After the Louis Maestas seminar weekend in 2004, I felt totally inspired and no longer afraid of using oil paints in my studio. Lou had told me that he could see that I already had what it takes, and I should use my talents now. He suggested some next steps take and advised that I “just start doing large oils”. My husband was inspired too by meeting him and seeing his beautiful work, so he went into action building self-framing large board canvases to paint on. I textured the first canvas’ right away and began painting from the heart.
There was a total of 4 really large ones that I did immediately after the weekend spent learning with Louis Maestas. One of these large northwest landscape oils was entitled, “Horseshoe Lake Boat Reflections L604“. It was sold to a local collector so my records are complete and I know its present-day location.
Sixth rub-out oil painting done.
My small studio became very busy and full of drying oils as I went on the road applying at and touring art galleries, and setting up my art at events.
I learned rub-out oils in 2004 from Louis Maestas, at the gallery in Sandpoint, Idaho. He is truly a gifted and inspirational artist mentor and if you ever get a chance to see his work or go and meet him I suggest that you do! You can see more information about this technique at Lou’s gallery link. He is a self-confident artist with no ego, and his talent is a blessing that he has no worries about sharing it with others. I strive to become like him in any way I can. I still feel a great love for this artist and his beautiful work, from just one weekend, spent learning from him.
Rub-out is a fun and simple method of laying a layer of oil pigment on the canvas and rubbing back off the highlights with cloth and fingers. Prior to this I had painted mostly with watercolors and acrylic or concentrated on drawing, avoiding oils, finding them quite confusing and difficult to use. I still do a lot of watercolor work but oils are my favorite medium for larger works, and rub-out is the foundation block of how I go about painting with them.
Here are the 2 paintings done during that weekend seminar in 2004.
The “onion” was the first oil painting I did as I learned how to use oils. Lou laughed at mine saying I must be an “artist” because I was the only one who painted the onion cut open. everyone else had simply painted the sphere shape. I have a naturally creative artist mind. Yep.
first oil rub out done at Louis Maestes seminar 2004.
We went home and started the second painting of our own subject that evening, which we packed up and brought back to the class and finished the next day with his help.
second rub out oil done in Louis Maestas seminar 2004
This is the second oil rub-out done at Lou’s class that weekend. “Hillyard Skate Park G104”. Lou laughed again when I showed them my painting because I didn’t choose a simple subject for my second attempt at oil painting. “No.” I chose to paint a skate park landscape filled with a dozen or so figures performing aerial stunts. Yep, that ought to be easy. We artists are crazy people, aren’t we?
Bison Let it Snow matches our weather today, I thought a watercolor of snow would be appropriate to post. Yellowstone in the winter is the most amazing vacation memory I have had with Pete. Really something worth doing. These Bison were walking so close to us I could not get a whole one in a picture frame.
