I came across this article in our newspaper yesterday, and I find it encouraging to see that art hasn’t lost its value (unlike the stock market!) even in these tough economic times. People have begun using their art as collateral to get funding when banks won’t make traditional loans. To read more, click here to see the story dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/031409dnbusartascollateral.3bbf8c1.html
Once again, drawing inspiration from what I love, I have revisited one of my favorite subjects – looking up at the trees like I did when I was little. I think sometimes we forget to enjoy the small things – from laying on the ground watching the clouds drift by to noticing a lady bug on a blade of grass. So come join me and savor the beautiful fall colors for a fleeting moment before all of the leaves are gone.
Here is the next painting I’ve been working on this winter in the thick oil paint style. In this piece, I not only wanted to capture the beautiful texture of the aspen trunks, but also convey a sense of movement in the foliage. I love the tinkling noises the aspen leaves make as they flutter in the wind. I hope you can hear them, too!
With little over two months to go, I am getting so excited about our inaugural workshop in Venice this May! I can’t wait to get out of the studio and experience first hand the magnificent architecture, magical light and romance of Venice. Not to mention the food and wine! We have one favorite restaurant that serves the most delicious frutti di mare, seafood in white wine sauce. We have a great group of students going and I can’t wait to share with them some of my favorite locations. With the deadline approaching, May 10, we still have room for a couple of more if you would like to join us on this amazing adventure.
In between the holidays and my adventures in Asia, I’ve been busy painting in the studio and playing around with some new ideas. I wanted to see if I could recreate the texture on birch and aspen trees by working with really thick oil paint. Pushing and pulling the paint around, sometimes even 1/4 of an inch thick, with the palette knife is not only a lot of fun but is also reproducing the texture I wanted. Here is one of the first pieces I’ve completed and a close-up on the texture. I’d love to hear your feedback.
We have just returned from our Asian adventure, with a lifetimes worth of stories. Much to our chagrin, we arrived in Tokyo for New Year’s, only to find it closed. Unfortunately we scheduled our trip for the only time of year that the Japanese close everything for the holidays. Undaunted, we pressed on and were able to visit many interesting temples and sample a wide variety of local cuisine, from Soba noodles to delicious fresh sushi.
Our next leg of the adventure brought us to Guilin, China, which is 15 hours northwest of Hong Kong to an area that has been depicted in Chinese art for centuries. The unusual Karst mountain formations rose and disappeared in the mist, making them not only beautiful but also quite eerie.
Lastly, we ended our trip in Bangkok, Thailand and some much needed R&R on the beaches near Phuket. Being a nature lover, the Krabi beaches were definitely my favorite part of the journey. Beautiful coves surrounded crystal clear turquoise waters, gorgeous rock outcroppings and lazy days made for a perfect end to the vacation. Now, I can’t wait to get started painting some of the amazing scenery and share my creations with you.
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