Exploring Color & Creativity

Two new art instruction DVDs

2012-01-08T20:00:00.000-05:00

These two videos were filmed in August, a month or so before the new collage book was released. I felt like I was under a lot of pressure, but they both were fun to put together. My past experience with ANTV two years ago was a little crazy. They shot two videos in one day and, as a result, one was very short. The hired crew quit at 6 p.m. and that was that. I was so tired I almost got lost driving home from Cincinnati.

This experience was altogether different. Jennifer Lepore Brune coordinated the production and an assortment of helpers popped in to swap out my materials and fetch clean water for me. Both of my editors, Stefanie Laufersweiler and Holly Davis pitched in, as well. Everything went so well. The camera guys, Phil and Ric, were fun to work with over the two days of the shoot. They were good at getting multiple close-ups and zooming in on the hands-on shots.

You can read more on my Web site about both DVDs. Creative Art Class has 100 minutes of instruction.
Collage Art Techniques is 75 minutes long. Both are packed with information and demos.

For online previews, search the titles or "Nita Leland" at ArtistsNetwork.tv

Free Collage Demo

2011-12-27T12:05:00.000-05:00

Here is the first step in my creation of "Quintana Roo" collage, which appears in New Creative Collage Techniques on page 144. The step-by-step process (only available online) is in pdf format. Open it in Adobe Reader (download free at adobe.com) and print for easy reference. This mixed-media collage contains several techniques in the book, including an ink- and paint-textured background with overlays of brayer and crystalline papers.

Hithergreen Center has a new look.

2011-12-17T17:38:00.000-05:00

Friends visit in the recently updated reception area. Hithergreen members Fran Doster and Dwight Glover donated funds to purchase the new coffee bar; Washington Township installed the water line and electrical connections. The Dayton Foundation, the Leland Foundation, Ruetschle Architecture and Design, and Aydelotte Equipment provided grants and services to make this project possible, along with updated chairs and tables throughout the center. An original abstract collage by the late Virginia Lee Williams of Centerville, Ohio, adds to the sleek and modern look of the area. Hithergreen is a friendly, busy place with recreational and fitness activities, in addition to art classes and more. Members can save $10 off the 2012 membership fee by joining next week before the center closes for the holidays. Stop by Monday, Dec. 19 through Thursday, Dec. 22 to see what Hithergreen is all about or check out Hithergreen's Web Site.

Some photos from my book signing

2011-12-10T21:02:00.000-05:00

Books & Co., Dec. 8, 2011 We had a nice crowd of nearly 50 people for my demo and book signing of New Creative Collage Techniques. I enjoyed sharing some of collage techniques in my demo.

American Chronicle on New Creative Collage Techniques

2011-12-06T22:05:00.000-05:00

American Chronicle | Leland takes another giant leap for ´Artkind´

Thursday, December 8, 7 p.m. at Books & Co.

2011-12-06T13:34:00.000-05:00

Art-to-Art Palette features my book signing! I'm going to demo an Egyptian theme collage and I hope to see you there. Thanks to AAP publisher Ben Rayman for this article.

Book signing coming up soon

2011-11-29T15:04:00.001-05:00

I'm working on a collage demo for this event. Come on by at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8 at Books & Co. in the Greene Towne Center, 4453 Walnut St., Dayton, Ohio, 45440--just off I-675 at Indian Ripple Road. Location maps

Thanks and Kudos

2011-11-12T09:52:00.000-05:00

I'd like to thank these artists, whose work appears in New Creative Collage Techniques: Annis Allen, Donna Baspaly, Karen Becker Benedetti, Gretchen Bierbaum, Dodie Bluck, Chispa Bluntzer, Gerald Brommer, Pat Clark, Jane Cook, Marilyn Coppel, Patricia Cox, Leslie Crespin, Bing Davis, Jean Deemer, Pat Dews, Frances Dezzany, Carolyn Dubiel, Brian L. Dunning, Sharon Eley, Maya Farber, Thelma Frame, Ann Hartley, Rosie Huart, Betty Kiesel, Bob Kilvert, Debby Krejsa, Mary Langston, Marta Light, Katherine Chang Liu, Phyllis Lloyd, Cheryl McClure, Cody Miller, Shirley Eley Nachtrieb, Stephanie Nadolski, Alexander Nepote, Richard Newman, Rochelle Newman, Lynn Lynn Lawson Pajunen, Tomoko Parry, Robert Paschal, Joanne Peltz, Roy Ray, Jeny Reynolds, Merle Rosen, Susan Pickering Rothamel, Arthur Secunda, Delta Skinner, David L. Smith, Aki Sogabe, Marilyn Stocker, Sharon Stolzenberger, Elaine Szelestey, Jonathan Talbot, Peter Tytla, Jan Upp, Virginia Lee Williams, Jeanette Wolff, Edwin Wordell, Pam Brooks Hamilton.
Several have passed away since Creative Collage Techniques was published in 1994, but their work is still representative of good collage techniques and design. I'm so grateful for the generosity of all these artists in contributing their work so others might learn from it.

I haven't been able to contact the 7 artists whose names are underlined, so if you know anything about them, please email me at nita@nitaleland.com. Thanks.

Updating Web Site and Blog

2011-11-05T22:03:00.000-04:00

I've been at it for hours, but I have only myself to blame. When my Web editing program was discontinued I let it slide, then I got a new computer and it got even worse. I've been using a bare bones text editing program that wasn't much help, but I discovered it has an inexpensive "pro" version--EditPadPro. Much better--a far cry from Dream Weaver, but costs under $50. I'm just a cut-and-paster, anyway, not a Web designer. It can drive you nuts, though. I never had a problem with upper and lower case letters in my previous program and most of the blocks I ran into were caused by that. Be aware! And if you find errors on my Web and Blog sites, please let me know. I tried to check everything before I went live with the pages, but my eyes are crossed by now and I'm sure I missed something. Oh, yeah, it was a beautiful day and I got out this morning before I fell into computer hell.

Ohio Collage Society show at the Cannery tonight

2011-11-04T13:37:00.000-04:00

I'm excited about visiting this show, which I judged for awards to be given at 7 p.m. tonight (Nov. 4) during the First Friday art walk. I'll be signing copies of my new book, New Creative Collage Techniques, and I hope to meet some of the artists in the show. Jerry Edwards of the Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors will be demonstrating portrait painting and the gallery is filled with fine work by many area artists. Christy Jennewein, gallery manager, will be hosting the event.

Exploring Watercolor 3-Way Challenge

2011-10-15T10:21:00.001-04:00

Here is some of the work from a recent series on painting a subject three different ways: realistic, stylistic, and abstract. They caught on right away--even the beginners "got it." That's what I love about this class. They're willing to try just about anything I ask them to do.

This activity is in The New Creative Artist on page 167.

Girl Scouts learn about art

2011-09-23T09:46:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday I was invited to accompany my granddaughter's Girl Scout troop to visit an art exhibit by Professor Hal Shunk at Wilmington (OH) College. Shunk's colorful, gestural encaustics and oil pastels filled the Harcum Art Gallery space, along with fellow faculty member Terry Inlow's large format digital photographs.

Shunk welcomed the girls, then suggested they look at all his paintings and think about what they liked best. When the group settled on benches for his talk, he explained the encaustic process and how he had come up with the quirky titles for his works. The artist is as good a teacher as he is an artist; he held their attention and several asked questions about his work.

I first met Hal more than 20 years ago when I asked him to contribute art to The Creative Artist. I haven't seen him since then, but my daughter met him at her church and learned of our connection. He invited the Girl Scouts to join another group that had scheduled a gallery visit. I appreciated this opportunity to see his colorful work and I'm sure the visit to the gallery was a great experience for the girls.

The faculty show runs through October 21. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and by appointment. The gallery is in the Boyd Cultural Arts Center at the corner of Withrow Circle and College Street on the Wilmington College campus. For more information, email hal_shunk@wilmington.edu .

SD Card Disaster With a Deadline

2011-09-13T16:23:00.001-04:00

Have you ever inadvertently formatted an SD card in-camera, erasing an entire day's images of art demonstrations that can't be replicated before the deadline falls? Last Friday I finished shooting demos and artwork for my new collage and creativity DVDs. I planned to edit and resize images on Saturday, ship on Sunday so they would arrive on my Tuesday deadline. Except for a few shots I took before I went to bed Friday night, everything was gone from my SD card. I was in shock. After a while I realized that I'd formatted the card, thinking that I'd saved my files on my hard drive--but I hadn't. Somehow, when I thought I was saving the files they were actually being written back to the SD card instead of the hard drive. I blame i-Tunes. I think the program reset the Auto-play on my drives. Well, I'd heard it might be possible to retrieve the files, but it would take an expert to do it. I didn't have time to make phone calls or bother my son-an-law, so I googled the Web. In short order, I found Stellar Phoenix.The neat feature of this program is that it first checks your SD card for files and shows you what is available for retrieval. Then, if you find what you need is still there, for $39 you can download the program and retrieve your files with it. I recovered 171 files and went straight to work on my editing. I noticed that there are a lot of free programs that claim to do this, but I didn't see anything that shows you the files before you commit to the retrieval. I hope this helps someone--and if you know of other resources for this service, please share a comment. p.s. I met my deadline.

2011-09-12T19:34:00.003-04:00

Painting the Essence of France

2011-08-27T09:52:00.000-04:00

Check out this exciting travel workshop for 2012. Rosie and Trish have led two previous trips to Tuscany and Greece. Attend their presentation on Wed., Sept. 21 at 6-8 p.m. at the Town & Country Fine Art Center in Kettering.

Photos of Exploring Watercolor exhibition 2011

2011-06-14T08:25:00.005-04:00

Here are some photos I took yesterday of

my class's spring watercolor exhibition at Hithergreen Center.

Enjoy!

Exploring Watercolor Spring Show 2011

2011-06-07T14:28:00.004-04:00

Please visit our show. Hithergreen hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. This is a wonderful exhibition of artists' work at all skill levels, from intermediate to professional. I'll post photos next week.

A Day with Grammy

2011-05-25T13:04:00.005-04:00

Jenna spent the night with us on Monday, and on Tuesday her first day of summer vacation as a third grader entailed a visit to my digital photography show and a fine juried exhibition of the Western Ohio Watercolor Society (WOWS)at the Town & Country Fine Art Center in Kettering. She loves to look at art and point out what she likes--she has a discerning eye. In her suitcase she had packed a picture she drew over the weekend--a big, juicy apple and a bunch of bananas, life-size and in color. I was astonished. An artist at the gallery recognized her from the watercolor I included in The New Creative Artist>. She's used to that. We ran a few errands, then picked up a kit from JoAnn Fabrics so I could begin teaching her to sew. She made a monkey and named him "Banana-Split."

Photography Show Invitation

2011-05-21T18:21:00.004-04:00

Art-to-Art Palette Journal

2011-05-21T18:00:00.004-04:00

Haven't been blogging and Web site-ing (new verb) much. Thought I'd catch up on Ben Rayman's Art-to-Art Journal. I enjoy reading the artist profiles--kind of a Facebook of the Midwest.

Photoshop Elements class ended last week, so I have recovered one day. I'll miss the class, but I'm glad to have the time back. I learned so much.

My digital photography show is extended to June 19 and I finally got the PR sent out today. I need a manager! (Or a keeper, more like.) I'm taking tomorrow off so I'll be raring to go on Monday on a couple of other projects.

Art is Alive at Clinton-Massie Schools

2011-03-21T08:42:00.003-04:00

On Saturday afternoon we went to an all-school art exhibition at our granddaughter's school in Clinton County, Ohio. Art teacher Dan McKay had set up a show that appeared to have at least one piece from every child in the school, ranging from pottery to painting, at all grade levels. The 2-D artwork was hung individually and covered the walls of the gymnasium and the auditeria. Paintings, drawings and collages were propped on chairs and easels throughout both rooms and 3-D projects were arranged on large, round tables. Our granddaughter's class had made clay turtles, their backs textured and painted. The show took a great deal of work to arrange and looked fantastic. (One of our grandson's favorites was a giant sculpture of a bag of Tostitos!)

I was astonished at the variety and quality of the work. Most of the work was project oriented, as with the turtles, abstractions, portraits, and a snow scene-collage, for example, but many showed delightful originality within the themes. The pictures were fairly large and very colorful. Many of the young artists have excellent observation and skills with a variety of mediums, including charcoal, pastel, oil pastel, collage, and acrylics.

Any artist will tell you what a thrill it is to see your work on display for others to enjoy. Kudos to Mr. McKay for making this happen for the students at Clinton-Massie. I hope the parents and community continue to support the school's art program and help to provide supplies for these budding artists.

Art, an endangered species in many school systems, is alive and well in Clinton County.

Printer Test Strip

2011-02-16T11:06:00.003-05:00

Here's the printer test strip I made to compare different printer and program settings. Numbering from left to right:
1. No Color Management (ICM setting) This one is over-saturated and too dark. Doesn't look like her. Oddly, several people liked this one best.
2. Photoshop Elements control (Adobe RGB Gamma 2.2) This has a much better skin tone, my favorite.
3. Printer Control (Adobe Vivid) This is pretty, but has a slight bluish cast.
4. Printer Control (Auto Enhance) This is slightly darker than #2, but acceptable.
5. Monitor adjusted to match #4. Too washed out.

PSEs color management tools were helpful, but I had to do a lot of cross-referencing to understand the terminology. Little by little it's beginning to sink in.

Digital Photo Printing for Amateurs

2011-02-15T18:27:00.003-05:00

I've learned so much from the Photoshop Elements class I'm taking at Hithergreen, but it bugs me that I have to work so darn hard to get good prints. I've been studying books and online and now I know enough to be dangerous, but still struggling with consistency. I shared what I've learned yesterday with the Digital Photography Forum at the Center. Here's a chart I made. The prints are 10.5 x 8. The top row shows what happens when you use cheap paper and the wrong print setting--you waste a lot of ink that soaks into the paper. The middle row shows printer control on better paper. I oversaturated the one on the right to see what would happen. Eeek! On the bottom row I used Photoshop Elements color controls on Office Depot Laser/injet Presentation Paper and Epson Ultra Premium Luster Paper, my favorites. The last print is the best and shows more detail than any of the others.

Review of Confident Color book

2010-12-20T08:36:00.003-05:00

Charley Parker posted an insightful review of my book over the weekend. Here's the link to his Lines and Colors blog. While you're there, mark Charley's blog as a favorite. His commentary on artists of the past and present, including fine artists and designers, as well, are always informative and entertaining.

Lisa Palombo, American Impressionist

2010-11-18T08:57:00.007-05:00

Nov 20th & 21st, 10th annual Holiday Open Studio, 55 Mountain Avenue
Caldwell, NJ 07006

Lisa Palombo Web site

Her new book, LISA PALOMBO, American Impressionist
will be available
Hard cover 12"x12" gift book
80 pages, 66 full color paintings
Foreword by Nita Leland
Introduction by Jana Martin
each book is signed by the artist
$120 + shipping

Rosie Huart and Karen Benedetti

2010-11-16T12:30:00.003-05:00

Don't miss "Intertwined: Vestige of Visions," a new exhibition by these two Ohio artists. Their varied styles complement each other beautifully in mixed media.

Fifth Exploring Watercolor Class Exhibition at Hithergreen

2010-11-12T17:44:00.002-05:00

Here's the link to our latest Exploring Watercolor show, our fifth exhibit at Hithergreen Center in Dayton. I love this show, now running until Dec. 20. If you live in the Miami Valley, be sure to stop at Hithergreen to see it.

Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society

2010-09-06T20:44:00.010-04:00

Last week I did a lecture, critique, and mini-workshop for this group of artists.
The subject was....Color. Imagine that. It was fun, and I took my student and friend, Sylvia, with me as my assistant. We had a good crowd of 50-60--mostly women--with 11 staying after lunch for the mini-workshop. Sylvia took some pictures of the event,posted below.

Virginia Lee Williams

2010-08-17T12:25:00.004-04:00

A talented artist, loyal friend, and vibrant woman, Virginia died yesterday at 86 following a stroke. Her fellow artists,friends and students will remember her for her genuine interest in other people and her delightful sense of humor. She was a dear friend to many artists and beloved by all. Virginia was an amazing woman and will be sorely missed.

Here is a link to the article in the newspaper:
http://www.legacy.com/dayton/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=144753497

Virginia was a self-taught artist. I first knew of her as a sumi-e painter, but typical of Virginia, she didn't just paint small black-ink images on paper. She painted colorful Oriental designs on large screens, among other things. Our paths crossed occasionally in the 1970s and 1980s in watercolor workshops. I'm not sure of the year, but Virginia went to England with several artist friends and fell in love with Cornwall. There she met artist Roy Ray, who was doing experimental work by layering torn papers, gessoing the surface, and painting with fluid acrylics. She took workshops with Ray and experimented in her own studio, developing a distinctive style of abstract collage painting.

In 1998 I was working on my book, The Creative Artist,and couldn't find abstract collage art to illustrate the chapters on design and abstraction. I'd seen a few of Virginia's pieces, so I called and asked to see her work. I was so taken with it that I used several in the book. After it was published, I spoke to the Tri Art Club one morning and Virginia suggested we collaborate on a collage book. I could hardly believe what I heard--I'd been thinking about that myself and had planned to approach her after my creativity book was launched. We worked for more than two years on
Creative Collage Techniques. Our book has been a bestseller in art instruction, continuing in print for more than 16 years.

I can't begin to describe how much fun we had learning and playing with collage as we developed the book. She encouraged me to join the Society of Layerists and Multi Media (SLMM), which greatly expanded my understanding of the spiritual nature of the medium. Over the next few years we traveled to SLMM gatherings in San Antonio, Texas; Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos, New Mexico; and to various shows in Ohio. Virginia was also a member of the National Collage Society, the Tri Arts Club of Dayton, and the Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors. She also taught workshops throughout the United States.

Virginia closed her art studio several years ago. Her paintings were quite large and the physical effort of moving them and doing the work became difficult. She still had a lot of energy, however, and when she and her husband, Ken, moved into a condo, Virginia served on the condo association board and continued to make new friends there.

Wherever she is now, I know she has already made many new friends and has been warmly greeted by all who knew her in this life.

More fun with Photoshop Elements

2010-05-18T13:21:00.003-04:00

During the weeks I wasn't blogging, I was still taking the PSE class at Hithergreen Center. For a while we departed from photo editing and delved into organizing our photos with Photoshop Elements Organizer. What a great program! I took advantage of learning new tricks with the Organizer and getting my 15,000 photos sorted into the folders before I put the link on my new computer. Fantastic! Today we used the Create tab to make albums and slide shows. I'll need to practice--I flunked slide shows. It's complicated trying to keep up on the keyboard, while reading the handouts, watching the onscreen demo, and making sure the people on each side of me are seeing where things are on my screen. Not everyone in the class has a laptop. Anyhow, it was great fun for another rainy day.

Making the sun shine

2010-05-17T20:47:00.002-04:00

Today was a gloomy, wet Monday, for sure. That didn't seem to affect my Exploring Watercolor class at Hithergreen Center. Several finished pieces they've been working on--one even got a round of applause at critique. Others did smaller paintings from start to finish during class and did a great job on them. They're doing a lot more painting and taking less time trying to decide what to paint. Also, the lesson on grids two weeks ago has had a good effect. Those who are using them are making better drawings and are now able to enlarge their source pictures instead of tracing them the same size. I'm already getting excited about our exhibit in the fall, and I know they'll be even better by then.

Fresh start, thank goodness

2010-05-16T10:56:00.003-04:00

I've been out of circulation for about a month, nothing life threatening. Insanity a possibility, though, coming to terms with the frustration of working on a frustratingly slow 8-year-old computer, deciding on what to buy, setting it up and installing programs. The worst is over, and not all that bad. I'm happy with the new HP (fassssssst)and Windows 7, so far. Seems like much easier access to everything, especially to my files stored on an external 1.5 terabyte hard drive, which my husband calls my Teradactyl. So, what's next?

Too much to tell in one blog. Big news is I'm doing a complete revision of
Creative Collage Techniques. I'm pleased to have my editor, Stefanie Laufersweiler, for our third book together for North Light. We met here in my studio yesterday (she lives near Cincinnati, I'm in Dayton)and went over my plans for the book. When we weren't exchanging photos of kids and grandkids or lamenting the woes of moving house (her) and setting up new computers (me).

But, about the book. Creative Collage Techniques has been in print for more than 16 years and is still a popular book, but I intend to update materials, techniques, and art. Virginia won't be able to work with me, but everything I do will remind me of the good times we had doing the first one. I'll be completely rewriting and adding a lot of new art--plus it will be expanded 16 pages over the original. I'm psyched!

First, though, I have to clean the house. The two of us don't clutter, but I still haven't figured out how to keep dust off the furniture. Had better get to work.

It's opening day in baseball--have a laugh!

2010-04-02T13:03:00.003-04:00

I first heard this comedy sketch by Wayne and Schuster on the radio, many years ago. This morning I found it on YouTube. Baseball by Shakespeare Enjoy!

Collages from Nebraska eighth graders

2010-04-01T09:50:00.004-04:00

Art teacher Jerene Kruse, who took my collage workshop in Beatrice, Nebraska, last November, sent me these images of artwork her eighth-grade students did in her class. These kids did such a good job.

If you're an art teacher and haven't done collage with your classes, I hope you'll try it. They each bring in magazines reflecting their interests. They tear up the images and colors and use a glue stick or white glue to attach the pieces to a piece of card stock or poster board. If they don't like something that has already dried, they can just stick another collage piece on top of it. The shapes and colors in these collages are wonderful. So are the textures some of them made. They should all be very proud of their work.

Hithergreen class montage

2010-03-29T20:09:00.002-04:00

I was so pleased with the watercolors put on my table for critique today that I grabbed my camera and shot a montage as seen in the demo mirror. I flipped the picture so you could see how the paintings actually look. Next time I'll pay more attention to how they're arranged on the table to show them off better.

They're working on my latest challenge now--to prepare a composition, select colors, and sketch it before bringing it to class on April 12 and painting it from start to finish in two hours. No pressure, eh? I can't wait to see what they do.

Taos Photoshoppers still at it

2010-03-26T10:06:00.003-04:00

Rick Finney, Bev Teagle, and Jerry Walter are still creating awesome artwork based on ideas from The New Creative Artist, using Photoshop digital editing as their medium. Now that I'm taking a Photoshop Elements class I'm even more amazed at what they do. The abstract is "Planetary Surge" by Rick Finney. Here he describes some of his Photoshop techniques.

Next is Jerry Walter's "On Oak Avenue, Elkader Iowa." He used a watercolor effect on a photograph through many layers. I've never seen a Photoshop watercolor that looked so much like the real thing. I love the intense color. The details of the trim on the porch and roof are wonderful. Here's a video interview with Jerry that describes his process and photography.

Bev Teagle has made a collage-style Photoshop artwork, combining several photographs and blending them together. This is something we're learning to do in the PSE class, along with how to restore old photographs.

I know Photoshop Elements isn't as powerful as Photoshop, but it's amazing what you can do with it, from composing a painting to value sketches to planning color schemes. Your photo can be the art or it can be part of the planning process for a painting.

All hat and no horse

2010-03-22T20:29:00.003-04:00

The g-kids spent an afternoon with us recently and talked Granddaddy into pulling a couple of his cowboy hats off the closet shelf. This is the only photo I got where you could see Daniel's face. The crown of his hat is bigger than his head. Very funny.

The Red Paper Series

2010-03-21T18:19:00.002-04:00

Town & Country Fine Art Center announces THE RED PAPER SERIES 2010
· Wednesdays, April 7th - May 26th, 2010 - Time: 1 - 3pm
· Eight weeks of free art classes for adults affected by life-altering illnesses
· Location: Town & Country Fine Art Center, inside the Town & Country Shopping Center at 300 E Stroop Rd in Kettering, Ohio - back, center entrance
· Contact Town & Country Fine Art Center 937-293-5381 to sign up for classes
· Classes will be introductory sessions designed for the enthusiastic beginner.

Materials will be provided.

I highly recommend this program. A fantastic group of artists will teach the classes:
· April 7 - Karen Benedetti - mixed media/collage
· April 14 - Trish McKinney - watercolor
· April 21- Leonard Williams -drawing
· April 28 - Bonnie Kuntz & Ardis Macaulay - mixed media
· May 5 - Sharon Stoltzenberger - watercolor/drawing
· May 12 - Lynn Herron - colored pencil
· May 19 - Jana Song Bobo - jewelry
· May 26 - Rosie Huart - bookmaking/poetry

TheArtsMap.com

2010-03-21T11:17:00.005-04:00

I received the following email from collage artist Jonathan Talbot about a new Web site that has some interesting possibilities. The message below is excerpted from his email:

These challenging times call for new ways of connecting artists with clients, collectors, curators, and each other.

Imagine that you are traveling to a part of the country you have never visited before and you want to find artists whose studios you can visit or whose works you can see in galleries. Imagine how difficult that would be and then imagine how difficult it is for people to find you. Most people want to search for artists by location and medium and up to now there has been no internet site which made that easy. That is why my colleague Robin Colodzin and I have created theartsmap.com.

theartsmap.com is an interactive worldwide map of artists, studios, arts organizations, museums, and more. The Arts Map allows users to search by medium, location, educational opportunities, type of organization, etc.

Clickable map markers provide detailed information about artists, their work, their studios, art galleries, museums, art schools, and arts organizations. Most markers also contain an image and a link to a website or blog.

Map markers on are user-generated. It takes just a few minutes to input information about your artwork or studio.

During the website's start-up phase, 12-month listings on theartsmap.com are free and completely without obligation. You are invited to visit theartsmap.com and see how it works. To create your map marker, click on "create account."

In order to receive your free 12-month listing you will need a "checkout code."
Please use the checkout code: FYFJAN. Please know that Robin and I believe
that theartsmap.com will become a valuable resource for all of us and
eventually we do plan to charge a modest fee for listings but right now 12-month listings are still entirely free and you cannot be billed.

I hope you will visit theartsmap.com and put your art, your studio, or your gallery "on the map." I also hope you will forward this e-mail (including the checkout code) to as many folks as possible so that www.theartsmap.com can realize its potential.

Check out the maps: Jonathan and Robin have subscribers from all over the world in every imaginable art medium. TheArtsMap is in Beta version and its future will be determined early in 2011. As Jonathan says in the paragraph above, you can help this project realize its potential by registering now for a free listing at theartsmap.com Pass the word along to your Facebook and Twitter friends, as well.

How to Paint Colour & Light by Jean Haines

2010-02-12T09:54:00.003-05:00

Watercolours With Life: Diary of a New Author was posted yesterday. I read it just this morning. I appreciate Jean's comments, and I want to say from what I've seen of her work that I'm looking forward to her book when it comes out in July. I wish she were on this side of the Big Pond--I'd love to meet her.

I've been lazy about my blog this year. January and February are usually my catch-up months, getting the tax stuff ready for the accountant and organizing the studio. Taxes are done; organizing, not. I'm working on a couple of writing projects, nothing to speak of yet. Most of the art organizations around here don't meet in January, so I'm out of the art loop. I've gotten out of the habit of going to meetings, especially after dark. Maybe when daylight savings time kicks in I'll get out to see my friends.

My Monday class is rolling. They're doing some awesome work. We've been fortunate not to have a snow cancellation yet, even though this area has been hammered for the past few weeks. The Photoshop Elements class and Digital Photography Forum haven't been so lucky. Both were canceled this week. I miss seeing my photographer friends, too. They are both knowledgeable and sharing.

With the computer problems I've had in the past month, I might be forgiven for not posting much. Both of my disk drives, CD and DVD, died unexpectedly the same day. It took me ten days to get them working, and I still don't know what caused it or what I did to bring them back. Then, our Internet and email, which had been flaky for weeks, went into slow motion and were nearly impossible to use. We considered many solutions, including an expensive upgrade of equipment. Then, I called Time-Warner/Roadrunner, and they sent a man out on SuperBowl Sunday just hours before the game. He was good. After checking our modem (barely working), he lugged ladders through the snow out to the cable connection and found the wire rubbed ragged against the trees, allowing moisture into the wires intermittently. Now, the reason I'm going on about this is that in the past we've had technicians who, upon finding such a situation, came back to the house and told us they'd make an appointment for someone else to come and take care of it. Instead, he single-handedly replaced the cable with a line to be buried in the ground after the snow melts. And, replaced the modem. What a guy.

Prismacolor Premier Markers

2010-01-14T10:11:00.007-05:00

I'm not an illustrator, but I've used Prismacolor's chunky double-tip markers for years, to explore color combinations and to make posters. Recently I've tried Prismacolor's Premier markers, which are similar in size to sketching pens and come in three distinctive tips. The Premiere Fine Tip Illustration marker includes five sizes: 005, 01, 03, 05, and 08 and is an excellent tool for drawing lines and crosshatching. The Premiere Brush Tip Illustration marker (my favorite!) has a flexible tip with a fine point that creates a thin or wide line according to the pressure applied during the stroke. Elegant, graceful lines just flow off the tip of the marker, and no dripping. The Premiere Chisel Tip Illustration marker creates thin or wide strokes for lettering and outlining, as well as for covering larger areas. All three marker styles contain pigmented acid-free, archival ink that is lightfast, permanent, non-toxic, and water resistant. Oh--and no strong odor. The pen-sized markers create crisp, detail work or broader coverage as needed; a colorless blender can be used with them to create color and value gradation. I wish there were more colors; color choices are limited to black, red, blue, green, orange, purple, brown, and sepia, which are available in all tip styles. I tried the markers on a smooth bristol plate surface and medium-tooth drawing paper. All of the tips worked well and didn't bleed, but I had to slow down my strokes slightly on the textured surface. The colors were brighter on the smooth surface and didn't smear when dampened after they dried. I think any artist would enjoy working with these markers, but the limited choice of colors could be a drawback. For travel, they're ideal; all you need is the markers and a sketchbook--no water, no solvents. I'll keep the markers in a plastic bag so they don't dry out.

Still catching up

2010-01-09T10:54:00.007-05:00

I can't believe it. In all the frenzy of fall workshops and the holidays, I never posted a blog on my free color wheel offer. So, I'm extending the offer until January 31. Buy a book from my Web site and I'll sign the book and slip in a free Color Scheme Selector.(No international sales, I'm afraid. Customs had a problem with the combination of merchandise and free items in the same package. Bummer.)

And now, I must brace myself for the whirlwind. Our two-year-old grandson is coming to spend the rest of the day. I'm wearing my running shoes.

Poetry in watercolor

2010-01-07T10:07:00.004-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about a watercolor one of my students did in class on Monday. She sketched a scene from New Mexico, where she had taken a vacation not so long ago. The subject was Pedernal Mountain, the iconic peak painted by Georgia O'Keeffe. The student worked from memory, with no reference photos in sight. I was astonished at her painting at the end of class. In my opinion it was the best she has ever done: transparent washes, luminous color, spontaneous, and fresh. In a word, poetic. To me the painting illustrates what artists can do when they trust their intuition instead of laboring over details in a photograph. What's in your mind's eye?

Photoshop Elements class

2010-01-05T09:11:00.003-05:00

Hithergreen Center, where I teach my watercolor class, started a new session in Photoshop Elements 6 in November. The class is challenging, but so much fun. I've been into PSE since #1 came out, but my knowledge of the program has been limited to trial and error; I've gotten good results, but never could figure out how I did it. Reinventing the wheel, dontcha know? I've learned so much from Brook, the instructor, and her sidekick, Mary Lou, who have a firm grasp on the program. Some in the class have upgraded to PSE 8; my copy is sitting on my desk waiting to be installed. The class has a monthly contest based on one of the artistic filters in the program. My candy pic here was one of the winners this month. I tried something new I want to pass on, not related to PSE. When I set up the still life, I didn't want to use my flash (harsh shadows), so I dug out my little Ott task-light, which has full-spectrum fluorescent lighting. I turned out the studio lights and used only the task-light. It worked great. Wouldn't be good for a big setup, but perfect for this shot.

Ben is at it again

2010-01-05T08:01:00.010-05:00

Ben Rayman, the publisher of Art-to-Art-Palette, has republished a collection of reviews of The New Creative Artist. (Scroll down to the bottom of the page to read the reviews.) Ben and his associates have continued developing the online magazine after a disastrous fire that burned his house and office and his wife, artist Pat Rayman's art studio to the ground last year. After building a new house and replacing three computers, printers and other electronics, Ben now focuses on the online Palette, a compendium of art news, features, and artist's profiles primarily centered around Ohio and the Midwest. Ben's ongoing support of the arts is greatly appreciated, as well as his enthusiasm for my books and teaching. Thanks, Ben.

Book Reviews

2009-12-12T11:21:00.002-05:00

Google Alerts notified me of a book review of The New Creative Artist and Confident Color. Thanks, Brenda Thebeau. I enjoyed reading Brenda's blog eSynergy and have added it to my blog list.

Brush tip

2009-12-12T10:46:00.006-05:00

In an email exchange Stephen Martinez asked how to remove the coating from brushes and I suggested swishing in warm water. That didn't work for him, but here's what he wrote next: "Nita, Success! I added a few drops of Dawn Liquid Dishwashing detergent to a very warm glass of water. I let them soak for about ten minutes. Success! The brushes are free of the coating and ready to use." Any other ideas about this?

Web site updates

2009-12-10T10:34:00.008-05:00

I've been months behind on my Web site with long lists of links-to-add and outdated entries. I hate it when that happens. Last weekend I got all the links entered; then, I discovered I had a lot more to do. I hadn't made pages for my two DVDs, released early in the year. That done, I looked at the calendar and realized I hadn't yet worked out a Holiday Special. I finally put one together and extended the deadline to January 15th. I envy artists who have people to do these things, or at least, to remind them what has to be done. I can only hope I didn't make too many mistakes on the updates. My HTML skills are out-of-date, too. Oh, well, I'm somewhat caught up for the nonce. Probably should begin thinking about Christmas shopping and decorating.

What a shock!

2009-12-07T11:29:00.003-05:00

My email this morning contained a warning that a link on my home page went to a pornographic site. Nasty. I've removed the link, but if you have linked to my home page, please do a "renew" of the page to eliminate the offending link. Apparently, the site with the original citation no longer exists and the porn site is using their link. I was horrified. I hope if you find such an intrusion on any site that you'll notify the owner as Kathe did for me, so corrections can be made.

I suppose it's time check all the links on my site, but that's a daunting task, since I have so many. I've checked every site before listing it, but who knows what happens when a site goes down? Well, now I know, I guess.

Don't ask me the name of the offending site. I've erased all reference to it on my Web site and computer.

Gingerbread Art

2009-12-05T14:25:00.006-05:00

My granddaughter was so proud of this gingerbread house she made a couple of years ago in preschool. At her elementary school last week I saw a big display case filled with little gingerbread houses. Wish I had taken a photo. The kids must have had fun with that little project.

The Fort Wayne History Center in Allen County, Indiana, is celebrating the holidays with a display of fantastic, artsy gingerbread houses from now until December 13. Read more details in this review from Art to Art Palette online.

Lake Granbury, Texas workshop

2009-11-28T13:08:00.009-05:00

What a great group this was. The Creativity and Collage workshop ran for four days the second week of November. Here are some of the pieces they produced. . A western movie was being filmed while I was there, but I missed everything. Granbury is a well kept secret--a charming Western town with amenities.

Back Online at last with Beatrice, Nebraska workshop

2009-11-06T14:19:00.004-05:00

Nasty bronchitis nearly did me in. I've been wanting to upload this selection of collages from my Beatrice, Nebraska workshop. They were so productive, and not many had done collages before. I put one of each on this page. They did a fantastic job. I'm leaving on Monday for Granbury, Texas, my last workshop of the year.

Confident Color Workshop in New Jersey

2009-10-06T15:44:00.004-04:00

Here are some of the worksheets from the Pine Shores Art Association workshop last month. Each person selected a simple subject and painted it using three colors, or triads. You can see how expressive color can be from these sketches, even in these point-and-shoot photos.

Hithergreen Exploring Watercolor Exhibit

2009-10-06T15:01:00.003-04:00

The show continues until October 26, so please stop by if you're in the neighborhood of Hithergreen Center (not far from Whipp and Far Hills). Here's a link to some photos I took last week--not the best, but they'll give you an idea of the variety of work. I'm really proud of these artists.

http://www.nitaleland.com/about/Hithergreen_exhibit-2009/hithergreen_exhibit-2009.html

My classes at Art! Pasadena Learning and Product Expo

2009-09-22T11:34:00.002-04:00

Learning and Product Expo: Art! Pasadena
I'm excited about going back to Pasadena for the show. Browse the site for information on many other classes and instructors. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn and discover new products from leading manufacturers.

Going around in circles

2009-09-21T19:27:00.002-04:00

I'm home from the Pine Shores Art Association workshop in New Jersey and elated over the results of the workshop. I have pictures, so I hope to find time this week to post them and the exhibition my class has at Hithergreen. I sprained my hand packing for the return trip, so it's taking me longer to catch up. While in New Jersey, my hostess took me to see the New Jersey Watercolor Society show--spectacular.

Playing catch-up

2009-09-12T14:00:00.002-04:00

Can't believe I didn't write about my Hithergreen class art show. It's fantastic. They just keep getting better and better. The show will be up until the end of October, so I'll try to get some photos after I return from my New Jersey workshop.

Also going on, David Daniels, "Mr. Watercolor," has a show now through October 4th at WideRiver Gallery on the East coast. This guy is a fantastic painter and an amazing colorist. 804-224-9984.

Coming soon, the fall members' show at the 48 High Street Gallery of The Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors, October 4-18. Reception October 4, 1-5 p.m. 937-228-2318 for information.

I'll be on the Jersey Shore all next week. Can't wait to see my friends there from previous workshops.

The Little Artist's house

2009-08-23T17:01:00.004-04:00

Here are Jenna's house drawings. I took quick pix after the birthday party yesterday and there was all kinds of reflected light coming from somewhere. They're on white paper. There's so much detail, but it doesn't show up in the small image. What tickled me was the rainbow lines around the house and all the creatures, wild and domestic: a dog, monkey on a tree, turtle, small tiger, skunk, elephant, giraffe, a bird on the fence. She included a bicycle, a car in a garage, and a wagon with a baby in it. Mommy is calling to the baby from the window in the roof at the back. Flowers next to the fence and along the driveway, which she says is gravel, like theirs, therefore gray. The sun is exactly on the reverse side of where the sun is in the front. I was out of the room for most of it, but I gave her a start with the schematic for the house, hill, and driveway on a separate sheet of paper. She made the rest of it up. Is that creative, or what?

Dove & O'Keeffe not to be missed

2009-08-18T13:30:00.005-04:00

This blog at ColourLovers on the Circles of Influence show in Williamstown, MA, at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute shows some of the great paintings from the show. My son gave me the the catalog to add to my collection. The show continues through September 7. The museum itself is worth a trip, but what a delight it would be to see this show.

The Little Artist still at it

2009-08-16T11:06:00.006-04:00

I haven't written about the Little Artist for a while. She's still prolific, and has added writing stories to her portfolio. I will be happy when she has vowels in her written words. She's a good reader, but writes entirely phonetically, so "catsup" comes out "ctsp." I'm sure she'll pick it up soon--she starts first grade in a week or so. In the meantime, she was drawing the other day and I asked if she had ever drawn a house. She said she didn't know how--people are her favorite subject. I drew a square with a triangle on top, sitting on a hill with an s-shaped driveway. She was off and running. She drew her house in crayon with multiple-colored lines, a rainbow house. It included rainbow doors and windows, chimney, smoke, and a car in the garage. A tree with a monkey in it, a little boy with a pet skunk, a turtle, a baby tiger, and, of course, the sun. Then, she turned the paper over and drew the back of the house. This picture included an elephant, a giraffe in the backyard, and a host of other animals. There was a mom in the upstairs window calling out to the baby in the wagon to be careful. She put in the sun on the reverse side in the same spot, meaning it was on the left in front and on the right in back. Her inclusion of details fascinates me. She usually has a story to relate about each thing she puts into the pictures. I wish I had photographed her drawings before she took them home.

Misuk Goltz exhibit

2009-08-12T15:00:00.003-04:00

One of my newer students, who has studied previously with several other teachers, is exhibiting her work from now until the end of August at One Dayton Center, 1 South Main Street, Dayton, Ohio. Misuk paints beautiful watercolors and pastels. A reception to meet the artist is scheduled for this Sunday, August 16, from 2-4 p.m. I hope I can make it. I hear she has some impressive work that I haven't seen yet.

Colors of nature--waves

2009-08-12T14:31:00.002-04:00

Colour Lovers blog intrigues me nearly every day, but today's link on waves blows me away. I suppose one could Photoshop colors like these, but I think most of them are authentic and spectacular.

Figurative quilt workshop

2009-08-11T09:57:00.003-04:00

Here's a great opportunity to work with one of the most creative quilters in the arts: Cathy Jeffers. Her Contemporary Quilting workshop will be held at The Dairy Barn in Athens, Ohio. The tuition is reasonable and special rates are available at the Ohio University Inn. See the fantastic Quilt National show while you're there. Deadline for registration is fast approaching, so sign up soon. Check the link for details.

Why Design?

2009-08-10T17:53:00.007-04:00

We continued with design fundamentals in the Hithergreen class today. I teach the elements and principles of design set forth by Maitland Graves in The Art of Color and Design more than 50 years ago and taught by Edgar A. Whitney, with a couple of my own modifications. We're discussing two elements or principles each week. For homework, the students will bring in pictures--ads, photos, or artwork--that show the elements or principles at work. The students are taking this seriously. At critique they were more aware of today's topics: line and shape. These sketches illustrate the two elements of design. Next week we'll cover value and color. The New Creative Artist includes an chapter on design, including formats and more(pp. 78-101). (See column at right for a link to the book.)

Sunday in the Park with Art

2009-08-09T17:08:00.003-04:00

Art on the Commons in Kettering is always a pleasure. The best part of the art fair is visiting with exhibiting artist friends and seeing their new work, hearing their adventures. One is ready to launch a children's book, another is excited about studying with a wonderful new teacher. Two are setting up an artist's tour of the Greek Isles for next year. Seemed like very few 2-dimensional arts this year--roughly, 24--and most listed as mixed media. Where did all the gorgeous watercolors go? The jewelry (30 booths) was spectacular and expensive. Lots of great pottery (17 booths), a few (6) fiber artists, but nothing blew me away. Some wonderful photography (8) in creative formats; also, glass (5), wood (5), metals (6), leather (2), and other (4). Very heavy on the fine crafts. In the past I have discovered a number of artists whose work I used in my books, but, except for those I already know, I didn't see anything to file away in my resources for books. Too bad. The show made me miss our Riverbend Art Center's Art in the Park, which has disappeared since the demise of the center. That show was once Ohio's biggest and oldest two-day outdoor art fair. Still, Art on the Commons was a beautiful show. There was a good crowd when it opened, and I could see that sales were being made, especially in the jewelry booths. I wonder about the painters.

Hugs in the afternoon

2009-08-08T17:46:00.003-04:00

We had a surprise visit this afternoon from our little guy, on his way home from a haircut. It was a short one, but just long enough to stave off serious withdrawal. I'm so grateful our grands are near enough for such precious visits, even short ones.

Learned a lot

2009-08-07T11:22:00.005-04:00

The workshop last night was well worth the time. Susan Pickering Rothamel is an engaging, knowledgeable teacher who packs a lot of information in her presentation. She moved quickly from one technique to another, tying everything together with applications to an acrylic collage/painting that she began by gluing a torn fancy paper napkin to canvas-cloth. By the end of the four-hour program, the napkin had disappeared and a colorful, textured, sparkly painting was in its place. What a great way for an artist to overcome the fear of the white surface--just slap that napkin on there and paint it away. The class was great fun, but even more, Sue knows her stuff. As president of USArtQuest, Inc., she has a complete line of acrylic products and mica pigments, including sparkling mica-pigmented watercolors. I didn't even know some of these things existed, but I'm thinking of how I can use them in my work and with my granddaughter's projects. Go to her Web site for video clips of her techniques and details of her books and products. Here are links to her books for additional information:

The Art of Paper Collage..

The Encyclopedia of Greeting Card Tools & Techniques.

The Encyclopedia of Scrapbooking Tools and Techniques.

I'll try to review these books soon.

Old friends

2009-08-06T16:43:00.003-04:00

I made a date for a quick lunch with a friend of more than thirty years. Five hours later, after much catching up, I got home. What fun. She and I shared treasured memories of the many intersections of our lives, exchanged stories about grandchildren (her greats are the same age as my grands), talked about art and the book we wrote together. It was a wonderful afternoon. I look forward to many more.

"A friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway."--author unknown

Way cool

2009-08-05T13:21:00.006-04:00

My son sent me these images from Denver International Airport just a few minutes ago. He took them on his iPhone. I'm psyched. I don't suppose the Mosaic shop will mind getting free publicity from this. Now I'm wondering where this book will turn up next. Where's Waldo? I'm over the moon.

Writing proposals and articles for art magazines

2009-08-04T10:00:00.003-04:00

Now and then someone emails me for information on this topic. Here's a link to Jennifer King's blog on "How to Get Published in a Magazine". Jennifer has been an editor for several top art magazines. This blog entry is a keeper for anyone interested in writing magazine articles of any kind.

Viewfinder design

2009-08-03T20:14:00.003-04:00

This beginning design exercise is what we did in my class today. Students learn to discern shapes, lines, and patterns in abstract images. They develop a sense of the type of design they like, so they can search for it in their source material.
Start with a 35mm slide mount, a stencil knife, and a magazine advertisement. Use almost any type of magazine. I prefer women's fashion magazines, because I like curving, organic shapes found in the folds of fabric. Some people like the hard edges of car or technical magazines. Move the slide mount over the page until you see an abstract design you like. (You're not looking for pictures!) Then, copy the design inside a small rectangle traced in your sketchbook. If you like, cut out the original and paste it next to your sketch. After you have collected a lot of these, you can see your design preferences: geometric, organic, pattern, etc. Use the designs as structure or background for a painting, quilt, scrapbook page, or other artwork.

Color Workshop Pix

2009-08-02T16:12:00.008-04:00

Last week I received a CD in the mail with 70 photos from the workshop in Cazenovia, NY. It was hard to cut the number down to a dozen or so, but here they are, mostly of the critique on color scheme sketches. I didn't realize these were being taken at the time. This was such an industrious class--28 students worked hard all week. We weren't looking for finished paintings, but for understanding of the concepts I was teaching: contrasts, triads, and color schemes. They "got it." This photo is fun, showing my work space in the overhead mirror.

Calendar Surfing

2009-08-02T10:16:00.003-04:00

I decided to take my own advice and relax a bit this weekend. For some unknown reason that Webinar, along with a workshop, baby-sitting, and various appointments really wore me out. The baby-sitting was the best part, but still stressful, especially with deadlines looming just ahead. This month looks similar, but the Confident Color workshop in two weeks is just a few miles away, which makes it a lot easier. I'm looking forward to it. The class is small, so I can give a lot of personal attention to the students.

Had an email from my hostess in New Jersey for the Pine Shores Art Association color workshop in September. This will be my sixth workshop there. I stay on Long Beach Island, which is a Jersey-shore vacation paradise. In September, everything is serene and beautiful. PSAA artists are always fun to be with. On Monday night I give a talk at their monthly meeting, so I get to hear what they're up to. I'm astonished at the range of activities they offer, from shows and exhibition opportunities to bus trips to Philadelphia and New York museums for blockbuster art shows. It would be so great if all local art associations were so supportive of their artists--or should that be the other way around?

Airport Books

2009-08-01T14:49:00.003-04:00

Today I had an email from a teacher who found The New Creative Artist in an airport bookstore. That is so amazing to me. I saw the original Creative Artist once in an airport, maybe 15 years ago, but I rarely see art-instruction books there, let alone oversize books like the new one. This made my day, which hasn't been all that exciting, with laundry as the main event.

Art Babble

2009-07-31T09:43:00.003-04:00

Charley Parker of linesandcolors blog discovered this great site that offers "Play Art Loud," a collection of museum and art-related videos. The selection looks really interesting and I can't wait to get some time to watch some of them. Go on over to Charley's blog to read his commentary, then check out the site from there.

Design class--formats

2009-07-30T10:19:00.003-04:00

Monday's first class in a new design series was about formats for your artwork, meaning the size, shape and proportion of your support. We talked a bit about the golden mean, but I don't stress this, because people get so torqued about the math component. Manufacturers make few supports in the GM. We also talked about using the rule of thirds or rabatment to locate the focal point in a rectangle. These are shown on pp. 98-99 of The New Creative Artist. Everyone seemed more aware during critique of the points we covered in the lesson. I hope to see a few more light bulbs go off during the series.

Quotation

2009-07-30T10:15:00.002-04:00

"Something special happens when people laugh together over something genuinely funny, and not hurtful to anyone. It's like a magic rain that showers down feelings of comfort, safety and belonging to a group" Quote by Mary Jane Belfie.

Thanks to Carol Kelly from my Hithergreen watercolor class for bringing me this delightful quote.

Webinar World

2009-07-29T11:11:00.003-04:00

Well, one Webinar doesn't make me an expert, but I know more now than I did two days ago. I had several comments on Facebook. So here are my responses to those.

First, what does a Webinar involve: It's a live, online seminar where people sit at their own computers and watch a PowerPoint presentation as the presenter (me, yesterday) narrates the slides and expands on the subject. Participants can type in their questions for the presenter to respond to during or after the presentation. I'm sure there are other formats, but this is what we did yesterday.

The first one was stressful for me, since I hadn't had the experience before and couldn't visualize how it would work without a hitch somewhere. It seemed very odd to know I was speaking to a number of people, but couldn't see their reactions to what I was saying. There were two people in the room with me, one handling the technical side of it, so I didn't have to worry about anything but my talk. In a couple of places I advanced my slides too far and had to go back, but I don't think it was too bad. Just a few seconds, actually. On the whole, I think it went smoothly.

Yes, I hope to do more of these, now that I know how it's done. I think an individual could even do it, but there are a lot of things to think about, such as what company to use for the interface, how to market the Webinars, etc. The preparation of the program alone was very time-consuming. I wouldn't want to do it unless I could do it as professionally as it was done yesterday.

For the consumer, in the ArtistsNetworkTV Webinars, the participants receive a download of the presentation that includes the PowerPoint and the narration, plus the questions. I also prepared a handout of tips on creativity that they received. The full program will be available at artistsnetwork.com, if you missed one you're interested in.

Their next one looks very interesting and will give more information on using the media for marketing and promotion.

I survived

2009-07-28T16:50:00.003-04:00

Well, that was fun--and different from anything I've done before. These Webinars have their own protocol for signing in, rehearsing, taking questions,and giving technical support. The whole thing on their end was nearly invisible to me. We had some trouble getting set up on Jennifer's laptop, so we used mine, and I felt comfortable with that. I thought it might feel really strange not to have an audience, but there were two people in the room and I hardly noticed them, I was so wrapped up in my talk. Their next program, in August, is on establishing an online presence for promoting your art, aka marketing. You'll be hearing about it from WetCanvas. I might like to attend that one, myself.

Big day tomorrow

2009-07-27T11:16:00.004-04:00

I'll drive to Cincinnati to do my live Web creativity presentation from F+W Media home office. I'm ready--and I'm excited. This is a first for me. I've done lots of workshops and lectures on creativity, but it will seem odd not to have an audience to look at and still know that real people are listening in. I can't imagine what will happen during the Q&A period after my talk. I'll have to be on my toes. When I was rehearsing yesterday, I forgot to advance my slide a couple of times. I hope there will be someone watching over me on-site so that doesn't happen, but I had better take my guardian angel with me anyway. It was fun putting together the PowerPoint program, finding images to go with my main points and trying for the right tone of inspiration and motivation. I can hardly wait!

Mary Todd Beam's Creative Edge

2009-07-25T09:54:00.004-04:00

Another wonderful book for mixed-media artists from Mary Todd Beam, The Creative Edge: exercises to celebrate your creative self, has been published by North Light books (2009). Filled with beautiful illustrations of finished art, the book is also packed with hands-on demonstrations and information on tools and materials. The lay-flat spiral binding makes it easy to use while following the techniques instruction. In addition all this, Beam offers inspiration to the artist, something lacking in many art instruction books. Her table of contents includes: Claiming Your Creative Edge; The Tactile Edge; The Emotional Edge; The Symbolic Edge; The Dynamic Edge; Nature's Edge; The Soul's Edge; The Edge Around Us; and The Human Edge. Whew! What great stuff! If you want to try mixed-media painting, The Creative Edge is a good place to start. Mary's earlier book, Celebrate Your Creative Self: More than 25 exercises to unleash the artist within (North Light, 2001) is also a good handbook on mixed-media painting.

Trying to think ahead

2009-07-15T18:24:00.003-04:00

Planning my Confident Color workshop in Dayton August 19-21. I haven't given one here for a long time, so I'm looking forward to it. The sponsor is Western Ohio Watercolor Society. There are still openings, so c'mon down. It's a bargain. Contact Yuki Hall.

Santa Fe Workshop canceled

2009-07-09T16:31:00.004-04:00

I haven't had official word from the workshop director, but since she has sent out a refund notice to students who signed up, it appears the workshop has been canceled. I'm disappointed. I've taught several workshops there and it's such a fun place to teach and visit. So much art you can't take it all in.

Workshop and Webinar

2009-07-08T17:57:00.003-04:00

Just about ready to leave for Rising Sun, Indiana, for the Creativity workshop. Wish I could say I'm all caught up, but I'm not. I've been working on my live Creativity Webinar from ArtistsNetwork Online Seminars, Tuesday, July 28, at 1:00 p.m. titled "Develop Your Natural Creativity and Grow As an Artist." In addition to the PowerPoint presentation, there will be a live Q&A session following the program. I'll be driving to Cincinnati to do it live from F+W. Two more projects have dropped in my lap, so there may not be any down time this summer.

Spreading the word on triads

2009-07-06T17:41:00.005-04:00

My class has been doing so well with my series of lessons on color harmony triads. They're finally learning that they can use a limited palette of 3-4 colors and don't need a dozen or more. They've been doing swatches and small sketches up until this week. The challenge for the next two weeks is to do one high-intensity triad and one low-intensity triad painting from the eight they have been working with, which are found in Confident Color. One student has been having so much fun that she has taken the lesson over to Wet Canvas to her watercolor group.

Confident Color workshop in Santa Fe

2009-06-04T13:28:00.003-04:00

(Canceled)

Express your unique color personality in your artwork. Master organizing principles to use color with confidence and develop your own color style. You’ll never mix mud again when you understand split-primary color mixing. Working with color harmonies and contrasts enhances your use of limited palettes. Understanding color schemes provides you with unlimited possibilities for using an expanded palette, including modern colors, to create mood, energy and color vibration in your art.

Artists in all mediums may benefit from this workshop, which covers a brief review of color fundamentals, followed by numerous color-mixing and painting activities at all skill levels. Each day begins with a brief demo and lecture and ends with a helpful group critique. Artists receive individual attention throughout each day and may bring one or two pieces of artwork for private critique during the week.

Cathy Jeffers, Master Quilter

2009-06-02T10:08:00.006-04:00

Cathy has had this quilt accepted into Quilt National now showing in Athens, Ohio at The Dairy Barn. Only 79 were selected from more than 1000 international submissions for the show. She's quite an artist with fabric. I love the picture--"The Artist and the Mermaid" 72"W x 87"H. Cotton, commercial and hand dyed fabrics, synthetics, mesh, wire, floral mesh, hand and machine pieced and machine quilted.
The closeup is the artist's face. Here are some of Cathy's comments on the piece:
Inspired by famous painting of artist and mermaids- also inspired by Van Gogh's bedroom painting where everything is out of perspective.The artist has never been able to capture the mermaid's beauty. (He is having an absinthe cocktail.) She has a sour face annoyed that she has been asked to continue to pose. She is likely to slip away. The shape of the quilt is irregular, and by a happy accident looks like the state of Ohio. So maybe the mermaid lives in the Ohio River??? It was fun... took many months and was done in sections. Comments have been- Where are her breast? It's my favorite! to "Oh- Mermaids are in!" I was trying to go for the most unlikely couple. Art like life brings individual's odd qualities together... and sometimes... they need to go their separate ways."

Facebook problems

2009-06-01T11:05:00.002-04:00

Has anyone ever been blocked by Facebook? I'm finding it nearly impossible to get to my pages, if at all. Occasionally I can get on from an email link for a friend request, but I can't go anywhere else after that and have to shut down. I've tried to log on and it won't let me in. I would really appreciate any help or information. Is there a tech support for Facebook somewhere? Help!

My Creative Journey blog

2009-05-30T20:08:00.005-04:00

Please visit Trish's fun blog for an interview with Nita Leland. Oh, that's me. Well, okay, so you can get the rest of my story there. The link should work now.

Books in high places

2009-05-23T19:32:00.003-04:00

I can't help myself. I have to tell you how good I felt when I saw Confident Color on the shelves of the bookstore at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. That is such a thrill. It was also at Barnes & Noble in Cambridge. When my first book came out in 1985, I visited my son in Boston, and we went to an art store in Cambridge. I slithered around looking for a book department, but there wasn't one. As I made a purchase, I mentioned that I was looking for Exploring Color, but I noticed he didn't carry books. He said, "Well, actually, I do carry that one--it's the only book I have." Sure enough, there it was, in the middle of the painting department. He was so excited to meet the author that he had me sign all the books he had in stock. A shining moment for me. I can't believe that was 24 years ago! I seldom mention my books in stores, although I suppose I should, for the sake of marketing. But, I do check to see if they're there, and usually, at least one of them is. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I see myself with four books in print at the same time. I thought the first one was a lucky break.

Weird connections

2009-05-21T12:47:00.002-04:00

I take my laptop with me when I travel, so I should be able to blog while I'm away at workshops. It would help if I knew my passwords, wouldn't it? I forgot to pack my cheat-sheet, so I didn't have them, except for a few I have memorized. Dopey me. Also, I didn't have secure connections in some places, and that always worries me. I go online, grab my email, and go offline as fast as I can. Am I paranoid? Yes. My laptop security program won't let me send email from these connections, so I have to wait until I get home to send my replies. I also have to forward all my received email to my main computer. Is there an easier way to do all this? Just wondering. Anyway, I'm back from Louisville, Cazenovia NY, and Boston, and just about unpacked. It has been a great two weeks--meeting terrific people, teaching a great class, and enjoying my son's company and events. I have book orders to ship and new projects to get started, so not much time to kick back. But, no travel on the schedule for awhile. Yay!

I love fog

2009-05-05T17:05:00.004-04:00

I have no idea why, but when I saw today's post The Colors of Fog on one of my favorite blogs, colourlovers.com, I realized what part of the attraction is. The differences in fog colors aren't usually so apparent, but certainly for an artist or photographer there are innumerable ways to generate color excitement in what most people think of as dull gray. Don't you love it?

International Art Materials Association Survey--do your part!

2009-05-04T16:10:00.004-04:00

Katherine Tyrrell reports on her Making a Mark Reviews that NAMTA and American Artist magazine are sponsoring an industry-wide survey of artists, art retailers and art suppliers to better understand the needs of artists and how the art materials industry can meet these needs. Do your part and take a few minutes to fill out the survey. The details are on the blog link.

Conservator at Work

2009-05-03T17:18:00.002-04:00

Daytonians have a rate opportunity to watch a professional conservator at work restoring a painting at the Dayton Art Institute for another couple of weeks. I hope I can stop by this week before I go to upstate New York to teach a workshop. Per Knutas will be working in Gallery 220 and is happy to answer questions as he works. He's on site from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until completion of his task. Admission is free.

Kid in a candy store

2009-04-30T17:27:00.003-04:00

And no time to shop. Next Thursday I'm going to Louisville to demo in the North Light/F+W booth at the NAMTA international trade show for retailers. Can you imagine sitting in a convention hall with every art supply in the world and not getting to browse? My demo on Confident Color is ongoing for 4 hours. I'm driving down and back the same day (total 5 hours), so that pretty much shoots the day. I've done these trade shows before, and they are so huge, you can't see much in an hour or so. Maybe with roller skates. I'd stay overnight and look around on Saturday, if I didn't have to leave on Sunday for my workshop in upstate New York. And going from there to Boston to visit my son. Got myself on another merry-go-round, didn't I?

Lost Weekend

2009-04-27T21:22:00.003-04:00

I spent most of the weekend trying to delete a virus that showed up on my Friday night automatic scan. When I got home from baby-sitting on Saturday afternoon, I ran Norton Anti-virus and it said the Delete failed and directed me to their Web site for instructions. I was involved in this merry-go-round until bedtime and most of Sunday. The virus is "adware.gen" and it was on my external backup drive. You wouldn't believe how many times I tried to get rid of it with Norton, then had to rescan to find out if it was still there. It takes hours to scan that big Seagate drive. I even tried to do it in Safe Mode; still no luck. I finally realized that the file I was looking for wasn't named adware.gen. When I got the correct name, I went to the drive's Windows System32 directory. As I passed my mouse down the list, before I got to the file, a Norton screen popped up and shouted that I had a virus, and they deleted it, just like that. About an hour later, another Norton screen appeared and in a self-congratulatory manner announced to me that they had rescued me from the virus. Now, why didn't they delete it the half-dozen times I ran the virus-scan program?

Catch up time

2009-04-24T19:54:00.003-04:00

Busy, busy, busy. Our granddaughter had her spring break following Easter, so we were involved in a sleepover and a natural history museum visit during the week. I spent most of this past week sorting files on my hard drives, which doesn't leave a lot of discretionary time. Or leisure, either, for that matter. Today I did some Web site updating, so I'm almost caught up. Just in time to prepare for a demo at the National Art Materials Trade Association trade show, followed by a workshop in Cazenovia, New York. Other pots are beginning to boil, too, so it looks like a busy summer coming up.

The other day I came across an announcement from the Society of Canadian Artists regarding the artist who ran afoul of the American Watercolor Society last year. Guess what! The Canadian society revoked the artist's awards from 2006 and 2007 and have rescinded her membership. Here's their statement:
http://www.societyofcanadianartists.com/exhibitions/Statement0607.asp

A friend recently told me that the signatures on all her watercolor paintings have disappeared over the years. She had used ballpoint pens to sign. I knew that the ink wasn't permanent. I was shocked she didn't. I keep trying to get my students to sign with brush and watercolor. They counter that the pens are labeled "Permanent." Hello? That means they won't wash out. "Lightfast" means they won't fade. So far, the best pens I know are advertised as "light resistant." That isn't quite the same thing. Does anyone out there know of a lightfast pen?

Collage and Mixed Media books

2009-04-08T09:01:00.003-04:00

Alease Michelle's top 10 list of books on collage and mixed media. It's a great list. I've read seven of them and would recommend them all. Now I want to read the other three. Thanks to Alease for the recommendations.

The New Creative Artist South of the Border

2009-04-05T18:15:00.003-04:00

In Central America, actually. Margarita Hernandez (on the right) of Honduras, who attended my workshop in Plantation, Florida, in March, spent nearly a year working at her home with a group of eleven women artists using the activities in my book. First, she had to translate the activities into Spanish so they could understand them. (I wish I knew Spanish as well as she knows English.) At the end of the class, she presented each woman with a certificate of completion. Here are a few photos she sent me of her class. I asked permission to put them on my blog--she says they will be delighted to be internationally "famous" on the Web.

2009-04-05T13:39:00.001-04:00

Check this out: 10 Essential Money Skills for a Bad Economy" by J. D. Roth.