The annual WWPO is a good time with usually great weather that the NFPAP artists enjoy. We have always had it at the Niagara Reservation State Park. I chose a classic falls view and found myself looking around and through a lot of tourists. I love that people stop to appreciate, and maybe contemplate, rather than leaning in to shoot a photo and walking away.
Annually, on the Thursday before the Lewiston Art Festival weekend, the Youngstown Yacht Club sponsors 'Art on the River". Formerly indoors and upstairs, the event has evolved into a giant tent between the entrance and the docks. I requested a space near the clubhouse restaurant and painted the entrance. As the sun lowered the light came underneath the porch roof and set some spots aglow.
YYC Welcome, 12x9 oil
So much was lost to the fire that decimated the city in Hawaii, including lives. Hearing of artists who lost their studios to the fire as well as homes cars and family members is heartbreaking. Originally planned to support artists, the auction of art donated by many artists will benefit all types of need for all people in the stricken area.
This lily painting is 12x16 on board and will be mailed at no charge to the winning bidder.
One more pastel before I return to using oil paint. It's a summer day and my friends are meeting at Three Sisters in Niagara Falls State Park for a warm day by the water to paint. There are so many angles at Three Sisters that are perfect for painting, so difficult to choose.
On this day I brought art supplies to the end, where the crashing surf racing down to the Horseshoe Falls makes the most noise. A few years ago this area was upgraded with natural plantings and handsome fencing but that keeps us away from the rocky eastern sections of the third island. I decided to show the massive rocks on the shore beyond the fence.
The Third Island at Three Sisters 12x9 pastel
Enrolled as a professional I am pleased to have received a second place red ribbon for my seascape at the Erie County Fairgrounds. I learned of the award on opening day when we went to see the fair with thousands of others. The colors and smells! The rides and food choices! Just like a fair should be in the sunshine.
The following Saturday was a Plein air competition. We had to create a new painting of the fair in the allotted time. Pleased to announce my painting was awarded a third prize gold ribbon. A crazy weather day, it rained, cleared, got windy, cleared again and ended with a downpour. I’m surprised to have survived.
Here are photos of the Saturday event, Plein air results on the wall.
These must be new umbrellas, they are so inspiring, bright, and unfaded. Sitting in the shade of a huge maple the view of the outdoor dining area was a perfect place to be the painter. Pastels were perfect to catch these vibrant colors.
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| Morning Umbrella Dance, 9x12 pastel c. K. Schifano, 2023 |
Planning to paint with Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters when the event was cancelled, I decided to spend the day in The NACC Studio 120. As I drove up I realized my studio keys were home so I kept driving to Niagara Falls State Park, it was a bright calm day and perfect for painting outside.
Halfway down the wide staircase to Luna Island and the Bridal Veil Falls is a landing and this view wanted to be captured. I am interested in the layers of tourists, at the rail, on the island and by the hundreds in the Maid of the Mist tourboat. The large plume of mist on the right is the tremendous American Falls, just beyond the island. It might have been easier to capture this busy scene with oil paint but I am glad to have decided to use pastels more this year.
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| On the Landing by Luna. 12x16 pastel, c.K. Schifano 2023 |
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| Birthday Bouquet, 2023 |
This studio floral 20" by 24” (oil on canvas) belongs over a couch and I had a stunning wide frame prepared for it. That is, I HAD a beautiful frame until it slipped and shattered a corner. This art business gets pretty expensive when big frames need replacement.
It has a new frame now, carefully wrapped and ready for assembly.
My constant companion is a 3.5" by 5” sketchbook and I gave it a workout in May in Portugal. Here are a few observations from my new favorite place. Monsanto is at the top of a steep hill, the road gets narrow quickly and then one has to walk. A historical site, it is slowly being re built and has a few places to stay-between boulders in very old stone buildings. It was wonderful to be high up, sitting on ledges with a pen and a few dots of paint. My entire mini art kit fits into a zip locked sandwich bag, as the sketchbook is the size of two business cards.
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| Looking down into a roofless home from a higher spot. |
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| The Lagoon at Beaver Island, 16x20 oil |
Working under an artist umbrella in sun and a stiff breeze, this painting is done!  |
| Too tired. |
While painting the first bridge at Three Sisters Islands I was surrounded by newborn geese as well as 1-2 day old Ones In the first photo, the newest babies had a hard time crossing the path with their new legs. The second shows a family of duck critics in front of me.
The last shows my painting and the actual bridge from my view. Unfortunately the cat on a leash who decided the shade of my easel would be a good nap spot escaped the photo opportunity.
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| Regular critics. Quack |
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| The First Bridge 12x16 oil |
This is the original set up, some were moved, others added or subtracted until I was happy with the composition. 16x20” oil.
Guests of the History Museum are checking out my work in progress on the Museum porch. I chose the Albright Knox and the new building in progress, seen behind the pink blossoms of the Japanese Cherry Blossom Garden.
Only 5x7, this is the plan for the large oil painting below.
10”x20”, the two museums are separated by beautiful trees in all seasons. And a parkway, can you pronounce Squajaquada?
January 1, 2023
It’s time for a new resolution.
"I will post daily for the month of January."
It worked in January, I did it every day, so I posted daily in February too. That’s 59 paintings, mostly older ones that I dragged out for the month. I tried to post only a few that had sold and passed up some of the best ones, hoping to use them later. The paintings went on Instagram and/or Facebook, most always on both social media platforms. After a while I chose subjects for each week. These images are taken from my instagram page. @kathschifano.
It took all of September to put this giant room in order and another month to get set up with three artists I love to paint with. We are Plein Air buddies but decided to keep our brushes flowing by sharing a studio space in the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center. Surrounded by theater groups, artists of all mediums, musicians, museum spaces, and a frenzy of activity, as well as a restaurant, we are thrilled to be working together in such a creative place.
I chose a wall for my easel, it turned into a comfortable place. There is plenty of room here to expand.
But then, DECEMBER! The NACC invites crafters to fill the halls and has open house weekends, we took this opportunity to exhibit and sell paintings. My space expanded. Most of these extra paintings will remain stored here, but it will return to a painting spot after the New Year.
