Sketches, studies, minis and gems.

"Juan and the Gang" 5x7" oil on linen. Frank Gardner ©2011
SOLD




"Pancho and Margarita" 5x7" oil on linen. Frank Gardner © 2011
$475. Framed
SOLD

Frank Gardner Painting Workshop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. March 2012

Evening view over San Miguel.
Image Frank Gardner ©



Dates are set for my 2012 plein air painting workshop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
March 10-16
Class size 8 -12 people

Being a resident of San Miguel for over 20 years I'm always excited to offer my Mexico workshops each winter.
This one is going to be my best yet.
March is one of the best months for visiting. The weather is almost always perfect for painting. Warm sunny days of around 75F and cool nights about 50F. Located in the mountains of Central Mexico, San Miguel de Allende is rich in history and colonial architecture.




One of my classes painting a landscape.
Image Frank Gardner ©



For this years class I am arranging a very special week. Approximately half of the week will be spent painting on the streets of San Miguel, or around the mansion where the group will be based. The rest of the time we will head out of town, to nearby private ranches, where we'll paint landscape and or rustic old chapels and buildings. As special guests we'll paint comfortably all day and be treated to full gourmet lunches by our hosts. We'll return to town around 5:30 on those days. There will be plenty of time in the evenings for exploring the historic center of San Miguel or relaxing on the rooftop terrace of the mansion where you'll be staying.



Lodging will be provided at a luxurious historic mansion in the center of San Miguel de Allende. Located less than two blocks from the Jardin on Calle San Francisco, its ideal location puts you exactly where you want to be to experience the most San Miguel has to offer.

With 4 bedroom suites with full baths, two standard bedrooms, a grand dining room featuring 20 foot vaulted ceilings, and a full colonial library, it is the pinnacle of colonial luxury.

Built in 1752, it has been home to many prominent people including President Santa Ana during his fifth presidency in 1833, during the fated Alamo. In 1985, it was beautifully renovated to its past splendor, and has since been a frequent stop on the Homes and Gardens tours, and featured in magazines such as Vogue for its artful interior design.



One of the interior walkways around this magnificent mansion.



Courtyard where you'll stay.



Class description:

We will paint from around 9:00 or 9:30 until about 1:00. There will be about an hour for lunch then we will paint until about 5:00.

This workshop is for oil painters only. All levels are welcome, but you SHOULD HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE PAINTING ON LOCATION. I have a materials list that I will email to all participants.

- In the workshop, my emphasis is on helping everyone advance to their next level.

Some of the topics we will concentrate on are:

- Values: A strong and simple value pattern is key to a successful painting, we will work on seeing and mixing values correctly from the start and keeping them clear throughout the painting process.

- Color: We will work on seeing color and value then mixing desired color using a limited palette.
Premixing colors on your palette to get proper relationships is one of the topics I'll discuss.
Accurate color mixing is key to capturing the mood of a location.


- Strong Starts/ Block In: An emphasis will be on getting a strong start to your painting so you don't need to waste time reworking the design later. I feel that a strong start is the key a successful plein air painting and we will focus a lot on "starts" as well as how to bring a good start to the desired finish.

- Demos: I will do several demos, but there will be plenty of time for painting and I will walk around and give individual guidance. There will be some quick painting exercises as well as some longer painting sessions.





A typical street in San Miguel.
Image Frank Gardner ©




An old chapel where we might paint.
Image Frank Gardner ©




One of the bedroom suites.



The following rooms are available.
Includes:
- 5 full days painting instruction: painting demos, group and one on one instruction. Powerpoint discussion on painting influences, composition and design, plus other possible topics.
- 7 nights lodging at one of the most historic homes in San Miguel.
- Welcome cocktail and dinner, to be determined by when participants will be arriving.
- Light breakfast each morning.
- 1 Special Group Dinner at the house.
- 2 Gourmet Lunches at Private Ranches
- Transportation to and from painting locations outside of town.
- Satellite TV and WiFi
- Lodging taxes and tips for house staff.
- Odorless Turpentine will be provided to those traveling by plane.


$1,650.USD (4)
-Rooftop bedroom with Queen bed. Amazing views on 3 sides overlooking rooftops and the church spires of town. Wake up with a view of the Parroquia each morning. 1/2 bath.

-Master Suite with King bed. Walk in closet. Full bath with oversized tub.

-Suite #2 Queen size bed. Oversized tub. Plenty of closet space. Window view of street. Room connects to library with fireplace and comfortable leather furniture.

- Suite #3 Four poster queen sized bed. Sitting area, walk in closet. Full bath.

$1,550. USD (1)
-Suite #4 Cheerfully decorated double bed. Connects to library. Street view. Full bath- shower only.

$1,450. USD (1)
-Ground floor room. Single bed, 1/2 bath.

The 2 rooms with 1/2 baths will need to share showers in one of the other bedrooms.

Non painter sharing a bed is an additional $500. We'll be glad to arrange activities for any non painting partners. Spanish classes, spa/massage, horseback riding, cooking classes. San Miguel is a very safe town for anyone who just wants to wander around and explore.

Email me at frank@frankgardner.com with any questions or to see if there are available spots.
Occupancy is limited. If more lodging is requested I can arrange a similar option close by.

There will be a few spots available for people who don't need lodging.
Non Lodging Tuition only for the 5 days is $680. includes 5 days painting, the welcome cocktail and dinner at the house, the special group dinner, 2 gourmet lunches and transport to and from the private ranches, plus any extra discussions or critiques in the evenings.


A deposit of 50% is needed to hold your spot. There are limited rooms available at the main house that we'll be based. Room selection is on a first come first serve basis. I'll give you a mailing address to send the deposit check. Or you can pay with Paypal (additional 3% for Paypal transaction fee)
The remaining 50% is required 60 days prior to the start of the class.


Not included:
Airfare to and from Mexico: The closest airport is in Leon, (airport code BJX), about and hour and a half ride from town.
Mexico City is about four hours from San Miguel by bus and a private driver can also be arranged.
Transportation to and from Airport: I'll be glad to recommend and arrange round trip transport from the airport. There are several different options and costs.
Other meals not listed in description above: Grocery shopping can be arranged upon arrival. There are many good restaurants nearby. I'll provide a list of some of our favorites.




In front of the one of San Miguel's Many beautiful churches.
Image Frank Gardner ©




On the main square, just a block and a half from where you'll stay.
Image Frank Gardner ©




At one of the ranches we'll visit.
Image Frank Gardner ©




Nearby landscape at one of the ranches we'll visit.
Image Frank Gardner ©

Notes from Door County Plein Air Festival. July 2011

"Shapes of Door County" 12x16" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD



I was invited to participate in the Door County Plein Air Festival this July in Wisconsin. It was my first time that I've done one of these events where artists are invited to paint for 4 or 5 days then have an exhibit of their best works painted during the week. You must create all of the artwork from life during the indicated days and within Door County, WI.
The event is hosted by the Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek. It is also part of their biggest fundraiser of the year. The staff and volunteers do an exceptional job of planning and organizing the whole thing. I can't convey how smoothly it is run. They also make it exciting for collectors by having certain events each day where people can go to find at least some of the artists painting. It restricts us a bit during the little time that we have to get solid work completed, but it is really a great way to chat with collectors and that is kind of why we are there.

My friends Colin Page and Marc Hanson were invited back this year and it was great to meet all of the other artists involved as well. The artists are provided lodging with host families. I stayed in a little boat house in Sister Bay with Colin, and therefore spent a lot of the time painting with him. It is always inspirational to hang out with other artists that I admire and we definitely pushed ourselves a little harder that week. Not in a competitive way, but just to take advantage of the time we had to concentrate on painting and nothing else. We painted all day, and almost every night until 11pm at least. One night Colin and I painted, chatted and joked about art and prepared frames for our pieces until about 3:30. It's great to paint so much and talk about all kinds of art stuff. I always work out a few issues and grow a little bit after intense painting with friends like this. There are usually some frustrating times when I seem to wipe off everything I start, but that is all just part of pushing myself to create stronger pieces.

The week winds up with a gala event at the school where each artist chooses their best 4 pieces to hang for the show. Special patrons are allowed to preview the works and purchase at 15% premium above the retail price. Then the gallery is closed for about 20 minutes while the sold works are replaced with more pieces that each artist had in reserve. Then the gallery is re-opened again to the collectors who have purchased tickets for the evening's events and the work is sold at silent auction starting at the original retail price. Remember, this is also a fundraising event for the school and there is no shortage of supporters willing to pay a little extra to get first choice for the paintings they like.

About halfway through the night awards are announced by the invited judge. Here are the results as copied from the newsletter sent out by the Peninsula School. I was extremely honored and humbled and more than a bit surprised when Kathy from the school read my name as the winner of the coveted Artist's Choice Award.

"Brian Sindler, of Northbrook, IL, claimed the Best in Show prize at the 2011 Door County Plein Air Festival, hosted by the Peninsula School of Art, 3900 County Road F in Fish Creek, for his oil painting entitled, "Nocturne, Sister Bay." Sindler's painting was chosen from a field of 41 other artists by internationally-recognized artist and judge, Brian Stewart, of Minneapolis, MN, during the festival's Gala held at the School on Friday, July 22. The four top award winners also received cash in recognition of their works.

Other top prize winners include: First Place, "After Hours" by Colin Page of Camden, ME; Second Place, "The American Dream" by James Richards of Athens, GA and Third Place, "Ice Cream and Shade" by Tom Nachreiner of Elm Grove, WI.

The following artists received Honorable Mention and art supplies for their works: Marc Hanson, of Taylor Falls, MN for "Backyard View;" Stuart Fullerton, of Chicago, IL, for "High Summer;" Joshua Been, of Salida, CO, for "Lake Shore Patterns;" Colin Page for "Wednesday Afternoon in the Park" and Mark Boedges of South Burlington, VT for "The Heather J."

Frank Gardner of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico received the prestigious Artists' Choice Award for the body of artwork he created during the Festival. The award winner is selected by a ballot of the participating festival artists."

There is also a quick paint event on Saturday where each artist has just two hours to complete a finished work. The Featured Artists quickly get their pieces down to the tent for a live auction. There are about 40 other artists who compete for people's choice awards and the chance to be invited back for next years event as a featured artist.

Below are the rest of the my pieces that I completed during the event. Unfortunately, in the rush, I didn't snap an image of the quick paint piece.



"The Blue Ox" 16x12" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
$1,500.




"Horseshoe Bay Farms" 12x16" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
$1,500.





"View of Ephraim" 9x12" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
$950.





"Model Boat" 8x10" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
Private Collection





"Ice Cream Factory at Night" 9x12" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
$950.





"Fish Creek Market Nocturne" Frank Gardner © 2011
Private Collection.





"Old Pick-Up in Door County" 8x10" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
$800.






"Land Cruiser" 9x12" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
$950.





"Sit, Stay" 12x9" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
$950.





"The Red Putter" 12x9" oil. Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD

Show at Addison Art Gallery - Sat. June 11

My show at Addison Art Gallery tonight. There is a reception from 5:30 to 7:30.

Here are my paintings for that show. There are also 47 Mudheads from my 100 Mudheads Collection. I was hoping to get closer to the 100 number, but they have been taking longer to paint than I had anticipated. I'll keep going with the project after the show.

There is also another reception this Wed. night, the 15th, from 5:30 to 7:30. It will be a group show with several artists that are in town painting next week and some of the locals. Paul Schulenburg, Marc Hanson, Jim Coe, me and one or two others I think.




"Boats by the Wharf" 20x24" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
$2,800. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"Foggy" 16x20" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
$1,800. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"Boat Meadow" 11x14" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
$1.050. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"View of Pond Road" 11x14" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD





"Penniman House" 6x8" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD





"Little House in Wellfleet" 6x8" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
$550. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"A Day's Work" 14x18" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
$1,500. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"Spring Launch" 8x10" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD





"Bank Street" 8x10" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
$780. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"Red, White and Blue" 18x14" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD





"Commercial Street" 10x8" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD





"Colin's Landing" 14x18" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
$1,500. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"A Bucket Full" 16x20" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
$1,800. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"Day's End in Chatham" 14x18" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2010
$1,500. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"Coast Guard Station" 8x10" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD





"Street to the Harbor" 8x10" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD





"A Touch of Summer" 18x24" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2010
$2,500. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery





"Dyer Street" 18x24" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2010
SOLD

View my new work at 100 Mudheads

I'm posting a lot new work on my 100 Mudheads blog.




100 Mudheads Collection #13
Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD

New Blog 100 Mudheads

I'm working on a special painting project called 100 Mudheads. I started a separate blog to journal my efforts. Please check it out and follow my progress there.

I've challenged myself to a one month painting marathon. My goal is to paint 100 Mudheads in just one month. They will show as a group alongside my exhibit of recent work at the Addison Art Gallery in Orleans, MA.
My Mudhead Marathon will start on May 11 and my goal is to have 100 of these classic works completed by the opening of the reception at 5:30 on June 11th.

Top Prize at the 6" Squared April Show

My painting "Fast Asleep" was awarded a top prize at the 6" Squared Show this week.
The show is currently at the Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa, CA.
I was totally surprised to get this honor out of so many great paintings in this show. Did not expect this at all and real excited about it.


"Fast Asleep" 6x6" oil/board. Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD - Shown in Plein Air #2 Float mount frame.



"Fast Asleep" 6x6" oil/board. Frank Gardner © 2011
SOLD


The judges were Jean Stern, Director of the Irvine Museum, Jeff Horn, artist, and gallery owner and art connoisseur, Randy Higbee.

There were three artists that all three judges gave the maximum points and I was one of them.

They had 297 artists enter this show. 1174 paintings entered and they accepted 523. There were 500 pieces hung for Opening Night.

New oil paintings for M Gallery in Charleston

These 3 new paintings have just arrived at the M Gallery in Charleston.
"Storybook" is a painting of our daughter and is for an invitational group show called "Private Spaces". The show opens with a reception on Friday May 6th.
Each invited artist was asked to paint something that represented a private space for them. I decided that a little girl, hidden away on a canopy bed, reading a big storybook was a good choice.
We were each asked to write a short description of our painting to hang next to it in the show.
Below the painting is what I wrote to accompany it.



"Storybook" 14x18" oil/linen. Frank Gardner © 2011
$1,500. Framed. Available at M Gallery of Fine Art. Charleston, SC


"Story Book" is about a little girl's private time with a story book and her imagination. A private space on a soft bed with a canopy pulled. Separating her from the outside world and allowing her to escape into her inner space. This is a painting of our daughter, but I think everyone can relate to a little child and that special age. The time when the printed word becomes real, if just for a moment, and a world of endless possibilities and promise expands a child's world.


I also sent them a 6x8" that I painted when I was working out the design for "Storybook". This one is from a slightly different angle and Erin is reading a larger book. This one is called "Big Stories".



"Big Stories" 6x8" oil/linen. Frank Gardner © 2011
$550. Framed. Available at M Gallery of Fine Art. Charleston, SC



A third new painting that I sent to M is a landscape with a full moon coming up over the hills here in Mexico. The serene feel to this view and the colors really inspired me to paint it. This one is not for the "Private Spaces" show, but it will be hanging at the gallery.



"Rising Moon" 16x20" oil/linen. Frank Gardner © 2011
$1,800. Framed. Available at M Gallery of Fine Art. Charleston, SC

Plein Air Oil Painting workshop on Cape Cod- June 6-10

I am excited to announce that I'll be teaching a 5 day plein air oil painting workshop on Cape Cod. The dates are June 6th through June 10th, 2011.



A Typical Provincetown Street in June. Frank Gardner © 2010


Cape Cod is a favorite destination for outdoor painters and June is one of the best months for painting there. The light is perfect and the weather is pleasant and not too humid yet. It's my favorite time of year to paint on the Cape.
The cost of the workshop is $500 for five full days of painting (Individuals are responsible for accommodations, food, supplies, etc.) I am offering a discounted rate of $450. for anyone that signs up and sends their deposit by April 30. Reserve your spot today by sending me an email. frank@frankgardner.com

The painting locations will be on the Outer Cape. Let's plan on painting from Chatham on out to Provincetown. Transportation is a must, but we can work out carpooling to the daily painting spots. The Eastham to Wellfleet area is the best and most central place to look for accommodations. I can give you a list of lodging suggestions when you sign up for the class. There are lots of great cottages for rent too if there is a small group coming together. Please email me for more information, the materials list or to set aside your spot. The class size will be limited. I require a $200. deposit and the balance paid at the beginning of the class.

Email me to reserve your spot and I'll give you my mailing address to send your deposit.



Wharf in PTown. Frank Gardner © 2010



Commercial Street in PTown. Frank Gardner © 2010


This workshop is for oil painters. All levels are welcome. However, whining is frowned upon and you must be able to carry and set up your own gear.


In the workshop my emphasis is on helping everyone advance to their next level.

Some of the topics we will concentrate on are:

Values: A strong and simple value pattern is key to a successful painting, we will work on getting values correct from the start and keeping them clear throughout the painting process.

Color: We will work on seeing color and value then mixing color using a limited palette.
Premixing colors on your palette, and choosing the best design for your composition are a few of the things that we will focus on in this workshop.

Strong Starts/ Block In: An emphasis will be on getting a strong start to your painting so you don't need to waste time reworking the design later. Accurate color mixing is key to capturing the mood of a location. I feel that a strong start is the key a successful plein air painting and we will focus a lot on "starts" as well as how to bring a good start to the desired finish.

Demos: I will do several demos, but there will be plenty of the time will be for painting and I will walk around and give individual guidance. There will be some quick painting exercises as well as some longer painting sessions.




"Summer Rose" 10 x 8" oil, Frank Gardner © 2010
$780. Framed, Available at Addison Art Gallery




"A Touch of Summer" 18x24" Oil, Frank Gardner © 2010
$2,500. Framed. Available at Addison Art Gallery




View at Rock Harbor. Frank Gardner © 2010



A garden in Provincetown. Frank Gardner © 2010



Beach view toward wharf. Frank Gardner © 2010