"Edmonds Rain" and Gallery North's Plein Air and Beauty of the Northwest Exhibition

"Edmonds Rain" 8x10 urban oil painting by Robin Weiss

Kim Caldwell blissfully painting

Lately I have been walking on the Kingston/ Edmonds ferry with my painting gear to take part in Gallery Norths , Plein Air and Beauty of the Northwest painting exhibition.  The first couple times the weather was iffy with mostly rain and a few sun breaks.

This day I joined Kim Caldwell, a member of Gallery North and one of the artists administering the plein air event . She paints with watercolor so we found a good spot under the awning of a store to paint out of the rain.  Take a look at Kim's work

"The Metropolitan Grill" Seattle city, urban , oil painting by Robin Weiss

"The Metropolitan Grill"  6x10 oil on panel   SOLD

Still playing catch up here....This is a painting done awhile back that was in the Father/Son show at Alki Arts and somehow never got posted. Must have been one of those rare days of sunshine back in May...
Across the street is the Bus Stop at Second and Marian.

I have to add a pic of the new puppies at the Knowles Studio. They are very cute and lots of fun! ...and they will keep the rabbits and deer out of the garden!!    Meet , Rollie and Bing ;

Rollie and Bing     studio pups

Of course they are glued to Leigh most of the time and are not happy when she is busy with Art Camp......

Art Camp at Knowles Studio

"Foxgloves" wildflower, oil painting by Robin Weiss

"foxgloves" 6x10 oil on panel

Across the street from the studio is an awesome huckleberry patch. I went over to check on how the berries are developing and was stopped in my tracks by the light hitting these foxgloves. I took a picture and then painted them while the image was fresh in my mind.

By the way....We have had a lot of rain this year and the huckleberries will be fine for pie in September!!

"Bee Life" oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Bee Life" 4x10 oil on linen panel

Before we get to my plein air work I wanted to catch up on a few paintings that just kinda happen in between other stuff.....like this one.....I found this dead bee on the windowsill and set it aside for future consideration. Then one rainy day, looking for inspiration, I pinned the dead bee to a piece of foam core and decide to try and paint it alive....Then I taped a just-beginning-to-bloom, lavender flower under it for some reference....Turned out better than I thought it would.....and it was a great learning experience! 

"Red Rhodies #8" plein air, floral, watercolor painting by Robin Weiss

"Red Rhodies #8  SOLD

Okay friends, last watercolor!. This series loosened me up and got me refocused on painting outside. The weather is slowly changing to sun and shadows again and I will be doing more plein air.

If you enjoy watercolor painting and are interested in learning more about working in this medium outside, check out Catherine Gills website. She has an excellent instructional book out that has great tips on painting "en plein air" .  I am excited about attending her workshop in Montana this October!

"Red Rhodies #7" plein air, floral, watercolor painting by Robin Weiss

"Red Rhodies #7" 10x10 watercolor on Arches paper

Here you see the glass vase again...and a red dish towel for more red punch!  

One more post in the floral watercolor series and then I will be posting my recent plein air paintings of Edmonds, WA. Getting ready for Gallery Norths, Plein Air and Beauty of the Northwest exhibition, August 1st - 31st.

Thanks for all the encouraging comments and support for my watercolor series!!..=]

"Red Rhodies #6" plein air, floral, watercolor painting by Robin Weiss"Red Rhodies

"Red Rhodies #6" 10x10 watercolor on arches paper

I hauled all of these rhododendrons to the studio in a bucket and set them on Leigh's chair....Then had to paint them!! This was the first painting on the first day of the Rhodie works...=]

Another watercolor artist that I really admire is Thomas W Schaller. You can see his work HERE

"Red Rhodies #5" plein air, floral watercolor painting by Robin Weiss

"Red Rhodies #5" watercolor on Arches paper

I borrowed leighs handle pot for this one.  I think this flower pot has a very interesting shape and nice proportions. Maybe I will try some more flower paintings with it.....actually, the roses are looking good right now!

"Red Rhodies #4" plein air floral, watercolor painting by Robin Weiss

"Red Rhodies #4  10x10 watercolor on Arches paper SOLD

I picked a glass vase for this one and added some bright orange Exbury Azaleas.

"Red Rhodies #3" plein air, floral , watercolor painting by Robin Weiss"

Red Rhodies #3  10x10 watercolor on Arches paper

I added the Terracotta vase to this composition.....now it may be getting a bit busy..

Set up for Red Rhodies

I was able to set up a whole table outside at the Knowles Studio on one of our earlier sunny days.....I love it when I have this kind of space and equipment (Two pallets!!) to paint.

"Red Rhodies #2" plein air, flower, watercolor painting by Robin Weiss

This is actually the first one I painted .....Then I kept adding more subjects....like the white teapot in the last post...BTW ...these flower pots have been used in lots of other still life paintings over the years. You can see this green pottery vase in another oil still life here.



 

"Red Rhodies Watercolor #1" plein air, flower, watercolor by Robin Weiss

"Red Rhodies, Watercolor #1  10x10 on Arches hot press paper sold

The next seven posts will be watercolor paintings that I created during a stretch of sunny days earlier in the month.  We haven't had that many since then!! The Rhodies were in full bloom. Sometimes I just can't resist the urge to get out the watercolors and try to capture the light and color of the blossoms.

"Port Gamble Picket Fence" plein air oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Port Gamble Picket Fence" 8x6 oil on panel sold

This was the first warm up painting I did in Port Gamble.   I set up right on the curb. Amazing how many people waved as they drove by!   Typical small town on a beautiful sunny day!  I have said it before, I'll say it again....I love my job!!

"Breakfast in Port Gamble" plein air painting, by Robin Weiss

"Breakfast in Port Gamble" 8x12 oil on panel sold

There has been some recent buzz about Gregg Olsens new book "Envy". It is a young adult thriller set in Port Gamble. Recently there has been a book tour of the town starting at the theater which is the yellow building in the distance. Apparently Gregg Olsen thinks Port Gamble is "creepy"....Come to think of it they did film The "Zombies of Mass Destruction" here in 2010! I don't get it!  I keep expecting to see Andy and Opie come walking down the street!....You can read more about "Envy" HERE. 

plein air set up in Port Gamble

I found a great spot in the shade to set up.  Everyone was really friendly and interested in what I was doing.....and no one tried to bite me!!

Port Gamble Store, Renaissance Fest

Seriously!! Check out the Port Gamble Store for breakfast!

Even pirates like to eat there and they will protect you from the zombies!

"Lavender House" Port Gamble, plein air painting by Robin Weiss

"Lavender House" 8x12 oil on panel   SOLD

As the sun progressed I changed direction and painted a house on the other side of town. Just love these old houses, built in the 1800's and nicely restored by Olympic Property Management. They are all rented out to residents or businesses.

"Port Gamble House 1" plein air oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Port Gamble House 1" 8x12 oil on panel  SOLD

It's time to start posting some of the plein air work I have been doing lately. We took the opportunity to get over to Port Gamble a few weeks back on one of our rare, sunny, warm days. I did two paintings of the houses in town.
Port Gamble is such a peaceful quiet town now but it hasn't always been like that! I did a little research on PG because it is such an old, historical area in Kitsap county.   This from Wikipedia;

Battle of Port Gamble

The body of water was named by the Wilkes Expedition in 1841 after U.S. Navy Lt. Robert Gamble. The community, originally known as Teekalet, was founded as a company town by Josiah Keller, William Talbot, and Andrew Pope's Puget Mill Company in 1853.^[5]

In 1856, the USS Massachusetts was sent from Seattle to Port Gamble, Washington Territory on Puget Sound, where indigenous raiding parties from British and Russian territories had been raiding and enslaving local Native Americans. When the warriors refused to hand over those among them who had attacked the Puget Sound Native American communities, Massachusetts landed a shore party and a battle ensued in which 26 natives and 1 sailor were killed. In the aftermath of this, Colonel Isaac Ebey, the first settler on Whidbey Island, was shot and beheaded on August 11, 1857 by a Haida raiding party in revenge for the killing of a native chief during similar raids the year before. British authorities demurred on pursuing or attacking the northern tribes as they passed northward through British waters off Victoria and Ebey's killers were never caught.^[6][7]

The first school in the county went up in 1859, and the community took its present name in 1868. In 1966, the town of Port Gamble was designated a National Historic Landmark District.^[8] In 1985, Pope & Talbot, the successor company to Puget Mill, split into Pope & Talbot and Pope Resources,^[9] the latter of which took over the site and the sawmill. In 1995, the mill shut down after 142 years, making it the longest operating sawmill in the country.^[10]

Walker-Ames house in Port Gamble, WA.

Port Gamble was the setting of and filming location for the 2010 film ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction.

"Space Tunnel" Seattle city, urban oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Space Tunnel" 14x18 oil on canvas  Sold

TONIGHT!!, June 14th is the Father/Son show at Alki Arts in West Seattle!  I'm excited about having this show with my son Maury!

This will also be the last Seattle city painting for awhile. I have been painting flowers in watercolor and doing a lot of local plein air painting that I will be posting daily for the next couple weeks.

If you are in Seattle come on down to Alki Arts tonight and join the fun! Summer is finally coming to the Pacific Northwest and the weather is looking up!   See ya on the beach!!

"Walking in the Rain" Seattle city, urban oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Walking in the Rain" 10x6 oil on panel  Sold

Still working towards the Father/Son Show on the 14th of June at Alki Arts.  We bring all the work over today to hang the show. Thursday night is the opening from 6:00-9:00pm. If you have the opportunity come on over , we would love to see you! This painting is Occidental Park on yet another, rainy day in Seattle!

Bear sculpture at Tilikum Place

I also got the chance to go sketching with Maury in the city this week when I went over to pick up some of his work for the show. There is a great little park by the Five Point Cafe that has interesting views of the Space Needle and the Monorail. We did some drawings of the Chief Seattle commemoration
In 1912, local sculptor James Wehn created this magnificent, meticulously researched statue of Chief Seattle. Myrtle Loughery, the chief's great-great granddaughter, unveiled it on Founder's Day, November 13, 1912. Renovated in 1975, the Chief Seattle sculpture today presides over Tilikum Place, a small square at the intersection of Fifth Avenue, Denny Way, and Cedar Street, near the southeastern corner of the Seattle Center.
The drawing was done with water soluble graphite pencil.  I like these better than the WS pens I was working with before. One of the little water brushes packs easily and works great to soften edges. 

"Feels Like Seattle" Seattle city, urban oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Feels Like Seattle"14x18 oil on canvas SOLD

"Pond at Allair Farm" 14x18 oilon canvas

 Sometimes I paint over old paintings that haven't sold and are, well....old....I hate to have old stuff hanging around that takes up valuable space. Sometimes I need a canvas quick and will grab the first old painting handy. That's the case here. I had this photo ref,  suddenly realized it's potential and needed a canvas so I snatched this painting from the "old" box.
  At the time, in 2009,  I really liked this painting and had some good comments about it. It showed in all the galleries but didn't sell. Now it has been buried beneath another painting in sort of a time capsule to be discovered some day in the future!!


 Looking forward to exhibiting with my son Maury at the upcoming Father/Son show at Alki Arts! We will both be there for the opening on Thursday , June 14th from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Stop by if you get the chance!

Maury PA painting

Seattle by Maury

"Pioneer Building" Seattle city, urban oil painting by Robin Weiss.

"Pioneer Building" 20x24 oil on canvas Sold

On this Memorial Day I am reminded of the voluntary sacrifice of so many young lives for the freedom to enjoy beautiful sunny days such as this in our great country. I realize that we have many challenges and problems here. Still,this is a nation where one can be rewarded for hard work, speak freely, have access to every viewpoint, worship in peace and freely elect leaders, among other rights that citizens of many other countries only dream of..... Say thank you to a vet today.

Summer at Alki Arts

Update on the June show with my son Maury Weiss......We will be hanging the show on Sunday the 10th and the opening will remain on Thursday the 14th for the Alki, Second Thursday Artwalk in June.

Hope to see you there!!

"Check it Out" Seattle city, urban oil painting by Robin Weiss.

"Check it Out" 6x11 oil on panel   sold

Across from the Bread of Life Mission in Seattle is an alley I have painted a few times before. These guys were hanging out one evening as we were waiting for the team to show up for service. I was hoping they would come over for the meal but didn't see them in the sanctuary.
  Bread of Life is a great mission in the city that is still quite active. Some missions have had to close down due to the economic stress. This one has programs for folks wanting to beat addictions and get back to work. They also offer a meal and a bed for anyone who signs in.

Mission Alley 8x10 sold

Bread of Life 8x10 sold

Here are a couple more paintings done around the mission.

"Westlake Starbucks" Seattle city oil painting, by Robin Weiss

"Westlake Starbucks" 9x14 oil on linen panel  SOLD

The June show at Alki is coming up fast!.....Hope the painting on my easel drys in time!!... This one has been varnished and framed.

Ann and I sat at this Starbucks last week just after the May Day protests, We had some coffee while we waited for Maury to get off work and watched the diverse groups of folks walk by...This is a great spot for people watching!!

"Somewhere on Fourth Street" Seattle, cityscape oil painting, by Robin Weiss.

"Somewhere on Fourth Street" 10x12 oil on canvas

It's time to start plugging our upcoming show at Alki Arts in West Seattle!  The show gets hung first of June. My son Maury and I will be there for the artists reception on the second Thursday Artwalk, the 14th of June from 6:00pm till ......whenever.  If you are in the area please stop by. The beach at Alki in June is kinda like being at Venice beach in California . Nice sand and LOTS of folks hanging out enjoying the great views, good food, and energy of a great West Seattle nieghborhood!
 Also we have Zack Fleury coming to play music. You won't want to miss this local singer song-writers unique sound on acoustic guitar and vocals. 
 If you're coming from across the Sound the water taxi is a great option for walk ons from the ferry. It will take you to the water taxi dock on Alki Way and then you can hop on the shuttle which has a stop right by the gallery.
  I will be exhibiting my recent Seattle city paintings and Maury will be showing recent drawings and paintings of local scenes and stuff he has been working on for the game industry.
Hope to see you there!

Alki Arts

The Beach at Alki

"The Studio Gate" oil landscape painting, by Robin Weiss

There is a nice apple tree by the gate as you enter the studio parking lot. When it is in full spring blossom the entryway is transformed into ...well....a painting!

Here is the set up with my mobile hand truck . Works great for locations that you can easily get to..As you can see the weather is getting better for plein air.

If you are interested in seeing an artist that loves to paint in all kinds of weather, check out Roos Schuring.  She is getting quite a bit of deserved recognition on the internet. A great video of how she approaches plein air painting has recently been posted to her blog. You can check it out HERE

"Fir and Field study" plein air landscape by Robin Weiss

"Fir and Field Study" 8x10 oil on panel

I have been taking breaks in between studio work for the Alki show and going out into the field by the Knowles Studio to paint "En Plein Aire" . I love the change of the seasons here! Leigh is planning a group show in July and I will exhibit all my Plein air paintings done on site. There are quite a few of them now! I'll post a few in the days ahead and more info on the show and who will be in it. The Knowles Studio is open most Saturdays for those of you who would like to visit.