Acrylic Landscape Warm-up ~ Annual Spring Gallery Night

Acrylic Landscape #1


Acrylic Landscape #2


Acrylic Landscape #3


Acrylic Landscape #4


51/2" x 7 1/2" Acrylic on paper, no mat, no frame, no shipping charges

The two previous posts have discussed the Robert Burridge workshop at Dena's Ranch and how we "warmed up" with some painting exercises. Bob had completed a larger painting similar for Dena and he said we could use some of his Gold Holbein paint to experiment with. I loved his colors and tried some similar with some alcohol and paint splatters. I've never been a big fan of landscape painting or plein aire painting because painting trees and just perspective in general has been a bugaboo to me so I've signed up for the July 7-11 Burridge Plein Aire Experience in Cloudcroft.
The workshop will be done in watercolor out in the field and then with acrylics back in the studio so I will have much to learn. Bob is an encourager to artists and his teaching style is entertaining and informative. One morning at Dena's when we'd had to many coffees, Dr. Pepper's and Cokes and we laughing out of control and generally horsing around, instead of getting a little discouraged with us, Bob calmly said "I love your enthusiasm" and I'll never forget this kind of attitude as he makes taking risks easier.
Saturday night found 6 Canvas by Canvas artists Betty Taylor, Barbara Hackney, Maryann Stephens, Karen Foster, Cindy Yandell, and Nancy Standlee out on the Annual Spring Gallery Night. Next year we want our members, Connie Michael, Margie Whittington and Cindy Campbell to join us. We met in Arlington at the Upstairs Gallery where our friends, Maureen Brouillette and Joel Sampson, were having an opening of their mixed-media work, Double Entendre. In the slide show, you will see some of their work. I brought along my T.A. (travel assistant - Garmin Navigational device) and Cindy Y drove us to the Rebecca Low Sculptural Metal Gallery and Studio. I quickly decided maybe my art supplies didn't take up so much room after all after checking out her supplies out in back. Carotta, the door greeter, issued an alarm if you touched her "headlights" or rear bumper. Other artists are represented at this gallery.
Next was Galerie Kornye West where we viewed contemporary work and works from the 19th through the mid 20th century.
Artspace 111 highlighted more than 50 works of some of the most progressive artists in Fort Worth. There are several photos in the slide show taken here and they provided valet parking.
I always wish we'd started earlier so we could go to more galleries but we had the reception at The Fort Worth Community Arts Center and just had to take our photos by our work. FWCAC is in it's fifth year of serving the Fort Worth community as an exceptional venue of all of the arts. The CafeART will open soon to offer a delightful light fare menu, coffee and WiFi in a friendly environment.
Food always figures in anytime we get together and after a variety of great snacks at the galleries, we decided on the Blue Mesa on University Drive for some light fare of our own, their Painted Desert soup.
Thanks to the Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County for providing and operating the FWCAC. Canvas by Canvas will be having a special exhibit there in the summer and you will be sure to be notified.

Mouse over for captions of the slide show.

FWCAC Biennial Show 2008 ~ Acrylic Floral Warm-ups ~ Burridge Workshop

Acrylic Floral #2

Acrylic Floral #3

Acrylic Floral #4

5 1/2" x 7 1/2" Acrylic on Paper

These are warm-up exercises I did at the Robert Burridge Workshop. See yesterday's post.
Bob has developed this way of working with warm-ups and cool-downs. He likens his warm-ups to the practice of an athlete with a stretching exercise or a musician playing some scales before the actual performance. As a painter, he's getting ready to paint and this is a loosening up exercise first thing in the morning on a toned canvas or paper. He completes multiple paint sketches of the same subject and each day will choose a different subject and then paints 3 to 6 small paintings. Not all of these will be little gems and some can end up in the turkey pile but this will teach about color, subject matter, and "how to paint". Bob works fast and loose, lets the small paintings dry, goes back and adds the wow! His method is explained in his "Loosen Up: Workbook and Studio Notes", a 130 page book on pages 71-74.
These are floral warm-ups 2-4 that I have posted today that I completed at the workshop at Dena's and will post 5-8 later.
Saturday is Gallery night in Fort Worth when the art galleries will be open and the party moves from gallery to gallery. I'd like to invite you to begin at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center and see my painting, "Delightfully Timeless" and the work of Canvas by Canvas, The Red Lantern. Gaile Robinson, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, art and design critic, has written a story with a photograph of the artists. This show is open to the North Texas community and no one gets a rejection slip and works are hung as they arrive. Prices are ranging from $15-$5,000 so there is something for all art collectors in the area. All Canvas by Canvas artists are in the panoramic photo except Cindy Y and I. We were both in the Hill Country on separate trips and we missed out. Look for Barbara Hackney, Karen Foster, Maryann Stephens, Cindy Campbell, Margie Whittington, Betty Taylor, and Connie Michael. Read the article and see the photo online. Be sure and click on the 360-degree view link so you can see the photograph. Oh, I see Colleen, Soon, Marie and Jo Ann, also. Do you see a familiar face? You can see "Delightfully Timeless" by the exit doorway, to the right and there is a piece of sculpture pointing to it . If you're a painter, try some of Bob's warm-up techniques and I'll see you Saturday night somewhere on the art gallery walk. More information can be found at the Fort Worth Art Dealers Association.

Robert Burridge Workshop ~ Dena's Ranch ~ Acrylic Warm-Ups

$30.00 Each
Floral 1 (1 of 8) 5 1/2" x 7 1/2"
Acrylic on Watercolor paper, unframed, includes shipping, tax


1- 4


5 - 8


Nancy at the Robert Burridge Workshop, photo was copied from the ArtsyFartsy Newsletter.
Sign up for Bob and Kate's newsletter by going to the newsletter link, at the top of the page to ArtsyFartsy News Signup, click on link to register, type in your name and email address, and you will receive an opt-in email message and it is very important to answer that email and then add that address to your address book so the next newsletter won't go to your spam folder. Now enjoy one of the best monthly newsletters around.
Bob's Abstract Acrylic Painting and Collage workshop was held February 18-22, 2008 at the Dena Wenmohs Ranch about 20 something miles from Marble Falls, TX.
One of my Canvas by Canvas friends says I look awesome and sooo young in this photo. Well, thank you, Maryann, at 72 I treasure all of those comments. It's easy to be happy and smiling with all your stuff stacked up all around you and under the table and everyone's in a painting frenzy and Bob playing his crazy music (he says it doesn't matter if it's too loud or we don't like it 'cause "It's my sandbox".) At day's end your tired with swollen ankles but it's the best game in town. I absolutely adore being at Dena's as her whole house is art ...everywhere...she's got paintings in progress and her easel is set up in one corner, saddles from the rafters and she's an art collector also...it's just one big painting party from daylight to way past dark thirty.
The small painting that is for sale is an exercise we do to warm-up each day. We used very little reference material and tried to paint like we'd never painted before. Bob admonished us to "Be a mad scientist this week and the secret is "paint lots of paintings", and there's nothing to get, you already have it."
The weather was delightful and only once or twice did we have to step outside in the sun to get our extremities working again. We were surrounded by donkeys and dogs (more about that in the next post, and new painting friends ready to take some risks and paint like they never had before.
Bob said "Paint to feed your soul" and "always take the high road." Watch for the slide show at the end of the post for some photos taken at the workshop. Mouse over for captions.

Other blogs where I post:

http://artistfoodnetwork.blogspot.com

http://canvasbycanvas.blogspot.com

http://myspace.com/nancystandlee

TO PURCHASE PAINTINGS: Go to Paypal on http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

Eat Well ~ Paint Your Food ~ Laugh Often

"Shop Talking" ~ "Treasures" Art Show Award ~ Creative Catalyst

"SHOP TALKING"
20" x 20" Giclee will be available soon
2nd in "Talking Series"
What a pleasant surprise to find in my email this morning the Creative Catalyst Winter Art Show "Treasures" 2007-2008 Winners and see that Juror Janie Gildow has given "Shop Talking" a special merit award for Whimsy. She had these comments:
Shop Talking The composition is strong, but the enchantment is what sets it apart. What a delightful piece!
The work appeared in the blog post in February.
After "Trash Talking" received some friendly reviews I decided on a "Talking" series so now the question will be "what to paint next in the series"? I will have a giclee made from "Shop Talking" soon to have a companion series giclee for "Trash". I have been very pleased having Gamut Control produce my giclees.
Thanks to blogger, Kelly, for posting it on her website in February, Craft Amor.
Works will be delivered this weekend for the SWA show. I'd posted a Koi painting to enter and it was not chosen but Blue Rose, Blue Vase was accepted and this 5th show will earn me my signature status. Yeah!

Joseph Fettingis is the juror and some of the Canvas by Canvas group (including me) will be taking his April workshop. I've ordered some of his "special" brushes and colors and warned him I may have trouble with his "No Talking" rule. I'll try to behave. What could you expect from an artist that has a "Talking" series. Maybe he'll give me some slack? Or place me in the corner? No one loves the workshop environment better than I do... when everywhere you look artists are creating something they have never done before and at lunch you visit and talk art, and if you're away at a workshop, dinner conversation is art.

Pear Acrylic Painting ~ Pat Dews Workshop

"Pear" 1 of 9 10" squares Top Left To see the rest of the painting, click here:
Canvas by Canvas Whats on the Easel
I painted with the Canvas by Canvas group today in one of the member's garden room as Doug Walton was teaching at the Upstairs Gallery. Because of the 3 recent workshops I'm behind and most were painting on our Tuscany scene but I'll get to that one next week. The pears are a little more impressionistic than what we usually do and we'll have to see how the painting is received by the public.
It made me think about some of the paintings done during the past week in the Pat Dews workshop. I've also been going to thrift stores and the kitchen departments looking for "texture" stuff since class on Friday. We had a great time comparing and sharing items to make texture on our watercolor and acrylic paintings. Pat creates experimental water-media on paper and canvas and she paints the abstract essence of nature and it is very complicated. However, she treated our large class like we knew what we were doing and started our assignments with full sheets of watercolor paper and to cover the first one with texture. Don't worry about it being too busy and just try out our stuff - bubble wrap, saran wrap, newspaper, wax paper, stamps, stencils, sgraffito, collage and you just name it. Someone was always under their table scrambling for that perfect texture. We unloaded and carted mounds of supplies and laughed at the thought of Pat's bags being searched at the airport knowing what they'd find. The second sheet was more planned with white spaces and then we prepared 4 quarter sheets. Pat told us "Starts are easy, finishes are hard." We all agreed. The rest of the time we were putting on more paint, removing it or altering the painting in some way. Later in the week we all worked on a cruciform design with white space. We used inks, atomizer, watercolor, and acrylic, and brayer. Another project was to take a viewfinder and locate designs in magazines and translate those into paintings. I don't have a painting finished and ready to show yet as mine are still in the "start" stage. She uses paper plates for her palettes and when the sponge applicator isn't fast enough to apply the paint, Pat will turn up the paper plate and pour the color on. The workshop was held at the Artist's Showplace and it was a great creative environment with each member intent on their abstract work and losing themselves in the activity. Pat was great to demo and then walk around and give us personal attention and it was a learning experience to see her work and change her plan often and it takes a long time to paint a completed painting. Pat is the author of two books and a dvd, Designing Great Starts with Texture and Form, can be purchased from Cheap Joes.

Hover mouse over the slide for the caption. Some of the photos are reversed when taken in the overhead mirror but you will get the idea.

Hand and Foot ~ Rattlesnake Roundup ~ Cindy

"Hand and Foot"
Watercolor portrait of Cindy Yandell, 11" x 15"
In the art collection of C. Yandell
My photo that this painting is based on (2005) of Cindy was taken at a Canvas by Canvas painting retreat in East Texas while we were playing Hand and Foot and I painted and titled it in honor of Cindy and the game we were playing, and entered it in a SWA juried show and it won an award. During this year, I will be paying tribute to individual members of Canvas by Canvas and this post is all about Cindy and a little about the integrity of this painting. It is the original and not a copy.

In between 3 five day workshops with Robert Burridge at Dena Wenmohs, Mel Stabin in San Miguel, and Pat Dews in Dallas, I returned home and helped with the Neil Sperry Home and Garden Show. While there I found out that on Saturday Karen and Cindy (don't let that calm demeanor deceive you) had been on a Rattlesnake Roundup at a ranch west of Fort Worth. These ladies have grit. They didn't make it to the Sweetwater festival but ventured about one half way in between at a friend's ranch for a private roundup. West Texas ranchers started to control this rangeland nuisance by round ups and it has grown into a world famous event in Sweetwater. These are not any old harmless chicken snakes either but the bona fide big Texas daddies - the Western diamond back rattlesnake... the biggest and baddest of them all. They impart more serious and fatal bites than any other North American Snake and reach up to 5 feet in length and tend to swallow without chewing their prey. Read more at our Star Telegram story about Sweetwater. On Sunday at the Garden Show, Karen presented me with an envelope and said they had brought me some "snake eggs" as a souvenir and no way would I open it as I've had some experiences with Karen before. I suggested she open it and I still screamed. They had rigged up a paper clip and a rubber band device that was wound tightly in the envelope and when expanded it gave off a fast-paced buzz making you think the eggs just hatched. I found out online how to make one but I'm discouraging that type of heart failure activity.

Cindy, besides being a snake charmer and "Hand and Foot" player, orders and brings to our meetings our blank canvases, and she is always willing to drive us anywhere and she doesn't get mad if we forget to tell her to "turn here", and she's a great painter and is always ready to paint your square if you can't. She's just an all around pleasant person to be around and fun too - ready to go out to eat. to a movie, or join you for a weekend with complete strangers at an alumni campout. Cindy is taking dance lessons at the present and we expect some instruction at our next paint out.

Cindy, CBC, is so fortunate to have you as a member and I'm fortunate to have you as a friend.
But I'm glad I call De Leon my home town where we have the annual Peach and Melon Festival each August. The most fearsome thing around is the heat and you just search for a shady spot to eat some cold slices of watermelon instead of deep fried rattlesnake.

More to come about the incredible workshops but here are some Cindy and Karen photos.

Cindy and Karen

Yuk!


Cindy


Cindy putting her prize in the barrel


Karen doing likewise


Check out those rocks and bet they missed some

San Miguel ~ Mel Stabin Workshop

Mel Stabin watercolor 1/2 sheet, 15" x 22" "Hotel Posada"
Day 1 of Watercolor workshop
I've had a wonderful watercolor workshop in San Miguel de Allende February 23 and I returned March 1- my luggage returned March 3 and today I'm resorting and repacking for the Pat Dews workshop. This was my first trip to SMA and it was an unforgettable experience through Flying Colors.
San Miguel is the best known artist's colony in Mexico and it's colorful with lots of galleries and photo opportunities. Altitude is about 6,000 feet and you can walk on cobblestone streets or catch a ever present green taxi. Temperatures were perfect - 80's in the days and 40-50's at night. There isn't air conditioning or heat. I had the same goals as when I went to Italy - I didn't fall down, I didn't lose my purse, or I didn't get sick - all accomplished. I might add there were no traffic lights, no bugs, and no trash - just incredibily beautiful sights and friendly folks. I relied on other workshop participants to speak Spanish for me and help me with my coins, but many of the people there spoke English.
We stayed in a lovely hotel, Hotel Posada de la Aldea, close to the art institute and a few blocks from the cathedral and the Jardin, town square. There was a direct flight from DFW to Leon and a shuttle or a 1 1/2 hour taxi ride to the hotel. About 26 students were in the workshop with a few locals with a mix that included some beginner painters to art teachers with an interest in watercolor and plein air painting and daily demonstrations. Working in "plein air" is not my favorite way of working as they work on location to quickly capture the light effects and complete a painting on site before the light changes or some prefer to finish up in the studio. The above painting by Mel was the first demo on Monday morning and as an inexperienced plein air painter I decided I'd just look at the scene and copy from my photo and Mel's painting. This was painted in our hotel's courtyard. Later I need to erase some on the wrought iron railing and do some touch-up on mine.

Nancy's 11" x 15" copy of Mel's Hotel Posada Painting

Over the next few posts I will write about this workshop and the one I took with Robert Burridge February 17-22 at the Dena Wenmohs Ranch.

Mel cleaning his palette after the flight down.

Mel beginning his sketch at the Hotel Posada.