Nearly finished with the first of the Minneopa work.

There were quite a few people at the state park on Independence day this year.  I drew quite a crowd at times.  The sun wasn't shining as brightly as I would have liked, but there was no wind and it was relatively bright.  I am looking forward to the next painting and picking away to finish this one.

Destination: Minneopa State Park

William Bukowski

Minneopa I

oil on linen- in progress

The painting has been going well, the paint flies off the brush and lands in just the right places.  I can see 3 or 4 more paintings from where I am standing and can imagine working larger.  Painting from life in such a place is really a joy and a privilege.

Reality and Illusion

This is a picture of day 3 at Minneopa State Park. The image blends into the landscape.  My painting is done in a diagonal fashion without thinking about it to much.  There are three secrets to this kind of painting.  1. you have to find the rhythm of the image and 2. you have to find the mark you want to make.  3.  you have to study the light and pick the combination of effects that work. 

 It is compressing the 2-3 hour experience into one image.  It implies light and movement and wind but that is the illusion.  

The most fun part of this painting is painting the waterfall.  It seems like a cliche, but it is hypnotic when stare at moving water. 

Painting "En Plein Air"

William Bukowski

oil on linen      40" X 30"

Minneopa I

This is the evidence of one afternoon of painting at Minneopa State Park.  The waterfall is really exciting to paint.  The noise is soothing and I am totally in the shade while painting.  The light changes but I take a lot of mental notes and will adjust the light as I get further along.  The time in the painting will probably be 3:30 pm.  Rocks and water......ahhh

Finally........ summer painting!

Summer finally arrived for me.  I started painting from life a day ago.  This summer I have decided to split time with Minneopa State Park right outside of Mankato and the gardens of Sibley Park right in Mankato.  Minneopa has two falls and some very cool rock formations.  Here is a shot of my set up.  There are 2 days of paintings represented on canvas in this photo. 

 There was a slight breeze so there were almost no bugs.  The paint is going on very easily.  I think there are some great possibilities here.

Christy's Cafe Wine Tasting and VINE Benefit Show

There is a reception this Friday, from 6 -9 pm,  June 12 at Christy's Cafe in North Mankato.  For me it is only the second show in a restaurant and still an unorthodox location for an art exhibition.  I think there have been many shows in cafes in Paris and the capitals of Europe, why not North Mankato? 

Like my recent shows, the focus is the garden at Sibley Park in Mankato.  Morgan Creek Vineyards of New Ulm will be doing some wine tasting and hopefully people will be enjoying the views of summer.

Inspiration II New Wave and NeoRealism

Another source of inspiration for painters is films.  The inspiration is less direct but just as thorough.  For the past several years now that so many great films are available for the first time on DVD,  I have been watching the films of Fellini, Antonioni and Godard.  Each film maker came into his own in the 1950s and each thought of film as an art form rather than meerly entertainment.  When you see one of their masterpieces, you can't help but reflect on the visual strength of their work.  How they play with the language of films and how each is extremely interested in the purely visual.  In the book, I, Fellini, Federico talks about his films as paintings.  The complexity of each man's work can only inspire how one looks at films but also all visual experiences.
I think another benefit of looking outside of your art form for inspiration is that it causes you to reflect more objectively on the visual experience you are creating.