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Friday, February 22, 2013

Paint Party Friday: Week 50, Year 2 Check In Featured Artist: Jennifer Begay


image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 
Welcome to Week 50, Year 2 of Paint Party Friday! This week's featured artist has art in her blood and a passion for nature... It is no wonder that her watercolors wow us weekly. Please welcome Jennifer Begay!

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?)
My Grandmother on my father's side was a Watercolorist. One of the best. She spent years (50+) learning and teaching it. Studying under Clive O'Leary, Lee Weiss, Claude Croney, Zoltan Szabo, Tom Hill, Frank Webb, George Cherepov, Tony Van Hasselt, and Betty DeMaree. My father was an Art Teacher at Alta High School. He learned from his mother as well as taking workshops with a lot of the same people as my grandmother. He was educated in Colorado and Utah and received a B.A. Degree from Brigham Young University. He won many prestigious awards on his watercolors and is represented in many collections throughout the United States and Canada. He taught Watercolor lessons at night in our basement and sold paintings on the side to help make ends meet. We were always taking paintings to, and attending various art shows.

As far back as I can remember I had a set of Watercolor paints. Crayola when I was younger, and on my 10th birthday I got a set of the real deal Watercolors and brushes. (Grumbacher and Windsor and Newton) most of which were hand me downs from my grandma and father (which I still have). I also got a coupon (at said birthday) to attend Watercolor classes in my basement with about 6-8 other people (mostly older ladies). I LOVED it!

I took art classes all through Junior high and High school. In high school we had a block schedule where you have "A" days and "B" days. So you attend half your classes on an "A" day and the other half on a "B" day. My senior year I had it arranged so I spent all of my "A" day and half of my "B" day in Art. I took Painting and had 2 back to back drawing classes and AP (Advanced Placement)Art. I received an Art Scholarship to UVSC where I took 3 painting classes and a couple of drawing classes. I was planning on a career in teaching art like my father but youth and stupidity got in the way. I dropped out and went to work for my uncle in his Dental Lab sculpting teeth out of wax to be turned into crowns. I did that until my first child was born. Didn't do a whole lot of drawing or painting during the next 5 or 6 years mostly due to very young children and the fact that I didn't have a space to do it. I'd always get the paints out to do Christmas cards every year and would hate the fact that I was "no good " at painting anymore.


image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 
A few years ago we finally moved the kids to a room in the basement and that freed up a room upstairs that we turned into an office/painting room where I could leave my stuff out. I painted more often but not a lot. I started this blog in September of 2010 and I finally had a creative outlet. Even if nobody was looking at it it forced me to create again. 2 years ago I set myself a goal to, every Wednesday, post all of the paintings I had finished that week. It forced me to be painting every week and my art work is showing the practice I've put in. I did this for a little over a year .

A few years ago I found a blog (Paint Party Friday!!!!) where I can link up my art work with other people around the world. It's nice to have a place I can share my art work finally and see other's work and get inspiration that way.


image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 
What are your favorite techniques, media, and tools to use in creating your paintings?
Watercolor has always been my paint of choice. Probably because it's what I've always known. I tried acrylics and oil in school but I love Watercolor the best!!!!
 

image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 
What is your favorite thing to paint? Why?
Nature. It's all around us and is ever changing. Mountain scenes especially. It is breathtaking to say the least. I think nature was made to be painted with Watercolors. My parents installed a great love of nature in me and it goes hand in hand with painting. Anytime I am out, I am constantly thinking to myself, "I'd love to paint that" or "that would make a beautiful painting".
 

image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 
What is your proudest painting moment and/or greatest painting achievement so far?
Being able to feel confident enough in my work to give people paintings as presents has been very self fulfilling. Also my aunt asked me to paint a painting for her that she could display next to one that my father had done for her years ago. He has now passed away. I felt very honored that she would want to hang one of my paintings next to one of my Dad's since I always felt he was so much better than me. 


image courtesy of Jennifer Begay
 
What's next in your painting future?
Not really sure. I'd love to maybe enter some contests or sell some paintings. Someday I'd like to be as good as my Grandmother and Father.

**

Thank you for sharing your lovely paintings and story with us, Jennifer... We'll be cheering you on as you enter contests and start selling your paintings! We hope you will consider entering one (or more!) into our upcoming auction. ;)

To learn more about Jennifer, please visit her at:
 
 
**Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? (Of course you would!)
Click here for more details!**


 
 
111 painters and partyers last week!!!! WOW!! Thank you for making this such a fun and hopping party!
 
As always, 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.
Hope you have a marvelous week!

Friday, February 15, 2013

Paint Party Friday: Week 49, Year 2 Check-In Another Auction Question Answered


Welcome to Week 49, Year 2 of Paint Party Friday!  And, Happy Random Acts of Kindness Week! As the PPF Auction Blog Hop To Benefit The Sandy Hook Elementary School fast approaches, the anticipation and excitement are building! (To read all about it please click here.)

This week, we're answering another question about the Auction Blog Hop:

Q: Can anyone join in the auction or do you have to regularly participate in PPF? 
 
A: Anyone can join in and contribute art. Anyone can buy!

So please tell all your friends. Invite them to the party next month. Let's make it extra fun!
To find out how YOU can take part, please click here!

 
If you'd like to learn more about the charities, here are the details:
Sandy Hook Elementary Charity Websites:

What a party last week! 104 partyers and such fabulous paintings! Wow.
Now, on to the check-in!
As always, 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 wonderfully creative week!

Friday, February 8, 2013

Paint Party Friday: Week 48, Year 2 Check In

created in photofacefun.com

Welcome to Week 48 (Year 2)!  In Week 41 and Week 45, we put forward the idea about holding an auction to benefit The Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT - in memory of the children and teachers who were killed in December.  We have now created a special page with all the details - the auction is fast approaching, only 5 weeks away!
 
 
If you'd like to learn more about the charities, here are the details:
Sandy Hook Elementary Charity Websites:

We are getting excited, wondering what your creations for the auction will be like... (and what we can buy!)
Now, on to the check-in!

As always, 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.

* This may be a good time to remind you to check and make sure you are not a "no-reply" blogger and to change your status so you can easily be contacted directly by email. Jenn of "Just Add Water Silly" has a good explanation of how to do this.
  
Have a fun and creative week everyone!

Friday, February 1, 2013

Paint Party Friday Week: 47, Year 2 Check In Featured Artist: Denise "Denthe" Thewissen

image courtesy of Denthe
 
Welcome to Week 47 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's featured artist lets intuition be her guide as she creates her bright, beautiful paintings that are alive with freedom and color.  Please welcome Denise "Denthe" Thewissen!

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 2004. I have been drawing all my life, but painting was something I considered too difficult to do without having a formal education. So for years I planned to go to art school, because the urge was certainly there, but with my full-time job and then 2 kids it never happened... Until my friend’s hubbie took me to a painting club at his work. He worked for a company that employed disabled people. One night a week they could come to a big studio and do all kinds of crafts under guidance. My friend, who is a gifted artist himself, guided the people who wanted to paint, along with some other people that painted in their free time. So I started going there every week, helped them out a bit, and in the meantime learned a lot just by trying things out and getting great tips from the artists there. And I was hooked! Utterly, completely in love. I looked forward to Thursday night all week. I went there straight after work and painted for 5 hours. It was always too early to go home. It was great fun, getting to know all those people and being able to share my passion. I didn’t know anything about painting, and when I see work from that first period I sometimes cringe…. I learned so much. I soaked up every little bit they could teach me, and experimented with all kinds of techniques. In 2008 I quit my job to have more time for the kids and started to become more serious about my passion. I started going to markets to try and sell things (with varying degrees of success), entered some art shows (with no success at all), and had the opportunity to participate in some exhibitions. In 2011 I emigrated to Australia with my family, and I had to say goodbye to that wonderful group of people. I will forever be grateful to that friend for taking me along, otherwise I’d probably still be dreaming about painting one day ….

 
The biggest change in my way of painting has been through a workshop I did with Flora Bowley in February last year. Before I did that workshop I always drew something and then made a painting out of it. Now, when I start a painting, I don’t know what’s going to come out of it. I let the painting guide me. It is exciting to see the painting come alive, and gives a great sense of freedom. I still make paintings sometimes that are inspired by a drawing, but generally I just let my intuition guide me.

This is the first painting I made in Flora Bowley's workshop.
image courtesy of Denthe

What are your favorite techniques, media, and tools to use in creating your paintings?
Acrylics! Definitely! All kinds of acrylics, going from cheap craft paints to the more expensive Golden fluids. I’m an impatient person and I don’t have much time, so when I get to paint I need it to dry right away so I can keep working on it. Favorite tools? My fingers. Something I picked up from Flora’s workshop and can’t do without anymore. I like to paint big, on canvas. Last year I started an art journal, where I try to experiment a bit with different tools and techniques. My absolute favorite medium that I use in there are Inktense pencils. Love the bright intense colors of these. I have a lot of sketchbooks, where I use graphite and colored pencils to make sketches, and thin black markers to make my lyrics-girls and my doodles. I usually do this when I feel the need to create but don’t have the time to work on a big canvas. And, oh yes, acrylic inks in spray bottles (mini-misters) are a favorite too!

my latest addiction: doodle pages...
image courtesy of Denthe

What is your favorite thing to paint? Why?

People! I need to draw or paint people. I can appreciate abstract art, but I don’t like to make it myself. I love to make a figure come alive. See the different stages it goes through, and end up as a person with its own character and emotions. I love how you can manipulate the different expressions on a face just by a few brush strokes. I almost always paint women. I like the fluid lines, the curves, the softness, the different emotions. And I love to paint birds. Not realistic birds, but birds with bright colors that always seem to interact with the humans on my paintings. I don’t like realistic portraits, I always need to put some fantasy element in there, create a kind of dreamworld.

image courtesy of Denthe
 
What is your proudest painting moment and/or greatest painting achievement so far? 
That was in 2008, when the painting group that I went to every week held a big exhibition with all the paintings everybody made during that year. There was a couple at the exhibition that were all excited about my paintings. They wanted to buy one but couldn’t choose between two. It took them about half an hour before they decided on which one to buy, and I was over the moon. I couldn’t believe someone would pay that amount of money for one of my paintings, a stranger who didn’t know me. It was the very first painting I sold and I will forever remember it. It made me feel it might some day be possible to earn money doing something that I love.
 
the very first painting I sold, back in 2008
image courtesy of Denthe

What's next in your painting future?
I have big plans for this year. I want to go from hobbyist to business and finally make some decent money with my art. I signed up for 2 business courses last year, and am still working through their lessons. It takes a lot of time and energy, when often I just want to paint and create. But I really want to give it a go. I’m working now on setting up my first online shops (with Etsy and Zazzle), and I have quite a few ideas in my head about directions I want to explore. I just finished making my business plan and time-schedule. I also want to start making fabric bags and purses etc... I love to sew, and I want to use (pieces of) my art in my sewing-projects. And I might try out teaching a workshop, since quite a few people have asked me that. I want to spend less time on the computer and more on my worktable. And, oh yes, try to art journal every day ….

 
**

Thank you for your very inspiring interview, Denise... We look forward to watching your business grow!

To see even more of her work, please visit:
website: www.denthe.com
website with older work: www.denthe.exto.org
 
Denise also sells her art in The Collective Store in Wynnum and in the Seaside Artists Gallery in Redcliffe (both in Queensland – Australia). More information about that on her website.

**Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? (Of course you would!)
Click here for more details!**

As always, 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 fabulously creative week everyone! Remember the auction is quickly approaching...