Oil Painters of America Paint Out

Marty Peerson of Fort Smith Arkansas shows good form as he paints

Jasan Sacran uses a palette knife to apply paint

OPA member Betty Dalsing is brave enough to wear white!

Alan Frakes found a prime location

Ruth Harris prepares to paint

Gail Rogers OPA member enjoys a day of plein air painting

It couldn't have been a more perfect day to meet new people who share a common interest, painting and the outdoors. This weekend I hosted the Oil Painters of America's paint out in Oklahoma. OPA is holding paint outs in all states across America and I am proud of the group the group that turned out. I crossed my fingers and said a prayer that it wouldn't be pouring rain, well as you can see from the pictures it was splendid. Ideas and addresses were exchanged as well as a few laughs. The Waterstreet Art Gallery in town hosted a reception for us at the end of the day and we got to look at every ones work. The Sapulpa Arts Council also provided gift bags in the morning complete with bottled water and a candy bar. You know you have to stay hydrated and keep your blood sugar up when your painting out. This was the first year for this painting event and I hope for it to continue and grow. As artists we lead isolated lives, in the studio or on mountain tops honing our skills and trying to answer our own questions, it's events like this that bring us all together to exchange ideas and answer some of those questions. Thanks to everyone who came out and the gals from the gallery and arts council for their support.

Oil Painters of America Western Regional

"Anticipation" Oil 16"x20"

I just received word that this painting was accepted into the Oil Painters of America Western Regional Show. It is being held in Kirkland Washington at the Howard/Mandville Gallery. I wasn't expecting to notification until July 22 because that is the date printed in the prospectus for the show. That is a misprint, it should have been June 22. I was contacted by Art Collector Magazine, they want to include my painting in an editorial article about the show in the August edition. I will also run a quarter page ad featuring another painting. I contacted my gallery, Rive Gauche in Scottsdale and they will be running a full page ad inside the front cover (prime real estate). All of this happened so fast my head was spinning, they all needed images of the artwork, quotes and layouts and approvals. I loved every minute of it. This is the first time I have spent money to run an ad in any publication so it will be interesting to see what happens. I am told that you really have to put your name in front of people in consecutive ads to have any effect, I don't know that I will be able to do that, as advertising is pretty costly, but this is a start.