Title: Betty in the Botanical Garden (sold)
Painter number 4 is Valerie Chitvanni, who's name is pronounced (kit-vah-ni). She is a funny, warm-hearted, multi-media painter (and Grandmother!)
Valerie is a member of the Southern Watercolor Society, and you may see her work on their website. It would be an understatement to say she knows her watercolors, but wow, she really knows her watercolors! Remarkable manipulation of paper and pigment! Valerie's love of plein air is only part of her talent. She also paints in oils and in the studio, even acrylics.
Here's a piece that Valerie is painting in oil. It's began with a plein air watercolor to get the composition and now she is working the oil. I know this pic is a bit small, but if you want to see the transition from on site watercolor to grand oil painting, Read Valerie's blog!
For more information on the Southern Watercolor Society and to join, visit their website: http://www.southernwatercolorsociety.org
Above: Shirt; Oil on canvas, by Jessica Cook
My third randomly chosen artist from the weekend workshop adventure is Jessica Cook, a fresh-styled, smart talent who seems to be quite comfortable working in oil as well as watercolor. I gave up oils 15 years ago in favor of acrylics, because I like to wash my brushes in water, and seriously, that's the only reason. Acrylics were hard to learn as an oil painter, because they dry so fast. But, I can tell you that learning watercolor is a task unlike any other and the good ones make it seem so easy! Jessica has quite a number of watercolor figure portraits in her portfolio, and what I find so wonderful about her figures is the abstract ephemera surrounding their faces.
Abstract work is very impressive to me. You, as an artist or even observer, might assume that realism is the tough thing. We often think maybe they paint abstract because they don't know how to paint well. Lots of people paint abstract, but not that many do it really well!
I want to be lured in, and stay a while because of the blend of the colors and maybe the subtle or shocking changes in elevation of the piece. Perhaps the bold contrasts that I just have to linger on as if I'm filling in the pixels in my imagination to come up with some kind of story behind the liberal brush strokes...and, I want to go back and see it again, because the memory isn't enough! ..that's when you've pulled it off well. Even though Jessica has a separate section for abstract, I found the abstract quality of the figure drawings to be most alluring!
Above: Artemis; watercolor and gouache on paper
I think Jessica has a great future, and I can't wait to see where she goes with all that talent!
To see Jessica's complete portfolio, visit her website today! http://jessicacook.com
Here is a piece by another of the great artists I met on Saturday, Susie Burch!
She work in various media and has numerous pieces on glass windows in her portfolio as well as many amazing oils like this one! Susie told me her husband works in clay and likes to make pottery. I can't wait to see his work! Sounds like a lot of playtime at their house!
At our home, we are always playing, too! The amount of art supplies here is impressive. We really could run a small school out of our home, if only we had enough room for one! Right now, I really only have room for one-on-one sessions in my studio, maybe one-on-two. I will just keep imaging that perfect studio...ahhh!!
And now for something completely different...
A bit of time this coming week will be spent helping the Etsy shop of some new girlfriends I met about a month ago. A group of talented young women who are thinking way beyond what many of us perceive to be disabilities (such as down syndrome). They are painters, jewelry designers, crafters and more! What's even more important is that these remarkable ladies, guided by their incredible Mom Natalie, contribute to the community in numerous and generous ways. I'll be helping them post really great pictures and a pretty new banner! To purchase an item made by one of the girls, visit their Etsy shop: Its My Life - From Disability to Independence!
For more on Susie Burch, visit her website and drool! http://www.susieburch.com
Enjoy!
Wha wha wha?
Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular!
Quote of the week
Your nemesis probably has better ideas than you.
-R.S.
It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues - Abe Lincoln
Title: Betty in the Botanical Garden (sold)
