The Dao of Seeing

The Dao of seeing is centered between keen observation of landscape, the mystery of attention, and sound painting methods. Painting from nature, out in the open, is a pleasurable challenge and calls for a sustained effort of looking and repeated painting. The key to better painting is learning how to slow the mind in order to SEE, and then to flow with the tide of creation. This workshop takes place between the studio and the open air reinforcing the practice of looking and painting. We will learn specific meditation methods, color mixing, painting wet in wet, Western and Asian composition strategies, using ebb and flow, and seeing through momentary conditions. Playful experiment and grounding in meditation will be integral to our workshop. Only expectations limit the possibilities.

This workshop is for intermediate students who feel comfortable with painting materials and some understanding of color relationships.

Jef Gunn studied painting in California in the 1970s, held residencies in Barcelona and Paris in the 1980s, and since the mid-1990s has engaged in a passionate study of Asian art. His work expresses the large forms of nature drawn from memory and  concentrated into shapes, text, pattern and signs. He holds a BFA degree from Marylhurst University. For twenty years his classes have helped painters explore the world observed and the world inside, while improving their skills in color, design and brushwork. The importance of looking, and looking some more, is basic to this work.

ESSENTIAL:

• PAINTS: A full complement of the primaries (a warm & a cool of each) plus White and a few Earth Colors (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, raw or burnt umbre). Oils are recommended as the most versatile, but you can work in acrylic too.

(Some students have chosen to work in watercolor or pastels. These are fine media and you are welcome to use them, but please know that I am not proficient in either so cannot offer much instruction beyond the elements common to all media, those of composition, color, inspiration and stillness.)

• A variety of your favorite brushes: mostly flats, and filberts, some brights. Bring more than you think you'll need.

• An easel that works in the out of doors. The best thing is a "French" easel, a paint box with legs and a support for the panel or canvas. A light-weight aluminum or steel easel can work as well, but should be anchored down in a wind with bungees. The Stanrite 300 is a great simple easel.

• Minimum 6 canvasses or panels of similar size and format. Feel free to bring whatever size and format you feel good with (*See note below). Prime with pale grey, sienna, or brownish GESSO** (see 2nd and 3rd notes below)

• Small container of solvent if using oils. If using acrylic or WC: 2 cans for water.

• One or two palette knives, for mixing and for painting. Metal with wood handles. Not plastic.

• Rags (bring lots)

• Cans or jars for solvent and medium.

• Box or Bag or backpack for carrying stuff

OPTIONAL:

• Canvas carriers with which you can carry two canvasses together

• Medium. Galkyd or Liquin works fine. There are some handy gel mediums too.

• Sun hat, water bottle, non-toxic bug repellent

• Rain hat, or wool hat, and jacket, just in case

• Barrier creme for hands

• Waterless hand cleaner

• Water bottle or thermos

• Folding chair

• Propane heater

For indoor color and composition exercises, you can watercolor on drawing paper, watercolors or gouache, and brushes for these media. I’ll be bringing these, but feel free to bring what you like.

* Long narrow horizontals accentuate breadth of spreading land/water. Narrow tall formats accentuate receding space. Square is neutral. I like to work on a 1:2 or a 1:3 format. (eg. 10 x 20 is common for me, as well as 10 x 25 or 10 x 30. )

** The colored ground will help to pull your colors together in the final painting. Just put some black and/or burnt umbre acrylic into the gesso. Or, you can put a thin ground of any neutral color over the gesso layer, before you go out, or on site. Sienna or a buttery ochre work, too. You’ll see why this is a good idea. For very hot, bright weather, I’ve even tried a blue ground.

*** Absorbent gesso (Gamblin or Golden) allows the first layer to go on kind of dry, so that subsequent layers can lay on top without over mixing. We’ll be going over this.

• Working notes for the workshop will be mailed to the students in the month before class.

• A small packet of short essays will be available from the instructor during the workshop for anyone interested.

• Handouts of essays on painting, landscape and abstraction

• Paper and ink, and other supplies (for indoor use)