Providence Art Club colored pencil class

Here are pictures from the colored pencil still life class I am teaching at the Providence Art Club. Its a big class, 25 students! We are meeting at the church next door while the art club undergoes renovations. I have still life set ups on all the tables in which you can't really see in the photos. The class is comprised of all  artists who are mainly watercolorists and oil painters so I was amazed at how quickly many of them took to colored pencil and some of the drawings that were produced. 

Beach Stones & Shells

I think its done now! I put away the photo I worked from and added more color and value where it was needed. I may work another drawing from this composition, it has really been fun and a learning experience how to draw the different textured rocks. This piece is going to the Art League of Rhode Island "End of Winter" exhibit at Arnold Art Gallery in Newport.

Another type of creativity!

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Several months ago, I was asked to make cookie favors for a fundraiser last Thursday night called 'Home is Where the Heart Is' that would benefit Crossroads RI. Crossroads RI is a non profit organization that finds shelter for the homeless of Providence & RI. Also, finds shelter for women and children having domestic troubles. My friend is one of the organizers of the event and loves my cookies so she asked if I would bake and donate the favors and call them Kendra's Kookies. I happily agreed because I wanted to take a little time off from my art and do something else creative. So I spent about 24 hours in the kitchen with flour and chocolate flying everywhere. It was fun and rewarding and I pulled it off! Maybe Kendra's Kookies will become another form of art for me.

Beach Stones & Shells #2

Here is my continuation of the piece and below is the photo I am working from. My scan came out a little more blueish than the original piece. 

Beach Stones & Shells

Staying with the beach series, I've decided to work from a photo I took on a rocky beach near our house. I like the contrast of the vibrant colors of the shells amongst the gray and blue rocks. I'm working on the cradled gessoboard with storm blue + white Colourfix primer mixed for the background surface. The size is 12x12". 

I am blocking in the color on the rocks and some of the shells. You can see this on the top. Next I'm adding solvent and more layers of pencil and working each rock while the solvent is still wet. You can see this on the bottom of the piece.

Next step in oil painting class

My painting from Monday is finally dry enough to scan. Here is the second step, to start laying in the colors. I focused on the coffee pot, the cups and the plate. It was fun adding colors to the silver of the coffee pot and white cups. Ready for next Monday's class and to continue on with the painting.

The latest in desserts

Can't stay away from the sweets. I finished this small 8x8" piece today. Now back to the ocean scenes.

Colored Pencil Demo

I was asked to talk about my art and colored pencil for the East Greenwich Art Club last night. Despite all the snow, it was a nice time and I appreciate the ladies and one gentleman who came to hear me talk. I demonstrated my methods of using colored pencil on the Ampersand cradled gessoboard with the Colourfix primer applied. The group was intrigued by this process,  although several said colored pencil was a bit too tedious for them!