Joe Kaz - Landscape Painter

Dusk, Amwell Valley

2009-06-21T11:57:00.003-04:00

"Dusk, Amwell Valley"
11x14 oil on panel

It's hard to believe that today is the first day of summer - it's cold outside and seem like it's been raining nonstop for a month or more. So it's the summer solstice and I'm in the studio painting snowy winter paintings. I'd rather be outdoors, but rainy days are a good time to sort through my photographs and I found this one, which really wanted to be painted. This scene is overlooking some farm fields on Wertsville Road, near Ringoes, NJ.

Ribbon of Life Opening Reception

2009-06-17T19:22:00.004-04:00

Just a quick reminder that the opening reception for "Ribbon of Life" is this Friday, June 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

"Woolverton Lawn Chairs"
11x14 oil on panel

The exhibit features old photographs showing vintage views of the canal from the archives of the D&R Canal Commission, as well as contemporary views by regional artists, including my painting shown above.

The exhibit is presented by the D&R Greenway Land Trust in partnership with the D&R Canal Commission and Delaware Mill Society and is being held at:

Marie L. Matthews Gallery
at the Johnson Education Center
One Preservation Place, Princeton, NJ

Exhibition dates: May 18 - August 14, 2009
Opening Reception: June 19, 2009, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Artsbridge 15h Annual Juried Show

2009-06-05T09:38:00.006-04:00

My 2-person show "Connections" is over now and I'd like to give a really big Thank You to everyone who came - it was one of the best shows I've ever had. A few of the paintings from that show will remain at the gallery through the end of June. But this painting from Connections, I entered in the annual Artsbridge Juried Show, and it was accepted:

"Princeton Battlefield Winter"
12x14 oil on canvas

This scene is at Princeton Battlefield Park, the place where General George Washington defeated the British troops in a surprise attack on January 3, 1777, one of the turning points in the American Revolutionary War. But it's a very peaceful place now.

The Artsbridge 15th Annual Juried Show opens on June 6 and runs through June 27, 2009 at:

RiverRun Gallery at Laceworks
287 South Main Street (Rt 29)
Lambertville, NJ 08530
609-397-3349

gallery hours: daily from 12:00 – 5:00 pm, except Tuesdays
Opening reception is Saturday June 6, from 6 to 9 pm.

Coffee and Conversation

2009-05-30T16:50:00.006-04:00

Tomorrow, Sunday May 31, is the last day of "Connections" - my 2-person show at Artists' Gallery, and we're having a little closing reception called Coffee & Conversation. If you haven't had a chance to see the show yet, this will be your last chance. Beatrice and I will be there with coffee, ice tea and some nibbles, from 2:00 to 5:00 at:

Artists' Gallery
32 Coryell Street
Lambertville, NJ
map & directions

Hope to see you there!

Ribbon of Life

2009-05-26T20:24:00.003-04:00

"Woolverton Lawn Chairs"
11x14 oil on panel

My painting of the Woolverton Inn was selected to be part of an exhibit highlighting the history of the D&R Canal. The exhibit features old photographs showing vintage views of the canal from the archives of the D&R Canal Commission, as well as contemporary views by regional artists (that's where I fit in).

The exhibit is presented by the D&R Greenway Land Trust in partnership with the D&R Canal Commission and Delaware Mill Society and is being held at:

Marie L. Matthews Gallery
at the Johnson Education Center
One Preservation Place, Princeton, NJ

Exhibition dates: May 18 - August 14, 2009
Opening Reception: June 19, 2009, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

If you know the Woolverton Inn and how it sits up high on a hill, you may be wondering what it's connection is to the D&R Canal... The Inn was built in 1792 as a manor house by pioneer industrialist John Prall Jr, who owned and operated the Prallsville Mills complex at the bottom of the hill, and the Mill was very actively using the D&R Canal for shipping. It not a very obvious connection, but you can read more in this history of Stockton Borough if you're interested.

The Institute Woods

2009-05-25T20:09:00.007-04:00

Continuing to paint for the D&R Greenway Land Trust's upcoming plien air show, last week I was exploring The Institute Woods - a 589 acre tract of woods and farmland owned by The Institute For Advanced Study, the Princeton, NJ institution where Albert Einstein thought some big thoughts. There is an extensive trail system on the property and it's open to the public. The D&R Greenway folks were just one of the groups involved in the preservation of these lands. Here are 3 paintings from last week's explorations:

"Updike's Sky"
11x14 oil on canvas on panel

Although I love walking through the woods, it can be difficult to paint there - the overwhelming green and lack of any strong subject to focus on is not the makings of a good painting. When the trail left the dense woods, I found my subject - the sky over the historic Updike Farm whose farm buildings can be seen in the distance. The simplicity of the landscape and subtle interest in the sky really caught my attention. Across this field is the route that General George Washington took in the pre-dawn hours of January 3 to engage the British troops in the Battle of Princeton in 1777. There are a couple of granite monuments to mark the route:

"Cornfield Trail"
11x14 oil on panel

This scene is very near the location of the last painting, and the Updike Farmstead is across the field on the right side of this painting. This one was such a pleasure to paint because I was standing out in the open but in the most wonderful patch of cool shade the entire time. Simple pleasures are the best. :)

"Stony Brook"
8x10 oil on linen on panel

This spot on Stony Brook is on the other side of the Updike Farm. If the foliage wasn't so dense I think I'd be able to see the farmhouse to my right. I was confronted with that overwhelming greeness of being in the woods, but a creek can provide such lovely subject matter, I love doing scenes like this.

Further downstream on Stony Brook is the Swinging Bridge, and what an understatement that is! Walking across this bridge is more fun than an amusement park ride! Even walking at a slow pace, the bridge swings, it sways, it bounces, it creaks and it groans. But I trust that it was sturdy enough to carry me:
So if you're in the mood for a quiet walk in the woods, a ride on the Swinging Bridge, a walk through Revolutionary War history, then head to The Institute Woods!

Cedar Ridge

2009-05-17T13:05:00.010-04:00

The D&R Greenway Land Trust has been working hard for 20 years to preserve land in central New Jersey. As part of their 20th anniversary celebration, they've invited a group of plein air artists to paint on some select pieces of property that they've preserved, and I am privileged to be included in this group of artists.

The paintings we do will be exhibited this fall in the Marie L. Matthews Gallery at Johnson Education Center, Princeton, NJ. We'll also be donating some of this work to the Land Trust for a silent auction to help raise funds for, and awareness of their land preservation mission. I'll post more about this exhibit and silent auction as the time approaches later this summer.

Here are some of my first paintings related to this project. Both were done at Cedar Ridge Preserve near Hopewell, NJ.

"Cedar Ridge Fields"
8x10 oil on panel

"Cedar Ridge Woods"
11x14 oil on panel

One side benefit of this project is that I'll get to explore some places I've never been to before, and exploration is one of the things I like best about being a plein air painter. Cedar Ridge is not far from where I live but last week my first visit there.

4th Annual Hillsborough Art Show

2009-05-16T09:25:00.003-04:00

The Fourth Annual Hillsborough Art Show has just past. Unfortunately it's only a one day event so there's barely time to blog about it before the show is over. This year it was organized by a professional artist, Kevin Murphy, who recently founded the Art Academy of Hillsborough and it sounds like Kevin has some ideas about making this a bigger event next year.

The show has separate categories for students and adults and most of the show is comprised of students' work. You've probably heard the famous Pablo Picasso quote "It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child", and it's often said that we are most creative as children but somehow loose that spark when we become adults. I have to say that I was really impressed with the student work at this show! The level of talent was impressive, but what impressed me the most was how imaginative some of the works were. These kids have not yet lost that spark of creativity, and lets hope that they don't.

Being a bit too old to qualify as a student, my entry won First Place in the adult category - I've posted this one before, it's my driveway in winter:

"Winter Drive"
24x18 oil on canvas

Connections - a 2 person show with Beatrice Bork

2009-05-04T14:45:00.009-04:00

I've warned you before but now it's time for the official announcement:

"Connections"
A 2-person show with Joe Kazimierczyk and Beatrice Bork
at Artists' Gallery in Lambertville, NJ
May 8 - May 31, 2009
Opening reception: Saturday May 9, 6-9pm

My big show of the year starts later this week and runs the month of May. It's a 2-person show with Beatrice Bork. Bea is a talented watercolorist who specializes in wildlife paintings with a strong emphasis on birds. Her subjects range from the creatures found around her home in New Jersey, to the more exotic species she sees on her trips to the Caribbean.

My own work continues to focus on the New Jersey landscape but this time I'll be showing a lot of my smaller works. It's funny that my intent this winter was to work larger, but then I did a couple of little 5x7" paintings and had so much fun with those that it turned into a whole series. But I'll still be showing a few larger pieces to balance things out. I thought a wall of nothing but 5x7" paintings would look a bit odd!

The show runs May 8 through May 31.
Opening reception is Saturday, May 9 from 6-9pm at:

Artists' Gallery
32 Coryell Street
Lambertville, NJ
map & directions
Gallery hours: every Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11am-6pm

Here are a few of the paintings I'll have in the show:

"Princeton Battlefield Winter"
12x24" oil on canvas

"Millstone River, Early Spring"
5x7" oil on board

"Canal in Winter"
5x7" oil on panel

If you can't make the opening, please join us for coffee & conversation, a closing reception of sorts on Sunday, May 31 from 2-5pm.

Round Mountain Farm

2009-05-01T09:54:00.003-04:00

"Round Mountain Farm"
6x8 oil on canvas on panel

I found this scene while exploring some trails near Stanton, NJ. This trail system connects some otherwise disconnected pieces of parkland, and the trails pass through some active farmland which made for a very pleasant walk. The trails were nicely cut through some grassland, but wow, the ticks are out in full force this spring - just one of the many hazards of plein air painting!

The Salon at Artworks

2009-04-30T09:10:00.004-04:00

It's time for Trenton City Museum's the annual Ellarslie Open, one of the best juried shows in the region. This show always attracts artists from a large geographical area and for the past couple of years has been struggling with the problem of not having enough room to show all of the work that they would like to show. This year Ellarslie is partnering with Artworks to present "The Salon Show" - a show of entries that didn't make it into the Ellarslie Open but are too good not to exhibit. My painting "Hopewell, 3pm" will be in the Salon Show at Artworks:

"Hopewell, 3pm"
16x20 oil on canvas

Opening reception: Friday May 8, 6 to 9 pm at:

Artworks
19 Everett Alley at South Stockton Street
Trenton, NJ 08611
In the Mill Hill Historic District
[map & directions]
609-394-9436

The show runs May 8 through June 27, 2009.
Gallery hours are Saturdays: noon to 4:00 pm, and by appointment.

Ellarslie is the Trenton City Museum, downstairs is used for changing art exhibitions, upstairs features exhibits that showcase the city of Trenton's industrial history. Artworks is Trenton's downtown visual arts center, offering classes, exhibits and events to foster an appreciation of the arts.

While you're in the area to visit Artworks, it's well worth your time to stop in the nearby New Jersey State Museum to see the exhibit of Mel Leipzig's work - I'm a big fan of Mel but it's the first time I've seen so much of his work in one place. Mel has a unique way of looking a the world and it's a really amazing exhibit, so go see it!

Artists of Bristol 3rd Annual Open Exhibition

2009-04-16T19:17:00.008-04:00

"Six Mile Run Farm"
11x14 oil on panel

The above painting will be in the Artists of Bristol 3rd Annual Open Exhibition being held at:

Lower Bucks Hospital
501 Bath Road
Bristol, PA 19007
(in the Hospital’s original lobby)

The show lasts only this weekend, Friday April 17 through Sunday April 19. There's a reception on Friday April 17 from 6-9 pm.

This exhibition is jointly sponsored by the Artists of Bristol on the Delaware and Lower Bucks Hospital. While I don't live anywhere near Bristol, they were encouraging artists from outside the area to participate and I was glad to oblige.

This painting was done at Six Mile Run Reservoir and I'm not sure if I should have been under water here. The surrounding land was acquired by the state of NJ in 1970 for a reservoir but those plans were eventually scrapped and it's now a park called Six Mile Run Reservoir - even though there is no reservoir and never will be! Six Mile Run is the name of the creek that runs nearby.

Addendum: My painting was award 3rd Place in the show!

Small Oils at the Philadelphia Sketch Club

2009-04-12T10:06:00.005-04:00

"Montgomery Barn"
8x10 oil on board

This painting was accepted into the 146th Annual Exhibition of Small Oil Paintings at the Philadelphia Sketch Club. The show runs April 10 through May 2, 2009 at:

The Philadelphia Sketch Club
235 S. Camac Street
Philadelphia, Pa

Opening reception is Sunday, April 19 from 2 to 4 pm.

Although this is the 146th year of this annual juried show (isn't that amazing?!), it's the first time that I've entered. Needless to say, I'm very happy to have gotten in. I only recently became acquainted with the Sketch Club when I was invited to judge a show at the neighboring Plastic Club.

The Philly Sketch Club was founded in 1860 and is the oldest continuing artists organization in America. Many of America's great artists have been members or teachers at the club including Thomas Eakins, N.C. Wyeth, Edward Redfield, Maxfield Parrish, Daniel Garber, Ranulph Bye and Alexander Calder.

Normal gallery hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1 pm to 5 pm.

Save the date: May

2009-04-09T19:11:00.007-04:00

My next big show is coming up soon at the Artists' Gallery in May. It'll be a 2-person show with Beatrice Bork - a very talented wildlife artist. Between Bea's animal paintings in watercolor and my landscapes in oils, I think it'll be a really good show. Of course I'm a little bit biased, but I really do think so!

Right now I'm busy with all of the little details and odds & ends that go into doing one of these shows. Fortunately, in a 2-person show you have someone to split some of the work with: writing and sending press releases, designing and mailing postcards, selecting which paintings to show, varnishing paintings, ordering frames, framing paintings, telling everyone on the planet about the show... which is exactly what I'm doing right now. I'll post more details in a few weeks, but for now, I just want to let you know that:

The show runs May 8 through May 31 at Artists' Gallery in Lambertville, NJ
Opening Reception is Saturday, May 9 from 6 to 9 pm.

Also, Beatrice has just started a blog of her own, so you may want to keep an eye on that: Beatrice Bork, Artist.

The Battle of Princeton

2009-03-30T15:22:00.004-04:00

Don't worry, I'm not going to give you a long history lesson, but these 2 paintings were done at a location steeped in Revolutionary War history.

"John Updike's Farmstead"
5x7 oil on panel

The Updike Farm only goes back to 1890, but is along the route followed by Continental troops on their way to engage British soldiers at the neighboring Thomas Clarke farm about a mile away. Now, much of this land belongs to the Institute for Advanced Study, where Albert Einstein did a lot of thinking.

"Thomas Clarke's Barn"
5x7 oil on panel

The Thomas Clarke House was built in 1772 by Quaker Thomas Clarke on his then 200-acre farm. On January 3, 1777, the Battle of Princeton was fought here, and the Clarke House served as a field hospital for the wounded of both sides. American General Hugh Mercer died here nine days later. The site is now Princeton Battlefield State Park.

I have no idea if this barn was here in 1777, but it gave me an excuse to brush up on some history. (The Clarke House would be just beyond the right edge of this painting. I'm sure I'll get around to painting the main house someday soon).

Lambertville Historical Society Show - extended

2009-03-20T13:38:00.004-04:00

The Lambertville Historical Society Show at Coryell Gallery has been extended for another month. The new closing date is April 19.

By the way, in my last posting, the painting "Canal in Winter" shows the canal side of the Coryell Gallery - it's the light colored building in that painting.

Coryell Gallery at the Porkyard
8 Coryell Street
Lambertville, NJ 08530
[map and directions]

Small Works

2009-03-14T17:25:00.006-04:00

Here are 2 recent paintings,both small, both winter scenes, both Lambertville, NJ:

"Canal in Winter"
5x7 oil on panel

"Lambertville Station in Winter"
5x7 oil on panel

I have a 2 person show with Beatrice Bork coming up at Artists' Gallery in May, and I thought it would be good to have some smaller works in the show. I usually do paint small but 8x10" is my usual limit. I wanted to go a little smaller for this show, so I'm doing a series of 5x7 inch paintings.

I know there's a whole genre of miniature paintings, down to 1 inch or even less... but that's just crazy! For the time being, I think 5x7" will be as small as I go. At this size, I feel I can still paint comfortably, and include a good amount of detail without altering my work habits much. Actually, I'm surprised just how much detail I can get in on these.

You'll hear more about my show in May as the time approaches.

After the Rain

2009-02-22T17:00:00.005-05:00

"After the Rain"
18x24 oil on canvas

This is is a little outside of my usual stomping grounds - I was visiting a friend in Bloomsburg, Pa and really enjoyed seeing the surrounding countryside up there. Unfortunately it was a pretty rainy weekend while I was there but hey, I do too many sunny day paintings anyway.

This painting is on Utt Road near Rohrsburg, Pa, and once again it shows my usual motif of a roadway running off into the distance. I don't know why I do so many paintings of roadways but they're an endless fascination to me. I sometimes think of the flat asphalt road as a blank canvas which nature paints on, and it's my job as an artist to just notice. This scene was missing any strong shadows across the road, which I really love to paint, but I liked the puddles and reflections on the wet roadway - without those, this road would have remained just a blank canvas. I also liked how the little barn echoed the bigger barn and I keep thinking of them as father and son (which might be a better title for this painting, now that I think about it).

The Art of Seduction

2009-02-11T19:05:00.005-05:00

In celebration of Valentine's Day, February's show at the Artists' Gallery is called The Art of Seduction. This will be a group show of all of the gallery artists and we'll try our best to do justice to the show's title.

A sumptuous chocolate buffet will be provided for the opening reception on Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 14 from 6:00pm - 9:00pm. For a special treat, we'll have French Truffles and other irresistible chocolates, graciously donated by The Chocolate Box at 39 North Union Street. So come out and join us and indulge a bit.

Artists' Gallery is at 32 Coryell Street, Lambertville, NJ [map & directions]. Gallery hours are every Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11am-6pm (but do try to be there for the reception on Feb 14).

Since I paint landscapes almost exclusively, I had trouble finding something to fit the show's theme, but some people find cars seductive, don't they? I hope so because one of the works I'll be showing is this 1959 MGA Coupe - my only plein air painting of a car:

"1959 MGA Coupe"
11x14 oil on panel

Group Show at Bells Tavern

2009-02-11T16:34:00.009-05:00

From now through the end of March, Bell's Tavern in Lambertville, NJ is hosting a group show of Artists' Gallery artists. I have 4 paintings hanging, including these:

"Duke Island"
8x10 oil on wood panel

This is the Raritan River at Duke Island Park, Bridgewater, NJ. It's a big park with picnic areas and ball fields, but you'll usually find me lurking around by the river.

"Homeward Bound, Winter Afternoon"
8x10 oil on panel

And this one is the street I live on, hence the title. I live just past the crest, on the right, but the hill climbs quite a bit more past my house. I'm sure I exaggerated the colors a bit in this painting, but the trees sometimes look almost like that at sunset.

Bell's is one of my favorite places in Lambertville - great food, low prices, nice bar, and a good selection of beer on tap. And always some good artwork up on the walls. It's always worth a visit:

Bell's Tavern
183 North Union Street
Lambertville, NJ

Montgomery Winter Sunset

2009-02-09T19:21:00.006-05:00

"Montgomery Winter Sunset"
18x24 oil on canvas

This is a spot along my daily travels, but I'd never seen it look so nice - I was lucky to be driving by at the right time of day, and that little bit of snow on the ground seemed just the right touch. I should make it a point to get out of the house at sunset more often!

I suddenly feel inspired to paint more skies, cloudscapes and sunsets...

Artsbridge Members Show

2009-02-06T19:46:00.004-05:00

This year's Artsbridge Members' Show is being held at the Prallsville Mill in Stockton, NJ. Opening reception is Saturday, Feb 7 from 7:00 to 10:00 pm, and the show runs until Sunday, Feb 22.

Folks might be tired of seeing snow around here, but I thought I'd stick with a winter theme and this is my entry - a view of my driveway from last winter:

"Winter Drive"
24x18 oil on canvas

Lambertville Historical Society Show

2009-01-30T10:34:00.003-05:00

"Lambertville Station, November"
11x14 oil on canvas

My painting "Lambertville Station, November" was accepted into this year's Lambertville Historical Society Juried Show at the Coryell Gallery and was awarded an Honorable Mention.

This is the 29th year that this show has been held - the theme is always 'scenes of Lambertville and the surrounding area'. Lucky for me I have a lot of paintings fitting that description, but this has always been a difficult show to get into. So I'm especially thrilled to have won an award this year. I hope you can stop by and see the show:

Coryell Gallery at the Porkyard
8 Coryell Street
Lambertville, NJ 08530
[map & directions]

Opening Reception is Sunday, Feb 1, from 3 to 6pm. The show runs until March 15.

Small Worlds at The Plastic Club

2009-01-28T17:58:00.007-05:00

Today I got a taste of what it's like to be on the other end of a juried show, and I was juror for the Small Worlds Show at The Plastic Club in Philadelphia. Being a juror is a tough job! It's tough because there were so many good entries and only a small number of awards to give out. The only criteria for the show was that each piece not exceed 16" in any dimension. Work included oils, watercolors, pastels, photography, mixed media, wall pieces and sculpture, which added to the challenge. But the main thing was that I wish I had a few more awards to give out.

I suppose I shouldn't say anything more than that I highly recommend that you see this show if you're in the area. Opening reception is Sunday, Feb 1 from 2 to 5pm and the show runs until Feb 22.

The Plastic Club
247 South Camac Street
Philadelphia, Pa 19107
215-545-9324

The Plastic Club is just a few doors down Camac Street from the well known Philadelphia Sketch Club. The Plastic Club began as a woman-only art club in 1897, in response to the Philadelphia Sketch Club's policy of only admitting men. Now both clubs allow men and women as members, and the tiny street was formally designated "Avenue of the Artists" by the City of Philadelphia.

And in case you're wondering, The Plastic Club's name "refers to any work of art unfinished, in a plastic state. The term also refers to the changing and tactile sense of painting and sculpture".

Wertsville Sunset

2009-01-22T19:43:00.003-05:00

"Wertsville Sunset"
11x14 oil on canvas

This is one of my first paintings of the new year, and I think it's the first sunset paintings that I've ever done. Wertsville Road is the route I take to the art towns of Lambertville, Stockton and New Hope. It's a pleasant drive, and I know I shouldn't, but I sometimes take photos out the front window while driving. But only on the straight stretches of road!

I think I've avoided painting sunsets because if not done with right touch, they could turn out to be pretty tacky. Although it's a very dramatic subject, there are a lot of subtleties to deal with. This was a real challenge to paint but I think I'll be doing some more sunsets soon.