Saturday, November 10, 2018

November 10, 2018

All the snow has melted and it's a glorious day. But we know that winter can't be far behind. Deep in denial, Steve is using his new split primary palette to paint these lovely flowers. The addition of the complementary leaves makes us think of booking a Hawaiian vacation.


Sara's landscape is a bit more seasonal as she finishes her fall scene, as seen through the gridded surface of her window. Also, note how the deck rails provide additional structure. And in each pane is a view of softly abstracted foliage. We love the contrast... and Sara loved treating each pane as a separate small picture. Brilliant!


Ellen has been working on actual small paintings and they are equally brilliant. Once again, she's using her Chinese brush and techniques to paint mums. They look gorgeous in a group, but take a closer look at each one. The colors and brushwork are incredible.


Brushwork is also on display here in Ken's last cat in the Not That Damn Cat Again series.... except it may not be the last after all! Yes, Ken's taking a break but may return to this series for 2-4 more. And then look for a show at (where else?) Ten Cat. Meanwhile, look at the lovely fur texture he's achieved here.


From kittens to small children.... sounds like a day of internet videos, doesn't it? But no, this is Elaine O's sweet portrait. She's almost finished painting this adorable little girl in her adorable little tutu and t-shirt, concentrating on the toy in her hand. Come back next week when we're hoping to catch a glimpse of her cute little face.



Here's a whole nother kind of cute! Elaine T's Flash Gordon features brilliant color-mixing, lighting and magnificent modeling of a very handsome man. Seriously, zoom in to savor all the details of this tour de force. Every detail is skillfully painted without a single misstep. Elaine T was going for the feel of a vintage poster, and she's got it. We are eager to see the final.


Tony is also into portraiture. This is the face he began last week. We are impressed with the level of personality he was able to achieve in such a subtle painting. Just look at the facial planes and the intensity of his gaze.


In another portrait, Tony pulls out to show more than the subject's head. In the process, he's telling us a lot about his subject's character and his joie de vivre. Again, Tony does all this with a subtle palette that he makes the most of.


Susan's back from Australia and New Zealand with a sketchbook full of memories (and future paintings). Like Tony, she's placed her subjects against water. Here, Susan and her husband enjoy a romantic moment as they gaze out to sea in Melbourne. Those posts are all that's left of an historic building and they are the perfect path to the sky with its perfectly placed golden swirl.


Marva's sky is magnificent, too. Look closely to see the impressionistic brushwork and delicate colors. She's still adding foreground, but the sky is the real star of this show.


We've saved the hunger-inducing subjects to act as dessert. Isa has added texture, shadow and intense color to her pumpkins and detail to the cinnamon jar. She's also added a diagonal background element which defines the tabletop and takes the composition to new heights.


Dana took part of the class time to paint her snack. Yes, these apple slices and almonds are making us all hungry; in fact, Dana herself had to stop and eat these goodies before she finished.  Who says healthy and nutritious can't also be beautiful and colorful?


As if that weren't enough (painting and eating her snack in a single session), Dana also produced this multi-level color wheel. It features tints, tones, shades and hues and it's pocket-sized so it can easily serve as a reference. 


It's not too early to consider giving yourself a holiday gift. Class dates for next year are set and registration is open. Check your calendars and think about it. After all the holiday madness, you'll want to be part of our fun and relaxing group. Spring I and II (seriously, that's what they call it) dates are:
  • January 26 — March 9, 2019
  • March 23 — May 11, 2019 (off April 20)
For registration information—come on, you know you want to join us—visit Truman College Continuing Education.

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