Anywhere Art Studio Ruminations

You Tube Videos of Me Teaching

2012-01-25T22:07:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhS9cwoPk7I&list=UU-YS59sihTw-3tD_1L8LfCw&index=13&feature=plcp

If you click the above link it will take you to a YouTube video I discovered of me doing 2 painting demos at the last Cloth, Paper, Scissors CREATE retreat where I taught a few workshops. I knew they had filmed me doing demos but I did not realize they were going to be on YouTube. So, if you are interested in learning how to avoid mixing muddy watercolors and how to paint with colorful grays, check out these videos and let me know what you think.

Portrait

2012-01-15T19:36:00.001-08:00

Dabbling in painting portraits for a change.

Watercolor Journaling - the Hazards of Sketching in a Bakery

2012-01-08T17:25:00.001-08:00

Thursday afternoon, Louise and I decided to paint in the local Panera Bakery. We were happy to find a place to sit right in front of the pastry display case. The afternoon sun shone on the baked goods basking them in a golden light and we began to sketch. Soon a group of women came into the bakery and stood right in front of the case to study the pastries giving us a view of their you-know-whats. We waited patiently for the ladies to decide on their treats and move on. When they finally left, we were shocked to discover that they ordered all of the scones Louise had been sketching and the tray was empty. Next week we are thinking of going to the car wash to paint...

One Hour Watercolor Journaling Workshop for journalers who have limited time.

2012-01-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

First Painting Hung in SDWCSociety Show

2012-01-06T21:10:00.001-08:00

I was so excited last week when I found out my painting had been accepted in the San Diego Watercolor Society's January show. Tonight was the show's opening and there were a lot of really wonderful paintings in the show. The theme of the show is "fresh Start" and my painting is titled "For a Fresh Start, Buy Yourself a New Dress".

Shopping in Paris Memories

2012-01-05T20:05:00.001-08:00

This afternoon I finished a small watercolor of a shop window I walked by in Paris last Fall. I changed the contents of the shop window a bit and the shop's name...

This Blog is Changing

2011-12-30T18:14:00.000-08:00

I began this blog because I wanted a way to share my thoughts about what I was painting in my studio and what I was teaching in my watercolor and drawing classes. When my teenage daughter was kind enough to devote 5 minutes of her time to help me set up this blog. I quickly named it Information from A Watercolor Nerd since that is what I sometimes thought of myself as.
Now that I have been blogging for a few years and blog reading has become a legitimate form of entertainment and education, I decided to think seriously about what this blog is all about. I think this blog should impart information on watercolor, travel painting and related topics of help and interest. Yes, shoe shopping is of interest to watercolorists, more about that later.
I designed this logo for little travel painting kits I make and give to friends and students. Anywhere Art Studio reflects my belief that if you have your art supplies portable and handy to grab you will get a lot more painting done and that may lead to being a happier person or at least it does it my case. So I encourage you to go anywhere in 2012 and do a little imperfect drawing and painting. Let me know how that works for you.

New Years Resolutions for Watercolor Artists, Creative Urgers, and Those Who Like to Make Art

2011-12-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

I really had a hard time with the title for this post because I didn't want to scare anyone off by calling them an artist, if they are not comfortable thinking of themselves as an artist. What should I call people who have the urge to paint and draw and be creative? Creative Urgers? Art Makers, Composers? Art Nerds? What are you comfortable calling yourself?
Anyway, this post is not about what to call yourself. Its about making resolutions so we can make more art that is to our liking. Hey, maybe we can call ourselves, Those who like to make art?
Here is a list of resolutions I have come up with that might enable you to happily make more art in 2012. Pick and choose from my list and add your own. Let me know what works for you. We all benefit from beautifying our world by making art, so lets put our heads together and find more ways to make art in 2012
1. I will find time to make some imperfect art several times a week. 20 minutes may be enough time.
2. I will find a class that helps me develop my skills.
3. I will try to tolerate my imperfect work and have faith it will improve if I practice.
4. I will make one new artist friend.
5. I will discover what inspires me to make art. (Like finding a website with artwork that inspires me.
6. I will gauge my progress in art making by only comparing myself with myself.
7. I will spend more time painting and less time Facebooking.
8. I will lose 12 lbs. (where did that come from?)
9. I will put away my art materials when I have finished working.
10. I will learn more about contemporary trends in art.
11. I will learn to ride a unicycle. Just wanted to see if you were still reading.
12. I will paint and draw bigger works.
13. I will remember to back away from my painting and see how it looks from a distance often.
14. I will push myself to show my work to nice people who might want to purchase it.

How to Draw and Paint Santa

2011-12-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

After deciding I wanted to draw Santa, but never actually having met him, I chose a photo of him I found on google images. When I measured Santa in order to get my drawing in correct proportion I discovered him to be shorter then the average male height of 7 1/2 to 8 head lengths. I believe Santa measured about 6 head lengths, an interesting fact for an art nerd like myself.

Anyway I decided to reduce my drawing on my copier to fit a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" Artist Trading Card or ATC. I printed out this reduced size Santa on watercolor paper and then I painted Santa with my Twinkling H20 paints. I give details about the colors I used on the Luminarte blog http://creativeimaginations.typepad.com/luminarte_paints/. They should be posted in a short while. You could paint Santa with any bright red, yellow and green watercolors you have and use your imagination to choose other colors if you want.

I was in a very crafty mood after I finished painting Santa, so I got out my deckle edge craft scissors and cut around Santa and glued him onto some red card stock. I also put some glitter around the edges of his card. If you were feeling really daring you could punch a hole in the top of this card and make it into some sort of hanging decoration to amaze your family and friends or you could flip it over and write to: and from: and turn it into a gift tag. Whatever you do, have fun and have a happy holiday.

The Not So Perfect Studio is Finished

2011-12-12T17:33:00.001-08:00

Remember when I posted about trying to organize my workspace/studio?
Finally, I feel like I have a space to work in that is welcoming to myself and any muse who might want to stop by.
I learned a lot of interesting things as I struggled to organize my office, among them the fact that artists should be educated about filing systems and supplies along with painting techniques in art schools.
Who would have guessed that you can only fit a finite amount of papers in a hanging file folder? I wondered why those hanging folders kept sinking...
The best things I learned were to sort and label my supplies and to put them back where they belong more quickly then 3 months after you use them.
The most important organizing tip I discovered is that my workspace doesn't have to be perfect, just workable and welcoming. To make my office welcoming I hung up artwork of my two talented dear friends, Nancy Holtz and Gwen Gibson + one of my paintings.

Finished Bookmark

2011-12-03T15:51:00.001-08:00

How to Create a Watercolor Holiday Gifts

2011-12-03T12:25:00.000-08:00

Around this time of year I get the itch to make some gifts with watercolor, recycled materials and whatever else I find that inspires me. I thought maybe some of you out there might want to have some step by step instructions and ready made drawings and possibly a template to make some of these simple things.

First I am including in this post some bookmark drawings that you can print out. You can print on either Strathmore 140 lb paper, with the yellow cover or any 90 lb. watercolor paper.

Once you've got the drawing printed on your watercolor paper, paint them with watercolor paint and try perhaps writing on a greeting with words on the jars and cups and pots so it reads as a sentence from left to right. I tried writing things like seasonal wishes like peace, joy and love. On my favorite bookmark I wrote, "Always have a dog, rabbit, bird or cat and you will always have love." You can see a copy of this completed bookmark in the next post. Stay tuned for more holiday do it yourself projects, I am on a roll..

More News About My Encinitas Pocket Calendar

2011-11-30T09:06:00.000-08:00

Here is the actual first page from my printed pocket size calendar (actual size 4 1/2" x 6 3/4").

One of my favorite, most organized art students told me he used 3 calendars to stay organized. He kept one in his pocket, one on his desk and one on his wall. Amazingly this calendar can be all 3 types of calendars. I am going to donate 10% from the purchase price of each calendar to

"Friends of the Encinitas Library". Contact me if you'd like one at rabjsl@pacbell.net. Calendars purchased today will be gift wrapped with artisan gift tag.

Encinitas 2012 Calendar

2011-11-29T18:49:00.000-08:00

I was encouraged to paint some landmarks around my favorite So. Ca. beach town of Encinitas and make a calendar. I just completed a month by month small calendar with paintings of 12 Encinitas landmarks. If you're interested in having a copy of my calendar to give as a holiday gift or hang in your own home email me at rabjsl@pacbell.net and I will tell you how you can obtain one. Posted here is a sample page illustrated with a painting of a Beacon's beach, a favorite local surf break.

What To Paint At The Beach

2011-11-27T12:26:00.001-08:00

Today's weather in San Diego is amazing. The only decent to do is to head to the beach and paint while my husband surfs. I grabbed my supply bag and a Moleskine watercolor journal I had stuffed in a drawer.
Sometimes I paint beach scenes when I am at the beach, but what I choose to paint depends on my mood. Today I could paint the sketch of my dog I did last winter or maybe a scene from a photo of Provence that I bought along with me to the beach.
I gave a talk on how to create more artwork by allowing yourself to paint without a definate outcome in mind.
So I have to cultivate that attitude as I paint today, I am supposed to say to myself,"something will occur in this painting". We will see how that goes....

How to Find the Funds to Paint Under the Provence Sun

2011-11-14T11:14:00.001-08:00

Are your thoughts drifting to your holiday gifts? Not the ones you are going to buy for others, but the gifts you are going to ask for? Well, don't ask for a thing, cross that Prada purse and those fluffy slippers you saw in Macys off your list.

Instead, ask your loved ones for a contribution to your upcoming Spring trip to France to paint with me. Between now and next May 3, we'll have New Years Eve and guess what, we don't need a new dress, put that money in the France fund. Also we have Valentine's Day, and really, do you want a box of candy or some roses? You can come with me and we'll find lots of roses to smell and paint in the Provence region of France in May, and some red poppy filled fields that you can paint just like Renoir did

. If you are really lucky your birthday and your anniversary may be on the calendar before our trip and you can get nothing for those holidays too.

If you happen to be a mother, here is where you might score a gift. You see, next year Mother's day falls on May 13th, and my workshop ends on May 10th. So if your kids or your husband missed you while you were away with me painting in France, they may go out and buy you a big gift. Or you can do what I do, ask if you can shop for your own Mother's Day gift in France.

Think about these ideas, they just might get you to France with me. If you do decide to come, let me know soon, because my deadline for deposits is Dec. 15th. Contact me at rabjsl@pacbell.net today and you'll be spending next Spring under the Provence sun.

Teaching Calligraphers

2011-11-13T21:48:00.001-08:00

This weekend I taught a workshop to a great group of people, the San Diego Fellow Calligraphers. Calligraphers make wonderful watercolorists because they are quite skillful with their pens and brushes and have great aesthetics as well as being hard workers. Every single person did a great job and will certainly be excellent watercolor painters. You are extremely lucky if you have a calligrapher as a friend, because they will always send you a beautiful handmade birthday card, thank you note etc. I had a very good time teaching them and feel very grateful to know some Calligraphers. The photos here are just a few of these lovely people showing and their artwork.

Painting with Anne at Swamis

2011-11-13T21:31:00.001-08:00

Not much was happening in my life since I returned from painting in France. This week has gotten more exciting. First I made some chocolate pudding and then Anne and I went to Swamis to paint. Anne has been researching the science behind watercolor paint and has put together a palette of her "perfect" paints, she is very clever and inspires me. She also makes the best palm trees with her special brush. We had a great view of the ocean from the park above Swamis beach. I haven't finished my painting yet I need one more painting session at Swamis

Saturday, Nov. 5, Watercolor Journaling Class with Me in Escondido

2011-11-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

Just in case your are free this coming Sat., Nov.5th and want to spend the morning with me learning all about the world of watercolor journaling, I have a spot open and waiting for you in my class. Its not too expensive either, $59.00 for 2 Saturdays Nov. 5 and Nov.19th from 9-12:00. I promise to teach you everything you need to know to successfully journal in watercolor with words and drawings. It's not rocket science, you can do it.

Here's the class description. Unfortunately, it didn't make it into their printed catalog, but fortunate for you because you can learn in a small, intimate group:

Learn all the simple drawing and watercoloring techniques needed to chronicle your life in pictures and words. Journaling about your daily life can reduce stress and open your eyes to the world around you. You'll learn how to journal about any topic meaningful to you, from the soup you made for dinner to your trip to Tazmania. In class we will concentrate on learning to fill one page at a time in a short amount of time using pen and ink and watercolor. Painting, drawing, page layout and more will be demonstrated in class. You will go home with a multitude of topics to continue journaling at home.

To sign up online go to:http://activenet11.active.com/venture/ or call (760) 744-1150

Teaching A Workshop in Oakland

2011-10-31T11:07:00.001-07:00

Sunday, when I arrived at my workshop 's location in Oakland I felt rather nervous when I saw a hearse parked out in front of the studio. When read the sign in the window and saw it was actually a hearse and pizza delivery vehicle I felt much better.
The workshop was organized for me my two wonderful bay area artists, Jill Russell, who makes mixed media masterpieces and teaches too, and Ann Austin, a fabulous acrylic painter. The workshop participants did really well and picked up the watercolor techniques very quickly. Our emphasis was on using as many recycled materials as we could to make an art studio small enough to be portable. We used the ubiquitous Altoid's tins, water bottle lids, Cheapjoes samples of American Journey paint and Luminart Shimmering Rain paints. As a teacher I was thrilled to see the class discover a passion for watercolor journaling.

Bay Area Workshop with Shimmering Rain Paints

2011-10-29T19:52:00.001-07:00

This Saturday I was fortunate to be teaching an awesome group of women called the California Art Girls. They are a group of mixed media artists from the San Francisco Bay area. These women have amazing talent, spirit and curiosity. They welcome learning new techniques. I showed them how they could use the Luminart shimmering rain H2O paints for their journal paintings. They produced some very good paintings and shared lots of creative ideas.

If You Want To Be Creative Get Yourself A Desk

2011-10-25T13:05:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the answer to our quest to be creative and artistic is really simpler then we think. My advice to everyone who wants to watercolor, draw or make artistic stuff is to get a desk you can call your own. Then this makes the next step much easier, pull up a chair, get a 2B Ticonderoga pencil (these are my favorites, but any pencil will do) and start scribbling. You must sit at your desk fairly often and give yourself permission to create less then perfect creations. Let me know how this works for you...

Boathouse Apartments for A Change

2011-10-24T12:06:00.001-07:00

It was fun to paint these interesting boathouse apartments that I discovered on a street near Moonlight Beach. They were built in the late 1920's from wood from an old bathhouse by Miles Minor Kellogg, an inventor and builder, who liked to use salvaged materials.

Sunday Painter

2011-10-23T20:16:00.001-07:00

Can you believe how messy my studio is? Who messed it up? Some gremlins must have snuck it and threw things around in the middle of the night.
I would like to clean it up but I am hard at work on a new project, a 2012 calendar. However, I did manage to sneak away from my Sunday painting for a walk at the beach...

Home Again and Bonding with the Family

2011-10-20T21:50:00.001-07:00

After a trip it's always nice to bond again with family members. Least you think this post has nothing to do with art, it actually sort of does. Do you notice the new color of my daughter's hair? She surprised me with her new hair color when I returned home.

The Art of Shoe Shopping

2011-10-17T08:14:00.001-07:00

As I observed the Paris fashion scene I saw many women were wearing the ballerina flats I had read about on the "Paris Breakfast Blog".
Shopping for my own pair of these flats (or anything else for that matter) is a great way to meet and chat with the local people who work in the small shops. I have discussed everything from America's elections to how to fit your jeans inside your boots without baggie wrinkles at your knees. Shoe sales people are helpful, kind and knowledgable in France. When I bought the espadrille shoes in the shop on the Mediteranian
I learned all about the Catalonia section of France, the unseasonably warm weather and about French fabrics and manufacturing.
So shoe shopping is a must for every trip and a diplomatic mission, of course.

Studio Painting After Your Trip

2011-10-16T08:52:00.001-07:00

Travel painting doesn't have to end when you arrive home. Actually, you can extend your travel painting from a specific trip for many years (recently I painted an image from a photo I took in Japan 30 years ago.)
The first thing I do when I get home from a trip is stumble down to Ritz camera and edit and print out my favorite photos of things I saw on my trip that I thought might make good subjects for paintings. I printed about 60 photos this time. The reason I print the photos ASAP is because the reasons I was inspired by these images tend to fade in a short time.
I also lay out the paintings I did during my trip on my desk and make adjustments.
Lastly I unpack my flea market treasures and try to figure out where to put them in my house and what the heck I was thinking when I bought an old suitcase filled with porcelain dolls whose legs don't bend but came with a full set of clothes and their own eyeglasses.

Back Home

2011-10-14T19:56:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that yesterday I woke up in Paris and last night I went to sleep in California.
It's hard to believe I was eating pastry in Paris yesterday and today I renewed my Weight Watchers membership, it's hard to believe I was discovering and photographing subject matter for paintings and now I am back home with a dog who is less then enthusiastic about my return. It's paradoxes like these that make life interesting.

Dream Big

2011-10-12T11:40:00.001-07:00

Today was the last day of our visit to Paris. It was my day to wander up and down the streets and day dream about my future. Maybe I will be a painter living in a Garret with a closet full of ballerina flats....it's important for everyone to let their imagination go free and dream big.

Typical Tourist Photos...

2011-10-11T10:42:00.001-07:00

So everyone has to take at least one photo of themselves in front of the Eiffel tower, so here is mine. We stopped by Sennelier, the art supply shop where I am certain Monet bought his paint. Frenchmen wearing white smocks wait on you and answer all your art supply questions. With my high school French and their beautifully accented English, I managed to purchase some wonderful ink fountain pens, then it was off to wander the streets of Paris aimlessly soaking up some artistic inspiration and a pair of shoes to bring home.

Train to Paris

2011-10-11T01:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we had a coffee at the train statin then traveled by train through the French countryside for 7 hours arriving in Paris in the early evening. To pass the time on the train I practiced my French school children's cursive handwriting. The man in the seat across from me was working on his computer. It was a cross road or carrefour (my newest French word) moment in time. We tried to have dinner in Paris at a bistro on the corner near our hotel where I had the best roast chicken and potatoes au gratin i had ever tasted last year but it was closed Mondays. So we discovered another equally amazingly French restaurant close by. It satisfied all my charming French decorating needs. I wonder if Rick will let me paint our kitchen red and hang a gold chandelier? I am definitely going to add a chalkboard to our kitchen decor and write the meal I am serving on it every night.

Lisa Malone Shares Her Paintings

2011-10-09T05:11:00.001-07:00

Lisa Malone from Memphis, Tennessee shares some of her artwork in today's post. Lisa works as a graphic designer and combines her knowledge of design with her fine art training in the beautiful paintings she did in France. Lisa mentioned that the scenery in the French countryside inspired her paintings and that she enjoyed the encouraging camaraderie of the other women in our workshop. I think she created dazzling paintings that are a joy to look at. Her excellent drawing skills and wonderful spontaneous painting technique give a sense of exuberance to her paintings. Lisa was a lovely person to have along on our trip and taught me a lot about graphic design as well as shopping and style.

Gail Ostendorf Shares Her Artwork

2011-10-08T05:45:00.001-07:00

Gail Ostendorf is a returning student to my workshops. She attended my recent workshop in Tuscany. She shares her artwork in this post. She says,"It took me a few days to get into the subject matter in France, but once I got inspired by the rhythm of the workshop I began producing artwork I am very happy with."
As a teacher I was thrilled to watch Gail's painting skills develop and to see her paintings blossom with excellent use of color and composition and her own style emerge.

French Beauty Salon Day

2011-10-07T12:34:00.001-07:00

Today 4 of us went to have our hair done by Eliane Fleury, the fabulous hairdresser who has a beauty salon in Durfort. Her shop is wonderfully decorated, French style and you relax the moment you are greeted by Elaine at the door to her salon. We all came home feeling like new women with a French flair and certainly relaxed after our shampoos and scalp massages

Day of French lingerie shopping, site seeing, food and beverages

2011-10-06T08:23:00.001-07:00

Our day began with a pleasant 25 minute drive to Castres, where we viewed the sites and purchased some souvenirs at Etam, a wonderful lingerie shop, We discovered this delicious almond and apple tart waiting for us when we arrived home. The tart was baked by Nese, the amazing chef and yogini at LaCascade. On our errands to the bank and post office we discovered a small market and felt obliged to sample the local beverages. I will give a full report on these beverages in tomorrow's post.

Lunch, Me and a Painting

2011-10-05T06:56:00.001-07:00

I always try to eat the local cuisine when I travel because I think it's a wonderful way to learn about the culture I am visiting. Yesterday I tried a plate of the local seafood at a restaurant in Collieure. I was rather surprised when the seafood arrived in front of me to find that it was all raw!
I tried to eat some of the oysters, mussels, crayfish, and something that looked like raw snails...but I later learned are called winkles.
You can see in the other photo of me taken today in the studio at LaCascade that the yesterday's lunch had no Bad effects on me, in fact I think it improved my most recent painting(posted on this page too).

Day Spent on the Mediterranean

2011-10-04T12:24:00.001-07:00

We were fortunate to have the chance to head south today and spend the day in Collieure on the Mediterranean. The water was an amazing shade of deep blue. The beach was filled with pebbles and the water was quite warm. I saw an artist painting topless!

St. Felix

2011-10-03T12:08:00.001-07:00

We painted in this town today. I love the doors and windows here

Sunday in France

2011-10-02T13:08:00.001-07:00

Today began with Cleo, our wonderful trip member from Austrailia leaving to go home. Her trip home will take 24 hours! Here is a painting from her sketchbook, she developed a great drawing and painting style in our workshop this past week.
We drove through the countryside past beautiful open fields and arrived at a very large flea market, where they sold everything from homemade cheese to 200 year old copper pots. Everyone found treasures to remind them of their trip for years to come.

Flea Market Magic

2011-10-01T07:15:00.001-07:00

I bought this candy tin at last Sunday's Vide Grenier (France's version of the neighborhood garage sale but with French odds and ends spread on tables).
I discovered the tiny dolls inside the tin after I returned home. I bought the orange pot too. I am looking forward to new discoveries tomorrow (Sunday) at the weekly Vide Grenier. I understand there is a sale in a different village every Sunday.

Painting and Profiterole

2011-09-30T14:18:00.001-07:00

I hope these photos speak for themselves

Day 6

2011-09-29T12:48:00.001-07:00

Today, we saw an amazing ruin of a Cathar fortress, visited a village known for it's book shops and bookmaking workshop, plus tasted new food and shopped a bit. I believe a good time was had by all.

Day 5

2011-09-28T10:37:00.001-07:00

You may be able to tell from the group photo that everyone seems to be relaxing and absorbing the French culture. We visited the walled city of Carcassone today and explored the castle fortress. The view of the cascade is from the window of my room.

Getting the Hang of Posting with My IPhone

2011-09-27T08:44:00.001-07:00

Least you think my posts contain many mistakes due to my consumption of French wine, please realize the mistakes are due to me learning how to blog post with my IPhone. My only over indulgence might be in the French bakeries or patisserie as they are called in France.

Day 4

2011-09-27T08:41:00.001-07:00

Painting in the local cafe, building in the town of Revel and latest fashion in French eyewear.

Visit to A Local's Cottage

2011-09-27T05:31:00.001-07:00

Today Eileen and I were fortunate to take our group to the neighbor village of Soreze to visit the authentically restored cottage which the home of Glenda Barnhart. Glenda adores cottages and makes incredible dollhouse size reproductions of them. She is a fascinating world traveler and wonderful person.

Day 3 In The Land of Shutters, Windows, Bicycles and Flea Markets

2011-09-25T05:53:00.001-07:00

This morning we went to the weekly flea market in Belesera. A good time was had by all and I learned I have some very talented shopping artists in this group of students. We drove home with a car filled with old doll clothing, vintage teapots, French country kitchen utensils and many other fabulous finds. We found lots of wonderful scenery to photograph and paint too.

More from Day 2

2011-09-24T10:25:00.001-07:00

So this afternoon we had our painting lesson on the patio. In the twilight we had a lovely chat with the artist and owner of La Cascade where she talked about her latest artwork inspired by subject matter from the French countryside

Day 2 Shopping at the farmers market

2011-09-24T05:23:00.001-07:00

Saturday there is a farmer's market in the neighboring village of Revel. We marveled at the charming architecture and forced ourselves to shop a bit.

First Day of School

2011-09-23T14:09:00.001-07:00

Today we traveled from Toulouse to the little town of Durfort where we will be hanging out enjoying the French culture and painting journal style. Cleo from Austrailian found these beautiful roses in the market and we had lunch on the sunny terrace and had our first painting lesson this afternoon. We also discovered that 6€ French champagne is very good. I think it was a very good first day

Watercolor Workshop Beginning Tomorrow

2011-09-22T14:03:00.001-07:00

Tonight I am sharpening my paintbrushes, laying out my back to school artist's smock and thinking about how to provide a successful watercolor learning experience for my 6 students coming from all over the U.S and Austraila. Even though I am not an iPhone genius (so says my teenage daughter), I will be posting photos and notes daily for those of you who want to share our experience painting in the French countryside. If you want to pinpoint our location on the map, we are in south central France and the closest city to Durfort on the map is Revel.

Watercolor Paintings on Vintage French Postcards...

2011-09-10T23:58:00.000-07:00

While wandering through old dusty bookstores and the Sunday Flea markets in France, I started buying old postcards, mostly because my friends were buying them and I liked the old fashioned handwriting on them. I really didn't have much of an idea of what to do with these postcards except look at them periodically and remind myself of the memories of my trip. Then the other day, after trying out some paintings on the pages of old books, I started looking around my studio for other interesting things to paint on. At that point, the dogs nervously left the room.

I tried copying the postcards on different types of paper and then painted some simple trees on them. It was a little tricky as the ink bled a bit but all and all I was quite pleased with how they came out and can't wait to paint some more.

Where Do You Find the Time To Paint?

2011-09-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the lights went out for several hours all over southern California and some parts of Arizona. Once the sun went down, I sat between 2 candles and a flashlight and read. I was fortunate to be home when the power went out and not stuck in a car or an elevator. I felt rather like Abe Lincoln reading by candlelight in his log cabin. Abe got a lot accomplished in his life and yesterday in the darkened house I reflected on how he did it all. I think its because he did not have a computer with access to the internet. I spend a lot of time on my computer. Do you? I am going to try in the coming weeks to catch myself, when I am kind of meandering around the internet and could be spending that same time painting. Hopefully you will see more paintings posted here soon,with all the extra time I have. Do any of you have this problem? Let me know if you have a way to create time to paint.....

Spring 2012 Workshop to Take Place in Provence

2011-09-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

Got Watercolor Wanderlust and want to go globetrotting with me? The Spring 2012 Watercolor Workshop location has been chosen based on requests from my students. Its official, we are going to the lovely region of Provence in Southern France for a workshop May 3-10, 2012. This is the area that has inspired artists for ages. Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Cezanne and Van Gogh all loved this area, so we should adore it too and find lots to paint and sketch there. We will stay in a lovely village in a restored farmhouse and paint and sketch in our own studio there as well as in their gardens. We will also take day trips and explore nearby hill top villages and market towns. We will shop for antiques and ephemera as well as local produce and linens. We will have our breakfasts and dinners prepared by a gourmet chef with local ingredients and of course if you like, you can sip local wines. The cost for one week's workshop will be $2,350.00 + your share of our groups rental car. Airfare, lunches and shoe purchases are not included in the tour price. For more info contact me at rabjsl@pacbell.net A deposit of $500. will hold your spot as this is a small group tour and spaces are limited. Ask for this trip for your holiday, mother's day, father's day and anniversary gift and start buying generic toilet paper right now so you can save the money to come along.

If You're Short on Time and You Want to Sketch, Try Carrying This Sketchbook Around....

2011-09-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

This sketchbook made by Global Art and called "The Handbook", was a gift from my husband for Mother's Day 2009. When he asked me what I wanted to do to celebrate Mother's Day that year, I think he was expecting me to name a restaurant I wanted to lunch at. Instead, I told him I wanted him to accompany me to the new art shop in town and buy me whatever I wanted. Being a nice guy, he agreed. So I picked out this sketchbook and a few pens and wondered if I would really use it often. I have a drawer filled with unfinished sketchbooks....Now, as you can see there are only a few empty pages left. Soon I will begin another. One wonders if this sketchbook has some kind of magic in its pages, but I don't think so. I think the reason I was able to complete this sketchbook was because I gave myself permission to not make every page perfect, and I liked the size and type of paper in the books. I highly recommend this sketchbook.

Here is a less then perfect watercolor of a pot of geraniums that were on the ledge of a local restaurant where we were dining. I had to get over my fear of painting in public restaurants, but that wasn't hard. The only thing I suggest is not to wipe your brush on the cloth napkins.

This page was painted last weekend at the beach when some friends and I sat down on the sand to sketch and paint. The bird in the left corner obligingly posed for me until I got his shape and colors right. So I encourage to find a small size sketchbook today and go out and make less then perfect paintings and sketches...let me know how it works for you, if you can't figure out how to comment on this blog, then email me at rabjsl@pacbell.net

Learn to Paint Chairs with Me...

2011-08-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

If you would like to copy this drawing and learn how to paint these chairs in full color, you can go to http://creativeimaginations.typepad.com/luminarte_paints/#tp and in a few days they will post my step by step directions. In the meantime you could check out the other cool projects on this blog that show you what you can do with Luminarte paints. There are 4 other step by step paintings by me already posted on this sight. Feel free to copy any of those drawings and create paintings for yourself. Let me know if you have any questions or need help at

rabjsl@pacbell.net

The Ponte Vecchio Gets Finished in San Marcos, CA

2011-08-15T22:25:00.000-07:00

I started this painting in my small sketchbook while standing in front of this famous bridge in Florence. Today, I put the finishing touches on it in California in my studio. I didn't want to mess with the painting too much, since I wanted to keep the freshness of the quickie sketch lines I did while leaning on a post looking at the bridge under the noon time Italian sun. I think this bridge makes very compelling subject matter. Before I left for Florence I read the Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone, which is the biography of Michaelangelo. Michaelangelo talked about bathing in the water under this bridge and crossing over it to get to work. If you look very closely at my picture maybe you can see him somewhere......

I Am Trying To Improve My Values....

2011-08-13T14:39:00.000-07:00

I just finished this large (15"x20") black and white painting. I used a reference photo of a hat shop in San Francisco that caught my eye on a trip there a few years ago. The reason I chose to paint in black and white and grey is that I was trying to improve my values. You need a range of values from light to dark in a painting to give it interest and depth. When I do some value sketches (usually the size of postage stamps), then do a full color painting of the same subject, my paintings are more successful. Sometimes I even prefer my black and white paintings. Right now, I am not even sure I want to go ahead and do a full color painting of this subject, I may just take a nap......................

Rock Star Treatment for Library Teachers

2011-08-08T22:54:00.000-07:00

Artists rarely get treated like rock stars. Today I went to teach a teen art class at our local library in Encinitas. The wonderful "Friends of the Library" group provides all kinds of wonderful classes that anyone in the community can attend for free.

I was fortunate to be asked to teach a class on how to draw self portraits.

This sign was put out to hold the parking spot for me in the library parking lot. It was a very good day.

All Over the Map

2011-08-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

Now that I am almost finished with my painting and cooking tomato period it is time to look to changing my website. When I began the website about 6 years ago I was just emerging from a 20 something period of illustrating children's books. I knew I loved to travel and to teach and so I thought why not combine the two?

Now a days my sketching and painting starts in my sketchbook which I carry everywhere with me. Sometimes I use my sketchbook paintings as inspiration for bigger paintings and sometimes they just remain as documents of my experiences. Sometimes I feel guilty that I am not doing tight, careful artwork anymore, but mostly I enjoy the freedom my sketchbook gives me and this is why: the sketchbook pages are small so it doesn't take a lot of time and paint to complete a painting and I can carry my sketchbook anywhere and paint anytime.

Anyone carrying around a sketchbook? What are your thoughts?

the website hasn't been changed yet so if you want to see the before, visit:

www.barbararothart.com

Important Experiments with Luminarte Paint

2011-08-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes us watercolor artists can get stuck in a rut, using our favorite paints and colors in every painting. Has this ever happened to you? One way to shake things up a bit in your painting, is to try out some new paints. The Luminarte Paint Company very generously gave me some paints to test out and I have discovered these paints are just what I have been looking for. They add a touch of shimmer and some vibrant color to my pen and ink sketches and paintings. I have been using 14 colors of Luminarte's brand of Shimmering H20 paint. If you would like to see my step by step demo paintings, which you can print out and try for yourself, visit http://creativeimaginations.typepad.com/luminarte_paints/2011/08/#tp

Feel free to ask me any questions you have about learning to incorporate these paints with your traditional watercolor paints. They will fill your hours with happy summertime time painting.

Does Art Follow Life or Tomatoes?

2011-08-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I found myself in a sea of tomatoes. It all started when I misunderstood the concept of square foot gardening. I thought I could plant every tomato plant in one foot spots in our garden box. So, I planted 15 tomato plants creating a tomato jungle in our backyard. Many people said our tomatoes would never grow in these conditions. However, currently we are harvesting around 10 lbs. of tomatoes daily. Warning: If you come to visit me you will be served tomatoes at every meal and I am getting amazingly good at making bruschetta. However, I have to make some time to paint, so yesterday I painted a small watercolor of my favorite tomatoes.

Here is the tomato jungle.

The beach near my house is proving to be another diversion from my painting time, but sometimes I do paint and sketch there.

Finding Time for Summertime Painting

2011-07-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

Do you paint every day? How do you find time to paint? How long do you paint? These are questions I am often asked. Do you have a problem making time to paint? Have any of you out there, found a way to make time to paint on a regular basis? If you have please let us know by commenting with your ideas.

I generally feel "icky" (a technical term) if I have painted in a while. Sometimes that feeling motivates me to paint.

Sometimes I paint when I see something that inspires me. The photo that inspired the painting on this blog post, was taken by my dear friend and director of logistics for my trips, Eileen Condon. This is my 3rd time painting from this photo, I just love it.

Often I am motivated to paint when I am taking a painting class that meets regularly. Sometimes I am motivated to paint because I want to enter my work in a show that has a particular theme. Sometimes I paint because I need an example to show students.

I used to believe it was best to paint first thing in the morning after my coffee when my mind and vision were fresh. The problem with this morning painting was that I often got so caught up in the painting that I was still in my pj's when it was time to pick up my child from school or when my husband got home from work.

So basically I am saying, I haven't found a perfect schedule for painting. I do know you need to have your supplies easily accessible when you have a moment to paint, and you need to paint a lot in order to be a good painter. I am open to all suggestions from you as to how to have more time to paint.

Beagles Revisited

2011-07-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

In the midst of the chaos of reorganizing my studio I cleared a spot on my desk and painted a portrait of my little rescue beagle, Ollie and entered it in a pet themed art show. The theme of the art competition is to show through your painting how much your pet is loved. It was an interesting challenge, to try to show that emotion. I painted Ollie cuddled into her favorite corner on the couch where she likes to catch some rays of sunshine.

I am Making Progress in Organizing My Studio

2011-06-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

I found this table that fits perfectly under my window on sale in an antique mall. My baskets fit under it. Some rainy day I will neatly arrange the contents in each basket.
I actually found a painting I've been working on, when I put away some of the stuff that was all over my desk.

Look! Look! A clear space on my cutting, folding, mailing etc. table.

If you are expecting anything from me in the mail, I actually was able to address and stamp some things today and found my return address labels.

Notice you can actually walk to my computer desk and not trip over anything. When my husband uses the computer to check the stock market tomorrow he will not fear for his life because he has a treacherous path of art supplies to step over.

So, I am encouraged because I can see that the time and effort I am putting in to organize my workspace is going to pay off by allowing me to spend more time painting and making things and less time looking for my things.

Can This Studio Be Organized?

2011-06-14T00:06:00.000-07:00

It is time to get down to business in my studio. I put my art supplies in shoe boxes and hid the shoe boxes in the cabinet, but that wasn't enough to make me efficient.
I stored my sketchbooks in cute baskets under my painting table but that really didn't help me clear up the mess on top of the table. I have been moved into my new studio for 6 months so I really have run out of excuses as to why I can't arrange my art supplies so I can find them and also unearth my teaching contracts to sign them and get them in the mail...

I finally took a test in the back of an organizing book and I scored off the chart for messiness. Today, I took a step toward my future as an organized artist. I consulted with Gigi Boskovich of Orgawize. She gave me a wealth of suggestions about how to store my supplies and find more workspace on my desk and she did not laugh at how messy the studio looked. Stay tuned for my progress in the studio.

So there was a cat on this window sill in Tuscany,

2011-06-08T19:01:00.000-07:00

what do you think he was doing? Just hanging out, posing for tourists? Notice the beautiful lace curtains he chose to sit in front of and conveniently he posed next to a terra cotta flower box. The cat, the shutters, the curtains, the flower box, these are all my favorite elements to paint. I guess this is what I will paint tomorrow. Sometimes when I travel so many things are going on at once, that I don't appreciate everything until I get home and look at the photos. This photo was actually taken by Robin Weindruch but she was kind enough to share it with me.

Gail Ostendorf Paints Tuscany

2011-06-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Gail Ostendorf painted this picture upon her return from Montisi. I think she captured the landscape that surrounded our villa location wonderfully. Notice her line of cypress trees leading up to the cluster of houses on the right. Those trees were really lined up the drive just like that. Also notice the nice variety of green paint mixtures Gail used for the greenery in the Tuscany landscape. She even captured the grey green colors of the olive trees. I also really like the distant grey lavender mountains that seem to fade into the distance. Her painting is lovely to hang on a wall or make a card of but most of all it is sure to bring back memories of her time spent in Tuscany. Good job! Do I sound like a proud teacher? Its because I am.....

How to Develop Your Powers of Observation and Lower Your Stress....

2011-05-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

by keeping a watercolor diary. This is what I will be teaching about June 27-29, 2011 at Idyllwild Arts. The Idyllwild Arts campus is located in the Strawberry Valley of the San Jacinto Mountains, a 2 1/2 hour drive from both L.A. and San Diego. The combination of this tranquil site and my workshop will surely help you to unwind. In my 3 day workshop, I will be concentrating specifically on keeping your diary in a Global Art Handbook Journal like you see in the picture above and teaching you all about making travel journaling easy and fun. You can do it! If you'd like to learn more about my workshop you can contact me at rabjsl@pacbell.net or check out http://www.idyllwildarts.org/ for a detailed description of my class and others and to register.

From Wreck to Retreat Location....

2011-05-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that the house, where I teach in France, called La Cascade, was restored by the artist, Gwen Gibson? Gwen happened to visit this village house in the little town of Durfort, and decided to buy it and restore it with art retreats in mind. I am amazed at the vision she had when she saw this old abandoned home. I look at the photos and see a wreck. Gwen saw nooks for afternoon sketching, cozy corners for reading, 4 comfy bedrooms with feather comforters, 4 bathrooms and an incredible 3rd floor studio, where everyone can have their own desk! You can learn about La Cascade and the surrounding area in South Central France on Gwen Gibson's blog. http://www.gwengibson.blogspot.com/ Plus you can see some of Gwen's wonderful paintings and collages too.

When I am at La Cascade teaching, I encourage my students to do simple drawings and paintings and keep them in a journal held together with binder rings. This quick painting and drawing daily allows you to record what amazes and inspires you in the French countryside. The simple journal makes you realize that your pages are not too precious and encourages you to paint without your inner critic telling you your work must be perfect. .....its worked so far.

I think if you use a very special journal, leather or feather covered with pristine pages that are bound into it, you get a bit nervous about messing up its pages with your work. So I am happy with our imperfect journal style of painting and we do bring home actual journals full of paintings.

French Flea Market Lucky Find

2011-05-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

One of the things I enjoy doing when I am in Durfort in France teaching is going to the local Sunday Flea Markets. They take place in a different local village every Sunday and you can find all kinds of wonderful things, including pastry, old French books, postcards, clock parts, vintage linens, Limoges teapots and more.....The china set in the picture above was a lucky find. It was on a table crowded with other pieces of china and as I passed by I just happened to see the set onthe back of the table top display. I was able to purchase the set at a reasonable price and then find room in my suitcase to bring it home by throwing out a lot of useless clothing, underwear and shoes, etc.

Does anyone know what the set of graduated sizes of teapots could possibly been used for?

Can You Make Some Time This Fall To.....

2011-05-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

Leisurely sketch a doorway like this,

perhaps paint a window with watercolor,

stroll by a field of sunflowers,

and spend a week here, at La Cascade in the charming village of Durfort?

If this idea makes sense to you and you would like to join my group of like minded sketchers, painters and lovers of the French countryside lifestyle, contact me at rabjsl@pacbell.net about joining my upcoming workshop, Sept. 23-30, 2011 at La Cascade.

You can learn more about the workshop and this lovely area of France at

www.gwengibson.com and at www.barbararothart.com

Let me know if you have any questions, I would love for you to join me strolling, painting, shopping and sipping wine and espresso in this beautiful area of South Central France.

Out and About in Tuscany

2011-05-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

We did do some sight seeing and touring,
and we saw some amazing architecture. Here we are studying a well in Pienza. We concluded it was built quite a long time ago.

Hard At Work

2011-05-17T20:54:00.001-07:00

Some days we worked very hard during our workshop in Tuscany. I am learning to make ravioli here from Alessandro, the best chef in Tuscany.

Here are Robin and Terrie very busy painting in the garden.

Here are Gail, Kay, Terrie, Sarah and I trying to absorb the ins and outs of making one's own pasta from scratch.

In this photo you see Joanne, Naoma, Billie, Terrie, Kay and Sarah completing their daily painting lesson. They were all very good students and always turned in their homework on time.

Sunny Morning Painting

2011-05-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

This painting was painted one morning when I saw the beautiful shadows on the ground beneath the arched patio. I did a quick sketch trying to simplify what I saw then wandered off to explore some of Tuscany. I returned to the sketch the next morning and did the painting part with the help of my students who were watching me and giving me advice. It is very fun and helpful to paint with a committee of advisers surrounding you.

I WANT YOU.....

2011-05-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

I want you to paint with me. All levels welcome, beginners thru advanced. Anyone can learn to draw and paint and record their inspirations and experiences if they want to. Drawing and Painting are not rocket science, they are skills that can be mastered with practice, like cooking or tap dancing. Sketching and Painting are relaxing and fun to do. Here I am during a cooking lesson from our chef in Tuscany. You can choose where and when you want to draw and paint with me in the near future. You have several options. I will be teaching painting, drawing, journaling, etc.at these locations;
May 18th and 19th at the CREATE retreat in Costa Mesa, Calif.-The Easiest Way to Get Started Journaling as well as Drawing and Ink Techniques for Art Journaling.
June 27, 28 and 29 at Idyllwild Center for Music and Art, Calif.-Travel Painting
Sept. 13-20 in the English Countryside and the Cotswolds
Sept. 23-30 in Durfort in the South Central Countryside at La Cascade.
Contact me at rabjsl@pacbell.net for more information on my upcoming classes

Tuscany from the Villa Backyard

2011-05-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

While sitting in the living room in the villa gazing out at the landscape through the garden these magenta flowers caught my eye. I thought it might make a good composition to draw the potted flowers and paint them brightly in the foreground and have them contrast with the faded lovely villas in the hills of Tuscany in the background...

Sketching the Ponte Vecchio

2011-05-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

This photo is the Ponte Vecchio, one the most famous landmarks of Florence. Ponte Vecchio means old bridge in Italian. This one was built in 1345 and it spans the Arno River. Jewelry shops with windows filled with shining gold jewelry line the inside of the bridge. You can cross the bridge to get to the other side of the Arno and buy yourself a ring or bracelet at the same time. Seems like a good use of one's time to me.

Anyway, I love this bridge. It is painted in faded golds, beiges, apricot and green grey colors of Tuscany and it inspires the artist in me. I had to try to paint it,while leaning over the railing on the side of the Arno. I used my pocket Global Art Sketchbook because it is lightweight, has good paper for watercolor and it fits into my pocketbook. While I was doing this painting, the nicest people from all parts of the world looked over my shoulder and said kind things about my painting. This is what I like most about traveling and painting, it opens dialogues with people who would normally past you by. Today I may attempt to finish my sketch in my home studio.

So Many Shoes So Little Time to shop.....

2011-05-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

You were expecting perhaps to see a painting or two I painted in Tuscany posted here today? Well first things, first. Roberta asked me to report on shoe shopping in Florence so being the responsible artist I am, here is the full disclosure on the shoes I bought.
The black shoes on the bottom left of this picture were an emergency necessity as the shoes I brought with me pinched my feet after walking around Florence viewing the amazing art and architecture of the city. The middle pair of shoes were bought because of peer pressure. You see these leather sneakers are the latest trend in casual footwear in Tuscany and I just had to have a pair to fit in.
The top pair of shoes are patent leather ballerina flats designed by a woman named Wilma. These were purchased with the mother's day stipend I was given to spend on a gift for myself in Italy. I actually thought of starting a new blog called 100 days of shoe shopping in Italy or A Pair of Shoes Purchased Everyday, but had difficulty coming up with an idea of how to find the money to purchase the shoes to write the blog about. Paintings and sketches to come soon, I promise...

Landscapes

2011-05-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

You might recognize this landscape. We were told it is the most photographed landscape in Tuscany.
I don't think I will ever find more inspiring landscape to paint then this one.

We see Spring time landscapes with every shade of green imaginable. Certainly, we have no excuses not to paint with this kind of scenery surrounding us. However, diversions like shoe shopping, visits to local espresso bars, devouring delicious meals made by our chef, Allessandro, and wine tasting all seem to take up our time, but we are fitting some valuable time to paint these inspirational sights.

Painting Subjects Found in Tuscany

2011-05-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

There are loads of things to paint in Tuscanylike flower pots on window sills,
shoes,

laundry hanging out to dry, preferably casting shadows on the building,

and the buildings full of age old textures in the town of Pienza,

where we ate a picnic lunch, then hurried back to the villa to paint all the wonderful sights.

Italian Workshop in Progress

2011-05-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

New Direction?

2011-04-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

Around my house there are a lot of dogs, so my possible new direction is dog landscapes.... Think about it, the possibilities are endless; dogs combined with landscapes, dog forms as landscapes in themselves, different breeds of dogs combined with different landscapes.......

What do you think about my new direction?

Purchase These Cards From Me and I Will Donate All Profits to the Salvation Army Japan Earthquake Relief Fund

2011-03-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

While trying to think of ways to raise money to help Japan, this idea came to me. I painted this watercolor in 2007 from a photo I took when I toured Japan in the 1980's. I printed it as a card and now will sell packs of 6 cards and envelopes for $5 and give all of the profits beyond my basic costs to the Salvation Army's Japan Relief Fund. In addition, if anyone is interested in purchasing the original painting I will sell it to the highest bidder and donate the money to the Salvation Army Japan fund as well. If you would like to order a set of cards for $5, or bid on my painting, please email me at rabjsl@pacbell.net and I will send you payment info. Thanks and I hope this works, because my baking skills are lousey so a bake sale is out to raise money.....

How About Painting Some French Doors and Windows With Me in France This Sept./Oct.?

2011-03-04T10:41:00.000-08:00

Would you like to join me September 23rd or Oct. 3rd in the French countryside for a week or two or painting, touring, tasting and enjoying the wonders of French life? I would love it if you could come along. Today, I am opening enrollment for this year's workshop at La Cascade, the home where we will stay. You can learn more about the workshop and location at www.gwengibson.com and on my website paint trips page at www.barbararothart.com Since La Cascade has 3 shared bedrooms and a lovely 3rd floor atelier style studio only 6- 8 students can attend each week. I just learned that the price of this workshop will increase in 2012, so if you have the dream to paint in France, why not contact me today and sign up? A $500 deposit will hold your spot. Contact me at rabjsl@pacbell.net Price for one week is $1,950 + your portion of a rental car, airfare is not included. A 2 week discounted price is available.

Watercolor Sketching Out My Front Window

2011-02-20T17:12:00.000-08:00

So, I am practicing watercolor sketching where ever I am. My feeling is that if I do these watercolor sketches as often as I can, I will make lots of mistakes, try out new ideas and generally learn more and improve my painting. On this sketchbook page, I was working on perspective and seeing values.....

Contemplating Painting a Rainbow

2011-02-20T17:02:00.000-08:00

This was what we saw out of our backyard window yesterday after a pretty fierce rain storm here in No. San Diego. I have been tinkering with sketching the landscape in watercolor. I wonder if I can figure out how to paint a rainbow? I don't think I've painted a rainbow since kindergarten. Maybe that's the problem with us adult artists, we don't paint rainbows often enough. What do you think?

I Guess They Were Selling Flowers...

2011-02-13T19:54:00.000-08:00

So, this is a painting I recently finished. The painting's inspiration came from a photo I took in a village in the Cotswolds. I have been trying out painting with a squirrel quill brush and Fabriano Artistico paper so I won't get stuck in a rut using the same old brush and same kind of paper just because I like them. This shopfront caught my eye as I walked past it and I snapped a quick photo. I guess they were selling flowers inside...

Why Do I Keep Painting Windows???

2011-02-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

My daughter asked me the other day, "Why do you keep painting windows?" I am really not sure when my obsession with painting windows began... Maybe my obsession began once I realized that the variations in windows are endless. What ever the reason is, I continue to be fascinated with windows. Here is a painting I just finished that was inspired by a photo I took in the French countryside village of Durfort. Look at the the variations in these similar windows, doesn't it fascinate you?

What Makes A Perfect Studio?

2011-01-30T11:54:00.000-08:00

So, the backyard is landscaped and the dog run is finished so now I can begin arranging my studio. I don't have a clue as to what makes the perfect studio. I just know I need to be able to find my equipment and papers and have a spot for the dogs. Oh and I would like it to be a cozy, welcoming place that I will want to rush into and get to work every morning.
As I type this post, the little dog you see in the bed has gotten frisky and is knocking my elbow as I type. I may need to refine my idea about having dogs in my studio...

Packing Again....

2010-12-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

So, remember when we loaded up the truck and moved to So Cal? Its time to move again, this time its a much shorter move to our new home. I am really excited about having a studio again. I wake up thinking about how I will organize it, how I will arrange the furniture and where I will put my multitude of art supplies. Tell me again why I need to have 10 tubes of different shades of red paint? Anyway, if anyone out there has any good studio organizing ideas, I would like to hear about them.

The only thing I have been painting lately is furniture.....

Pens From Everywhere Drawing

2010-12-08T15:25:00.000-08:00

So, I have a new idea or maybe you've already thought of it, but it's new to me.... I am fascinated with the pens that most business' have on their desks with their business name printed on them. Currently, where ever I go and see one of these pens, I ask for one. Sometimes when I am feeling rambuncious, I just assume they are there for the taking and don't ask. Anyway, then I go home or somewhere and do a drawing using the pen from the business. I always write whose pen I used on my drawing. Since I currently have a small collection of these "advertising" pens you should see some of them posted on my blog in the near future. Is this idea appealing to you? If so, why don't you try it and let me know how it goes for you.

Working in A New Way

2010-11-27T19:14:00.000-08:00

I came up with a new concept which I taught in a recent workshop. I call it P.P.P which stands for postage stamp, playing card and postcard size paintings. This is how it works: I begin with looking at my subject and then making quick pencil postage stamp size compositions. I make sure each of these little compositions has different dark, light and medium values. Then I take my favorite sketch and draw it with pen and wash in a playing card size. If I like the playing card size sketch, I then paint it postcard size in color. Sometimes I paint two or three postcard size paintings trying out different color combinations. Usually I stop at this point but if I have a post card size painting I really like, then I enlarge it to whatever wall size I feel like and paint it one more time using my postcard painting as a guide. I think I like this new method.........

Old Photo of Me from France Workshop

2010-11-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

While looking through my photos from the workshop I taught in France this year, I found another photo of me I thought you might enjoy seeing. Somehow in France during the course of a weeklong workshop one discovers new ways of looking at themselves. I must have had this particuliar photo made into a postcard to send home to my love ones.

What's Your Sign?

2010-11-08T10:47:00.000-08:00

Here I am on my recent trip to the Cotswolds. I thought it would be nice to have a picture of myself to remember this workshop. How surprized I was to discover when I saw the photo that I was seated under such an interesting sign.............

Here She Is! The Evil Teacher Who Criticized Your Artwork in 3rd Grade!

2010-10-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

We all know her name, that teacher somewhere in your past who said something critical about your artwork and you stopped painting and drawing because of her comment.

Here are some things she has been heard to say:

"Too bad your older brother/sister got all the art talent in your family."

"You really should learn to color inside the lines."

"Why are your drawings always so timid?" (okay, it was my college professor that said that).

"That's nice honey, but artists don't make any money."

"Never try to draw again."

"That doesn't look like an elephant, a skunk or a _________."

I could go on for days at what well meaning but evil art teachers have said to aspiring artists. I am not going to excuse them, but try to explain, that years ago the comments they made were due to lack of knowledge and sophistication about how we acquire art skills.

Now we know better. We know that art skills can be learned by attending a class or reading a textbook but most of all through practicing techniques.

So lets all tell that evil ghost of our old art teacher to go by-by and do what we need to do today to enjoy the process of making art.

Any of you out there, care to share a comment made to you by some critic?

The Process of Watercolor Painting An English Cottage

2010-10-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

It was a dream come true to stand with my students in front of this cottage and attempt to do a small painting of it. A wonderful unplanned event took place while we painted. A lovely English woman came out of the neighboring cottage, chatted with us, then invited us inside her home so we could experience an authentic English home.Here is the my watercolor painting done on the spot.

Here is the first painting I've done of this cottage since I have been home. It will be the first of my many attempts as I try to figure out how to paint the best cottage I can. I will be trying to simplfy the composition using the photos I took, and find the correct paint colors and arrangement of lights and darks.

I just thought I would mention here that I sometimes paint a picture many times until I get it "right". Perfect paintings don't pour out of my studio ever! I just keep trying until I achieve a painting that is as good as possible for me right now.

Journey to the English Countryside

2010-10-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Here is my first English dinner, we had our choice of 2 starters, 2 entrees and 2 desserts every night of our workshop. Wanting to understand the country and culture I was visiting I suspended my Weight Watchers, quasi-vegetarian diet. Since we were staying in Oxfordshire, the heart of farming and sheep, lamb was served.

This is The George Dorchester on Thames Hotel where we stayed. I believe it is about 500 years old. We enjoyed comfortable rooms, amazing service and we had a studio to work in too.

We had a wonderful driver, who drove us out of London to Oxfordshire, where we were staying and then took us to see some of the beautiful sights in the Cotswolds. Everyone agreed we were grateful not to have to drive on the opposite side of the road while we were on vacation.

If you peek between these houses, you can see a windmill, that was built especially for the filming of Chitti Chitti Bang Bang........does anyone recognize it?

Why I Went to London

2010-10-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

My Watercolour Workshop in the English countryside, began with a few days spent in London to meet some of the locals.
I spent some quality time looking for a butter knife a dear friend wanted from the antique stalls on Portobello Road. I think a few dozen other people were shopping for a butter knife as well.

I found some wonderful shadows and windows to photograph near my hotel on Prince's Square. I will be busy all winter painting from my photos.

Just in case you don't believe I went to London, I took this shot of a London phone booth around the corner from my hotel. Now that I am home again with a pile of dishes waiting for me in the sink, it is nice to have remind myself also that I actually was walking around in the London fog last week. I find these reminders useful to pull me out of post trip minor depression.

Since I do have a "slight" interest in shoe shopping, I thought you might like to see some shoe trends I observed in a shop window on Portobello Road.

Learned and Saw Many New Things While Traveling

2010-10-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

I returned home from Europe last night and quickly am posting a travel picture of myself here. As you can see from this photo I am trying out a new mode of tube travel. The gentlemen in the picture were awfully helpful. As soon as I am over my jetlag I will post more information about the current state of watercolouring in the English countryside and Paris.