Ft. Pierce Plein Air Event

I moved to and lived for almost 20 years in Ft. Pierce on the east coast of Florida. My children grew up there and still consider it their home town. Though I did not know it at the time, that move would change my life forever.

Nationally recognized Florida landscape painter, A.E. "Bean" Backus was a native son of Ft. Pierce. He became my mentor, teacher and personal friend. Because of Beanie I developed into a professional painter with a busy career.

Although I moved from there many years ago I still return to support the local arts community as often as possible, as hommage to Beanie.

So, today I am trekking back to participate in the Second Annual "Souvenirs of Downtown" Invitational En Plein Air Event. Sponsored by Main Street Fort Pierce, Inc. it is held in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce April 22-24.

Paintings produced during the paint out will be for sale, wet, right off the easel or may be purchased at the two FREE- OPEN TO THE PUBLIC RECEPTIONS---Thursday April 23 and Friday April 24, 5-8PM at the Platts/Backus House (122 A.E. Backus Avenue).

A portion of the sales goes to Main Street Fort Pierce, Inc and the renovation of the Platts/Backus House. This is a Historic Building originally owned by the doctor who delivered Bean in 1907. It later became Bean's home and studio and is where I worked with him for almost 10 years.

I sincerely hope you can attend...watch artists at work....and take home a "Souvenir".

Mention this Blog Post and I will give you a little "Thank You" Gift for supporting the arts.

Festival of the Horse

For those of you who may not know this, Ocala, Florida in Marion County is known as horse country. Beautiful horse farms with rolling hills and sprawling oak trees provide the perfect place for all types of horses from high spirited race horses to prancing Paso Finos.

This past week, April 16-19, the "Festival of the Horse" was held at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala. Spectators came out to watch Dressage, Cross Country Jumping, Show Jumping, Polo Matches, and Mounted Archery Demonstrations.

The Marion County Cultural Alliance rounded up some of us artists to display our paintings during the Festival. (Rounded up is horse speak for invited) They rented and set up a huge tent, dividing the space to accomodate 12 artists. Everyone was a horse painter except me.

My Florida landscape paintings were well received...I even had sales. But, the stars of the exhibit were three of the best equine and animal artists in the state, if not the nation. Sharon Crute's powerful oil paintings of thundering race horses gathered crowds (http://www.sharoncrute.com/), Moe Hahn's paintings of the refined dressage and carriage horses captured the attention of everyone that passed by and Mary Verrandeaux's wonderful portraits of horses and dogs inspired oohhsss and aahhss (http://www.mverrandeaux.com/).

I am not what anyone would ever call a horse person but the event was fun. I was in the company of great artists and met wonderful people from all over the nation. Life doesn't get much better than that.

Color Theory

Two accomplished artists and good friends Sharon Crute and Nancy Moskovitz have spoken often about Elin Pendleton and her "Color System". So, in the interest of knowledge, I dove into the digital world and came up in Elin's web site (www.elinart.com).

Artists are continually on the quest for how to do it better. I, for one, am always challenged by color, among other things. Elin Pendleton has developed an interesting, understandable way to handle color that is logical and seems effortless.

Yes, I splurged and ordered Elin's "Flash Card Color System". Then decided I had to have her DVD on Plein Air Painting. Why stop there? The credit card came out and with a flick of my finger her other 3 DVDs were on their way to my house.

I watched all the DVDs and read the Flash Cards. Then off to the drug store. Why the drug store? you ask. To buy the pill boxes of course.

All humor aside, I highly recommend any of Elin's DVDs or Flash Cards. The information is presented in an understandable, straightforward way. She talks as if you are right there in front of her...not a camera. She explains cool colors and warm colors, where to put them at what time of day.

I don't know Elin Pendleton. I don't get any kick back from sales. I just think she has good information, at a reasonable price.

The Pill Boxes? Guess you will have to find out for yourself!