Next week, I will teach a one day, watercolor workshop at the Britt David Cultural Arts Studio in Columbus. It will be my first class at that location and I’m excited about the new opportunity. We will be painting “Prunifolia Azalea”. As with all of my “Watercolor Crash Courses!”, no drawing or painting experience is required. Adults that have always wanted to try their hand at watercolor will get right to work, mixing colors and using basic watercolor painting techniques. The class is scheduled for Tuesday, September 7, 9:15-2:45, tuition is $65 and all of the supplies are included in that price. Call 706-653-4196 to register.

Prunifolia Azalea, Tuesday 9/7/10, Britt David Art Studio

The results of my first and recent survey sent to my 145 students through Survey Monkey gave me very useful feedback. First of all, my unique approach to teaching watercolor (“Watercolor Crash Course!”) was validated as being both fun and educational, and many would like for me to add a seascape to the list of subjects I teach. I was also encouraged to offer a few new classes in a more traditional vein. I have been thinking of doing this for quite some time. A high percentage of my students want to learn how to create their own paintings and would like to take a workshop involving drawing and composition. It seems Saturday is the best day of the week for my watercolor workshops and almost everyone prefers a one day or weekend workshop as opposed to a six week course. My September- November class schedule has already been planned and published, but it is time to start thinking of January through May classes. This information really helps me to give my students what they want. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Two of my “Watercolor Crash Courses” will be held at Britt David Cultural Arts Studio in Columbus and one will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church; both are new venues in Columbus.

Open the “Workshops” tab at the top of the blog page for details about all of my Fall classes.

This is my most recent painting, “Partners In Time”. I’ve always admired this statue at Callaway Garden’s Sibley Center and often thought how appropriate it was to celebrate weddings around it. Many wedding receptions in set up in the large conservatory behind the swans.

When swans face each other, the tilt of their heads and the soft curve of their necks form a heart. So, I think “romance” when I see swans, whether they are looking at each other or not.

Azalea Bowl

I’ve been practicing my plein air technique in weekly outings with a friend from Auburn. We’ve been traveling to Callaway Gardens for the purpose of painting the azaleas during the Spring Festival. The beautiful colors lasted about three weeks; first at the Azalea Trail/Overlook, then at the Azalea Bowl.  I completed this 9 x 12 painting in two sessions, about six hours. The following week, all the azaleas were brown, which was quite a shock after brilliant color on the previous visits.

I chose a limited palette of permanent rose, scarlet lake, cobalt blue, prussian blue, new gamboge and aureolin. The highlights and other whites are the white of the paper, which I simply painted around.

I’ve started a second painting, this time in my studio. I’m working from a few photographs I took at the Sibley Horticultural Center last week. My subject is the swan sculpture in the reflection pool.

Azalea Trail at the Overlook

This date is easy to remember and I’ve chosen it to mark the beginning of my blogging adventure.

I’ve been painting the azaleas at Callaway Gardens’ for three weeks at the Azalea Bowl and the Azalea Trail at the Overlook. It has been a long time since I worked in plein air; I usually prefer the controlled environment of my studio, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge of dealing with wind, onlookers, shifting shadows and mosquitoes. The flowers were vibrant and lush this spring, but didn’t last long and I found myself propelled at break neck speed to capture the beauty before me.

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