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25 February, 2009

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
at

16 comments:

  1. Tracy HelgesonFebruary 25, 2009 at 12:35 PM

    Love this piece, Casey. Your palette here is wonderful.

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  2. Adam CopeFebruary 25, 2009 at 1:00 PM

    nice piece - strong composition.

    any spot will have thousands of paintings; it's up to the artists to unearth them... and well, it's art not copying that counts isn't it.

    paint on

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  3. Casey KlahnFebruary 25, 2009 at 1:23 PM

    Appreciate it, Adam & Tracy.

    I am struggling through multiples from my last on site session - I know there are more artworks there, but I want each to one sing.

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  4. Jala PfaffFebruary 25, 2009 at 8:08 PM

    Ooooh, I love this! It's like Dr.Seuss but as fine art.

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  5. Deborah ParisFebruary 25, 2009 at 8:13 PM

    Love this little piece. Great color harmony and feeling.

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  6. loriann signoriFebruary 26, 2009 at 7:09 AM

    Wow Casey, look at that movement and feeling! Through use of color and shape you made this tree speak volumes. Nice.

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  7. Casey KlahnFebruary 26, 2009 at 8:15 AM

    Thanks to a whole panel of great artists - Jala, Deborah and Loriann.

    All those sessions with Theodore Geisel...

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  8. Brian McGurganFebruary 26, 2009 at 5:57 PM

    This is a nice, expressive tree, Casey, and I like your handling of the rocks as well.

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  9. Casey KlahnFebruary 26, 2009 at 6:37 PM

    Thanks, Brian. I go to Handell for how to do rocks.

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  10. Miki WillaFebruary 27, 2009 at 6:20 AM

    I keep coming back to this painting. The composition, colors, and strokes work so well, and make a powerful statement. Great painting.

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  11. Casey KlahnFebruary 27, 2009 at 7:31 AM

    Thanks, Miki.

    I read all of your posts from the MCJ workshop - lucky you and thanks for blogging that!

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  12. Trevor LingardFebruary 27, 2009 at 7:45 AM

    Hello Casey
    A very suttle palette that appeals to my eye.
    I find this piece very relaxing.
    Kind Regards

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  13. Casey KlahnFebruary 27, 2009 at 8:50 AM

    Thanks, Trevor.

    Dark yellow and violet are very sublime, IMO.

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  14. Jala PfaffFebruary 28, 2009 at 11:09 PM

    Why have you had "trouble" (hard as that is for me to believe) with working on gray before?

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  15. Making A MarkMarch 1, 2009 at 6:00 AM

    A very powerful piece

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  16. Casey KlahnMarch 1, 2009 at 8:03 AM

    Thanks, Katherine! I didn't expect this attention for this piece, so it is a welcome thing.

    Jala, I guess temperature is my weakest suit, since I focus on intensity instead.

    Also, at some point one runs out of tooth, and a failure is "set".

    So, overcoming the cool nature of the gray La Carte, vs. the Sienna which is my main paper, is a chore. The ones I have done lately seem to be fine, now. I see how the cunning placement of a few warms in the foreground do the trick, and also how my use of ultramarines (French) are better than any turquoise on this paper. Not rocket science, but I'm having fun.

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