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Artwork: Waiting For The Sun by Virginia Wieringa, 24 x 36 inches acrylics on canvas. I just met an artist-pen-pal whom I never expected to meet, and she’s as intelligent and enthusiastic in person as she has been online for the past four years. Virginia is adventurous and open-minded, yet soundly rooted in her spiritual faith – and therefore so is her art. I especially enjoyed the little 4 x 6″ sketchbook that she shared with me, where a number of ideas for paintings originate as she draws in it during church sermons. I think it’s really funny that she doesn’t listen in church, and she doesn’t preach, she works… and her work speaks volumes. I’ve mentioned Virginia in previous posts — she’s been so supportive, even promoting my work on her own website. Thanks “VA”!

Iris, 24 x 18 inches Oil Pastels on paper

Basic Drawing and Color Play

Workshops

Dates:
1) Saturday, May 15th 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
2) Saturday, May 22nd 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Ages: Young adult (16) – Adult – Seniors

Experience Level:
Beginners to Experienced Artists, maximum number of participants: 6

The Workshop:
We will sketch simple objects using a variety of loosening-up techniques, graduating to a more complex still-life arrangement, fun with color, then a longer study period in the afternoon.
Supplies:
Bring favorite reference photos or items that you’d like to study, sketchpad and supplies that you usually work with. A variety of papers and drawing supplies will be on hand to experiment with during class. Also bring beverage and lunch.

Fees:
Registration (pre-paid) – $50.00 Oxide Gallery 501 West Hickory St., Denton, Texas 940-483-8900

Registration Deadlines:
March 12th and March 19th – Maximum Students per Class 6

Paintings as shown are not to scale in comparison to one another

The Dancing With Trees Art Exhibition celebrates the importance of trees and forests throughout history, portraying their diversity and relationships through a variety of creative associations. Twenty three of the paintings in this collection are on exhibit in the Steinhauer Trust Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, May 1st through June 30th, 2010. Opening Reception Saturday May 1st, 12:45 – 4:00 p.m.

All life forms on this planet proliferated, continue to flourish, and ultimately depend on the existence of trees. While the message is urgent, I consider humanity’s role on the planet as positive, with the statement that creativity is our greatest asset; that “Our carbon footprint is worthy”. Further, creative thinking is our most primal, yet highly advanced and ever-evolving contribution toward solutions to healing wrongs done and changing ingrained habits to ones that are more appreciative of the environment in general.

Purchase Art here                    

2D Pine Cone, diagonal 28 x 28 x 1 inches, acrylics on woven canvas strips, wrapped sides painted, signed on the back so as not to intrude on the design.

Norway Maple, 36H x 48W x 3D inches acrylics, gel paste on canvas, wrapped sides painted, navy colored narrow frame.

Thumbnails: Combined, edited posts of progression between Dec. 8th, 2009 – March, 2010. Started December 8th, 2009: modeling gel is available in varied textures, finishes and viscosity. Acrylics paint can be mixed with the medium or when dry paint can be applied over top. 3) January 18th, 2010: applying modeling paste to the base painting and sculpting with a small trowel.

Jan. 28th:– used  a dry brush so paint would catch mostly on the textures, and kept the feeling soft. Intentions are to maintain the fresh pure colors. Studied from a distance for about a week after this stage to contemplate what the next move will be.
 

Feb. 27th: lighter background colors were added in order to open up the space.

Feb. 28th: Adding a solid patch of turquoise to lower left and some tiny details like that may ground the whole thing, but that’s about it; am leaving it out of sight for a while. This really is a carnival of color, I love it!
March 9th: Subtle changes since last post…have been working more on tones in the background which weren’t planned initially; I had hoped to use only pure colors without the usual layering, but it’s otherwise too hard to look at. Also am connecting a few shapes horizontally, and it’s almost “there”, but ‘2D Pinecone’ was started in the meantime to avoid overworking this.
March 6th: Thanks, Virginia for taking the time to write and digitize a detailed, objective critique. I sure appreciate your opinion about what might improve this.

Milkweed Melody, 27H x 33W inches framed Oil Pastels on 140 lb cold pressed premium watercolor paper. Has brassy-gold frame painted with an extension of the drawing.

Partnering with poet Christina Smith and her poem, Earth’s Love Song Milkweed Melody is showing April 1st – 30th at the VAST (Visual Arts Society of Texas) and Denton Poets Assembly collaborative event, Merging Visions Exhibition, with art and poetry at both the Emily Fowler and North Branch Libraries, Denton, Texas. Opening Receptions Saturday, April 17th 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Emily Fowler and 1 – 3 p.m. at North Branch

The article on Drawing is finally revised and re-posted…10 days writing and revising. If I could draw about extreme writing I would, because it would certainly be a lot easier! Tomorrow, a treat away from all the computer work: starting a new painting.  Today: a leaf study, conte and graphite on paper.

Viper’s Bugloss, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper.

It’s tempting to pick these for wildflower bouquets, but the plant is very irritating to the skin, so are best enjoyed left where they are, growing en masse in summer fields beside the highways in eastern Ontario, Canada.

I was curious about the name… according to the Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism edited by Michael Stuart (c. 1979, 1987 ISBN 0-9999-48911), they were formerly one of the most respected plants used for the treatment of viper’s snake bite venom.

Marie Lake Campsite, Alberta, 8 x 10 inches pen on paper