Student's Workshop Work

Barbara's Masonic Lodge Painting_____available, I think!

Cecilia's Eloia Theatre Painting____available, I think

Barbara comes to many of my workshops. She is a dear friend and sometimes travels with me and helps me drive to shows! I was VERY impressed with this painting of hers....the drawing, values and brushwork (look at that curb and bold strokes in the top painting....This one is a breakthrough painting for you!...!)...Barbara, I probably did not brag enough on this one at the time, so I honor you by putting it on my BLOG!

Same to you, Cecilia (see her painting below Barbara's)...with the greens and yellows...she wasn't through, but this work also shows great DRAWING...we worked on that! She did a great job with composing this one, despite all the other interesting buildings, she included only the vital lines and has a nice composition to show for it.

Here are some more workshop thoughts...when I teach, I have a personal goal to SEE SOMEHING in each artist's work, and to improve on it...EVERY ARTIST has SOMETHING they are naturally good at. Maybe they don't even know their strength, but I will ALWAYS identify it for them, and steer them from there: for some it's DRAWING (good perspective, proportion, etc.). For someone else, it might be BRAVERY!( things like BOLD strokes or no fear of using a lot of paint), or maybe COLOR SENSE (the ability to see subtle color, but maybe not being able to mix well, dur to lack of experience)...EVERYONE who is interested enough to sign up for a class has a good starting poit. Having worked with young people a LOT, I think my teaching strength is identifying YOUR dtrength, and building YOU from your starting point...for this reason, I LOVE having "rookies" in my workshops. I often get a few who have not painted in a while or who are new to it, and they are in there right alongside the "pros", but everyone seems to do well, and learn and improve...it's my joy to give SOMETHING to your improvement....and we have fun doing it! I am not all fluffy with complements...NO ONE gets better by being told that everything they do is great (I was also a tennis and soccer coach for many years, and so I might "drill you" a bit!

See more about the recent Calvert workshop at Cecilia's blog, below. She is a great story teller, and has really documented our day well! I am amazed at all the details she recollects in about 5 or 6 of her posts. It might be more info than you want to read, but there are some good pics of our gang and stupid shots of me teaching ...go see :)

http://cecelia-throughmyeyes.blogspot.com/2009/03/plein-aire-painting-workshop-in-calvert_20.html ...workshop openings below...

Apr. 18... Rockport, TX (1 day)
April 27 - 30... Gadsden, ALABAMA
May 30 ...Waxahachie, TX (1 day)
June 5-7... Fredericksburg, TX (Painting Fast - every day, and what to do with all those paintings! This is a comprehensive workshop...LOTS of lessons)
Fall ...in New Orleans (with EATING in our off-hours)