American Contemporary Plein Air Painter - 2011 thoughts

American Contemporary plein air painter.
Artworkshops in Fabulous locations !

No guarantees in life...
I take everything at face value...
I try not to have expectations...
I appreciate what is...at the moment.
I believe everything happens for a reason.
If things do not occur as I imagine, I look inward for the lesson I'm being shown...

Artworkshops in Fabulous locations !

American Contemporary Plein Air Painter

American Contemporary plein air painter.

Greetings!

You have previously expressed an interest in plein air painting workshops, either by email or as a past participant.

We'd like to keep you current on scheduled workshops to date.

Ever wonder how time gets away so quickly if you're trying to find time to paint, or even just some quality time for yourself ?

A book by Eckhart Tolle is all about the 'living in the now' concept, not waiting for more time, financial stability or better health. Because anything other than living in the now, is not really living. We all play roles in life and sometimes, those roles become bigger than life. Years ago, I began painting on the island of Monhegan - and through the years, my painting trips began to all center around painting on islands. It wasn't planned but, either I was drawn to them, or I was asked to do a workshop on one.

And the biggest magnet for me personally, was that on an island, I found it incredibly easy to 'live in the now'. No effort required - and if you add the element of painting en plein air, the process begs to be repeated and so, this 'draw' was a force that I listened to, before books such as, A New Earth, came into the mainstream.

You're invited to join me on this incredible journey...

www.jrbaldini.com

Plein Air Art Workshops

American Contemporary plein air painter.

We are in the middle of a cold spell here in Niagara Region.
Too cold for me to paint plein air. I may get out in the next week for some plein air studies & Spunduliks .
What's a Spunduliks you ask ?
Watch for a future post ...

www.jrbaldini.com

Plein Air Painter - SALE Demo & Studies Paintings

American Contemporary plein air painter.
(click image to enlarge)
I've been going through demo paintings & studies because I need room for new .

ALL Paintings 
FREE standard shipping included.
Even some with frames
HAVE FUN !
Great gift Ideas...
Items for sale - updated as we have items of interest
NO SHIPPING CHARGE FOR PAINTINGS ANYWHERE IN THE US
(standard shipping only included)

PAYPAL only
You do not need a PAYPAL account - Credit Cards can be used.
Shipping is included anywhere in the US by USPS if applicable

Insurance is the responsibility of the bidder if desired.

In the event the same item is purchased by 2 buyers at the same time, the earliest time stamp is the buyer
& the other person will be refunded via PAYPAL.

#4 Wharf study
8x8 oil on canvas
unframed unstretched

#5 Island study
8x8 oil on canvas
unframed unstretched

#6 light house study
8x8 oil on canvas
unframed unstretched

Have a peek and there just may be something Perfect for you Holiday list...

 first come - first pick
See Paintings HERE

PayPal only :)


www.jrbaldini.com

Plein Air Painter - SALE Demo & Studies Paintings

American Contemporary plein air painter.
(click image to enlarge)
I've been going through demo paintings & studies because I need room for new .

ALL Paintings 
FREE standard shipping included.
Even some with frames
HAVE FUN !
Great gift Ideas...
Items for sale - updated as we have items of interest
NO SHIPPING CHARGE FOR PAINTINGS ANYWHERE IN THE US
(standard shipping only included)

PAYPAL only
You do not need a PAYPAL account - Credit Cards can be used.
Shipping is included anywhere in the US by USPS if applicable

Insurance is the responsibility of the bidder if desired.

In the event the same item is purchased by 2 buyers at the same time, the earliest time stamp is the buyer
& the other person will be refunded via PAYPAL.
#1 Orchids
Acrylic demo
9x12 unframed

#2 Back Garden
Oil 6x8 framed

#3 Lighthouse
Oil on board
8x10 unframed

See more SALE ITEMS HERE

Plein air painter - Great SALE on studies & Demo paintings

American Contemporary plein air painter.

I've been sorting through some of the Demo paintings and outdoor studies to make room in my studio.
Somehow, most of these never seem to surface again...til I'm in the studio looking for something.
This hardly ever happens because I'm always painting outdoors.
So now to make room for new direction, I'm offering this select group of studies and demos
Some are Oil, some watercolors - even a few framed...(see sample below)


Have a peek and there just may be something Perfect for you Holiday list...

 first come - first pick
See Paintings HERE

PayPal only :)

Happy Holidays Y'all !!

Plein Air Painter - Sarasota Longboat Key workshop

American Contemporary plein air painter.
Sarasota/ Longboat Key Workshop



Each day starts with a morning demonstration and lecture focusing on bold composition with underpainting.
You will learn to make quick decisions and simplify for the most impact. We will discuss Color relationships, detail, form and edges
Put the brakes on and learn to 'bake the cake' before you apply the frosting (accents)

Participants should be able to start a second painting for the afternoon session so it is suggested to work no larger than 12x12. I will be working square.

Supervised painting until 4:30 pm each day

This workshop is focused on making you a faster and better painter, capturing the essence of the landscape

Workshop is from 10:00 - 4:30 pm
2 day Workshop Cost pp is $297.00 US


ARTWORKSHOPS



or call the studio at 1 800 393-7270 during studio hours.

Plein Air Painter - me & James Cameron Niagara Falls Arts & Culture Wall of Fame

American Contemporary plein air painter.

Recently I had the honor of being inducted into the Niagara Falls Arts & Culture Wall of Fame along with Director James Cameron, of AVATAR and TITANIC fame.
As an American living and working in Niagara Falls, Canada, I was especially honored to be included with the names that make up the Wall of Fame.


WATCH VIDEO
(click on images to enlarge)



In photo (l to r)
MPP Kim Craitor,Attorney General Rob Nicholson,Mayor Ted Salci,artist J.R. Baldini




www.jrbaldini.com

Plein Air Painter - How to decide on a workshop

American Contemporary plein air painter.

The most difficult decision...

On a few occasions, I've been in a dollar store and overheard a Mom or Grandma explaining to a young child that they were giving them a dollar and they could buy anything in the whole store they wanted , but only one thing...

First the child is unbelievably excited and runs off to explore the 'eye candy', only to come back in a few minutes to ask 'should I get this or this...??' hoping for -
1. the answer that they can have both
2. Having the decision made for them.

The investment is minimal

but the responsibility of multiple choice is overwhelming !

I get emails and phone calls from people trying to make an educated decision about taking a workshop. The desire is there, but they're really just looking for a positive reinforcement, that I think the workshop is a good fit for them.

The truth is, you take a workshop to grow. A tiny step can often lead to a big shift in your paradigm. One of the most sincerely rewarding parts of teaching workshops is seeing participants make a break through in their creativity.

What happens next is important...The break through may come, but

1. You may quickly begin to dismiss or explain it away, not trusting your eyes or feelings.

2. You may not even recognize that a break through happened.

A breakthrough can often be a direction you don't recognize. Your creativity can manifest strongly in a way you don't feel comfortable with .And that's the whole purpose !! If you're in your comfort zone, you're not growing.

If you join us in the safe, encouraging atmosphere of a workshop, you will be totally supported, uplifted and surprised at what you are capable of.

Jacqueline

www.jrbaldini.com
POSTERS & PRINTS of my paintings available HERE
P.S.
The 2011 Art workshop schedule will be posted in the next few weeks.
If you'd like advance notice, just go to ARTWORKSHOPS and sign up for the newsletter

Plein Air Painter - Bruce Trail

American Contemporary plein air painter.
J. R. Baldini, left Kathryn A McMahon, right
click on image to enlarge



Painting on the Bruce Trail today with Florida artist, Kathryn McMahon.
Yes, we had 3 layers of clothing but, the weather was quite mild with the sun out.
Kathryn's paintings in photo.

www.jrbaldini.com
Find me on FACEBOOK

Plein Air Painter - News

American Contemporary plein air painter.

Not signed up for my artworkshops newsletter yet ?
Find out the 2011 artworkshop dates as soon as they're published.

You can read it online HERE

J. R. Baldini website HERE

Niagara Falls Plein Air Painting Video

American Contemporary plein air painter.



artworkshops.homestead.com

Modern Art - Ready Made Art ?

American Contemporary plein air painter.

Has representational art become 'lowly Art' to major museums ?
Modern Artists would have you believe this...
The deliberate absence of beauty in Modern Art, shows that we have progressed beyond representation, right ? or
... does the Emperor have no clothes ?
The Absence of Beauty

Can our Society really be defined by Modern Art ? Have we been reduced to only showing negative emotion ?
Art Imitates Life and Life Imitates Art

Anti-mimesis is a philosophical position that holds the direct opposite of mimesis. Its most notable proponent is Oscar Wilde, who held in his 1889 essay The Decay of Lying that "Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life". In the essay, written as a Platonic dialogue, Wilde holds that such anti-mimesis "results not merely from Life's imitative instinct, but from the fact that the self-conscious aim of Life is to find expression, and that Art offers it certain beautiful forms through which it may realize that energy.".[

www.jrbaldini.com

FOLLOW my new page at Facebook HERE

Plein Air Painter - Last workshop in Niagara Falls

American Contemporary plein air painter.
Last workshop in Niagara Falls this weekend.

I will also be in a group show at the Queenston, Ontario Library
starting October 14th.


Stop by & see the show !

J.R.

Plein Air Painting-Monhegan Paintings

American Contemporary plein air painter on Monhegan Island in August

Got the chance this week to photograph a few of the paintings from a recent trip to Monhegan Island in Maine. I've been painting the island since 1974.
All paintings are done outdoors.
The beauty of Monhegan inspired me years ago to offer plein air painting workshops there.
The saying is 'everywhere you look is a painting waiting to happen'.
Find out the dates as soon as they are scheduled for 2011 on the 'island that time forgot' HERE



Stay tuned for a new video coming soon from the 2010 workshop.

J.R. Baldini.com

Plein Air Painting-Monhegan Workshop

American Contemporary plein air painter.
Updates on the Monhegan Workshop week

Plein Air Painters - Door County Invitational

American Contemporary plein air painter.
So behind with my blog...
Got back from the Door County Plein Air Invitational last Sunday.
Met a great group pf plein air painters there, as well as the event coordinators who run a first class event.
We had 5

IPAP

Signature Members there - it was the first time meeting a couple of them in person.



www.jrbaldini.com

Plein Air Painter - Munson Williams Proctor Art Festival

American Contemporary plein air painter.

I was in town for the weekend and got the unusual chance to catch the Sidewalk Art Show and Student Art Show.
The Sidewalk Art Show was unremarkable with uncreative pieces, crafty looking pieces and poorly framed pieces. I inquired and was told that the show was still juried ?

The Museum itself has undergone a transformation with intimate coves for special collections, like the Thomas Cole "Voyage of Life" series. I spent many hours as a child fascinated with this series.I started Art School here at 10.



In the main floor galleries, the Student Show was displayed. Seems they were still teaching the same, in some cases using the same furniture, only the names had changed. The Student Show was still more interesting than the juried show
outside.
I noted two paintings one by Marcial Romano reminiscent of Alice Neel


And another sculptural piece by Patrick Branigan
I overheard two guys who had stopped in front of a Pollock - one saying to the other -wow, I guess they have some original pieces here.

The little gems are still intact inside the Museum
The Arts Festival takes place annually in July.

Plein Air Painter - favorite locations

American Contemporary plein air painter.
This painting is one of my favorite locations.
I call it Cliff House.
The front is actually almost level with the road, but from the sea, looks to be a lonely watcher (click to enlarge)

Available for your collection

www.jrbaldini,com

Plein Air Painter - artworkshops newsletter

American Contemporary plein air painter.

Sign up for my artworkshops newsletter HERE
or you can view the latest edition online HERE

Having wonderful weather - get out and paint !

All workshops including new locations San Miguel Allende and Taos HERE

Plein Air Painter - Check what you can do to help Wildlife efforts

Use Social Media to Spread the Word About the Oil Spill - National Wildlife Federation

Plein Air Painting - Oil Paintings

American Contemporary plein air painter.

This was demo done during a workshop and was sitting in the studio waiting for the finishing touches that I am never able to get to during a workshop.
(click on image to enlarge)

It's the road leading up to the lighthouse on Monhegan Island in Maine.

See more Monhegan Island paintings at
http://jrbaldini.com

Plein Air Painter - Judging an Art Show

American Contemporary plein air painter.

A month ago, I did the jurying for Havre de Grace for the 3rd year in a row, I believe.
The quality of the work was very good and they should have an excellent show.

Last night I was one of the judges for a juried show in Niagara Falls at Mt. Carmel Centre called 'Art in the Mist'.
My fellow judges were Tom Goldspink from TAG Gallery and Dr.Santina Malaguti from Amano Libera Gallery, both in St. Catharine's, Ont.



After almost 2 hrs, we had picked out 4 first, and a Best of Show, totally in agreement.
The three of us plan to be in touch in the near future.
It was a positive first experience judging here in the Niagara area.

The show continues through this weekend.
Congratulations to the winning artists !

American Contemporary Plein Air Painter

Plein air painter - Niagara Parks & Recreation, Ontario

American Contemporary plein air painter.
Parks & Recreation Ontario Commission

Earlier this year I was commissioned by Parks & Recreation Ontario to create 140 watercolors.
The paintings were delivered in April for an awards ceremony.
All of the paintings were versions of Niagara Falls.

www.jrbaldini.com

Plein Air Painter - Monet's Haystacks

American Contemporary plein air painter.



Hello plein air painters !

I am an American Contemporary plein air painter living & working in Niagara Falls, Canada.
As an American, I secretly delight in the fact that the National Gallery of Canada, refers me as the only Contemporary artist painting Niagara Falls.
You see, to the painters in this area, studios are much more comfortable and why would they want to paint Niagara anyway ? It's just a tacky tourist trap...

But, you see, they're missing the whole point - Niagara is many things, the light is spectacular and the forms forever morphing...
Niagara is to me what haystacks were to Monet..

Anyway, here I am in Niagara, where I can paint this fabulous cataract daily, when I'm not traveling or instructing workshops or hanging out with my husband Charlie (who's a Master Photographer) and my little dog BeBe Star.

In 2001, just after 911, I founded International Plein Air Painters, a Worldwide organization. Maybe you've heard about the annual Worldwide Plein Air Paint Out each September ? The group is active online and registration for 2010 is currently open.

You can visit my website, if you have a minute at
http://jrbaldini.com/
http://jrbaldini.blogspot.com/

or check which workshops are scheduled at
http://artworkshops.homestead.com/

Thanks for reading and hope to see you out there somewhere...

Plein Air Painter - Art Workshops - Niagara Falls USA

American Contemporary plein air painter
June 5 & 6, 2010

(click to enlarge - photo courtesy of Ann Krol Hair)

Kick off Summer with a plein air painting workshop at the American Falls at Niagara.
Niagara Falls State Park is one of the most historic, gorgeous and dramatic places to paint on the east Coast.
Niagara Falls State Park is celerating its 125th Anniversary Article HERE
The workshops offer focus on working in acrylic/oils .



One of the most beautiful painting locations in North America!



Beginner to Intermediate Levels welcome



The two day workshops are $275.00 US pp .(no price increase since 2002)

The Niagara Falls area is a beautiful area for painting and family fun both on the US and Canadian side.

This is the only plein air art workshop offered in Niagara Falls, USA
Jacqueline is referred by the National Gallery in Ottawa as the only Contemporary Artist painting Niagara Falls
More info about the workshop HERE

For your accomodations information hotels that are situated near the Niagara Falls State Park includes the Red Coach Inn, Holiday Inn, Econo Lodge at the Falls, The Giacomo, Comfort Inn The Pointe Hotel, Quality Inn, and Seneca Niagara Casino and Spa Hotel.

American Contemporary plein air painter - Old friends

American Contemporary plein air painter.

During a recent workshop, I had packed a few things quickly - one being my brush carrier.
My brushes are stored in the studio gathered in a vertical container, jar, vase of some kind. I grabbed a handful and when I began painting, I recognized an old friend.

When I was 10 years old, my parents sent me to Munson Williams Proctor School of Art in Utica, NY.
In addition to the Children's Saturday morning classes, I was allowed to attend an oil painting class on one weekday evening.
I still have these brushes, very carefully carved with a J, so no one would take them on me. Obviously treated roughly but, like the Velveteen Rabbit, treasured...



www.jrbaldini.com

Plein Air Painter - Art Workshops

American Contemporary plein air painter.

It's finally May - a wonderful time of year to paint outdoors !
In getting ready for the workshop this weekend, I have seen on the weather channel that we may get a bit of rain. The workshop in Myrtle Beach the end of April had rain and it was exciting to be able to capture the atmosphere !
I always say 'how many sunny days can you paint ?'
I will be upload a short video demo of this painting in the next few days on to my website
One of the reasons this is my favorite time of year to paint, is my annual trip to the Niagara Centennial Lilac Gardens. If we don't get the chance this weekend, definitely soon !


Talk later
Jacq

Plein Air Painter - Historical Paintings

American Contemporary plein air painter.

This morning I was in a vault,standing a foot away from a Rockwell Kent painting of Monhegan Island painted in 1905, when Kent was just 23 years old and had arrived on the Island in June of that year.

I had a two hour meeting with the Curator of the Riverbrink Museum in Queenston, Ontario.
I got a call from him last week to see if I might be interested in displaying some work.
The Museum/Gallery is on the way to Niagara on the Lake.

My work will be in the Museum by the end of May.

Plein air painter - working from studies

Plein air painter - working from studies

A few weeks ago, I took a commission from Parks and Recreation Ontario for 140 small watercolors.
This one of my first commissions in many moons that is studio work. The watercolors are being done from some of my plein air sketches.

I have a deadline of April 1st and then the paintings get shipped to the framers.
As of today, I have 89 of the watercolors finished.

I know how I will be spending my weekend...wouldn't you know, the temps outside are glorious, just begging for me to get outside and forget working in the studio !

Gotta run...

Plein Air Painter - Art Workshops

Plein air painter - art workshops
Look for our ad in the new issue of

on news stands now.
or BUY the issue now HERE

Plein air painter - Ringling School of Art

Plein air painter - Ringling School of Art

Yesterday, at the Ringling School of Art, I met up with artist/instructor Patrick Fiore.
Both of us as ex Uticans had a common connection. We did a tour of some of the classrooms and galleries on campus.
I got a chance to see some of Pat's works in progress in his studio off campus. Pat's a very interesting artist.
You can see some of his work HERE

After that it was off to Anna Maria island for some sightseeing and lunch at Rotten Ralph's

Try their seafood gumbo-with a kick !
We stopeed to get some great photos of Coquina Beach on the way back

And we finished at Michael's on East with a a late dinner in the lounge with live music and some seafood and walked out into the still warm Florida night...

Plein Air Painter - Longboat Key, Florida

Plein Air Painter - Longboat Key, Florida

Finally a gorgeous beach day !

We were able to spend the afternoon on Longboat Key beach.
This is a 12x12 oil on linen