Richard McKinley Pastel Workshop

This week I am attending the Richard McKinley Pastel Workshop.    Yesterday we spent the day with Richard as he explained many of is "pastel pointers" from his book and blog.   I've heard some of these before but Richard gives you the whole story and back story that make the "light bulb" go off in your head.   One of my goals is to take a workshop with some of the best of the current nationally recognized artist.    So far I've taken from Albert Handel last year and now Richard McKinley.   I think I'm off to a good start.

Yesterday we did pastel primer underpainting and a watercolor underpainting.   We also are adding pastel primer to an existing underpainting to give it more texture.   Can't wait to try my pastels on this surface.    I've tried the watercolor and like that underpainting medium but the pastel primer is new to me.   He uses a crete color pencil 140 mars violet to do underpainting.   I have always used hard pastel.   The difference is striking.   It is very hard to go light with even a hard pastel.    I'm definitely going to try the colored pencil especially when doing a wet underpainting.  

May Art Sale 2016

In addition to the presale items, the following watercolor and pencil paintings are also offered for sale. These are currently in my art show at Dog River Library.   You can check them out in person during regular library hours.

  

#1  "East Palatka" Holly 17x21 Framed - color pencil 2016  $125

  

 # 2 - "Christmas Holly" 11x11 framed watercolor 2016  $75

 

 #3 "Downtown RR Crossing" 9x12 Framed  watercolor - 2016 $75

#4  "Field Tree"  17x21 Framed  Watercolor   2016  $125

#5   "Fall Trees"  9x10 Framed  Watercolor  2016   $75

#6  "Potter's Stream"  9x10 Framed  Watercolor 2016   $75

#7  "Red Barn"  16x19  Watercolor  2016  $125

#8  "Through the Gate"   16x19  Watercolor  2016   $125

#9   "Hometown Crossing"   12x14  Watercolor   2016   $75

#10   "Sloss Furnace - Birmingham"  10x10  Watercolor  2016   $75

Presale- Annual "Belated" Valentine's Day Sale

I'm offering 8 paintings in a presale.   These paintings were completed in 2015.   Most are pastels and one watercolor.    If you'd like to purchase one or more please just email me at jepdeal@gmail.com    No Shipping......   Pick up from Atlanta Metro area of I can meet locals in Douglasville, GA.   First one to email me has it.   I will acknowledge and post the owner name on my blog (let me know if you do not want me to post your name).    Thanks   

At the end of my May 2016 Art Show at Dog River Library I will sell 10 more of my 2016 watercolors and pencil drawings.   In addition, I will offer 10 more Sale paintings from 2014-2015.

My way of spring cleaning my studio is to offer these to family and friends.    

# 1 - Quiet Stream - $75 Framed  14X18  Pastel

# 2 - Daffodil Morning - $75 - Framed 14x18  Pastel

# 3 - Mountain Morning - $75 -  Framed 14x18  Pastel

 # 4 - Ducks in a Row - $75 - Framed 14x18   Pastel

# 5 - Gold Mine - $75 - Framed 14x18   Pastel

# 6 - Pink Hydrangeas - $75 - Framed 14x18   Watercolor

# 7 - Senoia Mill Road House - $100 - Framed 14x18  - Pastel     SOLD 5/2/2016

# 8 - Temple Barn - $100 - Framed 20x16  Pastel

Getting Back in the Painting Groove

Watercolor Workshop with Jan Ross at Paulding Fine Arts in Dallas, GA - One of the fun things about attending a workshop is there is time to just "paint".   Sounds simple but it's an important thing.   During the winter I was on a roll......everyday I was up and after grabbing a cup of coffee, I'd be in my studio painting.    I had decided that I was going to limit myself to watercolor and charcoal.    The best way to learn something new or improve on something you are not good at is to practice.      After weeks of watercolor, watching You Tube videos and tossing many paintings in my discard drawer, I finally had around twelve paintings that I wanted to frame for my show at Dog River Library in May 2016.    Then....came spring and the garden has been calling me, maybe not daily but several times a week I'm spending hours tending to my flowers.   What a spring it has been!    The garden has been beautiful but during that wonderful experience I got distracted by my garden and oh yes, a new author, Steven James too.   He writes thrillers and I have become addicted to his books, reading one every couple of days.   Thank goodness he's only written around 15 so I'll come to the end of that obsession soon.    But like most artist, after a few days away from the easel you find that either you are anxious to get back or you keep finding excuses to do something else.   For me it was read or work in the garden.

To snap myself out of my "unpainting coma", I signed up for a workshop.    I had signed up for a couple of classes lately and been disappointed.   Either the teacher didn't really teach or the class was so slow you could go to sleep during the "talking" build up to painting.    I took a chance and signed up for Jan Ross' Watercolor Workshop at the Paulding Fine Arts in Dallas, GA.    I don't know that I learned anything specific that was new information but we basically painted from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.    It was just what I needed to get back in my groove.    No masterpieces but definitely good to experiment again with what watercolor will do.

Coming Soon !!! Belated Annual Valentine's Day Art Sale

These two paintings are in the CAC Douglas County Art Guild Show.    I discovered tonight that they have already sold!   Both of them.     I'll be taking two more to that show to replace tomorrow (4/27/16)    The exhibit is up until end of May at the Cultural Arts Center.


I also have a show going up 5/3/15 at the Dog River Library.   It will also be up during May 2016.   Drop by during library hours and take a look.

The end of May, I will be having an online Art Sale to correspond to the closing of both the shows.    Since I missed my 2nd Annual Valentine's Day Art Sale I will be posting 40 photos of current paintings and offering the framed originals online as a Belated Annual Valentine's Day Art Sale.    Keep your eyes out for that post.   I'll post on face book and on my blog here.  

Art Show - Dog River Library - May 2016

 Drop by and visit my Art Show during May 2016 at Dog River Library.    It will be mostly watercolor and photography.    I'll also have a few of my favorite pastels in the exhibit.    Check the library for posted hours.

Gold Mine Ruins - Villa Rica, GA

"Gold Mine Ruins" - 9x12 - Watercolor - April 2016

A quick watercolor on the back of another painting.   I pulled a reference photo of the Gold Mine Ruins in Villa Rica, GA.    I need to revisit this place and try some plein air painting.