The Best Robe ~Acrylic Figure ~ Art Couture Gallery ~ Art Journal Pages

"The Best Robe"
16"x 20" Acrylic with collage on gallery wrapped Canvas
I had posted this painting March 1 and it is now at the Art Couture Gallery.


A reminder: If you click on a photo it will take you to a larger image.
Journal Page 89
In Colorado and some notes on altitude sickness and treatment and a map, this time glued in.


Journal Page 90
Going to Georgetown and a delay on I 70 for rock scaling and removal. I discovered Tommy Singer jewelry at the Santa Fe Trail, and Georgetown Gallery and Ruth Stewart's hot peppers and Maxine Gnazzo's watercolors. (also in Breckenridge at Art on a Whim I found a fellow Texan, Jeff Leedy's humorous work.)


Journal Page 91
I took Pat Weaver's new DVD Animal Portraits in Watermedia from Creative Catalyst. It was very appropriate as a lot of Colorado friends have dog friends and a great photo op. Visit Pat's web site for a colorful treat. Cindy Y and I took a workshop with her in Ingram at HCAF several years ago.


Journal Page 92
Back in Texas on a Saturday and a quick rush to the PCPC art opening to meet fellow CBC sisters, Cindy Y, Maryann, Karen and Connie, and on Sunday in spite of predicted showers, Maryann and Karen and I had to make it to the Southlake Art Fair.

Journal Page 93
Disturbing reports of the first cases of Swine Flu and the more severe cases are in Mexico and no one knows why. Today Wednesday, April 29, I read about the first death in Texas of a Mexican child.
Later on in the week I'll post a slide show of some images and some links of some of our favorite artists from the Southlake Show. Stay well.

Stephen Quiller Workshop ~ Day 5 ~ Artists' Showplace

This is a close up of a Stephen Quiller painting demo done at the Stephen Quiller Workshop on Friday.

Another close up.

A crooked view of the whole painting. He was always saying, build your values, values will make a painting, and watch your space between the trees (not equal) and paint what you know. On Friday, he showed the class some ways to make an acrylic wash under lay and then paint watercolors on top. He also used some qouache in the trees.
This is my Friday effort and I grabbed a piece of gessoed watercolor paper to use and think I was channeling Bob Burridge.
Some have asked for me to post Stephen's 12 color basic palette and if you'd go to his site Quiller Gallery you will find the list. It is listed with pigment numbers in his new book, WaterMedia Painting.
Canvas by Canvas has become an associate with Artists' Showplace and Friday evening they invited us to a wonderful party and reception - a welcome break after a busy week of painting at the workshop. Enjoy the slide show below. Stephen, we're glad we got to know you and we like your painting style. Paint what you know and you sure know trees and mountains.

Here is a great new site to listen to while you surf: theRADIO.com
I looked for the greatest country song ever written and they've got it - George Jones and "He Stopped Loving Her Today". Check out Willie "Always on My Mind" and my ring tone "Fix You" by Cold Play, Or Elvis Presley "Are You Lonesome Tonight" - Oh, what great songs.

Look what I've found for my Christmas Stocking by Vivienne Tam - a HP Mini 1000.

Stephen Quiller Workshop ~ Jaycee Park Center for the Arts

Stephen Quiller is a Colorado boy, full time painter, and he has views to paint outside his studio window in Creede that Texans spend their vacation dollars just to visit. Today was the first day of a 5 day workshop in Irving, Texas sponsored by The Southwestern Watercolor Society. The workshop is being held in a great facility at the Jaycee Park Center for the Arts. To see the books Stephen has written, go to Amazon and search his name. His latest, WaterMedia Painting with Stephen Quiller was released in September and it has so much information it's nearly scary - watermedia, watercolor, gouache, acrylic, casein, supplies, techniques, en plein air, composition and he is a color guru. One thing I really like about the book is he gives the color pigment numbers so if you don't have the exact brand, it is easy to check to see if you might have it under another name or company. I learned about pigment numbers when I took a Hilary Page workshop several years ago in Lubbock. Yes, that's his palette above. I couldn't resist taking a photo.
He gave us ideas on color mixing and handling paint that we can take and use in our own studios. I've felt some of his information was so technical in the books but after I heard his talk about it today with demos and explanations of intensity and value and how to set up your palette, I found it very enlightening. Today he was preparing a foundation for the rest of the week with short demos. He prefers to paint on 300 pound rough paper.


The two paintings above are Stephen's that he used today to show us how to use complements and the colors in these were red orange and phthalo blue. He didn't draw anything on the paper but began with a flat brush, water and the 2 colors. Amazing, isn't it.
Now below, what is even more amazing is my painting trying to do what Stephen did and I didn't even use carbon paper and trace. This was a huge step for me with just a 1 1/2" flat brush. However, this is the only study I did and most of the class did 2 or 3 while I was still figuring out filling my Quiller travel palette.
Our class is full with a waiting list and it is a testament to Stephen's reputation as a fine contemporary painter. The first 3 days will be devoted to watercolor and the last 2 days for acrylics. He says this about acrylics, "Acrylic is the most versatile medium we have today." He feels it's exciting to explore it as watermedia and try out experimental techniques. Sounds great to me.
Painting by Nancy, approximately 11"x15", watercolor landscape