In Between Shells

Here is a new handmade book that I created. The covers are made from two large quahog shells that I found locally on the beach. I drilled holes into the shells so I could sew the pages together and to the shells. I will post more photos of the cover at a later date, the book is on exhibit right now at the Providence Art Club Big and Small Exhibition.

I created the pages by cutting them out to fit the outside shell shapes then illustrated most pages with colored pencil, gouache, markers, image transfer and printmaking. I also used different materials to collage pages; old maps, rice paper, decorative papers, marbleized paper. and book pages. I have been working on this piece throughout the summer and while taking trips on our boat, I became inspired with different fish and marine life I have seen and photographed in my travels.

It is meant to be a small journal of my thoughts and travels corresponding to the ocean.

Colorful Commission

This was a fun commission, done in oil paint for a client. She had a similar reference painting and wanted the woman's face changed to look more like herself plus she wanted her cat Massimo in the painting with her. The style of painting is relatively flat and very colorful so it was fun for me to create, I especially liked working on Massimo - probably because it's another form of a pet portrait. 

Lucky in His Little Jacket

This is my latest 8x10" colored pencil portrait of Lucky for a customer. It is created on Ampersand Pastelbord and varnished.

Studies of Salt Water Taffy

I chose salt water taffy for my adult colored pencil students at Bristol Art Museum to draw studies of in our class. We had been working on changes in values and studying form and shape so this exercise was challenging. Several students struggled with the crinkles in the wrappers. Sometimes I take things for granted, what comes easy for me is not necessarily that way for my students. In this class most of the students are new to colored pencil and are brand new to trying their hand at art. Below are a few of their drawings, we worked on Canson Mi Teintes gray paper.

A Figure Drawing Workshop

Over the weekend I took Derek Gore's Wet & Wild Figure Drawing Workshop at the Providence Art Club. We were asked to bring just sheets of large paper, Alphacolor charcoal and a water container. We started off by wetting sheets of paper and drawing on the wet surface with charcoal. Our first poses were a very short 30 seconds so that we could begin with just simple gesture drawings. 

After several 30 second poses, we progressed to one minute poses, then five minute poses but never longer than 20 minutes. It was a great lesson in which to study the figure with your eye at the same time your hand is moving to sketch on the paper. The poses were short so we could not get wrapped up in details. These are my sketches, some of my paper crinkled from the water and has created an interesting effect in these photos. 

 This figure was done on Yupo paper, I have never worked on Yupo before and possibly added too much water because it was running everywhere on the slick surface.

It was a really enjoyable workshop that helped me to loosen up and sketch large. I went home exhausted but happy to have achieved some insight on the medium and the figure. Derek Gore is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and works in drawing and collage from recycled magazines. Take a look at his website: derekgores.com

Recent Colored Pencil Pet Portraits

 This is a colored pencil commission I did for a customer who gave it as a gift. Size is 8x10" on Stonehenge Paper.

 Here is a colored pencil portrait of Spiff which is also 8x10". Above is the portrait and below is the reference photo I worked from. I cleaned him up and put him on a dark red/brown background. The surface is Ampersand Pastelbord. I had fun with all the different white variations in Spiff's fur.

This is Rosie a Cavapoo breed of dog. I loved how her fur was so curly, colorful and fun to draw. This portrait is also in colored pencil and worked on 8x10" Ampersand Pastelbord.

I varnishe and frame all of these 8x10" portraits in this brown floater frame, here is the example of Rosie framed.

Artist Reception Friday, May 26

Visit Neville Fine Art & Framing on Friday, May 26th from 4-7 pm to meet the artists and see new work. I am exhibiting colored pencil works and book sculptures. 

Colored Pencil Classes

I will be teaching a six week course entitled "Creating Art with Colored Pencils" at Bristol Art Museum, Wardwell St, Bristol, RI. Classes will be held on Friday mornings from 9:30 to Noon beginning May 12th thru June 16th. The cost of the class is $130 for museum members and $140 for non-members. People may sign up by check made payable to Kendra Ferriera and send or bring to the museum. No materials fee. If you have any questions please contact me at kjfdesign@cox.net.

Just Passing Through

I've just finished this colored pencil piece, it is 14.5 x 18.5" worked in all Prismacolor pencils. My surface is a cream colored rag mat board with some lined texture. I like the mat board because it is sturdy and soft enough to take layers of pencil, burnish and erase. I started this complicated piece by working one shell, coral or starfish at a time and gradually moved along until all of my subjects were 90% completed. Then I moved onto the background objects and finally finishing with the sand. The sand was the most complicated part, it needed some texture but just a small amount so it wouldn't detract from the busy shells and starfish forms. To create the texture in the sand and part of my starfish, I used the three erasers pictured above. 

I have just started experimenting with the Faber Castell Perfection eraser brush (looks like the old typewriter eraser) and like what it can do. It can erase but also softly remove only parts of color and burnish some remaining color into the surface, creating a softer erased effect. For the areas I want to remove all color down to the surface I used the Sakura Electric Eraser and smallest areas I used the Tombow Mono Zero which has a fine point. 

 Work in progress

My completed piece!

Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens

Yesterday I visited the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach, FL. Born Ann Weaver, she attended Smith College in Massachusetts and then put herself through art schools in New York City when her parents refused to pay for her schooling. Ann wrote and illustrated three children's books and taught art classes in order to support herself. 

She moved to Palm Beach, FL when she was hired to teach sculpture in the Norton Museum of Art. She became a good friend of the founder Ralph Norton and later they married after his first wife had passed away. I thought it was particularly amusing that Ann told Ralph that she would not share in his duties in the Norton Art Museum or be "on his arm" as a dutiful wife, she was a sculptor and was going to sculpt. Ralph purchased their home and grounds on Flagler Drive as a place for Ann to work. 

Her sculptures are placed amidst the many species of trees and plants in her gardens, sculpture and plantings complimenting one another. I was especially in awe of her incredible studio space, it still contains her tools, materials and small studies and sculptures. I could feel the spirit of Ann working as I walked through in quiet awe.

Also showing in Ann's gardens this season are Todd McGrain's Lost Bird Project, prints, drawings and bronze sculptures of extinct birds he has studied. And Sophie Ryder's lady hare sculptures in wire or bronze. 

Todd McGrain, The Lost Bird Project

Beings by Ann Norton

Rising by Sophie Ryder

Ann Norton sculpture constructed of handmade bricks.

Girl Leaning on Horse by Sophie Ryder

Ann's studio

Sophie Ryder sculpture in Ann's studio

Ann's studio, small studies for sculptures and horse by Sophie Ryder.

Back view of Sophie Ryder's sculpture in Ann's studio.

Current Exhibits

ELECTED MEMBERS’ EXHIBIT – PART II

Thursday, January 12, 2017 – Friday, March 3, 2017

The VETS Gallery at The Vets Memorial Auditorium

One Avenue of the Arts, 

Providence, RI 02903

Draw Fold Tie, my handmade book

MAKING OUR MARK

Providence Art Club Members' Exhibit

January 29 - February 24, 2017

Opening Reception Sunday, January 29, 2-4 pm

Providence Art Club

11 Thomas Street

Providence, RI 02903

Women Artists and Educators of the Providence Art Club

at Women & Infants Hospital

My Latest Pet Portrait

This is Brina, 8x10" in colored pencil on gray Fabriano paper. I worked Brina in Prismacolor, Lyra Rembrandt, Caran d'Arche Luminance and Derwent Artists colored pencils. The reason for all the different brands is because I like the different brown tones that I can't find in just one brand. I also like the variety of softness and hardness of the leads and just the feel of different pencils.

The piece is mounted on white gatorboard with double tack mounting film. I sprayed one good coat of Krylon UV Resistant Clear, then two coates of Krylon Kamar Varnish and about four coats of Golden Polymer Varnish with UVLS applied with a brush. I framed the piece without glass in this nice soft silver frame.

Brina is my brother's family dog who (unfortunately) recently passed away. This portrait was a Christmas gift for the family, a nice remembrance of the family pet.

Small Paintings for Exhibit

Here are three small fish paintings I will be exhibiting in the Providence Art Club Holiday Little Picture Show. The exhibit opens November 13, opening reception 2-4 pm. The exhibit runs through December. 

New Pet Portraits

 Here are two colored pencil pet portraits I have recently completed, both are with a different technique. The top is of my friend's two cats Marco Polo and Bernini. I worked this on a textured gray Fabriano paper and I can't recall the name of it. I like the texture for the fur and background although my camera picked up more texture and the paper showing through than is actually in the portrait. This piece is approximately 8x10" and framed under glass.

This colored pencil portrait of Tuco was worked on 8x10" Ampersand Pastelbord, the color is Sand. This portrait has less texture, I smoothed out the bottom layers of colored pencil and the background with a soft brush and solvent. Tuco's finished portrait was varnished and framed in a brown floater frame (below).

Exhibit at Fitchburg Art Museum

 I am part of an exhibit with the artist group 19 on Paper. We are a group of artists who work on or with paper to create works of art. We are exhibiting during the month of October at the Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Please join us at our opening is on Sunday, October 16 from 2-4:30 pm if in the area. I am exhibiting two upcycled book sculptures, close up photos of one are below.