio and, of course, it is all 'Made In the USA'.

If you would like to come but are busy on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the studio is always open by appointment. Please share this invitation with others who may be interested in seeing the new paintings.

Contact- ks@kschifano.com

Solo in Youngstown, 9.5 x 12.5, pastel 2009

Whirlpool State Park Rapids

2009-10-15T00:09:00.003-04:00

Standing up on the hill at Whirlpool State Park, looking up-river (which is south around here, the Niagara flows north) I painted this in a flash. It was a spectacular September Thursday morning & I had 90 minutes to waste/kill/wait. I raced over to meet other NFPAP painters in the park & concentrated on the rapids as the water rounds the bend before the whirlpool.

I should have 90 spare minutes & a small prepared canvas on sunny warm days more often!

Whirlpool Rapids, oil 4x6 2009

Buffalo's Old First Ward & Grain Elevators

2009-10-06T00:09:00.005-04:00

Last May, Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters came to this site-grain elevators in south Buffalo, the Old First Ward. It was windy, cold, & unworldly for a May day. We returned to paint again in September-what a difference! Warm, no wind, relaxed. There is very little growing to change the view here, so the compositions were similar but with the sun a bit lower in the sky. Layers of unused industrial buildings create strong geometrics, while the sun quickly changes the shapes of shadows.

It's called 'elevator alley', & the Buffalo tugboats are moored to the left of this scene. I have painted them with pastel as well. To the right is the river leading to the Ohio Street bridge and another massive collection of grain elevators-a subject for another day. Sharon Fundalinski & Peggy Walker have painted this scene many times with & without me & scheduled this paintout for us.

Shadows of Elevator Alley 9.5x12.5 pastel 2009

Buckhorn State Park

2009-10-05T23:13:00.004-04:00

This 'bit of Buckhorn' was also judged into the Erie County Family Justice Center auction. I accidently arrived at Riverwood on a lovely Fall Monday afternoon last year.....during their weekly church service. Visiting Mary was out of the question then, so I hi-tailed it up the street for my own Church of the Woods meditation. The light was glorious, the yellows and oranges flickered, & leaves silently fluttered around me. Having art supplies in the car at all times has emotional & spiritual benefits. Went back to have our visit, refreshed & renewed, with a fresh wet painting in the car.

Buckhorn State Park is a never ending source for my painting.

As Good As Church, oil 14x11 2008

Domestic Violence Awareness Month-October

2009-09-29T22:37:00.004-04:00

This moody little oil depicts Navy Island in the Niagara River with the Robert Moses Parkway shoreline of Niagara Falls in the distance. It was rainy, foggy & chilly on the northwest corner of Grand Island, a pocket park call 'Eagle Overlook'. I painted it plein air from inside my car with the window open, the dampness crept into my bones as gulls & seabirds flew into the water & floated by. It was even grayer as I began, but the fog lifted so I could see fuzzy outlines in the distance. Despite the gloomy description it was a peaceful & lovely experience.

The Family Justice Center of Erie County and Artspace Buffalo invited artists to participate in an art auction for the benefit of the Family Justice Center of Erie County. The auction will be held during "A New stART" on October 22nd, 2009 and as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This painting, & two others I entered were juried into the Family Justice Center's annual auction. See all the auction images at their website for A New StArt. C lick here to view the artwork! You can also get tickets to the event, it was a lovely affair last year, great restaurant treats & wines from around the area - the art was beautifully displayed & lit for the auction. It's at Asbury Hall, formerly The Church, on Delaware Ave. & is a wonderful reuse of an elegant building, with great acoustics.

Gulls & Niagara Fog, oil, 11x14 2007

16th Street in Niagara Falls painting - a portrait

2009-09-26T00:50:00.004-04:00

Painted from a grand old home on 16th in Niagara Falls, as well as old & new photo references, this house portrait includes details that no longer exist-the awnings, trees, windowboxes & flowers. No longer in the family, the portrait was commissioned by Nardene Bradt as a gift to her family who grew up in a traditional blended household, aunts & uncles, cousins & grandparents in the same house.

I intended this to be all pastel, but various details of window lights, trims & brick were too small for fat pastel pigments. I chose to underpaint it with Golden fluid acrylics, a rich flexible paint that would preserve the Wallis pastel paper surface. Pastels were used on top of the dried color, allowing the hard edges & details to remain while capturing the rich qualities of pastels as well. I have used the two media together before & have always been happy with the result.

Memories of 16th Street, 16x16 fluid acrylics & pastel 2009

This post is for Jim Sheusi

2009-09-14T11:04:00.005-04:00

Art Alive is an Albright Knox activity in June, featuring individuals or groups acting out famous artworks. 'Girl With A Pearl Earring', the famous artwork by Vermeer suited my former student, Jenna Miller, perfectly. We used a painted telephone booth box with a gold frame hanging in the doorway. Her top was a cut off graduation gown, the pj pants, striped socks & sneakers were her adaption to the scene & gathered a lot of laughs.

This picture is the invitation announcement that was used the following year for the same event. The designer grayed the scene to emphasize Jenna's face in the frame-she was a clone of the original 'Girl with a Pearl Earring.'

THE GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

c.1665-1667
oil on canvas
18 1/4 x 15 3/4 in. (46.5 x 40 cm.)
Mauritshuis, The Hague

Postcard image, Jenna Miller at AKAG, 2004

Music is Art, Albright Knox 9-12-09

2009-09-14T10:25:00.003-04:00

My first movie! Always interested in the 'view' of the moment, I have photographed, painted & drawn countless scenes. In the midst of a lovely festival afternoon displaying my work & painting the scene (it's in progress on my easel) during the Worldwide Paint-out weekend, I realized I could use my camera to record the sounds & sights I was enjoying. I'm just a film newbie, but turn up the sound to watch my first attempt! Now I will go read the directions for my camera!

This 47 second clip of our 'Music is Art' experience is on the lawn of the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY. The traveling band gave us a personal concert; added to the five stages of bands, performances & continuous music, kids activities, fire jugglers, robots & food of the 12 hour day of spectacular weather, it was a wonderful experience for everybody.

A fundraiser for the non-profit 'Music is Art' organization, the day featured a raffle of donated artwork by the 30 selected artists. Carl & I had packed the car & were enjoying a performance in the evening when the winners were posted. A couple had claimed their prize and were talking about it in front of us on the lawn when I realized they were holding my picture of the 'China Lighthouse' at the Buffalo Harbor.... I was so pleased to meet the winners of my lighthouse picture, they were as pleased as I was to have been the winners!.

Plein Air in Buffalo

2009-09-08T23:05:00.003-04:00

I've been painting more than I have been posting here-this pastel shows the view between two older homes on Pearl Street in Buffalo, the path leads to a 'Buffalo in Bloom' garden. It was completed last month during a flurry of pastel paintings. I had decided that it would be easier to paint pastels & pile them up in my studio than to find more room for wet oil paintings that need to sit out to dry for 3 months. Of course the pile of pastels never got themselves into my camera in a timely manner. 'Out of sight, out of mind'. Pastels are beginning to get the respect they deserve, there is no difference in quality of one media over the other. As an oil painter & pastelist, I love slipping back & forth between media, learning & improving as I go.

A Pearl on Pearl, pastel 16x12 2009

Niagara Falls Paintings Calendar

2009-09-06T08:50:00.004-04:00

I had released the 2010 calendar for the Lewiston Arts Festival, and it has begun to show up in a few local shops. This year features 12 new paintings of Niagara Falls, as requested by many friends & customers. It was difficult to put together as I just like to paint-not 'paint to make a calendar'. It required some new layouts & interpretations of the paintings so that it was not 12 pages of blue water, waves & blue sky. I also had to make a few extra painting forays to the Falls in some very cold weather! Only two are studio paintings, so it is nearly all plein air art.

As usual, the 2010 calendar is for sale in the gift shop of the Castellani Art Museum at Niagara University as well as The Book Corner in Niagara Falls. It will be also be sold at the Niagara Falls' Earl Brydges Library gift shop soon as well as the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. That should make them available to everyone around WNY!

Contact me soon to purchase gifts early through www.kschifano.com, the price is only $12. You can also click on the blog icon for an envelope below 'comments' to contact me. {people who receive my regular posts sent to their phone/inbox will have to access www.blogspot.kschifano.com to leave a comment}