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A link to recent Watercolor studies, and Hazel King’s Birthday today

>Since painting with the Collaborative Artists Network, I’ve done some enjoyable watercolor studies.  They are visible in this album posted at my facebook site “Moesse the Eclectic Artist.”  If you’ve not “liked” Moesse but have a facebook page, I’d appreciate it if you would do so.  You know, share the love.

Heading into Nashville to the Centennial Park Art Center today to celebrate Hazel King’s 92nd Birthday.  Can you believe it?  What a gem.

Update – 4:02 PM:   Have returned from a really enjoyable pot luck birthday party for Hazel and will post more later, but have to correct the record.  She’s 91 this year.  Still drives, lives alone, and inspires so many still through her art education.  A real treasure.

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A grand day with fellow painters yesterday

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Barbara with a painting from more than 20 years ago!

The Collaborative Artists Network (C.A.N.) is getting geared up!  We painted at Barbara Rembert’s studio in her home yesterday inspired by some glorious instrumental music, great, great food, and the artistic and creative energy that flowed like a bubbling stream.  Barbara has a tremendous learning library of books to borrow, and we were treated to a private show of her collection of works.  She has some brilliant work over the years, and happily, we got the up close and personal tour, including explanations behind some of the loveliest of paintings.  Her methods are so varied, and yet all convey so beautifully what message or meaning she is trying to illustrate.  Pure wonderment!

Another surprise treat was a painting Margot pulled out that she had done back more than three decades ago!  And to our joy and amazement, it was done using the same strokes, colors, and style she uses today.

We didn’t talk much about our organization today, preferring just to paint, but the idea behind it is to organize as a non-profit, obtain grands or other funding to provide a safe, comfortable place to paint, the resources to do so, the opportunity to teach others less fortunate, and to sell our works to self-fund our endeavor moving forward. It will surely be a long road, but with we five, I think we C.A.N., no pun intended.  We recognize women typically give up so much to raise children, care for family, or meet other challenges that typically come from lacking that second X Gene, particularly economic ones.  And each of us has faced tremendous emotional, physical, or monetary challenges, or a combination of all three, to get to this point in our lives, and we feel it is time to put our experience to good use, identify a forum, and ultimately, give back.  Down the road, I hope to write more about our organization’s progress.

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Uh oh! Eye problem returned!

>I’ve been lax in doing the eye exercises and on top of that recently got a new IPhone 4, beckoning me to click, read, and explore until the wee hours of the morning sometimes, and yesterday, I noticed the eye problem has returned.  Bummer since I returned to the eye specialist a few weeks ago and told her everything was fine and dandy.  Well, I guess it’s just a two step process:

  1. reduce the Iphone viewing
  2. get back to exercising the muscles. 

Of course, right now I’m piled under with work, want to paint more, and have other needs for my eyes too.  Will update you next week on my progress.  Hopefully it’ll be as easy as 1,2.

Wish me luck!

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The perfect Sunday morning, the perfect Watercolor Inspiration Book

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For Practicing:  dual pallets AND a set of cheap old pan paints too!

The day started hot and humid as it has this summer (a verdant August is unheard of here in Middle Tennessee, but it’s true this year …) so I grabbed the happy tails duo and we headed to the park for a pre-sweltering distance walk.  Once home, I thankfully grabbed my coffee, and laid out my stuff to paint with Pandora playing random tunes in the background to inspire me.  I didn’t need it however, because I found the perfect inspiration in The Tao of Watercolor:  A revolutionary approach to the practice of painting by Jeanne Carbonetti.

One of the several library books I checked out yesterday, this one beckoned me. The thing I’ve learned over the past year is that you have to give up control in watercolor more than any other medium.  You have to relinquish planning and organization, for the most part, in order to achieve the most breathtaking works.  Carbonetti’s book illustrates this beautifully as she explains washes that go far beyond the flat, graduated, etc. and gives you room to breathe, play, and explore.    I would elaborate but want to get back to my work now the paint layer’s dry.  You’ll have to check it out yourself.  One final note, though, I noticed she has several other books entwining eastern philosophy and painting.

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A book about Citiscapes

As a child, my mother wisely taught me that books were a joy and I’d relish trips to the local library as one would a visit to a candy store. I’d come home, happily meet naptime as an opportunity climb into bed to transform into a “princess,” locks resting on plumped up pillows and books spread around like treasures.

The library holds much the same joy for me, and, yes, I still enjoy an excuse for a nap for that very reason. Today, I reluctantly returned a real gem of an old book entitled Painting Citiscapes by Ralph Fabri. It was published in 1973 and after enjoying the borrowed book, I decided it was worth breaking into my scant resources to buy it from a used bookseller on Amazon. It not only goes into real detail about painting citiscapes (and building details, etc) but includes project demonstrations of citiscapes in oil, watercolor, acrylic and pastel. .

Off topic somewhat, I only glanced through all the other art books I checked out because I became engrossed in the great biography Chasing the Flame about the great late presumptive UN Secretary General Sergio Vieira de Mello – whose life was tragically cut short by an early attack in Iraq – by Samantha Power).

I’m signing off now, eager to head to the library to see what new treasures await.  And eager for nap time. 

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School’s starting & great art supply sales abound

I’ve been getting a pile of sale flyers in my inbox lately, and my debit card is burning a hole in my pocket.  I rationalize that at least the purchase of art supplies isn’t like some conspicuous spending that would be really gauche in this day and age.  I mean, after all, we’re buying this as the raw materials to create product for sale (hopefully), thus fueling the economy, right? A stretch, yeah, I know.  Still, here’s the lowdown on good sales going on right now on art supplies through major retailers I know of, either mail order or local to Nashville (and scores of other cities nationwide).

Dick Blick:  Right now they’ve got Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board, Golden Heavy Body Acrylics, Prismacolor Pencils,   Alphacolor Soft Pastels and Unisom Gator Foam Pastel Surfaces, Winsor & Newton Oils, and Charcoal pencils on sale at discounts of 13-54% off.

Cheap Joe’s:  Use promo code CJ45 to get 4.95 shipping through 8/22, click this link to save up to 60% on select items in their fall sale event on items including Prismacolor Colored Pencils, Golden Artists Acrylics (and I think I’ll be picking up this great deal on Golden Open Acrylics, to test them out. 

For those local to Nashville, Jerry’s Artarama Nashville has restocked it’s canvas offerings and has a deal on Winsor & Newton, The Edge, and Creative Mark Canvas. A boatload of other items are on sale, too, and the . These other sale items include Matisse Dervan Acrylics (LOVE THOSE AUSSIE COLORS!) Lukas Oils, Daler Rowney Oils and Gesso, Soho Urban Acrylics and Oils, Silver and Pro Stroke Brushes, Painter’s Edge Pallet Knives, Strathmore 300 Series Bristol and Watercolor Pads and Canson Pads as well. Foamboard is at fantastic prices too for both the large size and smaller sizes from 8 x 10 all the way up to 32 x 40 and some portfolios and ArtPort cases are on sale too.  This link from Jerry’s national lists even more stuff on sale.

A little off track, but for Nashvillians, but through Jerry’s, I learned of an event to be held at Hickory Hollow Mall tomorrow starting at 6 p.m. entitled “Exposed!”  Not much info to be discovered on this but I suspect it relates to the newly opened art gallery in the mall.  The flyer notes Gallery opening at 6 p.m. with performances starting at 7, featuring new and seasoned talent, a guest DJ and a guest performance.

Back to shopping and definitely not to be outdone,  Plaza Artist Materials is having a fall sale too.  They list
Paints, and related materials, brushes, canvas, drawing supplies, paper, and furniture on sale with savings of up to 70%.  Like Jerry’s, being able to go to the store and talk to their well-trained and knowledgeable staff is very helpful and they, too offer web-based sales.  With 12 stores, located DC, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia, there might be one near you.

Even Michaels, the Arts & Crafts retailer, is getting into things with value canvas multi-packs, Strathmore 400 series pads, Liquitex Basics Paints and storage accessories on sale now. 

In case I’ve missed anything, feel free to add in the comment section below.  It doesn’t require blood or promise of money or any other committment, so feel free to post a comment.  To those who have/ do, thanks!    

Added 9:33 AM CST per comment of earlier and more info:  

Mea Culpa, Utrecht Art Supplies  has a great sale going on there now too, and double down by deducting 20% off the total too! (Plus free shipping on $100 orders or greater).

And Mea Culpa to  ASWeXpress too!  A 3 day deal which ends Aug. 21 (enter code B8W4) for 15% off your total plus free shipping on orders of over $99,  Golden Artist Acrylics at up to 40% off til Sept. 30, and finally, select brushes, including Silver Brush, Winsor & Newton, Raphael, Robert Simmons and Isabey up to 67% off until 11:59 P.M. EST TONIGHT.   So, if you get in and purchase by midnight tonight you get a great brush deal, 15% off all, free shipping if you get with friends and bundle an order, and are, uhm, pardon the pun, Golden too!

Happy buying, happy creating, just be happy

Added 12:58 PM CST per comment of earlier and more info: 
Clarification on the Utrecht deals:  Ends tonight at midnight: Save 20% Off Your entire purchase!* (Use Keycode BTS20E)… Need one more thing to round out your studio? Save 40% Off any one non-sale item!** (use Keycode BTS40). But a weekend deal offers  Free Ground Shipping and extends the 20% off with limits as per an offer I received in today:  Utrecht is fully stocked for Back to School and the more you buy, the more you’ll save! Take 10% Off Your entire purchase, no minimum purchase required!* (Use Keycode WKND10E)… Spend $100 or more and Save 20% Off Your entire purchase plus Free Ground Shipping!** (use Keycode WKND20E). Click here for details.
 

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Spent the past six hours putting together a proposal

>For a research / writing project.  It has nothing to do with art, really, other than writing about the concept of taking an old industrial space and renovating it to make it more comfortable and efficient, for use as studios, lofts, and such. But that’s just one aspect of the project.

I would love to get this project for several reasons, one of which is, of course, economic.  If it pans out, you’ll be the first to know (sort of) and I’ll elaborate in some detail.

Wish me luck!

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A stupendous day painting with the girls

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As you may recall, Lynne, Lucilla, Margot and I have been meeting weekly at one another’s homes although today was Barbara Rembert’s first day joining us.  It definitely won’t be her last as we’re piling in on her next week. But back to today – it was held at Margot’s lovely place in Green Hills, and I was treated to some of her fine homemade Gazpacho (she’s promised to share the recipe with me and if I get any comments to my post, I may just be nice enough and share it here later, too.)  And since Barbara had a birthday recently, Lynne surprised her with a little cake in her honor.

It was a wonderful day of watercolor painting and I worked on a pair of waterfalls from the same photo that would never have occurred to me to break them up into two separate paintings, but with Barbara there, coaching me on, I saw the composition would be that much better for doing it.  I decided on those paintings since Barbara showed us all a pair of beautiful watercolors she had done on paper that she had gessoed over to protect the integrity of the paper and make it easier to lift off paint later.  Mine were poor stepchildren compared to her gorgeous works, but it was good practice all the same.  I did a sweet little birch forest painting too, but the hubby is working to upgrade my Iphone right now so sharing a photo of my effort will have to wait.

The big news from today’s session was that we have decided on a name for our group and intend to codify it, first with website, then see about some funding sources, and more.  Pretty exciting when you think it all started just a few weeks ago.  Wish us luck!

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>Non-art Book Recommendation

>Running with the Tao by Greg Webb.  I’ve read segments of this truly inspirational book and await delivery at this time.

Editorial Review from Amazon:  Compelling commentary on health and spirituality. The author takes two lines from each stanza of the Tao te Ching and creates a stream of moving meditations as he runs around a magic path circling two pristine lakes outside beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. “By prioritizing how present I’m becoming instead of how far or how fast I may be traveling, I’ve ended up going farther and faster than I ever dreamed possible.”

Disclaimer:  Though there’s no monetary conflict of interest in my recommendation, I went to High School with this talented guy.  His blog is truly inspiring.  I can’t wait to get my copy of the full book and suspect it’ll be one of my go-to Christmas gifts for those who have (almost) everything. 

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>Words on Art

>Had little time to paint and explore this past weekend but thought I’d spiff up someone’s day by including links to a few cool blogs and sites devoted to art that I’ve been visiting of late. 

First off, my Twitter Account follows a good number of art-related subjects, ranging from certain museums to magazines and other artists too.  Feel free to join me in following these entries.  AbsoluteArts is a blog in which various artists contribute.  Kinda good to hear several voices in one place.  Another good one is Artopia, which is a good critics-eye-view of things going on in the art world on a global scale.  Closer to home, that is, Nashville, I’d refer readers to the David Maddox’s Perambulating the Bounds.  He does a great job culling together Nashville’s Art Scene in a one-stop blog that covers the gamut of the music and visual in and around Nashville.   

The last link I’m including doesn’t really refer to words, but rather a way cool idea to get artists from all over involved in a collaborative project:  The Sketchbook Project.  Such a cool concept, I urge all visitors to get involved.  I have, selecting the theme “And then there was none” for my own contribution.  I’ve received my sketchbook but haven’t yet laid any marks in it, preferring to plan it out somewhat.  Nah, the honest answer is, like all other precious empty journals and books I’ve purchased or been given over the years, the blank slate is so symbolically precious to me that I hate to muddy it until I know what I’m putting in is just spot on perfect.  I need to get over that soon, since the due date for this project is Jan. 15. 

Perhaps this weekend coming up, as I make up for lost painting time too.