"Santa Fe Strata" ~ Mixed Media Abstract ~ by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

"Santa Fe Strata"
12 x 12 in. acrylic on MDF board, mixed media abstract

The Group from the Carol Nelson Workshop, Carol is center bottom row.

"Santa Fe Strata" is a painting I started after a Carol Nelson demo during the Granbury workshop May 23-26, 2011. See my previous blog post for more info about the workshop. Later I'll cover it with an epoxy glaze. Debbie Lincoln, one of the class group, thought we needed a blog to showcase some of the work inspired by the workshop so she has up and running Carol's Clan blog. Check it out HERE.

BLOG................http://NancyStandlee.blogspot.com

WEBSITE..........http://NancyStandlee.com

WEBSITE..........http://CanvasbyCanvas.com

PAINTED PAPER COLLAGE PAINTINGS ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~ WATERMEDIA ~
COLLAGE ART ~ MIXED MEDIA TEXTURED ABSTRACT PAINTING ~ TORN PAPER COLLAGE
~ TEXAS DAILY PAINTER ~ NANCY STANDLEE CONTEMPORARY ART ~ ACRYLIC

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"Bittersweet" ~ Metals and Mixed Media ~ Carol Nelson workshop ~ Texas Contemporary Artist Nancy Standlee

"Bittersweet"
Metals and Mixed Media, acrylic, 12 x 12 on MDF board, epoxy glaze

Nancy and Carol

Carol - Day One - Introducing us to the Texture Sampler

Nancy's Texture Sampler

Carol Nelson Workshop

http://carolnelsonfineart.blogspot.com/
http://carolnelsonfineart.com/

Carol Nelson flew in from Colorado with suitcases stuffed with various shapes and sizes of bags of metals and mixed media for her 4 day Granbury workshop. That creative lady even brought along a homemade anvil for the wire pounding (which we broke), a mini ironing board, a butane torch (oh, what fun), hammers, nails, an electric drill and numerous jars of mysterious substances. I wonder if she is on the TSA's watch list? More than once I heard one student say to another "Can you please pound your nails in the other room?"
Carol is a very organized instructor with handouts and a plan. Day one we did a texture sampler under closest surveillance by the teacher. This gave us a good foundation and reference points for our first painting. She wisely had us reined in somewhat on the first project by having a grab bag of choices, such as composition, color scheme, and materials used. This was finely orchestrated but some students declared the Picasso quote of "I begin with an idea and then it becomes something else." My favorite Carol Nelson quote is "If its brown, put gesso on it."
This was my 2nd Carol Nelson workshop. See my blog post HERE and a few posts following about the first one when I traveled to Colorado to attend a two day workshop. After checking these older posts I see I did finish a small study there "Butterfly Dreams" that finally saw some epoxy in the Granbury workshop because after the resin is poured the piece can't be moved for several days and must remain level. You can see the tubs on a cart that Carol hauled in for the CO. class and I was amazed how much she brought to Texas in her luggage.
Many times I'm asked "Why do you repeat so many of the workshops?" I just don't get it all the first time. The instructors develop new methods and jettison some old ones, they find new materials to share and new resources. Would I take a 3rd Nelson workshop? Yes and before this class was over there were cries for her to return to Granbury. Diana Littlejohn handles the workshop details for LGAA and click HERE for her contact information if you'd like to be placed on a workshop list.

My painting above, "Bittersweet" was a result of my grab bag draw painting plus and little Standlee bling of gold leaf. My choices were the Burridge color wheel with split complements, cruciform composition, using flattened wire, painted foil, and a silicone resist. I chose a red dominant color scheme. This piece has a beautiful depth of color after the resin pour and I don't have the photography skills to do it justice. Carol suggested I mount it on a piece of matte black wood support with a weighted bottom. We'll see. It's been a year and I still haven't made cradles for the first CO. workshop pieces. I bought a small jig saw and it's still in the box but now I think I'm ready to try my hand at making some cradles.
I have a few other pieces finished while in this great workshop that I will post soon so check back. Carol, as you travel home to Colorado today just know that you have inspired a lot of Texas ladies and one gent in this activity packed workshop. Godspeed.

BLOG................http://NancyStandlee.blogspot.com

WEBSITE..........http://NancyStandlee.com

WEBSITE..........http://CanvasbyCanvas.com

PAINTED PAPER COLLAGE PAINTINGS ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~ WATERMEDIA ~
COLLAGE ART ~ MIXED MEDIA TEXTURED ABSTRACT PAINTING ~ TORN PAPER COLLAGE
~ TEXAS DAILY PAINTER ~ NANCY STANDLEE CONTEMPORARY ART ~ METALS AND MIXED MEDIA
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"Granbury Mixed Floral" by Texas Contemporary Painter Nancy Standlee

"Mixed Floral - Granbury"10" sq. Acrylic on Gessoed watercolor paper

This has been difficult to photograph because I added gold paint in the vase - love that bling. This was another floral (see post HERE) that I painted during the Robert Burridge workshop in Granbury recently.

My friend Carol Nelson will be conducting a 4 day workshop in Granbury May 23-26, 2011. It is full. I flew to Denver to study with Carol in March 2010. One of the pieces that was inspired from that workshop won an honorable mention. Carol describes her workshop like this:

In this workshop, we will explore creating abstract compositions on a variety of supports using numerous acrylic mediums, metals, and collage materials. Participants will make texture samplers, learn about the fundamentals of abstract composition, types of supports, methods of attachment, tyvek preparation, epoxy resin application, and presentation options for a finished piece.

I've signed up for a Sante Fe Workshop with Niki Gulley in August and I have been thinking about water-soluble oils and have been reading about them - again. The workshop will be a painting and photography class with landscape plein air painting from different picturesque settings daily with demos and critiques (a little time for sightseeing and shopping.) Niki is from Dallas and has 20 years painting experience and 10 years teaching. Her husband is the photographer for the other choice in the workshop. I'm a studio painter but I thought I "might" try some plein air this summer and is there a more interesting site than Santa Fe? I will probably paint with my acrylics but have been reading about water soluble oils but I've never painted with oils - water soluble or not. I have two excellent books on the subject, "Water-soluble Oils" by Sean Dye and "No Experience Required: Water Soluble Oils" by Mary Deutschman. I somehow lost my Dye one and have spent many frantic hours looking for it and finally found it in a too ridiculous place and I won't even say where.
This has caused me to think about the need for a signaling device to be implanted in all things we purchase from iPhones, socks, books, DVD's for those of us who are organizationally challenged. When an item is lost, you call this central number and enter a description of the item, the phone will emit a tracer signal that causes the lost item to emit a piercing alarm or a gentle voice with maybe "Please come find me. I'm in your top dresser drawer hiding under the white sock". (In my case, it would have said..hey, you dummy, look on your bed at that stack of books you're reading.) Fortunately, I won't have to make that decision (oil or acrylic) today. Like Scarlet I'll think about it tomorrow. Today I need to start "searching" for all things to use in the Carol Nelson workshop. I do hope I find them or I may be the one emitting a piercing scream.

BLOG................http://NancyStandlee.blogspot.com

WEBSITE..........http://NancyStandlee.com

WEBSITE..........http://CanvasbyCanvas.com

PAINTED PAPER COLLAGE PAINTINGS ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~ WATERMEDIA ~
COLLAGE ART ~ MIXED MEDIA TEXTURED ABSTRACT PAINTING ~ TORN PAPER COLLAGE
~ TEXAS DAILY PAINTER ~ NANCY STANDLEE CONTEMPORARY ART ~ ACRYLIC FLORAL

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"Green Apples" ~ Acrylic Still Life on Ampersand Gessobord ~ by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

"Green Apples"
9 x 12 Acrylic Still Life on Ampersand Gessobord, cradled 2" deep

This week I have decided to join artists at Wet Canvas to study and do the exercises in Charles Sovek's "Oil Painting: Develop Your Own Natural Ability" @ 1990. I've done the first two all in burnt umber and couldn't stand it any more so I got out the acrylics today and painted the set up that I've used for the exercises. My first burnt umber exercise looked like a bag of baking potatoes.
In 1992 Charles discovered the work of the Society of Six, a group of California colorists. (Amazon also has a book by that title.) Mr. Sovek flew from NY to CA to see the gallery of paintings and from then on began painting with pure color never to use earth colors again.
He painted in oil and acrylic and by the time I found his work and wanted to take a workshop he had passed away. Fortunately his family has kept his website current and you can go there for study and to order his books. This painting was inspired by his "Yellow Apples". I hope I can stick with the program and do all 30 exercises. The book is a little pricy but I found a used copy that had been withdrawn from a library and I'm marking it up with a highlighter - probably not a good idea for a future sale of the book but I'm using it like a text book.
When I found Kathleen Elsey's website I thought her work reminded me a little of his colors and technique and she likes bright Fauvist colors also.
I could also hear Bob Burridge saying "short choppy strokes, get in, get out, short choppy strokes".

BLOG................http://NancyStandlee.blogspot.com

WEBSITE..........http://NancyStandlee.com

WEBSITE..........http://CanvasbyCanvas.com

PAINTED PAPER COLLAGE PAINTINGS ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~ WATERMEDIA ~
COLLAGE ART ~ MIXED MEDIA TEXTURED ABSTRACT PAINTING ~ TORN PAPER COLLAGE
~ TEXAS DAILY PAINTER ~ NANCY STANDLEE CONTEMPORARY ART ~ GREEN APPLE ACRYLIC STILL LIFE ~

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"Red Floral" ~ Small Acrylic Painting ~ Robert Burridge workshop by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

"Red Floral"
10" square acrylic on gessoed watercolor paper

This was painted in April in Granbury TX LGAA in the Robert Burridge workshop. Eventually I will mount this on canvas as show here in his Artsy Fartsy February 2007 newsletter. Why isn't it painted on canvas to begin with? When traveling to workshops weight and bulk are always a problem and a flat piece of gessoed watercolor paper can be stored much easier than a bulky canvas. This piece could be placed in a frame without glass as it is since it has been varnished.
Journal Workshop - Cancelled.
Just an fyi the journal workshop has been cancelled in May at Dena's ranch. (But I will be there for Derek Gores and the two Bob Burridges that are scheduled.)

The next workshop for me will be my 2nd one with Carol Nelson in Granbury May 23-26 for a Metals and Mixed Media. This will be another "wild as you wanna be" workshop. Carol will let you add a little bling with some gold leaf or a few gold and silver sprinkles...woo hoo..I want to do one just like the one on the link with red and more red and if it turns out it will never be for sale.

BLOG................http://NancyStandlee.blogspot.com

WEBSITE..........http://NancyStandlee.com

WEBSITE..........http://CanvasbyCanvas.com

PAINTED PAPER COLLAGE PAINTINGS ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~ WATERMEDIA ~
COLLAGE ART ~ MIXED MEDIA TEXTURED ABSTRACT PAINTING ~ TORN PAPER COLLAGE
~ TEXAS DAILY PAINTER ~ NANCY STANDLEE CONTEMPORARY ART ~ ACRYLIC FLORAL

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"Naked Juice" ~ Acrylic Contemporary Fauve Painting ~ by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

"Naked Juice - Mighty Mango"
14 x 11 in. Acrylic on canvas, no frame
Contemporary Fauve Art

This was painted yesterday but has been in the planning stages since returning from the Kathleen Elsey workshop in Santa Barbara. It is painted on a red acrylic ground that covered over a tired pale painting that was no fun to look at but now I let those vivid colors run wild. It is not framed and it is on a stapled sided canvas so it would need to be framed. My studio was and still is very disorganized from workshop travel so I set up shop on the kitchen table and ate take out until this one was finished.
Coming back from Santa Barbara there was engine trouble in LAX and several delays and a need for food. I found this refreshing "Naked Juice" and it tasted great and I loved the color. It was so good I had the desire but not the energy about 2 AM to find a supply in Arlington. My neighborhood Kroger carries it!! Click on the link above to see if you can find your favorite flavor in your neighborhood market.
This handy bottle will be so convenient for lunches in workshops when the truly addictive ones won't take the time for a "proper" noisy lunch but would rather stay, paint and visit.

Two books to recommend if you want to read more about the Fauves:

"The Fauve Landscape" by Judi Freeman
"Fauvism: Origins and Development" by Marcel Giry

(both are pretty hefty in size and price but some careful shopping will find a used copy and these have beautiful illustrations)

Now for an editorial:
A comment was made about my confusion with taking so many workshops but if I had quit and given up after my first one, I wouldn't be painting today. The workshop instructor painted detailed florals and used a magnifying glass to study her photograph. I knew that wasn't me and in my eyes, the workshop was a total loss. I didn't know what "me" was and where I fit in but I didn't quit. (I'm still on the search) but in looking back I see it was a valuable lesson. I don't have a college art background. Mine was in tailoring - making a perfectly tailored wool suit and setting the perfect table for guests (called Home Economics back in the 50's), and later certifications in special ed and library science. Now it's fun to attend art workshops with no graduation day in sight and yes, now I would fail in my personal life with my sewing and food preparation skills.
I have a good art support system through my Canvas by Canvas girl friends, internet friends through Facebook and my blog. Life is uncertain and art is uncertain but it's the best thing around so take a workshop this summer and leave your fears at home. Take two, even. I am. Read some art books. I am. Paint some bad paintings. I am. Maybe even a good one covering over a bad one.

BLOG................http://NancyStandlee.blogspot.com

WEBSITE..........http://NancyStandlee.com

WEBSITE..........http://CanvasbyCanvas.com

PAINTED PAPER COLLAGE PAINTINGS ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~ WATERMEDIA ~
COLLAGE ART ~ MIXED MEDIA TEXTURED ABSTRACT PAINTING ~ TORN PAPER COLLAGE
~ TEXAS DAILY PAINTER ~ NANCY STANDLEE CONTEMPORARY ART ~ ACRYLIC STILL LIFE ~ CONTEMPORARY FAUVE PAINTING ~ FAUVE STILL LIFE

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"Red Teapot with Everything" ~ Kathleen Elsey workshop ~ Santa Barbara ~ Nancy Standlee Texas Daily Painter

"Red Teapot with Everything"
12" x 16" Acrylic on canvas board
Contemporary Fauvist Painting

I am going all out here and calling this a "Fauvist" painting because my teacher is known as a contemporary Fauvist Expressionist painter. In a previous post I mentioned I'd taken a 4 day acrylic workshop in Santa Barbara with Kathleen Elsey. We painted still life set ups in a studio overlooking the beach and it was an experience that I won't soon forget. Amazon and I have been busy with me ordering books about the Fauves and reading and today I finally finished this painting I began in the class. I used a palette knife in places at the end for more paint build up.

A setup for the Red Teapot painting and the look would change during the week as people would add or take away items in the setup. We worked at easels and would move around the room for different setups.

This is Kathleen's painting SOLD (20x24) that made me want to take the workshop in the first place and I've enjoyed looking at it so much and practically had it memorized and I recognized the setup when I walked in. If you'd like to read more about the new Fauves, a group that Kathleen belongs to, click HERE. I'm already looking at my calendar and planning another workshop with Kathleen.

A book that I've enjoyed is "Society of Six: California Colorists by Nancy Boas
Bob Burridge has been recommending that book on his reading list and so does Kathleen. It was a great read with some wonderful paintings.

BLOG................http://NancyStandlee.blogspot.com

WEBSITE..........http://NancyStandlee.com

WEBSITE..........http://CanvasbyCanvas.com

PAINTED PAPER COLLAGE PAINTINGS ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~ WATERMEDIA ~
COLLAGE ART ~ MIXED MEDIA TEXTURED ABSTRACT PAINTING ~ TORN PAPER COLLAGE
~ TEXAS DAILY PAINTER ~ CONTEMPORARY FAUVE ~ NANCY STANDLEE CONTEMPORARY ART ~ ACRYLIC FLORAL

Contact NancyStandlee@sbcglobal.net