Newsletter Drawing

This month's newsletter drawing winner is Ellen Finch.  Congratulations Ellen and you will receive six notecards with the image Florida Tangerines.  This image can be seen on a previous blog,
so check it out.  We would have done this live but David is still learning how to use our new camera.  Gee how I miss the old days when you just turned something on with a click, it worked. 

I would also like to thank everybody who has signed up for the newsletter and if you haven't, do so. You don't want to miss out on my "thoughts."  Somebody said after reading my last Thoughts From the Crone's Nest, "It's a great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there." I guess I spend too much time thinking about how we learn.  It's a professional hazard resulting from teaching for over thirty years and understanding that deer in the headlights look.  Keep painting and keep reading.

Newest Painting

Busy, busy, busy and I know I'm not alone.  Everyday on Facebook it appears a lot is going on with my fellow artists.  For me, I'm moving at full speed.  Well it feels like full speed.  I just finished a new painting with all the things I love--kitchen stuff.  This one I'm calling "Baked in Tradition."  Remember the metal flour sifter used before our bags of flour were presifted.   Also included is one of three of my cast iron skillets.  The glass milk bottle comes from my great aunt's dairy farm from years past.   Those that have already have seen this painting have asked how I painted the red checked fabric.  I would love to tell you but I will save that for my workshop in the fall (Oct. 22-26). 

                                                                   Baked in Tradition
                                                                   16X20 oil on linen

Information for this workshop is on my teaching website www.dbelmquist.com and click on workshops.  If you have any particular questions, don't hesitate to contact me.  If you have signed up for my newsletter, you should have received it yesterday.  For those of you who signed up today, I will send you a copy.  Drawing for the special gift will be Saturday around 2 o'clock.  So if you haven't signed up, be sure to do so.  The gift this month is one of my original Small Gem oil paintings. 

Newest Painting

The drawing posted earlier is now a finished painting.  This image is showing on the warm side because of the lighting but in real life is much cooler.  These items come from my great aunt's dairy farm.  The meat grinder is like new but is as old as the milk container.  Lots of fun with painting metal.  Amazing how ordinary objects can be so captivating. 

                                                                   "ROOTS"
                                                                     18X24

Just Thinking

I had an aha moment the other days after a written conversation on FB with a fellow artist.  The topic was about method.  For me method has been an issue because for a time I was trying to discover the "right way."  Then, as you can read in earlier blog posts, I researched different methods for beginning a painting.  I was again looking for the best method.  As in life, I discovered I was asking the wrong question.  What did my FB friend say when asked why he painted in the method he did?  His response was, "my method supports my strengths AND my weaknesses."  He didn't elaborate further but since he has many videos on line, I was able to see his strengths.  I can only guess at his weaknesses.  I can't detect any.  So the question, in my opinion, should be. . . what method best takes advantage of my strengths and helps any weaknesses?

Now here is where a discussion, if one can be truly honest, could really be helpful.  Do most artists paint in a method because of this strength/weakness issue?  For example, if you love drawing and are really good at it, will you choose traditional images over painting non-representational?  And the opposite . . . if you can't draw well but have a talent for color and color harmonies, will you gravitate toward strong color possibly with a more impressionistic style?  There are many more examples I could come up with but you get the idea.  Besides strengths and weaknesses, do we as artist gravitate toward a particular style or method based on our personality when it comes to the time it may take to complete a painting.  I heard one painter say, "if I can't finish it in three hours, I'm not interested."  Couple this with an artist who takes three months to finish a small painting.  Maybe the statement that art is an expression of self is really about our personality, strengths, and weaknesses.

My strength is drawing.  I love not just sketching in the underdrawing but bringing it to a very finished rendering.  The drawing insures that my painting will be accurate (another thing I love).  Here is an example.

Weigh in with your thoughts.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Still Teaching

This week has been invigorating for me and I think my students.  My curriculum emphasizes the basic skills including form-light and dark, value, and edges.  Their progress is amazing and I celebrate all that they are doing.  Here a pics of them hard at work.  You go girls!

As you can see, they are all working on individual skills depending on their level of ability.  One size does not fit all.  Check out the information for my upcoming workshop in October.  Would love to see you here.

Teaching, My Other Day Job

Good news.  My weekly classes have filed to capacity.  Bad news.  I'm getting less personal painting done.  It was the best of time and the worst of times.  So I grab time wherever to write and blog .  This morning came early for me and at 5 am, I began writing the second installment for my newsletter.  Teaching and learning will be the subject.  If you haven't signed up for the Newsletter, be sure to do so.
Some of my students are now ready for color and the challenges color brings.  Wish me luck.  I truly want them to understand more than just slapping color on the canvas and calling it pretty.  We will be doing color studies and thumbnail value studies.  It's critical to work these elements out before beginning the actual painting.  My students agree.  Here is Shanna who has never painted until six weeks ago.  Way to go girl!

I've scheduled the fall workshop for Oct. 22-26--click here for more information.  Besides five days of intense instruction on classical painting, including thumbnail sketches, color studies, color harmonies, compositional tools, we have a fantastic evening cruise on Spruce Creek with wine and cheese.  After the cruise, a catered dinner outdoors in the old Florida tradition, bond fire included.  I promise an experience you will be talking about for a long time.

Great Book

Great art books are few and far between so when I find one that is fantastic, I just can't help but share the news.  A student brought it into the studio and shared it with the class.  Juliette Aristides has written a concise book on classical drawing with so many examples and illustrations . The best part is the DVD.  Scenes from Florence and Venice make you want to grab your sketchbook, pencil, and buy a plane ticket for Italy.  Her demonstrations are extremely informative and doable. 

I've added this book to my list on the right side.  Just scroll down and you can order it directly.  It's affordable; less than $20 and the DVD is worth the price alone.