Parade of Color and Thanks!

"Sea Treasures" For Sale at Parade of Homes Dream Home 

In my previous post I was sharing my thoughts about about how artists might want to consider  upgrading their studio/supplies this time of year.  Promise to return to that line of thought soon. But my art week was so robust I wanted to I wanted to send out a few "thank yous, thank yous" to the art universe...

First, a very special thanks to the lovely Foothills Art Center in Golden, CO and to my wonderful artists (several who came from far away which is always appreciated!) for a super enjoyable oil painting workshop--It was a pleasure meeting you and I look forward to returning to this inspirational venue next year!

Artists enjoy color at Foothills Art Center workshop!

I always learn something when I teach too. Some of the students where taking demo pics and writing notes along side with a cool iPad notebook app called "Bamboo" which some of you might enjoy/find helpful for classes. (Note to self--Time for a better stylus!)

"Summery Hen" oil painting workshop demo

Looking for an affordable weekend oil painting workshop? My next "Glowing Colors" transparent oil painting workshop will be one day Saturday October 28 at Curtis Art Center on October 28. You may find more info/registration links here.

Second, I'm honored to part of a special local artists show at one of the Dream Homes (not far from my studio on South Garfield) on the Denver Parade of Homes tour this year. The setting is a gorgeous contemporary home so it was a "joy and challenge" creating some contemporary abstracts that would be a good match in this special setting. (My post image today is one of these.) All the art in the house is for sale too and the show is Free so stop by if you get a chance!

Also, reminder my group Denver painting classes resume in just a few weeks on September 14--Registration is now open! The Thurs. AM class is Glowing Colors in Oil Painting (10 weeks) where I'll share my tips and techniques for working with transparent oil paints.

The PM class is "Show me the Colors" (5 weeks)--Which will be kind of "color bootcamp" with tips, theory and exercises for oil, acrylic, and watercolor painters. You can register/get more info on the Park Hill Art Club Website. 

You can win cool art books on the studio FB page this September!

Finally, be sure to follow/like my art studio news on Facebook--I'll be giving away some of my favorite art books in September--So stayed tuned for that. Thank you again everyone who supports me in my art adventures. Have a wonderful week!

Brushing Up on Your Art

Just "some" of my studio brushes--The good, the bad, the old..

Happy late August! I love summer but as a painting teacher (and an artist who loves to also take classes myself) I always look forward to this time of year. Not only is it the perfect time of year to take a class or workshop, I think it’s great time review of your art and/or craft supplies.

As an instructor, I see some well-loved supplies (as in they haven’t made that brand in over 20 years). Some “antique” supplies may be just fine but others, well frankly, it may be time to just let go.

Nowadays we could include technology in that studio enhancement as well. Every time I upgrade my "older but still OK" laptop, tablet, website, camera, phone, etc. I think—Wow this is so much easier/better/faster...I should have done that sooner.

I’m really careful when it comes to studio expenses. But I also believe that if you invest in a class or workshop it’s worth having “up to date” fresh supplies that won’t hinder your experience. There’s a good reason for instructors to include a supply list. They want you to have the tools you need to get the job done.

Another thought:  What if you’re next painting is one of your favorites or even your “chef d’oeuvre?” You’ll want to be sure you’re using the best supplies you can practically afford.

Do you like art supply deals? This is a good time of year for that too. Often local art/office/craft supply stores or online art stores (i.e. Jerry’s, Blick) feature sales and/or special pricing, free shipping, coupons, etc. this time of year. (Tip: Google shipping coupon, etc.)

Personally, my art supply spending approach is “happy medium.” This means not “found in attic/garage” or “borrowed from my kids” but also not the break the bank either. And of course you don’t have to upgrade your studio all at once.

In my next post I’ll share my thoughts about what specific supplies you might want to shop for/replace and why. Until then, I hope you all enjoy getting ready for fall art or painting classes! You may find more info about my Denver area painting workshops and classes here.  

The Light in August

"Painted Path" 8x10 oil on Ampersand Gessobord (collection artist)

Happy August everyone! Many thanks to all my summer students who keep painting and working hard despite the many other enjoyable distractions of summer.

Happy hard-working oil painters in my Denver oil painting summer class

New August Oil Painting Workshop
Before my group painting classes resume this fall, I’m really looking forward to teaching an enjoyable 2 day “summer retreat” oil painting workshop at the Foothills Art Center in Golden on August 23/24. Think of it as a 2 day painting vacation—with comfortable AC! We’ll learn lots so come join us! You may get info and register for the workshop here: http://www.foothillsartcenter.org/adultsclasses/

Summer’s Picture Perfect
Quick reminder that summer is the perfect season for what I like to call “image collection.”  Whether your summer travels take to you exotic locales or just really enjoy local exploration like I do here are some quick tips for taking painting reference photos:

• Venues like cafes, parks, farmer’s markets, gardens, street scenes, festivals, neighborhoods, trails, marinas, the beach, etc. all make for interesting photo references you could use later for a class or workshop. 
• What makes a strong painting reference photo? That’s going to differ depending on your art goals but in general it might be a subject you enjoy (like my pinto horse today), or dramatic light and shadow, interesting shapes or textures, eye catching color, early or evening light, etc. Again the more photos you take the more ideas and options you’ll have.
• Once you have man photos it can be very helpful to take a few hours and sort them into groups or galleries with painting themes like landscapes, still lifes, flowers, skies and clouds, animals, people,etc. This makes it much easier and quicker to find just the right photo when you need it later. 

Finally, be sure to have some kind of back up for your photos—either with a cloud, online storage, or on a memory stick just in case. Happy photo gathering--Have a wonderful summer and hope to see you in a class soon!