Don Reed Contemporary Impressionist

Thanksgiving in Georgia

2011-12-04T09:02:00.001-05:00

I headed south this Thanksgiving to spend a few days with my wonderful aunt Mary Ann and her family in Florida and then in Valdosta, Georgia. Susan stayed home with the doggies and had Thanksgiving with her parents and family.

After spending the night with Mike and Lynn (my cousin) in Green Cove Springs, Florida, Auntie and I drove two hours up to Valdosta, Georgia to stay with my cousin Bill and his family to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Bill and I spent much of our childhoods together and he is the closest thing I have to a brother.

R-L Me, Aut Mary Ann, Janice Henry and Bill Henry (my cousin)

Here's a photo of Bill, me and Lynn when we were kids.
That's me in the middle.

I certainly ate my fill of southern food including eating at two fine local restaurants. Cat fish, pulled pork, deep fried okra and pecan pie not to mention a marvelous Thanksgiving feast at Bill and Janice's house, gave this old artist a heap of extra pounds to burn off.

The Smok' n Pig Valdosta, GA

FARTHER AFIELD

I love to go to different parts of our great country and take photographs of the scenic beauty there. Some wind up in my paintings. Here's a small example of my Georgia & Florida photos.

Cherry Lake, Florida

Grand Bay National Wildlife Reserve

OLD SOLDIERS

2011-11-12T11:03:00.001-05:00

This is a painting based on photos I have taken at one of my favorite places to walk.

The path is an old railroad line that is raised above a wetland. The rails are long gone and

today it takes quite a stretch to imagine freight trains rumbling through this lovely place.

Halloween Storm

2011-11-03T09:18:00.001-04:00

Old Man Winter paid an early visit to the northeast on October 29-30. We lost our power on Saturday evening and it did not return until Tuesday afternoon, November 1st.

Here's what we woke up to on Sunday morning.

Trees in our front yard snapped by high winds and 10+/- inch snow fall.

A large limb that nearly hit our car but just dented my military vehicle.

Susan and I spent all Sunday morning cutting tree limbs and clearing the driveway so we

could get our cars out. A visit to the supermarket found them on emergency power with store employees throwing out dairy and produce.

Unfortunately, I had to got to Dayton on Monday for a planned trip with some friends to visit the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. As the airfare, rental car and hotels were all booked, I had to go. Susan stayed home with flashlights, candles, wood stove and doggies.

A tree near the front of the house ready to snap (but didn't).

Looking at our house from the street.

I was overjoyed when she called me in Dayton Tuesday afternoon to tell me the power had returned.

We now have a big mess to clean up but fortunately we had no serious damage. As I write this on November 3rd, many businesses and homes are still without power in our general area.

Lobster Cove Painting Demonstration

2011-10-28T09:14:00.000-04:00

STEP 1

After painting the entire canvas with cadmium red colored flexible acrylic

modeling paste, (for texture) I then paint in the major areas with solid colors. As you

can see, I work on the piece upside down. I reference the image on my

computer that is also upside down. This process helps me to ignore the

details and to concentrate on the composition, color, and values. I also really

like the look of the brush strokes going up, when the painting is viewed

right side up.

STEP 2

While the basic colors are still fresh, I then apply more paint to

help define the shapes and work out the basic contrasts. I will also adjust

the composition in subtle ways to enhance the drama of the scene.

Periodically I will go to the other end of my studio and view the

painting in a mirror held over my head in order to see the painting

right side up. This helps me to pick up any areas that need either color

correction or shape adjustment.

STEP 3

Now, viewing the painting right side up, I have added some

"details" which include water and foam shadows and rock

refinements. I also have adjusted the value in the sky.

I am close to completing the painting but first I will turn it right

side up and "live with it" for a week and then come back

and make final adjustments.

STEP 4 Completion

Here is the finished painting. I read somewhere that if you

see something that doesn't look right, then, it's not right. After

painting for many years, I have finally, accepted that fact.

When a painting is near it's completion it is a difficult time when

you, the artist, need to say "finished" or "it just needs....".

Knowing the difference between when it doesn't look right and

just tinkering only comes with experience. I always think of Stan Moeller

when this subject comes up. Stan is a great landscape and figurative

painter from Maine. Several years ago I took some wonderful plein air

workshops with Stan that made a big difference in my artistic growth and

vision. During one session on Monhegan Island, I was working

on a study of the rocks and waves.

Rocks at Monhegan

2004

After working on the piece for a while a booming voice came from

behind me. "STOP"! Stan told me that the painting was done and tinkering

or dabbing at it would just overwork it and destroy the painting's

spontaneous beauty. I did stop and here is the painting which I have

in my private collection.

Larisa Aukon

2011-10-24T12:35:00.000-04:00

Wildflowers, poppies, and foxes in Breckenridge, CO!

Please view her exciting plein air adventure.
I love her work.

Hollis Fine Arts Festival -Triumph and Tragedy

2011-10-18T18:55:00.000-04:00

Here's our display tent after the microburst hit on

Saturday afternoon. Our tent, which had been reinforced

with some steel bracing last year, finally met it's match.

Thankfully no paintings were damaged and no lives

were lost. As you can see below, some had it worse

than we did.

In spite of the weather issues we had a great show. Many thanks to

our friends, Shirl and Pam for taking our paintings into their tent

while mother nature had it's way with ours. Also thanks again to Steve Previte

for producing a class A show that we look forward to each year.

Speaking of Shirl Passman, she is a great photographer....

here's a link to her site...enjoy!

http://www.imagerybyshirl.com

Amber Meadow

2011-10-14T13:33:00.001-04:00

Amber Meadow

16" x 20"

Oil on Canvas

This painting was sold today at the
Hollis Fine Arts Festival
to D.B., a very enthusiastic collector
of my work.

Many Thanks!

Tree Seasons -Painting Refined yet Random

2011-10-14T13:27:00.000-04:00

Green Tree (detail)

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas

Here is a detail of one of my most recent paintings. You can clearly see

the acrylic modeling paste that I applied as my foundation. I really like

the way this texture breaks up my vertical brush strokes and creates

a more random and organic feel to my work.

Anyone thinking using the modeling paste should remember to

use the flexible version (Liquidex) if you are painting on stretched

canvas to avoid future cracking.

Tree Seasons

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments

about my technique or materials.

Thanks

A productive period

2011-10-10T14:46:00.003-04:00

I'm happy to say that I have enjoyed this pause between shows to allow me a bit more time to work in the studio. I have been thinking about a lot of new concepts and color approaches. I hope you like the new work. I have been working on lots of 12" x 12" canvases that have been pre-coated with flexible acrylic modeling paste in order to add more texture. I also like the way it breaks up my linear strokes and make them appear more organic.

After the Hollis show we'll start working on the studio open house and I'll get some work-in-progress photos posted.

See you soon!

A new begnning

2011-10-07T15:04:00.001-04:00

Well, here goes. This will be the first of my (for now) weekly blogs.

Today was a great work day with one major painting completed and several small paintings touched up. My best work is done in the morning followed by some lunch and then in the afternoon the business of being an artist (paperwork, e-mails, ordering supplies, framing and...now including this blog).

Next weekend is the Hollis Fine Arts Festival which will be my final show of the year. It is a fine show produced by my good friend Steve Previte . The show runs from 10am to 5pm Satuday and Sunday. Let's hope for great New England October weather!

I hope to see many of my collectors as well as "the usual suspects" (my artist frineds). The show is only 1/2 hour from my home and studio which makes it very convenient.

We can even bring the girls

Next week I will post some in-progress work that I hope will be interesting.

Bello Sorriso

2011-10-07T15:04:00.000-04:00

" Bello Sorriso"
24" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas
http://www.fineartbydonreed.com/
for more information.

Cloud Breaks

2011-10-07T14:45:00.001-04:00

" Cloud Breaks"
12" x 16"
Oil on Board

Distance

2011-10-07T14:40:00.001-04:00

"Distance"
24" x 18"Oil on Canvas

Visit
www.fineartbydonreed.com
for more information

Who is Don Reed

2011-10-07T14:09:00.000-04:00

“Paint enough for the eye to see and let
the creative mind fill in the details”.
This is the approach Don Reed takes to his style of painting which he has developed over the past several years. Trained as a traditional artist and having experience in most mediums over the last 40 years, Don now works exclusively in oils. His approach to painting focuses on eliminating detail through the use of single bold strokes of color that are incorporated into strong compositions.

“I have finally arrived at a place where I can truly express, through my art, my love of landscape, my wonder of form and my fascination with creating the illusion of light. I am constantly amazed with each completed piece and gratified by its effect on the viewer. My work has become a journey that I take with each painting, a journey that does not end when the work is displayed for the first time but continues with each new viewer.”

Don’s art education started in 1962 at the age of 12. While living in South Berwick, Maine, he attended oil painting classes in York, Maine with Edwin Booth. Don’s stepfather, well-known cartoonist and advertising artist Wilbur Bullock, was a strong influence on Don’s desire to become an artist. In high school, Don developed an interest in dry brush watercolors and was especially influenced by Andrew Wyeth and Winslow Homer.

After high school, Don attended The Art Institute of Boston and took courses from The Famous Artist School. He left school to raise a family and went to work in the sign industry in 1973. In 1976, Don enrolled in a portrait class at The Manchester Art Institute instructed by well known New England artist, James Aponovich.

In the early 1980’s, Don began to use acrylics and developed an interest in science fiction painting. Redirecting his interest to aviation art in the late eighties, Don began exhibiting his work at air shows and art shows throughout New England.

In 1990, Don won purchase prize awards at the Rochester Art in the Park Show and at The Portland, Maine Sidewalk Art Festival. Many of Don’s aviation paintings are included in private collections all over the country.

From 1992 to 1998 Don was pulled away from painting when he was asked to help restore and maintain several World War II era aircraft. Don was responsible for recreating authentic paint schemes for the aircraft as well as promotional materials for various warbird organizations.

As much as he loved flying and the restoration work, he began to miss his work in the studio. In 1998 he refocused his attention back to his love of watercolors. That year he enrolled in a watercolor class at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. In December, at the Institute’s 100^th Anniversary Student Exhibit, Don was awarded first place in the watercolor category. Bolstered by this experience, he devoted himself to his art while maintaining his full time career as a sign designer.

With the support of his wife Susan, 2001 marked the first year Don had exhibited since 1990. In September, Don captured a second place award in the Downtown Nashua’s Fine Arts Festival.

2002 began with Don being recognized at a juried art show at the Lawrence Heritage State Park gallery, which featured 136 paintings and sculptures from area artist.

In 2004 Don took a giant step back to his first art instruction in 1962 by squeezing out some oil paints on a pallet and creating beautiful landscapes and seascapes. On Monhegan Island, Don studied with nationally recognized artist, Stan Moeller.

Today Don's work is in collections all over the world. His unique style has captured the imagination of dozens of new collectors. Don continues to experiment with new subject matter and new ways to expand the scope of his technique.

Don is a member of New Hampshire Artists Association, Nashua Area Artist Association, Newburyport Art Association and is also a member and past president of the Manchester Artist Association.

Quiet Reflections

2009-03-23T14:53:00.001-04:00

"Quiet Reflection"

40" x 30"

Oil on Canvas

Plum Island Vista

2009-03-23T14:42:00.001-04:00

" Plum Island Vista"
60" x 36"
Oil on Canvas
http://www.fineartbydonreed.com

Ice on the Charles

2009-03-23T14:30:00.001-04:00

"Ice on the Charles"

12" x 36"

Oil on Canvas

http://www.fineartbydonreed.com/ice_on_the_charles.htm