Legion of Honor Art Museum In San Francisco, CA

Oh, what an extraordinary visit to an extraordinary place!  I will try to tell you the story of my trip in photographs and words. I had not been to San Francisco for many years, not since my children were small and we ferried over to Alcatraz and spent time at Fisherman's Wharf. This trip was different and San Francisco struck me as such a vibrant, whirlwind of a city. We were fortunate enough to stay on the 29th floor of the Grand Hyatt with a sparkling view out toward SF Bay where the Louis Vuitton Sailboat Races were in high gear. This view was even more incredible at night!

Saturday morning began overcast with a dense marine layer but soon cleared and we had a perfect day. The Legion of Honor is a re-creation of a French Palace and was given to San Francisco in 1924 to honor soldiers of WWI. It is a spectacular building in  pale gray marble set high on a hillside overlooking the Bay and surrounded by groves of old and elegantly sculptural cedar trees.

What a surprise to walk through the center archway into the starkly beautiful Court of Honor and find it dominated by Rodin's The Thinker!

The special exhibition, Impressionists on the Water, was perfectly done and displayed in one awe inspiring room after another. Although photography is allowed in the permanent collections, it was prohibited in this special collection so I can only tell you that it was a true joy to see. For almost 2 solid hours I was surrounded by Monet, Pissaro, Signet, Sisley, Vuillard, Bonnard, Pissaro, Renoir and others. I had a chance to see how they covered their canvases, to analyze their brushwork, thickness of paint and intensity of color. I was mesmerized. After viewing the collection, my overall feeling was that the picture most well done, the one that shimmered with dappled sunlight and glistening water, that whispered with the rustle of women,s skirts and shivered with leaves dancing in the gentle breeze was Monet's Harbor at Argenteuil - this is a photo from the internet of the painting and, as always, does not come close to portraying the incredible skill and beauty of this piece.

But, surprisingly, this was not my favorite. I found myself going back numerous times to view a small oil painting on cardboard by Toulouse Lautrec. It was painted as if Lautrec was sitting in the front part of a boat as it cut through the turquoise waters of the lake with the prow jutting forward and the sky racing with clouds overhead. It was so emotional, so fascinating in its utter focus and intensity. I adored it. Unfortunately, I cannot find a photo of this painting on the internet, nor did they have anything in the gift shop with this painting reproduced - but it is etched in my memory forever!

After lunch in the very charming museum cafe, I meandered through the permanent collections and photographed a few pieces.

Having grown up in Philadelphia, I spent a lot of time at the Rodin Museum there, and was delighted to see that the Legion of Honor has an extensive Rodin collection beyond The Thinker in the courtyard, all magnificently displayed in two private rotundas.

Auguste Rodin / The Three Shades / 1880

And then there are the paintings:

Jacopo Pontorino, Italy / Madonna and Child with Two Angels / 1445-1557

 I was surprised at how modern this piece appeared with the tender positioning of the figures, the delicately painted faces and the brilliant colors.

Modigliani - his approach and canvas surface texture is so unique!

Joos van Cleve, Dutch / Lucretia / 1525 - her face is utterly remarkable. I could have spent an hour looking only at that.

Peter Paul Reubens / 1612 / The Tribute Money 

Rembrandt! / Joris de Caulerii / 1632. The depth of insight into this gentleman displayed by Rembrandt's brush is nothing short of miraculous.

Frns Hal, Dutch / Portrait of a Gentleman in White / 1635. A stunning portrait that dominates the gallery it is in. It made me gasp when I saw it.

Gustav Courbet / The Wave / 1869 - his brushwork deeply influenced Monet

Jules B LePage / Sarah Bernhardt / 1879. I am not familiar with this artist but this portrait is so breathtaking and so exquisitely done. She is a presence to be reckoned  with.

Louis Maurice Boutet de Monvei / Portrait of a Man / 1875. Another unfamiliar artist that did an awe inspiring portrait.

A gallery with a large Monet Waterlilies

Oh, I could go on and on as I took hundreds of photos and have been pouring over them. But I hope this gives you an idea of the wealth of paintings in this gem of a museum and perhaps inspires you to make your own visit one day. In November the special exhibit will be Anders Zorn. Imagine that!

Truth and Sincerity

Owen / 18x24 / ebony pencil on cream paper

After a lifetime of drawing and painting, I remain awed at the marks left behind as my pencil nervously moves over the smooth grained surface of the paper, connecting here and there, linking blank spaces, creating hard tension and soft grayness. The hand of the artist is so apparent but this is, in the end, a pictorial equivalent of the model. I have been thinking a lot lately about the model, about how much more he/she is than the curve of a nostril, the line of the mouth or the play of light across the skin surface. And so today, as I guided my lines, I tried to hold foremost in my mind the truth of this sitter, the unique aspects of his life and personality as shown in his face and posture, I desired to try and draw him with utter sincerity and respect for his uniqueness in the universe and without flattery. 

Proceeding with Certainty and a Birthday Celebration

Proceeding With Certainty / oil on linen panel / 18 x 24

Painting the background landscape was almost as intriguing as painting the horse and jockey!

Today is my birthday and although I have had a difficult time lately, today is a day for celebration and some fun. My husband woke me up early (6:30 am) by playing Paul McCartney's Birthday Song - a rousing start to the day! He also surprised me with some almost antique art books including this one from 1943:

Although the dust jacket is worn, the book is in excellent shape and is absolutely fascinating in mostly black and white. Such incredible, meticulous work. One personal feeling that I get from leafing through it is that I must take my life drawing sessions more seriously. And, as a girl cannot have too many easels, she also cannot have too many art books!

Later this week, we are flying to San Francisco to see the Impressionist exhibit at the  California Legion of Honor Museum. I am so excited as it has been a while since my eyes have feasted on impressionist work. There is no photograph or reproduction in the world that comes near the experience of seeing the actual work, life size as the artist intended. I can hardly wait - what a birthday week!

Life Demands a Profile

This has been a very difficult few days for me in my personal life and, although I forced myself to go to the portrait session on Wednesday morning, my heart was not in it. My first two sketches were so forced that they failed miserably - one I erased entirely and the other I felt like tearing into tiny pieces after struggling with it for a long and frustrating time. Finally, I moved to the corner of the studio and quietly composed myself enough to do a quick profile. This one I am happy with as there is a good likeness and perhaps a little more.

Arches Oil Paper and the White Pony

The White Pony / oil on paper / 12 x 9

Always in the mood for experimenting, I recently bought a tablet of Arches cold pressed paper for oil paint. The marketing information states that it is a professional grade paper formulated to be used for oil painting without any preparation. It is ready to be used as is and contains a unique oil barrier that prevents bleed through. I would have preferred to try it out in a larger size, but the 9 x 12 pad was all that my local art supply store carried. I enjoyed it very much as I really like the way the surface grabs the paint and keeps it there. It was fun to use but I struggled with this small size as I prefer to paint larger. It took every ounce of skill I could muster to fit this on the paper!

Hold the Thought Delicately in the Mind

Finally, finally, finally a painting turned out something like I had in mind before I started. I have had such a tendency to tighten up lately when painting in oil. I was beginning to fear that my Wednesday portrait sessions, where I am trying to draw what I see so I can capture a likeness and an expression, were beginning to affect my painting. Thank goodness this piece has looser brushwork and a more abstract quality.

The Purity of Life

Genelle left profile / 20x18 / graphite on Strathmore 400 series drawing paper

Genelle  right 3/4 view / 22 x 18 / ebony graphite on Strathmore 400 series drawing paper

What an adorable, beautiful, lovely, fresh and personable model we had this morning!  Genelle, the granddaughter of one of the portrait artists in the group, will be 11 years old on Friday and begins 6th grade on Monday morning. Having just returned from an adventuresome vacation in Oregon, she was eager to tell us all about it and found it hard to stay awake unless she was chatting. I wish I had drawn her yawning - her yawns were priceless and she had a tendency to randomly say things like "I can't wait to get out of here and run around!" It was a most relaxed and delightful morning and I feel very pleased with the likenesses that I captured. This week I used a more grown up paper than the newsprint I have used for so long. It is a cream colored 80 lb smooth surface Strathmore drawing paper. I like how it grabs the graphite but I had trouble with my hand smearing the lines quite a lot and found I was using my eraser much more than usual. Perhaps it will just take some getting used to.

Untitled Oil #2

Finally got back to this picture that I started and posted on June 12th - I didn't realize that I left it sitting on the easel that long. But today it called to me and demanded I bring it to completion. I will think about the titles for my two new pieces and perhaps have them named by tomorrow.

Untitled #2 / oil on linen panel / 18x24

And a photo of me with both recent equine paintings wearing my brand new prescription Jimmy Choo sunglasses!

The small easel just to my left is a Mabef folding easel that I bought to take to my Wednesday life drawing classes. It folds up very compactly and weighs only 3 pounds. It is made in Italy of elm and is a work of art in itself with gorgeous brass hardware. Its nice and sturdy and I may have started a trend in the drawing sessions as another artist already purchased one! It is lovely and has additional front supports to hold a palette if you want to use it for field sketching. I also use it in my studio for paintings that are drying. A multipurpose purchase that I am happy with!

Untitled Oil

Unusual color for me! Oil on linen panel / 16 x 20 / untitled as yet. The bottom photo is a close up of a section of the larger piece.

Life Sketches

 Back at the Portrait Society, Beatyanne was our Wednesday morning model and I was able to sketch her twice. Both are graphite on newsprint about 18 x 16.

I am feeling like I should try a higher grade of paper for my life drawing sessions as the newsprint does not have a flat surface but is kind of ripple-y. It does not make for a good finished product and does not photograph very well. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good smooth textured drawing paper? I would like to try a slightly toned paper - perhaps a cream or tan color.

Coeur D'Alene Art Auction 2013

I am so fortunate that Reno is home to the nation's biggest and most successful auction of Western art! Every July, hundreds of collectors from Maine to Hawaii flock here to eagerly spend millions of dollars on important works by Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell and other celebrated painters of the old west, as well as some works by more contemporary artists. I doubt if attending an auction at Sotheby's or Christie's could have been more exciting than attending the Coeur D'Alene Western and American Art Auction at the Peppermill Resort this past weekend.  With some art valued in the millions of dollars and lots of art valued at several hundreds of thousands - it all set my heart to beating fast! Friday night was the auction preview and cocktail party. I read that over 45 private jets landed at Reno Airport with people flying in from all around the country to participate - that is why it was moved from Coeur d'Alene in 1999 - their airport could not handle all the traffic for the show. 

I devoured the images and text in the auction catalog cover to cover so I could be somewhat familiar with the art and the artists as Western art is not my usual cup of tea. I had a lot to become familiar with and to learn. When I saw, rather incongruously,  that a Fechin charcoal portrait drawing was on the auction block, I fell in love with it and rashly decided to register to bid. Paddle # 201 - that was me!

The 314 framed pieces and sculptures were set up in the Grand Exhibition Hall on long tables that circled  and ran up and down the length of the room. All pieces were identified by their lot number so it was easy to follow along in the catalog if you so desired. The room was cavernous and the quantity of art overwhelming. I took the photos in a moment of relative quiet as the preview was very well attended but the crowd was not crushing. Beverage stations were set up with wine, mixed drinks, sodas and water and the cocktail table buffet opened up at 6. The food was very nice - mushroom caps stuffed with spinach and cheese, tiny quiche lorraine, lamb chops and chicken skewers with special sauces, carved beef and turkey, crab cakes - something for everyone. 

 Peter Stremmel, one of the founders of this auction in 1989 and the owner of the Stremmel Gallery, was the auctioneer. It took a few lots before I caught on to the process and could understand the bidding. Each lot, no matter the size or value, took approximately 1 minute to auction - it was a furious pace! I would guess that between 700 and 1000 art buyers were present and each piece generated a flurry of bidding. There was also a telephone bank and line of computer terminals so, in addition to those who were present, there were plenty of bidders on the phones and internet.

As the auction proceeded, each piece was carefully brought up to the front and placed on a rotating table with its image projected onto two large screens at each side of the stage so every one had a great view. Located throughout the crowd were "yippers". These are auction employees who identify the people who are bidding for each piece and bring their bids to the attention of the auctioneer with a series of loud "yips"! When a lot of people are bidding on one piece, the exhibition hall was ringing with the sounds of the yippers and the constant patter of the auctioneer. I was amazed that everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing and what the price was at each second of bidding - what a challenge!

A "yipper" with his hand raised facilitates the bidding

This large,  beautifully precise painting by Norman Rockwell was painted in 1940 and graced the cover of Boys' Life magazine in 1942. It generated some very frantic bidding and when the dust settled, the new owner paid $3.8 million dollars for it!

A Scout is Loyal / 1940 / 39 x 27 / Norman Rockwell

Probably the most exciting event of the evening was the auctioning of Fredric Remington's breathtaking piece called Cutting Out Pony Herds (A Stampede) painted in 1908. Remington died in 1909 and this painting was kept by Collier's magazine until 1913 when it appeared on the February cover. The story of the painting is that an Army Trooper was sent to fire his revolver while riding around a herd of Indian ponies in hopes of stampeding them. This would make the Indians more vulnerable to attack. I don't think it took 45 seconds to sell this piece. There were many bidders but in the end one gentleman in the crowd purchased it for a long, cool $5 million dollars. Here is a photo of him after he had won the bid - he is the dark haired man standing in the back on the left.

And his prize!

Fredric Remington / Cutting Out Pony Herds /  27 x 40

Some other art that caught my eye:

A beautifully detailed and painted bronze sculpture by Earle Heikka. It is 49 inches long and would look so wonderful on a rustic mantle in a Montana or Wyoming ranch home!

A small oil of a Vermont Landscape by Leon Gaspard.

Howard Terpning / Telling of Legends / 32 x 52 / SOLD! for $1.5 million

Bob Kuhn / acrylic / Battle on the Bern - Lions Share / 30 x 48 

Gerard Curtis Delano / The Fur Traders / 32 x 42

Kenneth Riley / Shadows / 12x24

 And finally,  the very fetching Fechin that captivated me and I wanted for my own!

Nicolai Fechin / Stout Man /  16 x 14

Even though it was not meant to be mine, it was an incredible experience to bid, to have a yipper shouting out my bids and to be involved in all the excitement. I can hardly wait for next year!

Occupying a State of Rest and Some Life Sketches

Occupying a State of Rest / oil on linen panel / 14 x 18

 Having some fun with bright sunlight and large shapes.

Kim / graphite on newsprint

Kim modeled for us during last weeks portrait session at Nevada Fine Arts.  I sketched her in profile and then a slight 3/4 view.

This has been a very exciting weekend for me. On Friday night I attended the cocktail reception of the Coeur d'Alene  Western and American Art Auction that is held annually here in Reno, NV.  There were 308 paintings up for sale and I spent a long time viewing the art. It was so inspiring. The auction was held yesterday and it was more exciting than I can even begin to describe - the bidding is so fast and furious and the prices skyrocket in  a matter of seconds! I took a few photos and will try to put them into my blog over the next day or two. I even found myself bidding on a charcoal drawing by Nicolai Fechin that caught my attention! I was very quickly outbid but it was a grand experience!

Persevering in a State of Rest

Persevering in a State of Rest / oil on linen panel / 18x24

Close Up

Studio shot

Having spent about 3 sessions on this picture, I think I am done now. It was a lot of fun to compose and to paint and I have titled it "Persevering in a State of Rest". In the studio shot, which I included for perspective, you can see the wonderful overhead white LED lighting that we installed in my studio - there are 8 of those pot lights thoughtfully placed and, as a result, I have wonderful, shadow free lighting at any time of the day or night. My son visited from San Diego last week and while he was here he installed casters on my big easel and on my work table giving me much more flexibility when I work. I can't tell you how long I have wanted wheels on my easel so I can move it around as needed! I am happy now!

Last Weeks Life Session

The model at last Wednesdays portrait session was a local celebrity. His name is Bob Carroll and he is a Reno radio personality. He is still broadcasting at 78 years old although he suffers from macular degeneration and diabetes. He is a handsome and regal man who knows everyone who is anyone in Reno and was a delight to draw! I had time for two sketches and am pleased with my likeness this week - thank goodness.

 Although I have not posted much recently, I have not been away from my oil paints and my easel. I have been doing a flurry of practice portraits and am working on a larger (18x24) figurative piece.  I have not had much time to photograph my work but will try to show the finished figurative in the next few days. Of course, tomorrow morning is another portrait session. Time certainly flies!

No Excuses

In open studio today, I really struggled to get a likeness of the model. I can't blame the lighting, my positioning, the paper or the pencils -  I take full responsibility. She was young and beautiful with dark shiny hair but, for some reason, she just eluded my grasp. I tried two 3/4 views without success and then threw my hands up in desperation and did a quick 25 minute sketch of her entire figure.

Yesterday, I was in the mood for experimentation and spent the afternoon practicing the portrait in oil using only 4 colors - titanium white, light oxide red, cadmium yellow light and ivory black. It's almost magic how many colors you can mix from just those 4. That part went well, however, as it was just a practice piece, I flipped over an old piece of canvas to use the back entirely ignoring the fact that the canvas on the back is unprimed. Now I know why artists use primed canvas. The raw canvas just sucked up the paint no matter how thickly I tried to apply it - and the paint grabbed the surface so firmly that it was impossible to push the paint around. I continued with it as I was really happy with my likeness of this model but after struggling for about 3 hours, I finally gave up. Oh, well. Live and learn and tomorrow is another day!