Doing a study of a masterwork can be a great way to learn. I have been in awe of the handling of color and value of many of the paintings on display at The Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis, MN so was thrilled to receive permission to do...
Sep292016
Studying a Masterwork
Sep212016
Prioritizing
Do you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list? I came up against this again recently and my usual skills weren’t helping me much this time around. Through a class, someone introduced me to a time management tool. They attributed it to Stephen Covey and his Time Management Matrix (just...
Sep142016
Special Presentation: Papers
Lunch and Learn: Papers Overwhelmed by the many available paper options? Uncertain about pH Neutral, acid free, buffered, and “archival”? During this Lunch and Learn you’ll learn about some of the different papers we use in creating our art and the many choices we have. You’ll get some answers...
Sep72016
Flying Turtles Process
I’m not quite sure where it came from. The idea arrived, and delighted me with its silliness. I pretty much followed my usual process on this one: drawing, reference, value studies, color studies, paint. Line Drawing and Value Studies This time I drew on tracing paper and did minimal values with the...
Sep72016
Inspiration from Childhood
We made a lot of trips to the local library when I was a kid. Some of my favorite finds were anything by Bill Peet. Looking back at the stories and art I see playfulness, lively lines, a quirky sense of humor, and fun use of color. Some favorites were:...
Aug242016
WorldCon 2016
MidAmeriCon 2 (WorldCon 2016) has come and gone. I had a lot of great experiences and conversations. One such experience was a conversation I had with a wonderful jewelry artist and writer. I asked her a bit about her creative process (her piece titles are wonderfully evocative). One particular...
Aug102016
2016 Paws on Grand Wrap-Up
Another fabulous afternoon at Paws on Grand! Thanks to Virginia at Wet Paint for inviting me to participate again. I had a lot of fun and I hope to do it again next year. To get through the line of pets and owners we had to keep our sketch time...
Aug32016
Losing Steam, Regaining Momentum
The piece is almost done. It just needs that something more to finish it up but I’m losing steam. Here are a few things that have helped me reinvigorate myself to finish a project. Try and go back mentally and emotionally to that initial seed idea, or nugget that...
Jul282016
Is it Finished?
How do I know when a picture is done? I’ve been working on some new paintings lately. I want them to be the best that I can make them (with the skills I currently have), and at the same time they need to be done. I could paint, and...
Jul202016
Paws on Grand 2016
Saturday August 6, NOON – 3pm, some artists (myself included) will be donating their time to create quick pet portrait sketches in front of Wet Paint Artist’s Materials and Framing. With a donation to the store’s chosen group, People & Pets Together, you can receive a free pet portrait....