Blog
10/29/2023 8:00:18 AM
Watch as Kentucky Appalachia Outdoor Painters paint in plein air in watercolor, pastel and oil and enjoy sharing and learning together.
We gather at a classic entrance to the Appalachia Mountains. I love what the "Welcome to Estill County" sign says: "Where the Bluegrass kisses the mountains."That should be the slogan for our gathering of artist friends who have been painting outdoors together for three years since it started with Debbie Billips suggesting a group for Eastern Kentucky and me saying I'll be there.We went from two to about 22 very rapidly and today we had hostess Jennifer Prewitt, Vicki Wenz, Lori, [...]
10/22/2023 8:44:26 AM
What the painting needs and the client wants. This time-lapse shows all the strokes in turning a plein air study into a finished, studio painting in oil.I highlight the freedom of changing a painting and how beans turned into sunflowers per the client's -- my wife's -- request.Meeting the high standards of being worthy of hanging on the wall in our house.This also is an example of how you can change things in any landscape to make it better or meet what the buyer wants.I also show how a study on location can lead to a studio painting.I have more than [...]
10/15/2023 9:31:10 AM
I keep things simple with quick sketches in pastel and gouache in this plein air study for future studio work.As members of Kentucky Appalachia Outdoor Painters, we had a great, lunch-time conversation about the lessons learned from painting together and the different media and supplies we use.Lori joined us for her first outdoor painting experience with us and we talked about how hard it is to relax and let go of perfection. We're creating sketches, studies, practice and not masterpieces.In addition to the encouragement and fun together, the experience of outdoor painting leads to lighter kits and simpler goals. But it [...]
10/8/2023 9:16:38 AM
In my previous episode, I paid tribute to Doug Byrum, my first artist friend, who began art when he was bedridden in a body cast for more than a year as a young man and remained nearly bedridden for years after.
Despite all the obstacles, he found what he loved and dedicated his life to it. He became a world-class artist.
So how can all of us get started even if we're too sick or too busy? I cover the simple, affordable ways to overcome the obstacles and share my own life's lessons.
Keep trying. As one artist in our outdoor painting group said, [...]
10/1/2023 7:46:31 PM
Frank Sinatra loved Doug's portrait of him so much that he asked permission to use it on his program cover for an upcoming tour.
This is my tribute to my first artist friend who began his art career as a child in a body cast and epitomized what it means to keep trying and never give up if you love art.
I met Doug three decades ago when I was a reporter. Later we teamed up to tell the story of Andrew's Raiders and the Great Locomotive Chase. I wrote and Doug illustrated.
Doug used his art and his love of Civil War history [...]
