The month of August has blown by! It was my annual trip to the Northeast for art shows, catching up with friends, and outdoor adventures. I had art shows in Mystic, CT, Mount Gretna, PA, and Pittsburgh, and I'm happy to say the shows were a success! Pictured above are a few of my favorites that found new homes. A big thank you to my new and returning art collectors!
After a month on the road, it's great to get back in the studio and see what I can come up with next. I have 2 more shows this year: Alexandria, VA September 17 and 18, and Brookhaven, GA October 15 and 16.
Take control and paint with confidence In this intensive workshop you will learn to control your color and get the color you want.
In this class you will learn about pure color, get comfortable moving color from one hue to another, ways to get the most life out of your mixtures and how to keep your mixture clean and other store bought hues. There will be demos along with painting projects to reinforce the lessons. Such as using color to make your landscapes recede on the canvas or using color and value to create a sense of form in you paintings. Sat and Sunday will be demos and exercises, Monday you will bring in a photo to work from and put your new color knowledge to work. You can sign up for Sat & Sunday only if you can't make Monday.
Supply list
I prefer working in oils because my mixture will stay wet for the class. Acrylic willdry quicklyso you will need to keep them wet with water or a retarder.
Alizarin crimson
Permanent Rose
Hansa yellow or as yellow light
Yellow ochre Optional
Ultramarine blue and phtalo blue green shade. Get pthalo if just getting one
Sap green Optional
Titanium white
2 each - 9x12, 12x12 panel
6x8 practice panels We will start with a little practice, so please bring a canvas pad, economy cotton panel, or something not expensive to practice on.
Palette knife
Sketch pad and pencils
Paper towels
Acrylic and oil disposable Palette Pad 16x20 . You can use a roll wax paper
Sketch pad
Pencil
Roll of paper towels
Paint medium to help base coat your canvas and block in color. I fill a flip top bottle (think small dish liquid bottle) with 80% Liquinand 20% Damar Varnish to thin and speed the drying for oils. if you are working in acrylics use Liquitex glazing medium and water Great for base layers
Odorless mineral spirit and a sealed container for cleaning brushes. There are several Eco friendly products out there now as well
I follow Michael Chesley Johnson's blog and saw this the other day. I thought he had some good ideas about mixing grays and wanted to share them. I hope you find this as interesting as I did.
Greys are both easy and difficult to conjure up. Easy, because there's nothing like a dirty brush to work its black magic in creating rather ugly greys. Difficult, because a pretty grey takes a certain amount of apprenticeship in mixing color.
First, let's make sure we've got reasonably clean brushes. That will keep you from summoning grey without meaning to. Now, let's think about how greys are made.
They say you can make a grey by mixing a color with its complement. This is true, but it can be a very muddy grey. A prettier grey can be made by mixing a color with its near-complement instead. This is because the grey is closer in character to the color being greyed. Try it. Use a color wheel to help you identify the near-complement. If you want to grey down a green, don't use red - instead, use red-violet or red-orange.
Let's take this a step farther. Look at the color you want to grey and decide if it is a cool or warm version of its base color. To grey it, add the same temperature of its complement. If it's a cool red, use a cool green. If you use a warm green with a cool red, this will make mud. Using a cool with a cool will make a more beautiful grey. As an example, I paint a lot of fog, and many times I'll start off with a light pink - that's cadmium red light with lots of white, and very cool - and then scumble on a light cool green, such as viridian with lots of white. This combination gives me a mudless fog.
In the little 5x7 sketch above, I use this approach, but for a sunny scene. The scene had a lot of grey in it. I painted all the major shapes with the complement of the correct value and correct color temperature, and then overlaid them with the local color.
Last weekend I taught a two day workshop on my favorite subject - color! The first day we worked with color mixing, specifically, using the color wheel to make your colors lighter or darker. Working with the color wheel will keep you colors, vibrant and fresh. The next day we tackled making neutrals by working with compliments, and make them recede in space in your paintings.
It was a lot to tackle in a weekend, but everyone did a great job and left the class with a lot more knowledge about paint mixing. It's easier than you think!!
My painting has taken a new direction this year and I'm happy to say, it was well received at my art shows. Above are a few of my favorites that found new homes. It's always a rewarding experience, but these, I'll miss. Time to get back in the studio!
SUMMER ON THE ROAD -
after spending
much of the summer traveling, it's great to get back home and regroup. I had a wonderful time painting, learning, making new friends and catching up with friends I only see once a year. I hit the upper Adirondacks in June and then Mystic CT, Mount Gretna PA, then on to Cary NC - and can you believe the weather was perfect?
UPCOMING EVENTS
Judges Choice award at the Mount Gretna Art Festival
Show Schedule
Aug 29 3 - 6
Painting demo and sale Whole Foods Briar Cliff , Atlanta GA
It's that time of year again - Plein Air Paint Out in Zoo Atlanta!
The event started today and will be going on through out the week. Stop by the Zoo and you will find over 30 artists around the park creating great works of art. So come out to the zoo and check out the additional "wild Life" in the park. You won't want to miss the Art show and Silent auction at the Zoo on June 13, 6 - 9 pm. The works created in the park will be on display and available for purchase. A great event and fundraiser for the zoo! Find out more about the event here -
Stop by the Binders Limelight Gallery and help us celebrate
The Tuesday Night Studio's 11th anniversary art show.
Don't miss a chance to meet all these wonderful artists and celebrate their accomplishments.
We will have live music and a wine
tasting as well.
Join us if you can!
Summer Classes
I'm heading up to paint in the Adirondacks, but will be back in time to hold a 4 week Tuesday night class before heading back up north. This time to paint in New England. YAY!!
If you'd like to stop by my Midtown studio to see new work, talk about a commission, or take a class, just let me know. I'd love to hear from you. Reach me at
s course will cover issues like different way to handle the knife,blocking in design, color mixing , and capturing reflected light. Students
should expect to
loosen up and
create expressive paintings with a palette. Working with a palette knife allows a broad range of textures. Students learn the nuances of value, working wet in wet and layering in order to keep colors rich and vibrant. There will be an emphasis on color mixing and keep you colors clean (no muddy colors) This course will begin with a demo to cover the basic approach. Demonstrations will continue as well as working one on one with the students as you work on your paintings. All levels welcome. Appropriate for beginners. The class will be taught using oils. Please contact instructor at
Color Confidence 2 -Learn to control your mixtures
Now that you have mastered pure color
and are comfortable moving color from one hue to another, learn how to
manipulate your colors to make neutrals, and make colors recede back in space. In this class you will learn the best way to
get the most life out of your mixtures and how to keep your mixture clean and
other store bought hues.
DawnArt Studios LLC
180 11th ST NE,
Atlanta Ga 30309
404 399 0853
Click on the photo link below to register online, by email dawn@dawnart.com
1 Day workshop 10 - 3:00 Sat, Feb 7, Color 1 Class
DawnArt Studios
180 11th St NE, Atlanta GA
404 399 0853
dawn@dawnart.com
Paint with Color Confidence! Have you
been struggling trying to controlling color in your art? Do you mix a lot of
mud? Well, no more. This class will have you painting with color confidence.
You will learn about pure color and why it is so important, how to bend a
color, how to use the color wheel to lighten and darken your colors, and more.
The first half of the workshop will demonstrate the color mixing lessons, then
students will be able to apply their new knowledge with a painting. You will
finish a painting in class and you are going to love it! All levels welcome.
I decided to build the studio furniture for my classes out of reclaimed wood. I love the idea of boycotting plastic and having hand built tables the really match the style of the studio. Decided to go with a distressed blue and white color palette that goes with the venetian plaster and the white molding in the rooms. I think it'll give the space a warm and inviting feel. Hope my students will love it as well!
Supply List Palette Knife Workshop / Beginning painting
For questions email dawn@dawnart.com
If you already have paints, bring what you have but this is what you need for class.
I prefer working in oils because my mixture will stay wet for the class. Acrylic will dry quickly so you will need to keep them wet with water or a retarder.
Here is a list of suggested colors. But bring what you have. I like to have Cadmuim Yellow and a warn red and blue and a cool red and blue. Sap Green, Naples Yellow. and Burnt Sienna are just great to mix with, but you don't have to have them.
Alizarin Crimson
Cadmium yellow, or hue
Ultramarine blue or phtalo blue
Sap green
Titanium white 5OZ Tube
Yellow Ochre or Yellow Oxide or Naples Yellow. Any will be fine
Optional colors
Burnt sienna
Cobalt Blue
Naphthol Red/ Cadmuim Red or hue / an orange- Optional
12x12, 12 x 16 Canvas or larger
Acrylic and oil disposable Palette Pad 9 x12 . You can use a roll wax paper
Palette knives plastic or metal - The plastic 5 pack is great to start with
If just buying one get Utrecht 1003
Sketch pad
Pencil
Roll of paper towels
If using oils you may want LIQUIN IMPASTO to extend the paint
Still in works but here's what 's scheduled so far
Tuesday Night Painting Studio Sept 23 - Nov 18 Tues evenings 6:30 - 9:30 DawnArt Studios Palette Knife Workshop: FAll Trees September 27 @Spruill Art Center Plein air workshop
Paint the Fall colors
Parker Ranch in Clayton GA Oct 10 - 12 Friday - Sunday 210.00 includes instruction, lodging, breakfast, and social hour
Palette knife workshop Nov 1 @ Callanwolde Fine ArtsCenter
Palette Knife Workshop Capture the Light Dec 13 @ Spruill
Announcing the Zoo’s first-annual plein air event, “Art Gone Wild,” Over 30 artists have spent the week capture the zoo on canvas. Stop by this Saturday to see what we've created. An art show and silent auction will take place on Saturday, June 14. Check out the website
Upcoming classes, workshops, and events
Tuesday Night Painting Studio
July 8 - July 29
Tues evenings 6:30 - 9:30 4 week session
As an ongoing class you have lots of flexibility and can always make up classes.
Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
