Thursday, September 25, 2008
PLEIN AIR PAINTING IN THE VINEYARD
Due to the response to Visual Voyages Wine Country Weekend, (see http://visualvoyages.net), I have added a day trip for those of you who can't commit to a whole weekend. We are planning a day of Plein Air painting at Elk Cove Estate Winery near Yamhill, Oregon on October 11, 2008! The day will begin at 10:00 AM at the winery where we will set up in the vineyard to paint and sketch. You will be served a picnic lunch in the Gazebo, and then tour the winery at 1:00 PM. This will be followed by painting the afternoon away in the vineyard, or sampling more wine....as you wish.
We will also be caravaning down from Vancouver, so if you want to join us, or need a ride, be sure to call. We will leave Vancouver at around 9:00 AM on Saturday morning, and return at approximately 6:00 PM.
This fun day of painting for only $50! This covers the cost of the tour, the lunch, and the personalized painting instruction by Sharon.
Contact us for more details. Or call 360-721-1621!
We will also be caravaning down from Vancouver, so if you want to join us, or need a ride, be sure to call. We will leave Vancouver at around 9:00 AM on Saturday morning, and return at approximately 6:00 PM.
This fun day of painting for only $50! This covers the cost of the tour, the lunch, and the personalized painting instruction by Sharon.
Contact us for more details. Or call 360-721-1621!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Painting in the Vineyard!
If you'd like to join me for this weekend - check out http://visualvoyages.net! Or call my studio: 360-721-1621 - VERY LIMITED SPACE STILL AVAILABLE!
I am so excited about this new venture! Elk Cove Vineyards has invited my plein air painting group to paint in the vineyards there during their annual "Crush" - which is vineyard speak for harvesting the grapes. Our weekend retreat is intended not only to give artists and wine lovers a chance to paint, sketch and practice our photography skills in beautiful natural surroundings, but a chance to learn something about the burgeoning viticulture of the Northwest.
Oregon's northern latitude brings long hours of summer sunshine to its vineyards producing some of the finest Pinot Noirs and Red Varietals in the country. Only a few miles from Portland, these remarkable vineyards of the Willamette Valley enjoy occasional marine breezes that breach the Coastal range, and help moderate the climate, causing the ripening process for wine grapes to be gradual. The combination of these conditions encourages complex fruit flavors, aromatics and nuances in these northern-Oregon-grown wines, complexities that allow Oregon wineries to compete well with other world-class wineries.
We will be staying in a true fairy tale cottage -- The Lake House is nestled on a five-acre parcel of land in the heart of vineyards in Yamhill County. This enchanted cottage was built by a man of Irish descent and short stature, with red hair, a beard, and a touch of magic in his soul. Legend has it that the design of his dream home was influenced by the spirit of his homeland.
After visiting the Lake house and stepping through the arched red doorway, I felt transported to another place and time. This old world style cottage with open beamed ceilings and cherry plank floors also features a breathtaking view of a large private pond. With a miniature island and footbridge, water lilies on blue water, and willow trees, this tranquil spot is reminiscent of Claude Monet’s lily ponds at Giverny. The Lake House is truly a painter's paradise – not to mention the scenic vineyards in the shadow of Mt. Hood.
My daughter, Lori, will be my able assistant during the weekend. She is a fantastic organizer and cook. (We still call her "Martha" because she insists on doing everything from scratch!) And we came up with a menu to die for!
When painters arrive, they will be greeted by Poire Champagne (Pear flavored) served with fresh Bosc Pears, and a cheese board straight from the Frommagerie. Lori has been studying up on her cheeses thanks to a new gourmet cheese bar at Fred Meyers that has $2 & $3 samples to take home to try. What a great idea to get us all to try different cheeses. So far, our favorites have been the creamy Italian Gogonzola (fantastic with pears), Tuscan Peccorino - a softer sheep's milk cheese than Roman Peccorino and great for melting over a firepit and scraping off the drips with crisp Italian bread, and Alla Pappa, a black pepper infused Chevre that holds it's own - extra creamy! Mmmm....I told you she was a Martha!
All this will be followed by Hand made Butternut Squash Ravioli with browned butter and sage, Asparagus Tips with Red Onion and Balsamic Glaze, Italian Bread....and yes, more pears for dessert. I came across a wonderful Pear Galette with Champagne Creme Anglaise recipe that will put you away!
Saturday will be the big day - we will start off painting morning light at the lily pond a la Monet and the shifting light, and about 11:00 our Limo will arrive to take us to our first vineyard. John, our driver and wine afficionado will take us to a small vineyard that is known for it's Pinot Noir and is generally not open to the public. Next we will head to Elk Cove Vineyards where Lori will meet us with a French Picnic, Lemonade, and our easels to set up in the vineyard to paint. We will stay there til around 2:00 PM and then venture to Sokol Blosser Vineyards and Tasting Rooms - a very large vineyard and one of the oldest family owned winery around. Next off to 2 more small vineyards and then home at 4:00 in time for either fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and a nap or another round of "Painting the Light" as our evening unfolds across the lily pond.
Dinner on Saturday night will be a Harvest Feast. Apple Cider will warm us up until the Roast of Pork with Fennel and Port arrives along side the Pecan/Cranberry Wild Rice, the Broccolini, and the fresh baked dinner rolls. Dessert will be Chocolate Cups and Lemoncello Sippers.
If we survive all the great food, wine, and painting of Saturday....we will be painting again Sunday morning out at the pond after a breakfast of Ham and Broccoli Quiche, fruit, yogurt, granola, coffee and tea.
Whew! What a weekend, with over 10 hours of painting instruction, two 4 course dinners, a 5 hour wine tour, and pampering beyond belief! I'm ready for that!
I am so excited about this new venture! Elk Cove Vineyards has invited my plein air painting group to paint in the vineyards there during their annual "Crush" - which is vineyard speak for harvesting the grapes. Our weekend retreat is intended not only to give artists and wine lovers a chance to paint, sketch and practice our photography skills in beautiful natural surroundings, but a chance to learn something about the burgeoning viticulture of the Northwest.
Oregon's northern latitude brings long hours of summer sunshine to its vineyards producing some of the finest Pinot Noirs and Red Varietals in the country. Only a few miles from Portland, these remarkable vineyards of the Willamette Valley enjoy occasional marine breezes that breach the Coastal range, and help moderate the climate, causing the ripening process for wine grapes to be gradual. The combination of these conditions encourages complex fruit flavors, aromatics and nuances in these northern-Oregon-grown wines, complexities that allow Oregon wineries to compete well with other world-class wineries.
We will be staying in a true fairy tale cottage -- The Lake House is nestled on a five-acre parcel of land in the heart of vineyards in Yamhill County. This enchanted cottage was built by a man of Irish descent and short stature, with red hair, a beard, and a touch of magic in his soul. Legend has it that the design of his dream home was influenced by the spirit of his homeland.
After visiting the Lake house and stepping through the arched red doorway, I felt transported to another place and time. This old world style cottage with open beamed ceilings and cherry plank floors also features a breathtaking view of a large private pond. With a miniature island and footbridge, water lilies on blue water, and willow trees, this tranquil spot is reminiscent of Claude Monet’s lily ponds at Giverny. The Lake House is truly a painter's paradise – not to mention the scenic vineyards in the shadow of Mt. Hood.
My daughter, Lori, will be my able assistant during the weekend. She is a fantastic organizer and cook. (We still call her "Martha" because she insists on doing everything from scratch!) And we came up with a menu to die for!
When painters arrive, they will be greeted by Poire Champagne (Pear flavored) served with fresh Bosc Pears, and a cheese board straight from the Frommagerie. Lori has been studying up on her cheeses thanks to a new gourmet cheese bar at Fred Meyers that has $2 & $3 samples to take home to try. What a great idea to get us all to try different cheeses. So far, our favorites have been the creamy Italian Gogonzola (fantastic with pears), Tuscan Peccorino - a softer sheep's milk cheese than Roman Peccorino and great for melting over a firepit and scraping off the drips with crisp Italian bread, and Alla Pappa, a black pepper infused Chevre that holds it's own - extra creamy! Mmmm....I told you she was a Martha!
All this will be followed by Hand made Butternut Squash Ravioli with browned butter and sage, Asparagus Tips with Red Onion and Balsamic Glaze, Italian Bread....and yes, more pears for dessert. I came across a wonderful Pear Galette with Champagne Creme Anglaise recipe that will put you away!
Saturday will be the big day - we will start off painting morning light at the lily pond a la Monet and the shifting light, and about 11:00 our Limo will arrive to take us to our first vineyard. John, our driver and wine afficionado will take us to a small vineyard that is known for it's Pinot Noir and is generally not open to the public. Next we will head to Elk Cove Vineyards where Lori will meet us with a French Picnic, Lemonade, and our easels to set up in the vineyard to paint. We will stay there til around 2:00 PM and then venture to Sokol Blosser Vineyards and Tasting Rooms - a very large vineyard and one of the oldest family owned winery around. Next off to 2 more small vineyards and then home at 4:00 in time for either fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and a nap or another round of "Painting the Light" as our evening unfolds across the lily pond.
Dinner on Saturday night will be a Harvest Feast. Apple Cider will warm us up until the Roast of Pork with Fennel and Port arrives along side the Pecan/Cranberry Wild Rice, the Broccolini, and the fresh baked dinner rolls. Dessert will be Chocolate Cups and Lemoncello Sippers.
If we survive all the great food, wine, and painting of Saturday....we will be painting again Sunday morning out at the pond after a breakfast of Ham and Broccoli Quiche, fruit, yogurt, granola, coffee and tea.
Whew! What a weekend, with over 10 hours of painting instruction, two 4 course dinners, a 5 hour wine tour, and pampering beyond belief! I'm ready for that!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Our Art Fair was a huge success this past weekend. English Estates is a small private vintner here in Vancouver that has been around since 1903, but only in the past 20 years have their wines begun to catch hold and mellow to produce some really nice Pinot Noirs. Their English Estate Black Pinot Reserve 2003 is an award winner and one of my favorites.
The art in the vineyard was so enticing with beautiful jewelry artists, potters, painters, photographers, and wire sculptures. Most every artist had sales, some more than others, and I am happy to say that I did very well selling several of my large acrylic paintings of French and Italian landscapes. My prints were also a hit and we came home Sunday exhausted but richer in both experience and profits! I will definitely go back again next year!
I guess my biggest news is that a gallery owner in a very tony part of town saw my work and has asked to represent me! That is good news indeed, and I will be meeting with her in the near future. So I will have to get busy and keep painting!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Art Show & Gallery
Join me for a wine tasting and art show at English Estate Winery on on July 12 & 13th. The venue is an historic, family-run vineyard and winery near Vancouver. The grounds are lovely, flowers abound, and the buildings are quaint. It's a bit impressionistic, in fact.
Besides having works of art for sale, I will also be advertising our upcoming workshops and European Holidays, so if you are around, come by for a taste of an old fashioned street fair and sample the wine and the art!
Also Andrea Collier, owner of Escape Studios has put out a call to artists to exhibit in her newly renovated gallery and tea room. She and hubby Joe offer all types of "good for you" things including massage and herbal healing, chiropracty, an herbal tea room and now ART! Many of my students will be exhibiting there in the near future!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Visual Voyages
2008 sees the continuation of Visual Voyages in a new location! I have finally re-started my private classes in a small studio I am renting, and have resumed planning for some new art getaways to places I love for me and any student who wants to come along. I have the opportunity to plan workshops with my good friend and former graduate school classmate, Lorna, who lives in France with her Belgian husband, Guy, and has graciously used her wide network of artists and friends to help me plan for a wonderful French Getaway near Provence. We are looking forward to spending time exploring sunflower and lavender fields, walking the same streets as Cezanne, and visiting the bistros, vineyards, and olive groves that inspired Van Gough, Monet, Manet, Villiard, and many more of my favorite impressionists.
Lorna's studio, the Four Winds, has room for us as a group not only to paint and sketch, but to swim in their lovely pool, raid the refrigerator, and even fix a communal meal there if we'd like. Her studio is unique and is shared by several artists, so we are fortunate to have this facility at our disposal.
Lorna is also a hot air balloonist, and that will be an added treat while we are there. Along with our trips to Carmargue to the beach, St. Remy, Arles, Nice, and Marseilles. This will truly be a heart-warming experience and a gift after my crazy year. I am truly looking forward to it.
Sharon
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