Pattern Painting

This week we did one of my favorite exercises.
Pattern Painting.

It's a great way to use shape, line, and color,
to design a strong composition.
(instead of merely copying what is in front of you)
I am always amazed by the results! 

 My demo:

Just a few cool examples of class work: 

Everyone interprets the exercise their own way 

and it just thrills me. 

Every time!


PS I forgot to take pictures of the homework they did! 

Homework

For homework last week, I had the class research an "expressionist" artist 

whose style appeals to them for some reason,

and present it to the class. 

I chose Henry Issacs,

a Vermont artist, whose work I recently discovered.
(Thank you Judythe!) 

Homework this week is to do a small painting 

in that artist's style. 

Here is my interpretation of an early fall evening

in his style. 

NOTE: 

I did a quick gouache study first, 

to plan the shapes and colors. 

I can't wait to see what they come up with! 

Expressive Color Exercises

We did two fun "Expressive Color"

exercises in class today.  

First, we set up simple objects in bright light. 

Then we chose any two colors (one darker than the other), 

and painted everything in shadow in the dark color,

everything in light, in the lighter color. 

My demo. 

A student pointed out that I had painted the black cloth

 as if it was all in shadow, 

when in fact, some of it was in light.  

We all learned from that! 

student work

Then we chose any two colors, plus white. 

We premixed a tint of each (by adding white)

mixed the two colors together, 

and a tint of that. 

student work

Then they used two different color combinations (plus white) 

with the same set up.  

I think this exercise is so much more fun

 than doing Color Charts.

Thank you PKR! 

Re-visiting Gloucester

 Gloucester's working harbor 

was a source of great inspiration while I was there. 

The angles and shapes of color intrigued me to no end.  

Lunch Break 

18 x 24 oil 

I zoomed in on this scene from across the harbor to get this composition. 

And yes, that is grass growing on the roof of that building.

 I painted this over an old painting

in order to get the texture I wanted. 

 It's fun to see how the underpainting 

"informs" the new shapes of color. 

Re-charging

As expected, I am having a hard time 

getting back to the easel 

after the focus and out put of work 

last month in Gloucester.  

Harbor Town 

8 x 10 gouache 

So while I re-charge my batteries,

I've cleaned and re-arranged my studio, 

organized my files,

and updated my website 

www.nancycolellastudio.com

Much of the work done during the Residency is now posted 

and I've included a page of the gouache studies 

I enjoyed doing so much. 

I hope this doesn't last much longer. 

I'm running out of other things to do.

Working Harbor

I've been busy unpacking and re-organizing the studio. 

It is so great to have all my art supplies 

in one place!

This is one of the many "working harbor" pieces 

I did while in Gloucester. 

Working Harbor

20 x 20 oil 

I start teaching again at NRAS on Thursday

 and I am really looking forward to it. 

I always learn so much by teaching. 

Recommended Read

I enjoyed reading this historically rich and intriguing book
 during the residency

and highly recommend it to anyone,
not just artists. 

Rivalry is at the heart of some of the most famous and fruitful relationships in history. The Art of Rivalry follows eight celebrated artists, each linked to a counterpart by friendship, admiration, envy, and ambition. All eight are household names today. But to achieve what they did, each needed the influence of a contemporary—one who was equally ambitious but possessed sharply contrasting strengths and weaknesses.

You can read the rest of the review here. 

Happy Reading! 

Talk at Cape Ann Museum

The Copley Society just posted this 

on their blog about my talk Tuesday night 

at the Cape Ann Museum.


I was relieved when we moved it
from the auditorium to one of the galleries!
There were about 40 people there so
it was more imitate and I was very comfortable.

Working on the power point forced me
to organize my thoughts about
everything I'd experienced,
and I found that a great way to wrap things up.


I drove home the next morning and have been re-entering since.
As extraordinary as this was,
a month is a long time
and I am SO happy to be home!

Opening at Charles Fine Art

Despite the dreary weather Saturday, 

I'm happy to report that my opening at Charles Fine Art 

was well attended

 and the work was well received. 

It was a wonderful way to wrap up my residency. 

The show will be up until Oct 9 and  

I'm giving a talk at the Cape Ann Museum 

on Tuesday at 6:00 pm 

if you are in the area! 

The poster that was in the window all month. 

Charles Fine Art 

196 Main Street

Gloucester, MA 

The show included 8 framed gouache sketches, 

12 plein air unframed studies done while here,

and 8 framed finished paintings from this summer. 

I was too busy chatting

 so my sweet husband took these!