Category: Newsletter

Happy Baby

First Art Memories

Cheryl
I  can clearly remember the first time that I mixed yellow with blue and it turned green. I thought it was completely magical! And then of course I went on to wonder why every other mixture that I tried made a dull brown. I was 4 years old. Artpromotivate recently asked the question “What are your first memories of art as a child”? It’s an interesting question, and so I ask you – what is your earliest art memory?” 
Painting "Pensive"

The Restless Mind

Cheryl
I think that every artist experiences this… the mind that won’t turn off. You can hardly look at anything without analysing the values, shapes, or colours. You ponder exactly which mixture you would use to try to match the colour in the sky. You are chatting with someone and find yourself momentary distracted by the lovely shape of the shadows along their cheek line. It means that you find something interesting to see almost everywhere – the negative space between the branches of the tree, the shape of the shadows cast from a plant in a waiting room. I went through a period a few years back when I felt that I would like to turn it off for awhile, and just veg, but that rarely happened. Mostly these days, I go with the flow and simply enjoy the constant visual feast all around. How about you? Do you experience the restless mind of an artist forever analysing the colours and forms of the world? 
Painting 'Fleet Inspection'

Something New to Learn

Cheryl
The fall courses are listed! I have been painting through some of the paintings in the John Lovett book, and am very excited to learn his techniques. I’ve been working on the soft edged backgrounds with a vignetted feeling as the edges and corners fade. It’s fun! The painting featured here is from a photo by Barbara Lively Mastaglio (used with permission), and I try to use this effect. I think it needs a few more finishing touches yet. And here’s the link if you would like to join this class. It starts in October, but registrations are already coming in… Art Classes with Cheryl O Original Oil, by Cheryl O “Fleet Inspection” 
Lotus

Less Blogging?

Cheryl 8 Comments
For almost 2 years now, I have blogged 5 days per week  … that’s 467 posts in all.  I enjoy it, and I’m certainly not running out of things to say. But time is precious … both mine and yours.  So I’m thinking of cutting back to 2 days per week – Tuesdays and Thursdays.  What do you think? You can tell me in the comments below.  How often do you check my blog? Would you like me to cut back to 2 days, or do you prefer more of me than that? If you have an opinion, now is the time to share it! 
Wine Glass Painting

The Walk By

Cheryl
Sometimes it just works. You are at the point where you don’t know if the painting is done. Or, you know it’s not done, but can’t quite identify what it needs. So here’s what I recommend – put it someplace where you will walk by it frequently. You don’t have to stop to analyze it – just let it veg there, and be patient. What you are actually doing is giving your subconscious a chance to work on the problem. How long till the ah ha moment? For me it can be anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks.  The walk by – a great technique to add to your painting repetoire! 
Tulips by Shelley Mercer

Begun in the Wet & Wild Course

Cheryl 1 Comment
So many dynamic techniques are covered during the Wet & Wild Week that most of us go home at the end of the week with a number of paintings on the go. Today’s featured painting by art student Shelley Mercer is one such painting. Shelley began with a wet flow of colour and after the first layer had dried, she saw the hint of flower shapes. Many adjustment layers later, the painting was really shaping up in class, but not quite done. When Shelley sent me the photo of the completed painting, I just loved it, and I thought that you would enjoy seeing it too. Don’t you agree – it’s lovely! “Tulips” by Shelley Mercer.