Thursday Acrylics Class Self Portraits

Last Thursday, we scheduled a session of self-portraits in my Figures and Faces Acrylics class.  What fun it was!  I bought ten stand-up mirrors from the Dollar Store, and told the students that yes, they needed to plan on sketching a relatively good likeness of themselves first, and then, to get creative with their painting of self portraits ... bring hats, change the geometry of their likeness, use unusual color combinations, etc.  My students have such a great attitude and willingness to try anything and everything, that indeed several brought in hats, and chose to paint very creative compositions.  The results were wonderful, and made us all smile!

Catching Up On Life Drawing Sketches

A busy time last week and the beginning of this week, so I am a little bit behind in posting.  Art Bash, Art League North's offering to the Tulip Festival festivities, opened Friday evening to a great and supportive group of neighbor's and friends.  The economy must be perking up a tad, as there were a few sales, two of which were mine!  Thank you, local art lovers!

I didn't post last week's life drawing sketches, because I wasn't too excited about them, even though I always learn something and appreciate the experience.  I am not sure how "experienced" last week's model was ... not too inspiring, but she was fun to sketch in her silky black slip.  Her naturally curly hair and the filigree on her slip were fun to draw with my Doc Martin Hydrus Watercolor droppers.

Yesterday, Burt posed, and I like the results more.  I especially like the one with the sweat pants.  It seems to capture more the moment and the character.  

Too blue ... Avatar or Smurf?

Sketcher-phrenic

Yes, I feel that I am a sketcher-phrenic.  I am enjoying sketching, and certainly have enjoyed the group I have been sketching with, and, I also enjoy the other work I am doing with different media.  I am a Jack [or Jill] of all trades and master of none, I suppose.  Coming back to creating and making art late, I want to do it all ... well and fast!  All that said, I feel a bit conflicted about sketching.

It appears that sketching has become a huge international movement, or maybe it's been going on forever, and I just recently became aware of it.  I love looking at the sketchings of others, and enjoy the process, for sure.  Sketching is clearly an art form unto itself.

And who can dispute that sketching/drawing doesn't increase overall skills, particularly on how one "sees" things. I sketch, and certainly encourage my students to take time, every day, if possible, to sketch and draw, and, to be sure, their skills, and mine, will increase and improve.

The frustration comes with, perhaps, the scarce allocation of resources, primarily time, and, frankly, materials.  I now have about four separate "kits" to lug around the various classes I give and take, including the re-purposing of an old computer bag on rollers for sketching.  The conflict also has to do with "simplifying my life," and making it more frenetic than ever!

To be sure, sketching and drawing are a huge part of my art-making, and an element of how I teach, to the extent that artists need to draw and sketch, as much to improve the ability to "see" and create compositions and good designs in their watercolors and acrylics.  I so enjoy painting with acrylics and knives, doing watercolors, and working with texture and now collage. How much time can a person take to do all things creative?

Do I continue to spread myself too thin, or do I try to "do it all"?  What do you do?

A couple of Whidbey Island Sketchers on a lovely sunny day in Langley 

Art Bash and the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Yikes, the Tulip Festival starts April 1st, as do the many art shows in barns and other venues punctuating the acres and acres of tulips and daffodils in Skagit Valley. Art League North's Art Bash will be in The Farmhouse Restaurant [at the corner of SR 20 and La Conner -Whitney Road] for the second year. And I am not ready!  I have been SO busy teaching and running around the county in the name of art, that I haven't been able to get my act together enough to get everything matted, framed, mounted, etc.

I HAVE ordered some cards, and hope to have them ready to sell at least. In the last couple of years, more cards than original art works have been selling at shows, so I started having the cards made. At least the proceeds cover the expense of my entry into the show.
Anyway, I am pleased with a few pieces that I will be hanging in the show. Below is one of them. I started this as a palette knife demo in an acrylics class, and hadn't finished it until just a day or two ago. I like him.

Heron ~ Acrylics ~ Palette Knife

Every day, I see at least two or three herons as I drive through the Valley or by the Swinomish Channel. As often as I see the herons, swans, geese and eagles, each time I see any of them it takes my breath away. Paintings of these birds sell well. Am hoping someone will want to take my guy home from the show!

This Week's Life Drawing at the Depot

Cropped from a ten-minute pose.  She thought she could hold her neck like that, but found it was too much.  Glad I got it before she gave up on the pose. On Arches cold press 140# with Doc Martins Hydrus Watercolors and American Journey watercolor stick

Twenty minute from the mirror on Tyvek with Doc Martins Hydrus Watercolor and American Journey watercolor stick 

Sunny Saturday

This past Saturday was lovely and sunny, the day before the start of spring.  It was so great to see the sun, but, it was REALLY breezy with a little chill in the air.  It didn't matter, though, because the Saturday group of painters went outside and clipped a few sprigs of blossoms and painted them from inside.  Fair?  Not plein air, but close!  Here's a quick sketch that was fun light-hearted, and spring IS in the air ... cold or not!

Sketching with the Whidbey Island Sketchers

I spent the afternoon sketching with some great folks from the Whidbey Island Sketchers group in Langley at a tiny little micro brew place.  As the new kid, I felt very welcomed and comfortable.  Since I haven't been out sketching with a group very much, I was a tad tentative at first, but shortly got in to the swing of things.  I brought my Doc Martins [paints not boots] and continued to experiment.  Although I have yet to master them, I had a lot of fun, and lots of excuses for being loose!  I guess the paints were a hit, because several of the artists said they are probably going to order some.  Hey, Doc Martin [and Cheap Joe] do you do finder's fees?  I understand a lot of Hydrus watercolors are being bought by Pacific Northwest artists!

Here's one more of Sue ...



Sue ~  A little overworked ~ Do you think they'll invite me back?