American Falls

American Falls. 2014. 

Vine Charcoal and White Compressed Charcoal. 

@8" x 10." 

Casey Klahn

Intervening Space. American Falls. 2014. 

Vine Charcoal and White Compressed Charcoal. 

@8" x 10." 

Casey Klahn

Casey Klahn painting at Niagara Falls.

Painting Outdoors

Janice Wall

Artist Janice Wall following her pastel muse in Gig Harbor, WA, October 28th., 2013.  This image needed to be posted now, because the frost is on the ground, and for many of us this last season of outdoor painting is in the memory books.

Typical for me, I just did a few plein air sessions.  I did paint a number of images out the window, though.  Does that count?

I Am A Civil War Artist This Memorial Day Weekend!

I Am A Civil War Artist This Memorial Day Weekend!

Imagine my delight at being out among hundreds of costumed actors; the solders in dark blue uniforms and the ladies in hooped skirt outfits.  I am getting some great sketches, and did one plein air pastel session today.  I get very few opportunities at drawing people, so it is an artist's heaven.

Please look for some images to be posted in the next few days. 

The Civil War is remembered for having started 152 years ago this past April. 

See what I mean?

Summer Painting Outdoors

This is the informal iPh photo

Forest Interior 3

@6x10.8" 

Pastel

Casey Klahn

en plein air

Canola Field Trip

It's too bad I don't have any subject matter around here to paint.  Just joking.  I have been trying to get out and paint these canola fields in May for nine years, and finally made the effort.

Pastels Available, unframed.  $500 each/ $900 both.

Spring Snow Plein Air

Spring Snow in the Distance 

6" x7.5"

Pastel

Casey Klahn

iPhone record

The distant view north from my studio last week.  If I paint it from the studio window, does it still count as plein air?

Summer 2011

My Daughter

 Plein Air - Fresh  Air

Decorating Grandpa's Grave

Photos: Lorie Klahn

Tangle

Barn Tangle

Pastel & Charcoal

7" x 9.2"

Casey Klahn

This is right about the time I'd like to get out in the back yard and paint some more of these scenes around the house.  If the weather would just offer something other than the rain and snow mix it's giving today, I could make good on that goal. Anytime, now, Mr. Weatherman...

This barn image is from last year.

On The Road Again - An Artist's Reality Blog

I Should Have Been a Country & Western Singer, Instead of a Painter...

To borrow the phrase from Willie Nelson, I am on the road again...to Sausalito. I intend to live blog the Sausalito Art Festival, which means I will try to write you a post a day. This year, the festival has cranked back the schedule, allowing me some breathing room to post. Artists sometimes spend 12 hours in their booths during event days, and that doesn't count the set-up day or days, which are brutal. Sounds like a reality show premise, huh?

Today I left home in eastern Washington, and traveled through the Columbia River Gorge. Since I follow Celeste Bergin's blog, I knew she would be at the Columbia Center in Hood River, Oregon and I made it a point to stop by. They are receiving paintings created en pein air - many during this week's plein air event in the gorge. I also got to meet Celeste's husband, David, who is the photographing this event. I enjoyed picking his brain about digital tasks. They will probably post the pictures taken of Celeste and I, to prove that bloggers do meet sometimes in real life.

The four or five oil paintings that Celeste will show make this exhibit well worth your visit. Her works are very uninhibited, and make me want to take up the oil medium.

I met an artist at the gallery of whom I am a big fan: Eric Bowman. He is humble, and I really admire his ease of expression in the landscape. He is very talented: Eric Bowman.

Cathleen Rehfeld is a friend of Celeste's. Her plein air oils of the gorge are inspiring, and they earned my "blue ribbon" rating. Judges take notice. She blogs here.

I am on the 5 in Oregon, and am taking a few days to get to the bay area and Sausalito. Stay tuned for more updates as I live blog on the road. Preview: you might get to see your author in his tuxedo on Friday. Woo hooo.

Need more country music for the road trip? I thought so. The Highwaymen Live.

Loriann's Slough Through My Eyes

La Conner Slough
11" x 14"
Pastel
Casey Klahn

Remember when artist and blogger Loriann Signori introduced me to her favored slough in La Conner, WA? My impression was different from hers, and somewhat driven by my choice of rough-tooth Richeson board. Sometimes I think I want to bring my outdoor works to a finish, and other times I want something to take to the studio. Other times, I have no idea what to do at all!

My new project. Grand opening next post.

When Bloggers Meet

My set-up at Loriann's slough locale. She loves this particular spot, and I can see why. There are scenes wherever you look - but that generally describes Skagit County, Washington.

Painter in the mist. Loriann Signori is well focused on her art. Her post of the image is here.

Our favorite plein airist, Loriann, was be-nighted the evening before, looking for her lost house key in the tall grass with a flashlight. She didn't like the sounds of something big slapping the water, and beat a hasty retreat. I found the tracks and showed her what she'd been avoiding - a small bear.

When bloggers meet - a paint out adventure. Loriann Signori and Casey Klahn in La Conner, Washington.

I will post the artwork I did soon. I still haven't unpacked my big van since my Kirkland show. After seeing Loriann, I had a great time driving east over the Cascade Mountains and home after much arting and general hob-nobbing. Unusual for me, I actually enjoyed the hot weather in Leavenworth, WA - maybe after being cold at the painting location!

Next posts: galleries and art fairs and workshops.

Silver and Shade

Shady Trees
5" x 7"
Pastel
Casey Klahn

This is an image from behind our house, looking toward the pet cemetery. Finished outside, rather than in my studio.

I may connect this one to my new and upcoming Prairie Series, since farmsteads are a fixture on the prairie.

Plein Air Links

Photo: Lorie Klahn
This box of pastels I made from a cigar box which is deep enough for two layer of sticks. The top tray is a hand made Fome Core tray. The levels are further sub-divided with Fome Core, and the top tray is lifted out with a ribbon. I organize this box by six values, and choose mostly subdued hues. Casey Klahn.

The plein air links I posted the other day were very well received, and I promised a continuation of these links. As I take up a project of painting outdoors every day for a month, follow my journey. I won't post everything, but my foibles and fun will be shared liberally.

On my mind as I take up my month long project are the following links:

Painting Wales Diary - Rob Ijbema
Plein Air Artists. Ning
My French Easel - Benoit Philippe

Telluride via Deborah Paris
Michael Chelsey Johnson
Pastel Pointers with Richard McKinley

The Lighthouse Keeper

The Lighthouse Keeper
5" x 7"
Pastel
Casey Klahn
scanned image of artwork

This image of the lighthouse base at Yaquina Head, Oregon, is a studio finish of an on sight drawing. The real artwork is more subtle, but here is a scanned and somewhat adjusted version posted just for the sake of interest.

Now that I'm on day 3 of my daily painting outdoors project, a few things are becoming evident. My goal of creating finished works at the French easel is still the main thing, but so far I have two "thumbs" and one that's a keeper. Many will simply be studies for studio works.

I won't be posting all of them, or even daily, since that isn't the goal. But, kind reader, you will see many of them as I go on this exploration of daily outdoor painting. This is a good time for you to Follow Me, since my month long project is just beginning.

It helps to have a picturesque home and surroundings. Although our older farmhouse still needs a lot of TLC, the yard is coming along better this year. Also, my kids are just old enough to let me go outside for an hour or so without creating a massive disruption in the space-time continuum.

I'll post some more plein air links on Monday.

Plein Air Plans

Painting Near Point Brown
Ocean Shores, Washington

Yesterday I did a painting in the front yard, and so begins my month of a daily painting en plein air. Having just returned from a family vacation at the Pacific Ocean beaches in Washington and Oregon, pictured above, I am well tuned for the hard work of outdoor painting.

Yaq. Pt. Lighthouse Sub Building
Small
Pastel & Charcoal in Moleskine
Casey Klahn

Here are some links to some recent plein air web sites and events:

Hudson River via Linda Richichi.
NW Pastel Society Paint-Outs.
Pacific NW Plein Air Painting Competition.

American Artist "En Plein Air Pearls from Painters Past."
American Artist A Conversation with Camille Przewodek.
Pleinairpainting.com.

More in my next post.


A first draft goal list for my project includes the following:

1. Daily painting of at least one work - not a drawing, but a soft pastel work.
2. Reorganize my pastel box to fit in my ThumBox.
3. Refine the pastel boxes to moderate the hot colors and to "fit" the area around my studio and home.
4. Refine my choices of support.
5. Fine tune my usage of umbrellas. I have two, and want to get at least one to stand alone by staking it in the ground. I want to customize this myself.
6. Get or make an extender for supports for my ThumBox.
   

Beach Bits

Photo: Lorie Klahn

I love the beach.

Yesterday I set up and painted from my Guerrilla ThumBox. I had to contend with the tripod, pad of paper, mid-sized box of pastels, etc. I was lucky that I didn't have to put up my new umbrella as the sun angled just right to shade my paper. And, the wind cooperated.

It was a success just to get out and up. Not to mention I really liked the results. I will see what I can do to get a photo and post it. Maybe a sunlight set-up, we'll see.

Plein Air - Tree on a Granite Bed

Counter-Clockwise from Bottom Right: Sketch, Color Study and Finished Work

This gives a flavor for the scenery in northeast Washington, with the pine tree growing among granite slabs. I am only now getting a break-through with my plein air work, I feel. What I learned from this work was the value of returning again to the same site to nail down a piece. Plein air doesn't have to be an instant success or a "do or die" thing.

Again, I surprised myself by getting it right over a gray ground, which has been trouble in the past.

Tree On a Rock Bed
August, 2008
@ 6" x 7"
Pastel
Casey Klahn

Round Up

TBR, May 2007

This may be an "open head - disgorge thoughts" post. The reason I put it that way is I'll be darned if I can find a common thread for all of them.

First, this Wolf Kahn interview is from The Brooklyn Rail, and WK has some new things to say. He gets into process versus results. I like what he says about his disagreement with Clement Greenberg on the subject of "flatness". And he pays homage to Hans Hofmann, his Modernist teacher. Do follow the link on Hofmann, which leads to a stunning new website ( I think it's new, anyway).

Read the interview even if you're not that "into" Kahn, because he has a great lot to say about artist's self doubt and discipline. You can't help but feel good about your own work, even if you feel like a failure sometimes, if you adopt his attitudes.

And, the keeper quote from WK is this:

I’m not so involved in description because I think that the greatest sin an artist can be accused of is telling people things that they already know. And you can write that down and put it in italics. Our aim as artists is to use ourselves as agents for expanding possibilities; and if you’re just doing something that’s conventional and everyday, you’re not doing it right. Of course, we constantly struggle against our own conventions because that’s one of our worst difficulties—trying to avoid doing something that we already know how to do.

Wolf Kahn with David Kapp and Robert Berlind

On the subject of Washington State Art Bloggers, I missed a local artist in my last post who is blogging and has a fascinating life story as a fourth generation artist. Kathleen Cavender.

Over at my blog Pastel, I have been doing a Plein Air Project. I have an interesting plein airist to show you who works in oils, however. Jason Waskey, from Seattle. His usual fare is daily still life paintings, but he is on a road trip and posting his small daily works and a photo of his easel set-up in front of his landscape subject. And, as if that's not enough, he adds a map reference, too. Great fun.

Lastly, I have been keeping this blog I found a secret for long enough. Enjoy looking at Old Paint, which posts a dated artwork or illustration and labels it by artist and year.

Special Artist Alfred Waud

Battle of Beaver Dam Creek
Alfred Waud

Battle of Charles City Road
Alfred Waud

Alfred Rudolph Waud (1828-1891).

Battlefield sketching of the Civil War met pastellist Alfred Waud on the pages of the Boston Carpet-Bag, the New York Illustrated News and Harper's Weekly. Waud was probably the most prolific combat chronicler of the Civil War and likely the only artist present during Picket's Charge at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

When I visited the Civil War reenactment in Spokane this last weekend, I got the idea that I may blend in better in costume next year. The field easel is a red flag for attention in a crowd, and it takes some mental effort to work in those conditions. Add to that gusting wind, biting flies and cannonade noises and you get the idea. As luck would have it, I stumbled upon this web page demonstrating the latest in Civil War artist's acting kit. See a full crew of "Bohemian Artists" here.

For an example of present day Civil War field sketching, see my own offerings at pastelsblog.blogspot.