Field Trip to the Illinois Railway Museum

George C. Clark sketching with high school art students and their teacher  at the Illinois Railway Museum yesterday morning.  (photos by Pat Clark)

My friend Ray at the Illinois Railway Museum said he had two busloads of high school art and photography students from Crystal Lake coming to the museum on a field trip and asked if I would be interested in coming out to do a little demonstration and talk to them.  I said I'd be glad to do it and Pat and I drove out yesterday on a cool and rainy morning.  Their teachers introduced the handful of students who were into "traditional art" as opposed to photography and I gave them a little talk about the art I do and sent them off to explore and sketch or photograph while I set to work.  They came back after an hour and a half, and in the photos above I'm showing them my drawing and talking about materials and techniques and working methods.  Some of them were too shy to say much, but I could tell from the interest and questions of others that some at least have the potential to become artists.  It made me feel good about an education system that in too many places seems plagued with problems and inadequacies. 

A.S.R.A. Exhibition in Westfield, New York

George C. Clark with his painting Saddle-tank Switch Engine at the Station Art Gallery September 20, 2014  
(photo by Pat Clark)

As predicted in the previous post, Pat and I attended the opening reception of the first annual members' exhibition of the American Society of Railway Artists at the Station Art Gallery in Westfield, New York.  The opening went very well, and I returned the next day to have this photo of me with my painting taken and to thank Katherine and Rob Galbraith, the gallery's proprietors, for hosting the exhibition.  This gallery is particularly appropriate for railway art because it is located in a beautifully restored former New York Central passenger station.  The main line of the CSX railroad (formerly the New York Central) still runs past the building and you can see the reflection of a passing train on the glass covering my painting. 

American Society of Railway Artists First Annual Exhibition September 19 through October 12, 2014

Saddle-tank Switch Engine, 14 x 10 inch watercolor by George C. Clark    AVAILABLE

My watercolor painting Saddle-tank Switch Engine will be one of 26 artworks featured in the first annual national exhibition by members of the American Society of Railway Artists, held at The Station Art Gallery, 11 English Street in Westfield, New York near the shore of Lake Erie in the Chautauqua wine-growing region.  Everyone is invited to the opening reception on Friday, September 19 from 6 to 9pm.  After the opening, regular gallery hours will be 2 to 5pm on Fridays, 11am to 4pm on Saturdays, and 1 to 4pm on Sundays through October 12, 2014.  I and a number of other exhibiting artists will be attending the opening reception.

Artist Drives Diesel Locomotive at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum

Diesel Switch Engine No. 11

George C. Clark at the Throttle   (photo by Patricia Clark)

Normally I only post my railroad paintings and drawings on this blog, but today I'm going to break that pattern to post a couple of photos of a fun railroading experience I enjoyed recently. For my birthday my wife Pat got me an opportunity to take part in the Guest Engineer program at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson, Indiana, located about 85 miles southeast of Chicago.  On August 10 we drove out there and I had a lesson in how to operate No. 11, a diesel switch engine that formerly shunted freight cars at a steel mill.  My instructor was John, a fully qualified engineer seen in the yellow shirt in the photo.  Another museum volunteer acted as conductor, grade-level crossing guard, and switchman, throwing the manual switches as needed.

I got to drive No. 11 for half an hour up and down the museum's own right-of-way.   It was a lot of fun for a person who has been a rail fan all his life and is now a founding member of the American Society of Railroad Artists.  Thank you, Pat!

Rust Gicleé Print Available at Longbranch Gallery in Mineral Point, Wisconsin

My archival limited edition print Rust described in the previous post can now be purchased at the Longbranch Gallery, 203 Commerce Street in historic Mineral Point, Wisconsin.   The 12 x 16 inch print is priced at $120 framed or $75 unframed.  The original oil painting on which the print was based was painted on-site at the Illinois Railway Museum and is now in the permanent collection of the Illinois State Museums.

Rust Gicleé Shown at Palette & Chisel Art Sale Saturday April 26

Rust, signed and numbered giclee print by George C. Clark from an original painting that is now in the permanent collection of the Illinois State Museums.    AVAILABLE

This new archival print will be shown at a one-day sale at the  PALETTE AND CHISEL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS at 1012 N. Dearborn Street in Chicago on Saturday, April 26, from 11am to 4pm.  

The image is centered on a 12 x 16 inch sheet of 100% rag Hahnemühle paper with about an inch of white margin all around.  Each print from this edition of 30 is signed and numbered by the artist in pencil on the light green area at the bottom of the image so it can be displayed as is in a 12 x 16 inch frame or matted for display in a larger frame without covering the signature and edition number.  This 12 x 16 inch framed print is priced at $120.  Rust was painted on-site at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. 

Other works by Clark in this sale include a small Key West landscape and four paintings of female nudes.

Santa Fe Sign atop the Railway Exchange Building, Chicago

Santa Fe Sign atop the Railway Exchange Building, Chicago,  7 x 9 inch ink, watercolor and colored pencil
by George C. Clark   AVAILABLE

For many years this electric Santa Fe Railroad logo sign appeared atop the historic Railway Exchange Building on Chicago's Michigan Avenue overlooking Grant Park.  It has been replaced now by another corporate logo sign, but the Santa Fe sign has been acquired by the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois, where it is being restored for display there.  This is how it used to look against the night sky.

Engine Shed

Engine Shed,  8 x 11 inch ink and watercolor by George C. Clark   AVAILABLE

At the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois, they keep engines and rolling stock that have been restored or are candidates for restoration in very large metal sheds to protect them from the weather.  Visitors can see them from walkways between the rails.  The sheds are lit by skylights and electric lights, but they are still pretty dark.  As a railfan I enjoy seeing these indoor collections and am glad they are being preserved, but as an artist I usually find the indoor displays a little too dark and claustrophobic to paint.  However, one day I found this Tuskegee Railroad locomotive silhouetted against the open shed doors because the locomotive normally parked behind it was out giving rides.  I made an ink drawing in my sketchbook and took some photos too.  Later I printed the drawing on archival watercolor paper and added the color.    

The Old Sand Tower at the Illinois Railway Museum

Old Sand Tower at the Illinois Railway Museum, 8 x 18 inch ink and watercolor painting by George C. Clark   AVAILABLE

I went out to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union the last day of the season it was open this year and inked this painting on site.  I added the color later at home referring to my on-site photos.  I had brought a skinny piece of watercolor board thinking it would be perfect for a long horizontal subject like a train, but when I saw the old rusting sand tower silhouetted against the bright fall sky I decided to go vertical instead.  

A Productive Day at the Illinois Railway Museum

Chicago Streetcar Barn, Illinois Railway Museum, 14 x 10 inch watercolor by George C. Clark  AVAILABLE

In 2010, after I had been invited to create a poster and railroad prints for the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois, I was also invited to come out on a busy weekend in September to paint on site and be an event for museum visitors.  Because the trains are moved around from time to time, I went out there on a sunny day a week ahead with my camera to pick some good painting locations, both indoors and out, September weather being what it is.  The day I came to paint turned out to be really overcast and threatening to rain, so I set up in the corner of the car barn where old Chicago street cars are displayed.  That's a "Green Hornet" streamlined car from the 1940s in the foreground, a 1970s "Skokie Swift" train behind it, and an old car from the 1920s or earlier in the distance.  The overcast light was actually better for painting than it been the week before, when bright sunlight had been coming in the open doors to the left.  I finished the painting on site, then took a break for a late lunch.

Burlington Northern No. 3007, 14 x 12 inch ink and watercolor by George C. Clark  AVAILABLE

After lunch, although it was still overcast it hadn't actually rained, so I decided to work outdoors.  I liked the front of this locomotive, but it had looked better as a painting subject in sunlight.  I set up in front of it with a folding card table and a stool and spent about an hour and a half doing a fairly tight ink drawing on watercolor board.  The rain held off until the drawing was almost finished and I had to pack up and leave.  At home I used the photographs I had taken in sunlight as a guide when I added my watercolors.