Nature Colored Pencil Class at VAAL Lesson #2-Fur

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In our second week of class we focused on mammals and fur. Just as with birds, it is important to give your sketch guidelines for the direction and length of the fur. This step really pays off in the end. This example demonstrates the first layers of color usually put down with the touch and pull line technique. Adding more layers will give the fur depth and a more realistic appearance. Remember to work light to dark!

Nature Colored Pencil Class at VAAL Lesson #1-Birds

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I thought I would show my example of our first lesson of my 4 week Nature Calls Colored Pencil Class at (VAAL) Visual Arts Association of Livonia which took place on May 3. It is very rewarding to be able to share my abilities with this enthusiastic group of talented people.
My first lesson focused on birds and feather techniques. The preliminary sketch on the left helps define the overlapping wing and tail feathers which usually prove to be the most difficult.
Understanding the anatomy of the wing is extremely helpful to achieving a believable end result.

Rainbow Feathers Bird Expo

Parrot Portrait series #3
Well the event has once again come to a close. Rainbow Feathers put on a nice fair as usual. I enjoyed seeing past acquaintances and rubbing elbows/flight feathers with my feathered friends. I met many new friends as well and I appreciate your kind words and purchases. Thanks to those of you who came out to see me and I look forward to seeing you at the Ann Arbor Art Fair.

Galah

This Galah or Rose Breasted Cockatoo is #4 in this series of 5 parrot portrait 8 x 10 oils on canvas board. This one along with the other four will be exhibited at the Rainbow Feathers Bird Fair in Romulus, Michigan on May 1, 2010. Also, 5 of my Limited Edition Reproductions will be raffled off during the event for animal rescue. Good Luck!

Featured Artist at the Rainbow Feathers Bird Club Expo

It's time once again for the Rainbow Feathers Bird Club show in Romulus, Michigan and I'll be there as their Featured Avian Artist. While I enjoy all animals I have special interest in exotic birds, specifically parrots. Yes, it's true. I'm a bird person without a bird. I guess that's one reason why I enjoy painting them. The piece above is a Cherry Headed Conure on an 8 x 10 canvas board and is one of a series of five of the same size. Two others are shown in a previous post from February. All five are framed and retail at $200.00 each. The show is a fun place to be if you enjoy birds and you might even win one of five (5) of my Limited Edition Reproductions that will be raffled for animal rescue. Hope to see you there!

Beauty & The Beast

This exotic yellow Cattleya Orchid is the subject of this 12 x 12 inch canvas. Orchids are among the most beautiful of all flowers with their variety of color, shapes and alluring aroma. One cannot help but to lean into the heart of the flower and take in the hypnotic perfume to complete the experience. But we are not the only ones to find the blossom irresistible. Lurking within the beauty is a beast so horrific that most humans would scream in terror scampering to escape its jaws of doom. You wouldn't want to cross paths with this guy. He is as dangerous as the flower itself! In this case the "beast" or monster is the harmless Papua, New Guinea Jumping Spider the size of your pinky finger nail waiting to pounce on its prey. I thought it would be fun to pair one of the most beautiful elements of nature with one of the most feared. I, myself, don't like the thought of being surprised by a spider and the thought of one crawling on me simply just creeps me out which is why I chose my little friend to share in the spot light of "Beauty & The Beast"

'Coral-ation'

10 x 30 canvas
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In a jagged coral forest lies a menacing creature waiting for the opportunity of lunch. He is dressed in camo, blending in with an environment that he cannot easily maneuver through. Entering upper right is the Anthias fish. So boldly colored he seems to be saying, "just try to get me" as he effortlessly passes between the coral branches. The coral supplies a safe haven for prey as well as a means of ambush for the predator. What the coral gets out of this deal is unclear. Together, the correlation among these three animals reveal the setting to a possible skirmish. The outcome is unknown.

Thank you!

I just wanted to take a moment to tell my blog followers how much I appreciate you joining me. It gives me more incentive to forge ahead and stay on track with my plans. It helps me to be accountable for and achieve the goals that I write about.
So Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Coming soon: My newest panting, 'Coral-ation'

Featured Artist for The 2010 Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair

The 'Good news' that I spoke about , or couldn't speak about, in a previous blog post is....speakable now.
I'm very happy and honored to have been asked by The Guild to be their featured artist for this years Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Ann Arbor Art Fair is a show that I've wanted to do for a long time. Having changed my medium to oil in 2002 I have needed more time to develop my painting style to properly represent what I see in my head. Given that it can be a scary place at times I feel that things are going in the right direction. I'm increasingly pleased with the results and public interest and sales are growing nicely.
The visibility from this event will, I'm sure, be awesome. My painting titled 'Monkey Business' has been used to design their 2010 limited edition poster. T-shirts will also be available.

Hope to see you there!

Here's another Peek

(In Progress)
This painting allows the viewer to witness a chance meeting high in the thorny branches of the Acacia tree. A grazing Giraffe comes face to face with a Lilac Breasted Roller (not yet shown). The tree provides shelter for one and food for the other. This odd couple seems to show interest in each other or perhaps just an unspoken greeting. Check back to see the finished painting which is not yet titled. Suggestions anyone?

Just a Peek!

(In Progress)
While I'm working on several canvases at the same time I thought I would give you a peek at a few of them and their development in progress. This one is titled 'God of the Upper World' and this detail shows less than half of the painting. Why that title? The finished painting will reveal the answer!

Eco-Expressionism?

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If you Google the term "Eco- Expressionism" you won't fine a suitable explanation for it. It is however a term that seems to be a good fit for the description of my style of work.
The definition of ecosystem is as follows: Living things — and the physical environment in which they live — that form a complex, interconnected web of interactions and relationships.
Each of my paintings represent a window into a specific world. My intentions are to create my visions of a recognizable environment using a vivid palette along with bold shapes, patterns and expressive life forms that nature provides. They are my expressions of reality. You won't find Photo-realism here.
It is the typical trait of Expressionism to present the world under an utterly subjective perspective, distorting it to obtain an emotional effect and vividly transmit personal moods and ideas.

While my intent is not to distort, Eco-Expressionism is my interpretation of the reality of nature as I choose to express it.
What do you think?

Finished Parrots

Above are the finished paintings from my last post. These are just two examples of what is to follow in the next week or so. Birds have always been a favorite subject for me both on canvas and in person. These two are of a series of at least five portrait style 8 x 10 paintings that I will display at the up-coming Rainbow Feathers Bird Club Expo in May in Romulus, Michigan where I will be their featured avian artist.

On Track

(In progress)

Though it's been over a month since my last post I can say with all certainty that I am on track.
My Colored Pencil workshop that I gave for VAAL, The Visual Arts Association of Livonia, was a hit with my students as well as the organization. My plans to spend more time in my studio has become a reality and I now have several canvases going at the same time. I plan to first complete five 8 x 10 canvas boards which depict a portrait style painting of a brightly colored Parrot on each. These are to be exhibited during a one day event in Romulus, Michigan at the Rainbow Feathers Bird Club Expo where I have been once again invited to be their featured avian artist.
There is more exciting news but that is another post!

Colored Pencil Nature workshop

Time is quickly approaching for my workshop at Vaal (Visual Arts
Association of Livonia) which is scheduled for February 4th & 5th
from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm each day. The magic will happen in room
14 at the Dickinson Center at 18000 Newburgh Rd. in Livonia across
from Laurel Park Mall . I will demonstrate my techniques of creating
fur, feathers and various other textures of nature.
Here are a few examples of my Colored Pencil work.

There are still a few spots available so don't wait!