Happy hoo-lidays!!!

("Happy Hoo-lidays" 6x9 relief print w/hand coloring)

What would the season be without one last festive creation? Thank you to all my  audience, fans, friends and clients for an epic year in sharing and providing creations for the art lover in all of us; it has been a pleasure. Best wishes into 2013... and then some. -Feather

Kimball Gallery:featured artist-new work

                            " Lighthouse at Gig Harbor" #5 -9x12 oil on gessoboard.  
Yes, another painting of the lighthouse in Gig Harbor. Just one of the many new pieces showing at the Kimble Gallery as "Featured Artist" Feather Hilger exhibits in her first show of 2013. Start the year supporting your local artist and come in out of the cold to enjoy the landscapes, gardens, and seascaped of the puget sound at the Kimball.
   Jan 7—Feb 4  at Kimble Esspresso Gallery 6950 Kimball Dr Gig Harbor, WA 98335 

Hot off the easel

                        (The Values of Pen & Ink  12"x12" oil on wood)
   There is  something of a love/hate thing between artists and thier deadlines but despite the tension they bring, I believe they are an asset to the process. This painting is the latest artwork off the easel, but the first studio work of a new season... from studio-G.

If it's good enough for Vinnie...

                             ("Autumn's Sun" 9x12 oil on gessoboard)
   To close out the plein air season, I go hunting for sunflowers (my homage to Van Gogh) for which I can paint what I conside the portrait of summer. This one was found in Wilkinson community garden in Gig Harbor. I had the pleasure of meeting the gardener who has grown my models every year amoung many edible vegetables planted by the community for both personal consumption and local donations. I was in good company between her and the chickadees that darted amoung my models... a day well spent. This painting will be one of the plein air pieces exhibited  in the Mallard's Landing show the month of October.

Come one, come all !!!

2nd Annual En Plein Air Art Exhibition & Wine Tasting

Saturday, October 6th, 2–4 p.m.

Art Exhibit • Wine Tasting • Appetizers

Featured Artists: Sheila Anderson • Mimi Van Ballenberghe • Myrna Binion, Marilyn Bower • Feather Hilger • Cathy Johnson, Anne Moore Knapp • Lynn Lewis • Mary McInnis • Pat Meras, Carlene Salazar • Donna Trent

For more information or to RSVP by October 3rd call (253) 858-4990 or email info@thelodge-gigharbor.com

Come back Saturday, October 13th at 3:00 p.m. for the presentation of the "Peoples Choice" and "Kids Spot the Art" awards.

7083 Wagner Way, Gig Harbor, WA 98335

www.thelodge-gigharbor.com

Just off Wollochet Drive, behind Mallard’s Landing Business Park

Magic in the garden.

                                         (The Magic Moment 9"x12")
   One day after painting onsite at a property, I had lost the light of the project I was working on so packed up to go home about 7. While carrying the gear to the car, I caught site of this little scene and saw the potential so stayed to watch the light quickly changing. My instincts paid off because 20 minutes later a lighting vealed itself in an explosion of inspirational color lasting only 7 minutes before the sunset ceased and all fell to cool shadow. A few days later I returned to the very place, had my panel roughed in of the drawing and all I recalled of that day just waiting for that "magic". My limited abilities didn't do it justice but I was able to create a close likeness that has the feel and shall always remind me of the beauty I witnessed that day.

Log cabin... how un-alaska-ish!

                                      ("The Andrew's Cabin" 9x12)  

   Having seen many a log cabin in my 15+ years of living in Alaska, I never saw anything like this! Not only are there skylights in the porch but such a fantastic variety of gardening around the perimeter that would never dream to grow, much less bloom, up north.

Just aspen

                                        ("Primus" 6x9x4 wood mask)
   This little gem is an older hand carved mask made of aspen wood and the only mask I ever painted. The idea was to have the 3 primary shapes painted in 3 primary colors interceeding in 3 differing formulas... no 3 combinations the same. I was pleasantly pleased with the results of the paint job but returned and remained to working in more naturally finishing masks.

Green on gray

                                       (Barbara's Lily Pond 9x12)
   It was an overcast day in a "sea of green" even if it was actually a pond. While the sky was that blotto Seattle gray color the water reflected the heart's desire of a gentle blue amoung the trees. What a slice of challenge served to the artist on such a cloudy day.

In the "Garden of Elandan"

                                          ("Garden of Elandan" 6x8)
     There is a place just off Hwy 16, in Bremerton that is incredibly serene where time seems to no longer be a factor in the equation called life. You would never think a landscaping store could be so fantastic but alas, it is also a bonsai museum! In May I had the pleasure of painting there and was inspired to express the beauty in the late afternoon sun with this little piece.

"Aaarrrrh! It's feast or famine!!!

                           ("Tension" mask -hand carved birch wood 7"x5")   
The summer has been so busy that I've barely the time to post recent work and events!  I was in sequim during the lavender festival and last weekend which is still looking good if you are looking for a nice outting. This weekend I can be found painting the gardens of Wild Birds Unlimited off HWY 101 in Gardiner, on your way to Sequim. The store is awesome with great stuff but the gardens are a slice of heaven off the highway. Swing by with a picnic or grab a coffee from the cafe.
    Also opening Aug 2nd is the 13th Annual Juried Maritime Exhibition at the Museum in Gig Harbor through Sept 4th. Saterday August 11th, the museum is hosting an event I plan to attend “Paint the Shenandoah”. From 8 am-5pm artists have been invited to come and paint as they unveil the new viewing area for this 65-foot purse seiner. Hope to see you there!
 

From garden to garden

Each year various cities across the nation organize garden tours where for a fee you can buy a ticket, usually benefitting a good community organization. The admission allows one to visit a collection of private properties that invite people to come view thier gardens. In my community I have been invited to be "artist in the garden" and paint one of the 7 showcased properties of my choice. In 2011 I had the pleasure of working on site at a whimsical garden with quite the collection of birdhouses (Herb houses 9x12). In 2012 the magic was found as curious ticket holders looked inside the dutch door, discovered a teddy bear tea party and turned to leave with genuine smiles of nostalgic memories from childhood. (Cottage 9x12).

 

Early morning on the harbor.

Last summer I painted from the Eddon Boat dock looking back towards the building from the  20'x20' floating dock. The painting was done in the late morning, had half a boat, the Eddon Boat shop and shoreline on a cloudy day. This year , returning to the same place, the sun was shining in the early morning so I thought it fun to include another boat half, (the same one?), looking out into the harbor at other boats. Unlike my usual 3-4 hour struggle, I zipped through this in under 2.5 hours and was pleased with the piece. ("Docked" 9x12)

There will be days like this...

   If I had to wait for a sunny day there would be few less oppertunities to paint and so lately I find that despite the cloudy days, I need the practice. Although the contrast weakens and the drama of light minimal,  life is far more abundant outside the studio. When I originally sited this homestead there was a deer walking one of the upper ponds on the property while the swifts darted marrily above. On the next morning when I painted I was serenaded by frogs while flickerings of colored birds darted through the stillness of the tall grasses. ("Ponds in Sehmel Homestead"- 9"x12")

Both sides of the coin.

   While painting at a garden off the horsehead bay area before more than 1500 participants this weekend, I shared my postcard with many interested spectators who were watching me paint a cottage scene en plein air. Thier reaction was curious to learn that this more graphic image or semi-abstract piece was also a painting I did last year. In reality my past was rooted in graphic arts and photography for 20 years before retiring from traditional meathods in the wake of the digital revolution. I am intrigued towards surrealism, texture and layering. While I admire the photographic work of Paul Caponigro or many of the mixed media artists like Dave McKean, collected in the book "Art Revolution" by Lisa Cyr. I tend to work from life, or out of my imagination and am not interested in using the computer as a tool. Nor can I afford much play time to experimentation or sustain the inspiration during a lengthy "build-up" process as patiently as most mixed media artists. As it is, many of my creations take 30-50 hours just to render a scene, figure or still life painting. Thus very few of these such projects make it to success or completion as this work has. ("Grey matter" 17"x26"). 

Personally speaking.

Although I am not where I want to be in my portraiture work, I do have a passion for the face. As a photographer, people were my topic of choice. As a sculptor maskmaking was my most invested time in creation. Thus in painting and drawing if given the chance I would choose working with a model over still life any time.

Developing a body of work.

    Like most artists, I like to work in series and take one element (technique, subject, material...) and string the similaity through a collection of work. Sometimes they develope so well that they become full fledge bodies of work and perhaps find venues to exhibit for solo shows ( "Darkroom Dancing", "Twist of Fate", "Person, Place, Thing") More often they end up a good challenge or lesson and never show together as a group. These two still life pieces "Mask on red" (one of  3 drawings from this set up ) and  "Shell under glass" are 2 out of 7 drawings that formulate the combat of black charcoal and white chalk against red paper.

Windmill, 2nd cousin to the lighthouse.

So if lighthouses guard the seascapes does than make windmills sentry to tulip gardens? In the 2012 first paint out of my plein air season "Wooden Shoe Farm" (9"x12"- above) seems to have the tractor stopped in the field of yellow at the peak of thier blooming season. In contrast "Windmill at Groozen Gaarde" (9"x12"- below) was painted just after the month long festival had ended. Although the gardens still had plenty of color one might guess by the less emphasis focused on the tulips.  

A moment of greatness

Plein air painting is supposed to be an event of capturing an all inspiring moment of an ever changing environment. At times the artist has a chance to fiddle with the layout or composition as they wait for the light to come into play but basically the light changes so quickly that the reality of being true to the scene may only be valid 10-20 minutes at the most.
   In this 9"x12" oil painting "Morning moment on long lake" I had spent the 1st 30-40 minutes casually laying out the consistant values of a quiet overcast morning in hopes for the marine layer to burn off. Then the lighting considerably ramped down to an ominous darkness, held for a curious 30 seconds and opened up to this unbelievable hollywood moment of perfect light. It was so dramatic that I almost forgot why I was standing there.

Blast from the past

   Although not a current work, "Raven's Boots" (24"x24") is worth mentioning for it's sheer merit earned as one of the paintings I most enjoyed. I had loved these well loved treasures (boots) from the first time I met Raven at Art Students League in Manhattan. Although the model was a beautifull person in his own right, it was his boots that sang to me the richness of capturing a persona beyond inspiration and within the first 5 minutes of getting to know him, I had no reserves of telling him, "I want to paint your boots!"
   2 years later and probably more than 100 hours of working with him as my muse and getting to know him between sessions, he casually mentioned how he needed to move the strappings on to his new boots. I reminded him of our 1st conversation insisting that he let me paint his old boots before he transfer accessories to the new pair. With an understanding for the artist's momment of inspiration, Raven removed the studded collar from around his neck, put it in the box with the old boots and handed it to me with a smile saying, "Keep it as long as you need." 4 weekends later I returned the box of collar and boots with a smile feeling quite happy for having given up my one day off a week all month in exchange for what I felt was my best work yet.

What drives inspiration?

   In the dead of winter, an artist must often dig a little deeper to keep themselves from falling asleep at the easel. In my case I took my easel (plein air gear actually) on location to a retirement living facility this year where I discovered this beautifully restored Kiblinger. I had the honor of painting a few consecutive sessions with my model on a 12"x16" gessoboard which kicked my artistic drive up another gear for my return to Studio-G.

Going, going, gone!

   This work "The Power of Three" is a multi technique piece incorporating printmaking (silkscreen) with drawing (pen & ink) with painting (ink wash). It was created on handmade paper (daphanie) with a finished size of 26"x36". Although it was completed in February of 2012 it went to auction in Seattle at the begining of this month.

So it begins.

 While working in Manhattan 12 hours a day, 5 days a week and occassional weekends, I sought any excuse possible to get outside. Thus began my commitment to 'scaping. With limited landscape oppertunity, I instead learned to appreciate the beautifull architectural bridges of central park or ornate detail on churches and historical structures. One weekend I was invited to Roosevelt island as a result of my interest in lighthouses which led to a summer's worth of watercolor studies repeatedly seeking places where the historical sentry watches over the sea. Never quite satisfied with the medium of watercolor, I thought to paint with oil, begining with the lighthouse in Gig Harbor resulting in these two plein air works. GHLH#1- 6"x12" (above) and GHLH#2-9"x12" (below) completed in 2011.

     Although I enjoy an adventurous summer outdoors doing plein air studies, the 'scapin' includes both landscape and cityscapes with my favored lighthouses bridging somewhere in between.

Welcome!

   Greetings and welcome to Studio-G. Often times I have been asked, "Where can I see your work?" Thus is my effort to have an online location to view my artwork, I have created this blog to post previews, completed studies and various other transitional pieces that are either sold, currently unavailable or will not be represented formally. Please contact me if you have any questions or further interest in the works or process in which it was created. Artwork soon to follow.Thank you for stopping into Studio-G.