Day 16 :: RED :: September Daily Paintings

RED
original pastel, 6x6"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck
$50

This is a busy month which I deliberately chose to augment my stress by undertaking this challenge. It's wonderful to do the work and feel progress and I keep telling myself that doing the work is a better feeling than having more on my plate. Certainly this month laundry and cleaning and such can take a back seat! 

As I mentioned in yesterday's  post about the porch light painting, architecture is a challenge for me. Generally I want to tighten things up and make all the edges hard and ruler straight. Painting then becomes such a chore as opposed to being something to enjoy and free my inner artistic child. When I'm feeling life's pressures, of course I take on the challenge of something that I find difficult. Goodness. 

RED
original acrylic, 18x18"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck

Today my studio time in Massachusetts brings me back to Vermont at the farm I am so inspired by. This square composition is wholly architectural with some intense cropping to really challenge all my perspective skills. My farmer friends have wonderful young children and so you can make out the scooter and the red tricycle in front of the barn door.

The acrylic came first and then the pastel above. Simplicity is my mantra and being able to say a lot with little marks and color changes. I think I did well with this. Pastel makes it easier to do: pick colors, make marks, move on!

This will be a fun one to compare and contrast. I have been putting both images next to each other on Facebook. It certainly does welcome comparison that way!

PRICING NOTE:  I am taking risks with this challenge. The work created is about learning and  my pieces are experiments and priced accordingly. Each piece is A BARGAIN at only $50 ($10 shipping if you're not local) rather than $125 for my usual gallery-worthy work. Only my pastels will be available at this time. Email kimweineck@gmail.com to purchase. Of course, thank you! 

Thank you for reading! ~ kmw

Day 15 :: CHICKEN FEED :: September Daily Paintings

CHICKEN FEED
original pastel, 6x6"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck
$50

Pastels are gloriously direct. No brush handle to get in the way. You want a color - you find the color - you apply the color - done. HA! It does NOT really work like that, especially if you do a nuanced piece of every sort of gray out there. Challenge doesn't really begin to describe what this was, but it's September and I embrace challenge! 

Cutie little chicken was super smart and found the bag of birdseed. When I happened upon this scene, the chicken turned and looked at me! Such a fun moment at my friend's farm yet again. Some day I will have to see about a residency. I could be inspired and paint something new from this farm every day! 

CHICKEN FEED
original acrylic, 18x18"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck

Again the acrylic is different but improving. Again I am wondering if I like it more than the pastel. It's funny to think that I'm struggling with a smaller pastel working surface. A 6x6" board was my thing for years whilst the kids were still napping and it was what I could tackle during that short time. Thankfully the school day is longer and so my working time has increased.

Yesterday was intense with an art association meeting and things the kids needed, so I dialed it in and posted my plein air piece from the coffeehouse. Today I did four paintings and need to go to bed. Ha! Who knew art is so tiring?

PRICING NOTE:  I am taking risks with this challenge. The work created is about learning and  my pieces are experiments and priced accordingly. Each piece is A BARGAIN at only $50 ($10 shipping if you're not local) rather than $125 for my usual gallery-worthy work. Only my pastels will be available at this time. Email kimweineck@gmail.com to purchase. Of course, thank you! 

Thank you for reading! ~ kmw

Day 14 :: PORCH LIGHT :: September Daily Paintings

PORCH LIGHT
original pastel, 6x6"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck
$50

Yesterday I didn't post my established standard 'two paintings in different mediums of the same subject' and instead posted a plein air piece I did from Cilla's Coffeehouse in Norfolk, MA which is showing my work for the month. Buildings and the figure are often not my strong suit and I'll admit that the success and FUN of the coffeehouse plein air piece gave me confidence enough to do more focusing on buildings. Today, to catch up, I did four paintings. I'm beat! (The coffeehouse painting is at the end of this post.) 

The pastel looks like I wanted it to look. I have been studying how some artists make their clean marks and blocks of color. A common factor is that some confident artists have blogs of glorious messy color not confined to hard lines. Ahhh. This is my struggle. The more I paint the more I tighten all of this up! 

PORCH LIGHT
original acrylic, 18x18"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck

 The acrylic is a great example of trying to be messy. It was a good start at messy and then I kept tightening and tightening. Who knows what sort of work I can do next time. This was a good session in the studio -- again from my friend's wonderful Vermont Farm -- and I learned so much. More and more my motto is "Just do the work!"

WELCOME ENTRY
original pastel, 9x12"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck

My cafe entrance painting done on location. What a great time this was, meeting people and really pushing myself. I loved every moment!

PRICING NOTE:  I am taking risks with this challenge. The work created is about learning and  my pieces are experiments and priced accordingly. Each piece is A BARGAIN at only $50 ($10 shipping if you're not local) rather than $125 for my usual gallery-worthy work. Only my pastels will be available at this time. Email kimweineck@gmail.com to purchase. Of course, thank you! 

Thank you for reading! ~ kmw

Day 13 :: SHADE TREES :: September Daily Painting Challenge

SHADE TREES
original pastel, 6x6"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck
$50

It was bound to happen eventually. Today's acrylic took all my energy, and I love it. It feels like I'm illustrating a book about a farm in Vermont that I love. The pastel needs another 30 minutes but today I'm gassed.

This morning I enjoyed painting at a local cafe. Painting en plein air is fun but tiring. Adjusting to school has been tiring, too. September is a month of transition. Add soccer on top of it all, and I am impressed with myself for making my way down here tonight and working on these two pieces. 

SHADE TREES
original acrylic, 18x18"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck

Again, "nothing feels as good as doing the work." Tonight as I headed down the stairs to my basement art studio I knew I'd feel as good going back up the stairs as after a tough workout. This month is about my own self-direct art workout, and it does feel good. 

The plein air painting from this morning came out nice, too. (You can see it on my Instagram account @kimweineck.) I enjoyed speaking with the most wonderful people who came specifically to support me and with others who stopped by to get coffee and noticed I was there working. The town we live in is full of wonderful folks, and I'm so happy we landed here. 

One more word to a friend who I know reads my blog posts: Thank you so much for bringing my dad to Cilla's Coffeehouse to see my work. It was such a treat to have him tell me he saw (and liked!!) my paintings hanging there. I really appreciate it. xxoo 

This farm is the same one as my painting from yesterday, in case you were wondering. Magical place, I tell you....

PRICING NOTE:  I am taking risks with this challenge. The work created is about learning and  my pieces are experiments and priced accordingly. Each piece is A BARGAIN at only $50 ($10 shipping if you're not local) rather than $125 for my usual gallery-worthy work. Only my pastels will be available at this time. Email kimweineck@gmail.com to purchase. Of course, thank you! 

Thank you for reading (and supporting!) ~ kmw

Day 12 :: FARM COMPANION :: September Daily Paintings

FARM COMPANION
original pastel, 6x6"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck
sold

Yesterday's painting was freeing and I was a bit pumped to begin the week with that energy. I used brushes I've often disdained -- the fan brush in particular. Good artist materials seem precious. They are expensive and beautiful objects. If you've read my blog since the onset of this month of daily painting, you know I am trying to have fun with creativity and let my inner child silence my inner critic. Here on day 12 the two are fighting a whole lot! 

When I was studying painting in France 15 years ago (a time I love to reminisce about), one of our classes brought us to the beach where we had to select natural materials for brushes. My uptight younger self (although I'm still pretty uptight now) HATED this assignment, because so much of what was painted had to be given up to this awkward and yet freeing process. Yesterday was a bit about that. 

FARM COMPANION
original acrylic 18x18"
©2016 Kim Morin Weineck

Today's paintings have been made, and I sit here blogging about them and my process. When I see the results here on my screen I get a bit tingly. For a while now I've wanted to paint more of the figure, but geez is that ever an intimidating idea! Marshes you can totally fudge. "I'll put the water there and move that and make this like that" for a good painting. My inner critic flips out if I were to think any way like that when painting people. Painting people demands accuracy and practice.

I've mentioned this story before, but I do love it, and so here it comes again:

Our youngest daughter was trying to do something and was repeatedly getting it wrong. When Tim and I prodded her to try again because "Practice makes perfect" she immediately corrected us with her updated "Practice makes better" because "Mom, and Dad, you can't be perfect!" I love that change to the common platitude. We say it all the time.

For a while, I've been making 2-dimensional artwork in two distinct styles:  loose and slightly-abstracted fine art and tight, detailed illustrations. Sometimes I feel a little right-and-left-brain-at-war. When I get into big conversations about art, I'd say that a day was coming where there'd be some fusion of the two.

Today's paintings feel like that fusion is imminent if not finally at hand.

I love the acrylic more (!!) than the pastel, and that is a major change. The piece flowed out of me, and I enjoyed every moment. Ah, what fun!

The subject of today's painting is my friend and her puppy. Lucky me gets to visit her at their family farm in Vermont and vicariously live through her whole family. This moment was when we were off to harvest some mint while all around us was bursting into springtime bloom. This farm has been on my mind a lot lately, so I would expect that you may see it in future paintings.

PRICING NOTE:  I am taking risks with this challenge. The work created is about learning and  my pieces are experiments and priced accordingly. Each piece is A BARGAIN at only $50 ($10 shipping if you're not local) rather than $125 for my usual gallery-worthy work. Only my pastels will be available at this time. Email kimweineck@gmail.com to purchase. Of course, thank you! 

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

August Calendar

A delightful summer we're having! What fun it is to be fast and furious and slow and steady. One thing we did early on as summer began was to travel to Vermont and visit friends who own Luce Farm. Gosh, this place is GORGEOUS!

When I have the chance to visit there I am inspired times ten! To share some of my excitement for this place, I made this calendar using one of my photos of the red barn and my iPadPro.

August desktop wallpaper giveaway!

Feel free to download it onto your computer or iPad and use it as your desktop wallpaper. I'd be honored if you did!

In my zealousness and excitement from my Vermont visit, I have already created calendars for the rest of the year. Be sure to stop by as August rounds out for September's freebie. It's a good one!

September also begins my #30in30 painting a day challenge. I'm working hard to get studio time this summer and pushing myself in oils more than I can remember since art school. Here on my blog I'll post what I've been painting and I have high hopes for what I'll have created come October. We shall see!

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

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

Day 16 :: RED BARN :: #30in30 Painting a Day Challenge

RED BARN
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

SOLD! 

This barn has lovely funky angles. At sunset the angles are more pronounced with shadows hanging and falling to accent the angles even more. Offset by the lush greens in the landscape and the gorgeous blooms in front, I think it's obvious why I'd have to paint this scene!

Full disclosure: Argh!! This piece caused me a bit of trouble. Red when lightened is often pink or orange. It's pretty tricky. In shadow colors are cooler. Cooler red is purple. I have so many tones here in the barn reds that I am not used to using. My usual color palette wasn't accessible to me for this building, much as I mentioned in the post for the yellow barn.

Apart from the color, the rigid lines of architecture can be tricky to make feel painterly. It's a bunch to juggle. And so this piece sat on my standing desk waiting until I'd try it again. Feels good to have resolved it.

Friends of ours showed me this place and I was instantly smitten. Instantly! It is magical all times of day all times of year. More paintings will come from this place if all goes according to plan. I pray it all works out and soon! (It's fun to be cryptic.)

Thanks for reading! -kmw

An artists' photo essay

Here's a photo essay of things that caught my eye during my painting workshop.
Enjoy the trip! Click on any photo to see it larger. Thanks!

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
Plein air small pastel study
(This post has more about this piece.)

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
Apples are starting to ripen with the livestock barn
from Sweet Georgia P's at Amee Farm in the distance

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
"Paint me! Paint me!" 

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
The photo doesn't do the day justice -
but when I paint it I can show you then ;)

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
I think the clouds above look a little bit like a heart.
Do you see it? 

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
This photo was taken in the river.
It was cool but refreshing water.
Wouldn't recommend bringing your easel in.

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
The side of Vermont's Original General Store
(delicious maple candies, sandwiches, and more)

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
My art supplies and paintings and everything.
Something about this photo makes me so happy! 

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
Stealing a quiet moment for coffee during my workshop.
Can you find me in this photo? 

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
See the rainbow?
It ends at Sweet Georgia P's fields! 

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
Yeah. This place is inspiring. 

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
Time for critique!
Who doesn't like critique on the deck of the Amee Farm Lodge?

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
Three of my pastel paintings - all are 5x7" studies
L to R: SPECKLED PATH, BARN AT SUNSET, SUMMER MORNING, VT

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
Three more of my pastel paintings - again all are 5x7" studies
CLOUD PEAK, MOONRISE (sold), PATH BY THE RIVER

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
Thanks to Rebecca Skinner for the photo

And thanks for reading! -kmw

VT plein air

My August workshop in VT was a productive time. With so many things I could post, I figured I'd start with a painting. A friend and photographer, Rebecca Skinner, took these photos of me starting my piece. 

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck 
photo by Rebecca Skinner

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck 
photo by Rebecca Skinner

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
photo by Rebecca Skinner

This day was oddly overcast and posed a challenge (in a good way) to capture the light effects on the landscape. Most of my VT work was small on-location studies which I can work into larger studio paintings in the future.

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
SUMMER MORNING, VT
original pastel, 7x5"

When I returned to my room at the Amee Farm Lodge I snapped this photo of the painting. Loved the greens. There's something about the Vermont air that makes me want to make art! 

Smart Creative Mom: It all matters

My column on Smart Creative Women, "Smart Creative Mom" appeared July 5, 2013. Take a look!

Kim Weineck is popping in again while I am up in New Hampshire. Kim has a fabulous painting retreat to Vermont planned Aug 4-7 at the darling Amee Farm. Rustic and luxurious, you get to spend several days painting the gorgeous countryside of Vermont under Kim gentle instruction. (She is just the best teacher!) AND for the foodie in you, there is a farm-to-table event planned as well! Lots of yum! You can find out more details here. 

Recently I was at an art show discussing the artwork on display, some of it mine, with someone I had never met before that night. The exchange of dialogue went something like this –

Art Lover:  I’ve been a fan of your work for a long time. It’s so nice to finally meet you in person.
Me: (a little dumbfounded) That’s quite nice to hear. (More pleasantries were exchanged.)
Art Lover: When you posted this painting on your blog, I enjoyed your backstory about what drew you to  make this piece. I’ve had similar experiences and it was great to learn you did, too.
Me: It’s funny how that often happens.

Yesterday this was in my email in box:

Online Follower I didn’t know I had: I want to register for your August Workshop in Vermont. It sounds like such fun, and I’m excited to take a class with you after following you and your work on line for a while.
Me: That’s great! I’m glad you’re excited about it, too! It’s going to be such fun!

A comment on one of my paintings I’d pinned to my Pinterest pin board read:

“This is beautiful. Is it for sale?”

These three examples proved something to me:  It all matters. “It” is the effort you make to put yourself “out there” in that place (often scary if you’re doing it for the first time) for others to see and offer their response.  As a mother of two young girls, doing this is a question of managing my time.  For the short amount I have to myself, I want to spend it making art rather than marketing it!

What I’ve learned is that marketing doesn’t take a ton of time. Just get it done – something. Period.

* Write that blog post about what you’re doing (it can be quick and short!)
* Post something on your Facebook page. (Don’t have time? Share something great in your feed!)
* Sign up for an Instagram account and photograph some pictures of your process.
* Create a Pin Board on Pinterest of things you’re doing – this can be ANYTHING at all!

Whatever your method, do something to show off your talents! Don’t put it on hold. When you hit “publish” or “send” it doesn’t go into the ether. Someone is noticing. Some days the effort to be visible is tantamount to climbing Everest, but when you start, you’ll find it’s more of an anthill. Your work is too special to be kept quiet. SHOUT IT OUT!

pinterest.com/kimweineck
kimweineck.com

VT Workshop added! :: Oct 13-16, 2013

Paintings from a Vermont Farm 

October 13-16th, 2013                    
An artists’ workshop & retreat with Kim Morin Weineck

My photo of the free range chickens at
Sweet Georgia P's CSA @Amee Farm

To sign up or for more information, email kimweineck@gmail.com or call Becca at (802)746-8061. Thanks! 
Good paintings often spring from the inspiration provided by a location.  Surrounded by mountains, fields, ripening crops, rivers, and farm life – your paintings of Amee Farm in Pittsfield, VT will be truly inspired! 

my photo of the view from Amee Farm Lodge, Pittsfield, VT

Dates :  Sunday, October 13th through Wednesday, October 16^th 

Please arrive any time after 3:30pm on Sunday to settle into your room and get acquainted with the landscape. A welcome dinner will be provided with participant introductions at the gathering.

Schedule :  Each day begins with breakfast, followed by a painting lesson with handouts and a demonstration by the instructor. Locations for the day’s painting will be determined before breaking for lunch, which each participant is responsible for daily. On-location painting continues after the lunch break with individual instruction throughout the remainder of the day. All mediums and painting levels are welcome.

The group will convene for lively critiques of the day’s work before dinner.

Tuesday night is an extra-special Farm-to-Table dinner comprised of  selections from Sweet Georgia P’s at Amee Farm: a perfect send-off meal together. What a treat this will be! We'll be painting from the landscape, creating still lifes of veggies and foliage from Sweet Georgia P's at Amee Farm, and then enjoying a fantastic meal with cheeses and soups! This is the French idea of terroir at its best -- just for us!

If the weather cooperates, those interested can paint the sunrise and enjoy a brown bag picnic breakfast. Wednesday’s lesson and final painting session concludes with our last critique over a catered lunch. The workshop ends at 1:30pm on Wednesday, October 16^th. 

The livestock barn filled with gorgeous goats.
Too bad you can't see any of the cutie kids in my photo. 

Lodging: Workshop participants are housed at the rustic luxury bed and breakfast, Amee Farm Lodge, just across from Sweet Georgia P’s at Amee Farm. The inn is reserved for the group solely, providing a wonderful opportunity to be immersed in the art experience alone and in collaboration with others.  Take a  look at their site for pictures of their rooms and be sure to check out their blog for some amazing photos of the landscape.

.

My photo of rte 100 near the free-range
chicken field and the Pittsfield General Store

*The inn offers many different rooms, some with private bath and some a semi-private bath (shared between two rooms). Rooms are granted on a first-come first-served basis. When you pay, you reserve your room choice, so reserve early!

Pricing:  $ 850 includes 3 night’s lodging and breakfast daily. A welcome dinner is provided on Sunday as well as a private Farm-to-table dinner event on Tuesday and lunch on departure day. Participants receive three days of in-depth art instruction with painting demonstrations.  Not a painter? You are welcome to join us, too. Retreat only, no instruction is $695.

For a slideshow of painting locations and the Amee Farm Lodge, check out this slideshow. Enjoy!

To sign up or for more information, email kimweineck@gmail.com or call Becca at (802)746-8061. Thanks! 

The artist/instructor: 

Kim Morin Weineck is an accomplished artist who has been teaching all mediums of painting and drawing for more than a decade. Kim concentrates on the beauty of interpretive landscapes in her own work. She is a juried member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA), Signature Member of the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod (PPSCC), among other art society memberships. Founder and Instructor of the Neponset Valley Artists (NVA), Kim holds a BFA in Fine Art, 2D from Massachusetts College of Art and Design where she graduated with distinction and found her artist-voice studying in Pont-Aven, Brittany, France. Kim has served as Gallery Director at Gallery9, Norwood, MA.

Inspiration overload

Have you seen the slideshow of photos from our quick Vermont trip? If you scan through them, you can see there's a true abundance of inspiration. As I typed that I loved how the word "abundance" came to mind because abundance is probably the most perfect word for a farm.

Since my return I've been working on my marketing materials for my workshops (!) as well as creating new works based on drawings, photos, and other references from my trip.

Here are two finished pastels:

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
AMEE FARM BARN
original pastel, 12x9"

©2013 Kim Morin Weineck
FIELD SHADOWS
original pastel, 12x9"

I cannot wait to post more paintings as they are completed. New work wants to percolate out of me quickly,  and I'm trying to keep up!

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Vermont Slideshow!