Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada
I hiked one of my favorite trails the other day, the one from the Roosevelt Cottage to Friar's Head. The air was thick with the smell of apples and alders, and so many blackberries lined the path that you could have a feast. This is the best time of year on Campobello Island.
But unfortunately, the day to leave the island is fast approaching. We've already shut down the gallery for the season, and in a few days, we'll be on our way west. We'll have stops for workshops in Acadia National Park (Maine); Middlebury, Vermont; Millheim, Pennsylvania; and Blue Ridge, Georgia. We won't arrive in Arizona until October 22nd.
First, some news. I am fresh back from the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art "Plein Air on the Rim" event. We had perfect weather and got a lot of painting done, even with a few clouds and a little fog, to keep things interesting. It was also great to meet some old friends and to make some new ones. As with last year, the event was a fundraiser hosted by the Grand Canyon Association to raise money for an arts center and museum, something the park is sadly lacking. The park's very existence is due to artists like Thomas Moran, whose paintings helped spark the concept of a National Park of the Grand Canyon, and it has a large collection of art that needs a home. The exhibit continues through November 25 at the Kolb Studio on the South Rim. Although many of my paintings sold, there are still some left. You can see all the Grand Canyon paintings at my Facebook page (Michael Chesley Johnson Studio). Ones that are for sale are marked as such with details on how to purchase them.
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"Storm Rising" 9x12, oil - Grand Canyon Celebration of Art "Plein Air on the Rim"
(See all the Grand Canyon paintings on my Facebook studio page.) |
Although I won't be participating in the Sedona plein air festival this year, I
will be teaching a workshop that week. I'm pleased to say it is full, but I
have many other workshops coming up this winter. If you're interested, go to
the end of this letter to see a schedule or visit the workshop page
of my website.
Speaking of Sedona, I'm happy to announce that I have
been juried into the Sedona Arts Center Fine Art Gallery at 15 Art Barn
Road. Additionally, I'll be teaching a two-Saturday plein air class in
February for them (February 16 & 23). You could come out for a week and
take the class - and even take another workshop with me between the two
sessions!
By the way, if you've taken a workshop with me, I'd love it if
you would write about your experience. If you do so in your blog, or on
WetCanvas or LinkedIn, and include the URL to my website
(www.MichaelChesleyJohnson.com), send me the link to your essay. I'll give you
a 10% discount on any Paint Sedona or Paint Campobello
workshop you take within the next two years. (Sorry, Facebook doesn't
count.)In case you missed my last letter, my new book, Through a Painter's Brush: The American Southwest - Painting the Four Corners States, is available. You can also get my 2013 calendar now. To preview or order, please visit my Lulu Spotlight page. (Hey, it's never too early to be thinking of Christmas!)
I also want to mention an upcoming plein air-to-studio workshop in Carmel, California, through the Carmel Art Institute. Carmel is a fantastic place to paint and is right near Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. If you haven't seen this part of the world, take a look at the Point Lobos site and the Carmel Chamber of Commerce site. The workshop runs November 13-16 and costs $440. For details or to register, visit the CAI website.
For a full list of upcoming workshops and events, please see my website.
That's all for now. I'll write again once we're back in Arizona. Till then, have a great fall!
Michael & Trina
