"Under Adirondack Influence"

Been slowly gather a collection of work to exhibit for the Sacandaga Valley Arts Network in the Northville Library.  "Under Adirondack Influence" will contain a majority of works that have been made "en Plein Air" in the Adirondacks and work that was made outside of the Blue Line but still reflects where Adirondack understanding of light and dark, and subject matter - which influences the images. Full disclosure, there is work made in near the St. Lawrence River, in the Finger Lakes, Cape Cod, the garden, the studio.

Where actual work is first made or conceived is not relevant to the work. What is, is where I live, in the Adirondacks, that has influenced how I see my subject matter. Light is the biggest consideration in making a composition. Dark compliments light, bringing definition and life to compositions. Light evokes air, wind and temperature. It is not a small thing there is only one winter scene in this exhibit. Winter is a dark time in the Adirondacks. Light is a different color in winter. Temperature certainly has plenty to do with the lack of winter scenes as working in pastel is a frozen knuckle/fingertip event which is simply not working for these particular fingers any more.

"Overrun" 16x20 pastel on the dark side of the barn

 Visualizing the works to be exhibited together is fearful and exciting at the same time. Most of an artists life is spent in close contact with one piece at a time. Working to assemble pieces to be next to each other in a group creates a different view of the work vs. how an artist sees work in the privacy of the studio. The goal is to create an interaction between pieces that translates to the viewer.

The viewer of "Under Adirondack Influence" can become a participant in the process making of an Adirondack grouping of works. The opportunity to look into the woods, across a field and almost smell the flowers in the garden will entertain the viewer with each story a piece offers. 

 "Under Adirondack Influence" opens July 1 exhibiting through August 29, 2016. A reception will be held Tuesday, July 19 from 6-8. I am looking forward to meeting everyone.

"A Day Better Than This?" 12x22 pastel shadows on near mountains

"Fresh Paint" 11x14 pastel feeling the heat and wind

Hours at the library are:
Monday, Saturday 9 - Noon
Tuesday 9 am - 8 pm
Wednesday, Thursday 9 am - 4 pm
Friday 9 am - 4 pm



Northville Public Library
341 South Third Street
Northville, NY 12134
518-863-6922
Sacandaga Valley Arts Network www.svan.org

There is a list for that.

Moka is ready to go.

Gardening list. Shorter - since it rained an inch and a half. Check

Dog to the vet appointment. Check

Pack art for trip to Glens Falls for Adirondack National Pastel Exhibit. Check

Pack for Sacandaga Valley Arts Network exhibit. Huh?

There is a list for that. Just over 30 pastel paintings will face bubble wrap and snug surroundings next week for a trip to Northville Public Library opening July 1 - August 28. Listed, priced, recorded - but now need the jpg to follow so that more PR can be sent to various outlets like Dale at NCPR and the Facebook page. The postcard will be following too, to announce the reception on July 19, 6-8 for the exhibit "Under Adirondack Influence".  Everyone is invited!

Somewhere near Canandaigua

All this on the heels of a week in the Finger Lakes painting in the Canandaigua area. Nope those paintings are not in "Under Adirondack Influence" Sign up for The Thumbprints Newsletter to see those. 

Or stop at the studio. Hours are up at DianeLeifheit.com

Then there is the new frame list, the grocery list, the "Where in the world is Face to Face?" list, the "Convergence of Pastel" list, the pay-the-bills list (uck). 

Where is that intern???

Oh never mind.

Arenal, a volcano waiting

First view of Arenal

 Arenal Volcano stands tall in in an other wise level landscape in Costa Rica. It is a quiet volcano having last been smoking and spewing in 2010. In terms of time I consider that a nat's eyebrow, quiet vs. dormant. Arenal is one of a string of volcanos in the "Belt of Fire", one of which was blowing it's stack near San Jose, CR, during our stay last year. We sat on a Pacific coast beach when the earth began to move and tremble for about 2 minutes. The earth is very active in Costa Rica.

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica  - the March calendar painting

This painting was made early in the morning on the spot last year. The air was alive with birds - toucans, tanagers, parrots. Later that morning we headed to the park of Arenal and took the trail to the edge of the volcanic detritus, black stone shaped in liquid forms. At the edges where green is climbing back up the volcano, there were daffodil like orchids growing out of near nothing.  Where the lava stopped 6 years ago, the jungle changed from low growing to monstrous trees with girths of 50 feet around. Wild life was overhead and underfoot. Toucans peered down from the palms above then clattered off. Lovely leaf green lizards basked on ground level in the sun dappled leaves. Walking slowly we saw a large bird feeding in the brush, then two more just quietly browsing; though they were all the same family, each had different plumage. One all black; another spotted, barred; and another barred with a russet tail. What would Darwin say?
 

A tree of substantial girth

In 5 years the jungle returns to the volcano.

Fun to think about when snow covered ice surrounds my house right now.

Another volcano in the Belt of Fire

What's with the Trucks?

"Toys Awaiting Boys II" February painting for 2016 calendar

"Toys Awaiting Boys II"  is the second time I approached this subject matter. Same spot, different arrangement, one character is missing or out playing. One of these trucks was really red the first time around. Now it is faded pink. What kind of paint was used, I wondered.

Each vehicle has its own character, a lot like Don the farmer who stopped by on his little John Deer while I was painting that day. "I'm 99 years old.", he told me that day, "Not long now."  Wasn't sure of that. Later, sure enough, his daughter-in-law disavowed his claim, "He's 89." One never knows about stories made during a painting. But in that moment, Don was 99.

That was a windy day. My shade umbrella was pulled inside out. That makes things tricky as far as seeing color. Bright days are a bit of a hazard for me. I cover up head to toe and use the umbrella to shade the work so direct light does not glare onto it and the pastels. The umbrella limped along for the rest of the season but will need to be replaced for the 2016 season of plein air.

****

"Toys Awaiting Boys I" sold to someone who had to have it because it made her smile. She had come back into the gallery a second time to purchase it and it was GONE! Sold, she was told.

Disappointed, but not discouraged, she wrote me to find out if she could get a print.

Sure I said and started the process of printing the work.

Then another email. "Wait! I just found out - my husband bought the painting for a Christmas present!" she wrote. Ha! What fun. He felt he had to tell her.

Needless to say I didn't make the print sale that day but the work went to the right person.

One Hundred Forty Days – Finally have water!

We re-did our kitchen of 33 years this summer. Did most the work ourselves. Drove my surveyor husband crazy because this house must have been built as an afterthought – no thought to straight, square or level. Ah the joys of owning a home that is well over 100 years old and started as a barn.

Before shot after the walls came down and the insulation removed

One hundred forty days washing dishes in the bathroom sink, cooking outside on the porch.
OK, so I finally can wash dishes again. Yeah! Got a faucet and a sink. We had a Thanksgiving that couldn't be beat.
This project has been a bit pre-occupying to say the least…

But! That does not mean I have not been painting.

Or travelling.

Here is early before shot. A new shot tomorrow.

The 2014 calendar is here too! You can purchase it at my website: DianeLeifheit.com

Let me tell you about the first painting, the January pin-up.
This past summer while my husband was making a wall in the kitchen become plumb, I took off for a pastel workshop in France with Sally Strand. How to travel with pastels and figuring out how small I could make my package to bring with me overseas will come sometime in January.

"Haut Baran" 11x14 January Calendar Pic

The group stayed in this gorgeous place in Southwestern France near Duraval. The property is in a North South oriented valley.  This painting 'Haut Baran' is one of the recently hayed fields. Warm, yes, a good thing to think about on cold January days.

"Haut Baran " is an 11x14 plein air pastel. It is available for purchase at dianeleifheit.com or at my studio in Gabriels NY.

Twelve paintings. Twelve days til Christmas. Tomorrow: the February pinup.