Mineral King

As promised, Fridays are for Mineral King.

White Chief is a short but very steep hike.

The largest patch of snow is called “Bearskin”. It is on the side of Vandever Mt. and probably won’t make it until the snow falls in Autumn this year. Some years it does, and other years it does but binoculars are required to prove it.

Perhaps Retired Road Guy should now be called "Trail Guy".

 

White Chief sink hole

There are about 5 of these in the White Chief canyon. In person, they are quite interesting (maybe it is the lack of oxygen there that makes me think so). They photograph poorly, as you can see. If Trail Guy was down in the hole, you’d get a better idea of the scale, but you can see in the photo above that he was busy with lunch.

Pussy Paws

These are boring flowers that seldom show up against the dirt and gravel. The Artspeak explanation is that they are the same value as the dirt, so there is no contrast. This particular patch was unusually bright.

This photo took forever. The flutterby was a bit too fast for my shutter-finger, and I was thankful to not be wasting film!


How Many Hours a Day Do You Paint?

An old friend asked me this last week. We only see each other once a year or so, so we aren’t close. I think he thinks that art is my hobby that I sort of fit in around my life. When I told him what all I do, he was very surprised. This means a couple of things: we really don’t know each other very well, and I’m not getting the word out very effectively that I am a full time professional artist.

Marketing, you say? Nope. I’m too busy working right now.

Check out this list from the other day:

  1. I posted to my blog. While in the house on the puter, the phone rang. My neighbor/friend works at a local motel. She was calling to say some people from New York were stopping by the studio in 10 minutes.
  2. Raced to the studio (after brushing my hair – sort of forgot to do that or figured it didn’t matter). The New Yorkers were a no-show.
  3. While in the studio I put together a bank deposit and read the mail.
  4. The mail included a Call For Entries form for an Ag Art Show. It has been 4 years since I last entered, and the rules have changed. It seems worth considering again.
  5. Went through my photos and compared them to the categories of the Ag Art Show. Calculated the cost. (entry fees, mailing or driving 200 miles round trip to deliver the pieces, returning to Madera to see the show, returning again to retrieve any unsold pieces) Got some good ideas, decided to do the show.
  6. Painted three 4×4″ oil paintings.
  7. Remembered I was supposed to go to the Sierra Lodge to get another bear to paint. This one had to be delivered to my studio and I was supposed to show them the way, so I walked/jogged over.
  8. Upon returning with the bear delivery guy, I painted a fourth 4×4″ oil painting.
  9. Chose the sizes for each of the paintings to enter into Madera, added them to my inventory list, put the wires on the back.
  10. Remembered the bank deposit, trotted to the house for my keys, remembered the keys were hanging in the studio door, trotted back to the studio to lock up and then back to the house to lock it, and then drove to the bank. Figured I might as well hit the Post Office and the grocery store while I was out. Tried not to run in the aisles. Tried not to make eye contact with anyone who might want to have a lengthy conversation.
  11. Returned home to photograph some completed work and some works in progress.
  12. Began working on the (in)famous Paint-My-Parents oil painting commission.
  13. Wrote 3 more blog posts in my head while painting.
  14. Suddenly it was almost dark, so I had to photograph Paint-My-Parents, close up the workshop, and go home.
  15. Wrote those blog posts on the computer before I forgot them while something that could sort of pass for dinner was burning on the stove.

Apparently, I’m too busy to paint or do marketing. (the kind that gets the word out about business, not the kind that puts groceries in the frig so I can burn them for dinner while I work on the puter.)

Preparing canvases for 5 paintings for the Ag Art Show

A California Artist Goes to Washington and Gets Inspired

When I went to Washington (state) in April, the tulips were in bloom. That is the reason I chose April for my visit. They were stunning.

While at the Redbud Festival in Three Rivers, I saw a lady wearing a skirt with a tulip print. The tulips were progressively larger as they got closer to the hem.

It gave me the idea to paint the tulip fields as a triptych. Triptych is Artspeak for three paintings that are meant to be seen as one scene. I have no earthly idea why this looks so cool, but it does. (It is pronounced “trip-tick”)

Turn your head sideways, squint a bit, and imagine these as a triptych. The top piece has more layers than the other two, but you probably figured that out all by yourself. And pay no attention to the gingko leaf in the upper left.

Occasionally this California artist has to take a trip. On this one she got a tych. But not a tick.

Ever seen an entire field of the same flower in bloom at once time? You can share it here.

Extras from Bear on the Roof

While I was painting the bear at the Sierra Lodge in Three Rivers, several things came to mind.

1. There is always more to a job than first meets the eye. In this case, it was the scraping of peeling paint that I didn’t anticipate.

2. Whoa! Who knew that painting on a roof would cause one’s shoes to get all sticky with tar??

3. What a nice place to work – the staff was hard-working and friendly, both to one another and to me. Eric, the maintenance guy wouldn’t leave until I was safely off the roof. Ruth offered me cold water. Nice thoughtful people!

4. You can see the place is maintained and cutened up like crazy! (I KNOW it isn’t a word, but find me a better one, ‘k?)

5. I love views from rooves. (I know that isn’t a word either – can’t seem to help myself today.)

6. I sure get to live and work in a grand place! (that is Three Rivers, Tulare County, California, in case Mr. Google is listening to this conversation.)

7. Commissions are certainly full of variety and challenge. There isn’t a single thing about my job that is boring except for the bookkeeping.

Have any good made up words to share with me?

Bear on the Roof

The repainting job at Sierra Lodge in Three Rivers went very smoothly. What an amazingly helpful and friendly staff! And it wasn’t a hot day – maybe mid 80s at the highest? In addition, it was only 1/2 mile from home, so when I needed a different color of paint,  it was easy!

Once I was eye level with the bear, it was obvious he was faded and peeling.

After scraping off the loose parts, I mixed up the color of the shadow tree and painted it. I also touched up the lighter paint around the tree.

The owner allowed me to choose my own colors. I made this guy a cinnamon bear, and put a teal coat on him. Why? I like the two colors together, and teal is my favorite color. Then I stood back and made a decision to change the candle.

I remember little pink candles from somewhere in my foggy distant past. The final touch was all the black outlines. Since this was initially designed and painted by a former Disney artist, it had to have black outlines for the cartoon effect. (I couldn’t resist adding a bit of shading to the coat and hat tail – my bent toward realism almost always sneaks through.)

Do you remember pink candles from somewhere? Let me know so I’ll learn if I just made this up!

Mineral King

Summer has arrived in Mineral King. For those of you who are new to the blog or not from the area, Mineral King is a section in the southern end of Sequoia National Park, California. It is reached by a long and winding road, 25 miles, sometimes unpaved, somewhat cliff-hanging, often one or perhaps one and a half lane wide, with a recommended driving time of one and a half hours.  (It doesn’t take me that long. Just sayin’. And stay on your side, please!)

There is no electricity in Mineral King. The elevation is 7800′. Our cabin has running water (from a stream), hot water (propane), a very old propane refrigerator, a wood stove for cooking and heating, and a fireplace for heating in extreme conditions such as Memorial Day weekend. (We even have a telephone, no answering machine, and when 10 people have the number and use it regularly, we change the number.)

Mineral King is a source of great inspiration to me. I often refer to it as The Land of No Electricity, and I spend as much time as I can there in the summer.

I’ve decided to do my “reporting” on Mineral King on Fridays on this blog. That way, if you only tune in for Mineral King, you will know which day to check in. Conversely, if you don’t give a rodent’s hiney about this place in Sequoia, you will know which day to tune out.

Farewell Gap
Evening LIght in Mineral KIng
Pond by White Chief with view of Mineral Peak and Sawtooth
Someone Else's Mineral King Cabin
Another Mineral King cabin, not mine
Where my friends Judy and Tim got married in Mineral King

 

Where do you get your inspiration?

In Which We Learn More About the Oil Painting Commission

It’s time for an interview with the California Artist. There are questions out there about the commissioned oil painting, and the interviewer is very curious.

Why did you accept the commission to put the parents in the painting?

I am not exactly sure – because I wanted the job? Because I like challenges? Because how will I learn if I don’t attempt it? Because I took a blow to the head in some distant past that damaged my ability to say no? Because he was very insistent and I am weak under pressure?

Did you charge him more because it involves a portrait?

Nope.

Did you just say “nope”?

Yep.

For Pete’s sake, why DIDN’T you charge him more? 

Ummmm, because I have a price list based on size, not on difficulty. Because it might not turn out. Because I am weak. Because I was unprepared. Because I don’t paint portraits and didn’t have a plan.

You aren’t really that desperate for work, are you?

Never desperate, always eager. I want to make hay while the sun shines, strike while the iron is hot, and any other cliche you can think of that means GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN WHILE GETTING PAID!

But what if the parents don’t turn out?

I have an escape route! I told Mr. Put-My-Parents-In-The-Painting two important things: 1. He MUST tell me if he doesn’t like them because I MUST have happy customers. 2. If he doesn’t like them and I can’t fix them to his satisfaction, I get to paint them out.

Won’t that look like a mess?

With oil paint, it is fairly easy to cover over mistakes. In pencil, after a certain amount of erasing, a shadow often remains and is hard to cover.

How is the painting coming along?

I’m so glad you asked that question! Have a look at the progress:

Parents in the Picture, Day 3

Accepting the Challenge

Mr. Put-My-Parents-In-This-Picture also wanted to discuss price and size of his commissioned oil painting. Since I am tuned in to the business of art, I have a price list based on size. It doesn’t include added surcharges for rush jobs or requests to put one’s parents in the picture. Instead of negotiating for a price, the decisions are in the hands of the customer. How big? Then it is this much. Easy!

Mr. Put-My-Parents-In-This-Picture (PMPITP) pointed to a painting in my studio and said, “That’s what, $200? You can do it that size, right?”

Umm, no, it is $500.

Mr. PMPITP: “Well, could you do it for $300 if I paid you cash up front?”

Am I selling used cars here?? Umm, no. And I’d only like half down, thanks.

Mr. PMPITP: “What size can you do for $300?”

First, how about if we settle the issue of putting your parents in the picture? I’ve never painted a face, and when I accept portrait commissions, I charge a TON of money because it is REALLY REALLY hard to capture a likeness. And, I NEVER draw a face smaller than an egg.

Much discussion ensued. Here is the result so far:

Oil painting commission in progress

This is after 2 days of fretting and sweating. Things always look terrible the first several passes over the canvas. More will be revealed in the fullness of time.

Have you ever regretted accepting a challenge? (I’m not saying I regret this. I think.) Want to share here?

 

Only From The Back

Commissions are a challenge. They are a main component of the business of art, so unless you like a good challenge, you may want to rethink a career as an artist in a rural place like Three Rivers.

Back about 6 years ago, a man asked me to draw his parents house in pencil. No problem. That’s what I did (and still do). Then he asked me to paint it in oil.

Since I’d been painting about 10 minutes when he asked, I thought it prudent to refuse. But, being helpful and knowing lots of people, I referred him to a well-established artist.

He was happy with the drawing. I never heard from him about the painting until the Redbud Festival in Three Rivers in May. He said he “hated it”. I asked if he discussed it with the artist, and he said he hadn’t because he figured it was a done deal.

Being an opportunistic artist, I told him I could paint the house for him now. He liked the idea.

A week later, he came to my studio and laid out 6 photos. He wanted to know which I wanted to paint.

I said, “umm, well, I need to look and absorb and think a bit”.

He wanted an immediate answer. I felt pressured. I picked one, and he said, “That’s the view you drew, remember?”

Actually, no, I don’t. It was 6 years ago and a few drawings and paintings have passed through my hands since then. “A few?” More like several hundred!

Then, he pulled out a photo of his parents and said, “Will you put them in the painting?”

I almost fell over. Or, as they say in the South, “I like to died!”

I explained that my experience in painting people is limited to the back views.

To be continued. . .

Sisters, an oil painting commission
Walk This Way, oil on board, private collection
One With the Stream

One With the Stream, oil on wrapped canvas, 36×24″, $800

Would you allow yourself to be painted or photographed from the backside?? Tell me the truth here!

Up on the Roof

Monday a.m. (that’s today) you can find me up on the roof at Sierra Lodge in Three Rivers refreshing a mural of sorts on an old sign.

It’s complicated to explain, so let’s let the photo do the work.

This is formerly a neon sign that was visible from way down the road. Now the trees have grown, and very few of us in Three Rivers had any idea it was here at all. (Not much neon in town!) I remember when this was called the “Mountaire Motel” and occasionally my family of origin would join Aunt Mary and Uncle Ritchie in the coffee shop for Sunday lunch. Now the coffee shop is the lobby.

The owner was an art major in college and his appreciation for art is evident. The place is charming with many styles of art, all containing bears and/or some sort of conifer tree.

I don’t get to begin working until 9 a.m. because guests on vacation don’t like to have artists walking around on their heads.

Ever had anyone walk on your head while on vacation? Tell me about it here!