Mi Mariachi

Mi Mariachi__water soluble Graphite sketch__12 x 9

Along with the watercolor pencils, this water soluble media is becoming my favorite

"doodle medium"...

I was at the San Antonio Missions (San Jose) not long ago, when the Mariachis came out of the chapel and played...loud and awesome, and the whole place (including ME!) sang along to "Cielito Lindo"...aka, "Ay, ay, ay, ay, Canta y no Llores!"

 

 

Chicken Pate'

Chicken Pate'__a sketch at the cooking school___with extra detail sketches

This chef made chicken pate' which we sampled afterwards...I liked drawing his hands :)

Wednesday, Sept 12 is the second meeting of my September drawing class. Last week we went in depth on PERSPECTIVE problems. As a high school art teacher for over 20 years, (I teach at Hyde Park High School, now...just a couple morning classes), I have  a BUNCH of drawing lessons that are easy to understand and take the mystery out of that scary blank page or canvas. My FAVORITE thing is when an artist "gets it" with an "ah ha"!!! Let me know if you want to join us for Chiaroscuro and Chocolate in September at Joel's Coffee Shop in Austin's Lakeline Mall area. You can just show up, but drop me an email! One of these sessions, Brad will actually work in his kitchen and we can sketch while he works.

ALSO, there is a FULL DAY workshop, in Salado, TX on Sat., Sept 15 Contact BelindaAND a THREE DAY detailed workshop, Oct. 28-30 at Fredericksburg Artist's School

 

Brad the Chocolatier__My sketch class demo__JOIN US Wednesday!

The second installment of "Chiaroscuro and Chocolate" is THIS WEDNESDAY, Sept 12, from 6:30 - 8:30 sharp at Joel's Coffee Shop (and tea and truffles and tees!) It is a great location for sketching, talking art and enjoying some gourmet goodies!

I hope this sketch is right side up...a little glitch shows it sideways, but this is Brad, our host and chocolatier! Email me if you want to come...cost is $30 and includes tea, coffee and my drawing supplies...you supply the sketchbook!

Young Hat

Young Hat___a sketch at the coffee shop

OK the details are done! It's time for Chiaroscuro and Chocolate! We can add charcoal, chalk and coffee if you like!...there will be a model there, doing coffee shop things, and Brad promises to have plenty of free tea and coffee there while he fills the place with the rich aromas of fresh made gourmet chocolate. Cost is $30 each session. Includes model fees, tea coffee...email me for a suggested supply list. 

My recent longhorn painting, "The Backfield" won the "Artist Retreat Award" at the American Plains Artists National Show, which opened in Midland last week. If you are in the area, go see the show which is at the Museum of the Southwest for the next month or so.....On my "retreat", I will be visiting a working ranch "Our Heritage Guest Ranch"  in a most beautiful area of northwestern Nebraska. Painting, hiking, and generally horsing around sounds like my "thing"...CAN'T WAIT!

__________________________________________ 

Here are some locations for a few of my workshops. email me if you want more info on any of these...

See this SPECIAL ONE.

I can't wait to see the water go down the drain BACKWARDS there!

September 6, 12, 20, 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Sept. 15, 2012___Salado TX, Contact Belinda Walker__1 or two spots open!

Oct. 28-30__Texas__at Fredericksburg Artists School

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Chocolatier 2

Chocolatier 2__another sketch of Brad

Brad runs Joel's Coffee and Chocolates, where my next "workshop" will be. We will work weekly and the focus is on SKETCHING...and Brad's gourmet chocolate! This is an easy-going gathering for a few weeks in September. We will meet at 6:30 to 8:30 starting September 6. See details below and click the "V" to sign up. Beginners are welcome. 

...and chocolate is in the news, today!!!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57494718-10391704/flavonol-rich-dark-chocolate-may-help-reduce-blood-pressure/

______________________________________________________________________ 

Here are some locations for a few of my workshops. email me if you want more info on any of these...

And here is a link to a SPECIAL ONE.

I can't wait to see the water go down the drain BACKWARDS there!

September 6, 12, 20, 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Sept. 15, 2012___Salado TX, Contact Belinda Walker
Oct. 28-30__Texas__at Fredericksburg Artists School

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Sketch of A.R.

Sketch of A.R.__my student
Well, I am back from Nebraska...for a few days now! Texas has cooled off since I left a couple weeks ago!
The sketch above is a class demo for the art students at Hyde Park Baptist School. I teach a couple of morning classes there, now. We did figure drawing in Sept, and now we are painting...more on that, later.
I left Nebraska with MANY new friends and good memories! Had fun on the backroads looking for painting locations with great artists... and looking for Combines...eating ribeye at Big Fella's in Linwood....twice!!...hitting a deer on the way back...God, please heal her....Becoming a fan of artist Dale Nicholls ....Chit chatting for hours with Anna and Amanda...and Allen about reviving small towns: I say food tours like wine tours, and in David City, NE, we can include art, architecture,....and build a couple of B&B accommodations ....
***SIGN UP for my November 9-11 workshop in Fredericksburg, TX...full moon!
***COME MEET ME at a reception and showing of about 100 paintings from Last Year on the Farm. THURSDAY, Oct. 27, 5-7 Riverbend Church Gallery, Austin, TX ...

Dean

Dean___from my sketchbook
I have been in South Carolina at the Wildlife show and busier than I thought I would be! I hope you enjoyed the break from hearing from me every day...As I have done the past 4 years, after the show I joined artists Joe Garcia, Adele Earnshaw and Melanie Fain at ACE Basin Wildlife Area south of Charleston. The place is wild and remote in the heart of the low country and at the edge of where sea meets the low country. It abounds with ALL KINDS of waterfowl, alligators, bald eagles, and armadillos, otters, and more. We spend our time there unwinding from the four-day show, painting, and photographing this amazing area. But the main thing we get to do is teach a full day workshop to South Carolina's Junior Duck Stamp winners. We had a group of over 20 people this year (including a few teachers and parents), who watched demos, and listened to us share our thoughts on art. A great group this year, they asked many questions and seemed VERY interested in what we had to say...Dean (above) is the Game Warden and property manager at this wildlife area. He is a biologist and a REAL EXPERT in ALL THINGS "wildlife" in this part of South Carolina. When Joe and Adele went to visit Adele's new gallery in Charleston one day, I tagged along with Dean on a drive all around the islands and wetlands. Poor guy had his brain picked for almost 3 hours, answering my questions about everything from anhinga birds to hurricanes to the ancient rice field trunks on the property....while he visited with us I sketched him on the couch...