Memory Lane & Fabriano Soft Press Paper

Pick Me, watercolor, 8” x 8,” on Fabriano 140 lb soft press paper

Working on this painting was a walk down memory lane.  When I was a kid we had a huge vegetable garden in our back yard.  We planted it mostly by seed every year on Memorial Day weekend listening to the Indianapolis 500 on a transistor radio.  Living in Indiana, the race was blocked out on television.  If you didn’t go in person, radio was your only option.  We always planted 2 or 3 rows of green beans, the bush variety.  I enjoyed planting the garden, but my least favorite tasks were weeding and picking the green beans. They were hard to find camouflaged amongst the leaves.  Hunched over rifling through rows of beans for an hour in the blazing sun, I couldn’t wait for it be over.  Then, of course, I had to clean the things to be ready for dinner! Ironically, as much as hated doing these chores, they are still one of my favorite vegetables.

Maine Yellows, watercolor, 6” x 6,” on Fabriano soft press paper

Though, my childhood summers weren’t just spent working of course, they also mostly consisted of exploring outside, going on endless bike rides, and reading.  With all the fun I had, of course I dreaded the inventible orders from my mom to do those gardening chores.  However, now I’m grateful for the experience and love doing them now.  My mom instilled a love of plants and gardening in me at an early age, something I treasure to this day.   Working on this painting flooded me with memories, and time spent with my mom in and out of the garden. 

Foraging Day, watercolor, 6” x 6,” on Fabriano soft press paper

I experimented again with another Fabriano paper, 140 lb soft press.  I had previously completed three paintings from my mushroom series on this paper and really liked the results. (Foraging for mushrooms was also a part of my childhood.)  If I were to describe this paper, I feel it is a cross between hot press and cold press paper, which is why I felt it would be good for my smaller works with a lot of details. This painting is 8” x 8” and my mushroom series are all 6” x 6.”  The advantage of if it being like hot press paper is that it is smoother and it seems easier to draw and paint details. However the paint still soaks into the paper, not sitting on top like it would on a hot pressed surface.  Thus, it behaves  more like a cold press paper, which I prefer.  Watercolors are vibrant when dry, and they were easy to mix on the paper, I was getting nice results in wet into wet areas.  The paper has great lifting capabilities and edges were easy to soften with a synthetic brush. Staining colors do not lift out as easy as non staining colors.  Because I used  yellow in my mix of greens for the green beans, lifting out highlights in those areas was a bit more difficult because the yellow I use is a staining color.  

Red Jewel, watercolor, 6” x 6,” on Fabriano soft press paper

This is not a paper to use, if you are used to scrubbing out passages or softening areas with a scrubber brush.  I did try that in an area and the fibers lifted up pretty easily.  It will not take much abuse in that respect.  I did not try masking tape on this paper but I did use a little bit of masking fluid and didn’t have any fibers lift off the paper when removing the masking.  After having used this paper on a few paintings. I am definitely adding this paper to my repertoire and would like to try the 300 lb soft press for larger works.  That will be an experiment down the road. 

Visit my You Tube Channel to see a time lapse video of this complete painting.

This painting was done as part of the Florida Watercolor Society’s “Creative Confinement Challenge.”  Open to all of the nine hundred or so members, the submission fees will go toward The Healing Arts Award in the 2020 Annual Exhibition.  Every year the Florida Watercolor Society donates a painting to a health or medical facility in the area where that year’s president resides.  The president chooses which facility they would like to donate the painting to and invites a representative from there to choose the painting from the Annual Exhibition.  I love this program.  I feel art promotes healing whether you are creating it or looking at it. 

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Change is Good: Arches vs. Fabriano Paper

A Calming Influence, 24” x 19,” Watercolor on Fabriano 300 lb. Cold Press

It has been a while since I have written an article on my blog!  Who knew how much the world would change between then and now, and I feel there are more changes to come.  My hope is that the world will be a kinder and more peaceful place.   While I do not like the circumstances and the hardships that many are facing in this wild time, I do believe that sometimes there are good things that come from the bad, and I try to remind myself this to be more at peace.  I’m trying to take more time to do things I enjoy, gardening, cooking, and enjoying nature. This time I’ve had at home during the COVID-19 quarantine  has made me reflect how I may go forward in the future, and I am more grateful for each day I am alive and well.

In My Solitude, 20” x 20,” Watercolor on Arches 300 lb. Cold Press

One positive change is having so much dedicated time in the studio!  I have been wanting to do a water lily series on a larger scale. Previously I have only painted them 12” x 12.”   I felt it would be the perfect subject matter to paint during this quarantine time. I find them to be a calming influence. I finally started on them and I am currently working on the fourth in the series.   I have at least five planned. Their titles reflect how I have been feeling during the lock down and how I felt painting them. 

A Moment of Pause, 22” x 12,” Watercolor on Arches 300 lb. Cold Press

As I mentioned before, painting this subject matter larger is a change.   I spend a  lot of time designing each of my paintings, and love doing it. I make a lot of changes from my original photo references, mixing more than one photo together for the right composition. I  re-work the positions of elements within the photo. I add elements that are needed for the composition, even if they didn’t exist in real life. I also change colors from my photo references, and recently I have enjoyed designing and incorporating borders as part of my body of work.

For this series, I ventured out into new paper territory.  Most of my work is on Arches or Twin Rocker paper. ( Never heard of Twinrocker?  You can read it about it here on a previous post. ) The first two in the series were painted on Arches 300 lb. cold press.  On the third painting I decided to try Fabriano 300 lb. cold press.

Nocturne, 12” x 12,” Watercolor Mounted on Cradled Archival Board and Sealed

When you have a lot of time invested in designing and drawing it can be a  risk to try something out of the norm.  But if we don’t, how will we learn and grow?  I bit the bullet and committed to completing the painting on the Fabriano paper.  With my particular painting style it took me a while to get used to it until I realized what I normally do had to be done somewhat differently.  As I got into the rhythm of it, I really enjoyed it.  It was like going on a little vacation, which is as good as it’s going to get right now! 

Interlude, 12” x 12,” Watercolor Mounted on Archival Cradled Board and Sealed

What was different, you might ask?  First the paper is softer,  you can tell just by how it feels.  I was worried if I had to scrub out an area or lift, would it mutilate the paper too much, but I didn’t find it to be an issue.  All paper companies have their “secret sauce” for sizing their paper. For example, some use animal byproducts in their sizing, I do know that Fabriano does not.  That is why Arches can sometimes have that wet dog smell.  (No, Arches does not use dog in their sizing, but I think there might be something from an animal in there.)   I feel Fabriano might have less sizing then Arches.  It could have been the weather that day, but I did feel washes tend to dry a bit quicker.  However, working wet into wet, it was fine. Everything stayed wet long enough for me to get done what I needed to in a wash.  I also use masking tape to mask areas I want to preserve the white of the paper and paint later. I was concerned with a softer paper the top surface of the paper would lift off with the tape, but it didn’t, and masking fluid came right off too. 

Trio, 12” x 12,” Watercolor Mounted on Cradled Archival Board and Sealed

I also felt the color seemed to be more vivid on the Fabriano paper.  The paper could be whiter or the sizing may have an effect on the appearance of the paint on top.  Another factor could be how much paint soaks into the paper versus sitting on top of it.  Whatever it is, I like the results. However, one thing that did take some getting used to was if I  painted over an area twice after the first wash had dried, the paint underneath seemed to lift easier than on Arches.  It took a natural hair brush and a light touch for the first wash not to mix with the second.  That was probably my biggest work around for the way I paint. 

If I were to say anything negative about Fabriano vs. Arches, it would be that their water mark goes all they way across the top of the short side of the paper.  That doesn’t bother some people but if I were to do a painting on a full sheet you would see it as part of my painting.  I’m not so keen on that. One work around is to use the opposite side.  However, there is a different texture on each side of the paper.  If you liked the texture on the water marked side and you wanted to do a painting on a full sheet, you are stuck with it.  Arches’ watermark is more subtle.  It is small and in a corner. 

Meditation II, 12” x 12,” Watercolor Mounted on Archival Cradled Board and Sealed

Overall, I felt like the change was good! Would I use Fabriano again?  Absolutely!  Would I stop using Arches, not necessarily.  I tend to use the paper I need for what I want to achieve in the painting because they all behave differently, just like our dear children or pets.  That is why I also use Twinrocker paper and occasionally, when I have the opportunity, I buy other brands I would like to try too.  I have tried some that will never make it into my repertoire, and like Fabriano some brands will have a place in my studio and potentially be used en plein air paintings as well!  

Don’t be afraid of change.  We certainly can’t have that attitude in this unprecedented time in human history.  Take a risk, what are you going to do different today?  Feel free to leave a comment.  If you subscribe to my blog and are getting this via email, click on it to go to my web site and leave your comment there.  :-)

Wishing you continued safety and good health!

Kim

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The 2019 Plein Air Convention in San Francisco

Back in the late 80s and early 90s my husband and I became familiar with plein air painting.  This is due in most part from our love of the artist Kevin Macpherson, who is one of the preeminent artists working in plein air today.  But also to an art magazine we subscribed to at that time, Plein Air Magazine, published by Eric Rhoads at Streamline Publishing.  We enjoyed it for a few years and then one day a different magazine showed up in our mail box with a letter saying due to lack of interest Plein Air Magazine would no longer be published.   Even though we were not actively painting plein air at the time, we were so disappointed.  We found the magazine to be very inspirational! 

The Faculty for PACE 2019

Fast forward a few years, Eric started publishing the magazine again and it is one of the top selling art magazines in the country.  Plein air is not just a genre of painting anymore it is a movement. Compare the number of plein air artists painting today and the number of plein air events worldwide, to those in the 80s and early 90s and the difference is astronomical.  

Laurie Kersey Demonstration on the Main Stage

My foray into plein air painting started by urban sketching. (That’s a whole other movement worthy of a different article.)  The portability of having a small bag, with a sketchbook, a small watercolor kit, and one brush was all I needed.  The drive to start doing it was our move to Hong Kong back in the mid 2000s.  I wanted to record in sketch form my surroundings, and my travels to document my experiences and the cultures around me. 

My Husband and I painting at the Viansa Winery, photo credit Barbara Tapp

A few years later, both my husband and I are plein air painters, he primarily in oils and me in watercolor.  We both sketch in watercolor too.  Once the popularity of this plein air thing caught on, Eric Rhoads started organizing Plein Air Conventions.  After years of wanting to, and it not working out for one reason or another, we finally attended one this year in San Francisco.  They are in a different location every year. 

“Fog Rolling In,” Watercolor, 10” x 14,” Painted Plein Air at Crissy Field, finished in the Studio

Being a board member of the Florida Watercolor Society and organizing the FWS Annual Exhibition, Convention and Trade Show for 600-700 people for a few years, I thought I knew what to expect.  The Plein Air Convention was similar to what we do, but on steroids!  You could go non-stop if you chose to. There were many wonderful and insightful activities to take part in each day.  

Joseph Zbukvic Workshop

My Convention started on Wednesday with a workshop with watercolor artist Joseph Zbukvic.  While we didn’t get to actually paint in the workshop, it was inspiring and informative to watch Joseph explain his techniques and watch him paint.  There were also Basic’s Courses and a workshop offered by oil painter Joseph McGurl prior to the Convention. 

Editor of Plein Air Magazine and Publisher of Plein Air Magazine, Kelly Kane and Eric Rhoads, Presenting Joseph Zbukvic with a Lifetime Achievement Award

The Convention officially kicked off Wednesday afternoon, Day 1, with an Opening Ceremony given by Eric Rhoads, the Plein Air Salon winner was announced for the year, Life Time Achievement Awards given, a painting demo and a Cocktail Party capped the evening. 

Eric Rhoads at Home Room, Spinning the Wheel for Prizes and Dressing for the San Francisco Weather

Thursday the next full day of the Convention, Day 2, started with Eric’s Art Marketing Boot Camp for the early birds.  They did get the worm.  If you are a professional artist trying to sell or make a living from your work, the three days of this were worth the price of convention.  Everyday after Boot Camp Eric kicks the day off with Home Room. This was brilliant, not only does he give away prizes, including top dollar ones, he informs you of what’s going on that day with pertinent things you need to know.  Then you are off on your own to explore hourly demonstrations, in watercolor, oil and pastel given by professional artists from all over the country.  If that weren’t enough his team has scouted out the best plein air spots for afternoon painting sessions.  Attendees either pre-paid for bus transportation, car pooled, or used Lyft or Uber to get to the paining locations.  

Me and Brienne Brown

A Portion of the Trade Show

Bryan Mark Taylor Demsontrating the Strada Easel He Invented at the Strada Easel Booth. My husband is the new proud owner of one!

Thursday, we went to Crissy Field where I chose to paint the Golden Gate Bridge.  The few days prior to convention when my husband and I arrived in San Francisco we had been in this area for gorgeous weather and full sun. Ironically when the Convention started, the weather took a turn and we were painting, in cold, wind whipping foggy, overcast weather.  I persevered and got enough information on the paper, with some notes to finish later. The struggle I had working in watercolor was my washes were not drying so that I could continue, because it was so damp and cold!   While you are painting there are faculty members easily identified wondering around which you could solicit for feedback if you liked.  Arriving back to the hotel after the painting session, you could still stay busy attending more demos or evening critiques until 10:00 pm.

Painting at Golden Gate Park

The Conservatory of Flowers at The Golden Gate Park

Artist Kathleen Hudson Painting Poppies

Day 3 was pretty much a repeat of Day 2, brand new demos and presentations and a painting session in the afternoon.  At all times during convention there is a huge Trade Show with vendors selling the latest and greatest in art materials, and of course those that have wares and services pertaining exclusively to plein air painting. On the way to the Trade Show, were easels that attendees could rent to display their work as well as an area, where the Plein Air Convention faculty artists could display their work too. The painting session that afternoon took us to Golden Gate Park, where we chose to paint the Conservatory of Flowers. The weather again a cold, wind whipping, sunny when we first got there, but turned overcast kind of day.   After the painting session, there are more activities in the evening, demos and critiques until 10:00 pm.  I went to an organized National Watercolor Society Meet and Greet, where it was great to see old friends and finally meet some social media friends in person!

Trying to Stay Warm Next to a Tree

View I Was Painting

Day 4, the last day of festivities at the hotel, with more demonstrations and presentations was capped off with a Closing Ceremony and your last chance to buy things at the Trade Show before heading out to paint in the afternoon.  I liked that the schedules were interspersed with demos as well as thought provoking presentations.  Jean Stern, the Executive Director of the Irvine Museum Collection, gave one on “Historic Artists of Northern California.”  Another, “Plein Air and the Movie Industry,” was a panel discussion with artists from Pixar and DreamWorks.  Many of the presentations Eric recorded for the Plein Air Podcast are available to listen to here. 

Artist Larry Moore Presentation on Creativity and Demo in Gouache

Displaying One of My Plein Air Paintings at the Convention

We didn’t have much luck weather wise the last afternoon’s painting session was just like the previous two. We were troopers though and gave it our best shot.  It was still wonderful spending time at the scenic locations in San Francisco. Instead of evening sessions on Saturday, everyone had a chance to blow some stink off at a dance party.  

Last Day Painting at Viansa Winery in Sonoma

Chatting with Stewart White at the Viansa Winery

Day 5, Sunday, gave everyone the opportunity to paint all day!  Our last painting location was at Viansa Winery one hour north of the city in Sonoma.  Lady luck was with us that day, the weather was gorgeous!  

Painting at Viansa Winery, photo credit Carolyn (Martinez) Romer

“Wine Tasting,” Watercolor, 14” x 10” Plein Air at Viansa Winery

There were so many takeaways from my 5 days at the Convention!  Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat!  I liked that there were demonstration sessions in a variety of mediums giving artists that paint in more than one, like myself, a variety.  I met artists that inspire me in person, and by attending two demos using gouache, I am anxious to add that to my repertoire.  If it sounds like a lot, everything is optional, you don’t have to do it all and I didn’t.  Most importantly one of the biggest take-aways was making connections with those that have the same passion and learning and sharing experiences.   At the Convention I met an artist I feel will be a life long friend from New Zealand.  Yes, she traveled the farthest to get there!  I also made personal connections with Facebook and Instagram friends. 

Paul Kratter Painting on the Main Stage, with Charlie Hunter, Larry Moore and Shelby Keefe

If you are on the fence about attending a Plein Air Convention, I highly encourage you to go at least once. There are those that attend that have never done it before. What better place to try it for the first time? You would not believe some of the stories shared.  One unique cirmustance this year involved a woman who was reunited with her son who had been taken away from her when he was young. He had been doing Google searches for her and finally found her her as an attendee of the Convention! He came they were reunited after years apart. It has been life changing for many and it may be for you too!

New York Highlights

I had such a magical trip to New York on so many levels!  The highlight was attending the 151st American Watercolor Society's Exhibition and Award Dinner.  I was so honored to receive the Winsor & Newton Award for my painting Maiko's Misedashi.  The best part of the evening was meeting so many of the artists in the exhibition that I had only known on line.  I loved being able to make the personal connections and share the joyous camaraderie with everyone! 

Here is a panoramic view of the upper gallery before the award dinner.  I was like a kid in a candy store looking at all the work.

Another view looking back toward the front entrance of the upper gallery.  Out of a few thousand entries from all over the world the jury selects only one hundred and forty four paintings.  Only thirty two paintings win awards.  Winning this award will be one of the highlights of my art career. 

The exhibition and headquarters for the American Watercolor Society is at the historic Salmagundi Club, on Fifth Avenue just a couple blocks up from Washington Square, in Greenwich Village.   This club is one the oldest art organizations in the country founded in 1871.  A roster of former members include, George Inness, William Merritt Chase, Childe Hassam, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and Andrew Wyeth, just to name a few.  Sir Winston Churchill is an honorary member.  The club owns over 1,500 works of art spanning its, 147 years.  It just reeks of history and you can feel it when you walk in the door.  It is also one of the only surviving brownstones in Manhattan.

photo Wikimedia Commons

One of my favorite museums to visit is the Neue Galerie where the famous "Woman in Gold" or "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer"  by Gustav Klimt is housed in an old mansion on Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side.  Seeing this work in person takes your breath away and I never get tired of seeing it.  There are also some incredble pieces from the Wiener Werkstatte, Vienna in the museum. 

photo from the Neue Galerie web site: http://www.neuegalerie.org/cafes/sabarsky

A highlight of a visit to the Neue Galerie is having lunch or a typical Viennese dessert. Within the museum is the Café Sabarsky, it really captures the interior and feeling of an authentic Viennese Coffee Shop!  They are also open for dinner and feature cabaret shows on certain evenings of the month.

A café Vienne at the Café Sarbarsky

While I'm on the subject of food, one of my all time favorite things to eat is Japanese Ramen.  I will go on a Ramen quest to find a good bowl. This trip I returned to one of my favorite places, Momofuku Noodle Bar and tried a new place, Ivan Ramen.  If you are Ramen obsessed  and subscribe to Netflix you might enjoy The Mind of a Chef, Season 1 Ep. 1 featuring Chef David Chang of Momofuku Noodle Bar and  Chefs Table, Volume 3, Ep. 4 featuring chef Ivan Orkin.

I'm a huge jazz fan, and listen to mostly jazz, classical and world music while I paint.  One of my bucket list to do's was to see Wynton Marsalis live.  I got to check that one off my list this trip!  He performed with his orchestra at Jazz at Lincoln Center featuring the music of Count Basie and Duke Ellington.  The second half was solely Duke Ellington's Black, Brown & Beige, his longest most ambitious composition.  Here is a link to a good recording I found featuring Ellington with Mahalia Jackson. 

No visit to New York is complete for me without visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Met.  I’m always anxious to see the floral designs in The Grand Hall.  Each visit I pick a certain area to focus on and really take my time.  Temporary exhibitions get priority.  This visit there was an excellently curated exhibit “Visitors to Versailles.”  Stay tuned for a future blog post on that.  This trip I went to The Met three times.  It's like going to church for me. 

photo credit Alaina Minichiello

Another place to visit that is part of The Met is The Met Cloisters.  I had a wonderful day there with my daughter Alaina.  Located on 4 acres overlooking the Hudson River near 120th Street, it is the museum dedicated to the architecture, gardens and art of medieval Europe. 

photo credit Alaina Minichiello

photo credit Alaina Minichiello

The herb garden features only medicinal herbs or those used for utilitarian purposes such as dying cloth.  Scottish Thistle seed pods were used as down for stuffing for bedding and clothing. 

photo credit Alaina Minichiello

photo credit Alaina Minichiello

The Cloisters are known for their collection of medieval unicorn tapestries.

Installation in progress of Heavenly Bodies: Fasion and the Catholic Imagination at The Met Cloisters

We just missed by eleven days the opening of the Costume Institutes 2018 spring exhibition at The Met, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.  This annual spring exhibition coincides with The Met Gala which is the Costume Institute’s Benefit which Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Magazine co-chairs. This year will be her 20th Gala. The Gala is always held on the first Monday of May, the only day The Met is closed.  Whenever I need an inspirational pick me up, I love to watch the documentary, “The First Monday in May,”  made for the 2015 exhibition,  China: Through the Looking Glass,  which features Andrew Bolton, curator for the Costume Institute.  This years exhibition will be the largest, featuring papel robes and accessories  that have never left the Vatican and Catholic and religious influenced fashions from the worlds leading designers.   The exhibition will be showing in three locations, The Met Fifth Ave Galleries, The Met Costume Institute, and The Met Cloisters. 

Here is a video in which Andrew Bolton, curator of the Costume Institute expounds on the exhibition and how designers have been influenced by Catholic imagery.  

One of the gowns not yet unveiled in the Medieval Art Gallery at The Met Fifth Avenue.

Installation in progess in the Byzantine Gallery at The Met Fifth Avenue.

As an artist and designer I always find fascinating where other artists and designers get thier inspiration and especially enjoy the behind the secenes curation of a major exhibition such as this.  If you are as fascinated as I am and are a  Netflix subscriber here is the link to the docuementary, "The First Monday in May." 

Other Links:

The Met Blog post: The Metaphorical Nature of Creation: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination

Select objects from the Vatian featured in the exhibition. 

How the Met Got the Vatican's Vestments, New York Times Article

What Is the Met Gala, and Who Gets to Go?, New York Times Article

Two Events This Weekend: An Exhibition & A Plein Air Paint Out

Odd Man Out

40" x 20.5"

Watercolor

I'm so happy to be a part of the Annul Event, "Women in the Arts Awards," funded by Women in the Arts, Inc. in partnership with the Orlando Public Library.  This competition, "Celebrating the Genius of Women,"  at the Orlando Public Library, is held annually  in conjunction with Women's History Month, and recognizes and honors local, non local, and international women artists.  There will be a celebration and gallery talk this Saturday at 2:00 pm at the main branch in downtown Orlando. 

Then on Sunday, from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, I will be part of an invited group of artists from the Central Florida Watercolor Society, in conjunction with the Winter Park Paint Out, that will be painting plein air on the grounds of the Albin Polasek Musuem & Sculpture Gardens.  

I would be happy to demo my painting to anyone interested in watching and talk about my equipment and easel set up.  Hope to see you this weekend! 

Chanoyu Maiko

Chanoyu Maiko

32" x 20" 

Watercolor

SOLD

When I traveled to Kyoto during the cherry blossom season, there was something there that had always been on my bucket list to see, the Miyako Odori.  This is the one time during the spring that the maiko and geico (geisha as they are known in Kyoto) perform for the public.  It takes years of training in dance, music and etiquette and only the privileged few who have connections or can afford to be entertained get to appreciate their performing arts year round. The Miyako Odori is the performance where the geico community of the Gion Kobu, the most conservative of the geisha community perform.  What is most special about the event is it’s an entire ensemble performing together on a stage, not just a few being hired to perform in a tea house or small venue. 

Prior to the performance, patrons are gathered in a room and seated to take part in be served from a traditional tea ceremony, or chanoyu.   A geico and maiko perform the ceremony and green tea, matcha,  and small Japanese pastry filled with red bean paste, called manju are served before everyone goes into the theatre.  The geico performs the ceremony with such elegance and grace and she is assisted by the maiko, apprentice geisha.  

This painting features the maiko from the tea ceremony and her gorgeous embroidered obi, hence the title, “Chanoyu Maiko.” The background pays homage to the special time of year each spring in all of Japan, the blooming of the cherry trees. 

I’m thrilled to share she has been chosen by juror Kathleen Conover for the Georgia Watercolor Society’s Annual Exhibition which will be held at the Ogelthorpe University Museum of Art, Atlanta Georgia March 17-April 29, 2018.

To learn more about the Miyako Odori, click here. 

New Work, Mycology, & An Artist That Inspires: Beatrix Potter

Calm Before the Storm

Watercolor Mounted on Board and Sealed

6" x 6" 

SOLD

I created a few new mushroom paintings recently and a collector that owns two in that series contacted me to add to her collection to group four of them together.  The more people that see this series, I learn that I am not the only mushroom fanatic out there!  When I went to Montreal this summer I happened upon a shop that caters to nothing but mushrooms.   They had dried to purchase for cooking, mushroom kits to grow your own, field guides and all sorts of accouterment for collecting while foraging for them.  That was just the tip of the ice burg.  

In the Thick of It

Watercolor Mounted on Board and Sealed

6" x 6"

As of this writing is currently available at the 6" Squared Show at the Randy Higbee Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA

McCoy's Mushrooms

Watercolor Mounted on Board and Sealed

6" x 6" 

SOLD

On my birthday I was gifted a wonderful book, The Art of Beatrix Potter: Sketches, Paintings and Illustrations.  It covers the history on how her famed Peter Rabbit series came to be, plus many tidbits about her art career and life.   One of my most vivid childhood memories is when I had learned to read and started to check out books from my local public library.    I devoured every tiny little green volume of Potter’s Peter Rabbit series and read them multiple times.  

Mycoboutique in Montreal, Canada

Beatrix did so much more than write and illustrate these classic stories.  Being from a wealthy family, the Potters took holidays every summer to various parts of the United Kingdom.  The book is organized in sections geographically to give one the idea of what areas influenced her stories and art.  Scotland played a significant role.  It was there she became somewhat of a scientist and met Charles MacIntosh a well known amateur naturalist.  Avoiding the strict formalities of Victorian society they established a long friendship and a study of Mycology (the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi).  

Even after her return to London they  would exchange notes on their observations of mushrooms.  He would send her samples which resulted in beautifully rendered illustrations of mushrooms and her lengthy study of fungus. She spent many hours on location observing and creating stunning botanical illustrations in watercolor of the mushrooms and fungus she found and observed in their natural setting. She not only captured the mushroom itself but also it’s surrounding environment. 

Between 1894 and 1895 in a period of just one year she produced, seventy-three fungi illustrations and the following year fifty-two microscopic illustrations.  Through her extensive observations and studies she came away with some remarkable discoveries.  She tried to present her findings to the principals at the exclusive Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, to only be dismissed because she was a woman. For another three years she would research spore germination, authoring a paper that was read to the male-dominated Linnean Society, they still refused to publish her findings.  She had hoped that her illustrations and findings would be published as a book, to no avail she carefully stored all of her paintings and research.  

Seventy years later, a former president of the British Mycological Society discovered Potter’s treasure trove of illustrations of mushrooms, plants and fossils, and selected fifty-nine drawings for the Wayside & Woodland series, Fungi volume.  Ironically published by Warne, the same publisher as her Peter Rabbit series of books.  Many of her findings on spore germination that were dismissed were found to be true. 

Links: 

Book: The Art of Beatrix Potter: Sketches, Paintings and Illustrations

Movie:  Miss Potter

My Mushroom Series of Paintings

My Box Set Mushroom Notecards

Plein Air Friday at Disney's Animal Kingdom

On the Kali River

14" x 10" 

Available

This is another plein air painting done at Disney's Animal Kingdom, over looking the Kali River to the Nepalese structure that is actually the building where guests get on and off the Kali River Rapids attraction.  The White Cheecked Gibbons are just to the left of the clump of bamboo.    Needless to say, I was completely entertained watching them and trying to paint at the same time.  The baby, Harper, named after Harper Lee, has grown, and now has her dark fur to match the males, which will change back to golden as she gets older.  

I painted this in two sessions, one before hurricane Irma and then it sat in the studio for a while until I went back out last week to finish it.  I will be back out there today if the weather cooperates!

Les Temps des Cerises is Headed to the Kansas Watercolor Society National Exhibition

A couple of years ago my husband and I went to the Provence area of France on our 25th anniversary. Driving in the Vaucluse area to the village of Ménerbes, made famous by the classic book by Peter Mayle, A Year in Provence,  we came upon, in the valley below the village, fields laden with cherry trees ready to be harvested.  It was one of those stop the car moments. I  got out of the car and strolled among the trees marveling  at the millions of tiny red and yellow orbs hovering over my head.  While I was composing this painting inspired by that day, I couldn’t help but think of the classic French song Les Temps des Cerises, (The Time of Cherries.)  It was written in 1866 just before the French Impressionist movement.  Lyrics were added later and it become a revolutionary song for the Paris Commune in 1871.  This is the time from March to May a rogue, radical government, laid siege to Paris right after the fall of the French Second Empire.  The title of the painting reflects, a wonderful memory of a day in Provence with my husband, a classic French song beloved by many today, and an ironic reference to today’s political environment. 

I’m so thrilled that an artists work I greatly admire, Soon Warren, has chosen this painting for this years Kansas Watercolor Society’s National Exhibition at the Mark Arts Center in Wichita Kansas.  The show will take place from November 17 - December 17.  If you are in the area this show always promises some of the best watercolor paintings in the country. 

Les Temps des Cerises

Watercolor 

30” x 17.5” 

$3300

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Maiko's Misedashi

Maiko's Misedashi

24" x 24" 

Watercolor

I have a deep affinity with Japanese culture which I really can’t explain.  I’ve had a self imposed study for many years on their food, customs, design, textile arts, horticulture, you name it.  So when I finally had a chance to visit Japan, especially Kyoto, the old capital, on two separate occasions, it was a dream come true.  I have had the idea for this painting floating in my head for a few years, and finally executed it.  On one trip to Japan during cherry blossom season, we came upon a number of maiko, apprentice geiko, as geisha are known in Kyoto. The maiko in the painting was surrounded by lots of fanfare and was accompanied by her male dresser.  Maiko must by assisted by a person, usually male, to help them layer their formal dress of kimono and tie the heavy and cumbersome obi. The obi is tied differently for the Maiko, leaving a long tail of the two ends down the back.  For the geiko the obi is tucked in and doesn't hang loose.    A Misedashi is a ceremony when a girl who aspires to be a geiko becomes a maiko, an apprentice geiko.  It is the official beginning of her career.

I wanted to integrate in the design my love of the textiles of Japan and pay homage to the art of ukiyo-e or wood block prints whIch I also adore.  I used to  do textile work for years  and used some of those former techniques I used to do on fabrics in the background.  Ukiyo-e literally translates as "pictures of the floating world" which describes the lifestyle and culture in the Edo-period of Japan when the prints were produced by artists such as Hokusai. The fish, or Japanese carp, in the design makes reference to the "floating world" depicted in this ancient art form, which also inspired many of the impressionist artists, like Monet and Van Gogh in the late 19th century.  Monet collected ukiyo-e and Van Gogh was inspired by them as well and integrated elements from them in some of his work.

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