2013

Vacation next week. I am so looking forward to being able to get into the studio. This school year has been so fast paced it has been hard to carve out some creative time. I have been doing some work in my sketchbook trying to get some environmental ideas to gel into some imagery. I have a direction that I am pretty happy with so that's exciting. I will be posting some rough sketches next week.

It is unfortunate that my adult Acrylics class did not run this winter due to a lack of adequate information distribution. Live and learn. I hope anyone who is interested will be looking for it next fall. I am thinking about running a summer class for CEU credits too. More to come on that later.

One more day and a night collecting student artwork at the Portland Museum of art. Love February break. Here is the work of my student that I will be sending this year.



deb

Acrylics Workshop

This blog post will be a supplement for my Adult Ed. Acrylics Workshop. If there is anything else you would like to know just ask in class and I can write a response in the comment section. If you want to be notified of any updated posts you will need to "follow" this blog.

GOLDEN MIXING KIT

This set includes 8 fluid colors, color mixing guide and application guide. The link is to Dick Blick art supply. As of this post they are out of stock but will be available Feb 13. I also found them at Jerry's Artarama for $20.00.

GOLDEN ACRYLIC MEDIUMS SET
I found this set for $16.00 at Daniel Smith on line. It's a great price and and good selection of mediums. For those who love heavy thick impasto the extra heavy gel would be yummy for this application. The set comes with a product sample card.

PRINCETON BEST SYNTHETIC BRISTLE BRUSHES
These are my favorite brushes. I told one student that I thought they were a blend of natural and synthetic but they are actually a synthetic bristle designed to act like a bristle only better. They maintain shape when holding heavy paint. As far as size and shape goes that is so much an artists choice. I guess I would go for at least one flat and one round for now. As for size, the more choice you have the better but you might start with numbers between 4 and 12 for now. I have some "Blick Studio Synthetic" brushes that behave very well. They have a set of four at a good price. I also like "Silverwhite" brushes. I tend to use these for more fluid applications like washes and glazes. I will tell you that there is nothing that can take the place of a good brush!


OTHER RESOURCES
My acrylic sample boards on flickr.
My web site.
My acrylics video collection on youtube.
My youtube channel.
My Etsy online shop.
My facebook fan page. 
Golden's youtube channel. 
Golden's web site. This is a fabulous resource!
This is a great Tri-Art fluid acrylic video about color saturation and lush viscous mixes with gel medium.
The Tri-Art web site. This is the Canadian acrylic manufacturer.
Tri-Art non stick palette at Dick Blick. Very Cool!!


When we cover glazing you will really benefit from reading this entry by Canadian Artist Robert Genn. If you LOVE learning Genn's bi-weekly news letters are an awesome resource. THIS is the Glazing Keys entry by Genn.

First Painting of 2012

Here is my first painting of 2012. This is a 9x12 Soft pastel on Wallis paper with a water color under painting. This is the first one of two that I plan to do. The other one is after the same rain storm that ravaged my spring roses last spring. The next one will be the leaves after the storm.

Here's to a productive new year!

What's on the easel?

One of my favorite artists is Stephen Quiller. I really love the way he uses transparency, translucency and opacity all in one painting. He also considers himself a "water media" artist and clearly describes the qualities of each medium. His knowledge of the personalities of each medium is so keen that he can pick the right one for the look he is going for. His color schemes are somewhat objective but subjective as well. The colors glow and interplay with each other in such beautiful ways.



Casein is one of his mediums. I love the flat velvety color that it produces. Quiller uses it with transparent acrylic under washes to create stunning results! I have tried some play with casein but feel really inept at this point. This series will be my next attempt to gain some knowledge of this beautiful paint. The series of three yellow scapes are my setup pieces for some play with Casein.

I have also started some different pastel pieces. I did not get in to the PPOM International show last summer. I am determined to create a piece that will make the grade! These pieces are on my favorite paper, Wallis, and have a watercolor underpainting. I use this process often. I enjoy the loose start and lcoking in the basics first.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My Two Sons and Gallery 5!

This past weekend I completed a drawing that I have wanted to do for some. A portrait of our sons. This graphite drawing is on a full sheet, 22x30 Lenox Drawing paper.

The image is a compilation of both sons at the time of their Senior year in High School. I'm pretty happy with the outcome. I plan on using this image as an image transfer for a Christmas present. I will print it on fine watercolor paper and mount it on a birch panel.

 I also found out this week that all four of my entries into the MAEA show at Gallery 5 in Leweston were accepted into our juried show! Yeeha! This is what I entered.

What I do with all my time!

This time of year is nearly impossible to get in to my room and work! School is especially difficult this year due to many changes. I decided that I would try to connect my school activity to my professional blog - my way of showing that Im not just slacking off!


Check out what is going on in my class room by visiting the class blog. There are some cool links on the recent post. There is a slide show on the right for our 2011 Camp Sunshine pumpkin installation but you can also go here for the still shots.


For my artist friends, you might enjoy the AP / STUDIO art page. Students will be doing some assemblage collage art with inspiration from Joseph Cornell. This page is the actual lesson that they will work from. Check out the interactive links provided for instruction. Students will also be using some form of image transfer system in this piece. I have a youtube folder with tutorials for them to self direct with.


So - THIS is what I do with my time!
Enjoy!

The Magic of Haystack

 Two weekends ago I got to have one of my dreams come true. I was honored to have the opportunity to teach fellow artists and teachers. I had 15 fantastic artist / educators in my workshop at Haystack Mountain School and, had the time of my life.

Teaching a group of highly creative and motivated people is like being on some kind of drug. The energy is contagious and the work output is nothing short of spectacular! People worked until after midnight and got up early to work more. One participant even got up at 4am to get to the studio! The whole weekend was magic, even more magic than it always is.

 My mother and two aunts came up to see what I rave about so much. They got to see prints being pulled in the print studio, clay being thrown in the ceramics studio, freshly cast molds in the wood shop, beautiful pastel paintings in the brand new artists studio, movies being created in Gateway and a blacksmith demo in the hot shop.

I was not nervous during my slide show (click here) presentation. It felt great to be there with such inspiring people in such an inspiring place. Check back soon for images. I will be asking my participants to send me at least one photo of work they did in my workshop. This experience will be hard to beat! Thank you Haystack and thank you for the opportunity M.A.E.A. Take a look at the movie (click here) that my Co Worker put together! There is a sound track but for some reason it does not play - we are trying to figure that out!