ON THE WAY TO GEORGE'S SERIES

I have been painting some studio pieces that were inspired by my trip this past summer to Cambridge, MA to visit George Van Hook.  Having lived in Vermont prior to to moving to Florida, I really miss the charm of the northeast landscape.


On The Way To George's / '52 Ford, 30x24, Oil on Canvas


On The Way To Georges / Old Timer,  24x36, Oil on Canvas

CLASS DEMO'S

I enjoy doing class demonstrations.  They are not labored and express a spontaneity that is produced in the process that amazes me. It is like, in twenty minutes max you have produced something that is fairly realistic but at the same time has a freedom of application that other planned pieces just do not have.

  

Still Life, 12x9, Oil on Panel



Arcadia National Park, Desert Island, Ma., 12x9, Watercolor



Demo, 5x5, Watercolor

50/50 EVENT AT THE ARMORY ART CENTER

The painting below was done at the Armory Art Centers fundraising event called 50/50 in West Palm  Beach.  Fifty Artists who get 50% commission on their painting that is sold in the auction.  You have 2 hours to complete your painting, and this includes setup and take down,  that is on a 16x20 canvas that is provided.  So you really are a bit stressed when you paint and of course people talking to you as you paint which eats up time also.  I think it is really fun, as well as challenging.

50/50, Oil on Canvas, 22x16

STUDIO OPEN HOUSE

You are invited to my Studio Open House.  I've just join Ralph Papa in a studio in Delray Beach, FL and we are celebrating my new space.  Hope to see you there!

JOIN ME IN FARINDOLA, ITALY

I have just announced my new plein air painting workshop to take place in Farindola, Italy June 13-20 and June 20-27, 2016.  The workshop is designed to limit the participants to 4 students in a location that is off the tourist path, allowing the participants to totally experience the Italian people and their culture. Without the distraction of the tourist crowds you can immerse yourself totally into your painting.  At the end of your week you can add onto your Italian adventure by choosing to do a 3 day tour of Rome or a 10 day Windstar Breeze Cruise along the Italian Coast. Pricing is separate. If you are interested contact Janet Miller at The Travel Gallery-American Express (561)-745-1559

#pleinair #pleinairworkshop #paintingworkshop #farindolaitaly #windstarbreezecruise #tedmatz.com

FREEDOM PORTABLES

So much for worrying about what my students want to paint. I'm always looking for beautiful and memorable places to paint. Last week I took my plein air class to Port Salerno to paint and I was planning on painting a wonderful scene of old fishing boats in the harbor with seagulls hovering in the air and amazing clouds billowing in the sky. Well that not exactly what happened! My students never fail to amaze me and we all ended up painting the port-a-john next to the dumpsters. We all had a blast doing it and my demo piece will always be one of the most memorable one for me.  

As a side note, it was Veterans Day and it might have influenced our decision to paint it, and of course the name Freedom Portables on the door help in the selection.  Good ole red, white and blue.
Freedom Portables, oil on linen panel, 12x9
‪#‎pleinairpainting‬ ‪#‎pleinair‬ ‪#‎portsalerno‬ ‪#‎oilpainting‬ ‪#‎lighthouseartcenter‬‪ #‎fishhouseartcenter‬

Florida Orange

I took my plein air class to Port Salerno at the Fish House Art Center to paint "old Florida".  I loved seeing this bright orange jeep parked next to this turquoise house with all of the cool blue shadows surrounding it and I just had to paint it.

Florida Orange, Oil on Linen Panel, 12x9   #pleinair #pleinairpainting #paintingworkshop #portsalerno #fishhouseartcenter #oilpainting

NEIGHBORS: Conway, Massachusetts

During my workshop in Massachusetts this summer I took my class out to this incredible farm with breathtaking views.  I loved this particular view because it reminded me of a Hooper painting and felt that I had to paint it.  It was painted with a limited palette of green, orange and violet.

Neighbors, Conway, Massachusetts, oil on canvas, 18x24, $1800

SNOWFARM WORKSHOP

I conduct workshops every year at SnowFarm in Williamsburg, Massachusetts.  This year I did a Plein Air Workshop and painted the beautiful landscape of the Berkshires.  I also am including some evening demo that I did for my students using fruit to illustrate painting principles that they could use in their landscapes.

MY SUMMER VACATION Part 2

I had the honor of painting with George Van Hook in Cambridge, NY.  I had a total blast with him and the locations he selected were fantastic.  Being in Florida most of the year I looked forward to painting a whole new landscape, one with far away vistas and mountain ranges. Loved every moment  of the experience.The first one is a painting that I did from a photograph that I took on the way to George's.  We don't have a lot of old barns in Southern Florida.    Below that are two painting that I produced While painting with George.

On The Way To George's, Oil on Canvas, 18x24

Cambridge Valley, Oil on Panel, 12x16 Above, Cambridge Valley 2, Oil on Panel, 9x12 Below.

MY SUMMER VACATION Part 1

It has been since May that I have posted anything on my blog.  I had a fabulous summer and it all started with a workshop that I gave in Arles, France.  We followed in the footsteps of Vincent Van Gogh, painted in the locations that he painted in and it really brought art history alive by doing it.  I have such a good connection to Vincent now that I have this experience.  The images below are all demo pieces that I produced during the workshop.

THE MARSHES OF THE LOXAHATCHEE

It was another beautiful day in Palm Beach County and the morning was just one of those days that you say, "God I am so lucky to live here!"  I think the part of plein air painting that I like the best is listening to the sounds of nature as all the creatures talk to you while you are painting.  The playfulness of the birds, the croaking of the frogs and the strange sounds that the alligators produce  all make for a wonderful musical treat to the ears.  But of course, you can't overlook the absolutely overwhelming beauty of nature that is in front of you and is your model for the days work.  There is nothing better for the soul and your spirit!  #plein air #Palm Beach #oil painting #Loxahatchee Wildlife Preserve

www.tedmatz.com

KEY WEST

I LOVE KEY WEST!  This was a location that I just had to paint one morning while on my morning walk.  I loved all of the fences, pilasters, verticals and horizontal lines in the one small area between a number of buildings.  I also loved all of the color that was happening,  the neutrals mixed with bright pinks and ochre colors and all of the greens of the foliage.  What a way to start the day!

WATERCOLOR LESSONS

These paintings below were all produced in Ted Hartley/Dina Merrill's weekly watercolor classes at their home in Palm Beach, Florida.  The classes are great to teach because the student ratio is low and it is in a relaxing atmosphere of drinks, food and great music.  Each photo shows a different  emphasis each week on a particular challenge and painting concept.

For the love of painting and friendship!!!!
in the bi-weekly classes.

 

LESSON 1: This exercise was to emphasis the development of aerial perspective. The idea that the visual elements lessen in size, value and color intensity as they recede into the back of the painting.  

LESSON 2: This was an exercise in perspective and understanding the concept of warm and cool and the  use of complimentary colors. 

LESSON 3: This was a lesson in perspective and composition.  The road takes you to the left of the painting and the challenge was how to balance the painting and take your eye to the right.  The addition of the hunters shack helped balance the work and bring your eye to the right side of the painting. Colors were also brighter and more intense in the front and more grayed and higher in value, all of this adding to the sense of depth and perspective.

LESSON 4: This exercise was on developing a high key value painting and giving the painting a sense of depth.  The wintery scene was perfect because while we were enjoying bright beautiful skies and warm weather here in Florida the rest of the country was knee deep in snow. 

LESSON 5: This lesson was to challenge the students to learn to simplify.  They had to take a picture of a very complicated urban scene and  edit and use only the essential elements to express the scene. 

LESSON 6: This takes aerial perspective to a new level.  The original picture was taken from an airplane  and is of a very industrial area, an environmental nightmare,  with very little color.  The challenge was getting that haze registered in the horizon and giving it a sense of depth while make an interesting painting with a message. 

MEETING SOME OF MY PAINTING HEROS!

The 2015 Plein Air Convention in Monterey, California was an exceptionally well done event.  I would recommend it to anyone who loves to do Plein Air Painting or just painting in general.  It was such an honor to meet some of the artists that I have admired for a long time and got an opportunity to meet and talk to them.  You can't go wrong being in the company of George Carlson, Jim McVicker and George Von Hook.  Not to mention a lot of other artists that are exceptionally good.

Jim McVicker and me.

Jeff Markowsky, Jim McVicker and George Von Hook

Myself, George Carlson and Jean Chase

CHEBEAGUE ISLAND, MAINE WORKSHOP

REGISTER WHILE SPACE IS STILL AVAILABLE!!!

Please join me for my workshop on August 9-15, 2015 that I am teaching in Maine.  The workshop was coordinated with an art historical perspective, with emphasis on Andrew Wyeth and Winslow Homer, and was designed to give the participant a greater understanding and insight into their most important works.  We will be painting in the locations that Wyeth and Homer painted and experiencing the same beautiful Maine landscape that inspired them.

To register, contact Ted Matz at (561)-452-5710 or Terri Marra at (734)646-5889 or artsearch.tm@gmail.com

Hope to see you their!