robin purcell , watercolors in the plein air tradition

Incredible Places, Juried by Michael Zakian, Honorable Mention Award

2013-06-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Desert Hill 14 x 14, Honorable Mention Award

Michael Zakian selected two of my paintings for this juried annual event in it's 83rd year.
Other artists in the exhibition include Peter Loftus, Chuck Kovacic and Mark Farina.

83rd Annual Statewide Exhibit, Incredible Places: Contemporary Landscape Painters of California“ Juried by Michael Zakian EXHIBITION DATES: June 1 - 30, 2013 LOCATION: Santa Cruz Art League 526 Broadway Santa Cruz, CA

Flag Hill Sunol 14 x 21

Guest Artist at Chapman Gallery Carmel

2013-05-29T08:01:00.001-07:00

For anyone who has wondered about my 300lb arches hot press paper surface and durability, the display at the Chapman Gallery is a great place to see and feel the rugged surface of the best paper I have found for plein air painting.

The Chapman Gallery is located at 7th and Mission in Carmel by the sea and is known as one of the most charming galleries in Carmel. If you get the chance to visit please say hello to Dean, Joanna and Marissa for me.
The Chapman Gallery features the work of Keith Lindberg , a contemporary oil painter with a passion for color and does exquisite museum quality framing and restoration.

Two Paintings at 102nd Annual California Art Club Gold Medal Juried Exhibit and Sale, June 2 to 23

2013-05-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

Wild at Heart 14 x 14

This painting's inspiration was the vivid greens of William Wendt's California hills.

Point Lobos April 9 x 12

Whales swam just behind me as I painted this.

I will be at the gala!

102nd Annual California Art Club Gold Medal Juried Exhibition and Sale
June 2 – 23

http://www.californiaartclub.org/pdfs/102%20GM%20Programs%20WEB%20version.FINAL.pdf

Held at the USC Fisher Museum of Art University of Southern California.

The works were selected for inclusion by a jury that was comprised of representatives from prominent southern California museums, and included:
Kay Allen, Associate Director, USC Fisher Museum of Art;
Ed Fosmire, Deputy Director, Laguna Art Museum;
Selma Holo, Director, USC Fisher Museum of Art;
Amy Scott, Curator of Visual Arts, Autry National Center;
Jean Stern, Executive Director, The Irvine Museum.
For more information and to purchase tickets to the gala
http://www.californiaartclub.org/exhibitions/annual-gold-medal-juried-exhibition/

2013 Carmel Art Festival Paintings

2013-05-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

Santa Lucia Shadows 12 x 12

Top of the World Carmel Valley 11 x 14

Painted Hillside, Carmel Valley 11 x 14

Rolling Hills 12 x 12

Getting Ready for the 20th Carmel Art Festival

2013-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

This is the twentieth Carmel Art Festival and it looks like a great group of artists and a forecast for good weather.
I will be painting tenatively in the beautiful hills of Carmel Valley.
This is a plein air competition and auction to benefit art education.

I will also have several paintings on display at the Chapman Gallery as guest artist during the festival.
The Chapman Gallery is located on 7th between San Carlos and Mission.

This blog does a great job of linking to all the artists' websites:

http://villageinforest.blogspot.com/2013/05/20th-annual-carmel-art-festival-2013.html

Carmel Art Festival

P.O. box 7191

Carmel, California 93921

Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, Signature Membership

2013-05-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

Great News in my email today:

" Dear Robin,

I am pleased to inform you that the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association has selected you as a one of ten new Signature Members of the organization, effective immediately. This membership is acknowledgement of the superior talents and artistic leadership that you bring to the plein air genre. Congratulations on your achievement!"

This was juried by Jean Stern, Director, the Irvine Museum and ten paintings were submitted. The Signature Members of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association are painters whose work I deeply admire and I am thrilled by this acceptance.

Here is a link to this great organization:

http://www.lpapa.org/index.html

The Results Are In!

Thank you to all the amazing artists who submitted their work for review.
We would like to acknowledge the superior talents and artistic leadership that you all bring to the plein air genre´.

Congratulations on your achievements!

Two paintings, "Arche At Point Lobos" and" Pacific Swirls" to be displayed at the California Art Club "On the Water" exhibit

2013-04-25T08:53:00.002-07:00

Pacific Swirls 14 x11

Arche at Point Lobos 13 x 18

On the Water
The Old Mill, 1120 Old Mill Road, San Marino, CA 91108; May 7 – September 1, 2013

Reception:
5/9/2013
5:30-7:30
626/449-5458

This is an exhibit of paintings by California Art Club Artist and Signature Members, so I am looking forward to seeing many wonderful ocean and beach paintings. It lasts all summer, if your travels take you to Southern California this summer, I highly recommend it.The exhibit is viewable online at http://www.californiaartclub.org/on-the-water/

"Breathing Room" new plein air landscape of the Northen California Hills, demonstration and set up

2013-04-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

Breathing Room 12 x 22

In honor of Earth Day, I 'm posting this painting of the open space close to my home. When I drive here to paint I heave a sigh of relief as the open fields and hills come into view. This is a rural area and my painting sessions are only interrupted by curious cows.

My process was pretty much my usual, horizon as the starting point and working my way down the paper.

Here's my SUV Studio set up ,with my stool pulled out of the way.

A passerby kindly took this "'Action Photo " I sit on the stool or in the car depending on the placement of the sun ( I keep it off the paper always!) The SUV liftback helps shade me and my paper.

"Curve of the Earth " Honorable Mention Prize in 2nd Annual Plein Air Salon

2013-04-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

I just found out "Curve of the Earth" won a $500 honorable mention in the 2nd Annual Plein Air Salon Competition.
Thrilled especially when I look at the other paintings and painters in the contest.
Thank you to the editors of Plein Air Magazine and Michael Zakian.

The Grand Prize winner: "Alterations," by Shelby Keefe, 2012, oil, 20 x 16 in. Private collection

2nd Place winner: "Big Sur," by Jesse Powell, oil, 16 x 24 in.
Second place in the 2nd Annual PleinAir Salon Competition and a check for $3,000 went to California artist Jesse Powell for "Big Sur."

3rd Place winner: "Sunflowers and Gladiolus," by Jim McVicker, oil, 36 x 30 in.
Third place and a check for $1,500 went to Californian Jim McVicker for "Sunflowers and Gladiolus."

Honorable Mention: "Chasing Light," by Kim Casebeer, oil, 36 x 36 in.

Honorable Mention: "Hills Above Nicasio, by Davis Perkins, oil, 30 x 30 in.

Honorable Mention: "Curve of the Earth," by Robin Purcell, watercolor, 21 x 16 in.
Honorable Mention awards worth $500 were presented to Kim Casebeer, Davis Perkins, and Robin Purcell.
You can read more about the contest here:
http://www.outdoorpainter.com/awards/winner-of-2nd-annual-pleinair-salon-competition-receives-$15000.html

"Fresh Greens" Plein Air Watercolor

2013-04-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

Fresh Greens 18 x 24

Here's the final version, after two weeks of staring and making minor adjustments , mostly to the foreground values. My goal was to keep the freshness but ad enough vibrancy to make the painting exciting. The title comes from the lovely greens in the grasses and the grazing cows nearby munching on the fresh greens.
Here's the link to the earlier version:
http://robinpurcellpaints.blogspot.com/2013/03/in-process-on-my-easel-today-fresh.html

"On a Clear Day" Plein Air Painting on Northgate Road on Mount Diablo

2013-04-03T16:34:00.002-07:00

"On a Clear Day "10 x 13

A couple days ago I went up Northgate Road on Mount Diablo looking for poppies, I didn't see many poppies yet ,but was attracted to this view of the bay and hills of Marin to the North. The higher elevations on Mount Diablo are pretty dry already. This painting involved a careful drawing of the silhouette of the slopes and the flat lands and mountains beyond.

Here's an in process shot to give you an idea of how I started. I generally paint the lightest value I think will work in a given shape and glaze over if it seems too light later in the process.

In Process " On a Clear Day"

Playing around with photo, the sky is actually pale yellow.

In process ,on my easel today, Fresh Greens

2013-03-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

"Fresh Greens" 18 x 24. In process , I like it so far.
We are having an early spring and it's been great getting out to paint.
This is in a valley about 5 miles from my house. I probably have one more painting session before it's done. It felt great to stretch out, 18 x 24 is a larger size for me and one I've been meaning to try for a while. Painting larger seems like a logical way to paint panoramas.

Desert Hill

2013-03-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

Desert Hill 14 x 14

Here's the final version of this painting. There were some minor value and color changes as I worked on it during the past week. What I liked about this hill was the chance to explore some quieter more muted ( for me) colors. The jagged surface of the hill also gave me the chance to use straight edged and more geometric shapes. The earlier versions of this are in the entries below if you want to see my process..

Progress on "Desert Hill"

2013-02-27T16:44:00.000-08:00

Desert Hill 14 x 14

Here's where I am after a couple of days painting and staring. It's probably 95 % of the way done, the last 5 % is a lot of staring , moving around the house etc. to evaluate values and warm /cool contrast. In the hill paintings how far colors advance and recede is important to create distance.

Here's a few of the evaluation and finishing techniques I use:

Upside down, this removes the reality of the subject and helps me look more objectively at the shapes, colors and values.

Black and white. This is a quieter painting for me with muted taupes and palest sage greens and lightest blue grays, but are the values too close?

Desert Hill black and white

Generally I let paintings sit a week or two at this stage just to give myself some time for objectivity. This is why it helps to have more than one going at once.
If you scroll down one entry ,you can see the earlier stage of this painting.

In Process " Desert Hill " Study

2013-02-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

Desert Hill Study, not done yet ,on my easel this Friday.

"Arche at Point Lobos" selected for 4th Annual Signature American Watercolor Exhibition in Fallbrook

2012-12-07T09:43:00.001-08:00

"Arche at Point Lobos" 13 x 18

I am pleased to announce that "Arche at Point Lobos" has been selected by juror, Cheng-Khee Chee, AWS, D.F., NWS, for the 2013 Signature American Watercolor Exhibition at the Fallbrook Art Center.

Opens: Feb 3, 2012
Closes: Mar 17, 2012

Here is a link to the exhibit page for more information:

fallbrookartcenter.org/

Curve of the Earth Selected as a semifinalist in the Second Annual Plein Air Salon Contest.

2012-11-23T08:21:00.000-08:00

Juror's Comments

Robin Purcell
HONORABLE MENTION
21 x 16, Watercolor, "Curve of the Earth"

"The imaginative use of a pattern of colors to render forms within the landscape is stimulating and boldly creative."
- Michael Zakian

Needless to say,THRILLED.
The Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Peppperdine University in Malibu is one of my favorite Museums .

Here's the link to all the winners from September/October http://pleinairsalon.com/RecentAwards.aspx

Path to MCWA ...fond memories of Paintings and Jurors past

2012-11-21T10:30:00.003-08:00

Eight years and six paintings later, I am still thrilled with the hills of northern California.

For my own pleasure and review here are the paintings and jurors who made my up MCWA Signature Exhibitions.

I blogged earlier about getting the CWA national exhibit bug after the early award from Charles Reid.

But I don't want to forget the other five extraordinary artists who lent their talents to jurying these exhibits and including my paintings.

It takes a special generosity to take the time and risk the disappointments of those not accepted.

I recently started jurying art exhibits and it was truly challenging.

I think having a love for the landscape, especially Mount Diablo and the East Bay Hills led to the success of these paintings in exhibitions and with finding homes with collectors who love these hills as well.

Here is a link to the California Watercolor Association Master Signature Members http://www.californiawatercolor.org/signaturemembers.php

2012 Juror Mike Bailey

Flag Hill Sunol

2010 Juror - Christopher Schink

Curve of the Earth

2009 Juror - John Salminen

Valley Vertigo

2007 Signature Membership Earned Juror Carla O Connor

Day Of Emeralds

2006 Jerry Little Award

Juror of Selection - Mel Stabin

Juror of Awards - Christopher Schink

Robin Purcell
Danville, CA
Mt. Diablo Spring Morning
15 x 20

2004 Jade Fon Award Charles Reid Juror

Robin Purcell
Danville, CA
View From The South Gate 23 x 31

California Landscapes 2013 Calender

2012-11-19T06:06:00.000-08:00

Sadly ,Zazzle.com is having problems getting payments out to it's associates, I am not getting payed correctly Zazzle is incorrectly holding back approximately 40% of what they owe me , I will update you to let you know if they resolve this in a timely fashion but for now I would have to say steer clear! I will look for an alternate source for calendars next year.

43rd National Exhibition of the California Watercolor Association

2012-11-18T09:21:00.001-08:00

Flag Hill Sunol 14 x 21

I am pleased to announce Flag Hill Sunol has been accepted to the 43rd National Exhibition of the California Watercolor Association.
This is my sixth acceptance and I have applied for my MCWA membership status which I hope to announce officially as soon as I hear from the CWA board of directors.
This goes back to 2004 when Charles Reid accepted a painting of mine in the CWA National and gave it an award.
It was a complete shock and thrill and got me thinking about the value of entering National Exhibitions. It eventually led to AWS acceptences and Signature Membership in AWS. I don't know if I would have pursued this path without the early encouragement of Charles Reid.

The exhibition opens in Thursday, January 17, 2013, at the Harrington Gallery, Firehouse Art Center (firehousearts.org), 4444 Railroad Avenue, one block east of Main Street in downtown Pleasanton, California. Please join me for the Artists’ and Award Reception, Saturday, January 19, 2013, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

Malibu Canyon

2012-11-17T15:42:00.003-08:00

I get to enjoy this painting a bit longer.
It is an intensely personal abstract vision of a hill near Malibu Canyon Road .
I entered it in a second museum exhibit ( it was previously exhibited at the Pepperdine Art Museum in Malibu) and it was not selected this time, but that won't stop me from entering it again. Sometimes I find the most original paintings take a while to find a buyer or a judge who shares the vision. How about you, do you believe in paintings and find that the ones you believe in most are eventually valued by curators or collectors?

Malibu Canyon 20 x 30

Across the Valley ,more accurate colors

2012-09-24T16:30:00.000-07:00

Across the Valley 22 x 22

The electirc colors of the one on bottom were bothering me as I compared my image with the one in Plein Air magazine. The upper image is closer to the painting in color temperature and saturation.

The Wine Country Plein Air Invitational at the Fairmont Gallery in Sonoma

2012-08-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

Golden Vines 16 x 12

Three Graces of Sonoma 12 x 16

Reception:
Saturday September 15th, 2012
6:00 - 9:00pm
Exhibition continues until October 17th

More information at FairmontGallery.com

FEATURED ARTISTS:

Michael Obermeyer Jim McVicker Stock Schlueter Laurie Kersey Douglas Morgan Robin Purcell

Manette Fairmont

John Poon

Francine Hurd

Tom Soltesz

Kim Lordier

Sally Cataldo

A Morning Walk, Painting of Carmel Meadows

2012-08-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

A Morning Walk 13 x 161/2

Just South of Carmel there is a neighborhood with access to a lovely bluff path .
This is one of my favorite places to walk in Carmel.
To the other direction there is a great view of Point Lobos.
This was great fun to paint in the studio from photos and memory
as it has been in the triple digits here for most of August.

"Summer Oak"

2012-07-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

Summer Oak 10 x 12
Painted at high noon, on a hot day this summer, the overhead light created a shimmer of deep red orange against the dark greens. This is what I love about plein air, these are color choices I never would have made if I weren't outside. Usually midday light is harsh, but I like it here. Sold to an arborist, perfect!