Painting Demos at the Napa County Fair

Painting the undercoat of my demonstration painting. My painting A Dog with Mustard, painted of my dog Zoe, is in the background • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Painting at the Napa County Fair, in the Calistoga Art Center, this weekend was fun. I decided to work on a mixed media piece, incorporating collage into the painting.

Explaining my painting process to visitors at the fair • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Since this is Calistoga's 125th Anniversary year, and two weeks from now we'll be celebrating the town's birthday, I thought I'd create a piece called My Calistoga for that day's Calistoga-themed art show.

Arranging collage elements across the surface of the canvas • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Of course, it's winding up way more complicated than I thought it would be initially... but it's still fun. It's 36" x 36". First, I painted an undercoat, and then chose pictures for the collage from photographs I've taken around town over the last few years.

Drawing in the composition of the painted portion of the painting (an image of Calistoga's Old Faithful Geyser), inside a frame of collaged photos • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Next I began painting the central composition – an image of Calistoga's Old Faithful Geyser.

Blocking in big areas of color • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

The next stage was blocking in the areas of color. I'm using a drybrushy, scumbley technique to apply the paint, because I want bits of the underpainting to show through. This is how far I got during my fair demonstrations. I'll be adding more photos as it progresses... and, if you're in Calistoga, you'll be able to see the results at the art show during Calistoga's birthday celebration in another week.

Art demo at the Napa County Fair

I'll be doing not one, but two painting demonstrations at the Napa County Fair this year. I'll be there this weekend – Saturday and Sunday, July 2nd and 3rd. This year, though, I'll be painting inside the new Calistoga Art Center, which is a part of the fairgrounds. (That also means I'll be cooler!)

If you come by the art center, you can watch me paint and ask questions, you can watch or help assemble the art center's float for the Fourth of July parade, you can get involved in some children's art activities, and you can check out our beautiful big space – a great spot to come and get creative.

There's also lots to do at the fair to engage your senses and delight your creativity – including the art and photo exhibits to see.

I'll be painting from 5 to 8 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. I haven't yet decided what I'll do – maybe a landscape one day, maybe a mixed media piece the next? Hmmm... maybe I'll bring some block printing info down with me, too.... If you're in town, I hope you'll stop by. The fairgrounds – and the art center – are located at 1435 North Oak Street in Calistoga, California.

Painting landscapes and taking photographs

We'll be painting landscapes at the Calistoga Art Center this Saturday (June 25th), working from photographs. Although my students may be bringing their own photos, I'll have a nice big collection of photos they can choose from, too.

Painting Landscapes runs from 10 to 5 (bring a lunch, and come a little early if you like). You can find more information at my workshops website at www.NapaValleyArtWorkshops.com.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse at dusk • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Last weekend, on a museum-visiting and photo-taking quick trip to the Monterey Bay area, I was able to shoot some photographs of Elkhorn Slough and the coast from Davenport north to Half Moon Bay. When I reached Pigeon Point Lighthouse at dusk, there was still just enough light in the sky to capture the lighthouse.

Simple Pleasures II

Cherry Trio • © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Last Thursday's Calistoga ArtWalk was a wonderful evening for me. Thank you to everyone who stopped by for my reception! If you're in Calistoga sometime between now and the end of August, and haven't seen it yet, I hope you'll stop by All Seasons Bistro and take a look at the drawings I'm showing there.

I added a couple more small pieces shortly before the opening – okay, I started to get a little more paint-y with the apple, but I still consider these essentially drawings with color washes (albeit multiple layers). They're on either side of the wine library doors, and easy to miss, so be sure to go all the way to the back of the restaurant to find them.

Blue Plate Apple • © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

By the way, All Seasons is a marvelous restaurant, well known for both their food and their very large wine collection. Their current dessert menu includes two or three desserts with cherries, so my little cherry drawings turned out to be thematic without my knowing it.

This show, and the work I've been doing lately, has really taken me back to my drawing roots, which has been a joy. My big brushes and canvases are calling, so I'll be returning to my bright, warm palette of colors and California landscapes soon... but I don't intend to stay away from my pencils and sketchbooks for too long....

Simple Pleasures: Show at All Seasons, Calistoga

Two Peapods • © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Since I've been in a drawing mode lately, it's appropriate that my next show, Simple Pleasures, be one of drawings and drawings with acrylic washes.

Peapods Snuggling • © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

These are three new little (all 7" x 5") pieces that will be part of the show.

Pair of Cherries • © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

The reception is Thursday, June 2nd, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at All Seasons Bistro, 1400 Lincoln Avenue, in Calistoga, California. It's part of Calistoga's First Thursday ArtWalk, so you can also stroll over to several other spots and see the new shows in town. If you're in town, come join us!

Sketching Calistoga

Calistoga City Hall • © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

I'm giving a two–hour sketching workshop periodically throughout the summer, beginning today, called Sketching Calistoga. In it, we take time out to discover and sketch some of the lovely (and funky, or it wouldn't be Calistoga) scenes in town.

This morning, the skies were threatening rain, and I reconsidered all the indoor alternatives (the stagecoach at the Sharpsteen Museum, the Oscar Ben Sharpsteen won for his work on Disney's Fantasia, J.Kirk's coffee roaster at Yo El Rey, the folks sipping and chatting at the Calistoga Roastery...). But they cleared up, and I went sketching outdoors with Joe from Sacramento.

Napa River, in Calistoga • © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

We started with the Napa River, here looking up towards its headwaters. Now, you may not see the Napa River in this sketch, but, trust me, it's there. It's an untamed stretch of nature, with lots of overarching trees, rocks, and thickets of bushes, and the river itself, small here in Calistoga, lazily heading towards us. The light and shadow changes quickly, and you have to work quickly.

Then it was off to City Hall, whose facade has charmed (or dismayed) people since the 1880s. The wonderful thing about sketching is that we begin to really see all the lovely details of things around us that too often we just pass by. The world is a pretty amazing place – using a sketchbook and a pencil or pen or two is a really great way to see it.

You can find out more about Sketching Calistoga at Sketching & Drawing – Napa Valley Art Workshops. The next Sketching Calistoga workshop will be Sunday, May 22nd, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00. My other art workshops are also listed at Napa Valley Art Workshops.

The Farmer's Market – a great place to sketch

Calistoga Farmer's Market – Melons at the Sunflower Stand • © 2008 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Calistoga's Farmer's Market opened yesterday, and it will be open every Saturday morning through the end of harvest season. There's plenty to sketch at the market, which I'm planning to do more of. This sketch is one I did three years ago, labeled "Melons at the Sunflower Stand."

Spring sketching

Calistoga City Hall • © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Ah – it's spring, and the mind turns to... sketching – what else? There's nothing quite like getting out in good weather with a sketch pad and some drawing implements....

I've been waiting for the rainy season to come to a close, so I could do some more drawing outside. When I was in college, I took drawing pads everywhere I went, and was always drawing. Most of the time now, my drawing simply serves my painting, but it's always good to get back to basics.

Here's a small drawing I did during a dry patch this winter (our unseasonable January spring) of Calistoga's City Hall. It's got such character. Okay, it's downright funky... that's our town. I especially love the Christmas lights strung up across the upper floor. The bell in the bell tower doesn't ring anymore, but it did once.

The drawing is small, about the same size as the image here – but that's all you need. A pencil, a little drawing pad (and, okay, an eraser). Spring is here!