Sunshine Award

Sunny
Rhonda Carpenter, a regular reader of my blog and watercolor artist, has chosen my blog for a sunshine award. I am very appreciative to be one of her six award winners. Thank you Rhonda!

Rhonda purchased my DVD and is doing a step by step on her blog of her progress on a crow.
Check it out!

DVD Inspired Work

Ginny Stiles
Ginny has done two paper paintings since being inspired by my Collage Overview DVD. The bears is called "Overbearing" and the pineapple is called "Welcome" The pineapple was actually growing in her yard here in FL and when the cold weather came, her and her husband decided to cut it rather than let it freeze. Ginny told me it was just a tiny thing, but it inspired her and she wanted to paint it. I love the texture!

On the bears, I helped Ginny with some suggestions on how to keep the chair from blending in to the background and how to handle the shadows under the bears. It all came down to value, and making sure to consider, light, medium and dark and to separate each element of the composition by assigning it a value.

I think Ginny did a great job! Click here to see Ginny's blog.

Dressing Room Project

Peacock Series #3
Well the Dance Competition weekend was a success in many ways. My daughter Emilie and her friends won several awards for their dances, and she even got to go up and receive the plaque for "Stars and Stripes" a very sweet ballet production.

In between dances in the dressing room, I was working away on my peacock series. There is always downtime in the dressing room throughout the day, and I was prepared for it. I brought my panels already under-painted (see older post) and ready for collage. I divided my papers by color in gallon ziplock bags and put them all into a tote bag with the under-paintings, a water vessel, a roll of paper towel, a small container of gloss gel medium, and a #8 filbert synthetic brush.

I worked on my peacocks between dances and I managed to complete three of them throughout the day. Now, this would have been much more productive at home in the studio, because this day was from 9:30am to 6:30 pm. I am very happy with being able to watch all the dances and awards as well as come home with my three pieces ready to be varnished.

Atlanta Workshop

The link is now ready for registration at the Atlanta Workshop.
Click Here

See older post about accommodations for the weekend.

Both Before Breakfast

First Two Peacocks Completed
Here are the first two peacocks collaged. I was up at 5am this morning and got these done by breakfast! Sometimes feeling the pressure of a deadline does not let you sleep. I was happy to work on these in the quiet morning with my dogs and my coffee. Even in Florida, I had to turn on my space heater in the studio!

Peacocks in Progress

Eight 10x12s
A week or so ago I blogged about the fact that the Grand Bohemian Gallery which represents my work in Orlando, Asheville, Savannah and Taos, had asked me to do a series of peacock heads for them.

I have made some progress with the stages prior to collage and wanted to share this process with you.

1. Sketching on sanded wood panel primed with either Golden GAC-100 or Liquitex Clear Gesso
2. Painting backgrounds with drips and spots that are interesting and colorful, these painted backgrounds will stay behind the collaged peacocks
3. Under-painting the peacocks to prepare for collage on top

July Atlanta Workshop

More Information
"Here Boy!" 24x20 | collage on panel | ©The Artist

I hope to fill a 3-day workshop in Atlanta this summer, please pass the word to your artsy friends! In this 3-day workshop we will spend Friday painting our own papers for collage. Saturday and Sunday will be spent learning the Paper Painting collage technique and applying it to a simple "apple" study and then on to an image of your choice!

The Hyatt Place is offering a corporate rate of $119.00 per night for workshop students, it is .25 miles across the parking lot from Binders in Buckhead. This price includes a very nice continental breakfast. The Fairfiled Inn is offering a rate of $79 and is also a close option, .45 miles, easy walk for some. Still waiting on a rate for this hotel. The Beverly Hills Inn is a Bed and Breakfast that is 1.39 miles from Binders.

FOR SPECIAL HOTEL RATES you will need a promotional code provided to you by Binders, please email Eli Pelizza at the link below.

Friday - Sunday, July 16-18, 10am-4pm
All levels: Some drawing experience would be helpful, but not imperative
Fee $250
Location: Binders Art Supply, Atlanta, GA (Buckhead)
Info: email Eli Pelizza

Rooster Note Cards Now Available

JAVMA Cover Art
Le Coq du Village is featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association this month and I've made cards to commemorate the honor!

These fold over note cards are 4x6 with glossy finish and envelopes. Set of five cards is $7.50 plus $2.95 shipping and handling

Rooster Note Cards Now Available

Coq of the Walk Note Card

Folded glossy 4x6" note card sets of this image are now available.
Five cards for $7.50 plus $2.95 shipping and handling

Collage Bangle Available for Purchase

Unique Gifts for Unique People
Today the Australian Stamp Bangle (far left) sold, so I'm putting more up for grabs.

Maps Collage Bangle (2nd from left)
collage on wood bangle
$23 plus $3.5 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Abstract Collage Bangle (far right)
collage on wood bangle
$23 plus $3.5 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

On The Paper Trail

Collage Papers for a Cause
I came across a blog by a woman named Ophelia by way of my good friend and fellow collage artist Jo Reimer. Ophelia is selling collage paper packs to help her neighbor who is in some serious financial difficulty. I chatted with Ophelia for a bit and she told me the papers are all painted with Golden and Matisse Fluid Acrylics. So, I purchased two packs. I received them in the mail yesterday and they are gorgeous!

If you are collaging with hand painted papers, the best thing you can do is swap and share papers with other artists! You get a range of colors, textures, and patterns that you may not have created on your own. Ophelia has included some very neat sheet music, painted book pages, and stamped textures in my packs

Here is the link to the specific post for the paper packets. She has other items she is selling to benefit her neighbor as well, if you do a little looking around you might find something you like!

Plumage

A New Series
Promise the Peacock | 12x12
I have been asked by the Grand Bohemian Gallery in Downtown Orlando to produce a series of peacock heads. They have been selling the peacock collages every time I make one for them and they felt that a series displayed together would be very successful.

I'm going to get my wood at Home Depot this afternoon for these, cut to 10x12 and will be asking Owen Tomlin, my frame maker in Kentucky, to craft me some more refined barn wood frames for me.

Stay tuned, I'll post the Peacock Paper Paintings soon. Next weekend my daughter is in a dance competition in Fort Lauderdale. Anyone who has been to these events knows there is a lot of down time for the parents, my goal is to go there with under-paintings and a bag of paper and a tub of glue! Small format will allow me to sit in the dressing room and work on my lap. We'll see how it goes.

Interpreting Music

Old Mother Hubbard, Went to the Cuppboard  |  20x24
Rather than do 35 collages of musical instruments and singers, I'm trying to stretch my visual interpretation of music. I went back to one of my favorite sources for collage materials, my old 1970's Nursery Rhyme book I had as a kid.

Did you know that the rhyme "Old Mother Hubbard" had two or three pages of verses? It provided a wealth of yellow and black illustrations and text for my yellow lab collage. When you think about it, all musical lyrics are basically poems and rhymes, so this dog seemed fitting to me.

Click image to enlarge

Workshop Fun!

Student Work
Just wanted to post about how much fun we had on Saturday with some returning students and some new students! We worked on collage together at Judith Segall's Altamonte studio. The students had plenty of room to spread out their "stuff" and share with one another. Some wonderful work was produced in the class and everyone seemed to have a good time.

Susan, our elementary school art teacher gave us a great quote:
"I took the 2-day workshop twice! I learned and received great information both times. Thank you for the warmth and interest you both showed. As an art teacher, you have both inspired me and given me fresh ideas. Thank you for sharing. I am excited and looking forward to a painting paper day. Thanks so much" - Susan K.

Thanks for taking the time to let us know!

For all future Paper 2-Ways workshops, if you are a returning student and would like to work on a more advanced collage or paper making project, we will offer an intermediate level where you may get right to work in the front room of the studio, without having to watch the demo and introduction again.

We will be offering the 2-day workshop again in March. We are toying with the idea of selling supplies so that you do not need to run around town, Let me know by commenting at the bottom of this entry, if you'd be interested in that. We'd sell the 12x12 panel (pre-primed by me!) a tub of glue and a packet of papers. All you would need to do is paint your underpainting on the panel (which you can pickup at the paper making day), bring your smile and a paint brush!

Click here for the registration form for March

Altamonte Workshop Again

Making Art With Paper
Judith Segall and I have been asked again by former students and people who missed the Two Days/Two Ways Making Art With Paper workshop, to do it again. I wanted to give you all the information so you can consider our next two-part class.

This class can be for the beginner or returning student, we will taylor our one-on-one with you to your level, if you are returning, bring the project you are currently working on. If you are a beginner, we'll be starting the collage component with a single apple to teach directional ripping, following form, and achieving a dimensional feeling with collage.

You may take Paper Making with Judith Segall ONLY or you may take Paper Painting with me ONLY, but your best bet is to take BOTH! You can use your own hand-made papers in your collage work. The class is two Saturdays, March 13 for Paper Making and March 20 for Paper Painting. Both dates are Saturdays and the hours are 10am-2pm.


Testimonials:
SSAA Members: "I attended both workshops recently and they were both fabulous! Both are well worth your time. Very inspiring!!" – Laurie

"I thoroughly enjoyed myself Saturday, thank you!  You provide a very warm, inviting and fun environment to play and learn." - Bonny

"...the workshop was wonderful!  I can't believe how many new tips I picked up.  Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience.  It was a joy to spend a Saturday among a group of women artists" - Deborah

Click here for the registration form

Four Underpaintings

24 x 20 | collage on wood panel
A week or so ago I posted about four underpaintings here are two more in the series of completed collages. These are iPhone photos, I'll have better pics in a few days, but wanted to share. In contrast to the very busy blue sky behind the goat, I experimented with leaving a painted, more subdued sky behind the cow. I don't mind the busy blue sky, just looking for some variety. Cow is purple and white rather than black, with blue shadows. I like it. Goat is funny, great expression and very thick hand made paper nose that stands up off the page.

First of Four Underpaintings

Barnyard Rooster (and friend)
A week or so ago I posted about four underpaintings, Here is the first photo I have of the finished collages. Believe it or not, I locked myself in my studio this weekend and finished the last of the four. I had started on them during the week and did make good progress with the cow and goat, but Sunday was the big push and now I have all four completed. The roosters still need to be varnished, but it's rainy and humid here today.

Stay tuned for photos of the other three. The peacock head is yet another underpainting, just happened to be on the desk at the same time, along with my Derwent InkTense pencils and my apple I use to teach students about tearing paper to wrap around the form, adding dimension with directional ripping AND shading...

Granted!

United Arts of Central Florida
I had applied for a Professional Development Grant through the United Arts of Central Florida to help defray the costs of and make possible a fantastic opening for my solo exhibition of collages in the theme of music, at the Maitland Art Center in September.

I just received notice over the weekend that I have been awarded that Grant! I cannot thank the folks at United Arts of Central Florida enough (especially Mary Patrick for fielding ALL my questions) for their generosity of funds that will make such a HUGE difference for me in putting together this 35-40 piece exhibition. Also, I must thank Richard Colvin, curator for Maitland Art Center, who attended the UA Grant panel meeting in my stead, as I was out of town the day of the review.

All artists can appreciate that the expense of supplies and framing for such a show can be staggering, let alone adding a potential catalogue and entertainment for the opening night (musical entertainment of course!). With this Professional Development Grant I will have the opportunity to exhibit my work at a level I have not had before. The Maitland Art Center is a highly regarded venue with excellent gallery space, and 35-40 Paper Paintings is a lot of artwork!

The Performing Arts of Maitland (for which I play the violin in their Maitland Symphony Orchestra) will be providing some opening night music for the event. I hope that you will mark your calendars!