Aaron Holland Fine Arts

This is an imaginary scene that takes place in Whitefish Dunes State Park, overlooking Lake Michigan.  By imaginary, I mean to say that it was created, and the models were posed, specifically for this painting; to illustrate a concept.  

 (detail)-W.C. on Rag- 18x24"- HOLLAND

painting by Paul Strisik

"Consider Literature: Not being a writer, I might need ten pages to describe Rockport Harbor.  I'd list all the details of the scene and hope that these pieces would give the reader a sense of the place.  Tolstoy, on the other hand, could do the same thing in a paragraph.  He would describe only the characteristic aspects of the scene.  We don't expect him to tell us everything; if he did, we'd find his writing tiresome.

...the writer's statement will be more effective [ if ] its personal.

When you paint things exactly as they are, you don't show people anything they couldn't see for themselves; you're telling them what they already know.  The viewer, however...wants you to help them.  As Charles Hawthorne said years ago, the painter 'must show people more- more than they already see, and he must do so with so much sympathy and understanding that they will recognize it as if they themselves had seen the beauty and the glory.'."

Paul Strisik

(from his book "Capturing Light in Oils")

Good ol' Fred and Fuzzy have a restaurant on the water.  This isn't it, but if you were to eat lunch there (or dinner) this is what you might see!

"Little Sister Bay"

oil on linen, 12x16"

This bustling little harbor in northerly Ephraim was resplendant with wind-surfers, beach-goers, and vacationers.  My wife Deb dropped me off near the beach so that she and Emma (our 19 mo. old) could go have an ice cream at Wilson's while I sketched.

I was fortunate to be able to find a small place to set up that was "relatively quiet".   Although there was still the small boy who found it enjoyable to run all around me and jump from rock to rock, and visitors standing behind me that seemed to come out of nowhere, and about fifty people lounging on the beach just next to me,  I acted all the while as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be seated amongst all the chaos!

I have noticed that the artist who sets up out-of-doors has become 'public domain', and would do well to resign themselves to this idea.  People do not seem to feel it is necessary to introduce themselves, or even say hello, but start midstream into their thoughts about the world.  It is also interesting because many of the people I meet talk as if we have known each other for years.  It is an interesting phenomena, and mostly enjoyable... but I come home a little more exhausted than usual!

"Evening Waters"

oil on linen, 8x10" HOLLAND

This "snapshot" (painted on location),  shows a section of Ephraim's boat harbor and the characteristic shape of the Eagle Bluff in the distance, which is located in the Peninsula State Park (on the other side of Green Bay) 

"Ephraim"

oil on linen, 9x12" HOLLAND

My nephew Tony preparing to paint on an historic Wisconsin fishing dock.

Step 1. "The Idea":

Do not proceed to step 2 until you have a sound idea. The clearer your vision, ultimately the clearer your finished painting will transmit it. It is ok to make changes* as you go, but this is the most important step in the painting process!

*I learned, after completing this sketch, that writers in 1st Century Rome wrote with a Kalamos (or Reed Pen) and wrote generally during the day-time. I changed the angle of the sitter to show light coming over his left shoulder as well as to add a diagonal for interest. This is the ideal way to write using natural light, so that the shadow from your hand is not crossing the paper where you are writing.

Step 2: Start with an accurate drawing on the canvas with charcoal. Begin to paint with large, simple masses of opaque color. This is most often referred to as a "Block In".

"Canal Station"

HOLLAND, 8x10 oil on linen