OPA National Exhibition and Quang Ho

Just got back from Evergreen, Colorado and the best experience a painter can have without painting.  Quang Ho was the master judge and also gave a great still life demonstrations.

 I met some wonderful people, ate great food, visited an old friend, and learned so much.  If you are an oil painter, the Oil Painters of America is an organization that has many benefits.  Daniel Green did a portrait demonstrations and Neil Patterson, president of OPA, was the model.

We drove out of the area passing through Colorado Springs just before the fires began to spread.  Between fires in Colorado and Tropical Storm Debby in Florida, Mother Nature has been very busy and a real challenge driving back.  One of the presentations that was worth the trip itself was by Lori Woodward about the state of the art market.  Check out her blog and the valuable information she shared with us. 

My next newsletter will be out the first of July, so sign up to receive your personal newsletter delivered directly into your e-mail box.  This month's gift will be a giclee of one of my paintings.  Click the Eiffel Tower and sign up today.

Great News

Validation for  one's work is always a welcomed experience.  This year my husband David has been entering my work in several competitions.  Now for the great news.  I just found out that one of my paintings was chosen to be a finalist in the RayMar Art Contest for the month of June.  I would like to thank Warren Chang for his kind comments.  Here is the direct link to my painting and Warren's description of why he chose it. 

"Roots" has special meaning for me since the meat grinder and milk pail come from the farm back in North Carolina.  I've been lugging them around with me all these years and never gave them a second thought until I began this journey of capturing my "roots" on canvas.  The root vegetables were fun to paint, hence the title.

Oil Painters of America

Next week, June 22, the Oil Painters of America 21st Annual National Exhibition will be held at the Evergreen Fine Art Gallery, in Evergreen Colorado.  My bags are packed and I can't wait.  After looking at all the paintings that will be on exhibition, I'm as excited as mouse in a cheese factory (minus the traps).  One of my Threads of Life paintings will be on display, French Lace II.

To see all of the paintings in this series, go to my website.  Denver here I come!

Sweet Pear

I'm having a great time painting pears.  This golden colored Bosc pear is as luscious to look at as it is to eat.  Check it out.  It comes framed and price includes shipping and handling.
 

  Click here for Pear Study 1

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