Carrie Holst

My Mother's Sisters

2012-01-20T22:09:00.000-08:00

I am working on a small format acrylic painting. The composition is from a family photo taken in the 50's. Fun stuff, I just wanted to do it for myself. This is just the first coat. Hope it turns out. Wish me luck!

Snow!!!!!!

2012-01-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

I promise to post new art tomorrow!!! And Happy New Year! (click on the photo to see the 'Happy Dance'!

More Pears

2011-12-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

Had to paint those darn pears again. They keep getting more character as they get overly ripe. I found also that photoshop is fun for quick changes.

Changes were just a couple clicks in image adjustments!

Partridge and Couple Pears

2011-12-10T19:07:00.000-08:00

I borrowed some paints today because someone left fruit on the counter, ripe enough to eat but had to paint it first. It isn't a partridge you probably know but tis the season. Yesterday I said good by to one of my paintings but I know the new owners will give it a place of honor.

It's been a busy last two weeks, getting ready for the show last weekend, nearly finished cleaning out a storage room and now cat sitting for a friend. I felt really compelled to paint today and glad I had the inspiration. Thanks for stopping by and I'll get back into a regular blogging schedule hopefully.

Edit: The owner of my painting met me at Fehrenbacher Hof to pick up his art.

Sketchbook Select

2011-11-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

I try to do at the minimum, five or six thumbnails devoted to color and design each week. I thought I would share some of those today.

I draw out some big shapes; think of repetition, tipping,variety, odd numbers, and simplify. I use gouache and a couple watercolors. I try once in a while for angular and straight lines but I end up rounding corners. Someone might say they see general figures but it is not intentional. They are just for finding new combinations for non subjective design.

Another Fine Art Friday

2011-11-11T22:54:00.000-08:00

Painting My Friend Painting

Painted today with some members of Portland Plein Air et el. We were at Cathedral Park and the Fall colors were blazing. It's lucky we suffered through less than ideal temps because by 4:00pm the winds struck and then the saturating downpour. Now I'm warm and dry looking at some of the pictures of the day. See more of the day here

Above painting is of my friend, Celeste Bergin

Re - Format

2011-11-08T20:06:00.000-08:00

I think I will try this previously horizontal painting as a square format next time I put it behind glass. I unframed it last week because the non-glare glass was very dirty. I had forgotten how much of the painting was being hidden under the mat and discovering the little tree on the left edge made the whole composition feel a little more like a secret garden. See the old painting below and tell me if the new format looks any better. Today was super nice because while we were having our Portland Plein Air Painters meeting at O'Connors someone spoke to me about buying my painting hanging there this month! Made my day! Hope you too had something great happen today!

Exhibition!

2011-11-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had help hanging an exhibition of some old and recent work.

The location is on North Mississippi Street where a group of psychologists make their reception room available to invited artists.

I didn't know I was being screened till I got a call. I am very pleased for the opportunity and hope to be able to announce the date for the open house while the work is on display for the next two months. Click on the images to enlarge.Thanks!

New Sketch Book

2011-10-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

Go a new sketch book yesterday so I thought it should be Christened-nothing to scarey even if it is Halloween. Just some doodlings (Pitt Pen) and then some water soluble crayons. These crayons are my favorite tool for doodles and journaling.

Today ~ Fine Art Friday

2011-10-21T23:12:00.000-07:00

Today I met up with a group of artists in North Portland, some I knew and some I didn't. We were meeting at a cafe in a St Johns warehouse that was at one time the manufacturing location for Columbia Sportswear. The building is now housing some art studios and miscellaneous offices. After our coffee we had an impromptu paint in in Kat Sowa's studio! Lots of fun - See some more action shots of the afternoon here.

Corn Still Life

2011-10-14T20:48:00.000-07:00

Painting out door still life in natural light is very satisfying.

Mid point - Developing greens, warm and cool

Corn on the ranch was late but colorful. I took a few ears up to the chickens every day so by the end of two weeks they would start clucking and running to me when I was within sight.

Post Convention

2011-10-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hyon Fielding was my assistant for the Past President's Paint Out last Saturday in Sun River. She took such good care of me I thanked her with a small landscape painted there. She said she would even continue helping me at award ceremony if needed because I couldn't stay. Surprise, surprise! She called later and said I did win so that means my painting for the first time will be in the traveling show aound Oregon for six months. I'll get home soon and find out the particulars.
Oh, One final thing - I had this idea while out here in the boonies without any chap stick was to try (I was desperate) roll on deodorant! I don't recommend it, thumbs down, Awful!

Ranch Sketchin'

2011-10-03T00:48:00.000-07:00

Hanging around Powell Butte in Central Oregon for the next several days sketching, putting up some tomatoes, giving ears of corn to the chickens, and cleaning out the laundry room just to mention a few chores.

Have a couple extra gas grills

Nice to see a barn full of dry hay

Some little jars of nice tomato sauce we put up

Got a lot of sunflower seeds to harvest

Show Next Weekend

2011-10-02T00:41:00.000-07:00

I have been honored by being accepted to the Fall Transparent show in Sunriver Oregon with the Watercolor Society of Oregon. Reception October 8th, 5:00 pm

Fall Convention

2011-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

I've painted in gouache and watercolor several Artist Trading Cards (Same size as base ball cards) for one of the events next month for the Watercolor Society of Oregon's Fall convention. We will be at Sunriver Resort just below Bend Oregon and most of the events will be on Saturday, October 8th. In the morning I will join the 'Past Presidents Paint Out' as one of the demonstrators, drop off trading cards, and swap out for other artist cards. There will be plenty of other activities, not to mention just exploring this beautiful resort.
I'm looking forward to seeing the gallery of paintings juried in by Ted Nuttall and to give my complements to all the artists and volunteers that help make these events possible.

Cut the Chatter

2011-09-19T20:20:00.000-07:00

Just a demo painting for a beginner class out in Hillsboro a few years ago.

Thanks for looking. I'm working on a big project...sooner or later I can show you!
Now go paint.

All This Paint......

2011-09-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm out of Alizarin Crimson!

I Was Lost But Now I'm Found

2011-09-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

This was painted last year during the Lavender festival, put away and forgotten until this year's lavender show. I spent weeks looking through stacks of old paintings but it didn't turn up. I could see myself accidentally tossing it. I found an alternate, less than ideal painting that fit the requirements and went with that. The upshot was two watercolors were juried in and my alternate choice won the second place ribbon! I still like this lost and found painting but I don't think it would have impressed the judge as much as the other.... but you just never know!

Another from the Weekend

2011-09-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

Back from a Break

2011-09-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

I have been on a blog break. Last week I did a fair amount of painting outdoors and last weekend was spent with my niece, Amanda and her kids in the backyard of her new house. There's enough flat space to set up a little soccer field if they wanted and a sunken seating area (under a grape arbor) with a built in fire pit. I stood up on the chimney and looked across the alley to the neighbors garden; all manner of vegetables and herbs - the dinner plate dahlias are a feast of late summer color. Couldn't resist a quick little sketch. Now there's a break in the heat, kids are starting second week of school, Halloween is right around the corner!

Abstraction Exercises

2011-09-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

Seems like it was time to do some sketch book pages, explore some ideas for abstracts using a minimum of shapes and color then see what develops - think about texture, get a little more painterly with gouache, maybe some pattern....... Nice way to spend cool gray morning. For kids that went back to school today sorry but - Monday's a Holiday!!

Gate House

2011-08-25T23:41:00.000-07:00

I was with a group of ten women today at the Franciscan Villa in Bridal Veil. I have come to think of it more as a retreat than an annual paint out as it is presented. This gives me a bit of breathing room as far as coming home with a finished painting - I didn't get a finished painting today, not even! Things seemed to be going along and then...eh. All I have to show is a little sketch of the Gate House steps from the morning and a disappointed goat because I forgot to bring carrots.

pygmy goat

Shakespear in the Park

2011-08-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

This little painting is still a work in progress. I was having to many interruptions, I wasn't really disturbed because I had a pretty good drawing, well, good enough to do a larger painting of this in the near future. I really liked these two guys taking a little break in the Shakespeare Garden at Washington Park. I wanted to get their relaxed body language in my painting. This smaller garden is a restful contrast to all the activity and color of the larger Rose Test Gardens surrounding it.
Had a beautiful day with 8 other artists from the Portland Plein Air Painters. We drew lots of attention from all the visitors, lots of complements and comparisons. If you would like to see the other artists in action go Here!

Lynda Drawn with Pencil

2011-08-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for the help with ellipses; I was practicing just drawing them without templates or tracing and became increasingly frustrated but the link from Jeanette to Mike Sibley's was really quite helpful. In the meantime, I hadn't picked up a pencil to draw a portrait for a while - It was a nice little break. It's the weekend and the sun just came out!

Bowl, Plate, Spoon

2011-08-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Would someone please tell me the secret to drawing ellipses? Am I going to have to struggle with them the rest of my life? I tried cropping this to make it look better - not so much. Found this bowl at good will and I think it has a lead glaze but I love the shape.

Drawn with 4 colors of Caran Dasch crayon and a wet brush - very quick. Our Plein Air group had a great reception last night, excellent turn out and we had the best three piece ensemble (Blue Grass) called the Red Cedar Shakes. It really was a chance for Portland Plein Air Painters to shine. Celeste has put up an album slide show if you are interested. More pictures are coming from other participants. Have a great day. I am!