End Of Summer

This is a bittersweet time;

sad to see the summer go but very excited for 

all the fall activity to start! 

In two weeks I'll be teaching weekend "Intuitive Painting"
workshop at the
Rockport Art Association
(Sept 15, 16)


"Cross Roads" 10 x 8 oil

"This workshop is geared for experienced painters who are interested in shaking things up. 

We will learn how to create more intuitive and expressive paintings 

by balancing what we see with some invention.

Less literal, more bold!
Through a series of fun quick exercises, we’ll explore ways to design more dynamic and contemporary paintings by focusing on the big shapes and their relationship to each other. 

We will discover ways to use the abstract elements of color, shape, space, and line to express an idea.  We’ll work from simple still life set-ups and photographs.

 All paint mediums are welcome. "

This will be great fun
 and a terrific way to kick off the fall season! 

"Nico's View"

8 x 8 mixed media

This week we are wrapping up the Abstract session 

 of our year long on-line class with Mark Daniel Nelson

and will begin the section titled;

"Finding Your Voice".

Looking forward to that, as I have found that
"thinking abstractly" doesn't exactly come naturally to me.

Also!
I was recently interviewed for an article in the

  Boston Voyage Magazine
You can read it HERE!

Have a safe and fun long weekend
and I'll see you in September! 

Limitations

Working in my mini summer "studio" 

I have limited materials

 and it's kind of fun! 

 3 x 3 acrylics on canson canva paper

with some ball point pen. 

Trust me, I've got no complaints!

Working small and in multiples and experiementing with 

pens, markers, crayola stix, oil sticks, scrapers, 

mediums etc. 

Limitations can cause revelations!

Here is another set.

Limiting my colors, my values,

 and my # of shapes. 

Taking baby steps into the "abstract" world;

opening up all kinds of doors! 

I can't wait to see how this informs my 

more represenational work. 

-

More Fun with Mark Making

Six 5 x 7 oil abstracts done from ideas in my 

"abstract shapes" file. 

Breakfast

Roof Top Pool 

Goodbye Arlington 

?

Pick Your Color 

Magic Hour 

I had fun with the titles. 

Old Boy Friend

Last week my niece sent me a fun image of one of her other Aunts

and told me she was curious to see how I would paint it.

I was compelled to paint something

"representational" after all this abstract thinking. 

"Aunt Lara" 

9 x 9 oil 

The image:

This was actually quite fun. 

It was nice to know I can still paint 

like that when I want to. 

Mark Daniel Nelson calls that 

"going back to your old boyfriend". 

Abstract Approaches

This smmer I am having some fun 

playing with abstract approaches. 

For this one, I didn't have a plan or think 

about "saying" anything. 

"Dressed for Dancing"

12 x 9

Acrylic on Canson Canva Paper 

These are gouache and various 

markers from my "fun box"

on mixed media board.  

This is all rather weird to me 

and yet I'm inspired and excited to see where it takes me. 

I'm sure all this "letting go" is going to inform my 

representational work down the road.

"I Teach What I Want to Learn"

The first time I heard that expression, it resonated with me.
I enjoy teaching new approaches that I've never taught before,

and my last class was willing and able to try anything!    

After a quick review of the many new approaches to painting the figure
we've covered over the six weeks,

we did an old favorite
and painted the figure upside down.

To me, this is one of the best ways to 

see the big shapes and let go of detail. 

So, as much as I love experimenting and growing as an artist,

I equally love sharing ideas and exploring as a teacher.

"I teach what I want to learn!"

Have a great rest-of-the-summer! 

  

Summer Play Time

I've started the third on-line session of 

Mark Daniel Nelson's 

year long course;

 Abstraction! 

Perfect timing for me, as summer is the season to 

experiment and explore.

This class is getting me there! 

Some rectilinear, geometric ideas

"Harbor Town"

8 x 8 gouache on paper 

"Moon Rise" 

8 x 8 gouache on paper

"Recycle" 

I Pad sketch over an image of signs

 gestural sketches getting warmed up  

Some 8 x 8 "linear"and "gestural" 

abstracts 

acrylic, crayon, graphite on paper 

This series of "classes" every Thursday, 

along with the very supportive Facebook group

has been fullfilling and fun.

Stay tuned!