Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Day 43 :: DUNE PATHS:: original KMW pastel, 6x6"

DUNE PATHS
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"
$125 + $8 shipping

Today was a busy day: kids are off from school, puppy preparations are in full swing, and the oil painting class I'm teaching began tonight, a pastel painting class starts tomorrow. This ugh cold I've had for nearly two weeks is dragging me down. Studio time has been so important for me. Right when I think I just can't find the energy, I do. The time spent painting is centering and lovely, such a positive in my life I didn't see coming.

This piece is one I love. Greens are always a challenge, and in this piece, they work. I've created space when the contrast was low. It'd a piece with subtle drama. The building was successful because I made decisions and went with them. The marks I made mattered. The colors I chose were right.

For those who know Nantucket, this is Steps Beach, from the top step, on an overcast day. Everywhere you look in Nantucket is a painting -- no matter the weather, time of day, or season.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Monday, October 12, 2015

Day 42 :: EGGS :: Original pastel, 6x6"

EGGS
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

Another busy day -- a Monday off for the whole family -- with farm visits, pumpkin picking, hiking, and visiting our new puppy (!) we are picking up on Friday. Eeeep! That's in four days! Life will change (a new painting subject?) to say the least. Better get some paintings ready just in case....

Tonight, tired after a truly full day, I came into the studio to paint. This piece had been kicking around in my head. It's an ode to Ria Hills in a way. If you're not familiar with Ria's work, get over to her website! In fact, buy a painting! (They are glorious on your computer screen and a tour de force in person.) She has numerous paintings of cracked eggs. I LOVE them ALL!

So here's my cracked eggs, in sunlight and shade, with two colored yolks, in a glass bowl, on a wooden surface, with shining reflected light, and a metal spoon. Egad! Why not make it more complicated for myself?

Something fun happened, tonight, though. When the scanned image came up on my computer and I saw the preview I got a little excited by seeing my piece. What fun! The discipline of daily painting pays off!

Until tomorrow. Thanks for reading! -kmw

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Day 41 :: FALL AFTERNOON :: original pastel, 6x6"

FALL AFTERNOON
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"
Sold! 

It was a lazy Sunday after a hectic week. Everyone is home tomorrow for a Monday off. We have grand expectations for tomorrow after a lazy Sunday.

Tonight, after the girls went to bed and we cleaned up a bit, I went into the studio. Tim applauded. Adorably, and supportively, my great guy has been all in with my daily painting. It was fun to have him at Open Studio. I'd hear him say things about my dogged persistence for this goal I had. Again, I have to say I did marry well.

This piece is from a hike in our neighborhood.The light cuts across the path in the woods, and I am drawn to the colors unseen in the darks. Tricky to capture the light and dark in balance, I struggled through some of this piece for a while. I feel strong about its result.

Honestly, I'm a bit creatively spent. When I push my spent self, it's sort of a 50/50 split as to the results. We'll see what happens as I push on.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Day 40 :: REFLECTIONS :: original pastel, 6x6"

REFLECTIONS
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

It was a stellar day, after a fantastic Friday night, making my two-day open studio event a humbling success. To have people who have followed my #30in30 progress from September come to my studio to see the paintings in person and offer their support and encouragement was beyond affirming.

To say the least, I'm pooped! My studio is in perfect order now, so it's time to get it messy again. I'll admit that this painting, Reflections, was one that I had completed for a day in the future, when I'd be too spent to paint. Today is that day! Tomorrow I look forward to painting something about the fall landscape. Tonight, I'm off to bed after a lovely evening with my family. Tim and I just watched an hour of mindless television, and I feel ready to conquer a new painting...tomorrow!

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Friday, October 9, 2015

Day 39 :: BLUE CLOUDS :: original pastel, 6x6"

BLUE CLOUDS
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"
at The Drawing Room, Marion, MA

Tonight and tomorrow I'm hosting an Open Studio event at my home studio. When I came up with the idea it was to showcase my #30in30 from September. As the time came to welcome in people to see my work, I got a bit nervous. I'd never had people in to my art-making space like this, and I wasn't sure what to expect.

Well, the last of my guests just left and the night was SUPER! I'm so honored at their efforts to come and support me and my work. Such kindnesses were said. The conversations really were helpful for me in understanding how others see my paintings. It was great to have the feedback. I so enjoyed myself and hope those who came had fun, too.

Tomorrow Open Studio continues from 10am-2pm. It is an understatement to say I'm looking forward to it.

Earlier today I did this painting of that same field in my neighborhood. The marks are quick because I had a lot to do. Still, I loved how it came out. The immediacy of it is sort of neat.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Day 38 :: STANDOUT :: original pastel, 6x6"

STANDOUT
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"
$125 + $8 shipping

One of the farms near our home plants a field of sunflowers each year. It feels like a spot of Tuscany in Millis, MA. What fun to feel worldly in your own provincial place.

My painting from a few days ago, Flower Farm, had me thinking of my paintings and photos from Tangerini's Farm. A bunch of my paintings are inspired by their farm. This sunflower piece was worked from a photograph I had taken while experimenting with perspective. I knelt on the ground and took this photo of the sunflower from that position so it really takes center stage. It was fun to do that.

Tomorrow is Open Studio for the original #30in30 from September. I'm enjoying tidying up the studio a bit and making final touches on the paintings and their display. It'll be nice to welcome people in to my work space and hear the reactions to the work.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Day 37 :: ROWBOAT :: original pastel, 6x6"

ROWBOAT
by Kim Morin Weineck
 original pastel, 6x6"
Sold! 

Sometimes when I paint I am stuck with being a slave to reality. The thing with art is that I don't like paintings that are strict interpretations of what is seen. The paintings I respond to are the ones that interpret reality through the artist's filter. Funny how there is a disconnect when I start to paint and amp up the abstraction meter. My inner critic starts to question.

With this piece I tried to make marks that informed the viewer enough about what was happening. The lighting was important in this piece, and the colors I chose reflect that time of day. The marks I made are strong and informative.

In the end, I love this piece. My husband said it's one of his favorites. The blues in the distance aren't as zingy as they are in this post. Eventually my Photoshop skills will be up to that task.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Day 36 :: WINTER NIGHT :: original pastel by KMW , 6x6"

WINTER NIGHT
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"
Sold!

Late this past winter, I visited a farmer friend in Vermont. She took me on the best ride through her neck of the woods. It was late afternoon when we departed, and as we toured the area the sun went down, dusk settled in, and twilight quickly followed. During those months darkness comes early and so quickly.

There's a magic hour that artists refer to about the light at day's end. In the winter this time is so true to its name. The light dances on things in an enchanted way. The trees I painted appear cold silver against some warmer small trees that were catching the golden light perfectly.

As we came down the small mountain, I stopped the car to take a photo, my friend laughing at the tourist-stereotype-ness of it all. "You know, we all laugh at how people do this here: Stop the car and get out to take photos." And then her friend drove by and was laughing at me standing next to my car in the middle of the road taking photos. What a fun, silly moment. The image I captured. The timing of her friend driving by. The fun we were having. All of it.

And now I love my painting from that moment. Darks are difficult to capture in painting. Sennelier used to sell a great set of darks, and I used them to great effect here. The original piece shows more of the variation from warm to cool, deepest maroon to most intense navy.

So much is happening in my studio right now! I've been talking to someone about art licensing and have a fun idea that had been percolating now getting fleshed out on some illustration board (exciting!). Open Studio is coming up this Friday and Saturday to show my #30in30 for September. It's been something else to figure out how to display the work (30 paintings is a lot.) On Friday, November 6, I have an opening at Gallery9, Norwood, MA. It's an annual show I do. I am going to have to look back and see how many years it's been now. Fun times, for sure!

Thanks for reading! Until tomorrow -kmw

Monday, October 5, 2015

Day 35 :: SHEEP :: original pastel, 6x6"

SHEEP
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"


$125 + $8 shipping

Today is the day I almost stopped daily painting. I added another pastel to the small stack of failed figurative pieces and struggled through this one. No excuses, that is how painting goes.

The greens in this painting were fun spring tones. The deeper notes are blues from cobalt to Prussian. I painted this on an underpainting of ochres. My color relationships are analogous, and I don't think I paint in that scheme too often.

The kids have been in school for a month and I'm the last to be dealing with this cold. I'm going to bed nice and early, thinking of better experiences in the studio tomorrow.

Open Studio is this Friday and Saturday, October 9th from 5-8pm and 10th from 10am-2pm. I can't wait to welcome people into my small creative space! If you're in the area, I do hope you try to come visit!

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Day 34 :: FLOWER FARM :: original pastel, 6x6"

FLOWER FARM
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"
$125 + $8 shipping


While in New Hampshire yesterday we went apple picking and stopped in at a farm. Who can think about leaf-peeping when there are these beauties in bloom? Goodness! Sunflowers everywhere. And in the land of pick-your-own, these could NOT be picked. The travesty! They were selling little bouquets of them inside, but I decided instead to paint them.

It was a day with overcast clouds, and I think that just made these flowers more vibrant in their yellow, orange, and green glory.

My September monthly painting challenge ended last week, but I do love having this discipline to my days -- even if I'm a bit run down with a blah cold. We celebrated the 10th birthday of my eldest nephew tonight. No more single digits for him! Time zooms by. Be present. Use your talents. Share them. Enjoy.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Day 33 :: AUTUMN MARSH :: original pastel, 6x6"

AUTUMN MARSH
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

SOLD
Thank you!

This weekend my family scooted up to New Hampshire to visit my bestie. Having known her since we were five, it's easy to say that we are really more like sister-friends. What's a true gift for the two of us is that our families mesh well together: her kids are friends with our kids and my husband is friends with her husband.

It's so nice to feel refreshed and excited simultaneously. Being at her home was great, and we had both busy and down time. During my own quiet time, I took out my pastels and painted this scene from our walk earlier in the day.

The weather wasn't super for our visit, but it wasn't awful either. We had overcast for two days. Fall may be the only time when overcast doesn't bum me out, for it's in gray days that autumn colors can sing. This is the focus of my painting today: fall's colors as a vibrant contrast in the landscape.

Foliage isn't at its peak yet, so I certainly will have time to refine my painting skills as the leaves continue to change. We'll see how it goes!

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Friday, October 2, 2015

Day 32 :: WIND SOCK :: original pastel, 6x6"

WIND SOCK
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"
$125 + $8 shipping

The field in my neighborhood which I find so inspiring used to be an airport. Lucky for us, planes don't take off and land there any longer. We still see vestiges of the property's former use, like this pole for the wind sock, even though the fabric part has been long gone.

Again there is snow in this painting -- only a little, though. My previous post was at the start of a major named snowstorm. This one was a mere dusting early in the season. The time of day was dusk, which seems to be a favorite of mine lately. The light is blue. I think this piece holds a very specific light story.

I took liberties enhancing the colors in this piece. Blue is my favorite color, and it's pervasive here. The color relationships are the classic complementaries: blue and orange.

The sky is more dynamic in the original, with confident streaks coming down into the next subtle gradient. At the treeline is a subtle suggestion of a greeny-golden light. It really works with the turquoises in the piece.

The pile of references and notes and drawings in my sketchbook is massive, and I'm loving the discipline of daily painting. We'll see how long I can follow through. I'm bringing my pastels to visit my bestie in New Hampshire. I wonder that I'll take them out for tomorrow's painting....

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Day 31 :: SNOWFALL :: original pastel, 6x6"

SNOWFALL
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

SOLD! Thanks!

It's October 1st and I'm still painting. Before September I painted often, too, but the discipline of making art daily has been a good exercise and is adding a little balance to my life.

This painting is from a stack of photos in my studio which I've been collecting for years. It's been such a joy to tackle these references and see them through to fruition. Excuse the subject of snow, it is only newly fall and the first of October, but this image was on the top of my pile and the colors were so appealing to me. I think it made a good painting.

Snow is tricky to paint. Cold paintings don't look warm and inviting. How can you make snow look warm and inviting? You have to play with the temperature. Cooler in the foreground and warmer as it goes back in space. This atmospheric perspective for white is the opposite of how we usually paint.

And again this is from the field near our home. It's such an inspirational place for me.

Thanks for reading! I'm off to teach my Thursday night class -- kmw

Q & A About my Artistic Development

Recently I was invited by the company Patience Brewster to participate in their Artist Q&A Spotlight. Patience makes fine ornaments and home decor. Their website has a Q&A section about Patience and I thought it was a good idea to share about my artistic development as well. It's a good thing to periodically reflect on where you have been and where you're going! After the #30in30 I thought I'd spend some time getting my online presence in order. Here is a Q & A about my artistic development. When artists have these on their sites, I know I always enjoy reading them, so I thought I'd add one to mine. Enjoy! -kmw

1. As a child, do you recall a significant moment when you felt truly affected or inspired by any particular artwork or artist? 

Here I am!
Painting ghosts on the windows for Halloween
Maybe I was 2 and a half :) 

This question is interesting to me because, while I was always interested in art it wasn't a major part of my life until late in high school and college. Art as a discipline wasn't really in Catholic school. Sr Pauline did have us making posters for Catholic Schools week, but I know that didn't inspire me to want to be an artist.

We do have this one great photo of me painting ghosts on our living room windows with my aunt. I was maybe two or three and the smile on my face speaks to the fun I was having.

The first lightning bolt art-related moment came when I was in 9th grade, and was a newly-elected officer of the Humanities Club in school. As an officer I could attend the Renoir exhibit at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts (somewhere I don't think I had ever been before this field trip.) The MFA was packed with people looking at these fine Impressionist paintings, and I was in awe. Something changed for me after that exhibit. I became a private scholar of art history.

Eventually I ended up getting a degree in Fine Arts with a Painting concentration from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. It was a winding road that took me through a halted history degree at another college, but eventually I found my path. 


The polaroid is authentic! Painting en plein air in Gloucester, MA
and there I am -- Happy to graduate from MassArt!  


2. As an artist, what do you hope to convey with your work? 

My work is about comfort. It's also about my perspective. While recently working on a daily painting challenge to make 30 paintings for each day of September 2015, I solidified that focus of my work. Over the course of 30 days I could paint anything I wanted, and I learned my subjects make me happy and content -- even when they are difficult to make into good paintings. 
DAY'S END
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6:

What's important to me is that the paintings have an important "light story" to them. If someone sees my painting, they should be able to tell what time of day the painting was meant to capture. This doesn't mean that it's always sunny with hard shadows. Sometimes the light story is that there was no light. What matters is that it's all through my filter and that it's conveyed to the viewer. 


DUSK
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"


3. What memorable responses have you had to your work?

When I paint, it's a way for me to connect with my talents and sort of meditate or pray. In the Artist's Way, Julia Cameron talks about the Creator (whoever that may be for each of us) giving us these talents. It's our responsibility to pay homage to the creator by using them. 


A page from my Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art scrapbook
On the left is my work on the gallery wall with the red dot on the label just
below the painting.  A print out of the painting is on the right.
My old old old digital camera took these and they are terribly pixelated.  

In Brittany, France, where I spent an AMAZING summer painting in 2000, I recall one day specifically when I was painting on location. It was a lovely little composition of a stone wall, some day lilies, and a gate. The stones and flowers were giving me such problems! After much struggle, I remember putting down my brush for a moment and deliberately thinking I wasn't going to think any more. Instead I would just do. The piece seemed to flow out of me. It was like a meditation. Yes, I loved the painting that was created then. And the local bakery bought it for their collection. That was certainly a memorable response to my work! 


4. What is your dream project?

When I finished art school, I was 30 and vividly remember wanting to travel and teach, much like the professors did for the summer in Brittany. While I would still like to do that, I think it will be a little later in my life, since I have young children and we're settling into our lovely community in Massachusetts where we moved a year and a half ago. My days now are spent painting and designing, some nights are spent teaching, and our family and friends take up much of the balance of time. 

Something fun and exciting is percolating inside me right now, though. Having just finished the intense painting regimen I was on for September, I can now develop a series of works inspired by our new home in the woods. It'll be nice, too, to focus on some other art skills I have and not be narrowed to fine art alone. 

Does that answer the dream project question? Not quite. We live a creative life in my family. I would love to be able to share that aesthetic with others on a grander scale. How? I'm figuring that out. 


5. What artists, of any medium, do you admire? (Famous or not!)
Apples in the Sun
by Duane Keiser

Julianna's Easel
by Duane Keiser


















Two contemporary artists pop to mind for this question. Both were early to the Daily Painting routine. Duane Keiser and Julian Merrow-Smith. Both are realists but both take that realism to a painterly-style that I adore. Both also have a consistent voice. I follow both on Facebook and read their blogs, etc. Each time I see their works I get inspired! 


Demonstrations from Julian Merrow-Smith's workshops
What beautiful, lively paintings!! 

Some day I will jump in with both feet and either take Julian's Provence workshops or bring my own class to his French rental property for a workshop of my own! 




#30in30 in one place





Poster available shortly
$15 paper size 11x17"


Suitable for framing 
signed by the artist
(with an inscription, if requested)

More info to come



September is over. The #30in30 was a wonderful experience and I'm delighted for all of you who followed along. Looking at this poster of the paintings, I'm glad to have taken on this challenge.

In the end, the important thing is the doing, and this challenge really helped me to continue on my creative path and do! 

Thanks for reading!-kmw