Black & White

Starting with the basics, black and white. The workshops I teach start kind of at the beginning, looking for, contrast, the dark's and light's. How to deal with white or light on a dark surface and vise versa. In preparing for my demo's I make studies with step by step photos for future reference. The step by step will be posted in an album on Facebook, sometimes on YouTube. I'll keep you posted as to when they go up and where.

I have two black and white pieces on the drawing table at the moment. I have been wanting to do a magpie for some time now and thought it a good transition piece as the black and white bird has some lovely blues. This image will be used in the birds class, using a wet charcoal technique for the background.

The other image is on black paper. Using this process it helps to learn to look closely at what you are drawing/painting. Looking at the lights first and only drawing what you see, from there we will quickly move into toned paper. Toned paper helps to remove the fear of looking at a white piece of paper. Starting with a grey mid-tone, remove the highlights/light areas and finish the work using charcoal pencils to create the dark in the image. It always amazes me how a 3 tone image is so beautiful.

If you have questions about my workshops, want to set up private lessons, commissions or sale of my work, check out my website or email me. lindahp@lindaharrisonparsons.com
website: http://www.lindaharrisonparsons.com

The Smell Of Rain

This has been a very dry and warmer year in Arizona. This morning we have rain, a gentle rain with clouds that look like they may stay around for the day, hopefully. I have always loved the smell of rain in the air. In Arizona they say if you crush the leaf of the creosote bush it smell like rain in the desert. It is a different smell then back east. May be a little sweeter instead of earthy, like in wooded areas.

This morning I enjoyed sitting outside, it was cooler, the sound of the rain hitting the roof and of course the smell. I could not resist taking a few photos and trying to think how can I incorporate this feeling into my art. I will be in the studio most of the day, we shall see what comes from this tranquil moment.

When White Is Not White

Lately, I have been painting unique bird images. The black crowned night heron chick for instance. A funny little guy that made me smile, so had to paint him. This week I finished a mother egret. At first I thought she was sitting on her nest of eggs. On closer inspection of my photos I saw there were two babies tucked under her. I did not put the babies in the picture because it was more about how she spread her feathers to create a soft, save, space for her babies.

Painting this white egret in early morning sun it became all about what makes white when there is so much color reflected, in the shadows and cast shadows. White, like reflective objects, silver, copper, glass, is about what you see, not what you think is there. One of the things I tell my students is; whites or lights are only as bright as the darkest dark beside the white in the composition. The other is look at your reference and paint what you see...with that being said, as an artist it is your interpretation that creates your art. Kind of falls under the learn the rules so you can break the rules.

The more I worked on the egret, I did not use pure white, well, was close to pure white at the very end. Most of the white was toned down with shades of blues, mixed with some reds, even yellows, browns and a touch of grays.

The piece started with a wood panel that had previously been painted with blues left over from my palette. I put it away and literally forgot about it, as I was cleaning up my studio I found it and several other panels. Some are prepared with different colored backgrounds. The others I primed this week with white gesso. Will just have to wait and see what they become...I have ideas brewing.

Here is the finished egret and a little step by step from beginning, middle and end. Any questions about this technique you can always email me at: lharrisonparsons@gmail.com

"Soft Spot" mother egret oil on wood panel

"Where's Mom" Black Crowned Night Heron chick, oil with sealed charcoal & graphite on panel

 

Look Out Below

The saguaro cactus has gone from flower to fruit. We truly have a bird sanctuary in our back yard.  Our birds are a combination of locals and migratory. This time of year, many of those birds that pass through on to other locations, maybe cooler then AZ leave with full bellies. The fruit of the cactus are rich in color and apparently favor.

The birds are there morning, evening, and throughout the day to get some of these lovely fruits. They jockey for positions. The white winged dove is a big  bird and it uses it's size to move other birds along. This year especially, there is lots of fruit to be had for everyone, yet there still is that power struggle. Plus, if you are under the cactus looking up to take a photo you need to watch out as the birds finish eating the inside of the fruit then knock it off, one almost got me this morning.

I am hopeful that the hooded oriole will come back. Two of them were on the cactus at evening light. Ran inside to get my camera, by the time I got back out they were gone. The bright yellow-orange with the contrasting red green of the cactus and strong sunlight was pretty amazing. I can not complain too much about that lost shot as I have gotten many photos this year of the birds that hang around our backyard. We have the curved-billed thrasher, gila woodpecker, common flicker, cactus wren, white winged dove, mourning dove, phainopepla, verdin, mockingbird, peach faced lovebirds...and more. 

Here are a few pictures, you may want to make note of the names. More to come on that next week.

Common Flicker

House Finch

curved-billed thrasher

 

white winged dove

saguaro fruit 

peach faced lovebird, non-native but now lives in AZ

Everyday Should be World Environment Day

The United Nations, since 1974 has help bring international awareness to World Environment Day. This year India is the host country and the theme is Beat Plastic Pollution. #BeatPlasticPollution

You can be involved by pledging to give up one plastic convenience and find an alternative. Millions of plastics are found in our oceans, waterways and our drinking water systems. Plastic bags blow into trees and across our land.

I think of myself as an environmental artist. Personally, I want to keep seeing the beauty of the mountains, the forest and the seas. I document moments in time, I do this because what is here today may not be here tomorrow. It is my way of supporting nature and wildlife in hopes that we can prevent additional extinction.

Opening soon in Vancouver is a special project in collaboration with the International Ornithological Congress. Artists painted small canvases that will be mounted together to created one large mural of birds that are on the endangered species list. There are 678 birds in the world that are on this list. Plastics have an in-pack on birds, nesting material now contains pieces of plastic.

Find a way to up-cycle, make something new instead of just throwing things into the recycle bin. Doing little things can make changes.

Annobon Scops-owl

Bate's Weaver

Telling Stories

June 1st, it has been a busy year so far. Lots of friends and family coming to AZ to visit. Art shows coming and going. With a few more ahead, along with workshops in Maryland just around the corner. I may have mentioned that I am updating my web site. Creating a new background, adding new images, and thinking about how to tell the story of my work.

Over the years, when ever I sell my work at shows, even on-line, or as a gift, everyone likes to know the story behind the creation. This will create a bit more work but I have never been know for doing things the short, fast or easy way. Hopefully, it won't be too long before I have it updated with new images and a few stories that tell of the inspiration in nature to create the art.

This is on the fly but here is a little example of what I plan to do on the web site. Just a story with one image and additional images on the same page that followed.

The caracara hawk was inspired by a photograph I had taken many years ago at the San Diego Zoo. I have been experimenting with dark sometimes abstract background and bringing the bird or animal out of that darkness. I knew this was the year to finally make this piece come to life. We went to Tucson and there was a young caracara at the Sonora Living Desert Museum. He had been rescued and now would be one of the education birds in their free flight program.

Since, seeing that youngster I have been lucky in capturing photo references of many baby birds: blacked crowned night herons, egrets, great horned owls, hummingbirds and robins all in their nest. Keep checking back for new works inspired by these babies and their parents.

Black Crowned Night Heron chic

Robins, with the nest built into a corner

These works are for sale, email me for details: lindahp@lindaharrisonparsons.com