Category: Watercolor on Canvas

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Happy New Year…It’s been too long!

It’s not that I don’t think about it.  I do, and alot.  So many things have intervened since the last post, it’s hard to remember them all.  Part of the delay was surely the laptop, which I breezed by in the last post. Out with the old, in with the new.  It still amazes me how long it takes to make that transition, but it is done and I love my new HP, though I’m not wild about the touchpad.  That said, it’s pretty much the only thing I’d change on the machine, and it is so light I actually don’t mind carrying it around! 

Then, Wooosh, the holidays were upon us.  Time literally seemed to fly.  The 7th Anniversary of the Gallery, that was in the planning for 7 months (or more) came off quite well, even though there were far fewer in attendance that I expected, it worked out well given the small size of the current venue.  I posted video on facebook, but here it is again, just in case you don’t do the fb thing.

 Not sure we could have packed in any more folks as it was!  The musician is Tom Perry and he was great!  So, that was December 17th, and then the march was on to Christmas.  Then New Years.  Now it is the 3rd of January and tomorrow is my sister’s birthday.  Happy Birthday Beckles!  I won’t whisper her age, cuz I’m much older!  

Ok, so I’ll be 50 this year.  I can hardly wrap my brain around it.  Likely though, it won’t be much different than being 49. I spent most of this day painting, and that was wonderful.  Particularly since I’ve kind of been putting it off.  Dily Dallying around.  Doing the drawing, throughing it away and doing it again. It’s a commission, for a friend of mine.  Those are generally hard anyway, but this involves the human form and though I know “how” I’m reluctant to delve in.  It’s his dad.  The complication is that I don’t know his dad.  Painting from a photograph is ok if it’s a flower, but people, well, it’s more complicated…or at least it can be.  I procrastinated, and last night, when John said, “are you going to paint tomorrow?” I hedged.  I finally said, “I’m struggling with this one”.  He said, “I noticed”.  

Then, this afternoon, something happened.  The house was quiet.  The studio, recently cleaned, bekoned. And there, on my table was a blank canvas and a drawing on paper next to it.  When I do detail on canvas, I do the drawing on my computer (in Corel Painter) and then print it, and if happy, transfer to the canvas, so that I don’t damage the canvas with erasures and extra graphite.   I got out my transfer sheet, traced the image on to the canvas, opened my watercolor palette and wet the paint.  I sat down, and painted. Didn’t look up, didn’t hesitate for a moment.  Lost in the painting and time did not exist.  When I stood up and stretched, I glanced at the clock. Two hours had passed.  I’m not sure it’s done, but I think it’s close.  Very close.  


I love it when that happens.  Happy New Year!

 

 

Angel Fire ArtSpace,
3469 Mountain View Blvd, Suites B2-4 Angel Fire NM
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Finished the Next One

I know it’s not Sunday (my usual day to post) but I told you I’d post a photo of the commission I was working on, when it was done. I just finished it. All that’s left is put a wire on the back for hanging. I also made a video of most of the process, though I ran out of battery at a critical moment, I can recreate that with voice over and a photo. I’ll get to work on that next week.

Anyway, so here it is. 24 x 18 Watercolor on Canvas. The owner loves it. What about you?

Angel Fire ArtSpace,
3469 Mountain View Blvd, Suites B2-4 Angel Fire NM
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Painting till My Head Spins

Wow. I can’t believe it’s been a month since I last posted. That will tell you I’ve been moving at the speed of light. Between then and now, we pulled off another ArtsFest…and according to artists and patrons alike, it was “the best ever”…at least as far as the quality of the art and beauty of the displays. The arts council is already putting our heads together for next year…and big changes lie ahead where the Premier Reception is concerned. The cost of promotion, food and security forced a higher ticket price, which left us throwing food away and losing money on the event. Now we’ll have to find other sources to fund our youth arts education programs. At least our mystery auction did well, with a number of items going for retail and even higher.

As soon as we rolled out the displays we rolled in the Children’s Theatre Workshops…literally the next day. And in the midst of that, I took action on what I’d been planning for weeks….a complete renovation of the gallery. That involved moving two rooms completely around which relocated my “office” and made room for my studio and classroom space! Painting ceilings and walls, moving furniture and paintings, and oh…I can hardly wait for our 4th Friday so everyone can see the new space. Even painted the hallways outside the gallery with the ok of the building owner. It looks fantastic!

So, why all the commotion? Here it comes….I’m opening additional space across the hall. Get ready for the all new ArtSpace TOO! Cards, gifts, prints, and CHOCOLATE! I’m going to carry the Endangered Species Chocolate…mostly dark. YUM! Now if I can manage to not eat all my product that will be wonderful! I’m intending to open it on Friday…this coming Friday…for the 4th Friday Reception that will be ON after all! We’ll go from 5-7 so Theatre lovers can head to the 2nd showing of Dinner With Friends, the Pulitzer Prize Winnning Play by Donald Margulies. Curtain is at 8pm at Frontier Square between Avalon’s and the CVB.

AND, update on the brick laying project…which was on hold waiting for me to apply a moisture, vapor and air barrier to the walls in hopes of preventing any further moisture issues with the adobe. I got that started today..first coat of 3 or 4. It’s a by-product of the Space industry. Last summer I put it on the Garage doors and the door between the house and the garage…and raised the temp in both the garage and the hallway (which was always freezing in the winter) This past winter there was no blast of cold air emanating from that door! So, since it worked so well, I decided to try it on the adobe in what was the hot tub room. We’ll see how it goes. Two coats of the “barrier”, then these tiny little beads that you stir into your paint before you apply it. It makes an imperceptible texture…but it does a great job of keeping the indoor temperature stable and dry.

Oh, and I finished four of the commissions I had. The customer was delighted and I was elated. Here they are:


All are 20 x 16 Watercolor on Canvas.

I’ll get back in the studio soon. I still have four more commissions to paint. Unfortunately my time at home is limited this time of year..and there is the garage to clean out, the weeds to pull the laundry to do and the room to finish. I’d love to have all that done before snow flies. At least the laundry!

Angel Fire ArtSpace,
3469 Mountain View Blvd, Suites B2-4 Angel Fire NM
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Beautiful Sunday Morning

Wow. I can’t believe it’s been a month since I last posted! My how time flies…regardless of whether or not you’re having fun!

Of course, there’s not really a good excuse. Part of it is a result of messing up my back/ribs again, yes again. Guess it hadn’t really healed before I forgot I wasn’t supergirl and set about to tear the hot tub apart. I was determined to find the leak(s). Well, I actually succeeded, but not without injury. Sigh. It’s been more than a week, and it still sucks the air out of me if I move wrong.

Won’t let it slow me down to much. I can’t, there’s just too much to do! I’m “off” today, so I’m going to head to the studio and paint. Wahoo! I’m working on a large watercolor on canvas, and if you get my newsletter it’s in the header of this month’s edition, even though its not quite done.

Of course, as Mr. Murphy would have it, the newsletter directs people to my site, which of course is down this morning.

Add that the fact that my house is under attack by those infuriating flickers. When I go outside to yell at them to get off my house, they mock me, laughing and come flying just past my reach.

However…

I’m determined to have a fabulous day! And I hope you will too….

Angel Fire ArtSpace,
3469 Mountain View Blvd, Suites B2-4 Angel Fire NM
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Finished the Painting

I’m breathing again, thanks to Norma and ibuprofen!

Anyway, I did finish the church I showed you a few posts back. Just so you don’t have to scroll, here’s how it looked in progress:

And, now, it’s done. Notice the deeper, bolder color, shadows and detail. The rock facade by far, took the most time, but the result is worth it. The video will be online soon at www.katherinesarttv.tv

The trick is many
glazes of transparent color, with increasing amounts of pigment as you go. I often alternate colors too, to get a rich appearance in the end.

In the mean time I’m working hard on the development of katherinesarttv.tv Watch soon for a link here to a survey that I’ll use to help me make the site and the videos what you want.

Painting is perhaps the most soothing activity I can engage in. My own version of meditation. When I’m painting, my brain feels dis-engaged. I’m not thinking about the outcome, the bills, the laundry or anything else temporal. I don’t suppose you can understand it, until you experience it. Part of the focus of the new site is just that. Learning how painting can ease your stress, all while creating something beautiful. It’s not about pure realism…that’s what camera’s are for, with no disrespect to the painters of photo realistic works. It’s about interpretation, the emotional connection to the work, whether you are the painter, the viewer or the collector. People buy art, because they make a connection to it. It’s completely subjective. Not everyone will like what I paint, and that’s ok. I mean, it would be great, but it’s completely unrealistic. I don’t like everything I see either!

I can look at piece, like this one that I just finished, and walk right back into the same state of mind, walking in through that opening in the gate to all the places I was when I painted it. That’s the best part for me…and why I paint. Yes, I love selling them. But sometimes I miss a piece after its gone. I’ll be looking for something in my Art Archives folder, and see an image…and say, “where is that? did I sell it? Who?….” then I’ll open the image, look at it, and walk right back into it. I dunno. Maybe it’s weird…but it’s true.

Learn to paint. And may you find that bliss too…….

Angel Fire ArtSpace,
3469 Mountain View Blvd, Suites B2-4 Angel Fire NM
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Painting in Progress

Ok, so I thought since I talked about the piece I’m working on, I would show you the current status. so, here’s a pic. The angle is a little wierd because I took it with my webcam, but you can get the idea. And they are, as a result of the webcam..reversed, so that’s kind of funny! oh well. I’ll show you the finished piece when its done, and you will be able to see the difference.

This has about 5 glazes on it..except for the steeple which only has one..so you can see the difference.
It’s fun, but time consuming. and if you’re not carefuly, the newest layer will lift the layer below it!

So, stay tuned and I’ll put it up when its done!

Angel Fire ArtSpace,
3469 Mountain View Blvd, Suites B2-4 Angel Fire NM
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Quiet Saturday

It’s Saturday and lovely, though cool outside. I guess everyone is out on the mountain enjoying the fresh powder, cuz they certainly aren’t here! The up side of that is that I’ve been working hard on my next commissioned piece..and recording it. It will be a long video, so I’ll likely release a small segment on youtube and then refine the rest for a full lesson on katherinesarttv.tv

I got the membership software installed and the initial free videos and posts up already, now comes the hard part of recording all the videos! It takes about 9 hours of video recording to get a full hour of indepth content and lesson. At least I can do what i love while I’m recording…..Paint!

So, despite the fact that it is still January, I’ve broken the block and have been painting most of the last two days. The piece I’m working on is an 18 x 18 watercolor on canvas of a Northern New Mexico church. Painting watercolor on canvas requires many many layers so I’ve been working on it for about 30 hours already, but not altogether of course, as the layers have to dry in between application.

Speaking of which..it’s time to get back to it.

Angel Fire ArtSpace,
3469 Mountain View Blvd, Suites B2-4 Angel Fire NM
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painting in paradise!

ok, so it took me two weeks and the stress is finally beginning to melt a way. A painting (commissioned one) that I started the day after I arrived is finally ready to go (no pic here as I need to add more once it’s stretched) , a second done, (Here, “Field of Dreams”, w/c on canvas, commissioned) with some labor of love and one more awaiting a canvas at home (because I made a mess of the canvas I brought to do the painting on, and now have to re-gesso it to start over.) While I was bemoaning the fact that I’d made a mess of a canvas specially cut for this painting, I whipped out a sheet of Yupo and pulled up a Vallarta sunset from seasons past. Wham, wisp, this is what came out of it( “Nature Framed It” Watercolor on Yupo (Available) :

So now, creative juices are really beginning to flow. I slept last night (and Thank you D&J) and even though the neglected dog across the street is crying and the 2 year old in the throws of the terrible twos is screaming, the rooster is still convinced it’s 6 am when in reality is 2:30 pm and the rumble of the gas truck outside is deafening……I’m typing blissfully as my newest painting dries.

I wasn’t sure I could do it. A jumble of color and line, really almost abstract, really just a jumble of poppies. I wanted to do it without a pencil altogether and on Yupo paper.

I wanted to do it with negative painting technique, basically, which I didn’t know if I could do on Yupo. I painted in the background and then painted in all the color of the composition, then I found the flowers. It was exhilarating. Yes, it took me three days, but wow, I haven’t felt this good in months! The photo isn’t great cuz I didn’t wait till it was dry after all! but you’ll get the idea! (sorry the wet paint on YUPO paper is highly reflective!)


“It’s a Jungle Out There” still VERY wet. In this climate it will take 12-24 hours to dry. And it is BRIGHT! It overwhelms the camera, especially when it is wet (the watercolor, not the camera)!

Tonight we’ll head down to CyC and hopefully meet up with some friends. In the meantime, my outlook is looking up…where it should have been all along.

Angel Fire ArtSpace,
3469 Mountain View Blvd, Suites B2-4 Angel Fire NM