Love Birds

For several years I've donated a heart themed painting (usually abstract) to the Denver's AIGA Heart Art Auction which will be on February 10 this year. It's a benefit for Project Angel Heart and I often incorporate heart symbols into my abstract work anyway so a fun match for me to paint.

This year I decided to combine birds with the hearts using acrylics on gallery wrapped canvas. While I have a few finishing touches--may add some touches of writing and build up some texture to help frame the heart--but overall I'm very happy with it. I really like the warm red with the cool charcoal gray. I also love balancing my representational work with my abstract work as I think each endeavor strengthens the other. 

Today one of my students did an amazing painting where we first poured the very bright clean acrylics (yellow, magenta, blue) over a canvas (drying in between colors). Then she created a negative painting around the interesting poured shapes letting the poured layer show through in some spots. I just love the movement and texture the pouring creates in the under painting. This is a really exciting technique to try.

Speaking of acrylics and their versatility, this week bought two sampler set of the new GOLDEN Open Acrylics and am looking forward to trying them in the next week or so. According to the literature, these paints stay open (workable) for up to 10 times regular tube acrylics. As always, if you have any questions about my art or painting classes please contact me or visit me on Teach Street (search Scarlet Owl).

Naturally Inspired

Over the weekend, I went to Jill Soukup oil painting demo at Saks Galleries in Cherry Creek, just north of where I live. I have always admired Jill's painting subject matter and style and it was a treat to see her paint in person.  She said she'd been working with a lot of secondaries--greens, violets, and oranges in her work and I thought that would be fun to try this week in a landscape.

Ms. Soukup worked on the beginning underpaitning of wonderful bison painting as well as the front of a local old church building.  I tend to be a bit impatient in the studio, so it was a helpful reminder to think more carefully and make each of my brush strokes important. She also uses some very large brushes (e.g., house painting width) which creates some fabulous "dragged" textures over her dry areas.  Another "technique" that I can't wait to try. 

Since for me it's still a bit chilly for plein air landscape painting, I was looking through my sketchbooks and found this watercolor  sketch from the summer which I thought would be perfect for testing some green, violet, and orange landscape approaches.

If your in the Denver area, be sure to check out the Heart Art Silent Auction Event on February 11. Have a great week everyone and students I'll see you in the studio!