Fairmont Gallery Representation and Wine Country Invitational

 Hillside Vineyard 10 x 20 Available Fairmont Gallery

I have long enjoyed the work of Manette Fairmont who won the Gold Medal at the California Watercolor Association 2007 National Exhibition. This accomplished artist also has a gallery she curates  in the Square at Sonoma. I have visited over the years and always been impressed with the artists she represents so I am  very happy to be included.
Here is a link to the gallery web site:

http://fairmontgallery.com/   
The Gallery is located at 447 West First Street and I hope you can visit if you are in Northern California this Summer.
I am also participating in the wine country invitational here on September 17th.

Two Paintings Accepted at the 81st Annual Statewide Contemporary Landscape Exhibit: Earth Portraits at the Santa Cruz Art League on exhibit through June 26th

Pacific Passage 14 x 14

 The Curve of the Earth 21 x 14

81st Annual Statewide Exhibit       
EARTH PORTRAITS:
Contemporary Landscape Painters of California

May 28 - June 26, 2011



Juror: Scott A. Shields, Ph.D.
Associate Director / Chief Curator Crocker Museum
Curator: Ed Penniman


The first Santa Cruz Art League Statewide Exhibition was
held in 1928. This year, as a celebration of the 81st Annual
Statewide Exhibition, this competition and exhibition will revisit
the high standards for acceptance, which made this annual Landscape show one of California’s premier art events.

I am thrilled to have two paintings accepted into this exhibition.
"The Curve of the Earth" was one of the few times I've painted from the summit of Mt Diablo and I thought it fit the theme of Earth Portrait .
I've been working on a series of  paintings of the Pacific Ocean and "Pacific Passage" is my favorite so far. I have found that in winter the waves are full of foam and a much lighter value than the rocks , so the compositions  work for me because there are clear value pattens, and it is a fun excuse to paint delicate watercolor washes in a high key.


Santa Cruz Art League
526 Broadway, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 426-5787
www.scal.org
Wed.- Sat., 12AM - 5PM,
Sun. Noon-4PM
Here is a statement about the exhibition by the curator Ed Penniman that I think sums up the intentions of contemporary landscape painters pretty well:



Statement by Exhibition Curator Ed Penniman
It is my belief that there is still considerable interest in stunning, inventive and inspirational landscape paintings of California by California artists. It is my hope that this exhibition will reinforce the idea that landscape painting still lives as a vital and expressive art form, particularly at a time of global environmental degradation. Perhaps the appreciation of natural beauty as expressed by these talented California painters will serve as a call-to-action and also heighten awareness that we all play an important part in the stewardship of nature.

Update 7/9
Ed Penniman was kind enough to send the link to the lecture by Scott A Shields that I wasn't able to attend.
I just watched it and it is very educational and entertaining. The topic is landscape painting through the Crocker Art Museum Collection. Here's the link:
http://www.communitytv.org/programs/online/earth-portraits-contemporary-landscape-painters-california

The Artist's Magazine, June 2011 Cover!

That's "Rare Sight" 14 x 21 on the cover!
You can order a copy here:
http://www.northlightshop.com/product/print-issue-the-artists-magazine-june-2011-ta0611?r=tamdpar041111ta0611

 Here's the entire painting.

The Artist's Subjectivity and the Landscape

 Tucson 1 14 x 21

Tucson 11 14 x 21

I thought this was an interesting juxtaposition that shows how much analysis and choosing is involved when creating a landscape painting. The two above were painted during the summer in Tucson of a ridge that caught my eye.

This same ridge was painted in pastel by Kim Lordier during the wet winter months.  The paintings could not be more different, even though they are the exact same landscape subject.
Notice how the ridge's lovely curving swoop caught both our eyes and how Kim has effectively used the panorama to create a painting of foreground middle and distance, where I was caught up in the textures but tried to used scale and value to create some distance.

Tucson Eve, Kim Lordier Pastel on Archival Paper 24 x 30( used with permission)

Kim's web site is here. http://kimfancherlordier.com/workszoom/548554. And Tucson Eve is at the CAC 100th Gold Medal Exhibition at the Pasadena Museum of California Art through April 24th

Update: 5/19.
There is a great article now in Southwest Art Magazine about Kim and her work , it includes a portfolio of recent works that has beautiful new paintings. http://www.southwestart.com/featured/kim-lordier-windows-to-grandeur

Gold Medal Wine Club/ Featured Artist

Vineyard Patterns 14 x 14
The newsletter for the Gold Medal Wine Club wine club chose me for their featured artist. I've thought that this painting with it's abstraction and bright colors would make a distinctive wine label.
Here's a link to the newsletter and a thank you for featuring my art.
http://www.goldmedalwineclub.com/blog/2011/03/robin-purcell-is-this-months-featured-artist/

California Art Club's 100th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition April 3rd - 24th

 

Here is my miniature in the exhibit, I just found out it sold during the exhibition.Hill Side Oaks, 9 x 12 Bishop Peak Spring 14 x 14 The second painting in the exhibit.

Here is a link to the award winners:


http://www.californiaartclub.org/100th-award-winners/