"View of Grand Manan" 9x12, oil
[Note: I send out a newsletter via e-mail every couple of months to students, patrons and interested parties. I try to remember to post it to my blog as well. Here is the one I sent out yesterday. Some of it may be old news to my faithful readers - or maybe not! MCJ]
August Newsletter
Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada
It's hard to believe, but we are now on the downslope of summer, heading toward fall. Blueberries and raspberries are ripening, and the goldenrod has started to bloom. Some of the less lucky tourists - teachers or families with students - are already thinking of going home to get ready for school. But those of us who stay longer are looking forward to the seasonal change. Cooler weather, apples and colorful maples are a few things fall has in store for us.
Before I forget, I want to remind you of my blog - http://mchesleyjohnson.blogspot.com - to which I post not quite daily but almost so. It has new paintings for the collector plus helpful tips for the student and the occasional digression for variety. You can "follow" it in Google Reader, find it on my page in Facebook, or you can sign up to receive it via e-mail. Also, feel free to tell your friends about it, and you are more than welcome to forward this newsletter to them.
I'm very excited to announce that my painting, "Follow the Canyon," has been juried into the 12th Annual American Impressionist Society Exhibition. The exhibition will be held at Mountainsong Gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea, October 15-November 15. The awards judge will be Scott Christensen. This painting is a different one for me because I painted it with a knife, and I usually use a brush. (Maybe I should take this as a sign that I should do more knife paintings. Trina has told me that before, because my knife paintings always sell.) You can see the painting here.
My show at Sunbury Shores Arts & Nature Centre (St Andrews, NB) starts August 12 and runs through September 7. I'll have many new paintings, one of which is pictured above. I've been very busy this summer painting for the show. If you're in town, I hope to meet you at the opening reception on Friday, August 12, from 5-7 Atlantic Time.
I am currently part of a show at The Old Schoolhouse Gallery in Qualicum Beach, BC. The show, a pastel invitational, runs through August 14 and includes work by notables such as A.Y. Jackson and Harley Brown.
As always, autumn means plein air events. This year is a banner year for me. I've been invited to not one, not two, but three events. First is the Grand Canyon Celebration of the Arts (September 10-17, www.grandcanyon.org), followed by the Sedona Plein Air Festival (October 22-29, www.sedonapleinairfestival.com) and then "In the Footsteps of Thomas Moran" at the Zion National Park (October 31-November 4, www.zionpark.org.) The Grand Canyon event will also show some studio work, as will the Zion event; the Zion show will run from September 20-November 27. You can visit this blog post to see my two paintings that will be in the Zion show.
I'm still taking names if you're interested in going with me to New Zealand in March 2013. I've set up a site where I am posting details - www.PleinAirNewZealand.com. Also, my friend Adele Earnshaw, a native New Zealander who is coordinating the trip, has a blog where she posts details on the places we'll be painting in - http://paintnewzealand.blogspot.com/.
I still have room in my September 20-24 (Tuesday-Saturday) advanced/mentoring workshop here on Campobello Island. I will be fresh back from my Grand Canyon event and ready to paint ocean scenery again. Let me know if you're interested. At the end of this newsletter is a full list of remaining 2011 workshops.
If you've been wondering, yes, I do paint commissions. Perhaps you have a particular subject in mind such as your house, or maybe you're thinking of something more general, such as a calm ocean view or a lighthouse. This is a commission without any commitment on your part to buy it. I will take no deposit, and if you don't like the painting, you don't have to buy it. The only requirement is that it must be a scene that I feel I can make into a good painting; otherwise, I will politely decline. If you have good photos, I can work from those; or I can work on location. It can be oil or pastel, and any size. Contact me for pricing.
So, that's all for now. Have a great rest of the summer! I will most likely not write again until we are back in Arizona.
Michael & Trina
Michael Chesley Johnson MPAC PSA
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Prepare for Plein Air: Not sure how to go about painting outside? Check out my online course! Great for beginners. Visit www.PrepareForPleinAir.com
Remaining 2011 Workshops
July - September: CAMPOBELLO ISLAND, New Brunswick, Canada - All media. Weeklong, half-day plein air workshops for all levels. Paint half the day, explore the island the rest! $300/week. Contact: Michael Chesley Johnson, 575-267-2450, mcj.painter@gmail.com. See website for list of weeks available - www.PaintCampobello.com
August 8-12: NEW BRUNSWICK, St Andrews. Oil & Pastel. Michael's sixth summer teaching at Sunbury Shores Arts & Nature Centre. Price: CA$ 335. Contact: Sunbury Shores Art & Nature Centre, www.sunburyshores.org, 506-529-3386, info@sunburyshores.org
October 1: VERMONT, Middlebury. Oil Only. Price: $80. Contact: Michael Chesley Johnson, 575-267-2450, mcj.painter@gmail.com.
October 3-7: NEW YORK, Old Forge. Oil Only. Price: $450 members / $500 non-members. Contact: Arts Center/Old Forge, (315) 369-6411, bgetty@artscenteroldforge.org , www.artscenteroldforge.org
October 14-16: TEXAS, New Braunfels. All media. Texas' "Hill Country." Price: $345. Contact: Mary McIntosh, 1863farmroad@sbcglobal.net, 830-625-0132
November 2011-April 2012: ARIZONA, Sedona. All media. This will be Michael's fourth winter teaching advanced plein air workshops in Sedona. $350 for 20 hours instruction. For full details, see www.PaintSedona.com. He'll also be teaching at the Sedona Arts Center and through the Scottsdale Artist's School during the winter.
Coming in March, 2013 - New Zealand! If you haven't done so already, please let me know if you're interested. I will need to get 16-20 for this. Non-painting spouses are welcome! Visit www.PleinAirNewZealand.com for details.
