Chuck's flowers

Hi everybody, it's been a while since I've posted on here. We've been crazy busy with the holidays, I'm sure you all know what it's like. Now that Christmas is done maybe our classes can start getting back to normal. Today we had a fun group, we got some painting done, had a few laughs and Chuck finished his piece. It's so gorgeous I just had to post it here! These flowers were done in colored pencil on Canson paper. The color in the photo is actually a little cooler than the piece really is. The paper is a soft yellow and the flowers have more magenta in them. I tried adjusting the color but just couldn't get it where I wanted it. (I just took it this morning with my little camera and I'm not home where I can really color correct). Anyway.... you can still see how beautifully he painted it. He's developed a hard edge, graphic style that I really like.

One of the real joys of teaching these art classes is seeing the students develop over the years. It's an interested process to watch. Like the rest of us who paint, they go through the struggles of finding a voice, figuring out how to speak in that voice, learn and build the skills they need to say something and then one day it all comes together. A beautiful painting is born.

I hope you're enjoying the holidays and I wish you peace and creativity for the new year!
Carlynne

Where Were You on Wednesday?

We were at the Appleton Museum in Ocala on Wednesday of last week. We were invited to give a demonstration to the Ocala Art Group (OAG) and we received a very nice response. This photo collage was put together by Ray Jowers who played paparazzi that day.

They served us a really good lunch in the Museum Cafe and as Carlynne already mentioned, it was really fun visiting with our friends Nancy, Julie and Maggie. We don't have lunch with friends nearly often enough.

Then we talked to the goup for about an hour and a half and demonstrated ways to combine colored pencil with other media. We also took questions and sold and signed quite a few of our books. All in all it was a very good day. Thank you OAG for inviting us and Ray for taking care of all arrangements.

Peace and love to you all, especially at this time of year,
Kelli

Signature Showcase

Well, the demo at the Appleton Museum for the Ocala Art Group went very well. We had a nice turn out, enjoyed lunch with friends, did our thing and sold some books. Sometime soon Kelli will be posting a photo or 2 from that day. For right now though I want to show you this.......

I got my copy of the Signature Showcase book yesterday and it's beautiful! And, I'm in it!

Hard to believe it's been 20 years since the beginning of CPSA and the letter that Vera Curnow wrote to the Artist's Magazine wondering if there were other colored pencil artist's out there. The book features work by 177 Signature members. To become a Signature member you have to be accepted to the CPSA International Exhibition 3 times within a 10 year period. Like the Best of Colored Pencil series, all the work in the book is 100% colored pencil but with this one you get to read a little something from each artist. I've been lucky enough to go to some of the conventions and meet people who are included in this book. Every time I open it and see their work I think of them and the time we had at the shows or FL chapter meetings.

The book is a limited edition so don't wait too long if you want your own copy. To order one go to this page. BTW.... the art on the cover is by the very talented Bonnie Auten.

PS: When you get your copy make sure you find page 59. :)

Peace,

Carlynne

Here are two more pieces that I pulled out yesterday. These are watercolor and colored pencil on hot press watercolor paper. I haven't worked on paper in a while. I love the feel of it, the way the water flows and mingles, the way the pencil works on top..... oh, I'm feeling the urge. It may be time to get out my pile of paper and start playing.

Hope you're having a good Monday.

Peace,

Carlynne

Brick by Brick

Could you tell I've been kind of scarce around here lately? The creative juices just haven't been flowing. I seem to have figured out the cycle though. Apparently I paint like crazy, produce a lot of work and then suddenly stop. The brick wall is there, I hit it and no matter how I try or what I do, it's not moving. The best thing to do is wait it out and focus on other things.

So, I've been focusing on research and today getting ready for the demo that Kelli and I are doing for the Ocala Art Group on Wednesday. In the process of looking for work to take with me I came across some pieces I really enjoyed doing. These 2 are obviously the same landscape but done with different palettes and on slightly different surfaces. Both are colored pencil on paper. I think you can tell in the photo there's more texture in the top version - I gessoed the paper first. In the bottom version I wanted some texture in the trees so did some scraping on the pencil point with an knife blade and then pressed the shavings down into the surface to make them stick. Give this a try sometime - paint the same scene multiple times and see what you can do to give them their own personality.

I think the wall is starting to shift......