Fall Color, Clyde Aspivig
Clyde Aspivig, is one of America's leading plein-air artists. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum, at the corner of Santa Barbara and De La Guerra Streets, is currently showing 25 of his breathtaking paintings. Most are large scale and full of atmospheric light. I've been to the exhibit several times and will likely go back for one more visit before the show closes on February 7.
Last October I attended a demonstration by Clyde (Coordinated by Dorene White. Thanks, Dorene!!). Clyde was really terrific. A super nice guy and a great teacher. He challenged us to find the mistakes he was deliberately making in the sketch he was creating before us. It was an excellent lesson. He also demonstrated gorgeous color harmony and simplified shapes and composition. It was a great learning experience and a lot of fun.
I urge you to visit the show before it is gone. It is awesome and a real treat to have such world class art here in our town.
Fiery Orange Moon, York Harbor, Maine, Lockwood de Forest
Another great show (up until April 3) just opened this past Thursday at the Sullivan Goss Gallery, 7 East Anapamu Street. I visited the show when the gallery was quiet last Thursday afternoon. It was a treat to be the only visitor at the time. In contrast to the grand scale of the large Aspivig paintings at the SBHM, this show is 40 small nocturne and 40 small daytime sketches by Lockwood de Forest (1850-1932). Several of the scenes he painted are from the Santa Barbara area. I have learned that it is quite possible the artist never intended for these wonderfully spontaneous sketches to be shown. de Forest was passionate about painting and had a special interest in the nocturne subject. I was struck by the subtle color harmony of each little paintings. The nocturnes are intriguing and evocative of the mystery I experience while painting out at night. Kudos to Sullivan Goss Gallery for a beautifully arranged show.
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