Spring Plein Air Classes
April 10, 2017
$115
Enjoy a day in the country working en plein air at historic Huguenot Springs in Powhatan, the sister property of Manakintowne Farm. The site offers beautiful old shade trees and a mature garden filled with peonies and irises. This year in addition to our oil pastel workshop, we are happy to have visiting artist Rudi Winebrenner (a.k.a. Maruta Racenis) joining us for a watercolor workshop. Our day includes a break for Jo’s gourmet farm lunch and leisurely conversation. Workshop descriptions follow; please choose either oil pastel or watercolor at sign up. Experienced students may work in other media (such as oils, acrylic, or soft pastel) as well.
Oil Pastel: Some previous drawing experience is helpful, but experience with oil pastel is not required. All drawing supplies are provided (included in tuition), making this a good opportunity to try out a new medium. Those continuing with oil pastel are welcome to bring their own supplies. For those just beginning in oil pastel, the day begins with a short introduction and demo while continuing students can pick a site and begin working. Individual instruction will be given to all throughout the day.
Watercolor: Open to experienced watercolor students only. Work with watercolor free and loose to capture the beauty of Jo’s spring garden under the guidance of our visiting artist, Rudi Winebrenner. Rudi has taught at the VMFA Studio School, and you probably know her as the former owner of Main Art, our favorite (and sorely missed!) local source for art supplies. You can have a look at her work here: www.marutaracenis.com.
Tuition for the day is $115. At sign-up, please specify which medium you want to work with. Please sign up early as space is limited. More information will be sent upon registration.
For sign up or questions contact me here.
MAY MORNINGS PLEIN AIR DRAWING CLASS
Thursdays, May 4, 11, 18, and 25; 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; $120
Friendship and Inspiration
January 25, 2017
A visit from my two artist friends yesterday was such a gift in many ways. It was a huge honor to share my work with these two creative ladies, and I was humbled by their interest in the stories behind the pieces. We mused over what it might have been that brought us together; interests in words, materials, and fiber are certainly something we hold in common. But I think the bond likely extends beyond our overlapping interests to things less nameable. Both of my friends have an inspiring creative curiosity and delight in the world, and both are kind and gentle souls. It was the first time the three of us had gathered, and I was inspired and blessed by their visit and their friendship. Sadly, one of our three will soon move back to her home country after a twenty year stay here. She will be truly missed in Richmond!
Here are a few more of the pieces that I put out yesterday.
Rewind and Recharge
January 23, 2017
Tomorrow I will have these and other 3-dimensional mixed media and assemblage pieces out on view for a couple of artist friends who are interested to see them. The timing is good, because I need to spend some time with them too. I am looking forward to the next new thing in the studio, and I think there are clues for me here in these pieces. At the moment I am interested in working two dimensionally with mixed media and perhaps adding in some monotype and other printmaking to that. Another springboard might be the most recent mixed monotype/drawing pieces that I only began to explore in a short summer class. Here are a few of those.
For a stretch of time my studio work was focussed primarily on a couple of large landscape commissions, so I am happy to have some space and time to experiment, explore, and research the next thing. Revisiting past work can be a good way to recharge as I move forward.
Upcycling in the New Year
January 11, 2017
Even though January has already hit the double digits, the New Year is still fresh. It has been a busy start to the year with family and friends coming and going, snow falling, a Christmas tree being undecorated, and schedules to be organized. With a new 2017 calendar book ready to fill, the 2016 book needed a new life…as did as the one from the year before. Since these were actual books, it seemed wasteful to just throw them out, and the paper wasn’t strong enough to use them as sketch books. So I decided to turn them into portfolios for small drawings and loose papers. I worked only with materials that I already had on hand and took my time over a period of days to make sure each stage of glueing was dry. One book is black and the other navy; you can guess which is which! Now to get to work to fill them! Here’s to a creative year!
Double
October 19, 2016
It has been a while since I posted any new work here. I’ve been busy working on a couple of large landscape paintings for a friend (stay tuned for those), but there are a few small pieces that have happened along the way. This one is a small (6″ x 11″) oil pastel that began as a demo for one of my classes to show different ways that oil painting medium can be used with oil pastels. I started with the two images on the same piece of paper in order to demonstrate two different techniques side by side. Although I hadn’t intended to complete this demo, after the class I couldn’t resist continuing. In the end there was something I especially liked about the juxtaposition of the two images.
This drawing will be among the offerings at the annual Artists Support ChildSavers Show which opens this Thursday, October 20, 6:00-9:00, hosted by Glave Kocen at 1620 W. Main Street and continues through October 21. Check out the link for more information including a list of participating artists. Purchase of the work at this show will help support ChildSavers, an organization that serves mental health and developmental needs of children, especially those who have experienced trauma in their lives.
This small (6″ x 8″) oil stick nest, Reverie, is another new piece that will also be at the ChildSavers show. If you stop by the show, and it isn’t on the wall, ask the ChildSavers folks to check the back stock work. The impetus for this piece was a series of ink drawings that I worked on in preparation for a contribution to the Artist’s Coloring Book, Volume 2 organized by Chuck Scalin (Look for a post on that soon!).
Manakintowne Workshop
September 14, 2016
MANAKINTOWNE PLEIN AIR DRAWING WORKSHOP
Saturday, October 22, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Enjoy a day of plein air drawing with oil pastel at the Powhatan farm of Manakintowne Specialty Growers. After gathering for a demo, students will choose a work site among the fields. At the mid-day break, a farm lunch (from the fields!) will be provided along with good company. After lunch, students may begin a new drawing or continue with the morning work. Some drawing experience is helpful, but experience with oil pastel is not required. This is a good opportunity to try a new medium, as all drawing materials are provided. Those already working with oil pastel may want to bring additional supplies, and experienced students may work in their medium of choice. Tuition for the day is $115. Space is limited, so sign up soon. Contact me here if you are interested!
Draw Outside!
April 14, 2016
May is around the corner, and it is time to sign up for a plein air workshop or class. The Manakintowne Workshop at the Springs will be May 14 and the May Mornings classes will be held on Thursday mornings in May. Details for both are given below. If you are interested, contact me here (through the comment feature), through Facebook, or any other way you might know!
MANAKINTOWNE WORKSHOP:
A PLEIN AIR DRAWING WORKSHOP AT HUGUENOT SPRINGS
Saturday, May 14, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
$115
Enjoy a day in the country drawing en plein air with oil pastels at historic Huguenot Springs in Powhatan, the sister property of Manakintowne Farm. The site offers beautiful old shade trees and a mature garden filled with peonies and irises. Some previous drawing experience is helpful, but experience with oil pastel is not required. All drawing supplies are provided, making this a good opportunity to try out a new medium. Those continuing with oil pastel are welcome to bring their own drawing supplies, and experienced students may bring their preferred medium. The day begins with a short introduction and demo, and then students select a morning work site. We break for a gourmet farm lunch and good conversation. After lunch students may either continue with the morning drawing or begin another. Tuition is $115 and includes lunch and drawing materials for the day. More information will be sent upon registration. Sign up early!
