The Art of Felicia Forte

Intro to Portrait Painting Workshop at The Walt Disney Family Museum, San Francisco

2012-03-03T12:13:00.000-08:00

Its so much fun teaching at The Walt Disney Family Museum. The Facility is wonderful, just name it and they have what you need! They are truly dedicated to providing a place for instructors to spread their wings and for students to feel safe and excited to learn. Here are the first of many pics that I will be posting of my time there.

They stocked up on my supply list!

I had a whole wall in which to diagram and explain the basics for this Intro to Portrait Painting Class.

The Muse!

Zorn Palette Study of Christie, 9"x12" oil on gessoed paper

I actually did this painting the week before at University Art where I gave a demonstration. I love working on this surface, it is absorbent so that I have maximum control and can build up to my lights.

Here is the demo I did for the Disney Class, I kept it very simple, not bothering with flourishes of fancy brushwork. This was an Intro class after all so I broke it way down, we first concentrated on shapes only. Using a thin or scrubbed in dark we "drew" our shapes, then when satisfied we filled in all the dark shapes. Next we concentrated only on the lights side of our portrait filling in big shapes with average values, working towards lighter and thicker paint as we neared the end of the lesson. I broke my demo into 3 parts so that the students only had to remember 1 step at a time. They all did GREAT!

2 Large Paintings in Progress!!

2011-12-12T14:42:00.001-08:00

Update:

Here is one of the the works below, finished

"The Clearing"

48"x54"

oil on canvas

Still working in the Zorn Palette!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Swan

2011-12-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

This painting will be available at Studio Gallery in San Francisco during the show Flock this february.

Swan

oil on gessoed paper

6"x8"

The idea here was to paint a bird....this is what I came up with.http://www.studiogallerysf.com/page15.html

New Drawing!!

2011-11-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

Open 12"x24" graphite and chalk on paper

November 19th and 20th: Fall Open Studios!!

2011-11-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

Hello,

I will be opening my studio this weekend along with the 25 other artists who keep studios at 1870 Art Center.

November 19th and 20th. from noon-5pm both days.

1870 Art Center
1870 Ralston Ave.

Belmont, CA 94002

I have been working very hard this year and have many new paintings and drawings to show you all, along with some sweet class demos which make great christmas presents!

Find me in Studio 7.

I will be serving my usual celebratory champagne and home made cupcakes (burnt butter brown sugar, yum!)

"Strokes of Genius: Fresh Perspectives" is out and includes a drawing of mine!

2011-10-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

Waitress 8"x10" graphite on paper

http://www.amazon.com/Strokes-Genius

These 3 paintings will be included in "Tiny" a group show at Studio Gallery, SF

2011-10-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

Work Lamp 4"x4" oil on panel

Double R Donuts 4"x4" oil on panel

Container Ship 3.25"x6" oil on panel

http://www.studiogallerysf.com/page15.html

I Had Fun Making 2 Posters for an Upcoming Class!

2011-09-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

It's fun to do other creative things sometimes!!

and here's a link to sign up for the 1 day workshop:

www.pixiehallstudios.com

Last Day for My Students at Pescadero Beach and the Day's Adventures!

2011-09-19T17:44:00.000-07:00

Charlie and his amazing view of Hwy 1 as it becomes a bridge over the most amazing view of the Pescadero Marshes. He has really made progress with observing correct color and values!

Maggie paints the rocky cliffs as they meet the ocean, I don't have a picture of her scene, but I'll put one up by the end of our 10 week class. Her thirsty mind has been devouring my lessons, and even though this is her first oil painting class, she is very strong!

Here is my view. I have come to love painting the waves, when first tackling them I observed so much small "differentness"in my scene...now I am comforted `by the more important big "sameness". The rythms repeat, the colors repeat, the shapes repeat.....the key is observing nine times and marking once.

Then....while in the middle of my painting something green caught my eye, so I walked down the shore and was surprised to discover a perfect pear! How funny! and as I looked further down I found what I imagined was some frustrated painters still-life set up, which he tossed into the ocean earlier that day!

Watermelon!

Banana!!

COCONUT!!! HA!

the gulls got to the peach...

When I finally finished my painting at 3 pm!, thats 9:30-3:00! I had earned quite a sunburn, and my husband handed me a beer! I wish my husband could be there at the end of every painting with a beer, it was sooooo nice!

Next we went kayaking, I had never been before , it was great!! So much better than the rowing machine at the gym.

the finished painting, study 5 of the waves, oil on panel, 8"x10"!!

The First 6 out of 10 Weeks of Demonstration for my Tuesday Night Class

2011-09-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

10 Weeks Painting Pescadero Beach...

2011-08-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

week 1 - oil on panel, 4"x4"

Demo #1 for my saturday Morning Plein Air Painting Class

This Session my students and I embark on a more in depth project than we have before. We will meet for the first 5 out of the 10 mornings at the same spot on Pescadero Beach. Each of these first 5 days we will each create a new plein air study of our chosen view. In each of these studies we will attempt to record the aspects of the landscape that will elude even a good photograph, color, true values, atmosphere.

In the last 5 weeks of the session, we will meet in the studio with all of our studies at hand.... From these studies, and one carefully chosen photograph we will create a larger and more detailed landscape painting.

For my demo I have chosen to challenge myself by looking directly out into the ocean. A little sky, the waves, maybe a bit of sand. I find that to paint the movement I need to be still and observing the patterns more than anything else. Color will be very important as well. In this first 4"x4" study, my concentration was on mixing accurate color.

Progression.... current work, graphite on paper

2011-08-05T18:39:00.000-07:00

I have in this 8th image started to add ideas that were the catalyst for starting this drawing to begin with!

I have for a very long time wanted to express something magical in my work, but have had difficulty figuring out how to do it in a way that felt organic, and surprising. I want to call up the feelings that I had in my childhood: anything is possible, there is something magical just around the corner, a wish can come true, i just may be someone special.......

Here, I am starting to shape the clouds of this otherwise very straight drawing into a bit of magic and imagination. Maybe it's what she is thinking about, or maybe she is thinking of the spirit of her childhood, and there it is...in the clouds, coming back to her....

To create artwork in a voice that is my own is the goal.
It is scary as I must become more vulnerable than I'd like, but I am sure that that it is why I am here, so I will keep working on it!

Pescadero Beach

2011-07-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Over Fourth of July weekend I spent the day with my family at Pescadero State Beach. It was so beautiful that I felt guilty for not taking my easel out of the back of my car and painting it right away, but sometimes I need to break from painting and recharge. I need to breath and tell myself that it is not my responsibility to paint every beautiful thing that enters my site. I would be painting constantly if that were the case! It is ok to let the world enter into your sites, acknowledge it's beauty and potential for a great painting and then let it exit your sites. Noticing qualities in the world that inspire, absorbing them, is just as important a part of creating art as doing the actual painting of them. I am trying these days to save my energy to paint the subject matter that I LOVE, instead of exhausting myself painting everything that I like. This way I can speak clearly to the world about what I find most important and most lovely. There are so many talented painters today, if we all made sure to paint our most passionate subject matter, the art world, or the world would be richer.

ps. I did take my class back to this spot a few weeks later, as it was imprinted on my mind! So, if you are meant to paint it, you won't forget!!

Teaching at The Disney Family Museum 6/25/11-Live Animal Sketch!!

2011-06-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

White Frames for My Alla Prima Work

2011-06-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

Rainy Day Twin Peaks Theme Still-Life

2011-06-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

my demo from tonight's portrait class

2011-05-11T21:55:00.000-07:00

Demo 4/23/11 University Arts, Palo Alto

2011-04-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

David, 9"x12" oil on panel

connecting with your subject.

2011-04-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

So I decided to join a California Art Club, Monthly Paint Out last Saturday, because I'm pretty sure that I spend too much time alone in my studio, and I'm starting to become more socially awkward.....

I packed a lunch and set off for a long day of painting, 9-3. After traipsing around from duck pond to lake to stream, I finally found Stow Lake, where I found only 2 other painters (more showed up later, but not many) I guess I had expected hoards of crispy browed squinty eyed lovers of color and brush stroke, sigh......

They were parked in front of a stone bridge over still waters, dotted with ducks and goslings, a gofer poked his head out of his hole to watch them, really. and I set off to find a spot that was interesting to me, because as much as I love a duck-let, I just couldn't paint that spoiled, over-loved bridge.

First, I sat down on a bench near the water, and a carp (I think) spent 10 minutes watching me, his slimy forehead just above the water, his mouth breaking the surface every little while to gulp air. I wanted to paint him, He was from a fairy tale, about to tell me some secret or ask me some riddle, but I knew that by the time I mixed the first color he would be gone.... so I searched on.

leaving the water I walked down a spring green hill dotted with perfect tiny white daisies, couples were making out on picnic blankets and sharing panini... but I had to work, every day I have to work, the thought of laying still on a blanket, torture! but I'm getting off track.

I finally spotted my subject, as you see above, He sat a bit crooked at the very edge of the splendor, a sturdy green trash can, rusted around the middle, grey plastic lid slightly off kilter. An ambassador between the pristine and the human, gently reminding and protecting. I set to work, tuning out the comments with my ipod, and woke from the trance that painting can be about 3 hours later.

After cleaning up, organizing my supplies back into the bag, I had a few paper towels to dispose of as usual. But the walk to the trash can, my subject,wasn't as usual. I walked slowly over to him, carefully slipping the paper towels into his mouth, like payment for posing for me. Somehow, and it's hard to put into words...... I felt connected.

Drawing and Painting Instruction

2011-03-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

Spring/Summer Session: Begins May 3rd

Registration for Current Students Begins: April 1st

Registration for New Students Begins: April 7th

Schedule

Tuesdays 6:30pm-9:30pm____________Painting from The Model

Wednesdays 6:30pm-9:30pm__________Drawing from The Model

Thursdays 6:30pm-9:30pm___________Still Life Drawing and Painting

Saturdays 9:00am-12:00pm__________Outdoor Painting

for more information and detailed class descriptions please see my website:

www.feliciaforte.com

more of keri....

2011-03-26T20:02:00.001-07:00

Look for this drawing titled "Waitress" in the third edition of the book "Strokes of Genius, The Best of Drawing" this edition is subtitled, "Fresh Perspectives" and it id due out this October 2011, published by North Light Books.

paintings of my regular muse, keri

2011-03-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

still life

2011-03-26T19:13:00.000-07:00