"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 The book is a little pricy but I found a used copy that had been withdrawn from a library and I'm marking it up with a highlighter - probably not a good idea for a future sale of the book but I'm using it like a text book.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

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PAINTED PAPER COLLAGE PAINTINGS ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~ WATERMEDIA ~
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Boot Commission ~ Canvas by Canvas ~ The Upstairs Gallery by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

Texas Boots
Acrylic 10" square CBC Commission

This is my square for a Canvas by Canvas commission for a California client in the style of our painting, "Boot Scootin". We had so much fun doing the set up photography for this series of paintings. A friend has an extensive boot collection and we spent the evening arranging and photographing boots in all colors and styles. The section of the square that is green, top right is awaiting our "rose painter" to make her magic with a yellow rose of Texas.


I could not resist taking a photograph of my new acrylic paint palette and I don't know if it will work but time will tell. I found this "No Spill Organizer" Jewelry Designer, with grooves in lid to keep compartments from spilling, 13.7 x 8.6 in with 32 compartments at Michaels. I felt like the grooves in the lid would help keep the acrylics from drying out. I used a white sticky felt to paste inside the top and moisten with water. I placed all in a Hefty Jumbo zip lock bag with a wet sponge. Maybe I won't bring my whole studio to painting days and weekends when we get together to paint on our CBC projects. I bring a jar of white and black gesso for those separate colors. This is an adaptation of one of Elin Pendleton ideas using pill containers. It would be best to store in the refrigerator but since I've just made a Sam's visit that idea will have to wait. I did use the pill containers like Elin at one time but didn't give them the proper care and they dried out, some grew mold, some got too contaminated.


If you forget to gesso your panel before painting time, you can always find a nearby truck out in the sun to quickly dry your square. The Upstairs Gallery is in the background.

The Upstairs Gallery Studio where we meet, greet and paint. This is where my "Love Your Life" art journaling workshop will be held in November. When I was in Bed, Bath & Beyond shopping for more organizers I found some small little journals that said "Love your Life" on them, hmmm.

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BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

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ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~ TORN PAPER PAINTINGS ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ PAINTED PAPERS ~ PAPER PAINTINGS ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE ~ MIXED MEDIA ~ ALTERED BOOKS

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Art Journaling Workshop “Love Your Life” with Nancy Standlee

Three Day November 6-8, 2010 Saturday, Sunday, Monday 9:30 – 4:30

The Upstairs Gallery

1038 W. Abram

Arlington, TX 76013

Contact: J. T. Martin 817 277-6961 to register or

info@upstairsartgallery.com

Robert Burridge Workshop ~ Wenmohs Ranch ~ Burridge Tree by Texas Daily Painter Nancy Standlee

"The Burridge Tree"
12" x 12" acrylic gallery wrap canvas

I'll have to fess up. This tree is only about one half mine. If you know me or read the blog, I just don't "do trees" but that was one of my intentions for this Robert Burridge workshop - Paint a Burridge tree as I've tried many times. I made the "mess" on the canvas (can use gessoed paper) and then went into panic mode when it came to the negative painting. Bob graciously took over and I now have a Burridge tree that I'm sooo proud of. Because it is hard for me to see some of the limbs I've found it beneficial to use blackboard chalk to find them before just jumping in with the negative painting.

Bob and my tree before the shadows on the ground.

Bob showing other examples of his negative painted trees. More of his trees can be found on his web site under landscapes and he paints them huge. In Kate and Bob's ArtsyFartsy News specific example of the tree can be found in the September 2009 Newsletter. See the Villa Fattoria Bacio, I was there several years ago with a Ted Nuttall workshop but I didn't paint trees.


Bob and Nancy. I have on my "artist signature" apron and keeping score with the number of workshops taken by making black diagonal slash marks. Yes, this one was number 7.


Connie, my Canvas by Canvas, collaborative painter and friend with our ranch hostess, Dena.



So OK the first day was really cold, then it started raining! I had on so many layers I felt like a mountain man. Thanks, Elizabeth for sharing this photo. On the left is Terry and I met her at my very first Burridge workshop at Dena's and sweet girl remembered I was collecting rusty stuff and brought me a little plastic bag of rusty tin. When I use it in a painting I will surely post the results. Now go try a "Burridge Tree". I know I plan to make a few more starts and will try to finish the next one all by myself but thanks, Bob, for all your help on this one.

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BLOG.............Nancy Standlee Art Blog

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Daily Painters of Texas

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Free Art Listing ~ Robert Genn ~ 'Diadem' Figurative Acrylic ~ by Nancy Standlee

'DIADEM'

24 x 18 in.
Original and Giclee available

Contact the artist: Nancy Standlee

Artists, if you're interested in getting a free online art listing that will help you to be found online and will show up in the top 5 search engine results send a brief statement, your web sites, and small resolution jpeg to rgenn@saraphina.com.

I did and you can check out my free listing here: http://artists.robertgenn.com/artist/5157/
I've placed the Robert Genn logo on my blog and click on it to receive his twice weekly newsletters.

Nancy Standlee
a Texas Daily Painter &
member of Canvas by Canvas
Texas Collaborative Artists

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ARLINGTON TEXAS ~ ARTIST NANCY STANDLEE ~ DAILY PAINTER ~
CONTEMPORARY ~ WATERCOLOR ~ ACRYLIC ~ COLLAGE ~ GOUACHE
ABSTRACT ~ EXPRESSIONIST ~ ART FOR SALE ~ FIGURATIVE

Mel Stabin Watercolor Workshop ~ Watercolor Figure ~ Art Journal Page

15" x 13" Watercolor figure "San Miguel Market"
I painted this on Monday from one of Mel Stabin's photographs and I consider it a more successful effort than some landscapes later in the week. The project of the day was landscape but I like a figure better than a tree but I watched and listened to Mel and his "tree talk" and I may attempt one yet. I've posted a slide show below of student's work from the Artists' Showplace workshop (in the previous post I have a slide show of Mel's paintings). Remember each one is at a different place in their watercolor journey. We had one student present for her very first workshop and with Mel's guidance she had several real success stories. Apologies to class members that I didn't put your name under your work and this is a partial list and I will include more work in the next post. The paintings in the slide show cover the full 5 days.

Mel has written two books, Watercolor: Simple, Fast and Focused and The Figure in Watercolor: Simple, Fast and Focused. He said he has another book in the works about "dancing brushes" and he knows his way around his Raphael mop brush.

8" x 10 Watercolor on gessoed paper "San Miguel Lady with Calla Lilies"
I didn't use a photograph but just painted a portrait from my head and looked at some photos of calla lilies taken when I was in the San Miguel workshop. His comment "A lively painting painted by a lively person." I enjoy working on the gessoed paper as redo's are easier. When we'd be hesitant about starting on a half sheet and putting down that first mark, he'd give us the sage advice "Screw it. Just do it".

Art Journal Page 68
A small sketch of a workshop painting, fun to find new bags for supplies deeply discounted, a quick hamburger, two of my acrylic entries for PCPC and more about that in a future post, lunch at Potager and a new experience of no checks but you place money in an envelope for what you thought the meal was worth, then a dining experience at Sevy's before the SWS meeting.

Now for some of the student's paintings from the workshop and more to come in a later post.

Tony Saladino Critique Group ~ Art Collaboration ~ Art Journal Pages

16" x 20" acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas with some collage elements

16" x 20" Acrylic on paper mounted on gallery wrapped canvas

Critique Group
These are the 2 paintings I took to a newly formed critique group hosted by Tony Saladino at his studio. He has a "whole house" for his wonderful studio and yes, it is full with paintings, computers, and framing supplies. Four members from the art collaboration group, Canvas by Canvas, were there (Betty, Barbara, Karen and Nancy).
Tony works in acrylics and he prepares his own supports and paints in a representative and abstract method. We loved going from room to room and seeing the works in progress and the finished pieces waiting to be shipped.
The Group
Tony wants to limit the group to about 10 members. We arrived at 9:00 for a get acquainted coffee and he explained the process. Each artist may bring up to 3 paintings any size for presentation and the artist is free to listen or participate in the discussion. A timer is set so each person gets equal time. Our paintings were placed in a separate room so each presentation would be a surprise to the rest of the group. These artists are serious about their work and are on different and various levels in their art journey, but we all have a desire to improve. One thing I learned and am going to try is work larger and simplify.
Encouraging words from Tony "Every painting has a buyer. Find a gallery. There will be a buyer. The closer you get to being you, the better your work will be." On the advantage of painting a still life "It's an easy way to paint from life and it doesn't "twitch or itch".
In the Group with a blog or web site, check out these:
Lesley Talty
Robert Standlee (I was so surprised as we have the same last name and no relation. The name is not found spelled this way very often.)
Karen Frances
We have a good group and the art talk continued at a local Mexican food restaurant, Miguelito's, and was joined by tango talk as Karen F and Tony both tango. Maybe later we can do a tango photo shoot!!
Art Journal Page 64
More soup, this time potato and Fish City Grill trip and a great western dvd, Appaloosa, about friendship. I've been practicing some watercolor moves and reading before the soon to be, Mel Stabin workshop. This will be my third Mel workshop and the last one was in San Miguel. I did some really bad plein air paintings there and no excuses this time inside, but every where you looked there was so much beauty to distract in San Miguel. Yes, I watched Barak Hussein Obama being sworn in and the inauguration. We wish him well and will watch with interest the current propaganda of Igor Panarin. At the end of the article is a map of how he thinks the U.S. will be divided.

Art Journal Page 65
Thursday was the critique and it wasn't that brutal with a thumbs up or down. I had to add a note about Lost being on Wednesday night. It is a story with many twists and turns and a review before the season started. Friday was a hair trim with Terry at Salon Purple and he has a church across the street, Sanctuary. Terry has a MySpace also. I used a gift certificate next door at Mamma Mia's Italian Restaurant for a great lasagna lunch. Then since it was 80 and sunny I decided on a drive to model home look. Maybe I'll mount the acrylic painting to a canvas before the day is over.
I got an email yesterday about LeapFish, the fastest search engine on the planet with the funny grayed out area "It's ok, you're not cheating on Google...."

I have posted a slide show of photos from Tony's critique group and Terry's photo is at the end. Enjoy.

Christmas Floral ~ Art Journal Pages ~ Merry Christmas

12" x 12" acrylic on Canvas Board
"Christmas Floral"
Painted in the Robert Burridge "Loose and Juicy Florals" workshop in Corpus Christi in October.

Journal Page 51
A little late talking about Thanksgiving but I use an old Lone Star Gas recipe for dressing that appeared in Nov. 1960 and we sorted some old family photos from my parent's estate. I did some babysitting and we watched a lot of T.V. and ate chicken strips.

Journal page 52
My kitchen got a new Christmas gift - a new disposer and it was a surprise for sure as it just blew up and then caused an under sink clean up that moved on to other kitchen cabinets and the stove top. More days of sorting clothes and stuff that was too boring to list individually. My decorating is done when the small ceramic Christmas tree is placed on the wash stand. The boxes of decorations in the attic can wait another year. CBC had a Christmas party at Maryann's and our group photo is at the end of the post. Early the next morning some family members and I took off driving two vehicles to Denver for a grand daughter's college graduation. I'd never made it without my new GPS which I think I'm naming "Sugar Foot", a term my long ago father-in-law used for my children and I've liked the name ever since. My GPS is sure a love and a life saver especially when traveling in the dark in the snow and ice in unfamiliar territory.

Journal Page 53 - Our Christmas Party
Maryann gave us all a lovely black apron that had our name and Canvas by Canvas on it. At our Chinese auction I received a led light for my notebook computer. The faces are made up people that are fun to paint.

Journal Page 54
We drove straight through to Colorado Springs and ate sandwiches that I'd prepared and spent Friday night in Colorado Springs and on to Denver on Saturday. We drove around Manitou Springs, saw a parade and toured some around the Springs. On Sunday in Denver, we woke up to snow and lots of it. My Rav 4 has a warning system if a tire pressure needs to be adjusted so by 8:00 a.m my son and I were in Wal-Mart's tire department getting a tire repaired after a warning light appeared. We just made it to pick up Cindy and Meaghen to go to the brunch at 11:00 before Madison's graduation at 2:00. She graduated from the Metropolitan State College of Denver with 2 degrees, biology and chemistry. We were so proud of her and we were so thankful to be able to make the trip. We left one truck for Mad and headed for Raton about 5:30 and cold, brrrr, and the tire inflation pressure light comes on again and the outside temp was registering minus 2 degrees. Oh, what to do?

Journal Page 55
The tires appeared o.k. and the weather was not agreeable for stopping so on Mon. morning we were on the road from Raton and there was ice and snow with a slight snow and sleet near Clayton and all the while we were thinking "When are we going to have our flat?" Once home my first stop was the Toyota dealership and it seems the spare has one of the low tire sensors on it and the spare was LOW and the tires on the road were fine. Now to read my car book more thoroughly. Medical checkup and draw blood samples and a shingles shot - now I'm ready for Santa to come and he was good to me.
Canvas by Canvas wishes all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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

Birthday Parties ~ Lake House Art Retreat ~ Art Journal Pages

8 x 10 Acrylic Painting for CC's Birthday at the Lake House What a great painting retreat at the Lake House we rented on Cedar Creek Lake in Gun Barrel City Thursday to Sunday and all 9 members were present and agreed this one was the best yet - perfect days and perfect weather. (We have discovered it's not really in Gun Barrel City but Payne Springs). We painted on personal and CBC projects and did a lot of celebrating as we had 5 fall birthdays. It took awhile to unload and get set up on Thursday but after lunch on the patio, we were busy painting with questions such as "When does the birthday party start?". About three years ago we began a painting rotation so that by the end of the rotation each member would have one painting from each member and we'd celebrate twice a year - in the spring and fall. The above painting is the one I painted for member Cindy C. Then we began to bring smaller little gifts for each member when we went on a Lake House trip. The art journal pages are filled with a record of these gifts that range from rice krispie treats, pens, pencils, wash pens, brushes, brush holders, soap, chocolate and more chocolate, jewelry bags, cross necklaces, mini highlighters, Sharpies, key holders, bookmarks, Micron pens, mini framed photo, covered boxes, cell phone charms, tote bags, acrylic note pads, photo book, mini tool sets, nutmeg and mini grater - and some of these gifts were handmade. My personal gifts were paintings from MAS and KSF, painting smock, and a leather diary. It was like Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.

CY and I went to Little Rock for an opening of two of our CBC paintings, we hung the Petroleum Club Show, then time for a movie. You will have to be the judge on the movie.
Family birthdays and then days and days of packing and cooking for the Lake House.

Some Lake House Gifts...

Cessna 195 ~ 77 Victor ~ Wendell Eckert ~Journal Pages

Acrylic Painting on Canvas 9 x 12 (Nancy)
The completed Canvas by Canvas painting

77 Victor
Acrylic Painting on canvas 6 9”x12”, framed at 40” x 31.5”

Canvas by Canvas became aware of the Wendell Eckert story because of one of our members, Maryann, and some of her many friends. In fact she knows just about anyone ever mentioned in our conversations, and many times we’ve heard her begin a story or interject into one of ours “They Used To Live In My Neighborhood” and we’ve abbreviated it to “Oh, it’s just one of Maryann’s TUTLIMN’s.”

So Wendell Eckert is known to us by way of a Maryann TUTLIMN. His daughter, Gretchen, gave Maryann a photo of his vintage Cessna 195, built in 1949, as a basis of our painting. The call numbers of the plane were 77 Victor and can be seen on the wing and the numbers are unique to that individual plane. It is the call number the towers use to direct the plane for landing or other orders.
The plane was built in 1949 and was used by Wendell as the lead plane for the US Forest service primarily in the Sequoia forest. His job was to strategically lead the bombers into the forest to drop the fire retardant. The US Forest Service referred to Wendell as the “Voice of the Sequoias” since he was the lead plane for forest fires for thirty years.

An admirer of Wendell, William (Tim) McMaster has a video of one of his flights on YouTube and he’s seen taking a beautiful bride for a celebratory flight. Wendell was 79 years old in this clip and he began flying in college in Wooster, Ohio and flew until the age of 82 in California, flying over 24,000 hours in his career. He died at age 91. He was born in 1916 in Youngstown, Ohio. Wendell’s house and the airport can be seen at the beginning of the clip in black and white and the photo was taken right after the war. When the war came, he was chosen to join the Army Air Corp in California and serve as flight instructor to countless cadets preparing for battle.

Mr. McMaster told Gretchen he put the video on YouTube with hopes she might enjoy it someday. He said “We loved your Dad very much”. The Cessna 195 is unique as it is a radial engine tail dragger and few of the planes have survived the years because the planes are very temperamental and require very experienced pilots.

Watch the video to see Wendell with the Cessna 195 and enjoy some good music with the ride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txCstdQpeuE

Gretchen and ZoAnn and Tim thank you for providing the information so that CBC could enjoy painting this work and getting to know your story.

More Art Journal Pages:

Birthdays are happy times but then there's that cake sabotage, framed some of my favorite art by Robert Burridge, Ted Nuttall, and Dan Burt.

More happy days when we deliver some CBC commissions, maybe I need more drawing practice on my car, and buying jewelry at Sam Moon's, especially big old hoops.

Got rid of my barely limping along freezer + $50.00 reward and a yearly physical and I don't have red hair but red hair is more fun to paint than mousy gray brown, Dr. Sarmini's hand is not that ugly and my nemesis - bills and cake.
First trip to IKEA and now I'm limping along with freezer (so many steps), hot old August, shopping for new Flax to wear to Class of 1954 class reunion in De Leon, pop. 2400, during the Peach and Melon Festival. We decided at our 50th we'd better meet every year thereafter. Thanks Harold, Marie and Naomi for getting us organized and for the great watermelon. Oh, yes and the Beijing Games started, but I was eating burgers out under the stars in De Leon and telling tales. The hangers show I've started closet clean out and why didn't I just close the door, forget it and paint? Clothes are multiplying, boxes overflowing ...

Dancing Queen ~ Stetson ~ Journal Pages

"Dancing Queen"
Acrylic 7 1/2 x 5 1/2 on paper
This was painted in the Robert Burridge workshop in Cloudcroft and was titled after our Canvas by Canvas group saw Mamma Mia. See previous post.
Here is the link to Bob's ArtsyFartsy Newsletter. It is informative and great reading if you've interested in painting. Thanks Bob and Kate for mentioning my blog in the August issue.
"Stetson"
8" square Acrylic
For a CBC project
I painted this Monday at the gallery for a project for Karen, one of our CBC members. Watch our sneak peak at the CBC website as soon as our webmistress, Betty, returns from a fabulous vacation. We have several projects going for our Petroleum show in October and the Fort Worth Community Arts Center Show in September.

Two CBC commissioned paintings were delivered to Doug Chestnut of Gables Villa Rosa on July 29. One of the largest art stores, Asels, in Dallas is across the street and then we had to check out Sam Moon's and it was cause for a whole page of a journal entry. Doug

I have been enjoying getting back to writing and drawing in my journal each day. I don't know how long it will last this time but it's been about a month now and I will post some of the entries. These are 4 pages during the Cloudcroft workshop. I am using the Canson Montval All Media 9 x 12 journal and using pen and watercolor and some collage.