Tonalism: Mystery, Memory & Imagination

CANVAS AND PAINTING SURFACES

For learning, cheap boards and canvas panels are just fine 8×10 and 11×14 are two good sizes to start with. Stretched canvases are fine in the studio, for outdoors I prefer painting on panels. OIL or ACRYLIC

PAINT COLORS Please feel free to bring what you like and can get easily.

• REDS
  • Quinacridone Red (PV 19) or Quinacridone Violet (PV 19)
  • Transparent red-violet Cadmium Red Light (PR 108)
  • Opaque orange-red or Napthol Scarlet (PR9)
• BLUES
  • Ultramarine Blue (PB 29) – Transparent blue-violet Manganese Blue (preferred) or Cerulean Blue (PB 36:1) – Opaque blue-green
• YELLOWS
  • Cadmium Yellow Light or Hansa Yellow or Lemon Yellow (PY 35)
  • Semi-transparent green-yellow Cadmium Yellow Medium or deep (PY 37)
  • Opaque orange-yellow or/and Indian Yellow (HR 70) – A very transparent orange-yellow.
• WHITE
  • Titanium White Opaque (PW 6) – A cool white
• EXTRA COLORS
  • Bring a tube of both black & white acrylic – even for oil painters!
  • Indian Yellow (HR 70) – A very transparent orange- yellow. I like Gamblin paints for this color.
  • Transparent Earth Red – A truly transparent version of Venetian Red. Excellent for glazing.
  • A Black of your choice (I usually mix mine) or Paynes Gray which is a nice dark blue heart black

BRUSHES

• I like Chungking Hog Bristle brushes for their strength and durability.
• I buy mostly flats in sizes 6, 8, 10, and 12 with one smaller size like 2 for detail work. I use these brushes for the whole painting.

MEDIUMS FOR OILS (FOR ACRYLICS, BRING YOUR FAVORITE)

• Gamblin’s GAMSOL Odorless Mineral Spirits for painting and cleaning.
• Gamblin’s Galkyd Medium (I like the Gel Medium) to speed up drying time to as fast as 24 hours.
• Galkyd also makes a fantastic glazing medium.

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Paper towels
• A Round Point Painting knife, sometimes called a Spatula or Palette knife, for mixing colors and occasionally for painting.
• I like to mix my paints on a glass surface, but almost any palette can work.
• When the painting is dry and ready to hang – I varnish with Gamblin’s Gamvar Picture Varnish.

I was born in 1975 on a sunny day in Astoria Oregon. Despite my near death experience at birth, my Mom thought I was perfect. My Dad, a physician, knew better. These assessments continue today.

Within days of my recovery, my adventures began. Our small family moved to the Olympic Peninsula to live on the Quinault Indian Reservation as Dad served in the Indian Health Service. Most of my memories from those very early years revolve around an ancient Indian woman known as Gram Black, eating live clams on cold foggy beaches, and our performing circus poodle.

From there, our family moved to Boise, Idaho, where my parents got me a Golden Retriever who taught me the joy of peeing outside. It was also during this time that my sister, born in Columbia, S.A., was adopted into our family. I give her credit for teaching me patience and proper grooming.

At the age of four, I became the seventh generation on my mother’s side to live in “the town that friendliness built” and the home of the world’s largest strawberry shortcake, Lebanon, Oregon. Over the years, my family created an odd animal sanctuary and hobby farm with a revolving cast of colorful creatures to ride, observe, and endlessly scoop up after. My bedroom was in the tack room, which I shared with my youngest sister’s goat.

Very early my parents realized that I had dyslexia and that I saw things differently from most. School was difficult, but in hindsight, this was one of many blessings that have helped to shape my artful existence. I was lucky to grow up surrounded by beautiful creeks and evergreen wilderness and within a family that loved to travel, encouraged curiosity, and following one’s heart. And my heart has always told me to create.