Ooops!

[Bartc]

Looking back I realized that I pitched into a forum before ever signing in on the Welcome page. So making up for it.
My principal art form is painting. I have both creative and professional experience in photography, digital media and video, but those are mostly in the back closet now. I paint in several media: watercolor, ink, acrylic, pastel, Ceracolor (cold wax), as well as various drawing/sketching media. While I can do oils, I never loved them nor oil pastels nor any oily medium.
Most of my work these days is en plein air, and I organize a group of like artists in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yes, I can and have done portraiture, etc., but put those behind me. I paint almost exclusively alla prima - one and done - as going back over my work rarely produces improvements.
This is my hobby, my creative outlet, and I'm fortunate not to need to sell my work to survive, so have not pursued that and have only sold very few.
My style is mostly sort of Impressionist or Post-Impressionist, if you need a label. I've experimented over the years with many other styles and this is where I landed. Open to change and always open to new things to view.
Glad to have found this forum and hope to be a useful member.

 

[Terri]

Looking back I realized that I pitched into a forum before ever signing in on the Welcome page.

That's okay, Bart! You were obviously very excited to be here and show us your wonderful art.

Thanks for expanding on your background and your painting preferences. For someone who is leaving certain media behind these days, you still work with a lot of variety!

So: welcome! We're glad you're here.

 

[Bartc]

Terri, I don't work in all of them actively. These days primarily pastels (last 2 years), with a watercolor and ink thrown in when time permits in the same locale. But they are all always with me in my car, my rolling studio.
Thanks for the welcome!

 

[Donna T]

Bart, you remind me that I just jumped in here too and I'll have to address that! It's nice to see you here and I look forward to seeing your plein air pastels and whatever else you create.

 

[Jo Castillo]

I enjoy your work, plein air and pastels are my favorite. Well, and sketching. See ya around.

 

[Artyczar]

A proper welcome to you Bart! Thank you for the extended introduction into you and your work. It's so nice to read more about you. I'd love to know more about your group in SF. That sounds so rewarding.

It's hard to put labels on our work, but it's nice to be able to get a "ballpark" on where it sits to give other people an idea. I haven't put too much thought (lately) on where mine sits and you are giving me food for thought as to where it should.

 

[Bartc]

Arty, I hope I'm not breaking a rule here, but since you did ask, my group is organized on the meetup.com platform. It's called "Burlingame Plein Air Painters". I set up a schedule a couple of months in advance for every 2 weeks or so in a different setting, varying between coast and inland scenes, although we have done an occasional painting in towns. Usually on the San Francisco Peninsula, though we have gone as far as the Russian River, Carmel and Yosemite. The group has a few rules just for safety and to ensure that we are welcoming to all levels, media and styles. Our sessions vary in attendance from a list of 90+ but really about 30 regulars, and we may have between 10 and 25 at each meet up. We paint for about 3 hours spread out wherever you want, gather for a "show and tell" (NOT a critique), and when safety permits for a lunch either picnic or at a nearby restaurant. We ask folks to post their pix on the site when done. People find this very friendly and supportive, and a good learning environment without the pressure of "teaching". That's all we're about: encouraging one another to create in lovely places with good and informative company. You can look us up, or I can post a link (but only with your permission.) It works well for me, and I work full time, so I'm happy to put the time into organizing.

A proper welcome to you Bart! Thank you for the extended introduction into you and your work. It's so nice to read more about you. I'd love to know more about your group in SF. That sounds so rewarding.

It's hard to put labels on our work, but it's nice to be able to get a "ballpark" on where it sits to give other people an idea. I haven't put too much thought (lately) on where mine sits and you are giving me food for thought as to where it should.

 

[Artyczar]

You can certainly post a link!

This sounds wonderful! Good on your for organizing such an encouraging and stealthy community of activity like this for artists. I love this. I know the Meetup platform a little bit and have been on it for various events. It's a neat invention. It does sound slightly time consuming so I assume it must be very rewarding for you to run it.

I've done a few things like this in the past and I know, while it can be fun and helpful to artists, it can take a lot of time away from other responsibilities and passions. So it's impressive that you fit it in.

 

[Bartc]

Thanks for the compliments. Remember, I'm doing this as much for myself as for anyone else!
Here's your link and feel free to explore our "photos" section to see past session results: Burlingame Plein Air Painters on Meetup.com

 

[Artyczar]

Thank you for the link! That top pic looks like Headlands.

 

[Bartc]

The top pick is from a session years ago at Mussel Rock in Pacifica. But you can see all the way to the Marin Headlands there many days.

 

[Artyczar]

Pacifica is just as beautiful, and you can stop off at the A&W drive-thru!

 

[Trier]

Bartc, what you are doing sounds just great !
I would have loved to be with a group such as yours back in the days when I could physically handle plein air.

You are more than welcome here as far as I'm concerned !

 

[Bartc]

Bartc, what you are doing sounds just great !
I would have loved to be with a group such as yours back in the days when I could physically handle plein air.

You are more than welcome here as far as I'm concerned !

Trier, I try to make the outings accessible to folks at many levels of physical stamina. Most times I can find a spot with multiple subjects that has parking close to them and hopefully some bathroom equivalent. Most do not require walking very far. As to weather, well, these are in the very temperate SF Bay Area which is amenable to outdoor experiences all year round. I'm no fan of being cold! Can't always get the ideal and the subjects to paint together, that's the reality. I encourage folks to think of en plein air as anything from outdoors in your yard to hiking up the Sierras, but obviously being an older man with a walking limitation who hates cold, I'm erring on the side of easy.

 

[KreativeK]

Welcome Bartc!

 

[snoball]

Welcome to the forums Bartc. Better late than never.