Yes, once again.....

it's been a while since posting here. I tend to hang out more on our studio Facebook page where I share info about our upcoming Painting Parties, pics of students doing their thing, projects I'm doing at the studio and just general artsy stuff.

What got me thinking about the blog this morning? Maybe I should say who got me thinking - Alyson Stanfield did a 2-part post recently on artists and galleries and I wanted to share it here. Part one is about the upside of artists working with galleries. How can galleries help you further your career? Part two is about the downside of artists working with galleries and the red flags you should be aware of before approaching a gallery. And.... the percentage they get from sales is WHAT? Be sure to check out both the links below.

Why Artists Should Embrace Galleries

Why Artists Should Avoid Gallery Representation

Sunrise

This is the project for the upcoming Friday Night Painting Party. We will be working in acrylic on a canvas that I'll prepare with a texture done with Super Heavy Body Gesso. We only have room for 12 party goers and 6 of those seats are taken already so if you're interested in joining us, let us know ASAP. The party starts at 7pm on July 26th. The cost is $50 and we provide absolutely everything you need to start and finish your painting that evening. Just bring yourself and whatever you want to drink - yes, you can bring wine.

Some happy faces from past parties.......

Now go to your studio and paint something.

Peace,

Carlynne

Some catching up to do

I've been so caught up in posting to our Facebook page that I haven't posted here in a while. Spend a lot of time on Facebook?! Really? Anyone else relate? So if you do relate click on that link and check us out there. You might even "Like" us. :) So here are the last two Friday Night Painting Party groups. They did an incredible job, as always!

This is the piece we're doing for this months party coming up on Friday. It's called Prairie Path and it's from a photo I took up in Paynes Prairie. My husband and I decided to explore the hiking trails on that trip. We didn't realize how late it had gotten or how far we had walked. The next thing we know it's getting to be dusk and we were pretty far from the visitor center. Thankfully hubby has a good sense of direction so we made it back without a problem. If it were just me, someone would have to send out a search party. I'd end up sleeping under a pine tree with the lizards and snakes and who knows what else is out there. Since I lived to tell the tale, I had to paint the scenery. Let me know ASAP if you want to paint it along with me. There are a few seats still available but the time is short. Send an email to hershbergerhuff@hotmail.com

Peace and creativity,
Carlynne

Painting with Paper

Last month at our Friday Night Painting Party we had fun painting palms trees.

 Have you ever used scissors and glue? This month learn how to turn this......

into this.

 We're painting with paper. If you can scrapbook, you can collage.

 Yes, there are still a couple of openings so get your info to us ASAP if you want to join us Friday night. Comment here or shoot us an email at hershbergerhuff@hotmail.com

It's July. It's HOT! We need to walk down a cool, shady path. This is the painting we're doing in the July Friday Night Painting Party.

Some of you might be thinking.... this looks complicated. No worries. I'll have it broken down for you, step by step. By the time I'm done with you, you'll take home a lovely 12x12 acrylic landscape that you painted yourself - really. It's called Shadow Path and there are already 7 people on the list for this one (the limit is 12) so don't wait too long to register. The cost is $50 and all supplies, tools and materials are provided. Once you're paid and registered, all you have to do is bring your cheerful self and whatever you want to drink. Yes, wine and beer allowed. The party is on July 27th and starts at 7pm. We finish around 10. Comment here or send us an email if you want more info, hershbergerhuff@hotmail.com


Stay cool,
Carlynne

Painting Time

A Walk in the Park

16x16

acrylic

In between prepping for Friday Night Painting Parties I get to do some painting. I've been loving the landscapes lately and this is the latest from the easel. Up until now I've painted all the landscapes on a canvas toned with red or orange paint. I love the way the greens pop when combined with their compliment. But.... the weather is getting hot and I'm feeling the need to bring some cool colors into the palette. I felt like painting something cool and soothing.

The photo I worked from is one I took on a trip that Kelli and I took to Hontoon State Park a few years ago. We did a weekend getaway and spent an entire day wandering the island. Some areas were like this - cool shadows, bits of sunlight bouncing off the vegetation here and there. Other areas were - how should I put this - we were afraid if we didn't get off the island soon a park ranger was going to find our bleached bones scattered among the palm fronds. Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much. 

Calloway Garden

12x12

acrylic

This one does have the red underpainting. I did this one from a photo that my mother took in Calloway Gardens in Georgia. I just loved the way the azaleas grew so thick in and among the trees. I hadn't done this type of floral landscape before so I thought it would be fun challenge.

I hope you're all doing something creative.

Peace,

Carlynne

Another fun night!

Last Friday was our Friday Night Painting Party and it was a full house again! The more the merrier is so true. We have a lot of fun in these mini workshops.

Lots of concentration going on here. They were applying gold leaf to the sky. You should have seen the room when the workshop was over. It's amazing how that stuff flies around. I think I vacuumed for a solid hour on Saturday :) 

 From this angle you can see the shine of gold on some of the canvases.

A couple of our folks had to leave a little early so they escaped the group shot but here are the rest of our painters. I love it! Every piece is different and lovely. I can't wait to see what May's workshop pieces will look like. Soon I'll post the piece we're doing next time. We'll be working with tissue paper for texture on the next piece.

Peace and creativity,

Carlynne

I confess.....

I've been a total slacker about posting here. I've had photos to show you but instead I've been doing things like getting tax info ready for the CPA. What a drudge when that kind of stuff interferes with the real reasons for being - family, friends and art.

So to get you caught up I'll start with the last Friday Night Painting Party.

We had a completely full house that night. Here are a few of the gang working on their bearded iris painting with the gold background.

Kelli's making the rounds and probably looking for the burnt sienna paint again. Every time someone needed some more of that color the tube just disappeared.

And here we have our smiling students with their finished pieces - all the girls and Warren, brave soul that he is, daring to spend a Friday evening in what's known affectionately by some as the estrogen pit. I was thrilled with the results everyone had with their paintings! It's very exciting to see one image transform into so many different styles, to see the hand of each artist appear on the canvas.

Marshland

12x12

acrylic and gold leaf on canvas

Marshland is the next painting that we're doing in the Friday Night Painting Party coming up on April 27th. This one was hanging in the studio during the party and Warren asked if we could do it in a workshop. (I guess he's willing to dive into the pit again.) We're already getting registrations in so if you're interested in doing this one let us know ASAP - we're limited to 12 students in the party. The class cost is 50.00 and we provide all the materials for your painting. In this one we'll be doing gold leaf in the sky and water. It'll be messy and fun. Comment or send an email if you'd like more info - hershbergerhuff@hotmail.com 

Peace,

Carlynne

Party Pics

Aren't they pretty? They don't even have paint on them and they're so colorful. We had just gotten done with the workshop, washed the brushes, laid them out to dry and they looked so good to me I couldn't resist taking a photo.

Busy students working on their paintings.....

they look so serious. Don't be fooled....

Many laughs later here they are with their finished works. I really love doing these classes where everyone is doing the same piece. When the work is done I get to see the personality of each person come through in the work. Everyone did such a great job!

Thanks for the fun everybody, I'm looking forward to next month's party!

Carlynne

Back in the studio

I'm getting back in the swing of things. Hubby is recovering well from his surgery so I'm not needed as much as I was before. He's determined to get his own breakfast so I guess I'll let him and go spend some time in the studio. It's time to get back to the art stuff. 

Above you can see my prep work for the February Friday Night Painting Party. All the previous painting parties have been paintings on canvas so I wanted to do something different next month. I'll be showing you how to do an altered book. If you're not familiar, it's an art form where you take an existing book and transform it into a different work of art. We'll be exploring painting techniques and collage elements.

Here's the painting we'll be doing THIS month on the 27th. We'll be working in acrylic on an 11x14 canvas. There are a few seats left so if you're interested be sure to let us know SOON! 

This morning I was prepping canvases for the next Painting Party and some for me too. 

Golden Hour

12x12

Here's the landscape I finished yesterday. As soon as the red canvases above are dry I can start on the next one. I'm loving the idea of a series of these that are just sky and branches.

Hope to see you soon,

Carlynne

Original ideas for original gifts

Christmas is almost here so this is the last week to shop! Today through Thursday will be your last chance to pick up truly original and artsy gifts for the holidays. Stop in and see trees, flowers, beaches, necklaces and more. Gift certificates are available too. We're open Monday through Thursday 11-3. 1735 NE Jacksonville Rd in Ocala.

I hope your Thanksgiving day was full of love and good food. Kelli and I both had a wonderful time with our families. Now the shopping season begins. I'm not out there battling the crowds and traffic, I'm here at home, nice and cozy, sitting at my computer and talking to you. I've never done the "black Friday camping outside in the wee hours, standing in line" thing. Maybe I'm missing out on a lot of fun but for right now this is exactly where I want to be and what I wanted to tell you is that everything in our Etsy shop is 30% OFF today through Monday. All you have to do is use the coupon code HOLIDAYDEALS to get the discount. There's a variety of one of a kind items so poke around and see what you can find. Happy shopping, where ever you are :)

Last Night

Last night was our second Friday Night Painting Party - good times :)

 We did a gold leaf sky landscape painting. Here we're getting the studio ready. Yes, it's a little weird to have a life size horse in the middle of a workshop but no one seemed to mind. Anyway, we prepped the canvases by painting them magenta and drawing in the tree line. If we expected people to paint a landscape in 3 hours we figured we'd better give them at least a bit of a head start.

 Playing with gold.

 Looking so good.....

Everybody's smiling - our job is done.

What I love about doing this kind of class is seeing the same painting done so many different ways. Every painter puts their own hand into the subject. Now if I had remembered to take pictures of the finished pieces I could have shown you that but we were having such a good time I forgot to pick up the camera again. Maybe  at the next one I'll get a line up of finished paintings.

Hope you're having a good weekend,
Carlynne

Artist Date

Homasassa Springs on the west coast of Florida is a wonderful place to see and photograph manatees, birds and other Florida wildlife.

We were there last Saturday and like to go about once a year. If you are like me, you get really busy with life and start to forget the really fabulous things here in Florida. I have lived in Michigan, Tennessee and Florida and visited many other states, and I can say with authority that this entire country is a smorgasbord of wonderful things to see.

Places like this are a perfect Artists Date and as we artists know, those are necessary. Have fun exploring.

Peace and love,

Kelli

Stuff......

......that's undone - story of my life I guess but I see that as a good thing. It means I started something. In this case it's many somethings. Many projects are underway. Little pieces with papers collaged and texture gels added are waiting patiently for paint. These are heading for the Etsy shop when finished.

This is a bigger one - 48x36 oil on canvas. It's part of the series on adoption.

The next one in the gold sky series is also underway.

I hadn't done one of these larger textured abstracts in a while so I was in need. I have it started and I have no idea what I'm doing with it next but that's the fun of doing it.

TA DA! Something done! This one is for a special project that I'll be announcing later. This is colored pencil with mineral spirits on cold press illustration board. So, I'll keep you posted on how all these projects end up.

Go and be creative!

Carlynne