Free preview of my newest acrylic video!

More Exciting news!! Mark your calendar for this Thursday, June 18 , at 3:00 Eastern Time (2:00 Central Time zone) when Streamline Art Videos Facebook page wil be featuring part of my new acrylic video Karen Knutson: Fun with Acrylics!

We'll be broadcasting @ 3pm ET from the Streamline Art Video Facebook

page (

https://www.facebook.com/StreamlineArtVideo/

). I will be on hand to answer questions in the chat line. There is a great discount if you order the video on that day!

Always Be Yourself!

"Yacht Club"
original acrylic on paper
Image:  14 x 21"

Do you catch yourself saying something negative about your artwork over and over?  The same statement?  I used to say that I didn't like making so many itty bitty shapes.  Virginia Cobb straightened me out in a workshop when I told her that.  She asked me if I liked making little tiny shapes, and I said that I must, because they keep showing up.  She said to honor that unique quality of my work and then just unify them with a glaze to make fewer "grouped" shapes when I was done. I LOVE that advice.  So, now when I teach a workshop, I tell everyone that the very thing that they think might be their worst thing about their artwork, actually is the very thing that they should keep!  We all need to be ourselves!
This painting, "Yacht Club" is part of a local show called Bonnie and Friends.  Bonnie Featherstone asked about 30 artists, from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, to bring 2 paintings each.  It's at the Ames Center in Burnsville, MN for the month of December, if you get the chance to see it.  I'm so honored to be a part of such a grand show.  You won't believe all the different styles.  I was talking with one of the artists and he said that he wishes he could be a little looser.  His paintings are so good, that they are almost photographic!  I told him my story about excelling at what you consider your worst feature.  He agreed with me, and we both appreciate our differences.
By the way, one of my favorite painters is Gustav Klimt.  Check out how many tiny shapes he has in his paintings!!!! www.klimt.com But they are beautifully combined into big shapes and so well designed.

Try Something New!

Wire Drawing, "Three's a Crowd"

I just realized that I had been ignoring my blog, and I'm sure you all wonder what has happened to me.  It's hard to keep all the balls up in the air sometimes!  I apologize for my absence and will try to be better at keeping in touch in the New Year ahead.
This is one of my wire drawings.  It is called that due to the fact that it looks like a wire sculpture when completed.  They are done using permanent markers.  I absolutely LOVE doing them!  I learned the beginning steps of this process from my friend, Mary Beth Downs, a Duluth, MN artist.  I will always be thankful to her for sharing how to do this!  It has changed my life!  Always fun to see what appears out of the contour abstract start!  I'm teaching this process in Clearwater, FL on January 21 - 23rd, 2019.  Contact workshops@arttrysts.com if you are interested in information on that!  We will learn how to make a wire drawing and then progressively learn how to turn them into semi-abstract or completely abstract.  It's called, Painting with Wild Abandon, mainly an acrylic workshop with the emphasis on wire drawing and how it will make your imagination go wild!
My challenge to all of you is to do something artistically that is out of your comfort zone.  I'm doing Life Drawing every Wednesday, and I'm pretty inexperienced, to say the least, but I'm loving it!  I'm finding that it's stirring up my imagination in all of my other paintings too.  It's great to try something new!

Day 18 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

I

"Walking Through Time"       $75
Watercolor         10" x 7"

I decided to do a pure watercolor today.  I started this using the dry-brush technique that I've used on 75% of my paintings during his challenge. The first step is shown below.  I again tried my hand at plein aire painting today.  We met at the Farmer's  Market  in downtown Venice  I was concerned that it might be too public for me to feel comfortable, but it turned out to be great since I just sketched and took LOTS of people photos for possible painting in the the future.  I guess that's why when I got home that I wanted to paint people.  I again met many new artist friends and reconfirmed that this area is definitely a great place for us to spend our winter months!  Very grateful!

Step One:  Dry Brush 

Day 30: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"The Highest Power, #3"    NFS
Image:  11" x 15"    watercolor

     Yes!  I made it!  There were many times, when I wondered if I should quit, just for my health alone.  But I did easy paintings on those days, and then I got better.  For you runners out there, this was my marathon, and it feels really good to have made it across the finish line.

     I've been working on this painting here and there all month.  I needed a pure watercolor for the Transparent Watercolor Exhibition, so this will be one of my entries.  I know it's not a landscape, my original goal for this 30 Day Challenge, but I've already broken that many times with all my bird paintings.  So, why not break it one more time?  Go out with a bang, I say!       The study for this was the wire drawing below (drawings that look like a wire sculpture).   I've done 3 of these so far.  Every one is different, and surprises always arise as I'm painting.  Tomorrow, I will be posting the whole collection of 30 Day Paintings.  That will be your last chance to get in on the January bargain prices.  It's been a great ride, and as always, I learn so much along the way.  I really recommend you trying this.  Thanks for following along and cheering me on!

Wire Drawing of the original "Highest Power" painting

"The Diva"

"The Diva",  Acrylic on paper, 14" x 20" image
Price:  $850



I painted this artwork yesterday, starting at 8:00 a.m. and finishing at 5:00 p.m.  I had to meet a deadline for the Northwest Watercolor Society.  I entered with one hour to spare!  Several times, I almost quit in the midst of this painting, but my granddaughter, said, "No, grandma, you can do it!", so I continued.  Constantly, I tell students that very thing.  If we just keep going past the "ugly teenage" stage, lots of times, these can be your best paintings.  I really listened to the painting as I worked.  For instance, the blue streak coming from the left side was in the underpainting, and I liked how it connected the background to her dress, so I left it in.  Also the abstract shapes behind her head were formed in the first layer also, so when I negative painted around them, the shapes were very interesting. 
This painting started with squirting several colors on prepared paper, and then scraping it with a credit card.  It's a great way to get exciting colors in the underpainting.  I'm teaching in The Villages, FL from January 25 - 29th, and this is one of the subjects, "Painting like Gustav Klimt".  It's really a fun technique!  If interested in coming, contact Beverly Hennessy at www.thevillagesartworkshops.com
bbaug97@aol.com  352-572-5317

Day 21- 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Mr. Right"                  11" x 11"                   $195
Acrylic

Whenever I get myself into deep trouble, I actually get excited!  I know, you think I'm bonkers, but when this happens, I have to reinvent the wheel, and I usually am ready to have a breakthrough!  This happened today, when working on this painting.  I knew that I wanted a warm underpainting, so I grabbed all kinds of yellows and iron oxide, etc.  I then decided on impulse to add just a little of black. I spread the dots of color, with a rubber Catalyst wedge, that had notches in it.  Below is the result of that process.  Yikes!  I saw this underpainting, and thought, "Well this is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into, Lucy". But then, I decided to add a layer of yellow to unify the background and that turned the black to an army green color.  Then I added gesso on top, and flicked some alcohol and water drops to get the speckled look.  Now, I was cooking!  My objective on this one was to have really high contrast.  So I knew from the beginning that I wanted the bottom black and the top a light color. Once the gesso effect dried, I toned it with an aqua color.  I'm going to have a hard time letting this painting go.  It's such a great breakthrough.  Even the bottom black area has depth, due to a dripping process.  The thing that I'm most pleased with is the soft edges, and all the mystery created by all the layering.  Tomorrow, I'm painting a girl to go with this one.  They are meant to be sold together, I hope!

Day 6 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Love- Homage to Klimt"         11" x 11"         $395  SOLD

 

 

I started this using the wild underpainting, as explained in Day 3's blog.  This is acrylic on Strathmore Aquarius paper.  I got in a hurry and started putting in my dark values to form the figures.  Then I remembered that I had promised myself to do a value study this time, because I'm almost always more successful when I have a "road map".  I like to use only 2 values, and then put my darkest darks later on within the midtone area, and let the painting tell me where to put those darks.  When I paint with acrylic, I never paint the color that I intend to end up with.  There are at least 4 layers to build up to that color.  You can see the steps pictured below.  Gustav Klimt is one of my favorite artists, and this is in homage to his famous painting, "The Kiss".  I used their position and then took off on my own.  Can you see the hidden word in the painting?  This one is my favorites of all that I've done so far.  Don't forget to write me an email if you want to be on my student email list. Karen@karenknutson.com  I have 3 workshops in my home studio each summer, and they fill up within the same day that I advertise them by email.

Day 5: "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

"Balance in my Life"     11" x 11"         $145

In January every year, I crave balance in my life.  Are you the same?  Housekeeping, cooking, healthy eating, exercise, & painting:  Guess what gets the most attention?  Painting! .....as it should be, right?  :)  And I'm proud of that!  I always make time for friends and family, but I do take my painting seriously, because it's my job, not just a "hobby". (the dreaded word)  But sitting painting all day is not healthy, so I must make time for these other things.  That's my goal!  This painting started out the same as the past 3 posts.  The underpainting is below. Even though you might question this starting pattern, a little of that underpainting shows through to every layer on top of it.  This is acrylic on Strathmore Aquarius paper.  This painting took lots more time than it should have!  Some days are like that!  Many layers of corrections. But then again, that's what makes a deeper layered painting.   I realize today that I've been working without a value design for most of these paintings!  I truly believe in value studies with only 2 values.  So, tomorrow, that will change and the painting will go much more smoothly, I guarantee.  BTW, I've been asked many times about future workshops. If you are interested in my home studio workshops in the summer months at Eden Prairie, MN, email at karen@karenknutson.com  I only advertise through email and they usually fill on the first day!

Day 4: "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

"Boys will be Boys"           11" x 11"              $145

This painting was started just like yesterday's painting, using acrylic paint. It's pictured below.  (See Day 3 for detailed explanation.)  By the way, Carole Barnes was the instructor who taught me how to start with a wild underpainting, and she also was the one who influenced me to use Aquarius Strathmore paper when I do acrylic paintings.  I highly recommend her as an abstract acrylic instructor!  My goal when I started this challenge was to add figures to abstract background and to try to stay loose.  I kind of forgot that last goal today.  Some habits are hard to break. :)  But I was really pleased with the colors!   I named this painting due to the two boys pushing each other.  Yes, boys will be boys!

Day 3- "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

"The Shy One"        11" x 11"          $145

You never know where a painting is going to head.  I again started this painting by adding globs of paint on the surface.  Then I spread the paint using a credit card. But different than the last 2 paintings, this time, I sprayed some water on it and tilted the paper to let the drips happen slightly. Then I waited 10 minutes before blotting the surface with a paper towel, using a brayer.  When you blot it, white patterns appear where the water had sat.  See photos below. I could see a table in the lower right corner and loved the dripping pattern above it, so I made that into a chair.  Then I decided to add a family standing by the table.   I used Strathmore Aquarius 90 lb. paper today, which I like much better when I use acrylic.  It made a huge difference.  I always prepare my paper with matte medium before starting.  That way, I can rub out white by using alcohol and cotton balls.

Day 2: "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

"Hopeful Future"          11"x 11"            SOLD

I started this painting the same as yesterday's, so you can look back on the January 1st post to see the details.  I often will paint 2 paintings at once, so that they will match.  It's a great trick for sales for all of you artists out there!  Clients may either pick their favorite of the 2, OR sometimes they decide to take both of them and hang them either vertically or horizontally.  My husband challenged me to paint more colorful, bright paintings, so watch for some changes in the next few days.  I felt that this painting seemed like the couple are looking out onto the horizon, wondering what tomorrow will bring, so I titled it "Hopeful Future".  Be sure to check out Leslie Saeta's blog, http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/ to see more of the other artists who accepted her challenge.  966 artists signed up!

Day One- "30 Paintings in 30 Days"

"Remembering Friends"    11" x 11"      SOLD

January 1st and the first day of the 30 Day Painting Challenge!  I have to admit, I was very nervous this morning when I faced the white piece of paper! I didn't paint at all in December, and I honestly fear painting after taking that much time off.  My goal is to paint looser and include figures into an abstract background.  I was thinking of my friend, Connie, as I painted this.  She is in another world now after loosing the battle against cancer on November 24th.  She always had such a positive attitude and I can hear her cheering me on during this challenge.
I started this painting by dropping globs of paint on the paper, and then spreading it out, using a credit card.  It was fun! (see photos below)  Then I picked the spots where I wanted that first layer to show up and drew the figure into the composition accordingly.  I finished this, using an oak branch as my brush.  I love the hit and miss that the branch creates in line work! Happy New Year everyone!  If you'd like to join me in this challenge, click on this link: http://30paintingsin30days.weebly.com/  If interested in purchasing this painting, it is $145 and is 11" x 11", image only.

 

Goals for the New Year!

"Waiting for Mr. Right"

I usually make several goals on New Year's Eve, and sometimes I follow through and sometimes I don't.  So, this year, my plan is to make a goal every month and maybe that will be a short enough time that I may possibly follow through!  In January for the past 2 years, I have done the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge posted by Leslie Saeta.  Click on the link and you can join me!  For me, it's a great way to get back into painting after taking all of December off to party and all that goes with the Christmas holiday for our family.  (4 trees this year!)  The deal is that you can paint 2 paintings in one day, if you need to get ahead.  You just have to paint 30 paintings in 30 days.  I usually like to get ahead in the first week, so that I can post them early on her website, AND if I'm possibly called to babysit, I will be ready for that day.  I told myself last year that I would have soups, etc. frozen ahead of time, but that didn't happen.  I think I'll take advantage of the crock pot this year.  My goal is to do people that are part of an abstract background like the painting pictured here that I actually painted many years ago.  Any medium, but my goal is to keep them loose.  Wish me luck!  Happy New Year, you all!

Crazy Lady Paintings

"Sending you a Big Hug"

This is one of my latest crazy lady paintings. If you look closely, along her neck there's a message. It probably looks like hair at first, right?  :)   I just finished teaching a 2 day workshop in Watertown, SD at Jennifer Stone's beautiful new studio.  What a great time we had!  So many laughs and new friendships were made!  I had 19 students, and they all did a fabulous job at creating very imaginative crazy ladies of their own!  Below is a collage of their paintings.  (Remember, I made this on www.PicMonkey.com)  It's a great site to make collection photos. 

The value of a Design Sketch

"Family Roots", Acrylic, $1500, Image:  21" x 29"

I started this painting in early February at Karlyn Holman's Paint-in.  Then, my teaching schedule got in the way, and it just sat unfinished for 2 months.  I knew that the deadline for Red River Watercolor Society Show was coming up, so I decided yesterday to tackle this painting.  I think it's really hard to pick up where I left off so long ago, don't you?  Anyway, I didn't even have the inspiration piece to look at, since I had given it to my friend, Jennifer, for her birthday.  It's 5" x 7" and is pictured below.

5 x 7 inspiration painting

I knew that I didn't like the design in the inspiration piece, but decided to keep painting, since I had a deadline looming over my head.  ( I liked the colors, but not the design.)  I would have been so wise to stop and do a simple 2 value design sketch.  The painting took me about 2 hours longer than it had to, due to me making corrections and wiping out with rubbing alcohol to reclaim my light pathway. Anyway, the good thing to come out of me flying by the seat of my pants, is that I really like the circular design of the finished painting, "Family Roots".  It's almost like the painting is swirling, directing the viewer's eye to the center of interest.  Still, I'm of the "old school" way of thinking, making a design plan before I start a painting.  Lesson learned!  I was up till 3:00 a.m. last night finishing this painting!

How many tomorrows will I waste?

"Fancy Pants", Acrylic and Collage, $295, image: 15" x 15"

This painting was so much fun to paint.  I painted with 2 friends and we tried to channel a new artist friend, Tonja Sell.  We met her at Karlyn Holman's Paint-in, and have so much respect for her talents, plus she's a really nice person to boot!  I tried to make this painting funky, but this girl just insisted on being pretty, so I decided to title it, "Fancy Pants".  The thing that was most fun was using colored pastel pencils on the face. Below you can see the close up view of the pencil marks. That's one thing that Tonja Sell does so well.  She scribbles lots and it sounds like a little chicken scratching in the dirt.  I grew to love that sound while I painted across the table from her at Karlyn's Paint-in.

So now you're wondering about the title of this post, right?  That is for my Healthy Eating Challenge Group.  I basically wasted this past week, doing little exercise, and going out to eat lots.  I made up this saying, "How many tomorrows will I waste, till I FINALLY REALIZE that TODAY is the DAY?!!"  Today, I feel focused and ready to take on the week.  One thing that I will do is to prepare meals ahead of time.  I tend to make bad choices when I just have to grab something on the run.  BTW, I haven't heard from any of you who are joining me in this challenge.  Am I all alone in this challenge?  Reporting in, I lost 1/2 pound last week, bringing me to a total of 2 pounds since I started on March 19th.  Please email me and tell me how you are doing, and whatever challenges you've had these past weeks.  We can share recipes too!  I've been watching Jaimie's 15 minute meals, and there's some really great healthy meals, and easy like I like them too!   We can cheer each other on! Have a great week, and we'll report back next Wednesday! Here's a writing that is so profound.  :) 

Make Small Commitments. Get Big Changes.

Excerpted from Rules of the Hunt

Taking Care of You

Drink plenty of water.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.
Eat more fruits and vegetables and eat less that is manufactured in processing plants.
Avoid eating food that is handed to you through a window.
Live the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
Play more games.
Read more books than you did last year.
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Sleep for 7 hours.
Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Your Outlook

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
Dream more while you are awake.

Drawing Challenge, Day 26

Today's challenge was to draw some part of our body, so I picked my face, looking in the mirror as I did it.  I have a bad cold, so it's not the best time to be doing a self portrait, but I did it anyway.  I've been studying shadows lately, and have found Jan Kunz' book, Painting Watercolor Portraits that Glow, very helpful to remember to connect shadows.  Kathie George told us to do a contour drawing, not lifting our pencil, and that really helped to connect the shadows.  I don't think this looks anything like me, but I do like it as a portrait of someone. 
So, Today was Weigh In Day for those who joined my Healthy Eating Challenge.  How did you do? If you want to, you can report back to me privately OR you can just keep it to yourself.  I honestly ate my yogurt and coffee before remembering to weigh in, so I'll just go by the weight that I was 2 days ago, which was down 1.5 pounds from my starting weight.  I have a bad cold right now, and lately caught myself using that excuse for not exercising.  A couple of years ago, I took a Community Ed class about dieting.  The leader asked us all the reasons why we were there, and wrote them on the blackboard.  I thought to myself, "Finally, I'll get that answer to my problem!"  (My excuse was that I always gained weight on trips and with my teaching schedule picking up, that meant for a lot of roller coaster weigh ins.)  So, there were about 15 excuses, including winter weather, stress, having too much to do, cravings, etc.  The leader then erased all of the excuses and said, "No more excuses!  You either want to do this or you don't!!!!"  Wow, I never forgot that phrase!  So, what's it going to be, fearless group?  Are we done with excuses?  Do this:  Whatever your excuse was that came to mind, find an answer for it, and make this week better than last week.  I sit in front of the TV too much and tend to eat there.  So, this week, no more eating in front of the TV.  There, that excuse is history!!!  Have a great week! :)

Drawing Challenge, Day 25

Today's assignment was to draw something in an unusual format.  I chose long and narrow, since my sculpture is tall and thin too.  I ran out of room on my 5" x 7" page, so she's a bit shorter than I wanted.  But you ignited a new series for me, Kathie George!  I think I will do many funky women in this long format on canvases.  I have 3 canvases that are size 30" x 40", but that may not be thin enough.  Food for thought.  The image that I drew today is one of my favorite sculptures by a local Minneapolis artist, Krissy Catt.  I am fortunate to own 2 of her sculptures and I really LOVE them! Below is a photo of the real sculpture.

So, those of you who joined me for the Healthy Food Challenge, Wednesdays are our weigh in day.  Are you ready?  How did you do this past week?  I would rate myself about a C+.  Still ate a couple of protein bars (processed food) and didn't exercise.  BUT, I made pretty good food choices, even with being out of town for 4 days. Make today a good day, everyone!  Take a walk, or just move more in your house, if it's too cold outside.  I like to walk in the Malls too, but that can cost you, if you stop in at a store!  :)

Drawing Challenge, Day 24

Our challenge today was to draw a sculpture so that we could put the shading in, where there were shadows.  I have a really cool sculpture of a head, that actually is supposed to hold a beverage, but I never use it for that.  What I'm most please about is that it truly does look like this!!!!  Maybe this drawing every day is truly paying off!  Who knew? Thanks, Kathie George for this incredible journey in drawing!