Boot Camp - Artist Extraordinaire!

I'd like to share this wonderful write up that Christopher Gowell wrote in her Sanctuary Arts Newsletter. Thank you Christopher!

Gail Sauter - Artist & Creativity Coach Extraordinaire!

Gail Sauter's Oil Painting Boot Camp is designed  as the class she wishes she could have taken as a young artist - combining a mix of drill sergeant, motivational speaker, confidence builder, and creativity coach.

Her critiques are, first of all, kind, but with an emphasis on getting each student to reach into themselves. She feels that technique should serve the intention of the painter and that it is more important to express your message with power than it is to accurately report on what is in front of you. Style develops through the process of learning to paint and it is in our individual painting strengths and weaknesses that we flavor our paintings and present our viewpoint. She feels that her job as instructor is to help students get out of their own way by encouraging them to identify their personal painting quirks, to value them, and to paint the paintings that are inside of them by growing those quirks and building on them.

 

“Gail's classes have led me to search confidently, trying new methods and techniques in order to find my own personal voice. Our weekly class discussion, based on Master artists, personal experience and reflection on my goals, has given me a solid base and encouragement to explore and discover my strengths. Hands on class painting has opened new avenues to seeing and seeking solutions in my own avenue of creating.” (Judy A, artist)

Gail has always known she would be an artist. Her mother is a musician and her father a photographer. She grew up drawing while her mother practiced, and got her first camera at age 5. They were living in Japan and Gail has vivid memories of taking photographs of the countryside and people. Living in different cultures and in many parts of the United States has given her an insight into the universality of people around the world. This is an important thrust of her work today and she travels extensively to paint on location. She feels it is important that artists reach out and connect one with another and share our sameness while we celebrate our differences. Painting is her vehicle for expressing those deep connections and speaking a universal language across cultures.

Many people are talking about Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outlier" which says success in a profession is the result of hard work - with 10 years of endeavor required before becoming “successful”. It is intriguing that Gail, in order to express herself more strongly, has worked with three major mediums in the past 30 years (10 years in watercolors led to 10 years working with pastels which led to 10 years working in oils). Each move to another medium has been prompted by her need to grow and express her vision in new ways. Each medium has brought with it its inherent strengths and weaknesses—the transparency of watercolor, the opacity of pastels and the endless combinations of both in oils. She has learned from each and is synthesizing her experiences in all of them in her current work.

Whether you are a stale old-timer, a newcomer wanna-be, or in a mid-career muddle, a class with Gail Sauter can shake you up - in a very good way.

Upcoming workshops and classes:

Spring 2012

Plein Air Boot Camp - Southern France - wait list

Boot Camp - Level 1 and 2 - wait list 

Summer 2012

Plein Air Boot Camp - Kittery and environs

Plein Air Boot Camp -August 13 - 16 $600 - Peninsula Arts, Fish Creek, Wisconsin

Boot Camp - Level 1 - August 17 - 19 $400 - Garage Arts, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Fall 2012

Plein Air Boot Camp - Venice Italy

Boot Camp - Level 1 and 2 - Sanctuary Arts

For more information contact: Gail@GailSauter.com

Studio News - New Gallery

I'm very thrilled and excited to announce that my work is now being carried by the Harrison Gallery in Williamstown, Massachusetts! It's a beautiful gallery, set in a classic New England University town (Williams College) and home to the Sterling and Francine Clark Institute - one of my most favorite museums. They will be specializing in my figurative work and also my 'Almost Masterpieces' series. If you are in the area, please stop in and say hello.

Click here to see my work at Harrison Gallery.

Sargent - Courtyard of a Mosque

 ‘Almost Masterpieces’

 The Courtyard (after Sargent ) - Oil 10x10

Love it – love it – love it! I just absolutely LOVE this painting! The simplicity, the glow of the sunlight, the red door, the shadow, the big abstract shapes, the brushwork, the elegance. Sigh…. Ol’ Johnny could really paint, couldn’t he! I find it rather amazing that there are so few elements in this painting but it is so completely satisfying. I guess it really is true that sometimes less is more.

Background Tidbit: Sargent is known to have created over 900 oils and more than 2000 watercolors in his career. A pretty amazing body of work in my opinion – and rarely a ‘dud’ among them. All artists can have ‘off’ days but rarely so for good ol’ John. His technical virtuosity is astounding and as incomprehensible as it is to me, he is sometimes criticized for painting too well! In what other field can a virtuoso be knocked for being too virtuosic? The art world can be a crazy place.

By the way: Thank you so much for all the emails telling me how much you are enjoying this series of paintings. I didn’t intend to panic you in my last post when I said the series is winding down. It will continue, but I need some time to catch up with myself – posting three times a week has been strenuous! I’ll pickup again in the New Year although maybe not posting quite so often.

Please share me with your friends!

Matisse Landscape

Breaking the Rules!!

 ‘Almost Masterpieces’

Imaginary Landscape (after Matisse) - Oil 10x10

 

Artistic Outrage Rant: How can they do this – those old guys, the ones in the museums – how can they get away with putting a tree straight through the middle of their painting? AND a purple tree to boot!! Haven’t they heard of unequal balance and the added interest of asymmetry? Haven’t they heard you shouldn’t divide your painting in two? Didn’t Matisse know better than to have this huge dividing line going from the top to the bottom of his canvas? Every one knows to not to break this rule – even beginners quickly push the ‘no-no’ buzzer when they see something like this. What’s going on here? “Rules are made to be broken” I hear you say? Well, yes, that’s true (or is THAT another rule?) … or maybe the rules don’t apply to the people who are hanging in the museums... or maybe that’s why they are there in the first place.

Background Tidbit: I took great liberties with this painting – that seems to be the direction I’m going now… swinging farther afield from the original. But, it was interesting to note how much courage it took for me to place that tree trunk like that! I expected a knock on the studio door from the art police!

Heads Up:  The major thrust of this series is nearing its end. I will be posting only one more week of ‘Masterpieces’ for you… I do hope you’ve enjoyed them. I have a few surprises up my sleeve for you – so stay tuned!  

Please share me with your friends!

Painting on Exhibition

Cantata - Oil 40x40

I'm very pleased to announce that my painting entitled Cantata will be on exhibition at the Levy Gallery in Portsmouth, NH until November 25th. If you are in the area, please stop in and say 'hello' to her.

Hassam - A City Fairyland

Fresh from the Easel

‘Almost Masterpieces’

Nor’easter (after Hassam) – Oil 10x10

Hassam is fascinating to me because he often did snow scenes with warm yellows rather than the more usual cool blues and greys. It’s quite a challenge to make it feel cold by using warm sunny colors – but he did it! Maybe the richness and comfort of those yellows and golds make the weather seem more bearable and less blustery. This is only a small segment of the overall painting. I was fascinated by the coach, the power of the horse and their movement through the snow. And, as usual, I love seeing a glimpse into old time-y Boston in the background.

Background Tidbit: Hassam repeated the snow/winter motif often in his work, but his people never seem to be suffering from the cold. It’s hard to imagine them slipping on the ice, but with their smooth leather shoes the streets must have been treacherous (they certainly are today!). He often included gaslights in his paintings, although they were rapidly being replaced with electricity. He once said “I believe the man who will go down to posterity is the man who paints his own time and the scenes of every-day life around him.” However, it must be noted that he painted a romanticized version of that every-day life.  

Please share me with your friends!