Artzart Student Art Exhibit

It's been a while in coming, but January and February the public will have the opportunity to see the creative works of my students from the past five years of classes.

The exhibit is being held at the Henriott Group, 250 Main Street, Lafayette, Indiana, 6th floor.  The Artists Reception is Monday, January 15th from 4:30 - 6:30, MLK Day.

It is exciting to see the 57 paintings hanging that represent class lessons from color theory to landscapes to florals and roses to zentangles. 

Several of the students helped to hang the exhibit as well.  Several have never exhibited their work before. This is all part of the art learning experience!

"Baby it's cold outside" - but come and enjoy the warmth of this art exhibit!

"Practice Makes Perfect" Summer Classes

Sometimes we stress ourselves by expecting to complete a masterpiece each time we paint. In this class, we'll sketch and paint multiple studies using various techniques that can be incorporated into paintings such as these rock studies I painted in the last class.

Come and enjoy the experience of watercolors! Positive, directed teaching, handouts, demos.

Create Sketches and Studies of:

• rocks
• trees
• flowers
• clouds
• skies
• perspective
• and more!

_____________________________________

Registration

Reserve your place by mailing this form to Jerie Artz, 3635 Goodall Court,

West Lafayette, Indiana 47906; tel. (765)838-8359, or respond by e-mail

Name_____________________________email_____________

Address____________________________phone____________

Christmas Past

It has been awhile since I posted paintings.  Before Christmas, I did have a one day class painting poinsettias.  I created a collage of previous poinsettias, as well as a new collage layered with colored tissue paper with watercolor painting on the surface.  It was a challenge to force myself to layer colored tissue in an abstract fashion in order to create the illusion of poinsettias.  I went through a stage of wondering if anything of beauty would emerge, but stuck with it to see something I'm quite happy with emerge.

White and Red Poinsettias

Collage of Previous Poinsettias

Colored Tissue Collage and Watercolor

 I never get tired of painting these beautiful plants.

Ending the Year with a Flourish!

Looking at my blog, I see that I've been so taken up with life that it's been a while since I posted the art happenings since October.

The "Artz Tour de France" exhibit at the Henriott, 250 Main St, Suite 650,  is about to come to a clo se - January 4th.  It was a great culmination to our June trip.  Among the six artists who exhibited, there are over 40 paintings on display. 

We were impressed by the view of Lafayette from the 6th floor conference room of the Henriott Group when we hung the show, so we got permission to have a paint out one afternoon   The vista from the large plate glass windows of the city below is amazing.  I painted an entry for my watercolor journal and then painted a long narrow larger piece.

December has been filled with creative expressions of the season, and for me the emphasis of "Peace on Earth - Goodwill to Men" because of all the violence taking place in our world.  

The annual December Christmas card/miniature class was held this year in one of the student's homes.  After a yummy lunch we painted cards and minis inspired by the season.  Here are a few demos that are still in process!

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch and the challenge of painting a variety of subjects.

So that's a wrap for 2015!  I'm still wanting to paint a larger painting inspired by the pomegranates and artichokes, if I have time, I will!

Merry Christmas - and may the Peace of Christ rest on us all.

Back by popular demand! COLOR!

Several of my students have been asking for a repeat of the
 "Fun" d-amentals of watercolor series that lays the foundation for understanding color theory.  During the month of April, four classes will be offered, what I call,  "The Genealogy of Color" or the "Family Tree of Color."

One of my watercolor mentors, Jerry Thomas, told me that once I understood the mixing of color, the primaries, their compliments,and their analogous colors it would be like portal opening up my painting in a whole new way.  He was right.  As I continue to grow in the understanding and application of a limited palette and all the possibilities that come from three colors, I am amazed.

This series will be tweaked a bit.  Instead of painting the enchanted forests of negative space painted trees, the same color principles will be applied in painting a variety of subjects.

Spring is on the way - time for some color!

Red/Green compliments and their analogous color

Yellow/Violet compliments and their analogous colors

Blue/Orange compliments and their analogous colors

Summer Travel Journal Watercolor Classes

I just finished the flyer for my summer classes - painting travel journals plein air.  With so many traveling over the summer, there are six classes offered and students can choose to attend four of the six.  There is nothing like painting outdoors and capturing the essence of places visited.

Breath of Spring classes have begun!

The first of four "Breath of Spring" classes begin this past Monday.  I've never had to scrounge to find spring blooms so much in my life!  After forcing several plants that I bought, we did have some hyacinths and a daffodil blossom.  Now that warm weather is here we should have study material for the rest of the classes.
This is the beginning of my first class demo - to be finished by Monday!

Painting Winter Snow Classes

We've managed to stretch the four week painting winter snow classes to six weeks because of....SNOW!  If any inspiration was needed, it's been all around us.  One of the students said that painting snow was helping her see it with different eyes and even cope with the winter we've had.  We've painted snow on trees, a red building with bright blue sky, sunset or sunrise landscape and tomorrow I'll be teaching how to paint "white on white."  Learning that snow is not just plain white has been a big part of these classes as well as noticing shadows.  As much as I love snow, I'll be ready to move on to the next season for the next set of classes!

Super Bowl - Super Paint Out Pots

The Super Bowl is history, but for those who came to paint Sunday afternoon, they will have something to show for their afternoon.  The lesson was painting terra cotta pots and plants. Several students brought their own pots and plants to go with the beautiful red and green croton leafy plant.  Some of these are still in progress, but the purity and transparency of the use of watercolors is evident.

Winter Watercolor Classes

As I'm writing this blog,  looking out my window is a winter wonderland.  Fresh snow, fresh world, fresh inspiration!  Winter watercolor classes are about to begin and we'll try to capture some of the magic of snow on our sheets of white watercolor paper.  It's a new year and I'm looking forward to new experiences in teaching and painting.  As I teach, I learn - so painting snow....here I come!