Field Studies from the Fellowship

Here are a few examples of the field studies we have been doing up here at the Hudson River Fellowship. There are 20 artists here, so this is hardly a good representation of everyone's work. I will try to post something from every artist throughout the coming weeks.


by Palden Hamilton


by Palden Hamilton


by Palden Hamilton


by Cesar Santos


by Cesar Santos


by Cesar Santos


by Remi Cardenas


by Remi Cardenas


by Remi Cardenas

"I would urge on any young student in landscape painting, the importance of painting direct from Nature as soon as he shall have acquired the first rudiments of Art ... Let him scrupulously accept whatever she presents him, until he shall, in a degree, have become intimate with her infinity, and then he may approach her on more familiar terms, even venturing to choose and reject some portions of her unbounded wealth; but never let him profane her sacredness by a willful departure from truth." -- from Asher B. Durand's Letters on Landscape Painting.

botany walk with Craig Holdrege

On July 13th we took a hike through Kaaterskill Clove with Craig Holdrege to learn about the local flora and fauna. The Clove was a favorite painting spot of the Hudson River School painters and it still inspires us today.


A Gorge in the Mountains, painted in 1862 by Sanford Robinson Gifford, 48 x 79 7/8 in. oil on canvas


Kindred Spirits, painted in 1849 by Asher B. Durand


Meeting up at the trail head


learning about Hemlock, Yellow Birch, Red Oak, Beech, and Ash.



"... in your studies of foreground objects ... you will be most successful in the more simple and solid materials, such as rocks and tree trunks, and after these, earth banks and the courser kinds of grass, with mingling roots and plants, the larger leaves of which can be expressed with even botanical truthfulness and they should be so rendered, but when you attempt masses of foliage or running water, anything like an equal degree of imitation becomes impracticable. It should be your endeavor to attain as minute portraiture as possible of these objects, for although it may be impossible to produce an absolute imitation of them, the determined effort to do so will lead you to a knowledge of their subtlest truths and characteristics, and thus knowing thoroughly that which you paint, you are able the more readily to give all the facts essential to their representation. So this excessively minute painting is valuable, not so much for itself as for the knowledge and facility it leads to." -- Asher B. Durand, Letters on Landscape Painting, 1855

Painting the Sunset

We are having an amazing time up here at the Hudson River Fellowship. The weather has been sunny and nice, with only passing showers and a lot less mosquitoes than last year! During the day everyone goes to different locations for painting, and around 8:00 PM we all meet up to paint the sunset. We spend the days focused on detail and patient observation of nature, and the sunset is a completely different challenge. The colors change very fast and we are forced to be quick and bold with our painting. It's a fun way to end the day. I'll post some examples of sunset paintings soon.


waiting for the sunset to begin

and they're off! it's a mad rush to capture the brilliant scene




how do you paint that?!?

A Lecture on water with Michael D'Aleo

On July 9th, we had a pretty fascinating lecture on water with Michael D'Aleo. He talked about optics and light, the physical properties of moving water, and learning to conceptualize water not as a thing but as an effect in the world. We then went out to Schoharie Creek to study the dynamic patterns of movement in the water. One fascinating thing that I learned was that the kind of rock in a stream bed effects the way water moves. For instance, granite is more acidic than sedimentary rock, and therefore makes the water more cohesive, which results in different surface patterns. so cool!







"Every experienced artist knows that it is difficult to see nature truly; that for this end long practice is necessary. We see, yet perceive not, and it becomes necessary to cultivate our perception so as to comprehend the essence of the object seen." - from Asher B. Durand's Letters on Landscape Painting, 1855

The Updates Begin!

Anna Youngers drawing at the top of Kaaterskill Falls

We have just finished our first week at the Hudson River Fellowship. Sorry for the delay in updates, but the internet access here is not very convenient and it wasn't working at all for quite a few days. To give you an idea of our daily life here, we leave the house at 7 am, paint until 9 pm, and meet up to share our work every few days after 9 pm. It's quite a scramble just to fit in eating and sleeping! It feels so good to be in the woods all day long, away from cell service and the internet. We've all been reading Asher B. Durand's Letters on Landscape Painting, from which the spirit and intentions of this fellowship are derived. These letters were first published in The Crayon in 1855 and I'll share some excerpts here that I found particularly insightful.

"Form is the first subject to engage your attention. Take pencil and paper, not the palette and brushes, and draw with scrupulous fidelity the outline or contour of such objects as you shall select, and so far as your judgment goes, choose the most beautiful or characteristic of it's kind. If your subject be a tree, observe particularly wherein it differs from those of other species ... by this course you will also obtain the knowledge of that natural variety of form, so essential to protect you against frequent repetition and monotony. A moment's reflection will convince you of the vital importance of drawing, and the continual demand for it's exercise in the practice of outline, before you begin to paint." -- Asher B. Durand, 1855


learning a thing or two watching Jacob Collins at work


veteran fellow Thomas Kegler shares some advice on our first night around the dinner table


enjoying a quiet morning in Kaaterskill Clove

I will share some of our work as soon as I have time to take decent photos. Thank you for your patience!

Nicholas Hiltner solo show at John Pence Gallery

Right now Nicholas Hiltner has a solo show at the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco. Hiltner is with us right now on the Hudson River Fellowship and this piece, which is included in the show, is what he painted while on the fellowship last summer. The show runs from July 1 - 31

Forest Pool, by Nicholas Hiltner Oil on Linen, 12 x 16 inches, 2009

The Fellowship Begins!

It's on! For the next month I'll be reporting from the Hudson River Fellowship. Today everyone arrived and got right to work.

Returning fellows Lauren Sansaricq and Erik Koeppel showed up with four wet paintings on their dashboard and hit the ground running

Michael Klein's second flower painting workshop

The second flower painting workshop with Michael Klein was a huge success, with natural light filling the north studio. Here are a few photos, courtesy of Victoria Herrera who was taking the workshop.

Michael Klein doing a demo in class


Michael's demo, focusing on "form, light, color and composition"


MK carefully guiding students through the process if painting "from life with natural light"


Michael Klein and Chris Rigney working on Chris' painting




Study painting by Victoria Herrera

Workshop report: flower painting with Michael Klein

Michael Klein's first Flower Painting workshop filled our North Studio with light, blossoms and greenery. Students arranged themselves around a variety of still-life's for the three days. Workshop two starts tomorrow!


the north studio looking good in natural light!


Michael Klein doing a demo in class


Klein's demo painting

Conclusion of the Summer Intensive workshop

The Summer Intensive is 4 weeks long and participants study both cast and figure drawing every day. Jacob Collins guided the training through several demonstrations, lectures and critiques. Colleen Barry, Angela Cunningham and Will St. John were the full-time instructors and often they would be drawing alongside everyone if they weren't teaching. Students new to GCA as well as those from our part-time and full-time programs attended and dove right in with patience and rigor.

I've been out of town this month so Joy took these photos and she says thank you to everyone for filling our studios with focus and camaraderie during the month of June. A truly great group!!


Alex Tang


Rodney Davis


Colleen Barry working with Will Jones


Edwin Boone


Shihwen Wu


M.W.


by Alex Tang


by Sheryl Kosovski


by Alex Tang


by Edwin Boone


by Mark Fiorenza


Mark Fiorenza


Angela Cunningham working with Shihwen Wu


Colleen Barry working with a student


Alex Tang


the necessary supplies


the scene


Gregory Harris


by Adrienne Stanger