We woke to a chilly, overcast morning here at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. I was up early to get to Yavapai Point by dawn; I hoped to get some good fog effects in the Canyon before the sun dried things out. And I wasn’t disappointed! The fog was a magician and the Canyon a vast magic trunk, with temples and buttes vanishing and then suddenly reappearing. But, in my opinion, it was weather more suited for photography than for plein air painting.
Short of going back to bed, how does a painter handle such frustrating ephemera? Fog with the attention span of a two-year-old is certainly more challenging than the slow, predictable shift of sunlight. One approach is that of painter Julia Seelos, whom I ran into later in the day at Yaki Point. She’d chosen to do a tree study. Selecting something close at hand minimizes the effects of fog. Another option is to pay attention to the fog, and when it parts to reveal some useful feature, stop. Stop painting, observe and memorize. When the fog closes up again, you can then commit what you have memorized to canvas.
After leaving Yavapai, a little rain moved in, so I went to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center to watch the free movie there. I’ve seen it before, but it’s worth seeing again. It’s a great introduction to the Canyon, and it also offers some stunning cinematography. The whitewater rafting scenes left me breathless.
When I left the theatre, I saw that the weather hadn’t improved at all. In fact, it looked more threatening. But I wanted to make another stab at the unusual weather, so I drove over to Yaki Point. I set up not too far from Julia. Perched at the edge, I spied a single condor far below swimming through the thin fog. But the fog wasn’t thin for long. After arranging my paints and brushes, I looked up from my pochade to discover that I couldn’t see anything beyond ten feet. But that all changed two seconds later, of course, and I caught a glimpse of Vishnu Temple. I decided to make that a focus, while working mostly on modelling a nearby tower that seemed to point to it. I just left Vishnu a flat, abstract shape in the distance.
I finished up in time for the rain to begin. Curtains of it had been moving through the Canyon in the distance, and finally one brushed by me. I packed up, went to the car and then did some grocery shopping before heading home for lunch.
The sun seemed to be coming out early in the afternoon, so I headed back up to El Tovar to check out the scenery, thinking I might get in a small painting before P.A. Nisbet’s demonstration at 4. Well, the Canyon was all fog from the rim down. So instead, I took a walk – and I took photographs, too. By 4, Peter was set up on the rim and ready to paint. Just as he began his block-in, the fog ate the scene. Professional that he is, he forged ahead working from memory. But then the heavens broke and the rain hammered down. We quickly helped move his gear to the El Tovar’s porch, where he continued to work from memory. It was a great demo and a privilege to see him work.
You’re probably wondering where my paintings are for today. They need a little more consideration first.
As I write, it is now after dark, and it has been raining for five solid hours. A little lake has developed outside my hosts’ home. I think I just saw a boat go by.
 |
| P.A. Nisbet demonstrating on the South Rim |
 |
| Peter’s palette |
 |
| Peter on the El Tovar porch |
 |
| Desert View Watch Tower |
After last night’s gorgeous, jewel-studded sunset, I suspected that we were in for a change in the weather. Sure enough, today saw thunderheads building up over higher terrain. But after two days of painting in perfect weather – and full sun – I am grateful for the clouds! Not only do they add interest to the sky, they also cast beautiful shadows in the canyon.
 |
| View from Desert View |
I headed out first thing to Desert View, 25 miles east of the village. I knew that the canyon beneath the historic watchtower would be in deep shadow for awhile. Deep shadow normally doesn’t interest me, but in this case, I also knew that I’d see a silver ribbon of the Colorado River snaking through it, which would make for a nice point of interest. I arrived at Desert View so early that the snack shop wasn’t open yet, and only a few tourists were wandering around. It wasn’t long, though, before the busloads arrived. In the course of a couple of hours, I had conversations with people from France, Germany and Ireland. The fellow from Ireland and I talked about family names; I learned that “Chesley” is not an Irish name, but “McCulley” – my grandparents’ surname – certainly is. My new friend said that although he is from Dublin, his family is originally from Moscow. I guess even the Irish had to come from somewhere.
 |
| The River – 9×12, oil |
At Desert View, I was serenaded by ravens. Ravens are the most remarkable creatures, and I almost feel a soulful connection to them. I love to watch them gliding on the wind. I thought about putting one or two in my painting; I may still yet.
After closing up, I got some coffee at the Desert View snack shop and hiked around looking for other spots. Although the views were promising, I decided to head back. I painted a nice piece at Moran Point last year. Moran Point is stunning with the early morning light, but as I discovered, it’s not so interesting at mid-morning. (I wonder if Thomas Moran, for whom it is named and who painted there, thought the same?) So I moved on to Grandview Point, which is good any time of day. Before Grand Canyon was established as a park and Grand Canyon Village was settled, Grandview was where the tourists went.
 |
| Monsoon Weather – 9×12, oil |
By this time, the thunderheads were building over the North Rim, and I could see rain coming down. I love a good storm. And 10 miles was a good safe, distance to be from it. Knowing that the clouds would change quickly, I blocked in and finished those before working on the land. (I used a similar approach with the Desert View piece, blocking and completing the shadowed canyon first.)
Linda Glover Gooch and Glenn Rennell were there at Grandview, as well. After finishing up, I had a light lunch with Linda, sitting on a rock wall and watching the clouds. We talked shop, of course. Then I went home to plan the rest of the day. Coffee helped ratchet up the enthusiasm for a third painting. So, I drove up to Verkamp’s in the village to paint, thinking that afterward I’d hop over to El Tovar to catch Paul Kratter’s 4 pm demonstration. But as soon as I exited the car, the heavens opened. I scurried back to my car and sat for nearly an hour until I had exhausted all my reading material. When the next lightning bolt struck directly in front of me in the Canyon and striking a spot below the rim, I knew it was time to head home.
It ended up raining all evening. I enjoyed a nice, homecooked meal with my hosts. (Thank you again, Chris and Rick!) Maybe with all the rain we’ll have some nice fog to paint in the Canyon come morning.
I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon quite like this. Everywhere you turn, thanks to the summer rains, there is a beauty bonus. Everything is blooming – apache plume, chamisa, Indian paintbrush, and countless other flowers I don’t know the names of. I haven’t included any in my paintings, but you can bet I’ve included them in my photos!
We had another great start to the day. It was cooler – 52, according to my rental vehicle’s thermometer. I never mind a cool start. (Today especially, since I slept a little later due to being worn out from yesterday’s efforts.) After coffee and a call home, I drove off to Yaki Point. As I did yesterday, I sent a text message to the event coordinator of my whereabouts. This information is made public so visitors can find the painters. This time, however, I remembered to include who the text message was from! I forgot yesterday. Visitors love to see painters in action, and I hope I didn’t disappoint too many.
 |
| View fromYaki Point 12×16 oil |
Yaki Point is one of my favorite areas. With nearly 360 degree views, you can find good shadow at any time of day. Shadow is very important in canyon painting; without shadows, the Grand Canyon becomes a flat piece of cardboard painted in pastel tints. Early in the day, I painted on the west side, and then as noon drew near, I painted on the east side.
 |
| Linda Glover Gooch and Paul Kratter |
 |
| Glenn Rennell |
As I painted, I was serenaded by an unseen osprey. (I’m very familiar with the calls of both osprey and bald eagle, which are fishing birds, from painting around Campobello Island.) I also spotted another condor but, better yet, several painters! I checked a few more off my life list: Linda Glover Gooch, Paul Kratter, Jim Wodark and Glenn Rennell. Some of these I’ve already checked off, but it doesn’t hurt to see them in their native habit more than once.
One new thing I’m doing this year is writing on each painting the GPS coordinates of the location at which it was painted. This means that if you buy one, you can use your GPS to get within a few meters of where it was actually painted. Now, as the informed collector knows, few painters create a photographic rendering of a scene. Things get left out, things get moved, or things get added from a scene the painter saw a half-mile away. This happens more, though, in studio paintings, where the artist has more leisure time to design. In the field, these changes happen in a more minor way. At any rate, part of the challenge of this kind of plein air painting – that is, painting in a national landmark – is to make the painting look like the actual scene. It’ll also help me if I decide I want to go back and work more on a particular painting.
 |
| Looking Down from Yaki Point, 9×12, oil |
As an example, here is a painting I did at Yaki Point with its latitude and longitude. You can search this on Google Maps, too. Just copy and paste the text string “36° 3′ 29″ N, 112° 4′ 52″ W” and search. The view is even better in Google Earth.
 |
| Mather Point Afternoon 9×12 oil |
After a break for lunch, I went back out. This time, I decided to brave the crowds near Mather Point. I set up a little to the east where I had a view of Mather Point itself and the conveyor belt of crowds going down to the overlook. I got my picture taken several times. “Can I take your picture?” most ask. I say, “Sure, but you also have to take my card” – and I give them a postcard with a Grand Canyon image on it and my website. (If you look closely, you can see the people.)
 |
| Joshua Been |
 |
| Bill Cramer |
To cap off the day, I took a walk and ended up near Yavapai Point where I ran into Bill Cramer and Joshua Been. They were finishing up and the sun was setting, so we all went down to a private perch Bill had found and watched the sunset from there. Get three painters together to watch a sunset, and you’ll hear all kinds of interesting talk. Most of the time, we were trying to figure out what kind of green that was we were seeing in the sky holes of the clouds. It was fascinating to watch the colors of the canyon change as dark deepened.
Sunset was followed by a visit to the Pizza Pub at Maswik Lodge and then home to bed. Where to tomorrow?
 |
| Afternoon, El Tovar on the Rim |
Friday, I drove from Sedona to Grand Canyon in a rainstorm. It was the proverbial cats and dogs, and I couldn’t imagine what it would be like higher up. But it turned out all the rain was south of Flagstaff, and I had an easy drive to the South Rim. I reached my guest lodging – thank you again, Chris and Rick! – around noon. Having still several hours before orientation, I made good use of my time by walking the Rim Trail and reminding myself of some good afternoon painting spots. Because we had to wait for orientation to get our canvases stamped, I couldn’t do any real painting just yet.
At orientation, we were given a light supper and an opportunity to see some old friends and to meet a few new ones. We were also given secret access codes – we lucky painters have permission to drive where normally only the shuttle buses can go. Although the shuttles are very convenient for hikers, they’re not very convenient for painters who need to tote a week’s worth of painting gear! I’m grateful for the access to Hermit Road and Yaki Point, two of my favorites areas to paint in.
Not all the painters were at orientation. Two were headed for the North Rim, and three were heading down to Indian Gardens and Phantom Ranch. They had to get a head start because of the travel time. By the way, although you can drive to the North Rim, you can’t drive to Indian Gardens or Phantom Ranch. You have to hike. Trina and I did the hike in and out several years ago. I know that although going down is strenuous, hiking out is even more so. Fortunately, the painters were able to arrange to have mules carry their gear.
 |
| Kolb Studio and Bright Angel Trail, 12×16 oil |
After a good night’s rest, I hit the road just before dawn. I had in mind one particular place on the Hermit Road with a good view of the Kolb Studio perched on the rim and the Bright Angel trail descending below it. Because the sun was just coming up, I decided to do a quick, 5×7 sketch just to warm up, and then I followed it by a 12×16. While I painted, the mules began to worry their way down the trail past the Studio, followed by hikers. I had just the tiniest breeze, but it wasn’t cold at all. Mornings seem warmer this year than last.
 |
| Pinon Tree, 9×12 (not quite resolved yet) |
It was about 10:30 by the time I finished, and I needed a break. I continued west on the Hermit Road. About halfway out, there’s a pulloff just big enough for one car. It’s right by the rim, and there’s a picnic table there. I had an apple and enjoyed sitting for a few minutes. Then I pulled my gear out and did a 9×12 study of a piñon hanging out over the edge. While I painted, a quartet of condors wheeled overhead. I tried to take some artsy photos of them, but by the time I got the camera out, they’d moved on. I got one decent shot, though. (Condors were recently introduced to the Canyon by the Park Service. They seem to be thriving!)
 |
| El Condor Paseo Overhead |
Following this, it was time for lunch, so I drove all the way to the end of the road and found another picnic table. It was hot and dry at Hermit’s Rest. I didn’t spend long, just enough time to scarf down two rice cakes slathered with peanut butter and apple butter and to toss back a half-liter of spring water.
 |
| Gregory Hull |
I drove slowly back, trying to decide if I had energy for a fourth painting … and then I came across Gregory Hull working hard. He gave me the inspiration to tackle another. I found an artfully-arranged clump of Mormon tea with some good shadows behind it. This was also a 9×12, and I knew when I finished that I was tired and had had more than enough sun. You have to be careful at 7,000 feet on a clear day, even in mid-September.
 |
| Mormon Tea, 9×12, oil |
I stopped home briefly, and then headed over to El Tovar to watch John Cogan give an acrylic painting demonstration. One of the neat things about the Plein Air on the Rim event is that every day you can see a demonstration by a master artist. (They’re also doing them at the other locations I mentioned.) I try never to miss it. John had great weather for his demonstration, unlike last year, when we had a good deal of raw weather that forced us to El Tovar’s porch.
 |
| John Cogan Giving a Demonstration |
By the way, I’ve had several people stop by to chat at each of my locations. One of the purposes of this event is, of course, education. I talk to people about what I do, what interests me in the Canyon, how I interpret it, and so on. I want them to see the Canyon through my painter’s eyes. But I also let them know that they can buy the work we create this week and, if they do so, they will support the Grand Canyon Association‘s dream of creating an art center and museum for the Canyon.
Now it’s late…time to rest up for tomorrow. It looks like we might get some clouds,which I always like.
I am driving through Sedona this morning on my way up to the Grand Canyon, and I’ve stopped at Heart of Sedona for a cup of coffee and to check my e-mail. And before I get heavily involved in the Grand Canyon event, I wanted to make quick mention in my blog of three news items that relate to Sedona:
I’m proud to announce that I am now represented by the Sedona Arts Center Fine Art Gallery here in town. I dropped off several pieces yesterday. If you’re in town, I’d be delighted if you’ll take a look!
In February, I’ll be teaching a beginner’s course in plein air painting for the Sedona Arts Center. This will be two consecutive Saturday afternoons (February 16 & 23). If you’re looking for a winter getaway, this is it! You won’t have to give up an entire week for a workshop but just a couple of afternoons. Between the two sessions, you can paint more if you wish, and I’ll be happy to critique what you do. Or, if you want to hike, explore or just relax at a spa, you can do that, too! Here is the link for registration. The page also has additional details about the workshop plus a supply list.
Also, don’t forget my Paint Sedona advanced plein air workshops that run from October into April. Each week consists of four half-days. We’ll go painting in the mornings at some of my favorite spots and then you’re free in the afternoons to paint more on your own – or to explore! I have several different themes this winter which I’m sure will be popular. Don’t wait to sign up! For details, visit www.PaintSedona.com.
 |
| Camelhead, Backlit – 9×12, pastel |
That’s all for now. It’s off to the Canyon. I wonder what the weather will be like? It is raining in Sedona as I type at 8 a.m.
After writing about my imminent departure for the Grand Canyon in my previous post, some readers are wondering, What’s happened to Michael? I apologize for the silence, but I am still, in a sense, traveling to the Grand Canyon. The event doesn’t start until Friday evening with our orientation, but I am, indeed, on my way.
I left Campobello Island on Monday (Labor Day) and flew out from Manchester, NH, on Tuesday. It took six hours longer than expected to reach Phoenix because of a variety of initially exasperating but finally entertaining delays in Denver. (It got to the point where you just had to laugh.) I arrived in Phoenix in time to drive through the tail end of rush hour, and I didn’t reach Sedona until after dark. I had been up for about 22 hours.
So, now I’m in Sedona. Although I did a certain amount of preparation in the studio several months ago, I’ve found lots of small details to attend to. As I mentioned before, I really want to make sure I have everything I might possibly need. Framing tool with extra points, hanging wire and d-rings, plenty of frames, boxes for the frames, studio painting for the exhibit, the right number and size of painting panels, wet panel carriers, masking tape, backup paint, maybe a tube of dioxazine violet – well, it’s quite a list. And as I go through the studio, I inevitably see something I might need. Yesterday I came across my Coleman LED headlamp, and I thought, Maybe I’ll want to paint a nocturne.
Here are a couple of photos of the pile thus far. (Clothes, snacks, six gallons of spring water aren’t included.) Hopefully, it’ll all fit in my Ford Focus rental. Tomorrow morning, I drive up to the Canyon.
 |
| Me at the 2011 Grand Canyon Celebration of Art (from National Parks Traveler) |
I’ve spent the last few days organizing odds and ends for the Grand Canyon Plein Air on the Rim event next week. Tomorrow, I’ll drive down from Campobello Island to Manchester NH and then fly from there to Denver and then Phoenix. In Phoenix, I’ll pick up the rental car and stop at my winter studio in Sedona for a couple of days. Although my winter studio has most of the gear and materials I’ll need, there are two precious items that travel with me across the country – brushes and my favorite turps container (empty.) I really don’t want to forget those.
However, once I’m in Sedona, I will have the real packing to do! I have a checklist for plein air events, and although I’ve been packing for these events for several years now, I still rely on the list. If I forget sunblock or paper towels, I know I can buy those in Grand Canyon Village, but I doubt I’ll be able to buy a tube of titanium white. (The Village store, though, does have a surprising array of necessities; last year, I misplaced the data cable for my camera, and I was actually able to purchase a card reader there! No, I wasn’t painting from photos, but I was depending on my camera for blogging.)
Since it’s always a guess how many paintings I’ll turn out, I usually throw in a few extra frames. For every painting that goes up on the wall, I usually do two or three more. I’d like to have frames for them all, just in case I need to put up replacements during the sale. Sometimes you can buy frames at these events. Last year, Randy Higbee from King of Frames was there, and I bought some nice ones from him.
That’s it for now. I’ll write more once I’m in Arizona.
I love brush work. For me, it is one of the biggest attractions of painting in oil. Today, I was scanning in some recent work, and I couldn’t help but start thinking of the surface quality of the paint. I thought I’d share with you one swatch from each of the paintings. It can be a real joy to look at such thumbnail abstractions without having the complete painting on hand to remind you what the subject is. It’s like enjoying a single flower plucked from the garden.
Several posts ago, I described my approach for mounting paper or unstretched canvas to board. The idea is that, to save weight and space when travelling, you can paint on gessoed paper or canvas that is taped or pinned to a backboard. Then, once you are home, you can either archive these paintings in a box (a sweater box slid under the bed and left there for posterity is ideal!) or, if you really love a piece, you can mount it and then frame it.
I thought it would be helpful to shoot a video of this method. Here it is.
– Michael Chesley Johnson www.MichaelChesleyJohnson.com
It’s never too early to think about Christmas! Although I’m not thinking about it much myself yet, I have some time this week to get a head start on some fall projects before flying out for the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art. One of my fall projects is always the next year’s calendar. I like to get it done well before Christmas so folks can have plenty of time to order. Trina and I spent the last couple of days selecting images, and now I’m proud to say the project is complete. You can see a preview and order the 2013 Michael Chesley Johnson Calendar here.
We picked 13 images from our time in the Southwest and in the Canadian Maritimes. Here is a sample image, a nice pastel I did of water pouring over a dam in the springtime:
A Plein Air Painter's Blog 