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Ever Wonder: How Long Does It Take to Make A Painting?

Ever wondered how long it takes to make a painting?

“Scottish Plume Thistle” | 8″x10″ | Oil on Board | $360 | ©MargaretDukeman


Many times I’ve been asked
“How Long Did That Painting Take To Complete?”
There is no short simple answer to this question.
 
An artist’s work of art is similar to the delivering of a baby, much thought and preparation goes into it. With your art you’ve thought about it, researched the subject, discovered the best angles and composition, done quick sketches and/or take photos as reference for the studio, and developed the color scheme that develops the mood you are trying to achieve. Each painting is a building block in the castle of your skills through new brush strokes, color combinations and different mediums. This experimenting and learning of skills are carried-over from one painting to the next.
 

Continue reading “Ever Wonder: How Long Does It Take to Make A Painting?”

Why Ireland?

I have always been inquisitive about family history, but no one could have told me that making my first trip to West Cork, Ireland would make such a deep impression on me.    This trip was to discover the land of my ancestors but once on the ground I knew it held so much more.  It quickly won my heart with its family history, wonderfully warm friendly people and the stunning landscapes everywhere I looked.  I felt an immediate need to bring these emotions to my easel.

Ireland 11 - DUK_7044 low res

Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”  ~John Muir

My ancestors come from the Beara Peninsula, an area of Ireland that is not intensely populated.  What it lacks in numbers it makes up for in its treasure trove of landscapes and history.  Continue reading “Why Ireland?”

It’s All About that RED!

RED

|of a color at the end of the spectrum next to orange and opposite violet, as of blood, fire, or rubies|

Red has never been a favorite color of mine.  Think about it…

•  It means to Stop and I don’t like to stop!
•  Danger is marked with it…No Thank You I’ll pass on danger!
•  Red Marks on Homework…Naw, I’ll pass on those as well!
•  A red number on your register…Bad News!

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I know what you are thinking:  “Those aren’t red flowers.  What’s wrong with this artist?”  I see nothing positive about being associated with the color red for me unless that means you are purple or orange.  What makes red so special to so many anyway?

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Have you ever seen red that is was soft and welcoming?  Even when you see items for Valentine’s Day they throw a soft pink in there to tone things down. No passion could be that hot…Could it?!?

Red has just always been one of those colors that I avoid. It screams for all your attention no matter where it is. It doesn’t play well with others and as far as I’m concerned needs to stay home.

In my paint baskets there is red, of course. However, Miss Red has a very small basket and has to share with many other colors since there are so few in her family. She is also not allowed to come out and play often as I have many other more “desirables” that like to co-mingle and don’t have to be reprimand. Now don’t get me wrong she does make an appearance when I need a bangin’ orange or a bold rich burgundy. When it comes to playing alone on the canvas that rarely happens. I have always told collectors that if they see a painting of mine with red and love red they had better add it to their collection because they don’t come up frequently.

Even at Christmas I refuse red and all it’s family. Instead, I lean towards purple and all its calming richness that looks great with the oranges of a fire in the fireplace. To add a bit of spark to my purple I love throwing in a Dr. Seuss lime green. You know the one I’m talking about. After all who doesn’t love Dr. Seuss?!?

If forced to work with red I adapt it (get ready for it and remember I’m an artist) into a purple red, a warm orange red with richness and bit of softness. Never a fire engine red! DANGER!

I am not sure what red has ever done to me but I just know to stay clear.  Does anyone else dislike the obnoxious screams of red?

What colors do you dislike and why?

Let me know what colors I should include in my next painting by leaving them in the comments below.

The Art of the Location

When you visit an art exhibition the artist is trying to evoke emotions and feelings within you. All elements are critically important for a show as they each play a part in conveying the message. Some exhibitions are more compelling than others in their ability to grab you and your emotions.

The walls on which the works hang can help send the message or simply surround it.

What a location adds to the artwork had never been so obvious until recently when I attended two similarly themed exhibitions in two very different locations: one a famine era workhouse and the other an art museum.

“Coming Home” Art & The Great Hunger Exhibition, Uillinn, Skibbereen, Ireland

Both were art exhibits having to do with Ireland’s “Great Hunger” and its affects on human life and daily life around Ireland in the mid-1800’s. Both exhibitions had works that were equally beautiful and impeccably displayed. The art museum had a variety of mediums while the workhouse art was all the same mediums by the same artist.

The art museum had a contemporary setting with beautiful lighting and video presentations to help explain the time period. The other was a restored famine workhouse with 150+ year old roughly textured walls. The two venues were completely opposite. The workhouse contained deep dark bog oak sculptures. Bog oak is not a particular species rather oak that has been buried for hundreds sometimes thousands of years in a pet bog. The oak’s dark brown almost black coloring comes from the peat in which it is buried. For me the emotions evoked with the unity of the workhouse and the deep dark bog oak sculptures was simply magnificent. There was a strong contrast between the whitewashed wall color and the deep brown hand-rubbed oak. This venue magnified the message of the trials and tribulations, that are still felt today, with the Irish people.

Kieran Touhy’s, “Dark Shadows” Exhibition, Portumna, Ireland

Remember a lot can be added to an exhibition that is viewed in a space other than a standard gallery or museum. Never by-pass an exhibition in an alternative space as it may hold visual treasures within its walls.

Where is the most interesting venue you’ve visited for an art exhibition?

Look For The Unexpected!

When I plan a trip I’m looking for the out of the way, not typical, adventure laden locations. I want to find places that will inspire my creativity, most of the time my choices aren’t tourist location. Many of the times it’s the roads less traveled that peak and hold my interest.

Portmagee, Kerry, Ireland

While in Ireland these back roads also hold a bit of a challenge until you become familiar with driving on the left-hand side of the road in a teeny tiny car with a huge lorry (that would be a semi-truck) coming at you quite obviously partially on your side. While learning to deal with this heart-palpitating adventure you discover the safest method is to just pull over as far as you can and stop, close your eyes and hope for the best. HAHAHA! Once you get used to it you do somewhat the same thing only you keep moving and keep at least one eye open…and hope for the best. Eventually you do master this challenge and transportation fears become a thing of the past. Once this happens you actually start finding yourself getting frustrated with the “tourists” who you no longer consider yourself a part of. There is no problem wherever you are on the scale there is sure to be a pub around the next corner to soothe whatever ails you. This activity can be very inspirational and soothing and I suggest it at least once a day…the pub that is!

Dun Chaoin Pier, Kerry, Ireland

Beautiful flowers grow wild and “hedges” take the place of chemical spraying…so much more environmentally friendly. Spraying of chemicals or mowing every square inch of roadside simply isn’t done in Ireland. I’d love to see more of this be done in the states. Nature has a way of making things beautiful all on its own. In many places these stunning, tall roadside “hedges” are actually rock walls covered in plants…yet another good reason to have fear of driving. If you get too close to these walls you will have new “racing stripes” down the side of your car due to rocks leaving their signature. You learn to absolutely love these “hedges” because the colony of flowers calling them home is so impressive. The cracks and crevices of these walls host many varieties of grasses, flowers, trees and wildlife.

Don’t Fence Me In, 48”x24”, ©️Margaret Dukeman[[
While traveling the countryside staying between the walls will be a challenge because beautiful ruins will be calling your name from just outside of site. Let one eye stray just don’t let them call both eyes off the road for too long. Stopping for a moment is usually the best idea so you can gawk in awe of the structures and their ability to remain standing. The alternative to choosing to stop is to have a “road hazard” giving you a reason to stopl. These “road hazards” will facilitate the necessity to slow down or stop and grab a peak behind the hedge/stone wall. These types of stops are my favorite! Who wouldn’t like to see some adorable four-legged friends?

I figure “road hazards” both on the driving roads or the road of life are a reason to slow down and really look at the world around you. Join me in celebrating “road hazards”!

Who votes for more “road hazards”! Me, Me, Me!!!

Rays of Sunshine Warm Our Lives

Some days the sunshine’s out without even being seen. Today the sun shone brightly and warmed all inside a pub called “The Anvil Pub”, in the small town of Boolteens, Castlemaine, Ireland. They hosted a gathering of our world’s golden treasures, a group of the older generation. They were taking turns singing songs of years ago and dancing to old favorites. Being allowed to share in their performance is a memory I shall never forget! Nothing is better than sweet memories.

Events like this are what I bring to my Irish paintings, through the feelings I get and the warmth it brings my heart.

People make the land through their presence, curiosity, kindness and hard work.

I’ve been very fortunate to have brushed the sleeves of so many kind people. I’ve always felt the lifeblood of the land was its people. Without meeting the people you can’t possibly understand and love the land. In Ireland many families have worked and nurtured the same land for many generations. They know each rock, stream and blade of grass. Land is incredibly valued as it was taken away so many times in their history.

Another strong ray of sunshine appeared as I was invited by Liz, (owner of “The Anvil Pub”) to visit the inspiration to the name of her establishment. Across the street stood a four generation blacksmith shop filled with years of craftsmanship and love.

Front window sill of storage

The village farmer’s brands for the sheep’s horns

Four generations of hand-forged horseshoes

Inside was nearly three centuries of creations and history, through the farmer’s brands on the door, hand-wrought horseshoes from all the years past, along with years and years of decorative metal for churches, fences and homes. He definitely is a cornerstone to his village and you could feel the lifeblood of his family inside the four walls. The love this man has for his craft was quite obvious and being allowed to move about the space was a wonderful opportunity. I wish him many more years of time to share his love of metal. His contribution to the community and land gave me yet another memory to bring to my paintings.

What are YOUR rays of sunshine? Leave them in the comments below.

Amazing Ireland!

The exhibition is up and open, so I’m off to find the best of the Irish backroads to photograph, create and inspire.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Many of the photographs I take will find their way to the easel, while others will help inspire and some will be used as supportive means of creativity and reminders of the feelings and emotions that were present in Ireland.

By using the backroads I’m able to find things that others pass by on the big wide fast roads: back roads force you to drive more slowly so you see what’s around you.

When was the last time you stopped for a ruin and started crawling around inside?

I’m sure many of you are wondering what I could possibly find in a ruin. Check out the way this old window hole frames the landscape outside. Without going inside I never would have known what it had to offer.

Cahermore, Ireland | ©️Margaret Dukeman

PAINTINGS

The magic of this one is not alone the framing of the landscape, although that is pretty darn impressive. 1) Check out the stones and the directions they are turned and the texture they bring to the photo. 2) The deep dark shadows that help add a higher degree of contrast to the composition and balance the brightness of the landscape. Now we have a photo worth making it to the easel…maybe. It takes more than a great photo to be a painting for me.

Lehanmore, Beara Peninsula, Ireland

Today I found myself hiking up a mountain and sitting on the top. It started out as a way to see the view and what was on the other side. However while sitting, I spent time writing, thinking and creating. There was nothing to interrupt my thoughts up there and everything seemed as clear as the skies. I find there is nothing better than the outdoors to make you feel truly alive and able to take-on whatever life might throw your way.

Not a bad end to a day on the top!

Lehanmore & Dursey Island | ©️Margaret Dukeman

Ireland Exhibition Opens!

My newest solo exhibition: “For The Love of The Land” opened in Allihies, Ireland on August 10, 2018. The exhibition consists of 24 paintings illustrating my affinity for the land and animals of Ireland. It will hang at the Allihies Copper Mine Museum and Gallery until September 7, 2018.

Allihies Copper Mine Museum & Gallery, Allihies, Ire.

Growing up in a family with many generations of farmers I have a real appreciation for the land and all it provides. Land is truly the life-blood of the farmer and the family. I remember growing up at my Grandparents’ house and being told to “shush” when the noontime farm report came on and then again when the weather report was on. The farm report told them the price of commodities for the day, while the weather report determined their day and their worries: Were the crops getting what they needed or were lean times ahead? All of this made a big impression on me as a child and definitely formed my appreciation for the land.

Big skies bring big possibilities for me. I love the wide array of colors and the power that they hold inside. Whether they are a strong cobalt blue or if they carry heavy dark storm clouds their magnitude is a beauty to behold. Winds rolling across the prairie were such a refreshing welcome on a hot Summer’s day as a child. I also loved laying on the grass and making the clouds into characters.

My affinity for these elements is what also helped along my strong connection with the land. Today I spend around six weeks a year walking the lands of my ancestors in Ireland. Here is where I find a real connection and sense of peace with my roots and the sacrifices, determination and true grit that they must have had to make the long emigration by boat from Ireland to America.

“Woolie”, 12”x12” Oil on Board

Feeling at peace is so important…Where do you feel most at peace in your life?

Please leave yours in the comments I’d love to know!

ITTY BITTY TEENY TINY

Challenging my Art

I like a good challenge even in my art so I decided to buy the smallest boards I could find and see if I could translate 3’x7′ down to 4″x4″. First I had to figure out just exactly what the subject matter would be. I went back to one I was familiar with…Flowers. Continue reading “ITTY BITTY TEENY TINY”

Five Days, 2 Bags and an Exhibition to Go!

FIVE DAYS | With five days left before I leave for my six weeks in Ireland it’s starting to become crunch time. Time to wind up projects I’ve been working on and start putting together my mobile art studio. For me the piles have start forming of things that can’t be forgotten. This is how I pre-pack the week before I leave. How could anyone be expected to remember everything while packing?

TWO BAGS | My two bags consist of one carry-on and a large checked bag. Anyone who knows me would Continue reading “Five Days, 2 Bags and an Exhibition to Go!”