Thursday, May 30, 2013

"House on the Hill" plein air landscape painting by Robin Weiss

"House on the Hill" 12x9 oil on linen   Sold
So I organized a workshop and went back out to the property to paint. This time I moved to the other side of the house and down the hill a bit to give a high horizon, which I like and use a lot.

Me with Susan Ogilvie and her  painting


About a week later I hosted the workshop with two eager students, Nicole Galinas and Susan Ogilvie, who made my job easy with their great attitudes and smiling faces even though it rained off and on all day! 


See Susan's artist page on Facebook Here








Nicole at work
See Nicoles website Here
Susan and Nicole
Susan and Nicole went to school together at The Northwest College of Art. Susan is a children's book illustrator. Nicole is a graphic designer and she made a little video of me demonstrating my technique for plein air painting. You can see it on Vimeo Here








Wednesday, May 29, 2013

"Abandoned House" plein air, oil landscape painting by Robin Weiss

"Abandoned House" 12x8 oil on panel  Sold
I found a great old abandoned house on a perfect piece of property for giving workshops or general painting! Cool old house, old shed, lilac bushes and lots of fields and fruit trees...There was a realtor sign on it with a phone number so I called just to see.....and I got hold of the owner! and he said; "Just email me a release of liability for injury and you can paint all you want" ....... Score!!

I did this painting on the spot and started thinking about getting the word out to do a workshop....which I did....which I will post soon....with video!...=]








Tuesday, May 28, 2013

"Cloud Study" plein air landscape painting by Robin Weiss

"Cloud Study" 8x8 oil on panel     sold
Alison Barry emailed me and wanted a lesson on painting clouds so we went up to the open fields by the Walmart on the hill. This place is great! When the money meltdown happened all the proposed big box stores pulled out and left some great open fields with views of distant bays and even Mt Rainier!


Alison is getting to be a very good painter! Pretty soon I will be asking her for pointers! You can see her beautiful paintings HERE



The clouds were perfect that day for painting and I think we both got some good practice in.  The day was so nice we walked over to the Frog Pond to do another painting. I'll post that one soon...Alison said "Are there frogs in there?"  "You bet!"  "I'll have to bring my boys here!"  And that brought a smile to my face as I remembered all of my frog hunting days when I was a kid.......

Sunday, May 26, 2013

"Spring Apple" plein air landscape painting by Robin Weiss"

"Spring Apple"  6x6 oil on panel      Sold
Studio clouds out my window
I have been working at the Knowles Studio for almost five years now. Sometimes I take the place for granted....other times I take a deep breath , look around and thank God for the amazingly beautiful place I get to work and the sweet friends I have made there...who are really like family now. Pretty cool!  That said, this little painting is yet another view out my studio window....It's spring and the apple trees are in bloom...Well, they're about over now...(I'm always running about three weeks late on this blog...if you want up-to-date stuff (real time) friend me on facebook!..=)








Friday, May 24, 2013

"Horse Thief Lake" plein air landscape painting by Robin Weiss


"Horse Thief Lake" 6x10 oil on panel  Sold
This is the last painting I did on the Columbia River trip. I'm already looking forward to the next paint-out!

If you get the chance to explore the Columbia River gorge, don't miss it! The river goes through something like seven climate zones from desert to rain forest and has some of the most stunning views in the state of Washington.

Monday, May 20, 2013

"Columbia River Bluffs" Plein air , oil landscape painting by Robin Weiss

"Columbia River Bluffs"  8x12 oil on panel         Sold
I found a spot down on the river to do this study. The day was hot but I was able to keep cool by soaking my bandana in the river and tying in on under my hat.

Paula Ensign's painting of me painting








Paula Ensign did a good job in her beautiful painting of capturing me working on mine!











view from my picnic table

Next day the plan was to meet up river at Columbia Hills State Park .  The rest stop where I parked my van for the night ended being such a good location, with such stunning views of the river that I spent the early morning painting there.
"Rest Stop Wild Flowers" 8x10 oil on panel  $330







This is the painting I did at the rest stop. I couldn't resist trying to capture the field of lupine that were
in full color with the cliffs and mountains behind.

Friday, May 17, 2013

"Beacon Rock" State Parks , plein air , oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Beacon Rock" 8x8 oil on panel     Sold

 After my featured artist show closed at The Harbor Steps Gallery in Seattle, I headed out for the scheduled PAWA paint-out in the Columbia River Gorge. Since it was already about 9:00 pm the plan was to get as far as I could and then crash in the van. I made it as far as Battlground by about midnight and pulled into a rest stop for the night. Next morning , a very pleasent and beautiful drive got me to Beacon Rock State park an hour before anyone else arrived!  Of course I set up to do a painting , amazed at the morning light streaming across the river through the trees.
"Morning on the Columbia" 8x12 oil on panel  $375



At Bacon Rock the river sort of splits off the main current and makes a bend around the "Rock" and then re-enters the main river. Beacon Rock is the old core of an ancient volcano. The river has washed away all but the upthrusting lava core. Facing away from the Rock affords this view of the peaceful river winding back into the Gorge bluffs.



Beacon Rock reflection
Susan painting the "Rock"

in progress
 Not to long after I set up folks started arriving and amazed by the beautiful scenery, quickly got started painting!
Paulette's stunning pastel of Beacon rock

Jane Wallis happily painting

Paula Ensigns painting of Beacon Rock


There was plenty of room to set up under the shade of trees to paint when it started getting warmer....and it was warm! We had sunny skies the whole three days.

At the end of the day I was able to take a shower at the state park facility. Refreshed and satisfied with the days work I headed off in search of a place to park the van for the night.  The rest of the party headed for their digs at the White Salmon Inn.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

"Crossing Yesler" Seattle city oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Crossing Yesler" 18x24 oil on panel          Sold
"Crossing Yesler is another painting that is available now at The Harbor Steps Gallery in Seattle. If you are interested in this work,  give Summer a call at 206-681-9321 during business hours and she can give you purchasing information.

I used a number of photos taken on location to design this composition. Again, more than paint some "thing" I wanted to paint the "feeling" of the city.
Looking up the history of the locations I paint is fun for me....so I'll share it with you too!

Henry Yesler arrived in Seattle in 1852 and built a steam-powered sawmill, which provided numerous jobs for those early settlers and Duwamish tribe members. The mill was located right on the Elliott Bay waterfront, at the foot of what is now known as Yesler Way and was then known as Mill Road or the "Skid Road," for the way the logs "skidded" down the steep grade from the ever-receding timber line to the mill. In addition to running the mill, Yesler built the city's first water system, in 1854. The system was made up of a series of open-air, V-shaped flumes perched on stilts that started atop First Hill and ran down past Yesler's home and to the mill. Later on, after complaints of dirty water, Yesler developed a system made up of log pipes buried beneath the ground.

Yesler also built the Pioneer Building on the site of his first home, which burned in The Great Seattle Fire of 1889. You can see my painting of the Pioneer Building here, now the center of Seattles Pioneer Square.





Friday, May 10, 2013

"Big City" Seattle City oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Big City" 50x38   Sold
This is the large studio version of a smaller study I did awhile back. It is available through the Harbor Steps gallery , downtown Seattle..... In fact, if you walk into this painting , past the girl and through the portal....you will be on the harbor Steps.....Have a fun night in the city!

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

"The Early Bird" Seattle city oil painting by Robin Weiss


"The Early Bird" 8x6 oil on panel     Sold
Just another late night glimpse of city life. I'll let you, the viewer, compose your own story.

This painting sold at Alki Arts The Harbor Steps , a fairly recently opened gallery downtown Seattle, at the corner of University and Western Ave. If you cross the street from the Seattle Art Museum and walk down to the bottom of the Harbor Steps you will find it on the southwest corner.
  I just recently had a featured artist show there. Among my city scenes were also quite a few recent plein air paintings from around our amazingly beautiful state! If you get the chance, stop in and check it out. This is probably my biggest exhibition of paintings to date.

Harbor Steps opening show 2013




A few paintings have already sold so the sooner you go the better chance to see the most work..=]

Tuesday, May 07, 2013

"The Last Act" Seattle city, oil painting by Robin Weiss

"The Last Act" 9x12 oil on panel    Sold
Painted from a photo taken late evening as I was walking through Pike Place Market on my way to see Maury...That was a third Tuesday night....the night I play guitar at Bread of Life Mission. People who carry guitars around always get a nod from other musicians or guitar carriers.....sort of like bikers..anyhow, this glimpse of play on the stage of life resonated with me.

Getting behind again and lots going on so I'll try and get posting!.....=]  you're so patient...