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

Save the Date

We all had such a good time at the Painting Party/Workshop in June that we are doing it again in July! Save the date-July 29 from 7-10 PM at Hershberger & Huff Studios, we will be painting an abstract textured beach piece similar to the one above. And yes, it's a party, BYOB (drink and paint responsibly) and we will have food and fun and instruction. You will leave with a piece of artwork that evokes memories of the beach, studio wrapped, no need for framing. Bonus discount on merchandise for attendees!

Space is limited and the first Party/Workshop was sold out, so get your reservations in by July 22. Hope to see you there.

Peace and love,

Kelli

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

What's 24X24 And Purple?

What IS 24X24 and purple all over? A 24 by 24 gallery wrapped canvas with purple acrylic on it, of course! Actually it's really even more purple than the photo shows. It has mostly purple with some blue and this shows more blue.

What is it going to be? I'm not telling. You're going to have to watch this blog to find out.

Peace and Love to all,

Kelli

A Walk in The Forest

I have been staring at canvases and dabbing paint on them and then not being happy, painting over whatever I did. I am just not feeling the paint right now. Sometimes that makes me a little panicked, but always disappointed and unhappy. However, there are many ways to be creative and when the well is dry, it's time to fill it with an artists date. So, my husband Greg and I went for a drive into the National Forest and took photos.

We really liked the color in the thistle flowers. (Yes, I know it's a weed, but Nature makes no distinction, all plants and animals welcome.) The bright purples are the ones in full bloom and then they lose color and become paler as the bloom fades and dies. I like both. I will share more of these photos when I have a chance to look at all of them. Perhaps this will inspire me or you to do something creative.

Peace and Creativity,

Kelli

I love seeing what other people do

The fact that I love texture is not exactly breaking news so of course when I find an artist that loves it like I do I get excited about it. When I got my newsletter from Artsy Shark this morning I just had to share. Bobbi Mastrangelo does some of the most intriguing work with handmade paper and metal. I just want to run my hands over all of these pieces. Poke around on her site and look at what she's doing.

Happy Sunday to you and Happy Birthday to my daughter Liz!
Peace,
Carlynne

Movies, guppy babies and string gel

It's been a great Saturday! It started off with Amazing Hubby not having to go to work this morning so we watched a movie and had breakfast in bed - fabulous omelets made by Amazing Hubby. We watched The Time Travelers Wife - good flick.

Then..... we watched fish. We just got this tank set up so we've been having a good time with it, it's very meditative. There was a momma guppy about to pop so she got put in the birthing tank and there she went dropping the babies. I do have to say it's a little creepy to see a creature give birth and immediately turn around and gobble the baby up. ewwww. I think she ate 6 or 7 of them and we might have 20 survivors. Maybe when they're bigger I can get a photo of them.

Then..... it was off to the studio. I just get so excited by textures! This is what I was playing with today - string gel, acrylic and foam squares for stamping. I'm definitely going to have to experiment a little more with this technique. Oh, made some progress on a painting commission and walked a couple of miles too. Yay for productivity!

Now..... it's time for another movie, Blind Side. I've heard it's very good. I hope ya'll are having a nice peaceful evening.

Carlynne

Mindfulness

Hi All,

Recently I realized that whenever I am doing something, I am not really there. You know, I'll be washing my hair and thinking about what I need to take with me to class, (is my hair washed and rinsed or did I just wet it?) Eating breakfast I am thinking about the new student we will have and what she might be wanting to do today, (where is my egg? did I already eat all that? I've only been sitting here for 5 minutes. Sorry I missed it. Maybe I should have another one.) In bed at night I am thinking about whether I will get my taxes done on time this year, (I wonder if I remembered to list that receipt, I wonder where I put it. No wonder I am so tired during the day.)

So, I have recently been trying to bring myself back to the present moment and be mindful of what I am doing in any given moment. Now that spring is here, I am noticing the flowers as I drive around town. (I know what you are thinking, shouldn't she be mindful of DRIVING while she's driving?) But these are right at my front door, so no humans were injured in the writing of this post.

Enjoy and don't forget to stop and smell the azaleas. (I am really glad spell check has azaleas because I didn't feel like looking it up and yet I know that I could possibly be an example to a young person out there and should not spell it wrong.) And if you have time, join us in downtown Ocala, FL on the square for First Friday Art Walk.

Peace and love,

Kelli

Sand and Water

Sand and Water #1

Acrylic on Canvas

12"X12"

Hi All,

Here is a new piece in the beach series. I am using a new name for the next phase of the series, it will now be Sand and Water. I like the color and values on this one but do not know what else I will do with it yet. As always, your comments are welcome.

This coming Friday is our next First Friday Art Walk in Ocala, FL if you are anywhere near the area.

Peace and Love to you all,

Kelli

Wednesday night.....

You've seen these canvases before but they didn't have as many layers of paint on them. When I walked in the studio tonight nothing was coming to me. I was feeling very ....... blank....... It happens. Just wasn't feelin' it. I sat and stared. I sat and stewed. I decided the thing to do is to just pick up a brush and sling some paint and where it takes me, it takes me. Sometimes that's what you have to do to get past a block. It may not even be a block but just a ...... blank...... spot in the brain. When that happens it's time to let the hands just take over. Let the tactile quality of the materials work on you and not think so much. Let intuition take over, so far that feels better........ I'll be back in the studio again tomorrow, we'll see how it feels then.

Hope you're having a good night,

Peace,

Carlynne

I'm feelin' it

I absolutely LOVE textures. Anyone that knows me knows that I can't keep my hands off of a cool looking textured surface. From the time I was a little girl I was fascinated with textures in nature - tree bark, veining in leaves, bird tracks in the snow (I didn't always live in Florida), the fuzz on new spring leaf buds, the indentations of raindrops in dirt, the bubbles of tar on the side of the road in the summer.

Of course the natural progression of things is that I would end up incorporating texture into my paintings. I play with textured papers, pastes and gels, sand, glass beads and rocks. There's nothing I love more in the studio than watching the fluid acrylic paint seep into the crevices of crackle paste and puddle around the bumps of glass beads. The nuances of color as it concentrates into a smooth valley or gets absorbed into a soft paper surface is just plain exciting! Call me weird.... I don't care!

So..... for the people out there like me, Kelli and I will be teaching a workshop on playing with these textures. Since the texture gels and pastes usually take overnight to dry we're going to prepare some panels ahead of time and then focus on what to do with paint and collage elements to enhance the textures and make them sing. The workshop will be in Ocala at Red Swan Paint & Art on Sunday March 21st from 1-5. Give us a holler if you want more info and contact us soon before the class fills up. mailto:andhershbergerhuff@hotmail.com

Now go touch something and feel the texture - you don't have to tell me what it is. :D

Peace,

Carlynne

First First Friday

We had a good time last night on Broadway in downtown Ocala, for our very first First Friday Art Walk. We had friends, family, students and brand new friends stop in to see us and the people at Bakers and Cooks. We sold some work and signed up a student for the upcoming workshop on March 21.

Our host, Marie, was so gracious, even giving us luscious chocolate cake. (In case you didn't know, Carlynne and I will do anything for chocolate.) Thank you Marie and everyone who stopped in to support us.

I have decided that taking one of the cooking classes or demos would be a wonderful way to relax and have fun. They have well known chefs from around the world visit their fabulous kitchen to teach. I think this would be a wonderful artist date and I believe that Julia Cameron would approve.

Peace, love and creativity,

Kelli

Remember This?

Remember this piece of slate with it's lovely textures and shape? I took photos of it before I did anything at all to it and now I have added a little more texture and some burnt sienna. (I really had no choice, it just cried out for burnt sienna.)

This is a close up of what it looks like now, I loooooooooooooooove the textures and color. HOWEVER, where do I go from here???? Heeeeeeeeeeelp meeeeeeee, pleeeeeeeeese.

Oh, and don't' forget, we will be at Bakers and Cooks this evening from 6-8 for the monthly First Friday Art Walk in downtown Ocala, FL. Be there, just off the square!

Peace and love,

Kelli

Lucky Us

Guess where we will be hanging out this Friday? Bakers and Cooks in downtown Ocala, FL. This Friday, March 5 is the First Friday Art Walk from 6-8 and we have a fun place to spend our two hours. Above is the exterior view of the store.

This is an interior view of the store and just a few of the lovely items they sell. I don't know about you, but I love kitchen gadgets and they have the best selection in our area. And we have been promised some good things to eat, yum, yum.

We will be offering special prices on some of the work you have seen on our Etsy shop and on the blog. So, if you are anywhere near our area this Friday, stop in and say hi to us and to everyone at Bakers and Cooks.

Peace and Love,

Kelli

Hubcap name game part 2

Name this......

and win this
Passage 70
5x5
Mixed Media

Just so you remember, the top photo is the flip side of the hubcap. If your name suggestion wins you get this original acrylic abstract painting. 2 sides, 2 winners, 2 prizes. If one person wins the name for both sides, that person gets both prizes!
The deadline is this Friday, March 5th at 5pm. There's some great entries so far. I should have you guys name all my paintings, Keep 'em coming, keep entering! Wow, such creativity! I love it.

Peace,
Carlynne

Life's a Beach

Tide Pools #63

Hey Peeps,

We will be at the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Ocala, FL on the square this Friday from 6-8. We are setting up at Bakers and Cooks, one of our favorite stores. The name says it all. Come and visit us and the store. We would love to meet some of our friends out there in netland.

This is an 8X8 inch beach piece on canvas board. It's available for sale on Etsy. I guess I still haven't got the beach out of my system. The good news is that the next few beach pieces are going in a new direction. I will update soon.

If you can't get to the beach, or if your beach is covered with snow, just hang on a little longer and spring will be here. I am an optimist, but I do believe that is easier when you live in FL.

Peace and love to all,

Kelli

Acrylic Textures Workshop

Good morning people! I'm thrilled to announce ~ it's Thursday! I love Thursdays, it's studio day. I'm actually here to announce that we have a workshop coming up so you can mark your calendars. We're doing a half-day workshop on acrylic textures. Work on canvas with acrylic mediums to achieve exciting textures and color patterns. In this workshop you will learn about texture mediums and how to use them in an archival way with acrylic paint on canvas. Paint abstractly or use textures to enhance your realistic work. Do you like palette knife painting? Collage or assemblage? Interested in the look of encaustic painting? Just love texture? Then this workshop is for you. Once you learn these skills, the possibilities are endless!

Join us Sunday, March 21st from 1-5 at Red Swan Paint & Art . They are located at 2730 NE 14th St in the Oakbrook Plaza. The cost of the workshop is 45.00 and we'll be providing some of the supplies. When you sign up you'll get a list of the supplies to bring. Contact us for more info.

Time to paint,
Peace,
Carlynne

Update on the Landscape

Hi All,

Here is the latest version of the landscape. Muuuuuuuuch better but still not done. You opinion is always welcome here. Raining all day here in central Florida. Great day for painting.

Peace to all,
Kelli

Beginnings and Tom Hanks

If you are an artist, how many pieces do you work on at once? Here's 6 paintings that are underway right now. 5 of them just have the first layers on. I just can't seem to start one and stay with it til the very end. There must be traveling around the studio to different tables with different materials at different stages of drying. And why not, I don't travel any where else.

All the acrylics here are little 8x8 canvases. The colored pencil on board is 22x22. Seems a little backwards doesn't it? I think the next acrylic is going to be 48x48 but I'll have to do a little rearranging in the studio to fit that on the easel.

Can you tell I like complimentary colors?

What's this doing here? Yes, I still do colored pencil. It doesn't look like much right now. This is the first scribble stage done last night. Very soon it will be smeared and pushed around with mineral spirits. If you want to try this technique, do it on cold press illustration board - works great, you can really move the color on this surface.

A softer palette to start, but you know there's brighter color to come.

Trying to figure out what to do next...... I might leave this one for a while and work on the others. First things first ~ do I listen to Etta again or switch to Adam Lambert? I could start the afternoon with Mozart and then play more high energy later when I need it. OR.... I could have Tom Hanks keep me company with an old movie. I think I spend just as much time figuring out who I want with me in the studio as what to actually do in the studio. This is important stuff, the right vibe is at stake.

Have a golden afternoon,

Peace,

Carlynne

What a weekend!

Wow, it's early. What am I doing here? My "amazing hubby" - that's his name from now on - had to go on a trip this morning so I got up to see him off. I couldn't go back to sleep so here I am. My brain is trippin' from all the projects I'm working on at once. That's not a bad thing, not at all. It's exciting to me. My problem is I want to work on them all at once, so yesterday, I did my darndest to do just that. Up top you see the start of a new acrylic piece in the earth series (coming to a gallery near you - if you live in Ocala or possibly Jacksonville).

This is a little 5x7 oil pastel with colored pencil. I'm starting a series of these mini landscapes for Etsy so look for those soon.

Some of you remember this one - Prairie Light - from the book. It was project 6. It's now listed on Etsy.

Yesterday was one of those days - I was having such a good time in the studio, the energy stayed up all day and I got a lot done, not only painting but computer work and even a little organizing. Amazing Hubby will be gone all day so guess where I'm headed? What a weekend!

hope you're having fun,

Carlynne