Announcing New Zoom class- Little Abbeys (small abstracts)

Announcing NEW Zoom class!

My Zoom Little Abbey workshop is posted on my home page of my website, with a link to sign up. Only taking 25 students. It is $65 and will be on March 2. (10:00 -4:00 Eastern time) www.karenknutson.com. This is filling fast! Be sure to get your place today!

Special surprise recipe! Chicken Piccata

During this pandemic, I've been cooking more than ever before, trying new recipes and actually enjoying cooking!  What???  My friends know that I've never been interested in culinary art, but now, I'm searching for things to fill my days, and since my husband and I used to love going out to eat, this is the next best thing till this pandemic is over!   We often cook together too, which I have to admit, I'm hoping Dick will love it so much that he will take over someday. (wink, wink)  I've decided that from time to time, I will be sharing some of my most favorite recipes.  And as a bonus, I am adding one of my latest paintings, just for kicks.  This painting is available for the first person to text me for only $50, half of my usual price!  This chicken dish is a combination of many different recipes that I found online, and I concocted my own version, based on our own tastes.  Hope you enjoy it! 

"Creative Energy"      7" x 11", watercolor and collage

"Chicken Piccata"

6 chicken thighs 

Flour (optional)

1/2 t. Kosher salt

1/2 t. Black pepper

3 T. Butter

1/2 c. Dry white wine

1/4 cup Capers, drained

3 or 4 t. minced or chopped garlic

1/3 t. thyme 

1 T corn starch

3/4 cup chicken broth

3 T. Fresh lemon juice and sliced lemon

3 Chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Optional:  Coat chicken with flour lightly, if preferred.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Using 3 T butter to pan, fry chicken for 5 minutes.  Turn chicken over. Cook 2 - 3 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan and place them in a 9 x 13 pan.  Baste chicken with some of the butter that is still in the skillet.   Add corn starch, wine, capers, garlic, 2 T. lemon juice, and thyme to skillet.  Cook 2 minutes till slightly thicker.   Add sauce to 9 x 13 pan, but try not to pour over the chicken, so that the chicken will remain crispy on top. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes till internal temp of the chicken should register 190- 200 degrees. (I put loose foil on top of the pan for the first 15 minutes, then removed it for the last 15 minutes to allow the chicken to get crispy.  Sprinkle evenly with green onion, garnish with sliced lemons.  Serve over jasmine rice. 

Exciting news! Artist of the Day on Streamline Productions Facebook!

On this Thursday, May 21st at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time Zone, I am the featured Artist of the Day on Streamline Productions Facebook page.  Be sure to mark your calendar and tune in!  I will be there to answer any of your questions as the video progresses.  This video explains the charcoal pour process and then how to collage and paint a bird in watercolor.  Lots of design tips as well.  Hope you will be enticed to buy the video!
Here's the link to watch it:
https://www.facebook.com/StreamlineArtVideo/

Day 29 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"College Finals Week"       11" x 11"      $145

I guess I may as well admit it; my favorite medium is collage!  Whenever I add collage to my paintings, I become completely immersed in the process and hours pass, without even having hunger pains! I had a total different plan when I started this painting.  But one thing I've learned over the years is to adapt to your painting.  When it's telling you something, listen!  Below is my wild underpainting, and my value sketch. But when I got to the mid stage, I noticed the circle rainbow shape that was behind her head and I thought, "go with it".  (see photo 3 below) I would love to do a large painting of this image!

Day 26 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Heading for Happy Hour"       11" x 11"image       $145
Collage and acrylic on paper

I used the same value pattern as my last painting, "Suits".  But this time, I collaged with medium toned papers in the dark areas.  I forgot to take a  photo in this early stage.  I applied the collage papers using acrylic matte medium.   In the light areas, I tore up newspaper and collaged it in all different directions, so that the print wouldn't be readable.  I then painted a thin layer of gesso over the newspaper to make it a little whiter.  I like this painting, because the figures look transparent where they overlap the background.  Which painting do you like better--"Suits" or this one? They actually look pretty cool hanging together.  If you purchase both paintings, I give 10% off.

Day 16 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Quiet Moment Together"            11" X 11"       SOLD
Acrylic and Collage

Knowing I had to leave my studio in the mid afternoon, I tried to keep today's painting more simple.  Have you ever had tiny pieces of collage papers that you've thrown away?  I use them in a complicated paper collage.  AnneBagby taught me how to do this on her DVD.  Placing the collage papers randomly over the entire surface, I have my "under painting".  I use acrylic matte medium to adhere them to the paper.  It is pictured below.  Then I draw my subject on tracing paper, placing the center of interest wherever I like the collage papers the best.  After my complete drawing is on the tracing paper, I get a print of the drawing that is only 25% of it's size.  I then make a 3 value sketch on the new small copy.  For me, I HAVE to do this on these paintings, because you are actually painting where the lights are.  Below is my value sketch too.

Another Wire Drawing

"Heartfelt Wishes"

This was my demo for the Two Harbors, MN workshop on Day 3.  We had a fabulous time, starting out with Funky Lady paintings, then Charcoal Pour bird paintings, and lastly, wire drawings.  I told them how hooked I am in this process, and I think there are several of them that are just as hooked as I am.  This painting started out with random collage pieces positioned in a cruciform manner.  I keep the colors of the fiber paper very neutral. After the collage dries, we add the drawing of the bird, using permanent markers.  Lastly, we paint the background, using neutral colors.  My favorite combination colors for this is neutral tint and aureolin yellow.  It makes an army green/grey color that I really love!   These drawings sometimes lead to abstracts, by cropping into certain areas. 

"Teaching Design"

Magazine Collage

Through my many years of teaching, the most rewarding workshops are the design workshops.  Although it's the hardest workshop that I teach, it's definitely the most rewarding.  I love it when several students write me wonderful letters afterwards about how the light bulb went on and they now understand what makes a good painting. Many of them start winning awards and getting into national shows, where they had never been accepted before. It doesn't matter whether you are a traditional painter or abstract painter, the rules apply to both.   I just finished teaching a 4 day workshop in Lacrosse, WI and the group were very talented in artistic ability, but lacked knowledge for good design.  They were very willing to do the fun exercises that I laid out and several of them stated that they were willing to do 30 minute studies for 30 days, a challenge that I told them I had done.  I loved teaching there and we all had many laughs together.  A great group!  This painting is 5" x 7" and is totally magazine cut outs.  By starting with the largest pieces, you lay in the simple shapes in 3 values.  Then adding opposite colors and blacks complete the design  I loved the students' finished pieces so much!  I use these magazine collages as studies for larger paintings.  I owe all my design skills to John Salminen. Check out his website. 

Another Charcoal Pour Bird Painting!

"Deep in Thought"

Here is the finished painting that I demoed for the workshop last weekend in Bethel, MN.  Below is the painting 3/4 finished.   When I am at this point in a painting, I ask myself many design questions, in order to complete the painting.
 1. Do I have a dominant value?  In order to see that, I take a black and white photo of my painting.  Then I see the values of each color. In this case, the lights and medium values were equal, so I decided to add more aqua collage paper.
2.  Have I linked the center of interest to the sides of the paper?
3.  Repeating the busy shapes within the bird by adding the stripes on the side is a good idea!
4. Cropping the picture so that the bird isn't right in the middle of the painting.
5. Added shadows under the feet.
6. Worked on details of the eyes.
By the way, the aqua colored paper was handmade by painting on deli paper and stenciling layers of different colored paint after the main first layer of paint.  To read more about how to do the charcoal pour, go to Virginia Cobb's book, Discovering the Inner Eye.  I absolutely LOVE this process! 

Monoprint, Patchwork Quilt style

"In Stitches"

This is from my second day teaching the Monoprinting Workshop that is in my home studio.  We learned how to make our beautiful handmade papers into a painting.  Seeing values was the most important lesson of the day.  The students also learned many design tips for better paintings.  My studio looked like a tornado hit it!  But everyone  had lots of fun, and very successful paintings. 

Day 30 of "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

"Dancing the Night Away"  $145  watercolor, collage, acrylic  (11" x 11" image)

Yahoo!  I made it!  Day 30!  I wanted to finish with a special painting, so I decided to collage my wonderful city, Minneapolis, in the background.  And the crow looks like he is dancing, thus the title!  It's odd, but I'm really starting to like this color combination, and I had rarely used it before this challenge.  This painting goes with "Opening Act", #5 of this series.  I used the same napkin for collage and changed the design by painting with acrylic on top.  *Big tip for stripes to use for collage:  Save those pesky renewal postcards that come in new magazines.  The bar code can be cut up and used for collage.
So, what did I learn from this challenge?  1. How to simplify.  2. Limit colors  3.  Don't work so hard.  4.  Enjoy the PROCESS!  5.  I have a new appreciation for birds now. 
Maybe I'll become a birder!  Funny story:  My husband said that my last painting should be titled, "giving you the bird".  Sorry, I just had to include that.  :)   Dick has been an important part of this challenge.  He had great patience with a messy house, only 4 home cooked meals in January, and me spending most of my time in my studio.  He knows how important my painting is to me, so he's been very supportive, but we both are looking forward to more order in our lives.  And I look forward to doing this again, next January!  Thank you, Leslie Saeta, for organizing this challenge.  You all might enjoy looking at all the artist's work on her blog site.  Just click on her blog title, and span down the page.  Be sure to check back tomorrow, when I will post all 30 paintings together!  Most of these paintings have sold, but if you're interested in any, email me with your request.  I can paint commissions! 

Day 26- "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

"Getting the Cold Shoulder"  $145  watercolor, acrylic, and collage  (11" x 11" image)

I actually finished this painting this morning, between 4:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m!  I babysat my grandsons all day yesterday, so I had to start my painting during nap time.  I knew I wanted to do Blue Jays, because they are one of my favorites.  Positioning them on the branch back to back, made me think that one of them was mad at the other, thus the title, "Getting the Cold Shoulder".  The outside border is composed of torn napkins, that I negative painted with acrylic to create my own design. I can't believe that there is only 4 days to go in this challenge.  I'm anxious about deciding which birds will be in those last 4 paintings.My favorite bird of all is probably the morning dove, so that will have to be one of them.  Keep tuned, and thank you so much for reading my blog, and making comments! 

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 17

"I'm starting to see Circles!"   $125   Watercolor, Acrylic, and Collage  (11" x 11" image)

I've been planning to paint an owl from the beginning of this challenge, and got special permission from Sarah Rosedahl to use her photo as my reference.  She is a fantastic photographer and artist.  Click on her name to see her work.  I knew that I wanted to have circles in the background, to kind of accentuate the eyes of the owl.  But as I was halfway into the painting, I thought, what can I do to make this go faster and simpler?  See photo below.

Half finished painting

So, I took one of my paint jar lids and dipped it in the paint, and wallah.... doing stencils made it lots easier.  I also used caran d'ache crayons and a permanent black marker to add finishing touches.  The branch is made from a circular patterned collage paper, and then I painted back into it, so that the paper would be incorporated into the piece a little better.  I only used 4 colors to paint the background on this painting. (2 main colors, plus white and black)   I learned how to make swatches of harmonious papers from Carrie Burns Brown.  Check out her video if you get a chance.  It's one of my favorites!Tomorrow's post will also be an owl, so keep posted!  Thank you for following my blog.  It really means a lot to me to hear your comments!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 15!!

"French Crow"   watercolor and collage  $195   (11" x 11" image) 

Half way there!!!!  Did you notice the explanation points?  I'm very proud of myself that I've made it this far!  Now for a confession.  I didn't do this painting today.  I actually did it back in October, but needed another bird painting, so I grabbed it from my pile.  I took the photo of this crow in Paris, and that's why I named it, "French Crow".  But I digress....  Explanation time.  Yesterday was a full day, with only one hour to spend in my studio.  I did get a drawing done, but that was it.  Last night, I had the pleasure of meeting some friends at a great new place where we all paint the same painting, and drink wine at the same time.  It's called Cheers Pablo, and is owned by my friend, Chriscell and her husband.  Click on the link.  It's located in Woodbury, MN.  The idea is simple.  A group of friends gather to paint a very simple painting, (no painting experience needed!) with TV sets all over the room, so everyone can see every step.  Anyway, this was a BLAST!  My painting was downright horrible, but I don't care.  (Do you think it had anything to do with the 3 glasses of wine that I had?)  But, it was FUN!   And I'm definitely going to go back there again another time.  I really recommend it!  FYI, I will paint a replacement painting for this before the 30 days are up.  I just needed something to post today.  :)  Pictures of Cheers Pablo below:

Chriscell, Pat, me, Georgia, Sonja, and Deb

Our masterpieces!

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Day 11

"Time to Reflect"  (Mixed Media)  $125

Today, as I was painting this, I was thinking about how lucky we artists are, that we can call other artists and have "play days" from time to time.  My friend, Jeanne Larson came over and painted all day with me.  We made journals to start with, and it felt so good to not be painting a "real painting" for a change.  Just playing!  The design button never turns off with me, so even when I am painting journals, I still think about dominance, and repetition of colors, etc.  The point is that every now and then, it's important for us all to recharge, doing something that we love.  After journals, I found a half finished painting that I had done on Day 6, so this painting will be a companion painting for that one. Check it out!  I do that often- painting 2 small paintings at once, so that the buyer can hang them either vertically or horizontally.  It's a great sales technique too, since they look really nice side by side in a gallery setting.  So, anyway, I didn't have too much to do to finish this painting, and I liked that way the bird looks deep in thought.  What a great day we had painting!

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 10

"Martini , please!"  Acrylic   $95

This is a funny painting.  I think this bird wanted a martini so bad that he had a little accident!  I laugh when I see it.  The shadow ended up looking more like a puddle, so I thought, I'll just make it abstract by putting stripes through it.  Well, that made the shine show even more!  So I thought, "it is what it is!"  Secondly, I'm not going to tell you what kind of bird this is, cuz I'm not sure what it looks like!  I collaged the top part with torn napkins, and then painted on top of them, using black acrylic.  This painting is almost all acrylic, in fact, beside the collage.  I had to put 2 olives in the martini, because I really like them!

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Day 6

"Trying to Blend In" (11" x 11" mixed media)  $125

Six days into this challenge and I'm feeling really wiped out!  I keep trying to trick my mind by saying that I'm almost 1/3 of the way there, much like when I was learning to jog many years ago.  I wouldn't think that I could go another step, and then I'd say to myself, "Just make it to that next mailbox" and then when I made it, I'd make another bargain with myself.  Isn't that what life is?  Many little goals or bargains, that when you add them all up, they make a great big wonderful accomplishment!  This painting started out as a collage, where I randomly put pieces of collage papers, that were related in color.  Then I painted in a rich chocolate color around the collage papers.  When adding the drawing of the crow, I purposely overlapped it over part of the collage also, so it would seem invisible or ghost-like. 

Day 5- 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Opening Act"

 

11" x 11" image, mixed media, available for $125.  Some paintings just go smoothly.  Today was one of those days.  Hey, I deserve it, after yesterday's trials!  I knew that I wanted to collage the feathers again, and decided to have the crow sticking his head into a busy section, that would repeat the patterns on his wings.  After collaging on the right, I negative painted, using acrylic so that I could make up my own pattern.  This was fun to paint from start to finish!  I named it "Opening Act" because it looks like the crow is getting ready to go on stage.

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 3

"Spring Fever"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I look at the temperature outside, here in Minnesota (below zero AGAIN), I long for Spring, so I decided to paint a robin today. I've always loved robins.  Last year, I saw hundreds of them in early Spring, all gathered together, looking at the snow as if to say, "Am I early?"   This was a sight I've never seen before, and probably won't see again.  I again used collage papers for the feathers, just like Day One of this challenge.  I also printed off quotes about birds and robins and collaged them in the light areas.  I've always been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, so that is why I put the line work and graphic style in the background.  It was a fun project. Again, this is 11" x 11" image and it is available for $95.

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day Two

"Ask for the Moon"

This painting is size 11" x 11" image and sells for $195.  I'm trying to get ahead so that on busy days, I'll have an already completed painting.  This painting was supposed to be a quickie, but it ended up taking 6 hours to complete.  I started by randomly placing collage papers on Arches Cold Press paper.  Then I drew the birds and negative painted around them, using acrylics.  This type of painting is much more comfortable for me than yesterday's painting. I don't like doing detail on the subject matter, as a rule.