Blog

Recently, I attended a four-day workshop with Matthew Bird and learned a lot! [...]

Everyone gets in a rut sometimes. I've been in a bit of a painting rut lately; nothing seems to be working out to my satisfaction. What to do? [...]

In order to create form in a painting, getting the values right is essential! [...]

I was recently introduced to Anne Lamott's book, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. (Of course, the title itself piqued my interest, though it is not about birds!)   Not far into the book - in fact I was still perusing the introduction - something I read stopped me in my tracks. Anne is sharing advice from her father, also a writer, encouraging her to write:    "Do it every day for a while... Do it by prearrangement with yourself. Do it as a debt of honor. And make a commitment to finishing things" (emphasis mine).    Bird by bird. I put the book down [...]

Are you in a painting rut? Are you still doing the same things over and over and expecting different results? (We've all been there, haven't we?) How can we revitalize our art? Never Stop Learning.I've had to stay close to home this past year, so I decided to take a couple Zoom workshops, the latest with Pam Wenger. Pam was one of the first artists that I discovered on Facebook when I caved in and created an account back in 2016. I absolutely love her style! Pam says: "Painting portraits in watercolor can seem like a daunting task, but many of us can't [...]

Has this ever happened to you? You have a watercolor painting all planned out in your head; but after working on it for several hours, something happens to change the trajectory, making you frustrated enough to scrap the painting and start over (only to find yourself repeating the process.) What if...? [...]

Reading books or articles by or about other artists that you admire is a great way to gather insight into the creative process. Often, finding out the whys behind the artist's approach can be more helpful than simply learning the mechanics of a technique.    Dani Shapiro’s book, Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life is filled with practical meditations on the challenges and successes of the artistic process. Shapiro is a writer, but a painter can simply substitute the word painting for writing throughout this inspiring little book to glean all sorts of helpful and encouraging tidbits.   We all have some sort [...]

During the first week of November at Aravaipa Farms, in Arizona, we enjoyed daily temperatures up to 80 degrees, plenty of sunshine, plus a day of sporadic rain showers resulting in a beautiful rainbow at breakfast. "We" included my husband and me, plus eight other watercolor artists, another spouse, and Ted Nuttall, whose watercolor workshop we were attending at this beautiful getaway.     My husband often accompanies me to watercolor workshops in different parts of the country...I have the opportunity to further my painting skills, and we both get to see a part of the country where we've never been! When I read [...]

I love experimenting with new watercolor techniques! As promised, I tried the paint pouring technique and, along with explanations of my version of the process, I've included a video (yes, my first video!) plus my personal observations of this technique. [...]

At the August 2019 meeting of the Saint Louis Watercolor Society, I had the opportunity to watch as artist Lee Walter demonstrated her unique and beautiful watercolor pouring technique. In this technique, paint is poured rather than being applied with a brush. Control is obtained by applying masking fluid to the paper which acts as a barrier, preserving the surface underneath. Don't worry, I'll explain the process in more detail as we go!   It was quite fascinating to watch Lee work her magic! Although she has been painting in watercolor for 17 years, it wasn't until she attended a Jean Grastorf workshop [...]

Do you sometimes lack motivation to get into the studio? Are you lacking inspiration? Are you frustrated with your efforts? Early on in my watercolor adventures, I purchased Jean Haines' book, World of Watercolor. It was through practicing the exercises in this book that I discovered that "playing" with water and pigment is not only an enjoyable way to get the creative juices flowing, but also a great way to get to know the colors on your palette and find out how they behave together!   When I'm feeling "stuck", I like to go into my studio and play with colors that I [...]

Watercolor painting for me started out as something to fill a void in my life during a time of loss and change. During the ten years I have been painting, I've lost some very dear people in my life, as well as a beloved pet. Painting my loved ones is a form of therapy for me. A way to remember them, think about them, spend time with them. [...]

My head is still spinning from last week's  workshop, Painting the Figure from Photographs, with Ted Nuttall in Vermont.  Although I've studied with Ted twice before—once in St. Louis and once in Santa Fe—there is always so much more to learn, so much to remember, so much to apply!   Takeaway#1: INTERPRETATION–Working from Photographs   Each morning of the workshop, Ted began with a presentation (too awesome and varied to go into much detail here). Many phrases regarding the interpretation of photographs found their way into my notes (and are now swimming around inside my head!). “Tap into your feelings,” Ted said, “Don't copy the [...]

If you'd like to learn what differentiates Giclée Prints from ordinary prints and Printmaking, read on! [...]

When I found out Linda Kemp was coming to St. Louis last summer, I didn't hesitate to reserve my spot in her Negative Painting workshop. I've long admired her fresh and fanciful style; and though I'd had some negative painting experience, I knew that there was so much more to learn!   Takeaway #1: “Kill it or Cure it”   Of all the great information and techniques Linda shared during those intense five days, her mantra of “kill it or cure it” really struck a chord in me. How many times have I stopped halfway through a painting and, in my frustration, tossed it aside [...]