Treasures by You

doodling

2012-01-04T05:49:00.000-08:00

I follow a blog called The Sketchbook Challenge and love the encouragement and sense of community I see there. This week, they posted a prompt called "doodling" which is a way to loosen up and practice art without getting all uptight and frenzied about the outcome. The goal is just to doodle, set aside a few minutes and just let your fingers go.

I have a small art journal, and some pigment pens of different sizes, and sat while watching television the other night and just doodled. These are the results, and I had fun and relaxed with it. It also gets the ideas flowing in my head. I encourage you all to give it a try. You don't have to have a special art journal or pens, anything works. Try it and let me know how it goes...

And yes, anyone can doodle, just like anyone can paint...honestly. :D

Have fun!

a cardinal in winter

2012-01-01T05:07:00.000-08:00

Last month as I was trying to think about what to paint for January classes, I thought about the grayness of winter, and how drab it can be for those of us who love color. What could I paint that would convey that? I started looking through my photos and came upon this photo...

This was the little bit of color up close. Doesn't that just draw your eye right in and distract you from all that gray drabness? It did for me too. I decided it would be a perfect way to celebrate the beginning of a new year. Red is a symbol of luck for the Chinese, and this little fellow was about as red as they come.

I set up the Bloggie camera I purchased just to film the videos I post, and painted my version of a cardinal in winter to post. Bob Rossi is in no danger of losing his throne as the king of the television art teachers, as you will see. If you take the time to watch it, I think you will see that painting is fun, and interpretation of any subject will vary from artist to artist. Don't fear the paint and canvas, they are your friends. :D Join me as I try to take the mystery out of painting, and show you how easy it is to have fun.

And if you want some one on one attention in a relaxed atmosphere, then visit the Treasures by You website and make reservations to paint. Be sure to bring friends and some wine or other beverage to sip...there is no better way to have fun than with friends. I guarantee it.

I broke this up into two parts so you could have an intermission, coffee, or whatever. Vix and I hope you all have a wonderful new year and take some time for you, grab a paintbrush, and Let's Paint!

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter...join us as we explore the world of painting and art...
~cath xo

art, wine, and chocolate festival

2011-11-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

Last month we set up a booth to show people that yes, anyone can paint. And that the point of it is to have fun! Two wonderful friends helped us demonstrate just how this happens. I took photos, and decided to share them here. You can see Denise and Suzy smiling, and concentrating as they paint, deep in thought as people pass by looking. They shared their views on painting while they sat, and quite a few people stopped and asked questions.

It was a great day, my sisters and I were all together, and while I painted and Vicky explained to passersby, Dooj fetched our wine (we were lucky enough to be right across from the wine booths!), and Stevie Wonder fetched us chocolate, nuts, and all manner of yummy fare. It was sheer heaven for me. Great music, art, wine and chocolate! What better combination is there? If you are in Suisun City, California during the first Saturday of October next year, stop by and sample the wonderful wines, and locally made chocolate and art to be discovered and purchased. You'll be glad you did!
~cath xo

between places

2011-10-04T17:09:00.001-07:00

Today I am spending most of my time in the air. Since it is hard to type and make any sense trying to blog on an iPhone, I will share some of the last photos I took today before I left Sacramento.

(I am discovering that being caught in midair between destinations is not very conducive to meeting the requirements of this blog challenge I have accepted.)

sea oats are easier than videos

2011-09-08T04:29:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we spent a weekend at the beach. I took Big Girl with me, thinking to capture photos that would wow the world. That didn't happen. I tried, but my camera karma (say that real fast 3 times) was working against me. By the time I found the perfect place to take photos, the sun was setting and they wouldn't let us through the gate (it was a state park). I was so disappointed. For about 5 minutes. Then I remembered I got a few shots on my iPhone with a nifty little app I love called the Hipstamatic. So all was not lost.

I posted some of the photos on Flickr, and as I looked at a particular one, I decided I wanted to adapt it to canvas. I had been thinking about sea oats for a bit. And just happened to snap this on my way from a day at the beach:

They aren't really easy to see, but they are there. I decided I liked the monochromatic look of the photo, so the gears in my brain started whirling and I decided to try that effect in paint. I didn't want black and white, so I chose brown and white paint. THEN I decided I was going to try to video as I went along, and post the video on this blog.

EPIC FAIL. I have a notoriously slow Internet connection. I had 9 little videos to upload, most less than 1 minutes each, and every time I tried, I got to number 5 and it wouldn't cooperate. I was grinding my teeth in frustration. I love tech stuff, but this was ridiculous. I had posted on the Facebook page the fact I was going to post on the blog page (never promise something before you discover if it is achievable).

Then I discovered YouTube. I mean, I didn't discover it. I've been playing YouTube videos for eons and sharing them on Facebook. But I discovered that what my computer was spitting back at me and refusing to upload, YouTube did quite nicely.

So this whole experience has become a lesson in discovery:

1. my iPhone takes pretty darn good photos

2. painting with just 2 colors of paint can be done

3. YouTube has perfected the art of uploading videos so I don't have to

4. don't narrate off camera with a paintbrush in your mouth

So here are my few moments of YouTube fame. This is also the second video I ever made and posted on a blog (you can read about my first experience here, before I learned you can also combine short videos into one video). So don't be too critical, but I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts on my attempt at channeling Bob Rossi. :)

~cath xo

You can find me on Twitter @TreasuresBy_You

slick as glass

2011-07-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

In the south, if something is slippery, hard to hold or stand on, we say it is slick as glass. Today I decided to try my hand at painting on glass. And I learned just exactly how slick glass is.

I bought a test kit, one of those do it yourself starter kits, because the one thing I have learned when testing new paint is: DON'T WASTE MONEY ON SOMETHING YOU MIGHT NOT USE. I say that with emphasis because I have wasted lots of money over the years on art supplies I didn't use. So my advice to anyone who wants to try a new medium to paint in, buy a kit first.

After I bought the kit, I chunked the cheap brushes in the kit to the side for the kids to paint with. That is something else I learned: buy good brushes. By good I don't necessarily mean expensive. When I buy brushes, I buy them in the store, with my hand on them to see how they look and feel. Personally, I don't like bristle brushes of any kind. I prefer sable for water color, enamel, and oil painting, and I like the acrylic taklon type brushes for acrylic paints, and they also work for just about any other paint I use. I shoot for medium price range, and look at the ferrule (that shiny metal thing that holds the bristles to the handle) to make sure it is constructed well.

Ok, so enough of the advice. Now how does it feel to paint on glass? SLICK. As in it slides off the glass if you stroke too much or too hard. I learned quickly it is all about loading your brush with paint. Not too much and not too little. Too much and you leave a glob of paint. Too little and it is transparent. That doesn't mean mine turned out perfect...there are spots you will see where there is a bit of a ridge in the paint, or it is a bit transparent. But the overall effect was achieved I think, and it was fun doing it.

I liked the feel of the paint gliding onto the glass, after I made a few strokes. I painted on a cheap glass container I bought when I bought the kit, and I also painted on a glass I had gotten at one of my favorite Alabama wineries on one of our tasting trips around the state.

The paint dries quickly, and you have to paint one whole flower at the same time, or it gets sticky and does funky stuff. If you want to lay one color on top of another color, you have to let the first layer dry. You don't have to paint FAST, you just have to plan what you are going to paint before you start putting the paint on, or is gets a bit tricky. After about 3 flowers, I kind of had the hang of it. I put the stems and leaves on first, and then added the blossoms.

You can mix colors, but mix small amounts, because again, it dries fast. You can add water but be cautious because too much and the paint is too thin. This is how I feel about adding anything to a paint like this that has a certain viscosity: when you add water, you break down the chemical make up of the original paint, which means it might not have the "strength" to stand up to even mild wear and tear. Stick with the paint in its original form. Just because a paint says "water-based" doesn't mean it loves being thinned with water.

The directions say to let it air dry before using for about 19 days or so. Or fire it in a low temp oven, and because I am the patient, perfectionist type, I am going to fire those babies just to see if they break. That is one of the fun things about learning a new technique. I get to break stuff or destroy it and not feel guilty, because I am learning. It gives me a certain sense of freedom. So I wait for the paint to dry a day, then in the oven they go.

If they turn out, you won't hear anything else from me. Because I will be drinking my wine from my new, decorated wineglass.

If you see me drinking from a Dixie cup, don't ask. Just don't ask.

Have fun and Let's Paint!

~cath xo

Twitter @TreasuresBy_You

lolling on the beach

2011-06-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

For me, painting a beach is the next best thing to being there. Sounds crazy? Maybe. But as I paint, I picture the place I am painting in my mind. It helps me to create, yes, but it also evokes an emotion. And all this together is a way to relax. I never get so wound up in the technical aspects of painting that I lose that image.

You will find, as you paint, and paint, and paint some more, that you will become comfortable with mixing paint, and what sizes and types of brushes to use, what size to make the painting, and so on.

Once you reach that point, begin to try to keep a mental image of what you are painting. Close your eyes and think about it.

For me, I could hear the waves rolling into the beach. I heard the cacophony of the gulls overhead. The wind was blowing the clouds by, and rustling the leaves of the palm tree I was sitting under. And the sun was blazing down on the sand, warming it under my feet. I could smell the salt air, and a total feeling of peace and quiet took over my mind.

And I put all those thoughts into the brush that laid the paint down.

Landscapes are so...therapeutic. Hope you have a chance to lay on a beach like broccoli this summer. I plan to.....with a good book and a margarita in hand.

Have fun! Enjoy the hazy, lazy, crazy days of summer.

Too soon, they come to an end.....

flamingo road repaved

2011-06-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

We teach our budding artists at the studio that there is more than one way to skin a cat. Or more specifically, one painting can be interpreted thousands of different ways. This is because we are each unique humans with our own way of seeing and being. No two paintings will ever be completely alike. This is the fun of painting. The surprise of the creation.

My last post was of a flamingo, gorgeously photographed and posted on JP Brandano's Photography blog. (You can find his blog here.)

As I read the comments on the first post, I saw that Eileen from Ferocious Introvert had mentioned the red in the painting made her swoon, and that she liked the description of the steps to create the flamingo, and what I used. I thought about that comment for a while. Swoon? Did that mean she doesn't like red? There was too much red? It was too intense? I was really kind of confused. But after I chewed on it for a while, I decided two things:

1. I am always going to use Big Girl to photograph my paintings for this blog. Mainly because using artsy photo apps on my iPhone may look snazzy, but it changes the colors in the painting from what they truly are. What I end up with is an artsy photo of an artsy looking painting. Too much artsy fartsy.

2. I wanted to do the flamingo in different colors. To see what would happen with the feel of it.

So, this morning, I grabbed my paintbrush and Big Girl and started painting and shooting. And what you see below is the result. I hang my extra paintings, or paintings I like, at work in my office. They are ice breakers with my mental health clients, and they turn a drab office into a room awash in stimulating color.

So thanks for your photograph Jim, x2. I love that photo! And thanks for making me stop and think Eileen, and go in a bit of a different direction. Every day is a day to learn something new!

~cath xo

my palette, cool colors this time

outlining the design (an oops on the beak!) :D

filling in the leaves

close up of Brandano Flamingo

closeup of leaves, using dabs and swirls of green, yellow and red (yes, red!)

about halfway finished

pinks and whites of the flamingo plumage

closeup of flamingo

closeup of finished flamingo in pinks

voila!

Check out the links on the blogs I mentioned...they are great reading!

flamingo road

2011-06-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

As an artist, sometimes the best ideas come when you least expect them...and for me ideas often happen when I am poking around on the internet.

That's right. I get ideas by looking at and reading the ideas of others. When I paint, I often paint from a photo. I am not a "plein air" sort of painter...I have to have time to think about what I am painting, how I want to change and adapt it to my style. Everyone has a style. I used to think that my style was having no style, but I realize now, after years of painting, that what we see with our eyes comes through our fingertips to the media we are using, via our brain, and we all have unique one-of-a-kindness when it comes to the old noggin.

A week or so ago I was reading blogs. I follow many really good blogs, and many of those are photographers and artists (where to better get inspiration than from other artists?). So as I am reading one blog and scrolling through some gorgeous photos, BAM! I see it...a photo of a flamingo that is so bright and perfect it jumps right off the monitor and zaps me between the eyes. This particular flamingo belongs to Jim Brandano. His blog is JP Brandano: Florida's Photographers and you can see the flamingo that set my creative fires alight by clicking here.

I messaged Jim on Facebook to ask him if it would be ok to use a photo of the flamingo to paint as a sample for the studio's classes next month, and he very kindly agreed.

I started with a watercolor sketch of the flamingo. I do a lot of paintings in watercolor first, to get the feel of the subject, and to see how long it will take to paint. Because our classes are 3 hours long, it has to be simple in subject, and easy enough that anyone can paint. I sketch in the main parts with a pencil (that isn't cheating, it's called blocking in).

With most paintings, we tell the class to start with the background first. With watercolor, I did just the opposite. I filled in the foreground first and then added the background. I used a dry brush technique (this means the paper is dry) because I didn't want bleeding to occur with the paint. (If I wanted to blend an area, I dampen that area.) I worked it up in shades, adding color and blending, then working on the background.

After I was happy with the way it looked, I decided it needed outlining in black for detail. I used my Pitt Pens for that.

I thought I was finished with the watercolor at this point, but I looked at it a couple days then decided to get some acrylic paint and goober it up a little more. (That's a real artsy fartsy term, but that was what I was afraid I would end up doing...but since I wasn't satisfied with it, there was no way to go but forward...GUNG HO!)

Here I go with the white acrylic paint...just jumpin' in with both feet. (That's my worktable...not real fancy or neat, but very user friendly.)

Finally I am SO done with it and ready to move on. To canvas and acrylic paint.

The next steps pretty well speak for themselves so at this point I will shut up and let you look...if you have any comments or questions, please feel free. I live to try to explain how my brain works with an idea.

Hope this gives you a better idea of where to go for ideas. Basically, that would be whatever is in front of your eyeballs, and makes your fingers itch to take up paintbrush and lay paint to canvas (or paper). Give it a whirl...it's fun to step outside that box and try something different.

For me? Outside the box is trying to tame Big Girl into submission so I can capture the moments of my life, then paint them. She's an ornery girl...but so am I. :D

photo taken by Big Girl :D

Thanks again to Jim Brandano of JP Brandano Photography for inspiring me this month. Check out his blog for some wonderful photographs and great tips on photography!

a monet moment

2011-04-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

Last week I painted the samples for our May studio classes. I took photos of the Monet I painted so I could share them with you here. (I know you all have just been itchin' to see another painting step by step) (:

Then my Internet connection crashed and I was left with everything in limbo for nine long days. So I spent my time working on some other art projects, and of course my photography kept me busy until the technician finally showed up after a delay from some thunderstorm and tornado activity here in the heart of Dixie.

The Internet is back now and working, so let's paint!

Monet was a wonderful Impressionist master. His paintings are well recognized by most people, especially his water lilies. Monet painted LOTS of water lilies, in all colors of the spectrum. For me, the uniqueness of his work is seen in the softness of his brush strokes. When you look at Monet's work, you can interpret and envision all sorts of things in the blended colors. That is what makes Monet's paintings so recognizable; they evoke emotion. You look at his work and can almost feel the emotions he felt as he painted. The lovely thing about Impressionism is that it leaves detail out, so you can see the pure colors and feel the emotions in your own way. That was the brilliance of the Impressionist artists. And why Impressionist art is still well loved by almost everyone who looks at it today.

Today I chose a warmer palette than Monet used. I started with cobalt blue, bright green, white, black and fuchsia (magenta). When I interpret artwork from one of the masters, I also print out the painting I am trying to capture, for reference. My aim is not to copy, but to capture the essence of the artist. My brushes today: #6 round, 1/2 inch flat wash or bright, and a 3/4 inch flat wash/bright. I used mostly the #6 round and 1/2 inch flat wash, using the larger brush just for the first background blocking in.

Step 1- I make a rough outline in cobalt thinned with a bit of water of the areas of the lily pads. This blocks in the placement for me.

Step 2- I start blending blue and white, laying in the water, using short brush strokes and being careful not to blend too much, or the shades and nuances of blue will turn to mud.

I continue with the background, adding magenta to the blue, along with white, to create a lavender mauve. I stroke this into the bottom right corner.

Step 3- I work the right upper corner in with more magenta and a lot of white. If you look at the original, you see what looks like a glop of light pink paint in the right upper corner. I couldn't figure out why Monet would add that bit of jarring color to the top corner like that, and finally decided as I gazed at it, that it was a reflection from a bridge of either clouds or people. I even thought it might be Monet sneaking a bit of a self portrait into the painting.

Step 4- About this time I look at my palette. I am not happy with the shades of blue, and feel it needs a warmer tone added, so I plop some phthalo (pronounced "thay-lo") onto my palette. You can see the difference in shades of blue. (The phthalo is in the middle, above the cobalt blue.) Then I start to blend the blues with white and magenta and add the color back into the background.

Step 5- I start adding lily pads. This is where the fun begins for me, because I can let my creativity run rampant, and place those lily pads any old place I choose to. I blend the blues with the bright green, because I don't want those lily pads looking like they will glow in the dark! I make a flattened circle with a lighter shade of green, and add a bit of blue to some and a bit of white to others. The reason I do this? Because if I paint all those flat as a pancake circles the same green, it would end up looking like one big lily pad. No depth, no dimension.

Step 6- After I add the lily pads, I begin to add darker green to the edges to give more dimension and definition. Now I don't grab that paintbrush and start drawing circles around every lily pad, for the same reason I didn't shade every lily pad the same green. This is where I start planning the placement of the lilies, adding green darkened with black to spots on the water and lily pads, where the shadows beneath the lilies will be.

Step 7- I throw some cadmium red deep onto the palette and add a bit of magenta to some of the red, then throw those lilies on that canvas. Be careful, stop and look at the painting from about 4 feet away after every lily or two, or you will have it looking like a runaway rose bush with blooms all over the place. Lilies are subtle, they bloom here and there, and have space around them. The object is to make it look as it does in nature, random and beautiful. When I finish the red, I start adding dabs of white and pink, to give the lilies depth. Again, I am not doing paint by number, this painting has to have dimension with color because if not, it will look like one dimensional, flat and lifeless.

Notice those areas of dark green/black? I added the lilies on top of them, and guess what? They now look anchored to the pad or water, instead of floating in the air.

Step 8- Almost finished, I keep adding a little blue back to the water, and a little touch to the lily pads, and lilies, using the #6 round brush for the "detail" work. I have to stop and look at it frequently, because I want the water to look as though there are trees reflected in it.

Finally I decide I am satisfied with the effect I want to achieve, and I sign my initials in the lower right corner.

I hope you have enjoyed this little demonstration/instruction. Monet is very relaxing for me to paint, because there is no wrong way to do it. It is my interpretation, and my work. Monet painted in oils, and painting in acrylics to achieve the same effect was an enjoyable challenge for me.

Vicky and I will be offering the Monet Red Lilies on our May calendar. If you want to spend 3 hours relaxing in a fun atmosphere, I hope you will give Vicky a call and book a class. Painting is food for the soul, and everyone CAN paint. And we will show you how. (And be sure to bring your favorite beverage...mine is wine!) You can get the details on our website by clicking here and going to the calendar page.

Have fun and LET'S PAINT!

~cath

(You can follow us on Twitter @TreasuresBy_You, and like our Facebook Fan Page at Treasures by You!)

art and alike

2011-03-04T16:57:00.000-08:00

This morning this was written and posted on our Facebook Treasures by You page. It was written by my sister and studio partner, Vicky (I call her Vix) and I wanted to share:

This morning I was sipping coffee, enjoying the music posted by Cath and reading her blog on being alike, multi tasking as I often do. There it was, the essence of our painting experience. Alike, yet different. Just as musicians will sing the same song with their own style we paint the same picture, but no two will be exactly alike....it is very exciting to watch our artists interpret the same picture in such completely unique styles while enjoying the camaraderie and being in the moment... and pure joy for me.

(Click here to read the post she was reading...)

the starry night artists

van goghists

goody 2 shoes artists

quantum leap

2011-02-27T15:43:00.000-08:00

Sometimes in art you paint for a while, and then suddenly you have a growth spurt. A time when all of a sudden you are soaking up what you are learning like a sponge. There have been times in my artist life like that. I feel that I am going nowhere creatively, and then suddenly I see something, read something, or look at someone else's art and wham! I am off and running in a new direction, my muse on fire.

I always worked in oils, never in any other paint medium. Then I spent several years when I didn't paint in oils because I was busy raising babies, and just didn't have the time or energy to keep them out of my paints. I tried once or twice, and I remember cleaning oil paints off of Jim's little fingers (he was a toddler), and so my artistic bent went in other directions. I taught myself needlepoint, crochet, knitting, shadow embroidery, smocking, and many other types of hand work. I could do these and handle my babies without much of a hitch in my daily routine.

But the muse was always there, simmering under the surface. Waiting to break free. My kids grew up, and I did something I always wanted to do but had never mastered. I taught myself how to paint with watercolors. It was pretty scary at first, and I made a lot of paintings I destroyed. But gradually, by practicing, I got the feel of the media and eventually became comfortable enough to show some of my work to family and friends.

I found that even though painting in watercolors is something you have less control over, it sometimes it takes a serendipitous turn. My watercolors tend to be small paintings, because it is something I like to be able to sit and hold in my lap as I paint, so I can pause and think about where I want to take the next step.

That was the first quantum leap I took in painting as an adult. The second leap was when we started the Treasures studio. I had never liked acrylic paints, not even in high school. They dried too fast, I didn't like the way the colors mixed, and they just annoyed me. But in order to provide an experience in the studio for people taking classes, we had to offer the paintings in acrylic. And though I had a rough start, I gradually got the hang of the feel of acrylics. And found I liked them. I could layer the paint up and add details quickly, without waiting for each layer to dry.

This was my second painting in acrylic. I thought it turned out colorful, but wasn't sure I knew what I was doing. Heck, I KNEW I didn't know what I was doing. How was I going to teach classes when I didn't even know how to do a painting in acrylic myself?

But I kept on, and practiced, and gessoed over some really weird looking paintings, until I realized I was evolving. Not only was I interpreting master works for the classes, but I was doing some original art of my own.

It has been a process of growth, of learning, of quantum leaps of faith and skill. And I never know when it will happen. It just does. But it is something I keep striving for. Because it is a journey that will never really end, because as long as I put brush to canvas, I will grow.

And the nicest thing about having this business, and painting in acrylics? I have seen the same thing happen, over and over, to the people who come to paint. They have fun, and the ones who visit often, have evolved. And continue to evolve. And I am privileged to be witness to this.

It does my heart good, these quantum leaps. Whether they are mine, or others, it feeds my artist soul.

a work in progress

2011-02-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

If you've been watching my posts, you have seen me paint a couple of pieces of art step by step. What you don't see is that I am not always sure when I am finished with a painting. There is the beginning, when I have worked out a design in my head. I begin to paint. But I am not always sure where I will end.

Sometimes I stop for a bit, walk away, then come back to it and see immediately what I need to do. (Just as we take breaks during the classes in the studio.) When I walk away from a painting for a few minutes, it gives me "fresh" eyes.

I see where my path lies with the painting, and I am once more focused. Usually at this point I paint rapidly. Everything is fresh in my head, I know where I want to go, and I paint fast because I want to see if my hands will lead me where my head has already taken me. Usually at this point, I paint until I am finished. Or think I am. Those of you who follow our Treasures By You Facebook page have seen me post "completed" paintings many times, usually with the caption that it is complete "I think". And if I say that, then most assuredly it is NOT complete, and I am going to lay a paintbrush on it again. Sometimes right away, sometimes after I have slept on it overnight (yes, I DO paint in my sleep). Then I approach it once again, the image clear in my mind, and I know what else needs to be done. So I begin to add what is usually details at this point, and when I get to a point where I feel the need to stop, I stop. I have gone too far with many paintings and "overpainted" to the point that the original design, or image I had in mind, is lost.

So I stop once more. My work has progressed to a point that I must stop. I look at the painting and think about it. And do you know when I know it is time to stop?

I look at what I have painted, and a feeling of pleasure washes across me. Then I know. The work has progressed. And it is complete.

*Note: today I am linking you to the Sketchbook Challenge blog I follow. I don't always have time to participate in these challenges, because my job, and the business I share with my sister just keep me way too busy. But I find when I follow these blogs, even if I don't pick up a pencil or pen, just looking at the creativity of others keeps my "creative juices" flowing. SO I encourage you to have a look, leave a comment (if you dare :-)) and HAVE FUN WITH ART!

See you soon!

transported

2011-02-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

I was going to write the other day about what art meant to me. I have been working on the art for our studio classes for March, and have had this running dialogue in my head for the past few days about why I love art, and what it means to me.

But as I started to paint, I suddenly experienced a moment from the past so strong, that I could hear, smell and see it in my mind. It was as though I was transported back in time. And I knew in the instant it happened that I would share it.

The painting I have been working on is a copy of one I did when I was 12 years old. It is one of the first two or three oil scenes I painted. I had painted the sky, the mountains and had started on the tree line in the background when I was whammed by a memory so strong I stopped and just stared.

All of a sudden I was 12 years old again. I was sitting at an easel in a small, dusty studio, surrounded by painting paraphernalia. I could hear the hum of the air conditioner, and smell the accumulation of dust, and wood, oil paints, and turpentine. And I could see Erma Washburn standing in front of me, a rotund little woman with hair that was askew as though she had just run her hands through it quickly, because she had better things to do than comb it.

I could see the photo she showed me that I would be painting . I was afraid and excited all at the same time. She was a kind person, and had a soft but intense sort of voice. And we got right down to business, because my great aunt Phoebe, and then my Grammy, paid for me to take lessons with her.

So she squeezed out the oil paints I would be using onto my palette, to show me how to not use too much at one time. Paint wasn't cheap. Then she told me how to draw in the outline of the main shapes, and got me started on the background. I loved the feel of my brush against the canvas. Oil paint gliding on, blending it, mixing bits of this and that in to get the right shade. The paint medium I used to mix with my paint was a secret formula she said she had gotten from the "master" artist who had instructed her. In my young mind, that could only have been DaVinci (I know now she wasn't THAT old, but to a 12 year old with a fertile mind, that was where my thoughts landed). I never did learn what that formula was. She guarded it like gold. And of course made a nice profit on every bottle of the concoction she sold to me.

As I painted, I thought all these thoughts and more, and I felt for a little while as though I was living on another plane of existence, and had one foot in the past and one foot in the present. I could remember how she told me to paint the treeline, then the shadows of the trees, and finally I was working on the birch bark of the trees, adding white and shading with darker gray, making the bark look as though it was ready to peel off in my hand.

Finally I was adding the leaves to the trees, and the dried grass to the foreground. Then a bit more work on the shadows and I was finished. And it only took me a couple hours this time to paint what took me a few weeks last time. Of course, acrylic dries much faster than oil paints, and I have been painting for over 46 years now. Gone is the child of yesteryear, the girl who first picked up a paintbrush with no idea what to do with it. Also gone is that first rush of excitement that comes with the newness of a thing...the excitement of the unknown. I miss that sometimes...

But I realize that in the place of that has come a deeper love of art, an understanding of who I am as an artist, my passion for painting, and the knowledge I wish to share with others. This journey isn't over yet. I still learn every day. And I still grow as an artist with every piece of work I create.

Thanks Erma. I think you'd be proud of me.

*Today: I am sharing a link to another blog that I enjoy... My Paintings by Hinda Toufga. She is a prolific writer with a wide variety of topics on her blog, and she is also a marvelous artist with a fresh eye and the curiosity to try different kinds of art media. Visit her and tell her Cath sent you. And be sure to check out her paintings, and don't forget to leave a comment if you enjoy her blog...

channelling georgia o'keeffe

2011-02-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

Today I am working on a painting for the studio's March calendar, and I decided it would make a good follow-along painting. So many people read the post "you can call me bob" and seemed to enjoy it that I decided to do a step by step once in a while to let you see the process for other paintings. Each painting I paint uses different brush strokes and techniques for achieving the end result (art I can hang).

The painting today is Purple Petunias by Georgia O'Keeffe, one of the American Masters who had great influence on the art world, and especially Europe, until her death at the age of 98. I admire O'Keeffe because she was influential, talented, and stood out in a world of art dominated mostly by men.

Our palette today is light magenta, dioxazine purple, phthalocyanine blue, white and black. I had another purple laid out too, but decided it had too red a tone to it. The predominant colors are a blue purple and pink. White and black are used to change the tones, add highlights, and shadows. I used a 1 inch flat wash for the entire painting. You might want to use a 1 inch wash for broad areas, and a 1/2 inch wash for details. I used a size 8 round for the flower centers.

First I started with some thinned purple to make the main outlines with. You can use pencil to draw on the canvas too, but I don't recommend it because it is sometimes harder to cover pencil than another color of paint with acrylics, especially if you use thin body acrylics to paint with like we use for classes at the studio. The lines are not to provide fill in the blank areas (that wouldn't be painting like a master now, would it?) but are meant to be general landmarks, or guidelines to keep the perspective correct.

Next I mixed some white with a small amount of black to make gray and painted the top and side areas around the flowers. I shaded it a bit darker near the edge of the flowers. Then I began to fill in the broad areas of the flower using the purple mixed with just a little bit of white. This is the base color of the flower, what we add lighter and darker shades of color to, to provided depth and tonal quality to the painting.

Continue to fill in the areas, using pink in broad areas and purple. This sets the stage for the next step, blending the edges and adding tone. Now if you are quick enough, you can blend the colors before the paint dries, but you'd have to be superman to be that fast. I paint fast and even I couldn't blend all the areas before the paint dried. Which meant I had to pick up more paint and blend.

Continue to blend the areas. I didn't use much paint on my brush at this point. Large amounts of paint just turned the pink to purple and the purple to lighter purple.

It is what I call a dry brush technique. You pick up small amounts of paint on your brush and blend. If too much paint builds up, I wipe some off on the rag. I rarely rinse my brush unless I have mixed too many colors together and it begins to look muddy. The aim is to keep the colors bright, and control the blending.

If you rinse your brush out, then be sure to press down HARD on the rag to remove as much water as possible. You want the brush to remain as dry as you can get it.

Next begin to add some white details to the edge of the petals on the flower in the forefront, and also to the bottom right edge of the blossom in back. Again, dry blend the colors.

The centers come next. Black with just a touch of purple. And from the centers I blended out the dark areas of the flowers. Dry blend...dry brush, dry brush...not too much paint...small amounts at a time and if I got too much of one color, I just wiped, picked up another color and kept blending.

*TIP: if you are nervous about blending on the canvas, buy a cheap canvas, to practice strokes and blending on. I'd tell you to practice on heavy white paper, and you can, but the feel won't be the same because paper doesn't have the same "tooth" as canvas does. You can also pick up a cheap small housepainting brush and gesso, and gesso over the practice painting so you can reuse the canvases. We do this when we begin to have too many of one painting in the studio...we pick some and gesso over them to use for practice again. Even famous artists often did this to save money on supplies.

Last I add the centers of the flowers with pink, purple and blue, mixed with a bit of white....

After all the blending and edging, you have your finished painting. Only you will know when you are finished. When you reach a point that you are pleased with the outcome, STOP!!! I can't tell you how many times I have had to tell that to students who just wanted to add a 'bit more'. That bit more can muddy a painting and you can lose the effect you were aiming to achieve.

*Note: you can always add to a painting later. Sometimes it is best to stop, walk away, and let your eyes and brain rest for a while. Then when you return you will have 'fresh eyes' and probably a new perspective on what you were trying to achieve. For those who attend class in our studio, we will 'bump' you past that point, by making you take a short break, then suggesting a brush stroke or two to jump start you again.

And so you have the finished canvas...O'Keeffe is fun to paint...and here is the original I used for practice:

HAVE FUN WITH ART! See you next time!!!

spotlight on...

2011-01-28T08:23:00.000-08:00

Jerene. A gifted textile artist, she has trended into painting and multimedia art. I wanted to share Jerene's work with you, as part of my plan to make this a blog that shares the diversity of artists, and their work.

I've know Jerene for several years as an online friend. We've chatted about many subjects, and found common ground in music and art. We share many of the same interests and beliefs. One of these beliefs is that art is what you make it. It can be anything really. It is what speaks to you and through you.

There are many different types of artists. I follow some artists on Facebook and in blogs who are highly trained, and make their living as professional artists. I also follow an online art community for women (Milliande) and artists who paint, draw or use whatever media they enjoy exploring, and do it for the pure pleasure of creating something unique.

I think there is room in this world for all types of art, and the artists who create. Jerene has reinforced this belief as I have watched her evolve over the past 5 or 6 years, and especially in the past year. I have celebrated her growth and shared her excitement as she took on new ways of expressing her creativity.

the green man, a recurring theme in Jerene's work

Below you will find samples of Jerene's art taken from her Facebook page, Angel Heart Studio. I encourage you to visit her page, and view more of her art. I will enjoy watching her journey continue to unfold, and welcome you to join me.

hand made quilt

night sky

playing with texture and color

mermaid

watercolor

art journal page

you can call me bob

2011-01-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

Many of you have heard of Bob Ross. And some of you haven't. Ross was a talented painter, who developed a way of teaching the art of painting by breaking it down into simple steps. He believed, and I agree with him, that most people have inherent artistic talent, and that with the right training, time, and practice, can become accomplished artists. That is the premise that Treasures by You is founded on. It isn't a new concept, but we took it and personalized it with our own brand of teaching, in small groups with individual attention, to help people taking our classes discover their inner artist.

Painting is a personal thing with me, something I have been doing since I was about 12 years old. I didn't begin to teach it until after I was an adult, first for my own business for 15 years, then as part of the experience Vix and I have established in Suisun City, California.

Today I want to take you all step by step through the process I use to create for our studio. I hope this will encourage those of you who want to paint to take the leap. As Bob Ross was fond of saying, "there are no mistakes in painting, only happy accidents!"

This is the photograph I will paint from. Sometimes I use a photograph, sometimes I paint from what is in my imagination. Often if I paint from imagination something that is real, I will google photos for reference. (Shape of a head, the color of something, etc.) I don't like to look at too many things because I don't want to be too influenced when I paint. Just brief references, to keep me on target with what I have worked out in my mind.

This is the palette I used for today. I use medium to heavy body acrylic paint and the colors for this painting are: phthalo blue, white, black, raw umber, chrome yellow, and raw sienna (just a dab of that really).

I used a 1", 1/2" and 1/4" flat wash (or bright), and a #6 and #8 round brush.

First I use a bit of raw umber and outline the rocks on the beach. Then using phthalo blue and white, I paint the sky with broad strokes with the 1" wash. Next I paint in the ocean, using more blue. I don't over stroke because I want the colors to show some variation. If you stroke the canvas too much, you end up with a solid color.

Next I start adding darker blue to establish the waves coming into the beach. Again using a 1" wash.

Taking a 1/2" wash, or bright, I take very small amounts of white paint and start to add whitecaps to the waves and surf.

Waves. (The color looks different on some photos due to changing light in the room, so not to worry...)

Whitecaps, added little by little in small strokes, smaller the farther away on the horizon, getting larger closer to the beach.

I continue to add whitecaps, and go back from time to time and work some other shades of the blue/white mixture into the canvas. I also go back and work on the sky a little more, defining the clouds just a bit more.

More white on the waves rolling into the beach, breaking it up to make it show more motion. Using the 1/4" flat now for tinier detail. Don't overload your brush, and if the paint builds up on it, scrape some off on the palette, or a rag (which is what I use).

Detail of the beach, where the waves are breaking toward the beach.

Water is about finished. Foamier and more white where the waves wash up onto the beach. I used the 1/4" and also the #6 round brushes for this. Went over the lines on the rocks, but that will be covered when the rocks are painted.

More sky detail. Adding some brush strokes for the clouds gives more depth.

Close up of the water near the beach.

I begin to paint the rocks in using the raw umber, black, white, and a bit of yellow. I am using the 1/2" flat brush at this point. (I use wash, bright and flat interchangeably but am talking about a flat, square, wide brush, good for filling in and also fine lines and small areas if you turn it on its side.

I start with dark areas, add light areas, then go back and forth, building the rocks from the back to the foreground.

Close up of rocks. I keep adding areas of dark and light, to suggest shadows and areas of rock in the sunlight.

Next I mix yellow, blue and white and dab on the rocks (dab is the best way to describe it) and vary the colors. Anytime you paint something like foliage, trees, rocks or most anything, the way to bring it to life, so it won't look flat, is to mix several shades of the same color, as I have done here on the water, rocks and moss.

Adding a bit more color in small amounts to the rocks.

Finished rocks.

And last, I add the waterline to the edge of the beach, so it looks like the water is washing up on the beach, and not the beach washing out on top of the water! :D

And this is the finished painting.

Now that I have taken the mystery out of painting, grab a brush and let's paint!

~cath

creation

2011-01-14T05:04:00.000-08:00

You may or may not paint. If you paint, then what I am about to talk about will make perfect sense. If you don't paint, then it will help you understand the process a bit better maybe.

Creation. I am talking about the process of creating a painting. I do the designs for the TBY studio every month, and I can tell you it is not always an easy process. Sometimes when the time comes to paint, my mind is a creative void. Even trying to decide what to write about for my first "real" post in this blog has been a struggle. I finally decided that just jumping in with both feet would be best, and that I should start at the beginning. The start of my creative process.

Sometimes I see things, or photos, and a painting jumps to mind. Then sometimes it is a color or group of colors I am thinking about. I often discuss ideas with my sister and partner Vix. She gets me jump started many times. This month we were talking about painting in monochromatic colors, or keeping a palette that is muted. This would be an alternative to the bright colors I usually paint in (I am a lover of color, the brighter, the better). I sat down with my sketchbook, thought about what we talked about, and this is what I came up with:

pears and grapes

I started with some browns and golds, then added some greens toned down with brown. I could tell you exactly what shades I used, but you get the idea. Muted. And I liked the colors when I finished. Then it was time to paint my next idea. I was in a groove now and thought well, how about a jungle cat? There are rich tones of brown in the cats, and I was thinking cheetah specifically because of the distinct facial markings. So I put up a blank canvasboard, sat for a few minutes to clear my head, and began to paint. I ended up with this:

But something was just not quite right with it. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I wasn't totally satisfied (I rarely am with my paintings, a trait that many artists share). So I talked about it in a Facebook group, where I had posted the step by step photos for Vix, because she teaches most of the classes. One photo in particular was commented on by my sister Dooj. She liked the look of this:

And I did too. So I thought about that all night. When I am in a painting, I often wake up at night with ideas about adjustments to make, sometimes big changes and sometimes just a tweak. I got up early this morning and knew what I needed to do to the painting to satisfy myself. This is how it ended up:

More subtle, like a big cat would be. I knew as soon as I finished that last blade of grass that it was finished. I wanted the eyes to be the focus, and now I feel they are.

I want to say that it isn't easy for me to discuss how I create, and what I paint. I have never tried to market my painting. I have given away some paintings over the years, but to open up and put my work out there for people to see and critique is like standing naked in a room full of people. Vulnerable. Not an easy emotion to deal with. But I am older now, less vulnerable to what people say, and I still paint as I always have, to please myself. If others gain pleasure from what I do, that is an added bonus for me.

That is what everyone should strive to do. Paint for yourself. For your own pleasure. Let what you paint come from the place inside that leads from your heart to your fingertips, in whatever media you use.

That is the essence of creation. Do it for YOU, a part of you. And share it with joy.

welcome!

2011-01-12T11:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first post for Treasures by You! In the following days and months we will be posting art related information, and showcasing our art, as well as our guests' art. We've been doing this since April 2010 and are building a wonderful fan base, and wanted to find a way to share with anyone who visits our website, as well as our fans on Facebook.

We look forward to this new year and are planning some exciting art! We will prove to you that yes, YOU can experience what it is like to paint, and have fun doing it!

So stay tuned....lots of fun ahead!