Getting the Most From Art Workshops

I just attended an excellent workshop provided by the Toronto Watercolour Society, of which I am a member. The guest artist was Stephen Quiller. He is a fabulous artist of international acclaim and so inspirational. He paints impressionistic landscapes in water media, primarily around his home, which is in the "high country" in Colorado. I had admired his paintings  and so was determined to get the most out of the opportunity. Next time I will remember these helpful conclusions that  I reached at the end of the workshop and hope they will be helpful to you if you will be attending one in the future:
*Check the work of the instructor on the Internet to ensure the work is exciting to you and something to help your art grow.
*Read instructional books written by the artist if possible, in advance to get a "heads up" on the approach.
*Bring a camera and capture images as the work progresses for review later. Most instructors won't object.
*Take notes of new techniques and helpful hints. They may become more significant to you as your painting evolves.
*Ask questions, but find out if it is preferable to wait till there is a break in the demonstration.
*Have plentiful and appropriate supplies. Check them before you leave as it is more than annoying to be without your brushes etc. A list of supplies is usually provided in advance, but review it carefully, and see if you already have materials that can be substituted. (You can end up with very specific supplies that are not used)
*Spend time with others. Often the best tips come from fellow students.
*Be open to whatever is happening and don't be afraid to try new things.
*Be prepared to produce paintings that disappoint you. You are there to learn new things - not create masterpieces, with others around, in a limited period of time.
*Most of all - have fun!

Why Was the Art Dealer in Debt?

Of course you won't get the answer to this mind blowing question until the end of the post!
Meanwhile, to continue my foray into "Terraskin"which I mentioned in a recent post that I was about to try as a new painting support. The treeless paper, manufactured in Taiwan and sold under the TerraSkin brand, is three parts recycled calcium carbonate—the same mineral in marble and limestone—and one part polyethylene binder. It's production requires no water or bleach and only half the energy needed to make traditional paper. This produces an environmentally friendly product. It is reported to be multimedia paper and similar to 385lb watercolour paper. It is also similar to Yupo paper, which I enjoy using, but absorbs some of the paint as opposed to the paint sitting completely on the surface. You can't tear it as you do watercolour paper and it has a quiet dense feel. Below you will find my first effort on Terraskin . I used gouache, India ink and watercolour crayon. Can you see a difference from watercolour paper? This painting is 20x12 and is called Into the Woods. I am now anxious to try other media on Terraskin.
                                                               

                    


There are increasingly more new art materials on the market to entice the painter whose creative muse has taken a hike. Sometimes that can be a major distraction, both financially and in time-wasting detours. Sometimes however, they are just fun, and very occasionally point your art in a new direction.
I have just finished a home studio tour and am involved in the Willowdale Group of Artists, Spring Juried show at North York Civic Center, and the Willowdale Group of Artist's summer show at Todmorden Mills. I am focusing now on cleaning up the junk in my basement studio. After that, I will do a lot of reading, walking, taking photos and planning. I really believe in the advice that I have read, that suggests that as long as you do something in art everyday, you will keep the juices flowing. I hope so! In the meantime --- Why was the art dealer in debt? Because he had no Monet!

What Did the Artist Say to the Dentist?

Hold your breath for the answer to that question. First, to the business at hand. Some time ago I posted the beginnings of  Cascade 111 on Yupo paper, with the idea of sharing the progression of the painting. As I didn't receive any negative comments, I assumed the painting was going well, in fact may be perfect,  and finished it. I will let you be the judge.

The beginning of Cascade 111

Am I on the right track???

Cascade 111

Comments please!!!!!

What did the artist say to the dentist????

"Matisse hurt".

I think that I had better stick to painting - or maybe not!

Art for All Canada

Art For All Canada presents the AFAC 2011 Conference for Artists and Art Show , a  not-for-profit event for artists by artists.
Details:
Conference: March 5-6th, 2011, 10am-4pm; and Art Show: March 5-12th
Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

This conference was most enjoyable and educational last year, and a great networking opportunity for artists. The art show in the rotunda of Metro Hall was impressive. This year I am looking forward to taking part in the show with this painting:

The Meadow

           For more information and registration, contact WWW.artforallcanada.org 

Work in Progress

I am sharing the first stage of a painting  on Yupo paper. The painting will ultimately be called "Cascade 111", as part of a very watery series done on this interesting alternative to traditional watercolour paper. Think of a piece of thick glossy plastic tablecloth and you will be close to understanding the characteristics of this Japanese plastic paper. The watercolour paint is more vibrant because it does not sink into the paper. Because the colour sits on top however, it is a challenge to manipulate the paint to create an image. This is also an advantage, as loose and more abstract effects can be achieved. At this point in the process,  paint has been applied to the sky and the cliffs. A light spray encourages the paint to move around, particularly if the
board is tilted in different directions. More to be done here. I will keep you posted.
 
I did have a very kind comment on one of the latest "abstractions", however, I intend to re-work both of them to my greater satisfaction. One of the important lessons to learn as an artist is to view a finished painting from many angles and positions, including upside down and in a mirror, and to let it sit around for awhile to penetrate your consciousness entirely. I thought I had done that, but not for long enough. One advantage of this blog is to be able to brazenly view your completed pieces in public. They often look different viewed through that  lens.  Hopefully the comments from  readers can shed some light on the strengths and weaknesses of the art so please comment or check off "reactions"!

Take the opportunity, if you have not done so, to view 17 great art museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Hermitage at www.googleartproject.com/. A fascinating virtual tour of the buildings and art - quite new! More museums will be added in time.

 I am also working on another in my "old man and dog" series, which continues to give me a great deal of pleasure. This one is titled "Travels with Charley". If you have read the book by that name by Steinbeck, you already may have some images in mind.

Distracted by Abstraction

I am back into abstract painting. Continuing to explore abstraction is one of my "creative resolutions" for the new year. The question that arises for me is - what comes first - the painting or the title when doing  abstracts? Even more challenging is the question - are titles important or even necessary in abstract art? Is the emotional connection to the painting the thing, rather than a somewhat arbitrary title? Does the title help focus your response to a piece of abstract art? More on that later. Meanwhile there is an "Abstract Art Title Generator" to provide some tongue-in-cheek assistance at
ttp://noemata.net/pa/titlegen/.
The latest two paintings were completed before they were titled. As a result they are called "Abstraction 1" and "Abstraction 2". I should have used the "generator" which came up with "Component with Morphism" and "Ode to Quirky Insight". What do you think fits better?

 

Abstraction 1

Abstraction 2

                                                                        

 At all points in my painting life I shall content myself with the words of Eugène Delacroix who said that "Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything." Just in case you think he's a slouch, check below.

Welcome a New Decade

I mentioned in a previous blog that I would think about "creativity resolutions" for the new year. This list will probably haunt me by next year and it  is not world- changing, but you have to make an effort.
In  2011
 I will paint more watercolour on Yupo paper, continue exploring abstract painting, particularly abstract landscapes, investigate the creative possibilities that collage offers, continue my series of "old men", try new acrylic techniques and look into all the options for watercolours without glass and frames.
PS. Visit more art galleries.

Good news for the new decade! According to Robert Genn, a Canadian painter who produces a regular newsletter called Painter's Keys, about art and other arty thoughts - "Fine art is on the way in. In our gadgety, thing-happy society where Walmart and creeping meatballism threaten, painting is hot. Old fashioned as the shoeing of horses--about the same methodology for the last six hundred years--art fills a vital human need for life enhancement. Art reboots the cerebral cortex, teaches new skills to underutilized hands, arouses dormant sensitivities and promotes latent passions. If need be, art gives us something to talk about besides the kids, grandkids and celebrities, hence making us more interesting people. And it's cheap--a month of art supplies for the average Daumier is about the same as a round of golf."

Think about art and click on this video link. The paintings of Van Gogh are set to music, the lyrics of which have been changed to reflect the art. Enjoy and happy new year!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dipFMJckZOM

Joy

I am posting the only kind of seasonal painting I have ever done - gone to a good home.

The Red Umbrella

  This painting was done for a friend and told a very important personal story for her. I thought the red umbrella (that was really in the actual scene) made the painting.
Yesterday, I met the "old dandy" that inspired " The Pursuit of Happiness" painting in a previous post. I recognized him by the "bent knee strut" because of his arthritis. He was totally charming. We are now friends and he talks of us as neighbours, although we live a few blocks apart. Little does he know how close he and I were as I laboured over his somewhat modified image in my painting. What a thrill!

I am continuing my foray into colour and abstraction, that is if I don't become too "abstracted" to finish.  In my next post, I also hope to share my New Year's creative resolutions so stay tuned! I have not forgotten to take up in the near future, the thread of "What is Art"?

It's All About Colour

Painting is all about colour. There is no painting without colour - even if it is in black and white - although some would say that those are non-colours. Design, compostion, theme or subject are superimposed on colour. The following two paintings are purely a response to colour.
This of course opens up the whole discussion about what is art -more on that later.

Verdure

Orange Catalyst

Inspiration

What inspires us to paint a subject? There are a thousand answers for a thousand artists and a thousand paintings.
I had an inspiration several years ago when I saw an elderly man in France. He was walking downhill between houses on a village road. He had on a coat that had fit him at one point, but now he was very thin. He had an old slouchy hat. He had a small poodle on a leash which looked as old as he was. He appeared to have come out of a cafe. It was very poignant. What was his story? Was he alone and lonely? Was he going home to his wife? Was the dog, his best and only pal? The idea was to do a painting that captured the mood of the scene and all it's questions for the viewer. Since then I have done the "Old Man and Dog" in about six paintings in many guises and environments. I think he will be with me forever.
My current "old man" is a "dandy", and the "old lady" in the painting is after him - thus the title "The Pursuit of Happiness". I had seen him a couple of times, always looking smart, with his knee socks and hat. He was still jaunty in spite of obvious arthritis, which forced him to walk with bent knees. He looks attainable in the painting, but finally turns away. Perhaps his mind is elsewhere. What would happen if the old lady caught him?

                                              The Pursuit of Happiness