"Hold On" ~ Poll MAM ~ Your Story ~ Watercolor Paper

"HOLD ON"
14 X 11 inch
Acrylic with some gold leaf
gallery wrapped canvas 1 1/2" profile

I've been working on a series "Friends and Lovers" for an upcoming show in October at the Dutch Art Gallery and other paintings from the series can be seen on my web site. I finished this addition today. "Hold On" is based on a married musical duo observed at a recent very emotional benefit performance. He played guitar. She sang. During the song, "Hold On" she would reach over and connect to him with a soft shoulder touch with her hand. A simple and powerful statement that is so understandable and universal. The giving of support in the times when they are not so "good".

Making a Mark ~ Katherine Tyrrell

Click on the link above to take the September 2009 poll of "What's Your Style of Art" and read about the 12 styles and descriptions. Since I've been working on my web site with meta tags and key words and labels I was very interested about specific words to define my personal painting style or can I even pick one that's listed. For those of us desperately seeking our style read over the list and see if you can pick just one. I started out with Expressionism, then added Contemporary Expressionism and I may be a little Contemporary Abstract Expressionism. How many lines does your own style cross?

Share Your Story

From the above Utrecht link: "We are proud to have been a part of so many artists' lives over the past 60 years! We want you to be a part of our celebration, so tell us about your work and experience with Utrecht Art Supplies. Submissions will appear in the "Your Story" category on Utrechtblog.com.* We look forward to reading your story and seeing your artwork! "

I sent my story and you can read it HERE and I also sent in an image but it does not appear yet but I'm asking questions. (September 3 update.."Captivate" painting is now appearing with my story. Thanks JConner for writing my Utrecht story.)

Mounting Watercolor paper to Canvas

On a previous post I mentioned that I had mounted watercolor paper to canvas and several wanted to know the technique. It is not original but I learned it in a Robert Burridge workshop. Click on the title to be taken to his Artsy Fartsy News and sign up to receive wonderful, newsy letters and read his explanation. Some may ask "why"? It's a way to keep acrylic on paper pieces to be hung on canvas without having to use a frame and glass.

Margie's Show in Fredericksburg

Congratulations to Canvas by Canvas member, Margie Whittington, and her Fredericksburg gallery show opening at the Good Art Company, Friday evening, September 4, 5-8. She has used gold leaf in many of her paintings for this show and I had to try it also - just a little at first. In the above painting I made a halo effect around the female's hair and then covered it with some glazes to soften it. It was a little tricky and very bright until I got some glazes on. Most of the peeps will be traveling to see her gold leaf paintings on Friday. When I meet some of her friends and family, do I describe myself as an expressionist or contemporary painter? Probably no need for explanations as I'll be the one with acrylic paint spots still stuck to nails and hands.

Trash Talking ~ Tagged ~ Teesie's Attic

Trash Talking NFS
20" x 20" Acrylic on canvas
The idea of women together and "trash-talking" is a natural, especially in my special group of friends, Canvas by Canvas. Several of them asked for copies of this painting and at our Christmas party/dinner I'd finally gotten around to having a few 11 x 14 prints made for them and then decided to post the original. I used rubber stamps for the words and highlighted King as "talk is king" when we are in groups.
Myrna Wacknov in her blog post "I've Been Tagged" shares how she was tagged and then she tagged me. I found Myrna by her article Face Forward in the Watercolor Magic, October 07 issue. I loved what she was doing and wrote her a fan letter and I'm the owner of 2 of her drawings. She issues painting and drawing challenges and is a very encouraging and experimental force.
5 Things People Don't Know About Me:
1. I've had several "careers", housewife and mom, divorced wife and mom, Home Economics teacher, Special Ed Teacher, elementary school librarian, batik fabric designer. I took batik workshops at Vassar 2 summers with Morag Benepe and painted silk at Arrowmont. I've demonstrated Krups appliances and Cuisinarts at department stores, delivered vans full of weekly home sale brochures (only thing needed was a large vehicle and a good back) in Virginia to support my batik habit and belonged to a craft cooperative in Yorktown, Va.
2. I desire to be the epitome of organization and I'm working on it but I'm hampered by space limitations, my desire to keep everything I ever touch and I've never seen an art supply I didn't think I had to have. I do have all of my art photos organized for the New Year.
3. This year I was the dark horse in a weight loss campaign with my painting group and won some money for more art supplies and workshops. It is hard to believe that some mean, teasing brothers of my high school friends used to refer to me as "bird legs". I plan to jump back on the program as most of you do after the first of the year.
4. I've been interested in decorating surfaces for many years. As a child, I was whining that I wanted hair on my bald headed doll so my Daddy took the scissors to our collie dog, and with a few deft snips got enough hair to glue on my doll's scalp. I don't remember it being a mess or how it looked. I remember the action and "Old Billie Dog" standing patiently while we borrowed a few strands.
5. I've done my share of adding non-decomposing items to American's landfills. I've always loved sewing, and during the seventies men were wearing polyester leisure suits with bright floral poly shirts. Because of finances and the height factor, my husband was 6'8", I made his 100% polyester leisure suits. I think about those being unearthed in 200 years, still crease free and without any stains. The sewing needles would skip about every 3rd stitch and the pants legs were slopped to the back so they would nearly touch the ground and hard as heck to hem. Truly a fashion statement when the guys had sideburns. I'm glad jeans are back in style.
I'm going to TAG:
1. Nicholas Simmons has a new blog. http://nicholassimmons.blogspot.com
He won the 1st prize in the National Watercolor Society's 87th annual exhibition. He will also be in Dallas for a workshop this year and yes, I have signed up.
2. Joyce Washor has a new blog. http://joycewashorsdailypaintings.blogspot.com
Joyce has a great article in Watercolor, Winter 2008, Still Lifes on a Small Scale, about creating tiny paintings with big impact. I was inspired to try a set up with some onions and strawberries last night - my 5" painting is not so delicate and will probably hit it with gauche or acrylic. I've also ordered her book, "Big Art, Small Canvas".
3. Laura at http://laurelines.typepad.com
Very interesting blog about her travels and her art sketch journals with beautiful drawings.
4. Katherine Tyrrell at http://makingamark.blogspot.com
Katherine is a sharer of information on art. She has a wonderful informative blog that you want to sit down and read every word.
5. Mitchell (Betty) Taylor at http://mitchell-taylor.blogspot.com
I have to show a little nepotism here and keep some of my links within the CBC family. Betty is our efficient web mistress and between that, travels and painting, she is a busy lady. You will read about her Christmas trip soon.
6. Ok, I have to have one more...Edward B. Gordon http://edwardbgordon.blogspot.com He is a daily painter from Berlin.

Teesie's Attic
Located in the Arlington Highlands Mall in Arlington, is having a grand opening of their new store, December 20 and 22, and will have on display some of the paintings of Canvas by Canvas. This is a trendy, upscale store that carries modern brands not available in Arlington before. More to come about this event.