I think the economy is beginning to loosen up.  I had a great end to the year.  In addition I was in the Coors Western Art Exhibit in Denver, and most of the works in the show sold.  I sold all of mine and was pleased to be awarded the Southwest Art Award of Excellence.  Thank you Southwest Art...

I have had a number of requests about this workshop. You may call the front desk at the Timber Cove Inn to register (707 847 3231).  If you wish to see more about the Inn and grounds Google Timber Cove Inn. Hope to see you there.

Pastels:

• a 96 color set of NuPastels, or a 120 set of FaberCastel Hard Pastels preferably left in their original boxes

• A set of various soft pastels including darks by Sennilier or Terry Ludwig, and strong lights for highlights and variety

• Kitty Wallis white or linen papers

and/or

• Artfix papers, preferably dark blue, black, or dark gray

Colors in Oil or Acrylic:  Make certain brands are HIGH QUALITY.  Avoid all student grade oils or acrylics. 

• For acrylics, please use Golden, Utrecht or Windsor Newton Finity Brand

• Utrecht white is required for all acrylic painters 

General colors:

• Titanium White,  Cad Yellow med, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, cad red light, crimson, (prefeably Quinacridon) Cerulean blue, ultramarine blue or cobalt, viridian and black.  Optional colors include cad orange, permanent violet, and Cadmium Green. 

• All plein air classes require a back pack and travelling easel,  Recommended brands include a Julian easel, a Soltec easel, an Easyl Pochade Box and tripod, a Guerilla Box, or Open Box M and tripod.

• Water based oils are fine.  The preferred brand is Holbein

• Acrylic mediums include Liquitex Gesso, Liquitex Clear Gesso, Liquitex Gloss Varnish or Golden Soft Gel (gloss) and Golden Acrylic Glazing liquid (gloss)  to slow the drying time.
  

Please refer questions to my e-mail.

The workshop is appropriate for oil, acrylic, or pastel painters.  This workshop is for advanced beginners to experienced painters.

I will be doing a Special Workshop/Mentoring Class 3-day weekend on May 29, 30, 31.  That is a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night stay at the Timber Cove Inn on the beautiful Sonoma Coast.  If you want to learn to paint the ocean, this is an excellent opportunity.  There is room for 8 students total. 

The package includes a great room, a breakfast and a box lunch for $200 per night ($600) single occupancy and $300 for three days of instruction plus evening critiques.  A room will be provided for indoor work and extra hours of instruction.  This is a beautiful Inn and the grounds are sufficient for all three days, however we can travel during the day to beautiful sites. 

The total package is $900, but does not include dinners.  You can e-mail me for more information through my website.

Sorry I haven't blogged (Is that a word?) for so long, but I have been meeting deadlines and traveling so much I have not been keeping up. 

The Plein Air Painters of America had a wonderful week painting together with no show, at Zion National Park.  Some of the works are posted on the P. A. P. A. website (www.p-a-p-a.com).  They will be on display during the October Exhibit at the Haggin Museum in Stockton.  This show will feature our show on the National Parks.  Each member has chosen a park to represent and will have 2 to 3 paintings in the show (two plein air works and one studio piece).  My park is Point Reyes National Seashore. 

We had a terrific time at Zion National Park and the weather was superb.  We did have snow on the last day which was the culmination of the beauty of that park.  What grandeur, and what a breathtaking blessing to see all that beauty.

After that, I returned to the studio for two weeks before heading off to Charleston, South Carolina for Wet Paint, a workshop.  You can go to Coleman Fine Art Gallery to see the work we did.  We worked hard that week. The workshop featured Mary Whyte, watercolors (exquisite!), Albert Handel, pastelist,  Kevin MacPherson, oil paints, and me, acrylics. We all worked at specific places each day.  Kevin had a huge entourage of about forty people following him around, and he is so engaging and such a good teacher that they all seemed to have a great time.  Once in a while somebody looked at the rest of us by accident.  I am exaggerating, but it seemed that the only way I could get any attention was to paint right next to him!!!

Actually it was a very successful week with good sales(for this economy) and lovely work.

Do you want a treat? Check out T. Allen Lawson's website.

We all need to think outside the box!  Maybe these things will help:

1.  Make quality job number one.  Be ready for the upturn with your best work.  Grow in areas that you think will enhance your stature.

2.  When choosing a gallery, don't choose the biggest and best even if your work fits there, but choose an aggressive good gallery in which you are sure to stand out.  I recently waited weeks and weeks for a big name gallery to respond.  I might as well have tried to spit at the moon. Instead, I found a "young" gallery with good taste and a desire to succeed, and my work was in the front.  Since the work was high quality, it inspired other artists in the gallery as well.  It was the right move.

3.  Don't be afraid to discount.  Your work is still the same value in the long run, and people will appreciate it if you are honest.  Send out an e-mail blast to all your fans saying that now is a great time to buy your paintings.  When the downturn is over, their purchases will still be of great value, and you can go back to your high-water mark.  I think if you  are honest with people they will appreciate your situation and you may be rewarded.

4.  I did really well over Christmas, by opening my studio, and having really nice work available at a great price.  Now we can make it through March!!

5.  Pray!!!! When you are making work that is uplifting, works to enhance others and describes the wonderful beauty around us, God honors that appreciation and helps.  Ask God to inspire the work, and then sell it for you.

6.  Again, I would like to go back to the first point in closing.  Art is important.  We tend to think it is a luxury, but it gives people deep pleasure because beauty is the personification of hope that something grander is at work.  To make beautiful and heartfelt works is job number one. 

Many blessings.  
Gil

Hi everyone,

Make sure to check out my new online gallery featuring hand-picked original paintings and all new gicleeŽ prints. Please share any feedback you may have about the site. To access the site, click on the link below:

GIL DELLINGER STUDIO ONLINE

Here are a few things to think about when doing a landscape painting.  The color of the sky is everything.  If it is right, all the other colors and values relate to it.  Add the sky color to the deep space to create atmosphere.  When painting a tree, fade the tree into the sky and make it slightly "airier" as it ascends.  Then it will look like it is way up there!!
When painting a figure make the head your "touchstone"  Make certain your legs and torso are the right length by measuring them against the head.  A body should be about 6 heads high.  Squat bodies are always discomforting.
Please check out the new pastels posted under all the current works headings.  Thanks for your attention.  Many blessings