Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Paint Party Friday: Week 11, Year 2 Check In Featured Artist: Kristin Van Valkenburgh
image courtesy of Kristin Van Valkenburgh
Welcome to Week 11 of Paint Party Friday (Year 2) and to the next edition of our Featured Artist Series! (Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? Please click here for details!) Our featured artist this week creates colorful paintings with whimsical beauties and is planning on providing a summer filled with delicious inspiration. Please welcome Kristin Van Valkenburgh of Twinkle, Twinkle!
1) Please tell us a bit about your personal history with painting. (When did you start painting? How has your painting evolved since you first started?)
I started “painting” in a rather fabulous and undeniably girly way: as a Makeup Artist. Way before Mommyhood, I mixed lipsticks, shimmers and creams on the back of my hand, working my way up the arm until my “palette” would encroach upon my elbow. . . I would apply color, step back, scrutinize my work, and repeat . . . apply, step back, scrutinize, apply, step back, scrutinize until, well, my “picture” was complete. And every once in a while, someone would graciously say that I looked just like an Artist. To which I would smile and sigh under my breath, “I wish.” Cut to ten years, a blog and several online classes later, and I’m now swapping foundations with acrylics and glosses with glitter. All in an effort to basically do the same thing I started years ago: to make people - women in particular - feel good about themselves.
2) What are your favorite techniques, media, and tools to use in creating your paintings?
I had been collaging for a while - mixing bits of paper and ephemera with smudges of paint and charcoal - before I found the school of Tam (otherwise known as Willowing.ning.com) and something in me knew I was home. It all came together then - the face painting with the “real” painting - and I’ve never looked back. As a student of Tam’s, I’m most comfortable with acrylics and watercolor crayons, but I also love bold, heavy acrylics, wax pastels, wax crayons and bright color. Oh, and almost every piece I do in some way incorporates Swarovski crystals, shimmer or shine. After all, to quote my 6-year-old, “every girl needs a little glitter now and then.”
image courtesy of Kristin Van Valkenburgh
3) What is your favorite thing to paint? Why?
I love to paint whimsical women and vintage-inspired little girls. I’m an adoptive parent and as such, my message tends to be about adoption, Motherhood and Mothering. A combination of collage and painting is where I’m most comfortable and it is my goal to express gratitude, hope and love in everything I create.
4) What is your proudest painting moment and/or greatest painting achievement so far?
I’m lucky to have had some of my work published, but I must say that my proudest moment just occurred, when a collage / painting I submitted was selected for the current issue (May/June 2012) of Somerset Studio. It just so happened to feature our daughter Kendra’s little body (and a clip art head, something she was not pleased with) and to see her excitement about being in a magazine was simply the best. She bragged and I smiled, knowing that nothing beats her beaming and this Mama Moment!
image courtesy of Kristin Van Valkenburgh
5) What's next in your painting future?
I’m going to continue to put myself “out there” and see where this whole arty adventure take me. For the moment, I’m thrilled to be the happy host of The Summer of Color 2: Ice Cream Inspirations, a FREE 6-week event celebrating art in all it’s hues. Think of it as a blog block party centered around all the bold and luscious colors of our favorite ice cream flavors. The event will feature weekly color prompts, blog hops and giveaways. To learn all about it (it’d be so sweet if you’d join us!) please check out my blog, our Facebook page or Flickr group.
Thank you Kristin - The Summer of Color 2 sounds like lots of fun! To see more of Kristin's artwork and find out more about her summer party, please visit her at:
My blog:
Summer of Color info:
Summer of Color on Facebook:
Summer of Color on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/thesummerofcolor/pool/
Another fun party last week! Now, here is our check-in for this week's party:
NOW IT'S YOUR TURN...
WE WANT YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR STORY!
Another fun party last week! Now, here is our check-in for this week's party:
Please make sure to use your post URL address NOT your blog home page URL address as there are many late visitors who get confused as to which post is for PPF when they arrive (after Friday) at your website. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Linky, an explanation of how this tool works can be found on Week 1 and Week 2Check-Ins.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Paint Party Friday: Week 10, Year 2 Check In Featured Artist: Charlie Corrigan
image courtesy of Charlie Corrigan
Welcome to Week of Paint Party Friday (Year 2) and to the next edition of our Featured Artist Series! (Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? Please click here for details!) Our featured artist this week creates imaginative paintings that invite her viewers into a beautifully painted world. Please welcome Charlie Corrigan of Barnum's Winter!
1. Please tell us a bit about your personal history with painting. (When did you start painting? How has your painting evolved since you first started?)
I've always loved pretty things and I've tried a lot of different ways of making pretty things since I was a kiddo -- cake decorating, cross stitching, sculpting, crafting, etc. But, I started drawing when I was a teenager and started painting about four years ago in my senior year of college. My husband is a musician and frankly I needed something to do in the long hours that he's playing guitar at home (other than sit by his feet making doe-eyes and being impressed -- in spite of vague teenage fantasies, that is only engaging for just so long). So, I decided to focus on painting.
Over these last few years, I've been trying as hard as I can to improve, to teach my hands what to do when my brain gets an idea. Mostly I've learned patience. And, I've gotten a lot more ambitious about what I want to make with my paints. I've gone from just wanting to make "pretty things" as decorations to wanting to make an entire world of my own, like an epic novel series, but in pictures. I'm not there yet, but I'm on a mission. I still want it to be pretty though.
2. What are your favorite techniques, media, and tools to use in creating your paintings?
I keep it pretty simple. I use mechanical pencils and a sketch book for drawing and unmounted canvas and acrylics for painting. And, I only use four colors: Cadmium Medium Red, Cadmium Medium Yellow, Cerulean Blue, and Titanium White. Everything I've painted in the last two or three years was made with those four colors.
3. What is your favorite thing to paint? Why?
I like to make up characters and give them personalities in my brain and try to get those personalities through in their expressions and postures. The strange thing is that almost every character I've imagined dislikes sitting for portraits, so they always seem to have a tiny bit of contempt, impatience, or reluctance in their expressions. But, as lame as it might sound, in the end, my favorite thing to paint is simply anything that turns out attractive and at least somewhat close to what I meant to do.
image courtesy of Charlie Corrigan
4. What is your proudest painting moment and/or greatest painting achievement so far?
In January of 2011, I made myself do a Painting-Everyday-for-a-Month challenge, actually inspired by Kristin Dudish of Paint Party Friday. Not everything turned out well in such a mad rush, but a couple of my favorite paintings of all time came from that challenge, including a couple of pretty robots and an epic apocalyptic scene. And, I really learned to stretch my creativity muscles having to come up with some new idea each day. I still haven't recovered over a year later, but when I do, I'll do it again.
** A note from Kristin: I just had to hijack Charlie's interview to say that I was lucky enough to be able to purchase one of the paintings that Charlie created during her challenge and it is even more amazing in person! Everyone who sees it hanging on my living room wall comments on how fantastic it is! **
5. What's next in your painting future?
Practice! And more practice! A little further down the road, I also think it might be really cool to illustrate a children's book or make my whole living from making and selling art. But for now, practice.
***
Thank you Charlie! If you would like to see more of Charlie's artwork, please visit her at:
www.barnumswinter.com
www.barnumswinter.etsy.com
What great artwork, paintings and fun at the party last week at PPF! Now, here is our check-in for this week's party:
Please make sure to use your post URL address NOT your blog home page URL address as there are many late visitors who get confused as to which post is for PPF when they arrive (after Friday) at your website. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Linky, an explanation of how this tool works can be found on Week 1 and Week 2 Check-Ins.
Have a great time at the party and for those who have it as a holiday on Monday - Happy Victoria Day!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Paint Party Friday: Week 9, Year 2 Check In Featured Artist: Stephanie Corder
Welcome to Week 9 of Paint Party Friday (Year 2) and to the next edition of our Featured Artist Series! (Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? Please click here for details!) Our featured artist this week has been dazzling us with her amazing acrylics since Week 1! Please welcome Stephanie Corder of Dragonfly Design Studios.
1) Please tell us a bit about your personal history with painting. (When did you start painting? How has your painting evolved since you first started?)
I always knew I wanted to be an artist. I was lucky enough to have semi-private art lessons where we mostly used water colors and painted still lifes. Until I was in college, I only painted when I HAD to - I was scared of using color and especially afraid of acrylics which I thought of as “plastics pretending to be paint"!
2) What are your favorite techniques, media, and tools to use in creating your paintings?
Ironically enough, my favorite medium is now acrylic. When I was teaching my high school students how to paint, I fell in love with acrylics because of their forgiving nature and the ability to add numerous layers of color. As a result, I am no longer afraid of color OR painting!
3) What is your favorite thing to paint? Why?
I love painting flowers AND women- as for which is my favorite? It depends on my mood; I like to switch it up from time to time to keep myself on my toes!
4) What is your proudest painting moment and/or greatest painting achievement so far?
My whole family looks forward to art presents from me at Christmas and I always enjoy being able to give them a really special gift. I drew this when my youngest nephew was born- the caption reads, “Welcome to the world, Porter Jones”.
5) What's next in your painting future?
This is the best time of year for taking photos in the garden which usually inspires me to start a new flower painting- lately, the peonies have been calling to me!
Thanks so much, Stephanie! If you would like to see more of Stephanie's artwork, please visit her at:
Dragonfly Design Studios: http://dragonflydegignstudios.blogspot.com/
***
It was another fun and painting filled party last week at PPF! Now, here is our check-in for this week's party:
Please make sure to use your post URL address NOT your blog home page URL address as there are many late visitors who get confused as to which post is for PPF when they arrive (after Friday) at your website. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Linky, an explanation of how this tool works can be found on Week 1 and Week 2 Check-Ins.
Have a great time at the party everyone and an excellent week!
Have a great time at the party everyone and an excellent week!
Friday, May 4, 2012
Paint Party Friday: Week 8, Year 2 Check In Featured Artist: Lisa Wright
image courtesy of Lisa Wright
Welcome to Week 8 of Paint Party Friday (Year 2) and to the next edition of our Featured Artist Series! (Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? Please click here for details!) This week we are featuring an artist from the UK who has been providing us with amazing eye candy and unbelievable inspiration** since the very first week of PPF. Please welcome Lisa Wright aka WrightStuff!
1) Please tell us a bit about your personal history with painting. (When did you start painting? How has your painting evolved since you first started?)
When I was a little girl I loved to paint. I was always illustrating stories and creating little characters. As I grew into my teens I kept it up, but ironically it was the art education system that knocked the enthusiasm out of me. It was too much about passing exams and not enough about play and experimentation. I stopped enjoying it when forced to go down the same route week in, week out.
After that I gradually drifted away and my watercolours sat unloved in a box slowing drying up and turning to dust. Then, one day a couple of years ago, not long after I started my blog I picked them up again. I had a desire to illustrate my blog post with my own work and quite frankly I haven’t looked back since.
I signed up for online courses, joined art challenges, spent a fortune on supplies and became totally and utterly hooked! I know it sounds corny but it was a pivotal moment in my life – I found the part of me that was missing.
image courtesy of Lisa Wright
2) What are your favorite techniques, media, and tools to use in creating your paintings? I absolutely love drawing and painting over an already existing background – whether it’s a book page, a collage or just a spread of colours. Layers fascinate me. This technique helps me stay loose too – as you’re never going to get perfection. It’s more about suggesting, more abstract.
In terms of materials, I would say my prismacolor pencils, acrylics and oil pastels are always closest to me. I get very excited by blending! I am a mixed media girl at heart though and can never resist sticking seeing what happens if I add a bit of this and that to my pieces. The Kingfisher has a watercolour background, a mixture of Prismacolor and Inktense on his feathers and then an extra layer or two added in PhotoShop.
image courtesy of Lisa Wright
3) What is your favorite thing to paint? Why? The most influential lessons I took came from Suzi Blu who showed me that actually I can paint faces and portraits have become my greatest love. I am trying to move away from them a little now as I almost hide behind them. I need to keep pushing myself. A little bird has been twittering away at my subconscious for a while to look at my feathered friends for inspiration – so that’s exactly what I did for the piece I created for this post.
4) What is your proudest painting moment and/or greatest painting achievement so far? It’s when people have left comments on my art saying ‘you inspire me’. Wow – that really gets you in the heart. It took me a long time to believe what they were saying, but in the end it is what finally spurred me into opening my creative business – The Wright Brain Stuff. I firmly believe that without this supportive community there is no way I would be where I am now and I want to share that with others too. It’s the comments and love that shines through from this art tribe that kick-start my Muse every day.
I want to build a tribe through my course that can take flight with the inspiration and lessons I provide into their art and writing and soar – you’d best watch out in May because you might get hit by one of us zooming through the air!
image courtesy of Lisa Wright
5) What's next in your painting future?
Well, I was thinking about a show at The Tate Modern – you’ve got to think big after all! One thing I’ve learned is that you have to have ambition or you won’t move yourself forward. Then you back up those dreams with a clearly defined set of goals. Launching my creative business is one step towards the place I wish to be. I’m dreaming of packed courses, art retreats, a book (or maybe even two!) and… you never know… one day… a show at the Tate Modern! Right now though, it’s running this first course.
** We also wanted to mention that Lisa has started a very fun, unbelievably motivational, extremely messy, and surprisingly therapeutic book club for creative souls! (Kristin has joined and is having a blast!)
** We also wanted to mention that Lisa has started a very fun, unbelievably motivational, extremely messy, and surprisingly therapeutic book club for creative souls! (Kristin has joined and is having a blast!)
How PPF has influenced me? (I added this question in because I fear that Kristin and Eva would be too modest to suggest it!) (LOL Thanks Lisa - you were right!)
I’m proud to say I’ve joined nearly every party since launch! For me, my tribe is a very important aspect of my inspiration. Sharing in each other’s work every week, learning from others and following their artistic journeys is artful soul food of the best kind! Thank you Eva and Kristin!
Thank you, Lisa! Where can PPFers find out more about your exciting adventures?
You can find me all over the place.
Here’s my regular blog where I post my PPF entries every week and chat about creativity and life in general. You’ll find Twitter and Pinterest links from there too.
Here’s my new Creative Business blog/site where you can find out about my eCourse and my Book Group and read more blog posts. What can I say… I like to write…
It would also make me very happy if you Liked my Facebook page!
What another busy and vibrant party last week at PPF! Over 100 painters and partyers - Wow! And so many wonderful paintings - Awesome! Now, here is our check-in for this week's party:
Please make sure to use your post URL address NOT your blog home page URL address as there are many late visitors who get confused as to which post is for PPF when they arrive (after Friday) at your website. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Linky, an explanation of how this tool works can be found on Week 1 and Week 2 Check-Ins.
Have a great week filled with fun, painting and partying everyone!