Thursday, March 13, 2014

Lifting Fog


When I was young I hated the early morning hours and as I got older I was just grateful to be number one alive and secondly sober to enjoy the prospects of each day.  This painting was inspired by that time in the morning when the light fog just begins to lift and the colors of nature start to take over. Love the grayed colors and muted values, plus it is great fun to paint in Florida when it is not sunny and vibrant.  

Painting in Cortona

Painting in Cortona
City of Cortona with view of valley

Painting of View of Cortona Valley

Painting of View of Cortona Valley
It was such a lovely day we painted in the piazza overlooking the valley. The round building in the foreground is actually part of the original wall that surrounds Cortona.

Cortona View Lake Trasimento from Piazza Garibaldi

Cortona Italy Workshop

The workshop was a very successful and met everyones expectations. The Villa di Piazzano was an outstanding small hotel that lived up to its rating of four stars. The staff was very accommodating and helpful. Our tour excursions to Florence, Sienna and Montepulciano were very fun and helped to take the participants minds off of the pressure of producing a painting.

I am currently in the planning stages of producing my next workshop and if anyone would like to be put on the list of perspective participants please email me at tedmatz@comcast.net

The pictures below will give you taste of our Plein Air Painting Adventure.

Courtyard of Hotel di Piazzano

Painting in the courtyard

View of Cortona in the distance.

Scouting painting sites.

Group painting in country side

Plein Air Passion

My real passion is for plein air painting. Love the challenge that you have to deal with when painting outside. I personally think it makes you a better painter because you have to deal with so many unforeseen circumstances that come your way but also you have a better handle on light, darks and textures that you don't get from working in a studio and from photos. The following is a sample of some of my most recent work done en plein air. This painting is currently being shown in a group show at the Palm Beach County Cultural Council in Lake Worth, FL and runs through the middle of September, 2013.

Apoxee Landscape

Apoxee Landscape

The path at Apoxee Park

Demo piece at Jupiter Beach Park.

Four Arts Lily Pads One

Four Arts Lily Pads One

Four Arts Lily Pads Two

Four Arts Lily Pads Two

Still Life

I generally do still lives as exercises and demonstrations for my painting classes. Featured below are samples of those pieces.

Bright Red Cup

Bright Red Cup

Blue Bottle with Violets One

Blue Bottle with Violets One