Painting Berthe

I love the impressionist painters.  This was Day 6 in 30 Paintings in 30 Days, which is a artistic challenge by Leslie Saeta.

This is Berthe Morisot who was a lovely painter and a member of a circle of painters in Paris who became the Impressionsts. She lived from 1841 to 1895 in France and married Edouard Manet who originally painted this painting.

Getting my darks in....

Adding some flesh tones.....

Refining and blending the flesh tones....

Once again as on the first day, I didn't get the skin tones dark enough on her shadow side and at the end (when I posted this pic to 30 Paintings in 30 Days) I realized that her nose and lips are not centered.  But when I looked at my reference, Edouard Manet didn't center his either!


Pronunciation of Berthe Morisot (bairt mo-ree-ZO)

Channeling Vincent

Over the last five days I have been participating in a challenge to paint 30 paintings in 30 days. Each day I post my painting on Leslie Saeta's blog - Slices of Life by Leslie Saeta

I think there are about 1,200 artists participating in her challenge.  She has chosen to do abstract paintings because she has never done it before.  She sold her first 2 paintings and was commissioned to do a third!

The first four days I only allowed myself one hour to paint a 6 x 6 inch canvas and unfortunately, I began late in the day so by the time I finished, it was hard to photograph my finished painting. But today I thought I would begin early and it would be fun to see how some of the old masters worked.  I chose a Vincent Van Gogh self-portrait. It took me 2 hours and I almost gave up 15 times.  I had no idea it would be so difficult!

Where to begin?  What were his base colors?  Yes, I could figure out the final top color but he had many layers going on there. And each dab of paint is clean, fresh paint.  Mine was turning to mud....

But I trudged on.....

No mixing or blending, just one dab of paint next to another.

What an incredible, talented, insane genius this man was!

After just five days, I have already learned so much!  The first day my "darks" were not nearly dark enough so the next day I improved that.  It takes good darks to make your lights glow.

The French Laundry Courtyard

 The Courtyard is where you sip Champagne while waiting for your table to be prepared.

That lovely blue door is famous!



 My husband and I have been fortunate to dine at The French Laundry on several occasions but the best experience was dining next to Brad Pitt and the cast from Friends.  Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston had just begun dating and no one knew it yet.  Their group and our group had the entire upstairs for a 5 hour dinner.  Yummm!  After dinner Chef Thomas Keller paid his respects to our table and my husband congratulated him on providing the delicious meal as well as the wonderful entertainment.

Bouchon Bistro

 Iconic eateries in the Napa Valley.

Bouchon

People outside enjoying a beautiful fall day and wonderful French bistro fare

 at Bouchon in Yountville.

Tra Vigne

Another painting in my series of Napa & Sonoma destinations.

Tra Vigne in St. Helena is a lovely spot for a warm, hearty Tuscan dinner or a light al fresco lunch outside under a canopy of trees and lights.

The train tracks go right in front of the Cantinetta with their trademark black & white awnings.

The Delights of Napa Valley

I just finished two small paintings of lovely buildings in the Napa Valley.  One is of Bistro Jeanty on a beautiful fall day with great long shadows.

And the second painting is of Chimney Rock Winery Tasting Room on a warm spring afternoon.  It is an incredible Cape Dutch-style of architecture found in the Western Cape of South Africa which is just striking in a vineyard.

 

Both are done in oils and are 8 x 10. I hope to do a few more of iconic buildings in the Napa and Sonoma areas.

Chimney Rock Tasting Room

A wonderful group of women artists that I paint with are having a show at Chimney Rock Winery in Napa Valley. We spent most of Monday hanging the new show in the beautiful tasting room.

A mix of several BASA painters work

Some of Marcy Wheeler's new work

And down the hallway entering their private tasting rooms!

 

 

 

 

Jeanette's vintage camera & Susan Bonebakker's horses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several of Joanne Taeuffer's paintings

A new painting of mine entitled "Lily" (with a nod to Bouguereau)

 

 

 

 

Bay Area Studio Artists (BASA) website

I am heading back up to the winery on Wednesday to add a few labels and I will also get some photo's of Sharon Tama and Ellen Reintjes's paintings!

If you are in the Napa Area, please stop by and enjoy the wine and art!

Chimney Rock

5350 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94558

707-257-2641

Open 11 - 5pm daily

 www.chimneyrock.com