Opening the studio to the public requires planning and some gardening

Jack is putting together his application for an open studio tour in October with Portland Open Studios. Through this exercise, I was able to grab his CV, add it to the website and help him decide which paintings to showcase in the application.

I love sharing my opinion

Of course I offered up my suggestions on which paintings would showcase best. I am drawn to the ones with pink flowy details and realistic flowers. But there’s more to his work than these elements. Take the Desert series for example, light is such an important feature that defines this environment. If you have been to a desert, you remember how the sun soaks through your clothes and prickles your skin. The rocks and sand reflect the golden light and set everything aglow.

The desert is a wealth of rainbows, gotta match the garden for the tour

Jack painted landscapes from our Death Valley trip that let the rainbow of minerals and refracted light from the hills illuminate the canvas. By using a mix of pallet knife and fine brush work, you sense the depth across the canyons and the wetness of the saline waters. He explained his trick about shadows and how adding some red to the base color gives a warm depth that edges toward realism. When we have our open studio tour, you will walk through our garden to see the desert paintings. My work on the weekends includes pruning roses and weeding around the bulbs just starting to push up. I selfishly want to make sure the garden that encloses the studio is just as inviting as the paintings.

Color mixing is a tool in and of itself

Jack needs to incorporate an educational or interactive element to partake in the Portland Open Studios. I love this idea, because painting is a bit of a mystery to me, and I am a huge fan of education. We are still deciding on the nitty gritty, but it’s going to make color mixing more tangible. I’ll share more details once we have them. Until then, sign up for the newsletter and share this post with someone who has a desert connection.

Badwater Basin