Take Three Snow Days

 

 

It started snowing Sunday, and by Tuesday schools and offices were closing. I pulled out some reference photos from last spring, the iris were irresistible. Having just finished a workshop with Mike Beeman I worked through the steps for creating a great painting. First find the value map. I keep it simple. Not having the Value Viewer, a great little app created by Mark Putman, I make a copy of my reference photo in black and white.  I was happy with the composition as I had cropped the original photo.   Next I chose a palette and realized I needed an even a darker purple to create the shapes of the iris.  I used the analogous color wheel to find a discord to keep the eye moving.   The snow has stopped so the time to really paint, not just do a quick study, may not begin again for a bit.  This painting in pastel is 10x20 and is Irresistible on this cold April day. 

Our early summer iris from last year... oh for Spring...

 

 

 



It's All About Watercolor

Watercolor by Vicky Russell

I am the Gallery Coordinator for the Nagle Warren Mansion venue for our in town art tour, Art Design and Dine http://artdesigndine.org/

I love finding new artists to profile.  This year I also decided it might be fun to create shows based on the medium.  You know how much I love pastel and can show it and talk about it for hours.  Well Vicky Russell of Loveland And Carole Eppler of Cheyenne will do that at  the reception next Thursday the 11th from 5 to 8 PM at the Nagle and show their favorite medium, watercolor.  You can see their combined show and learn more about why and how they create their art in watercolor.  If you miss the reception (with the NWM special blend of Earl Gray tea and something special Sandy will create) the show runs through the month of April and is open from 9 to 5 everyday.



Watercolors by Carole Eppler

Just Paint Every Day

Mike Beeman recently taught two workshops at the Cheyenne Artists Guild.  http://mikebeeman.com/  You know we hear it again and again however this time it stuck. You must paint every day to improve you work. 

I have heard of an artist assign a study of the same object 100 times. Mike said to paint from a still life, not a photo, 20 times.  First paint a value study, monochromatic. Next try the composition in complimentary colors then use a triad palette.  Paint again with an under painting and finally paint in the hues you see. I am using Canson paper, not sanded Wallis. so the whole experience is opening my eyes.  

I will say the exercise is beneficial.  This weekend is CLICK the symposium of Wyoming artists all meeting in Laramie.  Don't tell Mike I will miss a few days.  

The Study of Color

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After a fab four years studying art, developing a visual voice, learning about composition, creating pastel pieces; I decided this is the year for color. This image is from Moses Harris created in 1766. A piece of art in its own right but the basis of so much we know today as color theory. Gail (my pastel pal) and I are enrolled in the Water Based Medium at LCCC this semester. No, I am not going to paint in watercolor, however I am enjoying studying color and mixing color. For me it is not easy to get the proper proportions of pigment to even create the colors you see on the wheel.  What I do love is assimilating the combinations of color, the theories of complementary colors, the triadic pallete, values and most of all the enchantment of creating in glorious color. Check out David Kidd and his in depth site related to color.  http://www.davidkidd.net/Color_wheel_palette.html   Or search on Steven Quiller for even more discussion on color. 

 

For more on color I pulled out my Richard McKinley book Pastel Pointers. He relates the elements in the Munsell Color Wheel theory created by Albert Munsell, from the turn of the century, with the study of the human visual response to color.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsell_color_system

 

So let this be my year of color, discovering all the unexplained in those wheels. 

 

 

 

 

Origami Hearts

It is always fun to attend an artist reception and this one has an added bonus. Win Ratz, skilled in all manner of origami, will lead a heart origami demo and let you fold one for your valentine. Do Palma will show you the process of creating fiber art. And you will enjoy refreshments from the artists and the famous earl gray tea blend from the Nagle Warren Mansion. Maybe you will discover a perfect gift for your valentine.  So see you Sunday, February 10th between 1 and 4 at the mansion. 

 

Dazzle on display, pastel 18x24

Quiet

http://www.thepowerofintroverts.com/

Yes this is my blog related to enLiven and the pursuit of art.  After spending much of fall and even now in this early winter, marketing, developing show opportunities and deciding shows that may be entered, I am not in creating mode.   My daughter first mentioned this author in a TED talks.  http://www.thepowerofintroverts.com/

I am reading (listening actually on CD)  and it is a poignant reminder of how quiet and time to contemplate is imperative to the creative process.   While the book relates to how those that are introverted are labeled quiet, those qualities are the ones that many of the great contributions to society--from van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer. She relates that the qualities of the introvert relate to the power of creativity. 

Point taken.  I need to make more quiet time.