Oil Painting

After not having as much time to paint last year as I would have liked due to some home renovations, I came back to the easel feeling out of shape, like my painting process took a step backwards.

While I find there are some aspects of painting that weaken quickly when we stray from our daily practice, there are also a few benefits. I am not a proponent of prolonged breaks, but if they happen, one of the things that slips, along with your familiarity and confidence in your process, are the “bad” habits, or the “habits that are no longer serving your vision”. Over the years that we train our mind and body for painting, that conditioning is not always discretionary. We soak up tips and tricks as we grow, and before we know it we’re using them all the time, they become defining characteristics of our “style”. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, but it’s important to remember how much good painting is objective observation through our own aesthetic glasses. So, the idea of “bad” habits is just prescribing a method, without truly diagnosing it first.

I see growing as cleaning the lens of these glasses, giving you a little more clarity as you continue to polish the rough edges. So, when you take a break, it’s a way to step back and make sure you have the right prescription.

This speaks to the idea that we can only grow our skills to the extent of our aesthetic taste, or understanding. Some people call this the “hand catching up to the eye”. So, when you come back to the easel after a period of time, your eye has continued to advance its taste and aspiration, but the hand has atrophied.  Your hand is remembering how to paint, but it’s not quite as automatic: you take an extra second before you mix that color or pull that familiar stroke. You double check and reassess with new eyes.

For me this process began last year when I stepped away for almost 6 months. When I came back, nothing was feeling quite right. I had a fairly clear idea of what I was looking to achieve in my paintings when I first put paint to canvas, but by the time they were finished, I felt like my habits had betrayed me and I ended up with tired lifeless paintings that were more concerned with “being right” (in terms of copying the reference) and less with making good expressive art.

So, after a summer of plein air painting and struggling to align my old habits and formulas with my new refined visual goals, I decided to set out on a body of work that would advance previously done paintings or subjects that ignited a creative spark, and could be refined further.

I also saw this as an opportunity to take a more exploratory and, at the same time, methodical approach to my process.

Some paintings, like this one, were plein air pieces that had an ineffable charm that deserved more attention. I did this 12×24 painting in Sonoma, CA last year. When I started it, the light was fading fast, and I knew I was only going to get an hour or so to capture it. I began with “the feeling”…which was atmospheric, weathered and full of lovely texture. The barn shapes were so simple and bold the scene lent itself to a strong, immediate painting method. After an hour and a half, this is what I had. This painting had a much lower render than what I usually try to produce en plein air. But I felt I had successfully captured the scene with my initial impression.

This painting sold quickly and I did not have very much time to enjoy or study it myself…a lucrative tragedy I accept.

This fall when I decided to explore some of these “paintings that got away”, I gave each one a limited palette color gamut for harmony and simplicity partly because I felt my work was suffering from a slight identity crisis: I usually pride myself on accurate color true to my subject, but then contradict that by trying to exaggerate/enhance mood and drama of the scene. When I think about my inspirations, “realistic” color is pretty low on my list of aspirations for my own work. So, by limiting those options I was able to liberate my process a little more to think about the qualities that really matter to me in my paintings, like mood, design, and mark-making. For this painting I felt like these colors would give me everything I needed to achieve the harmonious goal I had in mind. Most of the paintings I have done in this series have a three-color palette plus white. Transparent red oxide was an addition here to help with some warm darks. Before you ask: No, I don’t exclusively use water mixable oils. I often (as in this case) don’t even add any water to the process. I just had these in the bin and felt the colors would be fitting.

When I started planning this series I went through references and plein air paintings that had a “certain something” and came up with 14 images I wanted to refine. I first did a few scribble thumbnails to explore composition options and get in the ballpark of what the final painting might “feel” like. I then did small postcard value comps in gouache to clarify the design a bit more.

Continuing to shift compositional hierarchy I started to explore the color harmony of this universe, furthering my understanding and giving me yet a little more freedom and confidence for the final painting.

After all these studies I went back to my reference and made notes, mission statements of sorts, of the qualities and their hierarchies I wanted to be legible in the finished painting.

I hung this list next to my easel and glanced at it from time to time throughout the process to make sure I didn’t go astray in the name of vanity. Sometimes we get so smitten with how proficiently we can “render” a passage of paint, we forget to ask if we should. These distractions often become the extras in your movie, wearing a clown nose, walking behind your lead movie star in the climactic scene.  –  I, for one, have to watch out for these.

“Stable passage” 15×30, oil on canvas.

This is my final painting that continued to evolve and ultimately achieved the vision I might not have seen, but “felt” from its conception. Along with other benefits, the preparatory work gave me the freedom to really lay the paint on thick. Utilizing mark-making techniques that provide the viewer food for thought beyond the literal and pictorial representation.

I share this as my own personal journey in painting this year, hoping it might inspire you to take risks and try something new, to challenge your habits and continue to advance your foresight through insight.

see more of Antwan’s work at Insta: @antwan.ramar Web: www.AntwanRamar.com

Suzie Baker OPA – Board Member – Past President

Ferdinand Hodler, The Disappointed Souls, 1892, 120x299cm, Guggenheim Museum, New York – Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Names and offending images have been omitted to protect the not-so-innocent.

Oh, the cheaters we’ve seen over the years…this painting by Ferdinand Hodler illustrates so well the feeling we on the OPA Board have every time we have to address a fresh incident of cheating.

From the outset, let’s be clear: this article is not intended as a sensational exposé. Rather, it is an acknowledgment that Oil Painters of America, like any organization committed to excellence, occasionally encounters rule violations—and that we take seriously our responsibility to address them.

Across more than three decades as an organization and hundreds of exhibitions and online shows, OPA has found that such incidents are rare, but persistent—perhaps a handful a year. Addressing them thoughtfully and consistently allows us to maintain the integrity, fairness, and high standards that our members and exhibiting artists expect.

Sometimes Rule Violations Are Unintentional

We recognize that not all rule violations are intentional. Mistakes are made. OPA’s submission rules are detailed, and artists sometimes assume they understand them without reviewing the prospectus upon entering.

We strongly encourage all artists entering OPA exhibitions to carefully review our submission rules:

OPA Submission Rules

Questions are always welcome. Our knowledgeable staff regularly assists artists who want clarification before entering. For example, members often ask whether paintings created in non-instructional portrait or figure groups qualify as original concept and design and are eligible for entry. (They are!) Reaching out beforehand allows artists to enter with confidence and peace of mind.

When Rules Must Be Clarified

As technology evolves, so must our policies. Occasionally, new situations require clearer language or additional guidance.

Most of us have encountered product warnings that seem obvious—until we remember that they exist because someone, somewhere, tried something ill-advised. On irons: “Do not iron clothes while wearing them” On strollers: “Remove child before folding” On sun shields: “Do not drive with sun shield in place.”

In much the same way, OPA periodically updates or clarifies its rules to address misunderstandings, questionable practices, and most recently, clarifications regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

While these updates can feel tedious, they serve an important purpose: protecting artists who work honestly and ensuring a level playing field for everyone. OPA’s mission remains unchanged—to uphold excellence in representational oil painting

The OPA Rules & Bylaws

This recently clarified section of the OPA Rules and Bylaws now reads:

“Only original paintings are acceptable for entry into OPA Exhibitions. They must be created by hand solely by the artist submitting the painting and be original in concept and design. Grounds for disqualification of a painting include the following:

A. Use of Artificial Intelligence to generate a design or create the facsimile of a painting.

B. Copying from photos or images that were not created by the artist, including stock images, historic photos, or of any reference to which the artist does not hold total copyright. Purchased reference material that transfers copyright to the artist is unacceptable.

C. Use of digital, photo, or other mechanical transference to the substrate of an image. The artist must draw and/or paint the image on the substrate themselves.

D. Entry of a painting created in a paid instructional setting such as a workshop or art class.

E. Entry of an image of a painting that does not represent the artist’s final and completed artwork.”

Find the full prospectus for the Thirty-fifth Annual National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils here.

Interested in a deeper dive into the OPA Mission, Policies, and Bylaws? Pour yourself a warm drink, get comfy, and find them here.

Sometimes Cheaters are Intentional

Here is a list of the most common infractions we have encountered over the years. (If any of these elicit a strong reaction, know that the Board and staff share it.)

1. Printed Images Presented as Paintings

On rare occasions, photographic or digital images are printed on canvas and enhanced with paint. These works are typically identified during installation by museum or gallery staff or by a Board member prior to an opening and are removed from the exhibition.

2. Digitally Created Work Submitted as Oil Painting

With the growth of digital tools and AI, this issue has become more common. OPA addresses this through juror education, detection software, and a secondary review of accepted works.

While some organizations are looking to require each submission to include a “work-in-progress” image to accompany each entry, we have decided this is too burdensome to institute for the vast number of honorable entrants. Instead, moving forward, when artists enter their images, they are required to check a box affirming their compliance with our rules, and their willingness to provide us with process photos or other evidence of authorship if it is requested.

3. Copies of Other Artists’ Work

Master copies and close study of influential artists have long been an important part of artistic training. Recreating a painting for educational purposes can be invaluable in developing skills and visual understanding.

However, work submitted to OPA exhibitions must be the original concept and design of the submitting artist. Inspiration differs fundamentally from replication. From time to time, OPA encounters paintings that closely mirror an existing work by another artist. This may include work that is substantially similar, paintings that appear to be reversed versions of known works, or replicates another work too closely to be considered original.

4. Use of Copyrighted Reference Material

OPA has encountered works based on identifiable copyrighted characters or images. As our rules state, references must be wholly owned by the artist; purchased or licensed materials are not acceptable.

How Cheaters Are Typically Discovered

●     Tip-offs (anonymous or otherwise)

The number one way cheaters are caught? Other artists. Creating an excellent oil painting takes effort, and when artists see someone trying to cut corners, they speak up.

●     Direct observation

Every painting is viewed by a juror (or five) and a judge. Physical paintings get shipped to shows and are handled by museum or gallery staff. Attending Board members are often the first to peruse a show. Every link in that chain is an opportunity to check the authenticity of a piece.

●     Detection Software

Entries are subject to AI detection software. If an entry is questionable, or is due for an award, it will be given extra scrutiny.

●     Communication Between Organizations

OPA communicates with the leaders of other arts organizations. It’s really a small world in that regard. If applicable, when someone gets caught by one group, the others are quietly notified in the interest of our shared standards. A note here: to date, it is not our practice to publicly name names. We hope to keep it that way.

The Consequences

When a concern is substantiated, OPA follows a formal review process. If a piece is found questionable, the artist is notified and given the opportunity to provide clarification or documentation.

These situations are handled with discretion and care. Consequences may include removal from exhibitions, revocation of awards, and changes in membership status, in accordance with OPA policies.

Recent bylaw updates (listed below) now allow for stronger responses in cases involving knowing and flagrant violations, ensuring fairness for the broader membership.

“II. An artist who submits an entry in contravention of these requirements is subject to disqualification from exhibiting in any OPA exhibition for two years.

III. The Board of Directors shall have the authority, by a vote of no less than two-thirds (2/3) of the Board, to terminate the membership of any individual whose actions, submissions, or representations are found to be in flagrant or willful violation of these rules or whose conduct is deemed contrary to the aims and integrity of Oil Painters of America. Grounds for such action include, but are not limited to:

A. Submission of artwork that is misrepresented as an original oil painting, including works partially or wholly generated by artificial intelligence or digital manipulation.

B. Repeated or deliberate violations of OPA’s exhibition rules or ethical standards.

C. Conduct that undermines the reputation or mission of the organization.

Prior to removal, the member shall be notified in writing of the alleged violation and given a 30-day window of opportunity to respond. The Board’s decision shall be final. Such expulsion will result in forfeiture of membership dues, competition entry fees, any award related to the misrepresentation and revocation of any OPA and OPAM Signature designations. If applicable, the painting will be mailed back at the artist’s expense.”

Upholding Our Standards—Together

Oil Painters of America exists to champion excellence in representational oil painting. We believe artists are best served when the standards are clear, consistently applied, and fairly enforced.

If something in an exhibition gives pause, we welcome thoughtful communication. Occasionally, what appears questionable is simply the result of extraordinary skill and dedication. Other times, it brings an important issue to our attention.

We are better together.

As artists, we have all read or heard stories about American artists traveling abroad and returning filled with new ideas, having had great adventures and learning from the masters in the museums. As a curator, a gallerist, editor/writer and fine artist, I have seen and learned first-hand the value of travel abroad with peers and its positive influence on the work we are all creating today, as well as the new opportunities it can offer to us all.

Mary Cassat who was lucky enough to be an American woman who journeyed to Paris and studied the masters, learned from and painted alongside the Impressionists, then showed with them. From the intriguing stories of John Singer Sargent and his portraits of Parisian aristocrats, to the California Impressionist Guy Rose, who then went to Giverny, France and painted alongside Claude Monet, and brought back a fresh palette, and inspired light filled canvases for a movement that lasted over 30 years. Paris, with its plethora of art museums, ranging from the Louvre with the Mona Lisa and giant works by Peter Paul Rubens, to the D’Orsay that carries the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist works, to smaller museums like the Rodin where artists can visit the home of the artist and gain inspiration from his walls, his works, and his history, studying these great masters abroad has often influenced modern day painters. 

Another aspect of European inspiration comes from the lively artist groups, for example in Tuscany and Paris, who came together as painters and writers and created movements and even bravery among themselves to stretch out of their comfort zones. These were the original “collaborations”, or “collabs”, hundreds of years before the Instagram collabs we know today. The Italian artists often known as “The Macchiaioli” were a group of Tuscan painters, around the 1800’s who focused on landscape paintings with color and light, (pre-Impressionists) and often painted en plein air. Their camaraderie and combined style helped them gain influence and acceptance. Did you know that later there was an Italian artist who showed with the French impressionists? Giuseppe De Nittis showed in the First Impressionist Exhibition in Paris in 1874. That is something new I learned while there exploring the museums during my travels.  

I often think of the other famed groups in history, such as the “Lost Generation” Hemingway, Joyce, Pound, Fitzgerald, Eliot. This group included gatherings held in Paris bistros and bars some 100 years ago and had both writers and artists, such as Picasso and Man Ray. It even included their supporters Gertrude Stein and owner of the Shakespeare and Company American bookstore Sylvia Beach. They would engage in a day or evening of lively discussions and encourage or even critique one another. An honest artist critique can be so valuable for another artist. This group was a big influence on me as a writer and an artist myself, even though it was years before me. 

Trips are filled with art history, alluring new subjects, and traveling with like-minded artists which can create a strong camaraderie that is of such value to an artist. Studying the master’s together, asking what colors they used, and sharing ideas while looking at larger than life group scenes by Peter Paul Rubens while discussing his compositions and group figure design, is often better than being in a stale classroom.

If you visit art supply stores on these trips you may often gather great information from paint companies that made the pigments for the masters found in the Museums and how new synthetic pigments later encouraged the Impressionist’s color. I have learned about genres of art as well, such as the post-Impressionist group called the Nabi’s. All of these reasons: studying the historical masters, finding new alluring subjects, the camaraderie of traveling and learning with your peers are priceless.   

This blog has been written and shared with the artists and collectors at Oil Painters of America, simply reminding us that we are all already a similar group, that we are often influencing one another by seeing others works at our annual exhibitions, learning together at “Lunch and Learns”, and at OPA events.

Many of us have already joined one another on trips and have gained new friends as well as a world of visual and intellectual experience. It has been a vital part of my journey and inspiration as an artist, writer and curator. I would like to encourage you to stand in front of the amazing historical masterworks of art, to enjoy long discussions about art history, find new subjects, and paint on location in some of the most beautiful places in the world to influence and inspire the work you are creating today. The new subjects may help you gain a new gallery, or group show with friends. The instant camaraderie of attending a travel workshop is also so important, I feel, as well as painting in our studios we often need to hear and be with others. I hope this blog has encouraged you to study the masters, join a travel workshop, such as “Americans in Paris”, and band together with your fellow OPA members.

Merci!

Vanessa Françoise Rothe

A close friend of the great American artist, Edward Hopper, once said of him, “He was emotionally depressed with long periods of unconquerable inertia, sitting for days at a time before his easel in helpless unhappiness, unable to raise a hand to break the spell.”

It is a fact that one’s creative juices can ebb and flow. It’s not pleasant when they ebb, particularly when you make your living being creative. I’ve experienced a few slumps in my day, thankfully, never to the degree of Mr. Hopper. It’s not always clear cut, and I certainly cannot be dogmatic about Hopper’s depression, but I believe the root cause of depression can be spiritual.

People are surprised to learn that creative slumps are even possible with someone they consider to be an accomplished painter. But it’s true and is certainly not uncommon among creative professionals. That is itself an important point. It’s not uncommon, so it’s a truth that first needs to be recognized, and then accepted.

Inherent in every creative slump is self-doubt, a feeling that you’re losing your creative ability. Of course, that’s not true but it certainly feels that way. It just reiterates what I’ve said many times…if we rely on our feelings to be aligned before doing anything, we will accomplish very little.

During a particularly bad episode a few years ago, I remember entering the studio and realizing I couldn’t even remember how to start a painting. I felt I had forgotten everything. I mean it. Every attempt at painting just added to a growing sense of hopelessness and frustration.

Knowing I’m not the only one that experiences such self-doubt and lack of confidence, I asked a few OPA Masters what they do when encountering creative slumps.

Jeremy Goodding OPAM– Creative slumps can be one of the most difficult things for an artist to overcome. It’s good to acknowledge this so it doesn’t catch you off guard. 

In my case creative slumps are usually a matter of diminished mental and physical energy. They come from one of two categories. First is fatigue from regular life. The second is fatigue from the creative process. 

We all go through things in life that sap our energy and affect our creativity. I have weathered Illness, loss of a loved one, travel fatigue, problems with cars and many other things that life throws at you. It’s important that we allow ourselves time to rebound before we expect our best creative work. Good sleep, diet and exercise really help me weather life’s challenges. Also, taking time to do things that I sincerely enjoy can be healing. I like spending time outdoors, cooking, music and dreaming about some new adventure I’d like to take. These things help me reset and find initiative. It helps to have faith that God will see you through too!

On the creative side, large complex paintings and balancing deadlines with competitions, collectors and galleries can leave me feeling seriously stretched. I have to be careful not to overcommit. It’s hard to maintain creative energy when you are pulled in too many directions. I make it a point not to miss deadlines. When the dust settles, I have to rebuild my focus and visual sensitivity to move past the inevitable slump. Smaller paintings really help me get back on track. Completing easier projects really boosts confidence. They are a small reminder of what you are capable of and they help set the stage for something bigger that will take most of your creative energy to complete. 

It’s important to embrace the ups and downs of the creative process. It’s normal to reach new heights only to have a slump soon after. Don’t be surprised by it! 

Deborah Tilby OPAM– My “slumps” come in the form of a drop in confidence rather than a lack of creative energy or ideas.  Really bad slumps will have me feeling like a fraud and “who am I kidding?” I find this goes in cycles.  I will go along for a time feeling pretty good about my work and thinking that just maybe I actually do know what I’m doing. 

This will be followed by a period of dissatisfaction and frustration, I suppose because I always strive to be a better painter, so I move the goalposts. To deal with these slumps, I look at the work of other painters whom I admire, painters working in all sorts of interesting ways, usually nothing to do with the way I work but inspiring nonetheless. Then I choose subjects that are familiar so that I can put my energy into exploring other ways to handle them, other ways to use my tools…and the paintings will be much smaller so that I have many more chances to  work my way out of my dissatisfaction.

 I always arrive at a good place again, feel confident again, and go for many months consolidating what I’ve learned before the cycle repeats itself.

It isn’t fun being in a slump but I’ve come to recognize that it is an important time for growth as a painter. If a painter always loves everything they do, never questioning or having doubts, there is a danger of stagnation and they can end up painting the same thing in the same way over and over again.

Lori Putnam OPAM – There seems to be insufficient time to explore ideas when deadlines and responsibilities are looming. Sometimes it feels impossible to be creative, and I start questioning not only what to paint, but why to paint.

A quick scroll through social media, a visit to an art museum, or a perusal of art books can do one of two things: 1) Inspire me to take more risks with my work (yes!), or 2) Leave me thinking I am just not good enough (ugh). Once I allow myself to have thoughts about my lack of ability, I am doomed. If I am spiraling into a creative slump or experiencing a lack of confidence, my paintings show it. They are uninspired. They look too contrived, overworked, and lack life and energy.

Trying a different medium, playing with color, loosening my expectations, or working on small studies can reduce pressure and open unexpected doors. Reconnecting with the initial joy of creating—without the need to produce a painting worthy of exhibiting—often leads to surprising breakthroughs. Sometimes, allowing space for rest and observation in nature, without a brush in hand, is just as vital as actually painting it, giving my mind a chance to reset, and new ideas the freedom to surface naturally.

Louis Escobedo OPAM – First look at your Composition, Drawing, Values and Color Intensities, and check if everything is correct…or close to it. Then, look at your overall piece, GO BACK AND SIMPLIFY TO A BEGINNER’S BLOCK IN…TWO VALUES ON EVERYTHING, or where it needs it. Forget the detail and you will begin to see the Big Picture of where you went wrong. This is the way I chose to solve problems and a way of understanding Chaos!!!

MaryBeth Karaus OPAM– During the last two winters, I have encountered not just creative slumps but full-on blocks. I couldn’t get my heavy arms and legs to stand up and walk in the studio. I thought, it must be the studio’s fault. It’s really just a small 8×10 breezeway. Who can get any work done in there? I have to roll the easel around so I can go in and out of the doors.

If not that, then it’s the weather. The skies are gray in Ohio in the winter like a heavy blanket. That must be it. Seasonal depression. Whatever the problem is, I’m noticing a pattern. Next year what can I do?

Once the daffodils start blooming it’s over. Then here come the peonies and roses. Creative block disappears into thin air! So, the source of inspiration is missing! How can we draw it in when we need it? Here are some suggestions that I plan to try next year.

1. Open your photos on your computer and reevaluate your reference photos by cropping differently.
2. Head to museums or art galleries. Get away from the studio.
3. For still life painters, search through antique or grocery stores for inspiration.
4. Keep an inspiration list in your phone under your notes. Here you can add photos and drawings when ideas are coming right and left. Something like…do a still-life with all yellows, or try a hi-key painting with a light blue pitcher. Store these ideas away for when your creative juices come to a slow drip.
5. Try very small paintings done in one day of a single thing- one cup, one rose, or one apple.
6. If all else fails…Clean and organize. Sort paint, brushes, canvases, frames or do the worst job ever- clean your turp can and scrape your palette clean.

I find this quote motivating- “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working” Pablo Picasso.

Let yourself off the hook. If you can’t paint ITS OKAY to accept it. You can still work doing other things that move your painting projects forward. 

John Pototschnik OPA – My usual procedure for overcoming these discouraging slumps is to start something new, create many small studies (4″x 6″ range) of possible future paintings, or get outside and paint on location. Many artists, when going through such times, have expressed that they have always come out on the other side doing better work…let’s hope that’s the case for all of us.