Happy Easter, Happy Spring.

I didn't intend to paint a rabbit just in time for Easter, it just worked out that way. I am working on the rabbit as part of a series of ideas, I don't want to name it yet until it develops. But I would love to know what feelings you get from this painting.

First Starry Night Class

The ladies did a great job painting like Van Gogh. Lots of fun. Watch for this opportunity again at the Center for the Arts in Orange.

Strong Colors and Black

"Meeting in the Echinaceas", 30" x 24", acrylic on canvas, 2013.

My new shipment of paint arrived and I gorged myself like a child that eats his entire Easter Basket of candy all at once. I intended to paint soft Spring colors but it didn't end that way. Neon Echinaceas!

Hope to teach my version of Van Gogh's "Starry, Starry Night" at the Arts Center in Orange soon. I changed the tree to a cedar. I thought the mountains looked close to our Blue Ridge already. Call Julie Jackson at 540-672-7311 to register.

New Graphic Design

It always surprises me when I switch media how many fresh ideas and approaches I have. I think some of the most valuable advice I got in graduate school was from a real working artist Mom who said "no matter what, don't stop making daily visual art decisions." So if your circumstances change and you can no longer paint large oil paintings then switch to small pencil drawings or something managable. It really pays to keep making those decisions, keep practicing, you will continue to grow.

Yummy New Paintings

"Cake", acrylic on board, 8"x10"

"Can I eat that?"

"Apple", acrylic on board, 8"x10"

King of the Yard

2013, King of the Yard, acrylic on board, 8" x 10"

I think this big guy would tell you that "it is good to be king".

With this painting, I am happy with the expressiveness of the brush strokes. Drawing is teaching me so much about being expressive and that really is my goal these days.

Young Children's Class

We had fun going "Into the Jungle" with Henri Rousseau. I look forward to going "Into the Garden" next week with Claude Monet.
I love studying about the artists, their lives are so inspirational. Rousseau didn't start painting full time until he was in his forties. He accomplished a lot by day dreaming on the job, he was essentially a customs inspector, and his weekend jaunts and painting. I was surprised to learn he never visited a jungle, just the botanical gardens and zoos in Paris and used his imagination to travel in his paintings.
Here is a good link to two of his paintings: http://www.nga.gov/kids/linkrousseau.htm

New Paintings

"Magnolia and Friends"

"Montpelier Snapshot"

Sky Meets Field

No. 5 A question came to me, "How do you layer when you see no layers?"

And an answer whispered, "You paint ABOUT something."

Couples Wine and Paint Class

Bring your sweetheart, friend or family member to the Arts Center in Orange for some painting togetherness on Friday, February 15 from 6 to 9 pm. I will walk you through this painting step-by-step. Bring snacks and wine for a fun, relaxed painting party. $40. for registration and supplies. Call Julie Jackson at 540-672-7311 to register.

No. 4 "High Meadow"

No. 4 "High Meadow"

I hope I am on the road to abstraction, but I'm not there yet.

Happy New Year 2013!

My goal this year is to be more prolific, I think this will help my art and opportunities.

My goal is about two paintings a week, I thought 113 sounded like a nice number. I am counting this as  Number 3.

New Work

I'm excited about the direction of the cup especially. I feel like it is merging my sketch book style with my paintings.

TGIArt

What a fun group! I can't wait for us to get together again. With each class I am getting more of a feel for what we should paint together. This is an art savvy group at the The Arts Center in Orange. The next classes are scheduled for February 15th, 6 to 9 and March 22nd, 6 to 9. Hope to see you there!

SOLD

This painting just sold at the Orange Arts Center! I have been thinking about painting on panels for practical reasons but this makes me excited to paint on it again for the textures.

I also did a workshop this week at the Second Street Gallery

http://www.secondstreetgallery.org/#/exhibitions/current

with children from the Boys and Girls Club. The gallery and downtown is such a different world than my day to day but a relatively short drive away. Kind of bizarre to have that interlude this week, but very enjoyable.

Spirit and Soul

Spirit and Soul, Paintings by Carol Barber and Eddie Thiel 

Dates: October 4 – November 30, 2011 

Opening Reception: Thursday, October 4, 5-7pm 

On Solid Ground

2012

Acrylic on canvas

 24” x  36”

Looking forward to seeing the show on Thursday night during the Artwalk, I took a lot of paintings so I will be surprised to see which ones were included and how the show is hung. Come see the show if you can by November's end. Thanks!


The Arts Center In Orange
129 East Main Street / PO Box 13
Orange, Virginia 22960
540-672-7311
theartsorange@aol.com
www.artscenterorange.org 

Flowers?

The van from Sugar Magnolias,  a florist where I work part-time, packed for a jewel tone wedding this past weekend. Ooh-la-la makes me want to paint with bright colors.

 My latest painting, a late Summer field study. What do you think of the abstraction?

Tried and True Prints

My quick demo.

Used styrofoam plates for these, loved how the circle of the plate was used.

When I did this at home I uses a cotton yarn and it was easier to use because it absorbed a glue and water mixture. This yarn was acrylic and repelled the glue, so we had to pour it on and let it dry overnight.

Art Camp: Day 3: Demo

Positive and negative space, I got this idea searching the web. The students really got into making these.

Combined it with this idea from www.monicazuniga.net

For the painting part I used poster board cut in credit card size pieces to push around squirted paint and then printed the dots on with wine corks and white tempera paint.

Love the results.

Another teaser

for my upcoming show at The Art Center in Orange.