New Landscape

A Chorus Line

(2 views of the same painting)

Acrylic and Texture Mediums on canvas

12X24

Hi All,

Back again. I wanted to show you the next piece in the textured landscape series. This is called a Chorus Line for obvious reasons, (I hope). I love the texture, which is not so easy for you to see, but I think you can get the idea. This is super heavy acrylic gesso on canvas with Interactive acrylic paint. It is not completely done, I am going to add more yellow and do a few other things to it.

The thing is that I don't know where I am going with this series yet. I like the color and the textures in both of the first two paintings, but am not entirely happy with the hard edges yet. I have ideas for working with that part and making some changes, but not on this piece. My plan is to soften the edges and make the whole feel a little less sharp in future works, if that makes sense. (Don't you think it's hard to put the visual language into words?) I guess that is one more thing which points up the difference between the left brain and right brain.

Now, I want you to tell Carlynne that I was working while she was gone. OK? Any questions?

I have a new favorite quote:

"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work."

Stephen King

Peace in 2008

While the Cats Away, the Mice Will Paint

Hi All,

Carlynne may not have mentioned that she would be in Las Vegas this week. You know what that means, don't you? Yes, the blog is mine, all mine, wa-ha-ha-ah-HA-HA!!! Sorry, got a little carried away for a moment there. I am not used to such power and it went straight to my head. I better get myself together or she won't think I can handle responsibility.

Now what should we do while she's gone? We could just play games and tell jokes, but I know you, you'd tell her and then I'd be in trouble. Well, I'll give this some serious thought and get back to you tomorrow. Same time and place, OK? Remember this is just between you and me, understand?

Peace in 2008
Kelli

In Progress

Blue Coast
24x36

Hi folks,

Well I wish I also had some pictures to share from last night at the gallery with Bobby Goldsboro and Mel Tillis but I didn't take my camera! Bobby's work will be hanging for the next month and tonight is the opening reception so if you're in the area get down there and enjoy.

The painting I posted above is still on the easel but I thought I'd share anyway. I'll post it again when it's done. This is from a photo I took on the gulf coast. I played with it a bit in photoshop before printing it out for a reference. If you remember the last post I did - that piece had some extreme texture on it. (It's not done yet either, I have to work on more than one thing at a time.) Anyway, I thought I'd be different this time and leave the canvas smooth and I'm using Interactive Acrylic - love the stuff!

The canvas I'm doing this painting on was given to me for Christmas. I just thought I'd share what was stapled to the back of it...

"This canvas was a gift. I can paint on it and then hang it in my home, give it away or throw it in the road and let the traffic run over it. I don't have to worry about selling it because it was free! I will paint like I am retired."

Peace,
Carlynne

A Fun Time

Hi Everyone,

We had a really good time last night in Orlando at the Gallery at Avalon Island. The staff at Red Swan, (the art supply store, where we teach, work and hang out) received an invitation to the private party to celebrate the opening of an exhibition of the artwork of Bobby Goldsboro. Yes, THAT Bobby Goldsboro ("Honey" and "Watching Scotty Grow.") And yes, I did say the private party.

The photos include Bobby Goldsboro and Mel Tillis (yes THAT Mel Tillis, country singer, actor, etc.) and they are both very nice people. We were thrilled to be included and had a wonderful time. Bobby and Mel are both painters and come into Red Swan for art supplies and framing.

The gallery is in the old downtown and is very nice. The artwork was surprisingly good for someone who just took up painting two years ago and has worked without lessons. Lynne and I both went with two of our students, Gisela and Nancy. One of the photos shows Nancy getting an autograph from Bobby. (Notice we're on a first name basis.) It was a fun girls/artist night out and we decided we need to get out of town more often.

Peace and creativity in 2008

Kelli

What's Going On?

Hi Everyone,





What's going on in your world? We are still trying to figure out what is most important to spend our time on this year. We need to paint, market the work, teach classes and workshops, and write the book. It seems like a lot, and I for one, feel overwhelmed most of the time. However, I am learning to focus a little better and the truth is, when I am in the studio painting, I don't think or care about anything else.





Here is a list of the worskshops we have planned for 2008:





May 17, 18 in Rising Sun, Indiana Mixed Media-Not Just Another Colored Pencil Class


(Colored Pencil combined with various media)





June 20, 21, in Ocala, FL Mixed Media Lab (based on our book Creative Colored Pencil


Workshop Colored Pencil combined with various media)





July 31, August 1, in Seattle , Washington The Unconventional Portrait (do a unique self-portrait taught by Carlynne Hershberger)





August 29, 3o in Ocala, FL Interactive Texture Lab (Interactive acrylics combined with

acrylic texture mediums)





November 7, 8 in Ocala, FL Printmaking Lab (Printmaking at home without a press)



For additional informaton on any of these events, please email us at hershbergerhuff@hotamail.com. We'd love to have you attend.



Peace in 2008.

Kelli

New Texture

Hi everyone,

This is the first layer of a new canvas. How I wish you could run your hand across it! I get such a kick out of this kind of thing. What you're seeing here is a combination of Cheap Joe's gesso which is nice and thick and holds the knife strokes, tissue paper and those wonderful little circles - spheres actually - are itsy BEAD sies. Have you seen these at the craft stores? When I discovered them I had to buy a couple of bags. I didn't know what I would do with them at the time but I figured if I had them on hand I'd come up with something. They're made out of styrofoam so they're light as air.

The first thing I did was apply some acrylic gel medium to the canvas where I wanted the beads to stick. Then I threw them, yes, I said threw. If you don't throw with some force behind it you'll never get them off your hands. These little things stick to everything! Throwing them also gave them a nice random pattern. Then I glued some crumpled tissue paper on top of some of them (I left a few of them uncovered) and squished it around with more gel medium. Fun. My last step was using a palette knife to spread gesso around the canvas overlapping the tissue and beads here and there. Now all I have left to do is figure out what to do next.

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions." - Albert Einstein

Peace,
Carlynne

Checking In

Hi All,

I am almost done with the first painting in this series. Actually I thought I was done and Carlynne told me I was not. (I have learned to pay attention when she tells me something.) The funny thing is that I am much more likely to overwork a painting than to leave it unfinished.

When I start a new series, I never know how it is going to work out. I have a vision in my mind but sometimes it goes in another direction. What I know for sure is that the texture is the most important element for me. That means that I have to use the paint in a way that makes it show to best advantage. The simplest thing can take much experimentation. The biggest struggle for me in this series is whether it should be hard edged or soft or both. I have decided I won't know until I get a few more paintings done.

I hope there is creativity in your life. Look at artwork, listen to music and make something.

World Peace in 2008

Update on New Work

Here is the latest version of the new painting. I don't know if I am going in the right direction, but everyone I've asked tells me I am. It's new, so I am not feeling it yet. You know how you get excited about starting not just a new painting, but a new technique and then at some point you stop and ask yourself, is it good, or is it crap? It's very difficult to be objective about your own work.

Peace in 2008
Kelli