Black Neck Stilts  - Acrylic 

Amazing things happen all the time but rarely does it happen to me!  This is a short story, really, but I'll just make a condensed version here:

I painted this acrylic painting of Black Neck Stilts in 1968.  At that time I was still painting on very large canvases.  Several of my paintings sold during an art show/sale that was a part of Westminster Presbyterian Church's Annual Fall Festival.  Many artists who belonged to that church brought their paintings to the festival and displayed them there.  The festival was always well attended and sales were brisk.  I sold several paintings, prints and pen and ink drawings that day.    A couple from Grants Pass purchased this piece.  They were very excited to purchase this one and hang it in their newly acquired home.    

In October, 2009, (exactly 41 years later)  I received a telephone call from a woman living in Winston, Oregon.  She asked if I were the Pat Blair in Medford who painted and had I ever painted  a clutch of black and white birds with long legs.  When I answered yes, she explained that she had inherited the painting from a dear friend who had passed away recently.  The woman said she had no room on her walls for a painting this large (30" x 34") and that the colors nor subject matter would match her decor.  She wanted it to return to the original artist. She dropped the painting off just this past December 20th and asked that I take a photo of the painting with me and my three daughters sitting in front of the painting. 

Below is an original photo of me and my three daughters taken in 1968 and also the photo and my three daughters taken in December 2009.

Running Water

Running Water       Watercolor    11" x 14"   (Available)

This is one of my latest paintings which was completed while I was teaching a watercolor painting class.  I used it as a step-by-step instruction piece.  The students watched me as I painted (and framed) the entire painting - start to finish during the 8 week course.

My Fall Classes Students

We have just completed my Fall class schedule.  These artists were hard working, ready to tackle every assignment given and challenged this instructor!  I was so pleased to spend this time with great friends!

                                                                   

Bonnie Miller, Mary Hanenburg, Judy Mooster, Anne Duncan,
and Rob Duncan

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I am constantly looking for a better venue for exhibiting my paintings on the Internet. I believe I have found a really fine one. Please look at this site. It is so very simple to navigate and certainly good looking as well.

MY JOURNAL - July 18th Studio Art Reception

Seven paintings sold today during my Wine & Cheese Reception. How nice that they have found good homes!

The major activity I have had in the past week and a half is to prepare for my Bi-Annual Art Reception and Studio Sale. For this show I sent out about 50 on-line invitations to my family and friends primarily. Usually about 20 or so people come by for Wine, Cheese and conversation. At the same time I hoped to sell some of my paintings. This time I have over 30 framed paintings and my studio, hallway living room and dining room walls have been taken over by these paintings. Selling seven doesn't even make a dent but I am happy! Thank yous go to the new owners! I'm so happy you liked one of my paintings! There were many good and faithful friends who were unable to come today for one reason or another... but there were many, many good and faithful friends who did come and we were able to have some wine and conversation together. I was so pleased to see some of my favorite paintings become favorites of someone else! That is true validation for a painter! My darling daughters, Leigh (& her friend, Kenneth) and Marcia, were so kind to help me set up the studio show and also to serve the wine and appetizers. My granddaughter Caienna was also a tremendouis help as were her sisters, Sascha and Maia! I have a lovely family!

MY JOURNAL

Journal page I did at Marti Peet's workshop

Already it is Mid-July and I have only painted once! I spent a half day last Friday painting with an artist friend , Elizabeth M. who lives in San Francisco. Glenda C. was supposed to join us but was ill that day. and she was missed! We painted The Antique Furniture Barn in Jacksonville and Glenda would have loved that! Elizabeth is a watercolor painter turned journalist painter. We met a few years back in a Journaling workshop and struck up a friendship immediately. At that time Elizabeth was living in Jacksonville. We enjoyed that first journaling workshop so much that we repeated the workshop the following summer! I believe it was the instructor, Marti Peet of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the other seven artist in the group that made it so special. Everyone came back for the second workshop that was held at The Willows, a Bed & Breakfast Inn just outside of Jacksonville. I have not pursued my journaling in the same manner as Elizabeth (who is very accomplished) but have managed to keep up my journaling since then too. Mine have taken on the form of illustrated record-keeping. I use drawings, colored sketches and photographs to keep my blogs, that is my main journal and another one about painting in plein air : http://paitblair.blogspot.com/ & two blogs for The Children's Festival: http://blair67.blogspot.com/and http://blairsfredspot.blogspot.com. I also keep my artist sketch journals I use when I go out to paint En Plein Air!

MY JOURNAL -- 4TH OF JULY IS PAST

TABLE ROCK FROM TAYLOR ROAD

Although I had thought I would take the summer off -- I have an unexpected opportunity to begin a new series of watercolor classes for a select group! My dear friends, Anne and Rob Duncan and my new dear friend, Judy Mooster came over this past Thursday for a 3 hour painting lesson. They all agreed that they wanted to continue with the "whole enchilada" so I will begin a class for them on July 28th! We will have a great time since they are all already experienced artists and just need to work in watercolor! I am definitely looking forward to this class! We will begin with the rules of painting and work from there! It will be a challenge for me to keep ahead of them!

MY JOURNAL - It's the end of June already!

MacKenzie, Caitlin and Caienna sketching Butler-Petrozzie Fountain in Lithia Park MacKenzie, Caitlin and Charlie painting in my studio

For the past two Fridays and again today I have made a concentrated effort to get my grandchildren involved in doing their art. Each one of these teens have exceptional talent as artists! I enjoy their different approaches to art! MacKenzie wants to become a designer. Caienna is interested in abstract art and is quite accomplished! Caitlin has exceptional drawing and painting skills and Charlie is becoming quite the painter too! I am so fortunate to have all of my grandchildren living either in Medford or Ashland and very pleased that they enjoy spending time with me in my studio! I have two additional granddaughters who are also very interested in art. Sascha and Maia were both away at camp when the "olders" were doing their thing!

MY JOURNAL - A Wet June!

Beth and Breeze with Alyssa Jumar of Dunbarfarms.com

I have been so looking forward to the summer months! The outdoors calls me! Unfortunately this June, so far, has been "iffy" as far as being able to paint outdoors as much as I want to! On May 29th I did get to go up on the Rogue River near Gold Hill, Oregon to paint en plein air with my dear friend, Glenda Cossette. It was sunny but cool and wonderful that morning! We both worked on a painting of the Rogue and the trees on the bank. Since then the only time I've been outdoors to do artwork was last Friday, June 12th. That day I had made a date for a group of my past students to accompany me to Dunbar Farms just off Hillcrest Road. There we sketched their newly acquired American Belgium Draft Horses, Beth and Breeze. Their owner/trainer, Alyssa Jumar, kept the horses in a cooperative spirit long enough for the group of seven to do lots of photos and many quick sketches. My sketches will someday become a painting but for now I am satisfied to have a great photo!

MY JOURNAL

BUTTE CREEK MILL, Eagle Point, OR

Maintaining my New Year's Resolution to paint en plein air every week is more difficult than I first thought. Some weeks the weather has been too wet and cold and at other times other commitments have gotten in the way. All in all, however, I have been going out to paint as often as I can. Although I always try to have a painting partner when I go out and it is more fun than going out alone. I suppose this is because I am basically a very social person but I will go by myself if no one is ready to go! This past Friday my painter friend, Glenda and I drove over to Eagle Point, Oregon to do a plein air painting of the Butte Creek Mill which is a historical site. It is an actual working flour mill and they have a delightful country store with everything you might want. Candy sticks, ice cream bars, their own flour bagged for sale in large or small quantities, maple syrup in the log cabin tins we all remember, and much more! After painting all morning we rewarded ourselves with a shopping spree in the store! This Friday three of us, Glenda, Judy and myself will be driving up past Roxy Ann for another beautiful view of the valley. Judy has picked the spot which requires traveling up a rocky road for a distance but she promises a wonderful rewarding view at the end of the road! I am ready and the weather promises to cooperate! We'll take our straw hats and sunscreen!

MY JOURNAL

Drawing and Sketching Classes

Teaching drawing and sketching classes is something I have added to my schedule of class offerings just this year. I am loving it! So far I have had two students finish an 8 week course and the second class is halfway through. It is challenging for me! Luckily I have had very motivated students who are ready to work for 2.5 hours straight and willing to do homework assignments! I can barely get the social greeting portions completed before these eager and talented students are doing "show and tell"! My lesson plans include perspective, proportions of the human figure, values - contrasts and shading and composition. We have done still life, human portraits, landscape with pen and ink and also charcoal drawing. In each of the eight week sessions we do an in-class project, stop long enough for a sip of tea, then we do a second drawing project. It is amazing how quickly that two and a half hour session goes by!

My Journal

My photograph of Mount Thielsen, Oregon . . . should I paint it in my studio or just go there and paint en plein air?

My first love is the out of doors and painting en plein air, but since the weather here isn't always perfect even in the summer, the studio is a logical respite. I have spent a lot of time in my studio this year, too much time. But, the reality is that studio work is an integral part of this artist's life.

I am committed to working from life, either in the studio with still life setups or outside on location. I take a lot of reference photos which I use in my studio when composing a new studio painting. The thing that I must learn to do in my studio paintings is to paint in the same manner as the plein air pieces. That is, with a lot of paint and spontaneity.

Watercolor is a seductive medium with a will of its own and I work constantly towards conquering it or at least feeling somewhat successful! I spend many hours working on composition, values and technique. When I achieve perfection I will let you know!

Oil painting is a constant challenge and a medium that I feel is more conducive to working en plein air. My goal is to spend more time outdoors painting either in oil or watercolor this year and perhaps encourage others to join me for a plein air class in this Spring and Summer. I intend to push myself "out there"!

Teaching is a wonderful learning experience, since it requires that the instructor be ‘brushed up’ on her knowledge, and having to verbalize that knowledge reinforces it. It’s also amazing how much students give in return.

MY JOURNAL ~~ Rainy Day Painting

My latest composition watercolor painting

I prefer going out to paint en plein air but in Oregon there are days in the Winter and Early Spring that just do not work well with watercolor painting or with sketching. On such days (sometimes a week at a time) it is just very necessary to stay indoors! Complaining and grumbling does not help. On these days I read, watch television movies and art instruction CD's (such as Richard McKinley's great workshop on painting in pastel) or spend hours in my studio working on composition paintings. I have spent the past two weeks working on a composition painting. I began a new Drawing and Sketching class on March 10th. Only two students this time too but they are great! both are highly motivated and ready to learn whatever I can teach them. It is so much fun to have eager learners! I have to work to keep ahead of them. It is amazing how much you can learn when you have students with so much potential! I am getting spoiled because the previous two students I had in the January/February class were also great!

MY JOURNAL

Pen & Ink of Jacksonville from the Cemetery

February has come and gone! How did that happen? I suppose I shouldn't complain but last year I at least had one more day before the month ended! Somehow Oregon winters come and go before we have any really bad weather! Now I am thinking. . . did it really snow? Here we are in March and I am looking forward to lots of nice sunny days (in between the rainy days) to go outdoors for more Plein Air painting! On the 27th of February one of my painter friends went out with me for an afternoon of painting from the Jacksonville Cemetery. The cemetery is located on a hillside right in town and it is a lovely spot to see! Karen chose a view looking East over the rooftops towards Medford and I chose the rooftop view of downtown Jacksonville. It was a very peaceful afternoon, no noise, very little distractions except for a couple of hikers out for an afternoon stroll. We stayed until about 3:30 pm when the chill came in with the hillside shade. We promised to bring our sketches or painting to show when we meet this week and this time we will have three people to go unless we encounter bad weather. It is such a great experience and one that should be shared with other painters! I wish you could join us!

My Journal

Roxy Ann Across The Vineyard Pastel en Plein Air

Today I had time to do many things that I love to do and somehow this time each one thing led to another in a rather fluid motion.

First I slept late! It must have been after 8:00 when I first opened my eyes. Of course I had been in a semi-awake state when I dream in living color. I never want to leave those dreams unfinished! I made a great cup of coffee and sat sipping it while I read a poem by Lily A. Long entitled "The Singing Place". I loved the poem because it gave such a joyous optimistic tone.

I made myself a salad for lunch and readied my painting equipment for a plein air outing with my dear friend Karen Foster. She came at 1:00 and the sun was out, it was warm and we drove just a short distance over to Foothills Road and Roxy Ann Vineyards. We stopped in a parking space adjacent to the Carpenter Vineyard driveway, set up our equipment and started work immediately before the clouds took away our sun! By 3:00 PM it was getting windy and colder so we packed up. I had enough of my painting done so that I knew what I needed to do once I returned to my studio. Karen had done sketches and was ready to leave too. We get a lot of talking in while we paint since we don't get to see each other that often. We made a date to meet again next week for another outing and to share today's work if it is completed by then. Hopefully we can convince others to join us!

I immediately went to work in my studio. I took out my pastels and began altering what I first thought would be a watercolor painting into a pastel painting. I was right! Moving quickly before I forgot the colors I wanted to include, I painted in the sky with great cloud formations and then the focal points. Now I am into the vineyard areas of the painting and must slow down and be patient. The scene will come easily if I can be patient! Tomorrow I will go back to it again. I worked tirelessly, inspired by the day, and realized when I looked up it was getting dark. What a day! This is why I love painting En Plein Air and I can see why so many artist choose pastels when doing plein air paintings!

Footnote: I had just viewed a DVD demonstration by Richard McKinley on pastel painting.

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MY JOURNAL 2009

Rogue River Gorge Watercolor - SOLD

Here it is, 2009! It is already the second week of January and I am well into the new year! I had taken a hiatus from painting during an exceptionally busy Holiday Season and my home is the gathering place for my Clan. We had Thanksgiving and Christmas here and although it is quite noisy with 6 excited grand kids and a crowded dinner table at times we all enjoy being together "at Grammy's" I started up a new class the first week after New Year's in Drawing and Sketching. I only have two students in this class which is good for all three of us! I enjoy being able to give instruction one-on-one when we can spend time working out each one's individual problems. I am looking forward to the next seven weeks since both students have a natural talent and are eager to learn! Friday I returned to my painting too. My good painter friend and I planned to do Plein Air painting but it seemed too cold and foggy so we elected to work in her studio. We each had projects on which to work and spent a half day doing studio paintings together. I wanted to paint The Rogue River Gorge (completed painting above) from a photograph I took about three summers ago. This was my chance! It is great to have immediate feedback sometimes from another artist while you are painting. At other times, however, I need to paint in solitude. We have committed to doing Plein Air painting on Fridays each week. Let's hope we can continue doing just that for this whole year! Hopefully we can include other "fair weather" painters as we move into warmer weather in about mid February or March!

My Journal

OLD CITY HALL, JACKSONVILLE, OREGON En Plein Air

It was cold and foggy yesterday when I woke up. " Go back to bed", I told myself, "it's going to stay this way all day"! But I had made a date with my painting partner to paint either en plein air or at her home. I drove to her home just outside of Jacksonville and my spirits rose! Daylight seemed brighter out there, but to me it always does! I love Jacksonville so much and the trees, even though it was foggy and gloomy looking, were beautiful! " Coffee" I begged when she met me at the door. We had coffee, discussed her latest paintings, framing issues, and before we knew it the sun was out. That meant we had no excuses! We agreed to just drive down into Jacksonville and paint right in town. She chose her Grandmother's house to paint which was a charming little cottage across Oregon Street from the old City Hall. I chose to paint the old City Hall. She sat in the sun but I wanted to paint the sunlight spreading shadows on the side of the old brick building so I sat in the shade. It was cold but enjoyable! Painting in town has it's distractions, however, automobiles interrupt the view, construction noises are heard, and also people pass by and stop to talk. It is not the same as painting en plein air out in the countryside with the birds, bees and cows! We had a great day and a great lunch afterwards at Pony Espresso too!

My Journal

APPLEGATE VALLEY FARM en plein air WHERE DID OCTOBER GO? I WASN'T EVEN RUNNING A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN!

Now that we can return our attention to the more enjoyable things in life... back to Plein Aire Painting!

Just yesterday my painter friend and I spent most of the day "up on the Applegate" as they say around here. You can just imagine how colorful the whole valley is just by seeing this one photograph! Sometimes I just drive out there and sit and stare at the mountains and across the narrow valleys. No wonder people move to Southern Oregon after they have fallen in love with the Applegate Valley! As usual my wonderful painting partner and I chose almost the same view to paint. She had almost finished her painting when I realized we should go. I, of course, was barely into my painting. I was able to block in and develop the shapes and colors but needed to return to my studio to complete this painting.

My Journal

VALLEY VIEW BARN en plein air

It was so windy and wet I wasn't sure the day would be a good day to be out doing watercolors! Being the brave souls my painter friend and I are we were determined to try anyway! Driving towards Ashland on I-5, I was certain that the storm would hit before we were able to pull off at the 1st Ashland freeway ramp. I love the Ashland Hills and the unruly weather that oftentimes races up over the Siskiyou Mountains and attempts to intimidate poor souls that must be out in the weather. The wind let up and the rain held off just long enough for the two of us to set up our easels and paint. I had already scouted out this location months earlier. It is a place just begging for plein air painters! We were both able to do this painting in about 2.5 to 3 hours.

My Journal

View From Marjorie's Place - En Plein Aire

This past Friday was a glorious Fall Day! Not too cold, not too hot! I have painted from this same spot before and always enjoy the views here so very much. It was the first time for my painter friend to paint here but we both have been a guest in our mutual friend's home! This was again a smoky day in the Rogue Valley because of the forest fire near Prospect and Crater Lake, Oregon. We both decided to include the smoky haze in our paintings because it hung in there near the Siskiyou Mountains in the distance all day! After a morning of painting we always reward ourselves with a nice lunch and afterwards we take time to look at our past two or three plein aire paintings and do a gentle critique. By gentle I mean a critique that is meant to encourage the painter rather than pick apart the work. We have noted that our painting styles are completely different and our approach to selecting the subject to paint is very similar. I believe the more painters we can have painting together the more we can learn from each other! Next week we will be joined by another person. That will be great!

~DRIFTING & DREAMING ~: My Journal

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My Journal

Dodge Bridge on the Rogue River en plein air

A painter friend and I went out Plein Air Painting again this week. We go out about every other week. This time we took a drive up Hwy 62 towards Shady Cove, turned off on Hwy 234 and drove over to Dodge Bridge. We spent about 3.5 hours on the Rogue River, painting the bridge, trees and the river. It was a most enjoyable outing! I saw flocks of geese flying overhead, swiftly flying ducks just above the river surface, amiable rafters floating down the Rogue, and the river.... I loved it! I was amazed at the amount of traffic that traveled over that bridge in the span of time that we were there! Even if I don't have a successful painting, I will have that day to remember! I do take lots of reference photographs, just in case I need to refer to them as I take my painting back to the studio to do the final "tweaking". The above photo is of my completed painting.

My Journal

Summer Day At The Farm Plein Aire A farm backed up against the hills behind Eagle Point, Oregon

August is closing up shop... but Summer is holding fast! I has been very warm in Southern Oregon this entire month with only a sprinkling of rain. I have been waiting for a good rain to wash everything off! The Plein Air adventures continue, however I have not actually painted on location since I painted on Carpenter Hill around the middle of August. I have taken several "scouting trips" to investigate locations. I like to know where I am going to paint when I start out and always let someone know where I will be (which is always a good idea for anyone painting alone). I want to know the route to take, how long it takes to get there and if there is parking close enough to the site. A list of those locations follows. These are half-day painting excursions which take 4-5 hours. Dodge Bridge on the Rogue River (Did this one - 9/12/08 Rogue River on the East side of Gold Hill Jacksonville locations Up Hillcrest Road on Gardner Way Behind Eagle Point backed up to the hills Mountain View Road -- there's a farm there begging for Plein Air! Applegate Road - several locations Lithia Park - after the Fall colors come The Farm to paint pumpkins in the field Hopefully some of my painter friends will join me to paint these locations and perhaps have others to add to the list!

My Journal

Carpenter Hill En Plein Air

It is already August 1st! I can't believe how quickly time flies when you are having fun! Today a good painter/friend and I took a scenic drive from Jacksonville on Old Stage Road and up Dark Hollow Road to Carpenter Hill Road. Such a beautiful area! What a wonderful place to do a painting on location with vineyards and pear orchards. We stopped at the bottom of the hill and turned around to look West up the hill. The view is spectacular and the composition is ready-made for painting En Plein Aire! Tuscany has nothing on Southern Oregon at this spot! We took some reference photos to begin but first we shared our completed paintings from our last Plein Aire venture when we painted on Taylor Road near Central Point. Great exchange of critiques for those two paintings which we felt were both successful and totally different views of the same Table Rock farm scene. We painted for about 3.5 hours and then stopped for lunch. We drove into Phoenix and had lunch at a delightful place called First Street Cafe which we both enjoyed very much! We will meet in another two weeks to share our completed paintings, do a critique and then paint like crazy (weather permitting!) Our friendship is developing as we paint. I can hardly wait to go paint on the Rogue River next!