October 2016

American Impressionist

Robert Ferguson

New Palm Springs Studio!

October 2016 #6

New Santa Rosa Palm Springs Studio...

Located just 15 minutes from El Paseo in Palm Desert high up in the Santa Rosa mountains visible from just about anywhere in the Palm Springs valley.

Look for the twin peaks. The back of the studio leads into the San Bernardino National Forest. The view is of the Santa Rosa mountains.

Rancho Santa Rosa 30 Day Renovation

This place was once part of a cattle ranch purchased in 1936 by the date moguls the Sniff family of Indio. It was converted from a barn and cattleman's bunkhouse to a home and casita. Among past neighbors were General Patton and Dolly Parton.

Among the nearby builders was one of the contractors for Disney's Frontierland.

Before

After

Before

After

View from the back of the studio.

Front view of the studio.

The Casita

Prop room

Entryway

Main gallery

Studio

John Settle

Collector of Early California Impressionism Across the street from the new studio!

Coincidence or destiny? How amazing that many of Robert's collectors also collect these paintings and the first person he met at the new location was John Settle.

John has a long history in the Palm Springs area starting about 30 years ago at Ironwoodin Pa,m Desert. He also collects amazing pottery and Stickley furnishings. John is a craftsman with wood and he and Robert have already worked out a trade. Featured here are some of the paintings in his collection.

Marion Wachtel

S.G. Smith

Castinelli

Dorsey

Labor Day Fine Art Festival Mammoth Lakes

Channel Islands Festival of the Arts

New Ballet Costumes

Swan Lake in White and the Nutcracker Suite in Emerald Green

New Model Tamera

Upcoming Shows

Art on Main Street in Old Town La Quinta October 29th 2016, November 12th & 26th 2016, January 21st 2017, Feb 4th & 18th, March 18th

Desert Art Festivals at Frances Stevens Park in Palm Springs December 10th 11th 2016, January 14th & 15th 2017, Feb 25th & 26th 2017

Southwest Art Festival in indio California January 26th, 27th, 28th & 29th 2017

La Quinta Art Festival March 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th 2017

JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE NEW STUDIO!

In Pinion Crest is the scenic retreat built for legendary singer and actor Frank Sinatra in the mountains above Palm Desert has come back on the market in its entirety for $3.9 million.

The mid-century lodge was previously offered a year ago for $3.95 million, without surrounding parcels of land now being included in the sale, said listing agent Markus Canter of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties.

Named Villa Maggio by Sinatra in recognition of his Oscar-winning role in “From Here to Eternity,� the estate on roughly 7.5 acres was custom-designed with privacy and entertaining in mind.

Bottoms UP Glass by Artist Nikki Root

Nikki has custom designed and handcrafted stained glass windows in Cache Valley and surrounding areas of Utah since 1994.

In addition to her beautiful traditional stained glass, she now specializes in one of-a-kind, 3dimensional glass creations which are skillfully crafted from a variety of individually hand-cut vintage bottle and glassware bottoms‌ thus bringing "glass from the past" to brighten our world today.

(435) 760-2897 nikki@bottomsupglass.co

GREATER PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU AND LA QUINTA ARTS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE THE CREATION OF THE CALIFORNIA DESERT ARTS COUNCIL (CDAC) The newly formed CDAC will work to promote,

culture activities, delivering a uniquely branded

grow and professionalize the local arts

Greater Palm Springs message.

community

According to the “2013 Economic Impact Report

(Rancho Mirage, CA) May 19, 2015— As the

on Tourism” commissioned by the CVB, the

official tourism agency for the Coachella Valley,

creative community contributes more than $1

the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors

billion annually to the local economy. On a

Bureau (CVB) recognizes that the destination’s

national level, a 2009 market research study

world-class cultural assets are key to tourism

commissioned by the U.S. Department of

growth and the local economy. The CVB has

Commerce revealed that 78% of all U.S. leisure

taken an active role in promoting the creative

travelers participate in cultural activities while

sector through artsOasis, an alliance that was

traveling, translating to 118.3 million adults each

formed in 2013. This week, the CVB has taken

year.

the next big step to ensure that the arts

“The work of artsOasis and subsequent CVB-led

community continues to drive tourism and spur

focus groups identified many opportunities to

the local economy. The California Desert Arts

better leverage existing and future cultural assets

Council (CDAC) has been formed in partnership

through enhanced collaboration, facilitation and

with La Quinta Arts Foundation (LQAF), a 33-

advocacy,” said Scott White, President & CEO of

year nonprofit with a mission of promoting and

the Greater Palm Springs CVB. “Cultural tourism

cultivating the arts.

is one of the largest and fastest growing tourism

“As envisioned by La Quinta Arts Foundation

markets globally. We are fortunate to have such a

(LQAF) founders, the Coachella Valley's rich

wealth of cultural offerings as well as La Quinta

heritage and natural resources have been a

Arts Foundation’s vast knowledge and reach in

magnet for creative pursuits, leading to the

the arts.”

diverse offerings we have today,” said Christi

Salamone, LQAF Executive Director. “LQAF is

About La Quinta Arts Foundation

privileged to join with the CVB in greater service

Founded in 1982, La Quinta Arts Foundation is a

to the arts and culture community to secure and

California Non-Profit 501(c)(3) charitable

grow the vital creative economy.”

organization dedicated to its mission of

The CDAC will seek to promote, grow and

“Promoting and Cultivating the Arts.” La Quinta

professionalize the arts community, leverage

Arts Foundation produces nationally acclaimed

cultural assets and influence arts and culture

visual and performing art events, forms

organizations, individual artists and educational

meaningful community partnerships and provides

institutions in order to foster artistic excellence.

cultural, education and personal growth outreach

The CDAC will serve as the unified voice to

opportunities to students, artists, residents and

identify, aggregate and communicate arts and

visitors to the Coachella Valley and beyond.

GNW

CONSTRUCTION

Offering the highest quality craftmanship for new construction and remodel projects.

Serving the Palm Springs and Idylwild areas.

General Builder Contractor CA License #931706

Garrettt Woods (951) 323-7361

garrett@gnwconstruction.com

K

elmanOrtiz custom frames are created

by master craftsmen using only the finest materials. We pride ourselves on our authentic carves that have been taken directly from the best of the original frames we have acquired over the years and our fine gold leaf finishes give them the look and feel of authentic period handcrafted frames. The materials and craftsmanship of KelmanOrtiz frames place them among the finest quality hand carved, gold leaf frames being created today. Each frame we carve receives the personal attention of master gilder and company co-founder, Andres Ortiz.

Dealing in fine American and early California paintings for over 30 years, company co-founder, Keith N. Kelman, knows the importance of displaying your prized artwork properly. The right frame can transform a painting into a showpiece. We invite you to enhance your artwork with a fine KelmanOrtiz creation.

www.kelmanortiz.com

7723 Fay Avenue ¡ La Jolla, California 92037 ¡ (858) 459-3490 ¡ kelmanortiz.com

WHAT IS PLEIN AIR PAINTING? Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century, working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school, Hudson River School, and Impressionists. The Newlyn School in England is considered another major proponent of the technique in the latter 19th century. The popularity of painting en plein air increased in the 1840s with the introduction of paints in tubes (like those for toothpaste). Previously, painters made their own paints by grinding and mixing dry pigment powders with linseed oil.

John Singer Sargent

John Singer Sargent

William Merrit Chase

The act of outdoor painting from observation has been continually popular well into the 21st century.

It was during the mid-19th century that the box easel, typically known as the French box easel or field easel, was invented. It is uncertain who developed it, but these highly portable easels with telescopic legs and built-in paint box and palette made it easier to go into the forest and up the hillsides. Still made today, they remain a popular choice (even for home use) since they fold up to the size of a brief case and thus are easy to store.

Challenges include the type of paint used to paint outdoors, animals, bugs, onlookers, and environmental conditions such as weather. Acrylic paint may harden and dry quickly in warm, sunny weather and it cannot be reused. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the challenge of painting in moist or damp conditions with precipitation. The advent of plein air painting predated the invention of acrylics. The traditional and well-established method of painting en plein air incorporates the use of oil paint.

Camille Pissarro

French impressionist painters such as Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir advocated plein air painting, and much of their work was done outdoors in the diffuse light of a large white umbrella. In the second half of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century in Russia, painters such as Vasily Polenov, Isaac Levitan, Valentin Serov, Konstantin Korovinand I. E. Grabar were known for painting en plein air.

But enthusiasts of plein air Henery Scott Tuke

Henery Scott Tuke

painting were not limited to the Old World. American impressionists too, such as those of the Old Lyme school, were avid painters en plein air. American impressionist painters noted for this style during this era included Guy Rose, Robert William Wood, Mary DeNeale Morgan, John Gamble, and Arthur Hill Gilbert. In Canada, the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson are examples of en plein air advocates.

Claude Monet

Claude Monet

cell: 858 705 0-814

rfergusonart@gmail.com

website: fergusonart.com