Turning Leaves

I painted this painting last year and I don't think I ever posted it.  I pulled it out recently to frame for Occasion for the Arts.  I remember when I painted it I really enjoyed the fall colors both bright and muted.  It really was alot of fun.

Recently I lost all my pictures in my computer as well as my documents.  So I've been a little disabled in pulling paintings to blog.  I have been so busy getting ready for shows as well as starting my teaching season.  I have cut back my classes as I want more time to devote to my painting.  Right now I have four or five paintings that I need to get finished after the show is oover.

Next weekend I'm in Occasion for the Arts in Colonial Williamsburg, VA.  I am so looking forward to it.  I just hope that the weather is bright and sunny as it was in my Turning Leaves painting.

Seashells in the Sand

Here is my latest seashell painting.  I really enjoyed painting it from beginning to end.  I gave the sand it's texture by taking watercolor pencils and creating the spatter against a nail file.  I did this while the paint was still wet. I really enjoy the warm colors in the painting and must say that they stand out more in real life.  It was a fun summer painting.  (I still have more seashells to show you in the near future.)

Seawall Art Show

Come and see me at the Seawall Art Show in Olde Towne Portsmouth this weekend.  It should be alot of fun with many great artists.  I will be in booth # 51.  The weather should be great and you can take the ferry from or to Waterside.  I hope to see you there! 

Claws

I did this painting in the class I teach Friday mornings.  The photo does not show how bright it really is.  (It was a cloudy day.)  It was alot of fun and my students did great. 

I must apologize for not posting for a while.  I have been way too busy.  So I started wondering why I'm so busy when I'm only teaching two classes a week.  Then I mentally made a list of everything I'm currently involved in and I began to understand.  I am taking two classes on line and I will tell you all about them on a future post.  I am teaching two classes at the Art Studio which I'm slowly moving in to.  I am busy getting ready for the Seawall Art Festival and being I haven't done an out door show in a while I have a great deal of work to do.  I have to deframe paintings, have prints and notecards made, package and price all of them, frame paintings and go and all sorts of miscellaneous little jobs.  I'm trying to redo my website as well as make a brochure to give out at the upcoming show.  On top of all of that I am on the board of the CBAA as well as the membership chairperson and we have recently developed a new membership procedure that is more time-consuming.  And I have just begun being the recording secretary for the CBW and trying to learn more about the organization.  Whew!

I don't know why I do this to myself.  I just take on a little bit too much and I feel like I cannot get everything done.  I have done it for my entire life and I never learn my lesson.   Well one good thing is I am never bored!

Multi-Artists Paintings

 Here are the paintings that six of my students at the Great Neck Rec Center created.  It was a wonderful, fun learning experience.  I gave all the students a black and white copy of a tree and each person did the initial drawing.  Then they passed the painting to the next person to lay in the initial washes and they continued to keep passing the painting along.  So the finished products were all completed by the same artists.  They all look so different and unique. 

Bravo to Gene, Am, Linda, Jane, Robyn and Dory. They were so receptive to the project and did such a great job completing the multi-artist paintings.

Three Roses

My Three Roses are complete.  They started out so much fun but then they came back and presented quite a challange.  Not that I don't like challanges. I definitely do. 

I think one of the most important things that I learned about watercolors was not to give up.  (I'm not saying I never give up but usually I try to see the painting to it's finish.)  I used to give up on a painting when I wasn't happy with were it was going.  then an instructor of mine said to keep on going.  I didn't learn to do this overnight but eventually I did.  I must say that I have learned more about watercolors by not giving up but working through my frustrations.  Not every painting comes out great but sometimes I'm really surprised.

Violet Iris



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 Here's another one of the paintings that I did on our long weekend in Duck, NC.
It was so much fun to paint.  (I say that alot but only to differentiate from the paintings that were not a lot of fun to paint.)  Right now I'm working on a portrait that is challenging me and roses in a garden that are quite challenging.  I'm also putting together some ideas for some still lives that I want to get done before the Seawall show.  None of these are as much fun as it was to paint this simple little iris!

Rose Workshop

I just wanted to tell everyone that my Rose Workshop was wonderful.  All of my students painted beautiful roses and really enjoyed the day.  The Art Studio , where it was held has such a welcoming feeling.  It really allows you to leave your problems at the doorstep and go directly to the painting zone.  Mary Pelham White has done a wonderful job setting it up as a great place for workshops and classes. 

I am currently teaching my Ongoing Intermediate Watercolor class on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and on July 6th I am starting a Summer Advance Beginning Watercolor class on Fridays form 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.  I hope to see some of you there.  If you are interested in either class please contact me at katsart01@yahoo.com or 757 650-5765.

Creative Collage

On Sunday I took an all day workshop with Catherine Mein.  I've known Catherine for a while and have always loved her work.  She also does abstract watercolors and has such a unique vision that she shares with the world. 

A while ago I saw Catherine do a demo on making collages and it was so much fun to watch that I just wanted to learn how to do it.  The workshop was amazing from beginning to end.  When I walked into The Art Studio it was so well prepared with snack and drinks and supplies on all of the tables.  She really put forth an enormous effort for all of her students. 

I must say that I had never done collage or worked in the abstract before.  I really felt like I was stepping out of my comfort zone.  But immediately in the class I felt free.  I didn't have to be concerned about realism or making sure everything is "neat" but not tight.  Most everything that she said about composition I was familiar with so I just played with colors and values and shapes and textures.  I had so much fun and it was so freeing.

This is my first collage ever.  Does it look anything like my usual work?  At first when I look at it it looks totally different.  But then when I look at it more closely I start to see my style emerging.  My use of colors, textures and my sense of balance come through.  I do not have a strong center of interest.  (Also a part of my style and something I need to work on.)

It was the most fun Sunday I've had in a long time.  Thanks Catherine you really are a wonderful teacher.

Saturday at the Botanical Gardens

Here are some pictures from the Botanical Gardens.  My Saturday class went there and we had a great day.  You can see how everyone is just painting and drawing away.  It sure looks like everyone was in the painting zone!  I just love visiting the Botanical Gardens.  There is so much visual stimulation to get your creative juices flowing.  It is so beautiful and serene.  I feel instantly relaxed.  So if you live in the area and want to spend a perfectly pleasant afternoon then go and see the wonders it beholds.