GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!

If you have been thinking about entering a national watercolor competition but haven't taken that leap, now is the time! The San Diego Watercolor Society is taking submissions for their upcoming national show and the deadline is May 16th. You can do it all on line. This is a top society with a wonderful reputation. John Salminen is the judge this year. I have it on good authority that there has been a low entry rate this year. Maybe because it is all being done on the internet and old timers aren't used to that yet. All of you are techno savvy, so no problems there. What this means is that your odds of being accepted are higher when there are fewer entries. Don't miss out! Click on the blog title and it will take you to the SDWS show entry page. This is the painting I submitted.

"DOUBT" ACCEPTED INTO CWA NATIONAL SHOW!

This is the portrait I did of Preston Metcalf, the assistant curator at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara, California. He was gracious enough to give me permission to do anything I wanted with the photos I took of him. It may be a case of "be careful what you wish for". Many times I take pictures of strangers and keep on going. This time I made sure I had permission before I did anything other than for my own amusement. This image is so tightly cropped that I think I will attempt to float it instead of putting it under a mat. This painting is watercolor and acrylic on YUPO.

My son finally diagnosed my computer problem! I am lucky to have my techno saavy kids around to help me out. First he thought I didn't have enough space on the hard drive, so I spent hours sorting and moving hundreds and hundreds of photos to an auxillary hard drive to free up space. I get very nervous when I delete photos but I did it anyway. Then he had to update all the programs. I couldn't do that before because I didn't have enough space. Well, after all that, I still had the problem of losing my internet connection. My son is a scientist, so he has the patience of Job to do research and he found a website where this very problem was being experienced by other Mac users and they all had broken antennas!!! Since it is built in to the computer, I have to take it somewhere and get it fixed. Bill thinks it is a design flaw in the computer and Apple should pay for the fix. Yeah! Like that's going to happen. Anyway, I am working on my old computer which I kept because it has OS9 as well as OSX and my accounting program only runs on OS9. I refused to pay $300 to get a new accounting program for the new computer that would work for OS X. I only use it once a year for my tax records. I think I can plug in my auxillary hard drive to this computer and access my photos. Otherwise, I think I can transfer them to one of those portable stick thingies and transfer it that way. I don't know all the words, but I am getting pretty knowledgeable with the tools. Keeping up with technology is a full time job!

CUT PAPER U-TUBE VIDEO

I found this interesting video on u-tube showing a different way to make a cut paper image. Click on the title of this post and it will link you immediately to the video. COOL! This gal cuts out a figure from a photograph and backs it with colored paper (most colored paper will fade, so make a wise choice if you are going to do this). Then she cuts through with an x-acto knife small shapes that define the figure. Checks the colored paper side frequently to see what she is getting. When she is done, she removes the photograph and mounts the colored paper image on another interesting piece of paper. You could do this same thing with your own drawing or painting rather than a photo.

After several false starts, I finally finished another cut paper idea. First I took a piece of 300 lb watercolor paper and splashed it with color to use as the background for the cut paper image. Then I traced my original sketch onto another sheet of 300 lb paper that had been previously painted with random color. My idea was to cut through this paper and mount it onto the first. What was I thinking? You can't cut through 300 lb paper with any ease at all!!! Dumb. Set that aside. Next, I decide to use some of my hand painted tissue paper. I can cut through that easily enough! It was double thickness because of a mistake I made in painting it. I have a pair of very small, sharp cuticle type scissors for just this sort of work, so I slowed down and carefully cut out the image. I didn't like how it looked on the background I had prepared so I had to rummage around to find a suitable one. White worked well but I wanted something more interesting. I found a sheet of Tyvek I had messed up so I spread the Tyvek with matt medium (full strength) and attempted to attach the cut-paper tissue sheet. This was fairly challenging and I had some of the pieces shift around but over all I was satisfied. If I decide to do this again, I would use paper heavier than coated tissue for the cut paper part. Something that would glue down without shifting. How one goes about designing for this type of art is probably the biggest useful idea for the future. Working bigger would also make things easier. While I was working on this project, I also had another painting started on Tyvek. While one was drying, I could work on the other.

Maggie sent me the link for the National Portrait Gallery's portrait competition site. After looking at the 2006 winners, I decided to give it a try. Many of them were not your typical portrait. None of them were watercolors, but what the heck. I am going to enter my "Reflection on turning 65" painting. I only have the entry fee to lose and everything to gain. The entry deadline is the end of the month. https://entry.portraitcompetition.si.edu/ is the website.

SLIDE SHOW FROM LESSON ONE ADVANCED PORTRAIT WORKSHOP

Yesterday we had a great session. One of my students, Leslie Werner, had broken her right arm. Being right handed, this was a challenge, but she gamely drew and painted with her left hand. She was pretty impressive! I decided to try and draw a few images with my left hand, to get a sense of what she was up against. It is an experience I encourage all of you to try. I didn't try painting with my left, but I will do that soon. I have posted the slide show of some of the work. Everyone is encouraged to do a full version of one of the bozzettos during the week. I used my new overhead mirror for the first time. I think it made things much easier for everyone. It is reasonably light weight and fits in my car for transporting. If anyone wants more information about this mirror, drop me a note.

I had an unhappy surprise when I returned home from the workshop yesterday. Watercolor USA had returned the slide I had entered telling me it was ineligible because it was not painted within the past two years. I don't know about you, but "2 years" means 24 months to me, so something completed in late 2006 is within two years. I guess they were counting 2008 as an entire year even though we were only 3 months into it at the time the slide was submitted. This is the first time anything like this has happened to me. I don't mind if my painting isn't accepted because the judge chose other paintings but I feel unfairly treated when this painting should have been eligible for consideration. I wanted to share this information in case you are asked the year something was painted. I know what I will do next time

I have added a new link to the blog. Annelein Beukenkamp is a wonderful watercolorist in Vermont. Her florals have that fresh, exciting feel like Shirley Travena. Check out her blog and website. We are discussing a date for me to come to Vermont for a workshop.

The workshop page of my website is now updated.

JUDGING AND BEING JUDGED...the Results!

Yesterday was my maiden venture into the world of judging an art exhibit. I was hoping that there would be a lot of work that would be easy to eliminate based on a lack of painting experience but the entries were of very high caliber, so I was challenged in making my decisions. I had taken along a sheet of guidelines to help me focus. The saving grace in the entire process was that many of the entrants submitted two paintings. The rule was that any individual could only receive one prize. When I was deciding between two paintings by the same person, I had an easier time. Now that I think about that, it was because I was comparing apples to apples rather than apples to oranges. Some of the variables were eliminated and I was then thinking about the strengths and weaknesses of just that particular painting. Then, when I had to assign 1st, 2nd, 3rd and honorable mentions, my own idea of hierarchy of importance of elements made the difference for my choices as opposed to what a different judge might pick.

People that are selected as judges recognize better craftsmanship, composition, color, mood, imagination, invention, interpretation, etc. etc. So, if a painting doesn't have it all in equal amounts, what becomes more important? If you have to choose between a painting that is more skillfully painted and one that is more imaginative, what wins out? At the national competition level, there are so many entries and so few spaces, skillful handling of the medium is usually a given. That said, there is always an exception or two in almost every national level show I have seen. At the local level, there is a much greater range of technical ability.

My own ideas of what is important in a painting has changed in the last few years. Like many others, I was focused on technique, technique, technique and wanted to be able to reproduce that photograph perfectly. I actually got pretty good at it in watercolor, which is no mean feat, but now I am looking for creativity and originality in my own work and rank that higher in importance in others' work, as well. So, the bottom line is that there is no way to judge others' work without personal prejudice because it is a subjective activity. After I was done, I talked about my assessment of each painting to those who were hanging the show. Hopefully, they were satisfied with the results.

The results of the judging of awards for the American Watercolor Society has been announced and I am the recipient of the CPS Medal. This was recognition beyond my wildest imaginings!! The show opens on Tuesday in New York and the awards dinner is on April 25th. I am treating my husband to an exciting trip to New York and will share a slide show upon our return.

Today I found a great check list by Tom Lynch in an old issue of International Artists magazine. I am listing the basic categories (he went into greater detail) because I think it will be useful for each of us in evaluating our own paintings. I don't know if the order is significant but you might want to arrange them in the order of importance to you. DESIGN, IMPACT AREA, MOOD/FEELING, CREATIVITY, VALUES, COMPOSITION, UNITY, CRAFSTMANSHIP, COLOR, PRESENTATION.

TEXTURIZING GESSO

I have four applications on my desk for national competitions. The deadlines are varied but one is April 1st, so I was going through my files trying to decide which images to submit to which competitions. It can get tricky at times. I have to be careful not to submit the same image to more than one society. The time frame from submitting the slide to receiving the painting back from an exhibit is around 5 or 6 months, so most paintings can only be submitted once in one year as the competitions cluster and overlap. The other consideration is what is allowed by each society in the way of mixed media. Some of these societies are very traditional and don't allow any adulteration of the surface and no opaque paint, even Naples Yellow watercolor. Some people paint for a specific show but I prefer to paint without pressure to produce. The ones that feel successful are the ones I consider entering into competitions. It doesn't matter what style or preferred subject the judge's work takes. The competitions are always balanced and varied. Pick your best work, send in the forms and pray to the art gods. Sometimes you make the cut and sometimes you don't. I stopped taking it personally a few years ago after Chung Kee Chee didn't make the cut in a show I was rejected. I figured I was in good company and even the celebrated masters don't bat 1000. Almost all of the competitions now allow digital files. In fact, one show prefers digital files sent in an e-mail. They are charging an additional $10 if you wish to submit slides! Technology is making inroads and we better make sure to keep up.

I found this image in my files. Since I talked about covering a disaster of a painting with gesso to salvage the paper, I thought I would post this idea for stamping into gesso while it is wet to create a texture. I did not dilute the gesso. Once the gesso dried, I painted over it. It accepted the paint pretty well. I never did get the name of the person who bought this one.

"STROKES OF GENIUS 2" ENTRY

I finally mailed off my entries to North Light Books for the "Strokes of Genius 2" competition. It took me 4 tries to burn a decent disc but I finally got it right. I checked it on a PC computer to double check how it would appear to the judges. I work on a Mac and I'm never sure that it is readable on PC's. The deadline is the end of the month, so if you have been contemplating submitting something, don't delay. You can download the forms from their website at www.artistsnetwork.com The above is one of 7 pieces I submitted. This is from one of my self-portrait photos I took. I like the odd angle. I tried to stamp a message in the background. I was going to fill in all of the surrounding space but decided it would probably look better half done. I am hoping that one of the 7 entries will be accepted. I will have to wait until July 1 to find out.

I have been working with someone in a charming seaside community called Ocean Beach, Washington, to give a workshop up there. We settled on the date of October 20-24 of this year. I am excited to have the opportunity to work there. If any of you want to combine a relaxing vacation with a workshop, this could be a great spot. I don't have all the details yet, but if you are interested, let me know and I will fill you in as things are confirmed.

Thanks to all of you who submitted your popcorn visions! What fertile imaginations you have. I am still visualizing and will make a decision tomorrow. I received the latest issue of our educational channel's magazine with a picture of a tortoise on the cover. It looked like a popcorn kernel! I may have found my image....

ACCEPTANCE INTO AMERICAN WATERCOLOR SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM ECSTATIC!!!!!!! Today's mail brought the fabulous news that my painting "Reflections on Turning 65" was accepted into AWS National Show. Most of you know that this is the most difficult show to get accepted into. You only get to submit one slide and they receive thousands. I thought I would never get in. Every year I would submit my best work and every year I simply made my financial contribution to their organization in the form of my entry fee. One of my favorite jokes is about the man who bitterly complained to G-d that he didn't fulfill his prayers to win the lottery. G-d replied, "You have to buy a ticket!" This year I have a winning ticket!

This painting has received so much positive attention. I had fun painting it, but Nava was the one who pointed out its potential. She gave me great feedback as to how people were responding to it. That is one of the important advantages of entering exhibits. Working in isolation, we don't always have total perspective regarding our own work. Every once in awhile, a special painting emerges from the stacks of ongoing work. I am now on the hunt for the next one. If you think you see one on this blog, be sure and point it out.

This painting will be featured in an article in Artist Magazine, March issue. It was awarded Best of Show in the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society show and was also the people's choice award. I will probably retire it after this show and hang it in a place of honor.

AN EXCITING E-MAIL TODAY ALONG WITH 2 MORE FOR THE DECEMBER CHALLENGE

I woke up this morning to find this exciting e-mail on my computer.
"Congratulations on winning the 30-Minute Self-Portrait Paint-Off
competition. You may read the announcement on ArtistsMagazine.com at the
following URL: http://www.artistsmagazine.com/article.asp?id=3097

As a Paint-Off winner, you're entitled to a $50 gift certificate for North
Light Books."

There are lots of competitions on the internet and I enter some of them from time to time. Sometimes I win something, sometimes I don't, but it's lots of fun to play plus you don't have to pay anything and you don't have to mail a painting anywhere.

Here are two more bozzettos. I prepared the texture last night with the leftover paint. (I hate to waste paint! and Hydrus doesn't reconstitute very nicely once it has dried on the palette. Tonight I used walnut ink and India ink along with a dip pen and my sharpened wooden match to draw the image on. I think the less detailed image is more interesting. I am learning to be selective and not record everything I see. It's a struggle.

ART COMPETITION AT CREATIVE CATALYST PRODUCTIONS

Creative Catalyst Productions make wonderful instructional art DVDs. They sponsor on-line art show competitions on their web site. It's fun and free to enter. If you win, there are product prizes from some of their sponsors. I received a free video and some pastel paper as a result of winning an honorable mention in one of the shows. This new show is titled "Treasures" and is being juried by a very photo realist artist so I selected the above painting to enter as it fit the topic and the style of the judge. I don't usually worry about the style of the judge in national competitions as they select a cross-section of styles and subjects, but in this case there is no jurying to get in, only for the prizes. It's a fun way to start getting involved participating in competitions. You don't have to pay a fee, mail a painting, worry about deadlines, have slides made, etc. If you haven't tried doing something like this before, now is a good time to start. Just go to their website: http://www.ccpvideos.com and then find the artshows and follow the directions.

I am pleased that I got a lot accomplished today. I did a detailed sketch of my portrait commission. Normally, I just plunge ahead and draw directly on the watercolor paper, but I wanted a true likeness so I drew on tracing paper the full size of my painting. That way, I can erase and correct and get it as accurate as I can. Then I transferred the drawing to the paper and started to paint. I decided that I am going to do two paintings...one in a fairly traditional manner and the other more colorful and looser. The recipient can choose which one they like the best. It will take a lot of the pressure off of me worrying how they will like it. Doing commissions is very inhibiting.

I also booked another workshop today which will be held in San Mateo! It is sponsored by SWA and is only two days but it will cover the basics and get people started. It is scheduled for February 2nd and 3rd (Saturday and Sunday) of 2008. If you are interested, contact me and I will give you more information. I will be posting my workshop schedule on my website very soon. I will let everybody know when it is ready. I am also working on editing the video of the California Watercolor Society demo I did last year. I bought a new version of I-Life so hopefully I will be able to master the technology. When I get the video in reasonable order, I will burn DVD's. Stay tuned but don't hold your breath on this one!

I spent about 20 minutes on my ink drawing but didn't have the patience for it today.