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Livermore Art Association/Pleasanton Art League Meeting

Tonight’s combined meeting of the Livermore Art Association (LAA) and Pleasanton Art League (PAL) featured a demonstration of oil painting by George Allen Durkee. George painted San Francisco scenes for 20 years and then moved to “the Gold Country.” George’s book on oil painting will be published by Northlight in September of 2009.

OK, I admit it. I don’t paint. However, I was totally impressed (those who know me know that I do not “totally impress” easily :-) ) with the thought processes conveyed by the artist as he described, by painting and speaking, how he painted a woodland scene that he had brought with him (along with a number of other paintings). George admitted that he seldom works from photographs, preferring the wider range of light that can be perceived by the human eye looking at the natural scene. Like photographers, he recognizes the comparatively limited range of light that can be captured by painting (or film or digital sensor)…frustrating sometimes, but reality nevertheless.

There was a lot of combined wisdom in that room tonight. There were a lot of “total years of living” and the balance and wisdom that they bring. When George spoke of “never reaching the destination” and what the process or journey is for him, there was a lot of unspoken agreement, born of experience, in the members of the audience.

George’s suggested title for his book is “Oil Painting for Yourself – Reaching Your Personal Best.” The title is already undergoing revision by marketeers (a cross between a marketer and a Mouseketeer/buccaneer/musketeer. When these folks are not shooting holes in things or pillaging, you can often find them at beach parties wearing large ears). :-) Just kidding – some of my good friends are marketeers…. Well, I hope whatever title they choose for George’s book earns more for him (and them) than his original title, which I sort of like! (But what do I know?….)

I thanked George for his demonstration. It is seldom that folks let you have insight into their actual thought processes in creating a work. Tonight was a rare treat.

-Bill at Cheshire Cat Photo 

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