Accepting The Workshop Challenge

When was the last time your art brain hurt?

My Quick Value Study

I just finished a 3 Day workshop and it was exhaustively wonderful! My brain hurt from all the learning and concepts, each night I would go home tired (this was a good tired)!

Day One was all about value. I always need a value reminder. And, value is incredibly misunderstood. I found a teacher who not only has a firm understanding of value but who also can talk intelligently to students about value. While this workshop focused on portraits, it was clear that value could be applied to landscape and still life as well. Value I  need thee.

A View of Student work--red green challenge!

Day Two was the most exciting day, all about color! As artists we get set in our ways and set in our color palettes. What I really loved was how effective the instructor was at challenging our color  thinking. When the instructor put colored theater gels over the lights--this changed everything and yet when looking at Planes of the Face you could see how the color of the light impacted the face! Amazing! I was particularly struck by how when placing a hot pink paper under the face, the bright hot pink reflects back up into the face and under the chin, the light and color relationship is fascinating!

My Red Light Challenge

I especially loved the challenge to the workshop students. We were given an hour to paint a model who was under RED theater gel light. Her face glowed orange-red, and her cheek appeared grinch-green--a tough challenge! This really makes you think and look! The first 30 minutes I was unsuccessful! After a break, I went back to the easel and really looked and started to "get it". It is all about seeing light and color (and value)! I started to see the bright orange hair highlights and the purple shadows! WOW!

My "form" Unfinished Day 3...

Day three was putting it all together and focusing on finding form, finding a story and then incorporating fun and play. After watching a demo, a model posed for us under cool light. And the instructor gave us each challenges --determined for each student. My challenge was to "paint the form" (not features, not symbols). How amazing that after two days, the instructor could go student to student to work with each of us on our weaknesses! And it was tough as I like to place in features, just adding form and shape is a new and difficult way to start for me. While all of my works are unfinished, I could have used more time on this one. I would have liked to go back in and add darks to the hair, and to blur the left eye feature (I outlined it) and to blur a bit the bottom lip-the light side...

A great workshop, much needed to reinforce value, form, color and where I need to focus on my art.

A special Thank You to Vianna Szabo, a wonderful artist and instructor.

Learning & Exploring & Loving It!

I am really loving my art quick studies experience. I find that I am fearless with composition and color application with my mini one hour paintings!

Little Red Barn 4 x 6"

The Red Barn was toned red (lower half) where there would be a lot of green and orange (upper half) where there would be blue sky. The hardest part to paint was the pole in the middle as it was light and bright but very very narrow Also, it was hard to indicate the phone lines--I ended up using a palette knife as even my small brushes I could not get straight lines. Still, I like the result and am happy with what I was able to get done in an hour.

The hardest part of the quick study for me is finding reference photos to work from, I have many photos but it takes the right one for me to be inspired.

Once I decide to do a quick study, I set up my screen /image (to paint from), I layout my paints and brushes and then set the one hour timer. Ready or not I always stop at one hour.

I have learned that I love complementary color toning canvas. My last few paintings I have painted orange under blues and reds under green (light turp washes) and I love the results.

This quick study I liked so much that I used it as a reference to create a larger painting. Both canvases were toned orange before I painted on the whites and blues. I loved the thick layer of snow after the storm and the long blue tree shadows falling across the snow and house.

Snuggled - 4 x 6"

Nestled - 9 x 12"

Solo Show - Save The Date!

Prepping/Organizing/Framing/Marketing/WORK!

A pic of my Save The Dates for my Art Opening

I am thrilled to be having a solo show in February! And while it is exciting, it also will take quite a bit of organization. Right now, I am in the midst of prepping and planning, there is much to do and much to think about.

I just finished two works that I love and want to include in my show. This means that I need to sign and varnish the works and order frames for them.

As of now I know that I have enough completed works for the show ( a sense of accomplishment).
I figure that I will need to have 40 works that are framed and ready for the show. Currently I have 32 framed works with 8 works that need to be framed--(5 frames have been ordered, 3 I have at the house). I consider this a good place to be, ahead of the game!

I also had to come up with a title for the show--after much thought and deliberation I chose "Lighthearted". I chose this because my show is in February and my works are light, bright and lyrical. Now that I have a title, I can do PR. The venue will provide a bit of PR but I will share the show information on my website and with my art associations and with my art groups and friends via Social Media and printed cards.

I just ordered "Save the Date" cards for my Opening Reception. I ordered the cards on Vistaprint and included photos of my artwork. While this was an expense to me, I want people to attend the show opening --I have shared the cards with my art group,  neighbors and family.

Next steps include creating an art inventory just for this show - not all my works will be in this show and I need to give an art inventory to the venue soon. And I need to ensure that my business card and art information (title/price) are on the back of each artwork.

Goals and Thank yous

It's the most wonderful time of the year!
A time to be thankful and start writing 2017 art goals.

Snuggled - small 4x6" quick painting. Loved the snow!

I've said it before and I will say it again, I am thankful for my art friends. My friends are kindred spirits who are sounding boards, informers, sharers, listeners and mentors--thank you!
When I am in the studio with my friends, I forget my troubles.

I was chatting recently with my art friends and was surprised to learn that I am in the minority when it comes to making art goals. Yes, I make yearly art goals and I encourage you to do the same. Goals help me focus and they are something that I think about throughout the year.  I believe in art goals, I believe in working toward goals and I believe in the action of writing goals down.

Last year I completed the following: update blog twice a month, create an art inventory, complete more landscape paintings, create an art website. Incomplete goals include selling a larger work and Giclee prints of my Santa (I did look into Giclee prints, they were much more expensive than anticipated)...

Also, I had my first solo show and was accepted to have a second solo show in February 2017. One reason for the shows was my preparation--because I had goals and was out painting more often, I was confident that I had enough completed work for a solo exhibit.

I have started thinking about my 2017 goals, and plan on discussing them with my husband on an upcoming road trip--the best time to brainstorm and jot down ideas. I already know that goals will include Art Quick Studies (painting two small one hour paintings each week)--this is something I started recently that I enjoy.

Quick Painting: Small Work Evolution!

Putting IDEAS into ACTION

A quick one hour study, 5x7

I constantly Google art and research art blogs; always looking for inspiration. I recently read an article endorsing quick paintings, which must be small and must be completed in a short amount of time. I thought this a good idea, a good way to improve my painting skills!

The next art group studio session, I mentioned this Quick Painting idea to my art colleague and said, " Hey, maybe we should do  this each week and hold each other accountable." And, to my shock and delight, it evolved from there!

Purpose of this group: Improve Painting Skills Through Quick Studies

Goal: Create two art quick studies each week

• One hour or less for each study

• Small works encouraged (3x3, 4x6, 5x7 etc)--whatever you can get done in an hour

Why Participate: improve your painting skills, make faster decisions, paint more quickly, paint more, use more intuition, less overthinking, less overworkingWhat: What you paint is up to you- Still Life, Portrait, Landscape, Abstract -- the point is to paint and paint quickly, using a 60 Minute timer! 

 Sounds easy, right? The main flaw was how to share the works with each other--my works were "wet paint" and not easy to transport.

One great thing about going to studio art sessions is the discussions that are generated. We basically brainstormed virtual ways we could share the art with each other. We have blogs, Facebook, Instagram and all that, but how to create a private place for these artists to post weekly Quick Paintings? Eventually we settled on creating a Private Facebook Group where we can create Picture "Albums" for our weekly artwork.

And, as we were discussing further this idea, several others in the art group stated they would like to join us in the Quick Paint Weekly Challenges! I was surprised and thrilled!

As of now, the Quick Painting group is 5 people, but one other artist has expressed interest and will join us in this endeavor. Wohoo!

Support Small Business Saturday - Original Art Sale!

Christmas is coming, buy some Original Art!

Since I now run a small business, I must support small business -  I plan on going out to some small retail businesses this afternoon!

I am offering two works for discounted sale for Small Business Saturday, two of my favorites! They can be purchased through my website (which is supported via Paypal). Each work is offered for the discount price of $100 (unframed) plus shipping and handling.

My website link:
http://greenhandleart.com/collections/91416

Peter Rabbit's Garden 

Peter Rabbit's Garden, 8x10, original Oil

Heritage Nature Center

Heritage Nature Center, 8x10, original Oil

Thank you and Happy Holidays,

The Office

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This...

MY OFFICE

I have had that job, the one where you sit in the dreary cube in the beige building breathing in the stale air, so frustrating especially when it is nice outside...

My husband  was travelling and sent me a picture of his office --a computer, cords and an ugly beige room. The office was a windowless mini box of beige on beige, it was sad and depressing. Of course he sent his #Jealous in response to "My Office" pic and text. I am thankful everyday that I get to make art, especially thankful for the sunshine on this November day.

Lately I have been closely watching the weather, looking for sunshine! I knew the temps were going to be abnormally high, but I had to wait until the last minute to ensure there was no rain in the forecast. Since I emailed late, I did not have any art friends who could meet me. I decided to go anyway, I had to be outside on this sunny day!

The day ended up being breezy (windier than I thought it would be). And, while the sun was shining, I was in the shade --I had to get up a few times to get sun on my feet which were cold. Otherwise this spot was perfect! I was tired and had to sit, so I set the Guerilla Box on the Picnic table with my painting supplies (my desk), it worked out very well!

I loved the colors - the red and yellow leafy trees against the blue water. I also loved the shapes - there were many horizontal diagonals! The foreground was the reeds followed by the water followed by the trees/shoreline and finally sky. I loved the diagonal patterns that these nature items made on my canvas. And, I like where this colorful fall painting is going. Unfortunately, I did not finish the painting, after a few hours I had to get back home. Yes, I intend to finish this painting. I need to work on my red tree and the foreground reeds. Sometimes you just cannot finish same day and that is ok, it was still a wonderful experience to get out of the house and to "get to work" --working in the most beautiful office!

Enjoy the sunshine and get to work,