Workshop with Dee Beard Dean

"Old Well House" 

8" x 10" oil on linen panel

For my second October workshop experience, I spent a few days in beautiful St. Simons Island, GA, with the talented and inspiring Dee Beard Dean. If you are not familiar with her work, click on the link and enjoy a feast for the eyes! She is not only a talented artist, but also a beautiful and energetic woman who shares her knowledge of painting and life with those around her. 

The workshop was sponsored by Anderson Fine Art Gallery in St. Simons. They made sure everything was perfect and accomodating for the artists in the workshop, including catered on-site lunches when we were painting outside or even in the studio space arranged for the workshop participants. This is a nice feature because I always hate taking time out during a workshop to search out something for lunch, and the catered lunches were fabulous and a real time saver. 

I painted the above painting outside on the first day of the workshop after a great demo by Dee. Each day of the workshop, we would meet in the studio space and Dee discussed different aspects of painting that she feels is important, whether painting plein air or in the studio. Then, we would venture out to painting locations and Dee would come around and help each artist at their easels. Her advice and encouragement was invaluable to me and I will treasure the time I spent with her. 

We had a rainy/windy day and decided to stay inside and paint. The painting below is done from one of my reference photos that I painted from my iPad. I LOVE using my iPad rather than my computer or photos for painting because it is small and will fit right on my easel side panels, and you get the benefit of backlighting that you don't get from a photo. STILL not at great as painting outside to see true colors and light, but second best in my opinion. 

 "Sunset Dunes"

8" x 10" oil on linen panel

 

And another great happening of this workshop is my purchase of two of Dee's beautiful paintings! I love collecting art too and these paintings are now hanging in my office at home where I can see them daily!

Apalachicola, FL with Lori Putnam

"Beach Cottages 1"

9" x 12" oil on linen panel

Whew! October was a month of travel and fun workshops for me! Against the advice of most artists, I signed up for 3 workshops in the same month. I love to paint plein air, and in the South, October is a fabulous month for that because of the milder weather. Plus, all of these workshops were with people that I have always wanted to study with and it was just convenient for me to go the places they were going to be. And also contrary to what most artists say, I am not AT ALL confused or messed up or whatever from the three different teachers and their varied painting styles. Unlike most people, I go to workshops for several reasons. One, is to meet other artists and chat and visit during the week about something we all love - painting and art. Another reason is just to visit different places. And then, of course, to learn. I love learning about things and especially about painting. I don't go to workshops to totally change the way I paint or think about painting. I always come away from a workshop with something I can carry over into my own journey, whether it is a small tip about supplies, brushstrokes, other techniques, colors, or some idea or theory that I have heard explained a thousand times before that finally "makes sense" to me after another instructor says it their way. Anyway, I am not recommending that anyone do what I did, because it was physically exhausting (haha!) but mentally fun and I wouldn't trade anything for my month of October 2011!

Lori's workshop in beautiful Apalachicola, FL, was sponsored by the Apalachicola School of Art, which is a wonderful organization that is just getting started holding workshops in this quaint little town. They are working on a website currently but you can find some information if you Google the name. They have held a plein air event there for the last several years, and we were able to see some of the fabulous artwork from some of these events hanging in the school.

Not only did I meet some fun people here that also took the workshop, but I had a blast painting the shrimp boats, marshes, and the other sites here. It is really a plein air painter's dream here with all the choices in painting subjects, and I hope to return here maybe for the plein air event next May to watch all of the artists that are there painting. I can also recommend taking workshops from this school. They are really welcoming and the whole town is accepting of art and artists, so look them up and see what they have to offer if you are interested in workshops at all. They are just getting started so keep an eye out on the growing schedule. 

As you may remember, I am starting a mentoring program with Lori in 2012, so I am taking any workshop I can with her now so that she will be familiar with my painting and what I need to work on as we begin the mentoring in January. As with the first workshop I did with Lori, she was again a wonderfully patient and giving teacher and I felt so inspired and encouraged by watching her demo and also by her advice at my easel. Below is a photo of her teaching before her demo the first day. 

We painted in several places in the area, including a morning in the studio because of the high winds and light rain on the final day. The painting you see above at the top of this post was on the beach one beautiful and sunny morning. Below is a photo of my set up and the painting after I was finished. Of course, the light had changed by then but you can get an idea of the beautiful place I was standing while painting.

Stay tuned this week for another fabulous workshop review about my next October workshop, Dee Beard Dean. Maybe I should do this for a job? Anyone want to hire me to take workshops and write reviews? Plein Air Magazine maybe? Now THAT would be a dream job!

And, I just couldn't resist a little Photoshop editing of the photo below! You will probably have to click on it and enlarge to see the "hazard" well. We painted one day after lunch on the side of a road with beautiful marshes on either side and really high winds! We shielded ourselves with our cars and our equipment and setup was truly tested. After we painted, Lori also did a demo in that spot. As I sat with my new friends and watched, I kept imaging "critters" climbing out of the water which was just a few feet away from us. Needless to say, this is not a "real" photo but one I am deeming "The Hazards of Plein Air Painting" just for fun! I know all of you plein air painters out there can think of other hazards from your past plein air experiences.

WKNO Art Show Opening

The Artist Group of Memphis

I have been busy preparing for two art shows I am participating in with a group of artists here in the Memphis area known as "The Artist Group." It is a group of friends that was started by Joy Routt and Julie Hooker years ago to show their work around town. It has grown over time to include 17 artists. Not all artists participate in each show, but it is fun to have a group of friends to show your art with! This is a photo of the opening reception last night at WKNO studio here in Memphis. This show runs through the end of May, so if you are in the area, stop by sometime and see and buy some artwork! It is fabulous and such a variety within the group of artists. Some of my work in the show is shown below. 

We have another opening next weekend at St. Mary's Episcopal School for a weekend only show with some of the proceeds going to the Children's Ballet Theater that performs there in the Buckman Theater. 

Also, please keep this area in your thoughts and prayers. We are facing some flooding of historic proportions that have not been seen in this area since the early 1900's. The mighty Mississippi River has run over it's normal banks all along the way to the Gulf and will continue to rise for at least another week. It will be a long while and a lot of damage to many homes and businesses until this water recedes. A slow moving natural disaster for sure.

My Studio Artist Wall

Because I am not only an artist but an art collector, I decided to start a wall in my studio for some of the paintings I have recently acquired from different artists across the country. Most are small format, 6"x6" or a little larger, and all are from artists whose work I love a lot! I will add to it as time goes on and as money is available :). I included close ups below with the artists in case you would like to check out their work too!

 

 These are from artist Michael Chamberlain

The fabulous artist, Laurel Daniel, who has been so 

helpful and supportive to me in my art journey so far!

Artist Cathleen Rehfeld does beautiful work and also teaches in her area! 

The final photo shows a painting on the left by artist Tim Horn, who I have had the pleasure of studying with in a workshop in Atlanta. Also pictured is the work of artist Carol Schiff, who is masterful in her use of beautiful brushstrokes and paint application in all of her paintings!

There are MANY other artists out there whose work I would love to own, and plan on continuing to collect as I can. I feel the art not only inspires me but brings a sense of light and joy to my studio, and makes it such a wonderful place to be!