Fall Fearless and Fly

I am featured this week on the Artists in Blogland blog.  Take a peek at this Fall Fearless challenge, where I talk about working in black and white.  You can win some cool stuff here.

Another oil pastel study in black and white

Abstract Painting on Whidbey Island

I will be teaching a four-day workshop on Abstract Painting (including collage, of course) at the Pacific Northwest Art School in Coupeville, WA on Whidbey Island next summer.  Registration is now open!  Space is limited to 12, and there are several people signed up already, so don't delay if you are interested.

• Dates are July 22 - 25, 2013
• Cost is $475
• Fly into Seattle

You can read the description of the workshop on PNWAS's web site, but in a nutshell, we'll be exploring the elements of visual language and learn lots of techniques for playing with them in context. I use the term "painting" loosely, as we'll be including collage and drawing as well. 

See video demonstration of this piece

acrylic, ink, graphite on cheap paper, 18"x24"

acrylic, ink, crayon, graphite on paper, 22"x30"

acrylic, collage, ink on paper, 8"x8"

acrylic, ink, crayon on paper, 8"x8"

Cathy Farrell at Open Studios

I was teaching at Guilford Art Center in Guilford, CT last weekend, and had the opportunity to visit City Wide Open Studios in New Haven where my friend and student of several years, Cathy Farrell, was exhibiting her work for the first time in quite a while.  What a pleasure it was to see Cathy's work mounted, framed, given adequate wall space, and being admired by so many visitors. 

Cathy and me at her Open Studios gallery with "Turning In", Cathy's first larger-scale piece

"Turning In" 22"x30"

"Turning In" in progress, at Collage Journeys in Vermont retreat, August 2012

Cathy at Collage Journeys, August 2012, "Mooncircles" in foreground

A group of Cathy's collage compositions at Open Studios

Self Portrait collection at Open Studios

"Mooncircles", 22"x30" at Open Studios

Cathy at Guilford Art Center, 2011

"Day at the Beach" made at Guilford Art Center, 2011

"Gateway to the City", made at Guilford Art Center, 2011

See Cathy's post about the event on her blog, with more photos.  And, see her VIDEO TOUR!!

Thanks for visiting!  I hope you'll all consider attending your local Open Studios events, and participating if you can.  It's a great way to talk with artists about their work in a relaxed environment.  You won't get that at a gallery opening!  And for participants it's a way to get feedback, and engage in conversation about your work.

Sketchbook Practice Begins

My online workshop, Sketchbook Practice, begins today, and I'm leaving registration open for another week or two.  We've got a great group, but there is room for a few more.  I meant to give you more advance notice, but I have been teaching teaching teaching, and playing catch-up all over the place.  Here is a little teaser, including examples of my work and student work done in the class last spring:

Whether you take this class or not, I hope you enjoy the video and find time to work in your own sketchbook!

A page from my own sketchbook