Kitty's 12 Steps - pastel lesson

Mike Svob Workshop

Event coordinator for this workshop Here I am dabbling in a new style of painting, while i don't plan on painting in this style it is fun to learn new ways to look at applying paint.  I hope to have a chance to finish these.  The methods we used were:
 1. Black Gesso underpainting (the same style that Rick Berg uses)
 2.  Painting graduated tones
 3. Black gessoed panel rather than white, chalk drawing, rinse.  yes repeat...

FCA Spring Show

The Federation of Canadian Artist held their spring show at Edgemont Community Centre, with the theme "All Things Spring" My spring picture is spring break, titled Taste of Citrus II

Just have a few things left to do on this kitty but having a hard time with the foreshortening, Will post the finished artwork and hopefully will have conquered it, lots of whiskers to add too

MIKE SVOB WORKSHOP - Calgary

Mike Svob Workshop is Full, It will be the highlight of the year.  This Workshop is made possible by funding acquired from the Federation of Canadian Artists.  I am responsible in preparing and organizing a fundraiser possible that allows the FCA Calgary to hold such revered events.  Without it we would not have this wonderful opportunity.  - I just wanted to say that! (I have spent lot of time and effort on this endeavour and with out a doubt know it is a worthwhile landfall for the organization of the Federation of Canadian Artist Branch here in Calgary)
I am the Workshop Coordinator (My partner Sonja is off enjoying the sunshine somewhere, but I am not sure she is the winner in this...I think I wouldn't miss this one!) I will be getting the materials required this week, cutting boards: we will need about 100, purchasing paints (both oil and acrylic), and mediums, pastes, gels, retarders, mineral spirits, etc.... I will be booking a hall, a caterer,  accommodation for Mike and other necessities that Mike will need to make this trip. I am with excited with much anticipation, so much so that I even went out and bought his book!  A very rare and expensive find.

My next project, ready by tomorrow??

For the FCA show entitled Spring = This painting "Spring Break"

as part of my series -  Taste of Citrus

Finished

Tabby 

What have I been up to, well I was at the Elveden Centre in downtown Calgary sitting with the art exhibition for the Calgary Sketch club.  Lately I have been working on pieces for the FCA show coming up in March. Here is the last one I am going to complete another kitty for the FCA

Daily (Weekly) Painting

 I ventured out to Cheryl's studio in Crossfield with a friend to paint a still life. We had hoped to gather on mondays to paint but our monday is thursday this week, at least we squeezed it in.  We all painted from our own view.  I hope to be able to finish mine tomorrow and will post the painting , I had to run as  The Calgary Sketch Club had member ramzi keyello do a demo for us. He was using gesso paste as a base, adding brightly coloured oil pastel and finalizing with acrylic.  I was quite a different technique.  Ramzi's art stems from his background in watching old tv shows with nostalgic scenes and buildings.  He tell us the story of how he would sit and draw the things on the tv since he was a young child.  I compare this to my experiences in that, my aunts and uncles would  give me pencil and paper and that would keep me busied for the duration of our visit. I once I laid under a crib in a relatives house and just drew bunnies.

Calgary Stampede Deadline

It the 100th Anniversary for the Calgary Stampede this year, Only 2 days until the calgary stampede deadline. I will have to forfeit my gallery application as I do not paint that quick.  Yesterday, picking up my watersheds artwork at the Airdrie Public Library one woman said she painted 6 paintings in 5 days,  it would take me about 6 weeks and thats a speedy goal for me too. I have allotted only one day a week for painting as the others are filled with classes which I enjoy teaching.  I will however, submit a picture to the auction and partake in the window where I can work on a painting while spectators view on.
Going to the Maritimes during the months of september and october (my stampede painting time) was apart of the delay.  I however, have beautiful photographs to paint from that excursion.

Oh and here are the watersheds paintings I had on display.

Painting practise

Rick Berg Workshop

At the end of November I conducted a workshop for the fca, members took a tour bus out to the Crossfield studio of Rick Berg. Here we painted landscape versions of Rick's own unique style of painting.

Critiques

The Calgary Sketch Club and the Federation of Canadian Artists both had their critiques in October.
Here is Jean Geddes with the sketch Club and Holly MWilliams with the FCA

Mike Svob Workshop

I contacted Mike Svob to do a workshop but he was not able until SPRING but offered to do this demo for us, He is a very talented artist, interesting to see his use of colour in tone. Its all about VALUE, and value is what he delivered!

Mike Svob a senior member of the federation of canadian artists is shown here creating a demo for the calgary branch of artists. He believes the federation is the best art club he has ever belonged to and is gracious to GIVE BACK. Thank You Mike for providing us with the wonderful demonstration

model workshop

Today I held a model workshop for the federation of canadian artists. Our art instructor was no other than Ingrid Christensen. Here is the unfinished model painting I am working on.

Another Christmas Kitty

I am trying my hand at tinsel, I will need to revise the final version once I figure out how to paint this intriguing element. Here are the processes leading up to the finale...