Painting On Air

Historical Painting Donation – Revolutionary War

L Diane Johnson — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:49:24 +0000

SATISFACTION COMES IN MANY FORMS. For me, it is for the benefit/pleasure of others, historic events/artifacts, and more. My collectors are dear to me and they carry (as with all original art they own) today’s heritage into the next generations. It is rare that I donate paintings. From experience, I know that if I give one; then all are gone. It’s just my way. Many artists have expressed to me that I am art and “sales savvy.” In truth, I would like to give rather than sell every painting I create. While not practical to eating and housing, it is my heartbeat. Some of you have seen this painting before. It is of a Revolutionary War era house that I lived across from during my formative years, and my parents through many more, now just my father today. It is an incredible story. I know this a long preface, but I want it documented that last week I gave a piece to my hometown museum. If you read about the painting itself at this link, you will understand why. There is another piece I have donated this year…will tell you about that one after I post a demonstration for you to [...]

When The Chips Are Up!

L Diane Johnson — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:44:15 +0000

COLOR CHIPS AND SAMPLES take many forms in many industries, including architecture/building. I am used to small samples for fine art paint brands, PMS colors for graphic design, paint chips for my walls, and more. While visiting a new construction site for an outdoor street-type mall including Target and other stores, my husband and I had a momentary “wow” moment. In the distance were the biggest paint chips/samples we had ever seen. Just for scale, you can see them here with tiny me in the shot. We got a good laugh from seeing these huge swatches. They were easy to read and view for more than 1/4 mile. I understood perhaps why and what they were for. I switched my eyes back and forth between the swatches and the buildings (which were partly finished) and noted a few things. The painters could get a quick glance at the code of color for mixing. Decorators could glance and tell which colors would look good for primary or trim. And the best of all to my mind is that as the sun moved the colors changed (so too, with fine art painting) so the “powers that be” could tell how the overall [...]

Solo Exhibition at Liberty University Art Gallery

L Diane Johnson — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:33:16 +0000

SO MANY FOLKS have inquired and responded to my invitational solo show that I am re-posting the information. You can preview a sampling of paintings in the exhibition here on my site. Many are new pieces, others are from across my career, including some on loan from corporate and private collectors. Show Description & Preview: Impressions: Plein Air & Studio Exhibition & Sale; click on individual paintings for larger images and details. Radio Interview: MP3 Interview with The Liberty Journal program. (~14 min.) Where: Liberty University Art Gallery Student Life & Academic Building, Room 111 Lynchburg, VA Information: 424.582.2111 Runs through November 3d. Enjoy!

How to Make a Virtual Show Using SlideShare

L Diane Johnson — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:46:13 +0000

MANY LETTERS AND COMMENTS HAVE come in from folks wanting to know about how I make the slide shows I’ve post here and my other sites. You can view this one (the first I made 3 years ago) , then I’ll tell you how it was created: L Diane Johnson Landscape Painting Sampler View more webinars from L Diane Johnson HOW TO: • This slide show using Slideshare.net a great little free tool. • First make an account for yourself. • To make your first slideshow, create still images as individual pictures, or as I did, by making a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation. • Once you have all you images or presentation file, upload all to your Slideshare account. You can move slides around to reorder them and even add music if you like (be sure the music is used by permission.) If you have prepared individual photos, you can use Slideshare’s text tools to add copy if needed. • Take a few moments to read the instructions on “how-to”; then the process becomes very intuitive. • Slideshare also allows you to copy/paste code to embed into your web pages and publish directly to selected sites. Lots of fun and [...]

Back in the Painting Saddle

L Diane Johnson — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:38:47 +0000

Landscape Painting Demonstration by L Diane Johnson View more webinars from L Diane Johnson I AM BACK. Many of you know I broke my wrist last August, so I have been mending and not here on the blog much, nor painted either. Here is a little slide show of my “coming out” to give a demonstration in Acrylic to a group of nearly 50 people on Monday. It is about how I start a painting. I have lots of news and views for you, but will start with this little demo. Enjoy!

A New Year & Resolutions

L Diane Johnson — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:24:48 +0000

HAPPY 2011 TO YOU ALL! Yet another decade has passed and we launch into a new one. “Do you make New Year’s Resolutions?” I used to but between all the holidays and resolutions it tended to give me what they call the “holiday blues.” For several years now, I have tried another approach. While Christmas and Easter are the most important holidays for me personally and spiritually, I had to find a way to overcome the hubbub of all the visiting and other activities related to celebrations. What is it? I treat every day as any other day. Doing this keeps me from the ups and downs that can come and scuttle my ship. It has worked great for me and has relieved me of so much self-imposed pressure. And when I resolve to do something, I just do it. As of December 1, I had nothing on my 2011 calendar. Suddenly, I have 5 events already on the books for this year including painting in NJ, GA, AL, NC, SC, NY, jurying exhibitions, teaching and more. I had expected this year to be a nice open year, but now I have a nice grouping things coming up! How do [...]

Paintings Just Sold

L Diane Johnson — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:20:51 +0000

THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE SALE the following pieces to long-time collectors as well as new during November!

Reemergence of Plein Air Magazine?

L Diane Johnson — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:35:15 +0000

THOSE WHO KNOW ME know that I am not one to meddle nor engage in rumors; but am getting hints here and there that PAM may be making a come back! I surely hope so! And if it does I’ll be as happy as a pig in mud, or is that “an artist in paint?” Either way, if you get a sense of something happening don’t hesitate to post here.

Painting Gloves?

L Diane Johnson — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:44:04 +0000

FOUND SOME GREAT GLOVES the other day, quite by accident. While in a fabric store looking for notions, I spotted a display with several very nice items. One was this set of gloves. Curious, I opened the box and found two with the fingertips removed. Have seen things like this before but these are lightweight, fit well (come in three sizes) and claim to keep your hands warm. Of course, they are mainly for sewing/crafting but why not for plein air painting or even photography? I am going to try them out, but wanted you to know about them in case you want to secure some for yourself. If you don’t have a fabric store, try the product web site. I got this from the box. Also check out their little wrist bean bag (again for sewing but I got one for my computer…super duper.) I do not think they are going to be helpful for folks who need to protect their hands from the paint itself. They are fabric, not rubber, latex or other water proof/oil proof/pastel proof. However, they could be worn under other gloves. Creative Comfort, Crafter’s Comfort Gloves (Relief for Arthritis, Hand Pain, Swelling and Cold [...]

Painting In a Hard Hat on Bannerman’s Island, NY

L Diane Johnson — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:45:04 +0000

SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST – While in the Hudson River Valley last Monday, Jamie Grossman asked if I would like to paint the next day in a paint out on Bannerman Island. I did not have a clue what that was. With just a phone call I was accepted and as part of a group of 13 painters we set off for just a four hour event! Sound fast? It was!! I was taken by events faster than they happened. I was honored and delighted to be a part of this adventure. It is rare for folks to even visit this island as it is a beautiful yet dangerous venue. Bannerman Island Arsenal was purchased by Francis Bannerman in 1900. In 1901 he built a castle-like structure and house. The castle housed black powder, civil war weapons and more from the military and isolated in the castle. He advertised to sell his wares to miners and others by writing his name in brick on the side of the building. (For more on the castle: http://bannermancastle.org/history/) Here is a one minute show of what I saw and experienced while painting there and last slide info about the reconstruction efforts underway. [...]