in nature's air purifier.

Plein Air Painter,
originally uploaded by brian.donaldson.

To get back into practice, have assembled a lightweight paint kit for quick studies. Everything fits in the front of my basket bicycle and can be setup in a couple minutes.

45 minute study. Today's task - use no white...

Tough!! - but worth repeating. After looking at student midterms last week, it became visually clear how white dilutes color intensity.

The scene i am painting had bright sky peeking through silhouetted trees. This could be shown with value alone (white and black), But I want to understand the color equivalent of this contrast. Avoiding white forced me to explore color relationships. This study did not "succeed", but I am excited to try it again.

Current Kit:
* open box m palette/panel holder
* throw-away paper palette for easy cleanup
* table tripod
* folding chair w/ back support (needed for big belly)
* set of tiny paint tubes (yes, they are heavy, but i hate to pre-squeeze paint and then not have enough. outdoor painting shouldn't skimp on paint body
* walnut oil / paper towels / gloves
* set of 6 smallish brushes & scrungey sponges for acrylic underpaint
* sketch book 4x4 moleskine rip-off (a little too small - hard to decipher what i've scribbled out in it)

dona memorial

I normally blog on art... but today is for my Berkeley councilwoman, Dona Spring. Endurance in politics is an active art. Vision is often tempered by the burden of bureaucracy. Tenacity is required to carry issues from stump speech to the voting floor (often reams of paperwork and many years later). Dona is a rare politician who always votes her conscience and represents her people.

I roll down the hill on bicycle to attend her memorial service in a park across from City Hall. Dona posters are taped up to orange cones. Visitors line up to sign into her book. The traffic din of MLK street backs all activity. I miss my old neighborhood. In the weeks since her passing, I've had time to think about what Dona gave us. I knew her from my advocacy work on smart growth on University Avenue corridor of the city. She always returned my calls and carried issues (regardless of their seeming complexity or un-popularity) to the council floor to be addressed. While most council-folks were quick to dismiss homeowners in exchange for the easy favor of large developers, Dona kept everyone at the table. Over the years, I started to see glimpse that she offered this courtesy to the wide variety of individuals, businesses, and advocacy groups in her district.

In Civic Center Park, neighbors, city reps, friends, and community leaders gathered. There was song and spoken word. Spectators clapped, sought shade under the few trees, and nodded in agreement from time to time. Recurring themes were her strength, integrity, and fair representation of her constituents.

As the speakers continued, I felt increasing admiration for the hard work she did, regardless of a difficult illness. I think of the times when I have balked under lesser problems. I feel grateful that my respect for Dona is growing now, but wish that I had understood the greater scope of her generosity and strength during the time when I worked with her.

Some highlights for me, are her approval of the pedestrian/bike bridge that marks a graceful entrance to the city, and access to the Bay Trail, her push for a Density Bonus committee (to unravel convoluted development standards for large buildings) and her advocacy for open space and city park improvements.

At the event, I saw a few friends from my years of city-meeting-attendance, and felt a refreshed inspiration to improve Central Berkeley quality of life.

Thanks for the inspiration Dona. You are missed.

June Art-Extravaganza - California Style

June Art-Extravaganza - California Style,
originally uploaded by robin kibby.

What it will be like to sell my art from a location that's not zoned for "industrial use"?

After my normal Open Studios event this weekend, I will venture beyond the Cricket Engine walls, to join the world of pop-up tents, gourmet food vendors, and variable weather conditions. Yep, I am taking the paintings on the road to two Art Fairs near my home turf - the Berkeley Live Oak Park Fair, and the Marin Arts Festival.

My criteria for picking venues ? Near enough to good eats so that Brian will hang out with me all day, and well-publicized enough so that more than ten people will walk by my tent. Both Marin and Live Oak fit the bill.

Before dozing off each night, I've been contemplating methods to make the paintings look nice against a backdrop of white plastic tent-wall... But I should hope for simpler things - to have things not-topple over, to get more than two hours sleep the night before, to not forget too many items, and to meet some interesting people.

I hear rumors that seasoned Art Fair folks make their living off of their creations and seasonal sales. Curious to witness some of the magic, and to linger long enough to have some rub-off.

Anyone in KibArt digi-fan land is welcome to these events... I don't generally address the ether - but here I am, talking to my blog after midnight. So, dear blog readers, if you find yourself wandering past my humble display of highways and hillsides on a weekend in June - with a sushi wrap in one hand and peet's coffee in the other, please come say hi!

Also, if you would like to come to Marin, let me know so I can send you a free admission card by snailie mailie. painter(at)robinkibby.com

from area C - artist' in the wild

from area c - P1040851.jpg,
originally uploaded by robin kibby.

My city has been vascillating between storm and sun. Officebound, I guage weather from the sound of raindrops on the skylight and the amount of glow produced by the living room drapes.
Before hunkering into today's mouse-clicking, I head out for a walk. I don't make it past the corner without hustling back for the camera.

In the current version of the Berkeley Flatlands, the pedestrian is treated to a wide view of the sky and hills. You can follow the deep underbelly of the clouds all the way into Oakland, or until it butts up against the green hills, eastward. Today's sky is full of drama. I keep my eyes tilted up, to avoid distraction by the city standards - stucco homes and adventurous green sprouts luminous in the clear winter sun. I take pictures the whole way, seeking frames with the most variation. The powerlines give the sky a landscape feel, and anchor this natural event to my city.

I head north. Until I approach Colusa Avenue it is not clear which will prevail - blue sky or dark cloud.
A more saavy outdoor enthusiast might have known the result all along. Perhaps there is only one proper conclusion from the white-topped clouds and that deep cerulean blue peeking through. By the time I've procured coffee and loop back south, I tuck the camera back into my bag, and unzip the jacket. The sun has won.