A Break from the Ordinary

Goldfish

Lately I have been struggling with paint and canvas. Nothing I have tried is working to my satisfaction. My growing need for detail and depth is limited by my ability to make it appear on the canvas. Its a good thing I have lots more painting classes in my near future.

Today, as I was searching for a photo in my VAST collection, I came across a favorite, a mass of goldfish in a pond, from a trip to Hawaii. This was a perfect starting point for a digital painting. I wanted to abstract the intense details of fish eyes, mouths and frenzy, and add the cool blue watery beauty that thoughts of Hawaii bring to mind.

Once again, gotta love what I can do with Photoshop. Creating this digital painting was a mini-vacation from the work of painting on canvas. I feel refreshed now, creative and ready to keep learning.

Goals for the New Year

Koi (for C and H) Acrylic on canvas 18"x24"

New Years Resolutions are a good idea. According to the book I am reading for book group, The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin, resolutions not only increase your productivity or decrease your thighs, setting and keeping resolutions can make you happier. I would be happy to be happier all the time. One way I can see that I would be happier  - is if I were a better painter.

So my resolution for this year - to constantly learn how to paint.

I have a strong start on this goal - beginning last summer when I picked up a paint brush to experiment with tempera paint I got at a garage sale. At the same garage sale, I bought, for a dime, the Watercolor Lesson-a-Day Calendar. These are tiny sketches to be painted and colored, of 365 paintings by dozens of artists and styles. I really enjoy looking at these images, and found myself sorting them into types - with consideration for how each was painted. I was looking for simple images, and ideas for paintings I, with my limited skills and ability, and especially, my young students, could try to paint.

I have written before about how I stumbled into abstract art in by seeking ways to teach, and by seeing with new eyes, the works of Klee and Kandinsky, Matisse and Miro.  Since summer, as I have been combining learning to use acrylic paint with my study of abstract art, I have learned a great deal. Not the least of which is  how much I need to know to become a better painter (as defined by my own criteria).

To accomplish this, my primary goals for the moment, until I discover what I need to know next, is to learn and improve technique  -the How-to's

• how to create texture with paint
• how to create better brush strokes
• to use paint like pastels - blend on the surface
• use a palette knife 
• create 'impressions' with paint
• learn to abstract 
• learn to be more impressionistic, trees, flowers, simple shapes to create  impression 
• ... abstract impressionism, expressionism

Based on my experience and the process of learning to paint,  I know I am doing some things right. I am taking classes in Dynamic Abstract painting at PCC.  I have befriended a helpful salesman at Aaron Brothers, where I buy my (steady stream of) art supplies. He is always willing to share a book recommendation or a bit of advice on paint, pigment, tools and materials. And, he figures out how to make the most of my coupons.

Another great resource has turned out to be the internet (what a surprise!). I have learned so much, and gotten so many cool ideas from videos that artists and teachers post of themselves painting and teaching on YouTube. And course, there are books. Amazon is richer for my growing collection.

The greatest teacher in this process has been practice. I feel as if I am learning to cook - trying new ingredients and recipes every day.  I have filled canvases and sketch pads and pastel sheets with color and images. I have generated quite a bit of work - even some that I am proud of. I can not express how much I gained from the Art Everyday for a Month challenge.  As a result of making art often - with no goal except learning from the process,  I can see progress, change, confidence and pleasure in what I am doing - so, I want to keep doing it.

Therefore, I have saved my last two resolutions/goals for last ...

I believe that for me to meet my goals, I need to to paint or draw or work digitally - at least 4 times a week, to build my skills, and expand my creative arena. To really be happy doing this, I need external motivation - I need to connect with other artists and teachers, anyone with the desire to learn to make art, or to share what they know. So, I want to:

• to teach my own classes, based on my own ideas, and 
• become part of a painting group - for a regular opportunity to meet, work, critique, share and learn with a group with common goals.

And one more thing, I also want to learn how to market art ... but first I want to make more of it ...

What are your goals as an artist? How will you meet them? Any ideas for me?

Happy New Year.

W is for Wet

What better way to weather a this watery Wednesday before Thanksgiving than by creating a "flow painting."

This type of painting  is done by literally pouring watered acrylic paint over the canvas and letting it flow. The shapes are made by shifting and turning the canvas to  flow of the paint. There is very little brush work - but a little pushing does help create some good flows. It is messy and fun.

As each layer is dried, another is flowed on top. I chose the most watery and transparent colors I could to create this effect and I poured a final layer over the entire piece to give it a watery glazed finish.

P is for playing, peppers and Photoshop

Today is Art Everyday Month, day 16!

I have had a busy day. I taught 18 kids in my Young Rembrandts class this afternoon and spent the morning prepping. 

There was grocery shopping, dog walking and dinner prep in the mix too. By the time I am getting around to making my everyday art, I am out of ideas, and out of energy.

But, I am determined to do something everyday, so I opened Picasa and started scrolling through my pix seeking inspiration. Last summer I had a huge harvest of wild looking peppers - I took many pictures of them, and even drew some. One of my favorite photos swam into my vision. OK - P is for peppers.

The pepper in the photos are bright bright red and green and shiny  - somehow the colors are not grabbing me tonight - but the wild curvy shapes are interesting. So, I opened the image in Photoshop and just started to play - there is lovely music playing in the background, and frankly, trying filters and effects on photos with Photoshop is my idea of relaxation. I think the results are relaxing too - and so different from the original image. They have gone from garden reality to undersea abstraction with just the clicks of a mouse.

Once again this brings me to the value of this challenge - I am amazing myself with the variety of approaches I have at my fingertips. I feel like I am stretching and building my art muscles each day. Today's image suggests an idea for a painting .... so, who knows what tomorrow will bring.

D is for Dahlia

Last year for D day I painted a detailed, realistic dahlia from my friend's garden. This one is based on a photo from my garden, which I then worked on in Photoshop to begin to understand how to abstract the image.

My teacher keeps reminding me to abstract an image, simplify - so that is what I tried to do - find and simplify the essential shapes.
The colors are all mine ...

I am beginning to find some ways to work with the acrylic palette. Once again, I selected only a few colors and white. I notice that when the colors are blended with one another, the results are harmonious, and the variety of colors that result are incredible.

This painting is on canvas board, 8"x10". The flower is probably close to its real size.

B: is for I've Got the Blues

I've got the blues alright ... Blues as in ultramarine, cobalt, phthalo, and prussian blue.

One of the most intriguing aspects of working in an abstract way, is the discovery of acrylic paints. My pastels have always arrived in a box, or have been hand selected from a display - their name meant nothing - they were reds, or darks or greys or ... I loved the colors, but what counted was not the name, only the shade, the brand and the type. Now, as I am beginning to experiment with acrylics - a world of poetry has opened up. I love the names, but this medium is a total stranger to me - a world to discover. My limited experience is teaching me that some acrylics are thick, some are transparent. Some work well when watered down, some make me feel like Van Gogh as they swirl and ooze on the canvas. One thing for sure - they are a challenge for me  - so I often find myself using digital paint tools to think about what I might paint, and to practice the effects I have in mind (but not yet in hand.)

Which brings me to today's post. This painting was done with MyPaint, an open-source graphics application for digital painters. I was able to really focus on layering the colors to get the effects I wanted ... all the blues were there - and I played with them all, without getting my hands dirty.  Now, if only I can learn to do this with those lovely blues ...

A is for Abstract

November 1, 2011

I believe that the things we love to do as children are the things that are meant to part of our lives always. They can be an ongoing source of pleasure, relaxation and creative inspiration to enrich our lives.

From the time I could hold a crayon; my idea of fun was to open my box of 48 Crayolas, scribble a line on the cardboard that the laundry put inside my father’s ironed shirts, and color the shapes until a “beautiful design” appeared.  I still love to do this, though now (lucky me)  I have pastels and pens, yummy color pencils, and, lately, something new – acrylic paints to make playing that much more fun. But, no matter the medium, no matter the surface, I still just love to scribble a line on a page and discover what it is meant to be.

Since this summer, when I was inspired by the young artists I teach, I have been consciously trying to create art in the way I did as a child – freely, abstractly and colorfully, without worrying so much about detail and perfection.  Sometimes I start with a plan - a word, an idea, or a color, and sometimes I start with no more than a scribble. But, no matter where I begin, I find that I almost always discover something unexpected, a face, a creature, a theme that emerges as I work. This new (old) process is compelling – it is also a challenge because I definitely do not like everything that results (and now I have to show it to you too!) but I love doing it. 

So, my goal for this Art Every Day month is to create an image every day – sometimes I will paint, sometimes draw, sometimes I will use one of the many cool digital tools I love so much.  I intend to create abstracts, but, who knows, reality may slip in here and there.

Whatever appears, I will write about the experience and share the results (cringe).

Today, (actually Halloween as I prepare this post) I painted the Halloween Forest. I started by sketching overlapping tree shapes on the canvas (18"x24"), under-painted all in a cool green, and painted the interior shapes in the hot colors of the leaves on the trees along my street. BOO!

REGISTER NOW for Spring Break Young Artists' Studio

Lakewood Center for the Arts
368 S. State Street in Lake Oswego

YOUNG ARTISTS’ STUDIO: 
A PALETTE OF POSSIBILITIES

Come discover how color, texture, shape and line unite to create works of art. Young artists will discover the pleasures of experimenting with different tools, techniques and materials as they create their own work, develop skills and explore the work of famous artists. The studio atmosphere will encourage creative expression and offer opportunities for students to see and think about the visual world in new ways.

Instructor: Tobi Kibel Piatek $79
Ages 6 - 12 3 days
March 21 - 23 10 AM - Noon

Registration Information

To pre-register for any class listed please print the Lakewood class registration form and mail to P.O. Box 274, Lake Oswego, OR 97034.

Registrations are also taken at our box office on weekdays from 9-5. A minimum enrollment of 8 students per class is needed. Programs will not be held if the minimum enrollment is not met. All classes are at Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State Street in Lake Oswego.

Art and Culture: A Natural Connection to Build Understanding

What better way to encourage kids to learn about and appreciate the values, skills and practices of another culture than to look at the art produced by its people?

Art has always played an important role in shaping and recording cultural history and lifestyles. Art also plays an important role in making kids happy and comfortable in school. I know that for lots of kids, the opportunity to create art can help engage him or her in school, and open a door to learning across disciplines.

Recent visits to some schools in Portland make it clear that art is happening in the schools, but for some kids (kids like I used to be) there is never enough art in a day.

Here are some ideas for strategies that teachers, instructors and mentors (especially in after school programs) can use to stimulate interest in other cultures, while also providing opportunities for students to see and experience many forms of art.

Bring samples of art into your space. Bring objects, slides, photos, posters, fabrics. You get the idea. For example, a unit on African art might include masks, wood carvings, beadwork, jewelry, fabrics and more. Any of these can become a starting point to open a conversation about both the art, and its uses in its culture.

Talk about what you see, ask:
- What are these things used for?
- What materials are they made of? Where do these materials come from? Can these materials be found in a store?
- Are they part of every day life or are they meant to be displayed in a museum or a temple?

Teachers may want to pose some questions as research. Invite kids to visit the library, explore books and art sites on the internet, and talk to family and community members to find out what they know about African art. Then, encourage them to share what they’ve learned - in words, or by creating a piece of art.

Mentors (and of course, teachers too) may want to take advantage of parents or other community members to take part in the conversation, and share some of their favorite art as well.

In the course of a conversation about African art, kids may learn that in most African cultures art is used to express religious beliefs, to teach behavior, to communicate history and to proclaim an individual’s status in the community. What about art in other cultures?

RESOURCES
There are so many wonderful resources to help you bring Art and Culture into your classroom or program; you may find your biggest challenge deciding where to begin. Here are two really good ones:

Global & Multicultural Resource Center The centerpiece of the World Affairs Council’s statewide K-12 program is the Global & Multicultural Resource Center. Housed at Portland State University, the Center enhances international and multicultural education in both schools and the community. Our resources and programs are available to teachers, students, parents and organizations in both Oregon and SW Washington.

Be sure to check out the Culture Boxes provided by this program http://www.worldoregon.org/more/education/resources.php
“Our Culture Boxes on over 90 countries are brimming with maps, lessons, and hands-on treasures from musical instruments and traditional clothes to toys, games and easily transportable props.

A typical box or set of boxes contains:
Books, lesson plans, maps, audio/video tapes, posters, CultureGrams, files, newspaper clippings, AND hands on items in the following categories: food, shelter, daily life, arts & crafts, dress, beliefs, toys & games, music & dance, language, and more…”

For more information on our Culture Boxes, Reference Library and programs, please see our website: www.worldoregon.org/more/education/index.phpDonations to the boxes from your travels are more than welcome!

Multicultural Lesson Plans Art based lesson plans written by teachers. These are great recipes for success.

TELL US:What do you do in your classroom or program? Share your ideas for projects and resources on this blog?

Can the Tiger Change its Spots?

This drawing is from a photo I took years ago in my sister-in-law's truly exquisite garden. Sue's garden is filled with lilies in colors as bright and vibrant as the sun. I was especially drawn (!) to this one (a tiger lily?) because of the dots and curves that add such pizazz.

It took a long time to figure out how to draw this flower. The very things that make it so beautiful also presented me with real drawing challenges, and real pleasure (those curves! those dangling parts with big shoes!) I will probably want to try this again sometime, to see how I can improve on this version.

This is done in color pencil on heavy drawing paper (very old, from a stash of papers I saved long ago).

My favorite software for creative kids

For several years, my job involved developing technology based curriculum for elementary age kids. Every month, I received samples of the latest educational software, and an assignment to develop a project based activity that incorporated this software and one other. Without a doubt, my favorite one other, in fact my favorite software to work with, was Kid Pix Studio.

Later, I often used this simple, effective and wonderfully designed software to introduce teachers and tech-nervous adults to the mysteries of creating lines, shapes and colors on their computers; I also used it to introduce basic word processing and demonstrated how their creations could be turned into lively presentations using tools and producing results that rival far more sophisticated programs - all in one easy to understand package.

So, when parents ask me to recommend something that their creative kids will enjoy, Kid Pix is my go-to suggestion. It is great software for drawing, painting and learning the difference between the two - both on paper and on the computer screen. It is also an ideal tool for building word processing skills. Combining images and text equals graphic design - and the possibilities are unlimited (just watch your kids.)

What I like best is that by playing and creating, kids learn skills that will serve them for all their computing life (or until computers become obsolete - which, I admit, is entirely possible.)

I could go on an on, but teachers and other users around the country have discovered this versatile tool and have posted many great ideas they use to meet their classroom content standards and create beautiful works of art and information. If you are looking for ideas for things to do with Kid Pix - simply Google the words and see what appears.

Here's information about the latest version.

Kid Pix Deluxe 4 Home Edition has all the creative functionality one would expect, from selecting from an array of art mediums (paint, watercolor, airbrush, pencil, crayon, marker, chalk, etc.) to using various finishing techniques (stickers, stamps, typeface, etc.).

In addition, the software can add special effects (animate, smudge, smear, warp twist, etc.) for a wacky look, suggest ideas and backgrounds to help get creative juices flowing, and import digital photos to personalize. For more than 10 years, Kid Pix has been the graphics software of choice for educators, parents, and, most importantly, kids!

By the way, if you already have a version, free updates are available online.

How do you use KidPix? Do you have another favorite software that you would recommend for creative kids? Use the comment box below to share your thoughts. Thanks.

Art Every Day: L is for Light

Day 12
Its dark outside. This is true for most of the time in this season. How lucky I am to be able to generate light with my color pencils.

Simply looking at this sunflower warmed me up. Painting the glowing yellows and hot reads against the dark background was not only a chance to explore the structure of the flower, but it was a lesson in painting light.

To do this one, I set it out as an exercise in seeing and drawing only the shapes of the colors I saw. In the process, I blended layer upon layer of colors to build to the combination of light against dark. Its almost bright enough to let me ignore this dreary day.

Art Every Day: J is for Just Do It!

Day 10
I had no idea what I was going to do this morning. I spent some time looking at books seeking inspiration. Today is J - joy, jobs, jumping up and down, blue jays? What?

Then, email arrived from John (a good sign). Attached was a photo of a bald eagle taken near his home in New York. I have only even attempted a bird once before, but I loved the image. Frankly, I had no clue where to begin, but I decided I'd just try it and see what appeared.

My first thought was to simply capture the darks and lights in graphite and then ink. Soon, as I stared at the eagle and sketched the basic shape, colors and patterns began to appear. Some of the darks were blue, some red. Some of the lights were white white, others creamy, some yellow. Out came the pencils. One thing I wanted was to make this guy look friendly (I have some JOY in my future who might want an eagle to look at).

Here he is - a fuzzy, friendly eagle on vellum in graphite and color pencil.

Art Every Day: I is for Iris - Goddess of the Rainbow

Day 9
I was introduced to the irresistible beauty of irises by a friend at work many years ago. His entire tiny urban front yard produced a veritable rainbow of exquisite blooms each spring. Every day during the season, he'd bring irises to the office, some for each of the ladies. I was enchanted.

Some blooms huge, some tiny, some fragrant, some flagrantly sensual. I was amazed by the second bloom that appeared after the first wilted. Most of all, it was the colors that attracted me to these flowers. No wonder they are named for the Iris, the Winged Goddess of the Rainbow.

Later, camera in hand, I discovered another aspect of the iris's magnificence - the shapes, the curves, the delicacy. I could go on and on ... but instead of telling you, I will show my version of this goddess flower. This is color pencil on vellum - but I brought the finished image into Photoshop and dropped in the turquoise background (iris in the sky?)

As I worked on this I made another discovery. It took a rainbow of colors to paint this red flower.

Art Every Day: H is for How-to

I am sure it comes as no surprise to others participating in this challenge to learn that creating an image everyday, and living the rest of my life, is not that easy. The hardest part, for me, is figuring out what to draw every day.

Add to this the alphabet organization I've given myself, and, in case things are not complex enough, I am also trying to experiment with different combinations of media to create different effects.

And, after working for detail in the last two florals, I feel the need to try something loose and sketchy.

Though I am rarely short of ideas, I am often woefully short of technique. As a teacher/writer, I seek, and frequently write, resources, how-to's (e.g., how to stimulate creativity) and curricula for educators. With this in mind, I did a search on How-to's for artists. Surprise, surprise, I came to a site already listed on THIS blog!

The idea for this drawing of a favorite garden is based on a lesson plan I found on DickBlick.com Resources for Educators. This is a great resource for ideas and How-to's. This is also the place you can go to buy new and replenish dwindling supplies.

The garden is drawn on matte acetate with color pencils (which worked surprisingly well). There is a sheet of metallic paper behind the image that gives it the light. Its rough, but I would certainly try this approach again. I an going back to this site for more ideas to try - for myself and my students.

I am always looking for great instructions and ideas - for myself and to share. Please post your favorite resources here.

Art Every Day: G is for Garden

Day 7
I've mentioned that I love to photograph flowers. I do this where ever I go. Fortunately, in my neighborhood of big yards and burgeoning gardens, I don't have to go far to find something to beautiful.

Though our garden is usually full of vegetables, and our trees hang with fruit (and gorgeous spring blossoms), I often prefer to visit the Master Gardener up the street when seeking inspiration. Monet would have been happy in S's garden.

This drawing is from a photo I took there years ago. I don't know what kind of flower this is, but I love dark flowers, especially, as in this case, when they grow among crowds of white clematis.

I have drawn this flower before, always struggling to get the details out of the lush dark petals. This time I used color pencil on vellum. This seems to me to be a really good combination of paper and media, the vellum does a good job of holding and showing the color and texture I use to apply it.

Art Every Day: F is for Flowers

Tell them dear, that if eyes were made for seeing, Then beauty is its own excuse for being
~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The Rhodora"



I grew in up the Bronx. My concept of flowers included daisies, roses, scrawny sprigs of lilacs, the creamy gardenias my mother grew in a huge pot on the fire escape and thevivid yellow forsythia bushes that bloomed in the park across the street - the neighborhood harbinger of spring. I noticed flowers, but I never really looked at them. Then I moved to Oregon.

Flowers are everywhere. Flowers are gorgeous. I own a digital camera. I love to take walks. See where I am going with this? I have taken 1000's of digital photos of flowers. We are known to seek out botanical gardens when we travel ... with my camera.

As much as I love to look at, pose and photograph flowers, I think they are difficult to draw. Some of the images I would love to paint are too complex and I am too impatient to diddle in teeny tiny details. But, in honor of this challenge, I drew (is working in color pencil drawing or painting?) this beautiful 'sport' dahlia I found thriving in its new home on a recent trip to Eastern Oregon. When a flower has "sported," (I am told) this means that is shows two colors because its seed is trying to revert to its original color.

This is color pencil on rice paper.

Art Every Day: E is for Errors and Eye Appeal

Day 5
My husband believes that for art to be "good" it has to be attractive to the eye, even pretty. I am not sure I totally agree, but I do know that the images I like definitely fit my own criteria for beautiful. Color - vibrant and rich - always grabs my eye.

As I work to build my skills and generate work, I often look at art - at galleries and art shows, online and in my art books. There are times that I look at technically perfect and highly detailed images, that certainly took time and effort to create, but - for some reason they leave me cold. Other times, I see things that I love, not for their perfection, but for some hard to identify quality that simply speaks to me. I guess that is what I mean by eye appeal.

Which brings me to errors. My Iphone camera is my constant companion. It is the tool I use to capture the world of beauty that surrounds me. It is also the first step to much of my artwork. This summer I was trying to take pix of the hops that grow in our garden. Something distracted me and the camera slipped. However, as I saw it go by, I realized that the image I had captured in error was a potential pastel painting.

It was an interesting experience to try to paint a picture that is deliberately out of focus. I love the colors on this one.

How do you define good art?

Art Every Day: D is for Design and Drawing

Check out the new blog design! I hope it makes things easier to see and find.


Redesigning this page should count as my creative art for the day .... but noooo. Today was my botanical drawing class with teacher Jill Jeffers Goodell and I had the chance to spend the morning drawing carrots with pen and ink.

I think it is fair to say that drawing is not my strong suit. I prefer to slop the colors down and see what appears. But, D is also for Discipline and I get so much out of the time I spend focused on carefully drawing, I know I am seeing the results in my paintings.

If drawing a carrot was not enough of a challenge, drawing in pen and ink put it over the top. The reason I LOVE pastel is that it is so forgiving, Make a mistake, make it go away - nobody knows but you.

In pen and ink, my messy tendencies resulted in an ugly stain at the bottom of the page. So - D was also for Determination today. I was determined to post this picture, so, I brought it into Photoshop and figured out a way to edit out the stain. Cool.

Art Every Day: C is for Cezanne

Day 3: Perhaps it is the result of painting apples, or even today's pears, but all this fruitfulness brings Cezanne to mind - and reminds me of one of my favorite art classes (Painting in Pastels, at PNCA).
One of our assignments was to select a section from a masterwork and copy it. I chose to work from pastels by Mary Cassatt and Degas (always an overachiever, I did the assignment three times).
So, today, I decided to seek some inspiration from studying Cezanne's painted apples. To the internet ...
My first click brought me to a wonderful website from the Metropolitan Museum of Art "Cezanne's Astonishing Apples" It is perfect for kids, with its "Look Closely" feature. But perfect also for me - I got to look, in detail, at his painting, Apples and Primroses, hear a nice story about his life, and learn how Cezanne approached his work.
My time spent with Cezanne also helped me understand the challenge I had while painting these pears. One is shiny, two are are not. I am still playing with it to get the light and the colors to work. I did this one on a dark grey Canson Mi Tiente. I like the way the dark color supports the bright white in the foreground.