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Nothing like teaching to get some art started... wether during my adult of children's classes, I always make demos besides crusing around the room allot to guide their creations.
Last week a participant was working on a mountain scene - so I was showing her how to use more glazing and enhance her painting. Below is my sample - not finished.


Next on Monday, I had my children's art sampler class paint the night sky either by replicating van Gogh's Starry Night or making their own. My samples not finished...


Today while the Manga class was focused on their drawings, I sat and did some thumbnails for the Shoreline Exhibit in October. I'll be working in mixed media/acrylic... below are my sketches and two ideas for the Equine Art Exhibit are on the top left.


I started two tonight in the Paint What You Love acrylic class...

and

These correspond to the sketch next to the cartoon cat and the sketch below.

OK, need to check supplies for tomorrow and walk the dogs and catch some well needed ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Oh I shipped art-o-mat blocks on Monday - sometimes when you're busy you seem to get more done - weird said the procrastinator
e

Don't look at all the poosies of dog/cat floating fur in my abode...
This morning I gathered almost all the supplies for Art Sampler, Manga and Friday's Artrageous.



I've offered 14 - yes 14 children's art classes this summer. I have back to back next week [manga and art sampler] and one class next week [comic] - then more in mid July to mid August. the various classes are for Ages 8-12 and second set of classes for age 12-16.
Just have to recheck the bags and get some samples out for next week and cut up the paper for Artrageous as I am facilitating Sumi-e on Friday in Auburn.

Then I finally got to work on these Art-o-Mat blocks... embarrassed at how long they have been sitting here. Mostly because the return shipping is $20.00+. yikes!
I attached the mat board and contact info a week ago and I had painted the mini Sumi-e just using the black sumi ink months ago.
See all my reorganization is freeing up energy


I'm so glad that I bought this paper cutter. It is very sturdy and much better than the wimpy plastic versions in the craft stores.


Almost done trimming them - then it's adhering them to the block.... after eating super. I plan on shipping these after teaching tomorrow.


Next, I need to start these tonight...

I have forty-four 4"x4" stretched canvas. When I interview for a local Co-op gallery, I plan to bring the minis for review. The thirty for 30X30" are due July 11th.

OK - back to arting!

Travel Sketching with Watercolor Pencils @ Olympia Center/Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation was a great class with eleven participants...
First I went over the basicf materials, shared examples and then had them test their pencils.

They apply the pencil in a strip 1/2" and 1.5" long. then wet half of it - that shows what the color looks like dry and how much it spreads when wet.

Drawing from images from my files... the drawings below were from a woman going on a trip to Russia who wanted to be able to sketch. I was really pleased that she made excellant progress during the class. She was a total newbie and never done anything artistic before.

below drawing from a calendar

Below - finishing touches added to the drawing - love the style -

Below - dramatic sunset with silhouette trees

Below - almost finished with the trees. Will be a challenge to fill in the sky. Often best to do the sky first and draw on top of the finished sky.

Below - experimenting with the pencils

Below - using a "blender pen" instead of a brush/water. They all agreed that using it was more controlled then a water/brush application.

Below - graphite pencil drawing on top of the page and WC pencil drawing on the bottom using the blender pen to move the color.

below the hollow brush that you fill with water... working on an abstract.


It was yucky this morning - gray & cold. Half the class stayed in the classroom to sketch from magazine images and half went outside to sketch...

Above sketches from the festival that was on Percival Landing...

most of the participants were trying this for the first time and had not painted before or done much sketching.

Most of my classes are now kids but I do have adult classes at The Nearsighted Narwhal in July/August...

Keep arting!

Get out your tap shoes! Are they laced up? Start the happy dance – I sold four whimsical cat Sumi-e paintings at Bainbridge Arts & Crafts Almost Perfect Sale. Nesting Box Cat Nap, Wet Paws, Tail Stalk and Bad Kitty went to happy homes. Two of the images are in the gallery.

Thanks to all who purchased my Sumi-e...

My art buddy, Joanne Osband, and I have been accepted to David Kaynor's 2014 Tacoma Summer Show. We'll be sharing a booth - https://www.facebook.com/joanne.osband

"Nat's Cats" program... I dropped off 26 blank note cards today at Met Vet [Sumi-e print cards - whimsical cats]

Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, 401 S Fawcett Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402

www.MetVetPets.com Reception@MetVetPets.com 253-274-0225

Original letter:

As you know, as much as we are involved in providing excellent patient care in clinic, we like to stay involved with helping people and pets in our community, too. We have recently come up with a new idea that promotes ​​funding animals in need​, promotes local artists, and helps publicize our available Humane Society cats. With the help of a previous artist, Alexis St. John, "Nat's Cats" was born!

This is where you come in. We are asking some of our upcoming and previous artists if they would like to donate a piece of artwork of our current Humane Society cats.​ We will proudly display your work in our hospital lobby and on our Nat's Cats Facebook page. Any proceeds from sales will be split between our fund for pets in need and you.

If you would like to participate by making an art donation, please feel free to stop by to view the cats or we can email you photos. It would be greatly appreciated and help a wonderful cause. Please feel free to contact us via e-mail Reception@MetVetPets.com or check out the Nat's Cats Facebook page with any further comments or questions.

Thank you,

Liz Dobson

Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital

Keep Arting,

e

Nearsighted Narwhal:

Besides dropping off more blank note cards with original block prints or computer printed Sumi-e from my original paintings today, I left ten of my mini collages from last year’s Avanti Art & Design 30X30 Challenge Exhibit.

Workshop call:

The Nearsighted Narwhal is an indie bookstore devoted entirely to the books, zines, and comics of self-publishers and small presses. We also carry original art and prints, local music, and handmade goods. Our mission is to establish ourselves as a self-publishing community center where you can not only come to learn new things but to also have a place devoted to helping you sell your goods and connecting the readers with the writers.

set up the following workshops:

July 12th Block Printing

July 26th Travel Journal Sketching with watercolor pencils

August 16th Make Art, Make Books

August 30th Finger Painting on the Moon

Sept 20th Fall Equinox Mandala

Oct 18th - Halloween something or other ^..^

Nov 15th Festivus Block Print card design

Dec 13th - Winter Solstice Mandala

Location:

The Nearsighted Narwhal, 2610A 6th Ave, Tacoma WA

http://www.thenearsightednarwhal.com/

Happy Dance!
I was one of 9 Sumi-e artists that sold at the Kirsten Gallery exhibit! in Seattle, WA

Kitten Shreds the Mouse Toy

© 2005 Nine Lives Studio

I'm glad that I re-joined the Sumi-e group after an absence of about 4 years. www.sumi.org
I generally had sales at their exhibits but I was teaching on Tuesday mornings when they have their monthly meetings.

Keep arting,

e

Everyone in class is working on individual projects after the first few lessons. In-between making suggestions and doing mini demos so they understand how to use the acrylic paint, I started "Moon Glow". This is a magical night scene with moonbeams softly glowing on everything. I'm going to add a fairy to one of the night flowers.... maybe some fireflies too.

Keep arting,

e

Getting to a point in life where I can't stand clutter/disorganizatio or maybe I'm back where I started because when I was a child, I always kept my belongings very organizied.

Attacked the art/office and my bedroom and the studio porch. My goal with the bedroom was to get the boxes of unsold art out of the room. Success! I just have the 20X16" framed art in the bottom of the closet now. Feels much calmer when sleeping now...

The art/office has morphed so many times - think this now works the best...

here's a before a number of years ago when I had the closet doors across the rolling carts but then the front room held most of the supplies and framing materials...

here's today's view:

the paper file is great, artwork is on the top shelf and other places in this tiny room. I have sorted my "unfinished/in progress" work too...

Before - toward the windows that let in so much light...

this view was way before the remodel two years ago... now below is today's look

At some point I need to get the TV out or just get a small wall mounted one... Mostly I listen to Pandora as most of the TV offerings are junk.

Below - boxed in the corner - again about 5 years ago

and now today's version:

neater and calmer all the way around...

oh this was the art area in the dining room about 8 years ago...

and

and

wow... not sure how I was able to get anything done in that mess!

now just the studio porch to finish but that's for another day. now I have to work on art-o-mat blocks, entries for Emerald Downs, Weyerhaeuser PSSA exhibit and Avanti's 30X30....

keep arting,

e