Great Weekend, Great Show!

Am just winding down from the Whatcom Art Guild Art by the Lake Show that was part of the Ski to Sea weekend in Bellingham.  It was a good weekend over all.  First, I was awarded a first and a second [shown below],  and, I sold three paintings.  Woo hoo! 

For the first time, I had a half booth, which worked out to be just the right size.  I am getting a bit long in the tooth to commit to a full booth, in terms of staffing and in terms of building a larger booth by myself.  The thing I knew even before doing this half booth was that I don't ever think I will be doing another booth outside again, particularly in the Pacific Northwest where the weather can ruin your day!

In any case, the booth was good and I enjoyed myself.  I was pleasantly surprised that I ran out of business cards, because people were interested in taking classes from me.  Neat!  Now if they all follow up!

Anyway, with a good booth experience, and sales to boot, the awards were icing on the cake!



Carolina Girl ~ Watercolor Batik 18" x 24" mounted on canvas 1 1/2" deep sides
Awarded First Place WAG Art by the Lake Show  SOLD



Northwest Shopping Day ~ Acrylics 18" x 24" canvas 1 1/2" deep sides
Awarded Second Place in WAG Art by the Lake Show
$225.00

The Dowager

The Dowager  6" x 8" Acrylics
$45 on watercolor paper in mat

Just entered this in the  Daily Paintworks Yellow Challenge, because I am finding that a number of my recent paintings have yellow backgrounds.  For me, yellow is light, happy and warm.  Am loving New Gamboge, Indian Yellow and Naples Yellow in my recent acrylic paintings. 

Girls Night Out Demo

Friday night was "Girls Night Out" in Fairhaven [Bellingham, WA], where women of all ages had a night on the town in shops and eateries, with portions of the proceeds going to cancer research.  The ladies migrated from one establishment to another with "passport" in hand to be stamped while they shopped.

Three of us Whatcom Art Guild artists demo-ed, and, below are the results of my four hours "mooshing" paint around, and chatting with those who stopped by the Art Martket.  Good fun was had by all!




Midsummer's Night Dream Girl
Arycrlics 7 1/2 x 11

Girls Night Out
Acrylics 7 1/2 x 11

Sangria Anyone? Acrylics 5 x 7

Poppies and Pods Acrylics 5 x 7

A Girl Can Change Her Mind, Can't She?

Fantasy Lady in Fluid Acrylic with Alcohol and collage
11" x 15" on 300# Fabriano Paper

I said im my last post that I was not going to post any of the pieces I did in the Robert Burridge Workshop I recently attended.  Well, I changed my mind because, frankly, I was very happy with the result.  So was one of my students who ended up buying it.  She was very happy with the piece, and so am I, so here it is. 

One Show, One Workshop Down, More To Go

I have been away from the blogosphere, as probably many of you have, busy with spring shows and a Robert Burridge workshop.  The "big" show that has taken so much time was the Tulip Festival in Skagit Valley, where the various art organizations show for the full month of April.  A few of the shows are still held in barns, which sort of added to the "ambiance" and nature of the Tulips Festival.  The group I belong to, Art League North, used to do "Art Bash" in barns as well, but we have been showing in in a very civilized venue for the past few years, the second floor of a Valley landmark , the Farmhouse Restaurant.  We don't have to use space heaters or wear long johns to work, but the lighting could be SO much better than it is.  Even so, I was pleased to sell four paintings and a number of cards.  I sold the heron in Stalking at Sunset the first evening at the reception, which pleased me no end!

I also attended a four-day Robert Burridge Workshop at the beginning of April here in the Valley, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was supposed to be Putting the Wow in Watercolors, but IMHO ended up being primarily a workshop that had a half a morning in watercolors, and the rest of the time we painted a great deal with fluid acrylics.  Not a problem for me, but the watercolor purists were sort of taken aback.  In the end, everyone learned a great deal and left with lots of Burridge-like paintings.

To that end, I usually recognize work done in a Burridge workshop, and really like it, but I don't want to show mine, because so much of the student work is the same. Pears, landscapes, figures.  Love 'em, but you can track them back to Robert Burrdige workshops.

So, I will tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed Bob and the workshop, and learned loads from him, and have, and will, integrate those lessons into my own work over time.   Bob, in his workshops and his DVDs, is absolutely wonderful and consistent with his lessons and "Bobisms."  As those of you who have attended his workshops know, Bob starts with warm-ups and doesn't paint from references.  Perfectly wonderful lessons for everyone, no matter what the medium! 

He spoke of the value of journaling, which reinforced, for me, the need to return to journaling, with a focus on my art.  Good kernels of wisdom, and I am benefitting from "morning papers" journaling again.

I am trying to do warm ups pretty much every day before I paint, which producesa mixed bag of results.  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  Below are a couple of today's relatively "good ones." 

Am hoping to get back in the groove of keeping my blog up to date, so you may see some more warm ups as I go along.

5" x 7" Acrylic Poppies Warm up #1

5" x 7" Acrylic Poppies Warm Up #2