Cedarburg....The Whirlwind!

Holy smokes! Today is Tuesday already!

She Dreamed of Roses
24x12 by Wendie Thompson

So I've been painting up a storm but I'm been pushing this old body a bit too hard and I'm right on the edge of getting sick...Listen to your body Wendie!

I have already done 9 paintings and I hope to do 2 more before I need to turn in my two for the main event. This is always the hardest part for me...deciding which two. May you can tell me what you think?

Solstice Stars and Fireflies
16x12 oil
by Wendie Thompson

Rhythm of the Roses
10x20 oil By Wendie Thompson

Sit a Spell
16x12 oil by Wendie Thompson

Constant Lullaby
12x9 oil By Wendie Thompson

Above are the pieces for the Main Event. In addition I did two paintings for the quick paint on Saturday when we had 2 1/2 hours to complete a painting and turned it in framed. They are below.

Getting Coffee
9x12 oil by Wendie Thompson

Lilies and Pansies
9x12 oil by Wendie Thompson

Some of these photos were taken with my phone and are not the best. Sorry. In between paintings I've been napping. Some killer days ahead with parties and stuff. Oh and helping take in over 500 paintings in two hours. What a life huh?

Oh yeah....I even got to be on TV...Check it out!!

http://fox6now.com/2015/06/22/see-fresh-paintings-inspired-by-nature-right-off-the-easel-but-where/

Cedarburg 2015 Plein Air: Day One Port Washington

Don't Bump Me
12x12 oil by Wendie Thompson

Arriving at 7am is no small thing for this painting chick. I live one hour from Port Washington and had been up late checking my preparations for the week and praying over it all. Nevertheless, my eyes popped open and I was off!

It was a full 20 degrees colder (about 55) right along lake Michigan with a damp breeze off of it. I set up in a small overhang to avoid the sun and started painting. Soon my friend Judith Reidy joined me in the shelter...always so good to paint with friends!! I quickly began to add layers of clothing and more layers and more...even so my hands went numb and by the time I finished the above painting I was chilled to the bone!

So I made a decision to make the hour trip back home to warm up, let the dog out and take a nap. That turned out to be a good choice as I was rested for the next adventure.

I met my friend Larry Seiler around 8pm. We both had the same idea...nocturne! So we scouted together for a while as the evening light show in the sky ended and the man made light show began. We both found something to paint within eyesight of each other...something I appreciated greatly. (You know it's a crazy world.) I got home around 1am!!!

Duluth Trading Company
12x12 oil by Wendie Thompson

This part of the competition is hung separately from the larger body of work and I can only submit one of these! Got an opinion on that?

2015 Cedarburg Plein Air Event: TOMORROW it begins!!! JOY!

So what's it like for the artists the day before an event like this? For me, as a mom,  I feel the kind of giddy I felt when my kids were little and it was Christmas eve. You see in a similar way it's all about preparedness. 

Did I do enough, shop enough, rest enough...you know, am I enough for this??? Will people like what I produce? 

So I have made my list and checked it 500 times!

Paint? check.

Brushes? check.

Canvas? Sizes? check...check.

Paper towels? check.

Solvent? check.

Frames...sizes? check check check...I hope!

Night lights? check.

Batteries? check.

Easel? check.

Framing tools? check

Raincoat and hat? check.

Umbrella/s? check.

Sunscreen? Bug Spray? check...check.

Lawn chair? check.

Wet panel carrier? check.

What am I forgetting???

One thing you should really know...well before the artists get to your community to paint...they have made quite a large financial commitment. It can be in the thousands of dollars!) Then they still need to travel, eat and sometimes find housing.

Here's the bottom line...Just like most Christmases in my house...The first time I pick up my brush to paint the JOY comes! Hope to see you there!!!

Plein Air in Wisconsin! Summer 2015!

Oh the Redbuds by Wendie Thompson
12x16 oil
New Harmony Indiana

I am so excited! The Plein Air "season" has begun in earnest for Wisconsin! Although I paint outside all year in any weather not everyone does and so many of my artists friends will be out in the towns, fields and along the shores of this great State. You can follow all the action on the Wisconsin Plein Air Painters Asso site (http://wipapa.blogspot.com/). You can follow me right here and I promise to update you as often as I can!

It's Complicated by Wendie Thompson
12x16 oil
The Angel Museum, Beloit WI

The Poet's Throne by Wendie Thompson
12x16 oil
The Poet's Garden Beloit College

 The two paintings above are my submissions for the "Edge of the Rock" plein air competition in Beloit WI. The opening is this Friday at 5pm at the Hendricks Center on the Beloit College Campus. Come if you can!! (http://www.friendsofriverfront.com/plein-air/)

The largest event and the longest in the state starts next week Wednesday. 150 artists paint! SOOOO fun to connect with old friends and to see the amazing art produced! Plan on coming on Friday the 26th. Come at 10am if your wanting to nab your favorite! Come at 5pm for the party and awards!! (http://pleinaircedarburg.blogspot.com/)

Then at the Art*Bar in Riverwest WIPAPA has there annual Field to Finish show called We Came, We Saw, We Painted. Always interesting to see what we do in the studio with the small things we paint outdoors. (http://wipapa.blogspot.com/2015/05/please-join-us-we-came-we-saw-we.html)

I'll see you there...I'll be the one with a brush in my hand!! 

Wendie

Cedarburg 2013 From my point of view!

For most of the last  two weeks 170 artists converged on a smaller historical community just north of Milwaukee called Cedarburg. In it's 13th year I believe this is the largest open plein air competition in the country! I may have a somewhat unique view of this event as I have been one of nine people on the planning committee. We meet nearly all year to create this event which is fun but also a whole bunch of work!! This year we needed to limit the number of artists to 170 as we have run out of space to hang all the art!! How crazy is that??

The 2013 Cedarburg Plein Air Event planning Committee

In spite of a deluge of distractions (the usual health issues...water heater going out at home and leaking pipes...of course while the hubby was gone!) I had a great time!!! And I think I produced some of my better work (but you can decide that).

Turbulence
20x16 oil
Sold

What is absolute gold to me at this event is being able to spend time with artists friends who I other wise only find on social media etc. I value the openings...lunch with friends...painting next to other painters and the talk. Talk about art, color, composition, brushwork, excellence, motivation, other events, edges, form, light and so on all sprinkled liberally with laughter! I crave this interaction with my peers and if I missed seeing you I am sorry. So many established artists are open and willing to help those who have just begun it gives me hope for this state. Time will tell but I think a day may be coming when the good people of Wisconsin will buy art instead of beer (...or maybe buy art while drinking beer!) They certainly showed up seeking art at this event as much art was sold!!

A bunch of artists talking shop at the Port Washington opening!

So here is the rest of the work I produced this week...see you next year Cedarburg!!

Sold

Sold

Sold

Sold

Sold

The Wheat Harvest

All week as I have been driving to Cedarburg I have watched as the wheat ripened a crazy yellow-gold color. Quickly it is harvested. As Cedarburg is closer to Lake Michigan then we are the grain hadn't ripened there yet or I surely would have painted it!  So today when the weather is amazing (70's and light breeze, sunny) I just had to paint it!!! This field is not to far from my home. I decided to do a small 6x6 quick study first so as to work out color, value and composition. I give myself about 15 minutes for this. In the study I didn't like how the tree landed right in the middle so I decided to keep it off to the left some in the larger piece. I may go back again this evening when the light is low!

Wheat Harvest-Study 6x6 oil

Wheat Harvest
12x12 oil

Cedarburg 2012: An end and a Beginning!

Strawberry Red by Wendie Thompson
12x9 oil
Available

Today was pick up day for Cedarburg. Final pick up of unsold work...final chance for camaraderie between artist friends and for some saying goodbye to this small, compelling, historical town for quite some time! 

With the addition of "Strawberry Red" (My Paint the Festival piece) I completed 15 painting! Last night I slept 12 hours! I pushed myself...needing to find out if I had the stamina to do a long competition with that much painting and all the socializing as well. I'm good to go!! and while I didn't win any awards sometimes neither did some nationally known artists...so I was in some good company.

Just a note about the quality of this years art: STAGGERINGLY GOOD!! I am so excited to see the ante upped in Wisconsin. We are creating a history in plein air painting in Wisconsin that may have potential to benefit generations and that my friends is what it is really (for me) all about!

Jason Sacran Best of Show Award winner!

Last Two for Cedarburg: The Heat is On!!!

Have you ever noticed that competition brings out the best in some people and causes others difficulty? Or maybe it's more like this: Sometimes we all can rise to the challenge and sometimes it gets the better of us. I have been peeking at my friends art this week in Cedarburg and I got to tell you...most have risen!!! I am literally blown away by the pieces I have seen and that's just a handful.  Many artists paint a bunch of paintings and then (because we can only submit two for the main competition) they have to try and figure out which ones the judges will like. It's more or less a toss of the dice as judges are people with preferences too!


I painted two more yesterday after watching Micheal Latala's wonderful demo at lunch! By the way it has become unbearably hot here the last few days...90"s + humidity...dangerously hot! I got to go to a friends house to paint in the afternoon but got to take a most welcome dip in her pool first!! 

Susan's Tigers
10x8 oil

I went to cool down and get a bite to eat watching the sky the whole time...It looked like another promising sunset. My friend Judith Reidy joined me for some lively conversation. I love that part of the competition! Then I decided to head west where I knew I could get a good view of the sky:

Magic Trick
12x9 oil

Now comes the really hard part...picking only two out of 14 to enter. Any suggestions???

A Creek, a Sunset and a Nocturne: Cedarburg

Porch Light by Wendie Thompson
12x9 oil

OK...so I am having way too much fun in Cedarburg. In the last 5 days I have created 12 paintings! Today I am resting and catching up on my computer stuff so I can go again tonight or tomorrow! I am so excited about the painting above (Porch Light) as it is only the second nocturne (painted at night) that I have done and the first one is the only painting I have ever burned!! I went painting with my friends Anthony Sell and Jason Sacran yesterday. Thanks for the encouragement you two!! 

I slept in some yesterday as about this time in the competition my fibro begins to really catch up with me forcing rest. Then I took off for Cedarburg arriving around  3. I found Jason by Cedar Creek working on a drop dead gorgeous piece of the rocks and small falls. It has a really abstract quality about it. I set up and began to paint as he finished. We agreed to meet later and try to catch the elusive sunset.

 

The Rocks Cry Out by Wendie Thompson
12x12 oil

As the sun began to lower I drove out to Granville Road and found a beautiful opening in the fields and trees and plenty of sky view. I set up and began painting. I little later Jason joined me and we watched the sky do it's magic.

Light Show on Granville by Wendie Thompson
12x12 oil

Towards the end of this Anthony Sell showed up and we started talking nocturne. The night before those two have painted at night and I gotta tell you...contenders...both!!!! We were really blest with a soft breeze, low bugs and no lack of opportunity in downtown Cedarburg. I didn't have the "gear" so I set up close to a window with florescent lights which provided me with some light. Still I found my "color memory" kicking in. I always keep my pallete layout the same so I sort of knew where to lay my brush however until you get these pieces in the light you really don't know what you have! "Porch Light" is the result!

Here are some more of the pieces I've done this week:

Reaction to the Roses by Wendie Thompson
9x12 Quick Paint oil

At the edge of the Grain Field
by Wendie Thompson
12x16 oil

Sunset on my Mind by Wendie Thompson
10x8 oil

Corn Rows on Bridge Street by Wendie Thompson
20x10 oil

Hope to see you all at the reception, awards ceremony ans free party this Friday (22nd) from 5-8
ONLY 3 DAYS to BUY GREAT ART: Friday 12:30-8 Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 9-3

Cedarburg: Wow Scary Start!!!

Totally pumped about getting up early and heading off to the Port Washington day for the Cedarburg event I decided to load my car the night before. As I lifted my Art Cart to put it in something in my back well, snapped! OUCH! I really didn't know how bad I hurt it till the next morning when I could hardly move. Ice all night and a handful of Ibuprofen barely touched it. I considered not going but...no...that was not going to happen. I confess...I shed a few tears on the way. It hurt to breath and I was scared.

So I decided to paint small, unload my things one light armful at a time and paint only where I could be close to the car. Here is the result:

Fishing Buddies
6x6 oil

I did it but I was totaled. I went to lunch with some good friends. Then I took a nap in my car...do I just go home or try to paint another one? I decided to try to paint again. I had been itching to paint at the Port Washington Inn, a great B+B that I had stayed at before and I knew they had a great garden! I grabbed some more Ibuprofen and decided to try again. Here: is attempt #2:

Port Washington Inn: Roses
9x12 oil

I have to pick between the two for an entry for this portion of the competition. When I was done I high tailed it back home to an awaiting ice pack and some dinner. An easy, hopefully early night was on the menu!

I woke this morning feeling still a little twitchy but somewhat human again...I am SO thankful!!! I set off to Cedarburg again hoping for the best and trying not to put too much pressure on myself. I drove around some looking for the scene that screamed "paint me" to me. Then I decided to walk around this charming historic downtown area...talk to some friends...get some coffee. That's when I found the Schroeder House. Built in 1856 it is a real beauty. I set up and decided to do a small study first:

Schroeder House
8x10 oil

I struggled some with the architecture...not my strong suit. But I loved the baskets of begonias so I got out a larger panel and focused on those!

Swingers
16x20 oil

Again it wore me out. I had lunch, nap...and painted again...but I'm not ready to share that one with you yet...talk to you tomorrow!!