New Product Alert

I didn't even know Bob Ross was still around 

until my local Michaels replaced the 

Liquitex grey gesso with this.  

I toned a dozen 8 x 10's with it to use for my classes.  

When I did a "three value study" today 

and my middle value was much darker than the board

I knew things were a little "off".

The stuff is way too light to use as a measuring tool! 

Then, while doing the demo below,  I noticed the surface 

 was sucking all the oil out of the paint! 

No matter how much paint I put on the brush,

it flattened right out. 

I felt like I was painting with chalk!  

That product clearly creates a surface that is 

not conducive to my current way of  painting, 

But! It was fun playing with the "drag" it created.   

I would call this the "Forced Dry Brush" challenge.  

  

NOTE: I mislead you. The GJWP blog is always scheduled

 to publish at 12:01 AM on the first of every month, 

so please check to see the new posts anytime after that! 

ALSO: The coolest thing happened today! 

Barbara Shroud "found" me last week on the internet

and featured me on her very cool blog today!

Check it out here!

Her blog makes me want to visit Charleston! 

End of the Month

It's the end of the month again! 

The "Girls Just Wanna Paint" challenge this month was 

 "DUXBURY"

a nearby quintessential New England harbor town.

"DYC Dock"

Check out our blog to see everyone's paintings! 

And read about our show in the Bumpus Gallery at Duxbury Free Library

opening on May 19 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. 

Six of our latest challenge paintings will be on view, as well as a 

"personal best" from each of us.

We'd love to see you come by!   

Great Use of "One Hour"

I only had an hour to paint today, 

so I decided to 

"practice what I preach" 

in my One Hour Painting workshops. 

"Bravado"

8 x 10

I love painting like this: 

Plan ahead.

Put the stroke down.

Leave it alone. 

Foolin' With Figures

For our "Tuesday Morning Gathering" this week 

we fooled around with figures.

First we watched a Peggi Kroll Roberts DVD

on the proper proportions of the figure.

Then we painted from images from my "beach people" photo album.

This one is mine. 

This couple walks on the beach like this every day.

She leads. He follows. 

Happy Couple? 

 

 

The idea was to break the figure down into simple shapes

of light and shadow.

Here is some of the great work the students came up with!

 

 

I love that they all stretch themselves 

and happily try new techniques! 

What's Better?

Two full days of nothing but painting
with 15 wonderful, creative, and talented artists! 

What is better than that? 

  

Rockport Art Association 

weekend workshop.

I'm still processing

everything that transpired over this 

remarkable weekend and will post some more images later.
For now, I just want to thank everyone who attended
and all the folks at the Rockport Art Association.
Also, my wonderful hostess, Susan Quest McPhail.
She was responsible for making it all happen
and I am thrilled to have had such an incredible opportunity.
And I got to stay in her warm, wonderful and art filled home!
Thank you all!
 
  

Show on the Road

 I'm taking my show on the road! 

My "One Hour Painting" workshop at 

Rockport Art Association is this weekend.

I've been packing for three days. 

I feel like I'm going camping.

I was a Girl Scout until I was a Senior in High School.

So this adventure is right up my alley.

Wish me luck! 

Figures in the Sunlight

In preparation for my upcoming 

"Figure in the Sunlight" 

workshop May 12,

 I used my class as "guinea pigs" this week.  

Since we didn't have a model, I did a quick 

10 minute demo for them 

using an image I took last weekend at the beach. 

Then I'd bought some great white cotton dresses 

and big floppy hats at TJ Max,

 so we took turns modeling in the sun. 

I set the timer for 10 minute poses, 

but I found that just wasn't enough time.

It was frustrating to most, including me! 

You clearly need to get a really accurate initial drawing 

of the figure for these to work! 

We will be doing this often for practice

and we'll spend more time on each pose. 

It's a real challenge and so fun! 

Beach Season Hits New England

Hot, Dry Early Spring 

11 x 14

Yesterday it was in the high 80's and very dry. 

It felt like mid-summer. 

Except the sky still had that milky April feel. 

It was weird. 

I saw this on Pinterest and couldn't wait to do one. 

Solo Show!

I am pleased to announce that my proposal for a solo show in the

Red Room at the Copley Society in Boston 

has been accepted! 

"Sun Lit Roofs"

10 x 12 

"Sunny Side Up" 

20 x 20 

The show will be entitled

"Beach Peeks" 

and will be opening on June 14! 

Save the date! 

Focus on Figures

The Annual North River Arts Society 

"Focus on Figures"

show opens this Friday 

with a reception from 7:00 - 10:00.

"Lounging" 

9 x 12 

This juried show showcases some of the most amazing figure work, 

 and I am thrilled to be part of it!  

Hope to see you there! 

What NOT to do if JOY is your goal!

Liz Wiltzen recently posted this on her blog 

and I thought I'd share it as well.

It's a great wake up call.  

HOW TO FEEL MISERABLE AS AN ARTIST:

1. CONSTANTLY COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER ARTISTS.

2. TALK TO YOUR FAMILY ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND EXPECT THEM TO CHEER YOU ON. 

3. BASE THE SUCCESS OF YOUR ENTIRE CAREER ON ONE PROJECT. 

4. STICK WITH WHAT YOU KNOW.

5. UNDERVALUE YOUR EXPERTISE.

6. LET MONEY DICTATE WHAT YOU DO.

7. BOW TO SOCIETAL PRESSURES.

8. ONLY DO WORK THAT YOUR FAMILY WOULD LOVE.

9. DO WHATEVER THE CLIENT/CUSTOMER/GALLERY OWNER/PATRON/ INVESTOR ASKS.

10. SET UNACHIEVABLE /OVERWHELMING GOALS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY TOMORROW.

Liz is a fabulous painter and life coach.
I highly recommend her blog: 

"The Art of Living Attuned"
Happy exploring. 

No Drawing Exercise

I'm starting Tuesday morning classes at 

Salty Dog Studio next week. 

For our first class we are going to paint a still life 

without doing any preliminary drawing.

 I did this today to try it out. 

Signs of Spring 

6 x 6 

This is much harder than you'd think. 

The purpose of this exercise is to force yourself 

to see the big shapes. 

And that it does!

Meanwhile:

Yesterday I went up the Rockport Art Association 

to check out where I will be giving the 

weekend workshop April 21 and 22. (sold out!) 

It's a wonderful big space and the folks there couldn't be nicer!

While poking around the quaint harbor town, I spotted this.

Happy Spring! 

Back to Work

I mapped this out and got it 

ready to go on my easel before I went away.

"Sea Watch"

11 x 14 

That way I was sure to avoid that "first day back"

panic over what to paint.  

Sometimes taking a break can paralyze you! 

Strategic Patience

One of Robert Genn's recent posts
 "Strategic Patience"
reminded me how important it is to take a break
once in awhile to
re-think and make a plan. 

"Artists need to pause and ask, 
What am I doing?
Who am I doing it for?
What am I good at?
What do I need to work on? 

I was fortunate enough to take last week off from
everything to just look at this
and practice a little "strategic patience"of my own.
I find this very valuable advice:

"As you work on your art, you need to be thinking ahead. In other words, 

you take workmanlike actions that are setups for what is to come later. 

As you delay the gratification of the fun parts, patience is required. 

You may also need to wait to see what your work suggests. 

Just as in a game of chess, early minor moves prepare the way for later major ones. 

This is perhaps a more deliberate way of working than you might be used to

--particularly if you're a spontaneous, intuitive painter who works fast 

in the hope that things will work out. 

Hope is not a strategy"  

This past summer I had a "breakthrough"
and began working more deliberately.
Having a plan and working toward specific goals
 is challenging and liberating in so many ways.
I can't wait to see what happens next!