Demonstration in Blue Ridge GA

This is a notice to let everyone know I will be demonstrating all day at my gallery in Blue Ridge, GA -- High Country Art & Antiques Gallery. Date is this Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. I should be there by 10:30 and getting set up to start the demonstration by 11:00 a.m. -- and I should be painting and talking until about 5:00 p.m. I will be painting in either pastel or oil -- have not really decided which medium I want to use this Saturday. Probably pastel since I think last time I did this I used oil. Doesn't really matter, as the theories are the same, just the supplies are different.

Here is a link to their web site -- I can't seem to put an image of their site here in the upload process:
High Country Art & Antique Gallery

The Gallery is very easy to find in downtown. We are at 715 East Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513 (if you need to google map the address for directionws) and we are just across from the train station. There is a green awning over the windows and door, and we are about 4 or 5 businesses down from the traffic light! Their phone number is 706-632-6882. Cheryl Engledow is the owner and much fun to visit!

Come visit Blue Ridge, GA and talk to me while I demonstrate a painting or two -- and a great town to spend a day in all the retail shops and galleries -- and the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association in the Historic Courthouse on West Main Street.

Demo in Bellingham, Washington

Here are two photos from a demonstration I gave to a small group of artists in Sudden Valley near Bellingham, Washington. My friend, Denise Champion, set this up and items were put in the local papers and on websites to get more painters to the demo. There were about 15 artists present -- and two came from the Northwest Pastel Society to watch. It was a good group and they asked intelligent questions!

This was supposed to be a plein air demo, but we knew the clouds were coming in the night before and when we got up the next morning it was threatening rain and was windy. We would have been beside the first tee on a golf course, with no protection from the winds. We made a decision to have the demo inside the restaurant located above the Golf Pro Shop. There were great large windows looking out onto the golf course and almost the scene I was painting. I had taken photographs a few days earlier of several views of the scene. So I chose one that I thought would be a good demo to demonstrate some points about painting, as well as how to change it to look more like I painted it plein air.

You can see that I was painting from a Mac computer screen, which was much better than working from a small 4x6 photograph. And . . . being able to look outside was wonderful. I discussed the differences between what you see in real life and what you see in a photograph. I think it made a very good impression on the group to be able to look out the window and understand what I was talking about.

In the photo of the start of the painting, you can see the image on the screen, and the painting with a warm orange wash on an Ampersand Pastelbord. Also it shows I have layed in just a bit of dark for the pattern of darks in the painting. I have done this quite lightly even though it is a somewhat darker pastel -- and it is a harder pastel so that not so much pastel comes off the stick to use up the tooth of the pastelbord (spelling is according to Ampersand).

I'll post more progress shots in a few days. . . . and more discussion about what I was doing.

Reception at Solo Show

Here is a shot of the main section in the courtroom with several paintings showing. The lady with the turqoise top and white skirt is my gallery owner, Cheryl Engledow -- owner of the High Country Art & Antique Gallery in downtown Blue Ridge.

There were over 100 people at the reception -- no exact count, but 100 people signed up for winning a painting. I know some that were there and not on the list -- so not real sure of the attendance number other than I know over 100!! Great!

The next shot shows me greeting a previous student, John Cottongim, and his wife. He made the drive up from Marietta, GA for the show. He also let me know he has had some paintings accepted into two different shows that are on view right now in the Atlanta, GA area.

We hired a wonderful young lady, Jennifer, to play the guitar and sing -- and I was complemented several times about how wonderful it was and what a classy reception it made with her there. Thank you Jennifer! I have a picture of her singing.

And a few more photos of people at the reception and, of course, you can see the paintings in the background. And, a shot of my friend Carly Hardy and a young man in the crowd that drew a number -- corresponding to a name on the sign-up list to win a 9x12 plein air painting!

It's The Journey - Solo Show

Just one last post before the reception for my solo show -- It's The Journey! The reception is Saturday, Aug. 1, -- tomorrow -- from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. Someone that comes to the reception will win a 9x12 painting. So be there! You might win!

I am uploading one or two photos of the show where we were finishing up the hanging and straightening of the paintings.

Demo in Smyrna Tuesday Night

I should have added this to the previous post -- I will be demonstrating my pastel painting technique tomorrow evening (Tuesday, July 14) for the Smyrna Arts and Business Association (SABA). We will be at the Smyrna Library at 6:30. The demonstration will only last about 45 minutes, so you won't be out too late.

The above painting was a demonstration in my night class -- for the last two classes. Started it one evening, and brought it back to finish for them last Tuesday. This is pastel on Canson paper -- which many people think is too hard to use since it won't hold but a very few layers of pastel. I am also framing this painting to take to my gallery this coming weekend while I demo there!

Come see me demonstrate a painting!

Demo In High Country Gallery in Blue Ridge, GA

Saturday, I will be demonstrating painting in my gallery, High Country Art, in Blue Ridge GA all day -- and my mentor, Elsie Dresch, will be joining me. We decided to do a "duo" demonstration. We will work on our own paintings, not the same one! We should be set up and started painting by about 11:00 a.m. and will probably finish up around 4:30 p.m. Come visit Blue Ridge and come by to see us!

The painting above was the oil demonstration I did last month at the gallery. I finished it here in my studio, tweaking some of the compositional elements -- like defining the shadows, softening the edges in places, changing the color of the silo roof, etc. I think it is working pretty good. I decided to frame it to take to the gallery for this weekend. I usually "kill off" some paintings by working too long instead of leaving it fresh. I tried not to over think this one. The sky is much more "free" than I usually do, but decided I like it even with its unusual colors.

Solo Show in Blue Ridge, GA

Everyone is invited to my upcoming solo show, "It's The Journey," in Blue Ridge, GA. The reception and opening date is Saturday, August 1, 2009 -- but the show will be up for most of August. The premise of the show, "It's The Journey," is about the journey of the feet and the journeys of the mind. These are places I have been, but also journeys of the mind which could be experimental pieces. I chose this name because I am always saying to my students, "it's the journey, not the destination."

The opening reception is from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Hopefully the time will allow those coming from out of town, like the Atlanta area, to attend and not get home too late. You could even plan to have dinner in Blue Ridge before starting back home!

The show is in downtown Blue Ridge, GA, at the Historic Fannin County Courthouse which is now the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association (BRMAA). The old courtroom has been renovated and is now called the Richard Lowe Evans Gallery. They have done a wonderful job of renovating this courthouse into a beautiful gallery space.

I will have many traditional sized paintings in pastel, oil or acrylic. There will be quite a few "tiny" paintings at a very reasonable price so you can buy something! I will also have a drawing for a painting at the opening!!! Be there, you might win!

For directions if you need them, call the BRMAA at 706-632-2144. Dress for the reception is casual -- which is the only way to dress in Blue Ridge! If you need more information, just comment to this post. Hope to see you there!