The Problem Birch Trees
8x6in oil on linen Sketch $100. SOLD
The problem was in the painting of them.
Artist Note.
Class demo today.
Lift off shapes of trees
BUT the class wanted MORE...
anything so they didn't have to start to paint.
Fracture it, they demanded. Well, how can you fracture
long skinny trees?
Answer...not very well.
one try
They still wanted more...
Are you starting to feel sorry
for me having such a
demanding group?
Well don't, because
by now "I " wanted to
see if I could do it.
I added green growth at
bottom to try and fracture it.
Not interesting in saving
the painting, but trying to solve
what has grown to be a
multitude of problems.
I must be honest and let you know that by now
I could have thrown
the painting through the window!
There are two more versions (not shown)
before reaching the top one.
Enough is enough.
How many of you keep working a painting long
after the original joy of painting it has vanished?
long skinny trees?
Answer...not very well.
one try
They still wanted more...
for me having such a
demanding group?
Well don't, because
by now "I " wanted to
see if I could do it.
I added green growth at
bottom to try and fracture it.
Not interesting in saving
the painting, but trying to solve
what has grown to be a
multitude of problems.
I must be honest and let you know that by now
I could have thrown
the painting through the window!
There are two more versions (not shown)
before reaching the top one.
Enough is enough.
How many of you keep working a painting long
after the original joy of painting it has vanished?
Laughing away. Oak trees have gone from joy to fierce will. Laughing again. I will repost tonight so you can laugh also. I hope to do the challenge......crazy week.Your birch trunks are beautiful and the layers of colors so interesting. We know the time of year. we know the energy. What else can we want?
ReplyDeleteThat's right. You have been painting a series of oak trees.
DeleteWe can share our pain! Thanks Helen. I will look forward to seeing your post.
A learning experience as usual. I am experimenting myself with structure and different ways to use my lines. The opposite of fracturing is that lines can be so definite and that can be a good or bad thing and sometimes I want to play more with depth.
ReplyDeleteThe painting looks amazing and gives me some input in the quest of growth.
You say the nicest things...and sound as if you really are understanding the pain of the quest for what the mind sees and the hand does not always obey.
DeleteYour new piece certainly has depth, Roger, as well as the feeling of tremendous height.
I like your flame colour, and your birchs.They are so hard to paint, I gave up this challenge.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful painting.
I am glad you understand the subtle difficulties, Sylviane. Mine went from being all too white. Too hard edged. All in a row like fence posts, and two of them equal in focus making the eye jump back and forth.
DeleteWonderful view from your window!
ReplyDeleteThe birches with their vertical forms are beautiful but problematic, however, you have solved all the problems with a rhythm of color
and touch that is pure mastery!
I understand that the interaction with students may be such as to make it less joyful paint!
But looking at the result is not visible: these birches,dear Julie, communicate joy, radiance and love of life!
Thank you, dear Rita.
DeleteNot a view from my window - I have pure desert out there. I pulled up on my monitor, free stock images of birch trees. They look very much like aspen trees to me.
The painting changed a lot from the image and the class all did their own versions using the same influence. All were different. All were good.
I thought your painting of the fall leaves was glorious.
love the step by steps, your birches are gorgeous even with all the extras
ReplyDeleteHi and thanks, Sharon.
DeleteI was thrilled by your amazing and beautiful watercolor of the deer.
I love this Julie. I think it is beautiful and I so love both trees and the autumn. You've captured it perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThank you Crimson...but I ask myself, was the pain of birth worth it?
DeleteI would have never known that you struggled so. Honestly, the top one is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI liken working on a painting that can go no further to putting a dress on a pig. No matter what you do, you still have a pig in a dress. So no, I don't keep going and going. But I do try to figure out what went wrong by mulling things over.
Pig in a dress - soooo funny. I love having a good laugh. Thanks Libby, but seriously, you are absolutely right. I have to mull over fast when I am in front of a class. I have a check list which helps a lot.
DeleteYour rooftop painting is very striking.
The demo is very much appreciated, Julie!! I really like where you arrived at with the finished version! Love all the new colors you introduced into it!
ReplyDeleteThis makes me consider that I may be quitting mine too early. Maybe if I spent just a few more minutes ..........??
Thanks for the dialog, Dean. That IS the question past on down thru the ages...when do you stop on a painting? For me. IFit is a learning experience. I will keep on going. As Libby said above - you can still end up with "a pig in a dress!" Love that!
DeleteNow your birch trees are awesome!
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog :) I love the violet that you've placed just perfectly offsetting the yellow. I often find myself pushing beyond the 'joy' in a painting that doesn't quite meet my goal. It doesn't always get back to the joy part, but I often learn and stretch in that space... Congrats on stretching yourself (& your students!)
Hi Julie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog :) I love the violet that you've infused just above the bright foliage! Perfect. I often keep pushing on a painting that doesn't quite satisfy. It doesn't necessarily bring me back to the 'joy', but I sometimes learn and stretch in that space. Congratulations on your stretch here (& your students').
Great comments - thanks Ruth. As a teacher I value your support of learning and stretching ourselves.
DeleteYour Streamside watercolor is gorgeous!
Hi Julie - I really love your birch trees! I can't remember if I thanked you for showing us how you made your colour shaper tool. I have since made up a bunch and share them with my students. I just sent them a link to your blog so they could see your fabulous paintings!!
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased to hear you like the color shaper. I cannot do without it and love it when I hear the other artists in class exclaim with pleasure when they use it. Thank you for your generous spirit in passing on my blog.
DeleteThe same spirit that shared paintings and notes on the Jeffrey Watts workshop for us all to learn from
I think your birch trees turned out just beautiful!I love your class demos too! PS Got my Senso this week but have not started anything yet. Something for me to look forward to! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I enjoy the surface as well as the natural linen color. Let me know.
DeleteI love the way you can do non-representational and abstract work, and both have an emotional quality to them. Amazing.
this happens perfectly. I am not in your class, but started a birch painting Wednesday afternoon. Letting it have a set. I find I need to walk away from paintings to gain perspective. I get so involved up close. Is your challenge only for class members? I would love to get involved if possible, but I live north of Albuquerque.
ReplyDeleteI like your solution of walking away. I cannot do that if it is for a demo, but can for work I do on my own.
DeleteAnyone can do the Challenge. It is weekly on
www.dailypaintworks.com/challenge
They post on a Sunday morning and it goes for a week.
Try it - you will like it. The artists are very supportive with each other.
Thanks, Julie. I think I realized it was on the DPW site after I got their email and browsed the postings. I just have not signed up to put my art with them. pure laziness. I work with computers all day with my job and cannot get myself to spend much time, if any, on weekends on them.
DeleteI'm curious about your color shaper. I bought a set of shapers—black handles with the white rubber shapes. I don't use them much. How did you make one??
ReplyDeleteLove your work :-)
Mary Hicks
Thank you Mary. On my blog I have instructions of to make the tool but you can buy large shapers too. See May 3 -thru 6th I think. Or enter handy tool in the side search bar.
DeleteLove the fracturing technique on the birch trees. Your students are so lucky to have such a talented teacher!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet of you Maria. Thank you.
DeleteSorry you have been sick but I like your "cuppa" painting.
The layers of rich and vibrant colors are intriguing and as usual I am looking at it in awe! I think fracturing did boost it up a lot!
ReplyDeleteThanks Padmaja. Your own painting of the falls colors is magnificently beautiful.
DeleteDear Julie thank you for the step by step demo, really appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have thought that you struggle with paintings from time to time... I mean, your paintings are always masterly made-no sign of struggle.
The painting is absolutely beautiful! Don't throw it out of any window, please... :)
Warm regards.
All of us struggle. I experience a part in EVERY painting where it becomes a struggle. This had much more than usual.
DeleteI was amazed by the poem you wrote and Rita replied with poetry...and you both are great artists too. What talent!
Hi Judy,
ReplyDeleteLove your work and yes thank you for the demo. Your work is outstanding.
Hi Joan -- just went to your blog and found you can do wonderful work during what you call a slump. Pass some of that ability on to me please!
DeleteI follow the logic, share the problems, enjoy the prize. Each painting a minute adventure of tooing and froing between reality and imagination. Such is the world of Julie Ford Oliver ... :0) lots of fun in there though! Great outcome!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, John.
DeleteHey - are you playing hooky from studying?
Julie, the colors you used are so gorgeous...this painting is looks to be on fire for Fall! I am glad you did not throw it out the window. And now some lucky person gets to enjoy it in their home! I do not give up easily either. I keep going, but problem is I do let the work sit until I come up with a solution and sometimes that takes days. In this case little gets done as far as other paintings go.
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a amazing weekend!
Your words always make me smile, Lisa. Glad you like the colors.
DeleteSo both of us are stubborn when it comes to problem solving with our art. That HAS to be good!
stunning work!
ReplyDeletealways beautiful and so informative to boot! thanks for posting this excellent demo!
ReplyDeleteLove the multiple colors in the background and the textures. Beautiful work.
ReplyDelete